Methods for addressing aging of XO crystals

• US 8,994,466 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Filipovic, Daniel Fred, Agarwal, Vishal, Farmer, Dominic Gerard, Movva, Sasidhar, Bandaru, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US13/829,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20140028403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.62, 702/75, 331/116.R, 331/116.FE, 331/158, 331/176, 331/74, 331/44
• US Class Current: 331/158
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/00 Stabilisation of generator output against variations of physical values, e.g. power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/026 by using a memory for digitally storing correction values H03L1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/00 Automatic control of frequency or phase; Synchronisation

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems and computer-readable media for addressing the aging of oscillation (XO) crystals are presented. Some embodiments may determine a change of age of the XO crystal since last prior use of the XO crystal. Embodiments may then determine that at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, based on the change of age of the XO crystal. Embodiments may then determine at least one fresh calibration parameter configured to update the at least one calibration parameter for suitable use in the at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating an XO crystal, the method comprising:

determining a change of age of the XO crystal since last prior use of the XO crystal;

determining that at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, based on the change of age of the XO crystal;

expanding a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

determining at least one fresh calibration parameter using the expanded search window, the at least one fresh calibration parameter being configured to update the at least one calibration parameter for suitable use in the at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, wherein the at least one calibration parameter is used for an entire range of frequency response calibration values in the at least one calibration technique.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

expanding a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

obtaining at least one Recent Good System (RGS) value using the expanded search window.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the at least one RGS value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in the at least one calibration technique is based on at least one quality metric value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a field calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether a wireless wide area network (WWAN) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether a global positioning system (GPS) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the following equation:

C_0—

Fresh=RGS−

FT curve estimate+C₀,

wherein C_0—

Fresh is the at least one fresh calibration parameter, RGS is a Recent Good System value, FT curve estimate is a calibration curve and C₀ is a constant.

9. An apparatus configured to calibrate an XO crystal, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

determine a change of age of the XO crystal since last prior use of the XO crystal;

determine that at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, based on the change of age of the XO crystal;

expand a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

determine at least one fresh calibration parameter using the expanded search window, the at least one fresh calibration parameter being configured to update the at least one calibration parameter for suitable use in the at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, wherein the at least one calibration parameter is used for an entire range of frequency response calibration values in the at least one calibration technique.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

expand a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

obtain at least one Recent Good System (RGS) value using the expanded search window.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the at least one RGS value.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining that the at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in the at least one calibration technique is based on at least one quality metric value.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a field calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a wireless wide area network (WWAN) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a global positioning system (GPS) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the following equation:

C_0—

Fresh=RGS−

FT curve estimate+C₀,

wherein C_0—

Fresh is the at least one fresh calibration parameter, RGS is a Recent Good System value, FT curve estimate is a calibration curve and C₀ is a constant.

17. An apparatus configured to calibrate an XO crystal, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a change of age of the XO crystal since last prior use of the XO crystal;

means for determining that at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, based on the change of age of the XO crystal;

means for expanding a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

means for determining at least one fresh calibration parameter using the expanded search window, the at least one fresh calibration parameter being configured to update the at least one calibration parameter for suitable use in the at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, wherein the at least one calibration parameter is used for an entire range of frequency response calibration values in the at least one calibration technique.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for expanding a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

means for obtaining at least one Recent Good System (RGS) value using the expanded search window.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein means for determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the at least one RGS value.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein means for determining that the at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in the at least one calibration technique is based on at least one quality metric value.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining whether a field calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining whether a wireless wide area network (WWAN) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for determining whether a global positioning system (GPS) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein means for determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the following equation:

C_0—

Fresh=RGS−

FT curve estimate+C₀,

wherein C_0—

Fresh is the at least one fresh calibration parameter, RGS is a Recent Good System value, FT curve estimate is a calibration curve and C₀ is a constant.

25. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

determine a change of age of the XO crystal since last prior use of the XO crystal;

determine that at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, based on the change of age of the XO crystal;

expand a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

determine at least one fresh calibration parameter using the expanded search window, the at least one fresh calibration parameter being configured to update the at least one calibration parameter for suitable use in the at least one calibration technique of the XO crystal, wherein the at least one calibration parameter is used for an entire range of frequency response calibration values in the at least one calibration technique.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

expand a search window of the at least one calibration technique; and

obtain at least one Recent Good System (RGS) value using the expanded search window.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the at least one RGS value.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein determining that the at least one calibration parameter is not suitable for use in the at least one calibration technique is based on at least one quality metric value.

29. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether a field calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether a wireless wide area network (WWAN) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether a global positioning system (GPS) calibration parameter is older than a threshold age.

32. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein determining the at least one fresh calibration parameter is based on the following equation:

C_0—

Fresh=RGS−

FT curve estimate+C₀,

wherein C_0—

Fresh is the at least one fresh calibration parameter, RGS is a Recent Good System value, FT curve estimate is a calibration curve and C₀ is a constant.