Reverse frequency and time aiding

• US 9,151,845 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Babitch, Daniel, Gronemeyer, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Tashiana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US13/344,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.65, 342/357.62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/26 involving a sensor measurement for aiding acquisition or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 3/04 Arrangements for compensating for variations of physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/022 by indirect stabilisation, i.e. by generating an electrical correction signal which is a function of the temperature H03L1/021 takes precedence

Abstract

The present system relates to a GNSS receiver that includes a processor. The processor is configured to receive a temperature signal from a temperature sensor indicating an operating temperature of an resonator. The processor is also configured to compute a frequency and a frequency correction data of the resonator based on the temperature and a frequency model of the resonator. The processor then transmits the frequency correction data to an RF receiver which utilizes the frequency correction data and the resonator to receive and RF signal.

Claims

1. A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a temperature signal from a temperature sensor that indicates an operating temperature of a resonator,

update a frequency model of the resonator based on a frequency error between a frequency of the resonator and a frequency determined from received satellite signals,

compute a frequency and a frequency correction data of the resonator based on the temperature signal and the updated frequency model of the resonator,

transmit the frequency correction data to a radio frequency (RF) receiver separate from the GNSS receiver, the RF receiver using the frequency correction data and the resonator to receive an RF signal different from the satellite signals,

wherein the GNSS receiver uses the frequency correction data to receive satellite signals.

2. The GNSS receiver of claim 1,

wherein the RF receiver and GNSS receiver are configured in a mobile phone, the RF receiver being a cellular modem for receiving and processing cellular signals.

3. The GNSS receiver of claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to transmit the frequency correction data to another RF receiver that uses the frequency correction data to receive another RF signal.

4. The GNSS receiver of claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to:

receive an other temperature signal from an other temperature sensor that indicates an other operating temperature of an other resonator,

compute a time correction data based on the other temperature signal and an other frequency model of the other resonator,

transmit the time correction data to the RF receiver, the RF receiver correcting a time value based on the time correction data, and time stamping reception and transmission of RF signals.

5. The GNSS receiver of claim 4,

wherein the processor is configured adjust the frequency model and the other frequency model based on frequency error computed between a frequency generated from satellite signals received by the GNSS receiver and the resonator frequency, and between the frequency generated from the satellite signals and the other resonator frequency, respectively.

6. The GNSS receiver of claim 4,

wherein the processor is configured adjust the other frequency model based on frequency error computed between the resonator frequency and the other resonator frequency.

7. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver; and

a cellular receiver;

the GNSS receiver including a processor configured to;

receive a temperature signal from a temperature sensor that indicates an operating temperature of a resonator,

update a frequency model of the resonator based on a frequency error between a frequency of the resonator and a frequency determined from received satellite signals,

compute a frequency and a frequency correction data of the frequency signal based on the temperature signal and the updated frequency model of the resonator, and

transmit the frequency correction data to the cellular receiver,

the cellular receiver including a processor configured to;

receive the frequency correction data,

receive cellular signals using the frequency correction data and the resonator.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7,

wherein, in bi-directional aiding, the processor in the cellular receiver is configured to:

compute other frequency correction data based on a frequency error between the resonator frequency and a frequency generated from the received cellular signal, and

transmit the other frequency correction data to the GNSS receiver,

wherein the processor in the GNSS receiver is configured to update the frequency model based on the other frequency correction data, and

wherein the processor is configured to update the frequency model based on the least uncertain of the frequency correction data and the other frequency correction data.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7,

wherein the resonator includes a quartz crystal uncompensated for temperature, and the temperature sensor is a silicon diode.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 7,

wherein the processor is configured adjust the frequency model based on frequency error computed between a frequency generated based on the received satellite signals and the resonator frequency.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 7,

wherein the processor is configured to:

receive another frequency signal from another resonator,

receive an other temperature signal from an other temperature sensor that indicates an other operating temperature of the an other resonator,

compute time correction data of the other frequency signal based on the other temperature signal and the received satellite signal,

transmit the time correction data to the cellular receiver, the cellular receiver correcting a time value based on the time correction data, and time stamping reception and transmission of the cellular signals.

12. A method for providing reverse aiding from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver to a radio frequency (RF) receiver, the method comprising:

receiving, by the GNSS receiver, a temperature signal from a temperature sensor that indicates an operating temperature of a resonator,

updating a frequency model of the resonator based on a frequency error between a frequency of the resonator and a frequency determined from received satellite signals,

computing, by the GNSS receiver, a frequency and a frequency correction data of the frequency signal based on the temperature signal and the updated frequency model of the resonator,

transmitting, by the GNSS receiver, the frequency correction data to the RF receiver separate from the GNSS receiver,

receiving, by the RF receiver, the frequency correction data,

receiving, by the RF receiver, RF signals different from the satellite signals by using the frequency correction data and the resonator.

13. The method of claim 12, further including,

receiving, by the GNSS receiver, an other frequency signal from an other resonator,

receiving, by the GNSS receiver, an other temperature signal from an other temperature sensor that indicates an operating temperature of the an other resonator,

computing, by the GNSS receiver, time correction data of the frequency signal based on the other temperature signal and an other frequency model of the other resonator,

transmitting, by the GNSS receiver, the time correction data to the RF receiver,

receiving, by the RF receiver, the time correction data,

correcting, by the RF receiver, a time value based on the time correction data,

time stamping, by the RF receiver, the received and transmitted RF signals with the corrected time value.

14. The method of claim 12, further including,

developing, by the GNSS receiver, the frequency model based on initial model information stored in the GNSS receiver, and periodically adjusting the model based on frequency error between the resonator frequency and a frequency generated based on the received satellite signals at measured temperatures.

15. The method of claim 13, further including,

developing, by the GNSS receiver, the other frequency model based on initial model information stored in the GNSS receiver, and periodically adjusting the model based on frequency error between the resonator frequency and the other resonator frequency.

16. The method of claim 12, further including,

performing bi-directional aiding by:

computing, by the RF receiver, other frequency correction data based on a frequency error between the resonator frequency and a frequency generated from the received RF signals,

transmitting, by the RF receiver, to the GNSS receiver, the other frequency correction data, and

updating, by the GNSS receiver, the frequency model based on the other frequency correction data.

17. The method of claim 12, further including,

periodically adjusting the frequency model of the resonator when the GNSS receiver is receiving satellite signals.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the RF receiver includes a cellular modem, the method further including

receiving, by the cellular modem, cellular signals, by performing a digital signal processing function on the cellular signals based on the frequency correction data.

19. The method of claim 12, further including,

periodically polling the GNSS receiver, by the RF receiver, to request transmission of updated frequency correction data.