Method and system for a dual mode global navigation satellite system

• US 9,429,658 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radioxio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Leclercq, Maxime, Spyropoulos, Ioannis, Kumar, Nishant
• Primary Examiner(s): GALT, CASSI J
• Application Number:
  US13/462,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.29, 342/357.31, 342/357.47, 342/357.71, 342/357.73, 342/357.74
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 19/423 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from different satellite radio beacon positioning systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for a dual mode global navigation satellite system may comprise selectively enabling a medium Earth orbit (MEO) radio frequency (RF) path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) RF path in a wireless communication device to receive RF satellite signals. The signals may be down-converted to determine a position of the wireless device. The signals may be down-converted utilizing local oscillator signals from a phase locked loop (PLL). The RF paths may be time-division duplexed by the selective enabling of the MEO and LEO paths. Acquisition and tracking modules in the MEO RF path may be blanked when the LEO RF path is enabled. The MEO RF path may be powered down when the LEO RF path is enabled. The signals may be down-converted to an intermediate frequency before down-converting to baseband frequencies or may be down-converted directly to baseband frequencies. In-phase and quadrature signals may be processed.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device comprising a medium Earth orbit (MEO) radio frequency (RF) path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) RF path;

selectively enabling in a time-division duplexed manner said MEO RF path to receive MEO RF satellite signals and said LEO RF path to receive LEO RF satellite signals;

blanking the MEO RF path when the LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals and blanking the LEO RF path when the MEO RF path is receiving said MEO RF satellite signals;

down-converting said received MEO RF satellite signals in said MEO RF path;

down-converting said received LEO RF satellite signals in said LEO RF path;

calculating a first position of said wireless device utilizing only said down-converted MEO RF satellite signals; and

calculating a second position of said wireless device utilizing only said down-converted LEO RF satellite signals.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising down-converting said received RF signals utilizing one or more local oscillator signals generated by a phase locked loop (PLL).

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising blanking an acquisition module in said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising blanking a tracking module in said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising blanking LEO baseband modules in said LEO RF path when said MEO RF path is receiving said MEO RF satellite signals.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising powering down said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising down-converting said received RF satellite signals to an intermediate frequency before down-converting to baseband frequencies.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising down-converting said received RF satellite signals directly to baseband frequencies.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising processing said received RF satellite signals utilizing one or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising processing in-phase and quadrature signals in said MEO RF path and said LEO RF path.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU).

12. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

circuitry in a wireless communication device, said circuitry comprising a medium Earth orbit (MEO) radio frequency (RF) path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) RF path, wherein said circuitry is operable to;

selectively enable in a time-division duplexed manner said MEO RF path to receive MEO RF satellite signals and said LEO RF path to receive LEO RF satellite signals;

blank the MEO RF path when the LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals and blank the LEO RF path when the MEO RF path is receiving said MEO RF satellite signals;

down-convert said received MEO RF satellite signals in said MEO RF path;

down-convert said received LEO RF satellite signals in said LEO RF path;

calculate a first position of said wireless device utilizing only said down-converted MEO RF satellite signals; and

calculate a second position of said wireless device utilizing only said down-converted LEO RF satellite signals.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to down-convert said received RF signals utilizing one or more local oscillator signals generated by a phase locked loop (PLL).

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to blank an acquisition module in said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to blank a tracking module in said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to blank LEO baseband modules in said LEO RF path when said MEO RF path is receiving said MEO RF satellite signals.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to power down said MEO RF path when said LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to down-convert said received RF satellite signals to an intermediate frequency before down-converting to baseband frequencies.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to down-convert said received RF satellite signals directly to baseband frequencies.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to process said received RF satellite signals utilizing one or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said circuitry is operable to process in-phase and quadrature signals in said MEO RF path or said LEO RF path.

22. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

circuitry in a wireless communication device, said circuitry comprising a medium Earth orbit (MEO) radio frequency (RF) path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) RF path, wherein said circuitry is operable to;

selectively enable in a time-division duplexed manner said MEO RF path to receive MEO RF satellite signals and said LEO RF path to receive LEO RF satellite signals in a time-division duplex (TDD) mode;

blank the MEO RF path when the LEO RF path is receiving said LEO RF satellite signals and blank the LEO RF path when the MEO RF path is receiving said MEO RF satellite signals;

down-convert said received MEO RF satellite signals in said MEO RF path;

down-convert said received LEO RF satellite signals in said LEO RF path

calculate a first position of said wireless device utilizing only said down-converted MEO RF satellite signals; and

calculate a second position of said wireless communication device utilizing only said down-converted LEO RF satellite signals.