Method and apparatus for receiving navigation satellite signals from two bands

• US 9,176,233 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khalili, Alireza, Kim, Hong Sun, Ko, Jin-Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US13/797,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20150198718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 370532-545
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/32 Multimode operation in a single same satellite system, e.g. GPS L1/L2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/33 Multimode operation in different systems which transmit time stamped messages, e.g. GPS/GLONASS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods in a mobile device to multiplex two global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals on a single hardware receiver chain are presented. The GNSS signals may come from a common GNSS system on two bands of two different GNSS systems overlapping on a common band. A duty cycle of the GNSS signals may be based on a harmonic being within one of the first band and the second band. The duty cycle may be based on signal quality, such as indicating a jammed or non jammed signal. The duty cycle may be of unequal proportions and less than 100% such that the receiver chain is idle for a percentage of time.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile device to multiplex two global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals on a single hardware receiver chain, the method comprising:

generating a control signal indicating a first GNSS signal on a first band during a first period and a second GNSS signal on a second band during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period of the control signal are periodic;

generating a first oscillator signal from a local oscillator (LO) during the first period and a second oscillator signal from the LO during the second period based on the control signal;

mixing, during the first period, the first GNSS signal from an antenna with the first oscillator signal to result in a first down converted signal;

mixing, during the second period, the second GNSS signal from the antenna with the second oscillator signal to result in a second down converted signal;

de-multiplexing the first down converted signal during the first period and the second down converted signal during the second period based on the control signal;

demodulating, during the first period, the first down converted signal; and

demodulating, during the second period, the second down converted signal;

wherein the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal comprise different frequencies; and

wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) transmission from a WLAN transmitter, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transmission from a WWAN transmitter or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first band comprises an L1 band and the second band comprises an L2 band.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the control signal to a

low-noise amplifier (LNA) coupled between the antenna and a mixer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal comprises providing the control signal to a phase-locked loop (PLL) to produce the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first GNSS signal and the second GNSS signal comprise a first GPS signal and a second GPS signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first down converted signal and the second down converted signal each comprise a common center frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the WWAN transmitter is within the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN transmitter is within the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on a harmonic interference being within one of the first band and the second band.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on signal quality.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal quality delineates jammed from non-jammed signals.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period and the second period comprises less than a total duty cycle comprising the first period and the second period.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period is greater than the second period.

14. A mobile device to multiplex two global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals on a single hardware receiver chain, the mobile device comprising:

a controller configured to provide a control signal indicating a first GNSS signal on a first band during a first period and a second GNSS signal on a second band during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period of the control signal are periodic;

a local oscillator (LO) coupled to the controller, and configured to receive the control signal and to provide a first oscillator signal during the first period and a second oscillator signal during the second period, wherein the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal comprise different frequencies;

a mixer with inputs coupled to the LO and to an antenna, the mixer configured to generate a first down converted signal during the first period and generate a second down converted signal during the second period; and

a de-multiplexer coupled to the mixer and configured to separate the first down converted signal during the first period from the second down converted signal during the second period based on the control signal; and

a demodulator coupled to the de-multiplexer and configured to demodulate the first down converted signal during the first period and demodulate the second down converted signal during the second period

wherein the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal comprise different frequencies; and

wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) transmission from a WLAN transmitter, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transmission from a WWAN transmitter or any combination thereof.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, further comprising a filter with an input coupled to the mixer and an output to provide an analog filtered signal.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the mixer comprises a phase-locked loop (PLL) controlled by the control signal.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first band comprising an L1 band, and wherein the second band comprising an L2 band.

18. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first GNSS signal and the second GNSS signal comprise a first GPS signal and a second GPS signal.

19. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first down converted signal and the second down converted signal each comprise a common center frequency.

20. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on signal quality.

21. A mobile device to multiplex two global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals on a single hardware receiver chain, the mobile device comprising:

means for generating a control signal indicating a first GNSS signal on a first band during a first period and a second GNSS signal on a second band during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period of the control signal are periodic;

means for generating a first oscillator signal from a local oscillator (LO) during the first period and a second oscillator signal from the LO during the second period based on the control signal;

means for mixing, during the first period, the first GNSS signal from an antenna with the first oscillator signal to result in a first down converted signal;

means for mixing, during the second period, the second GNSS signal from the antenna with the second oscillator signal to result in a second down converted signal;

means for de-multiplexing the first down converted signal during the first period and the second down converted signal during the second period based on the control signal;

means for demodulating, during the first period, the first down converted signal; and

means for demodulating, during the second period, the second down converted signal;

wherein the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal comprise different frequencies; and

wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) transmission from a WLAN transmitter, a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transmission from a WWAN transmitter or any combination thereof.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the first band comprises an L1 band and the second band comprises an L2 band.

23. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the first down converted signal and the second down converted signal each comprise a common center frequency.

24. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the first period and the second period are durations based on a harmonic interference being within one of the first band and the second band.