Timing signal generating device, electronic apparatus, moving object, method of generating timing signals, and method of controlling satellite signal receiver

• US 9,952,562 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shimada, Hiroyuki, Maki, Yoshiyuki, Tanaka, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US14/153,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 34235758
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/145 using Coherent Population Trapping
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 40/02 by phase locking

Abstract

A timing signal generating device includes a GPS receiver and a processing unit. The GPS receiver functions as a positioning calculation unit, and receives satellite signals transmitted from GPS satellites and performs positioning calculation based on trajectory information and time information contained in the received satellite signals. Further, the processing unit functions as a position information generation unit, and generates position information of a receiving point based on a mode value or a median value in results of the positioning calculation at a plurality of times by the GPS receiver.

Claims

1. A timing signal generating device comprising:

a receiver configured to;

receive satellite signals transmitted from position information satellites; and

obtain position calculation results by calculating positions repetitively based on trajectory information and time information obtained from the received satellite signals, wherein the calculated positions include latitude and longitude values; and

a processor configured to;

receive the position calculation results from the receiver;

calculate a mode value or a median value of the position calculation results obtained by the receiver, wherein the calculated mode value or median value corresponds to a mode or median of the latitude and longitude values;

generate position information for the device by determining a position using the calculated mode value or median value of the position calculation results, wherein the generated position information includes generated latitude and longitude values;

wherein the receiver is further configured to;

receive the position information for the device generated by the processor;

generate timing signals in synchronization with a reference time based on the position information generated by the processor;

obtain the position calculation results in a first mode; and

generate the timing signals in a second mode; and

wherein the processor is configured to transmit a command to the receiver; and

the receiver is configured to be set to one of the first mode and the second mode based on the command; and

wherein the receiver further comprises a memory;

wherein the processor is configured to write the position information in the memory and transmit the command to set the receiver to the second mode; and

the receiver is configured to generate the timing signals based on the position information in the memory.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver further comprises a memory;

wherein the processor is configured to write the position information in the memory; and

the receiver is configured to generate the timing signals based on the position information in the memory.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second receiver configured to;

receive the position information of the device; and

generate second timing signals in synchronization with the reference time based on the position information,

wherein the processor is configured to;

determine whether there is a failure of the receiver or the second receiver; and

select the timing signals generated by one of the receiver and the second receiver based on results of the determination.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a second receiver,

wherein the receiver is configured to obtain the position calculation results using the satellite signals as received by a first antenna;

and

wherein the second receiver is configured to obtain second position calculation results using second satellite signals received by a second antenna at a different location than the first antenna.

5. The device according to claim 4,

wherein the processor is configured to:

receive the second position calculation results from the second receiver;

calculate a second mode value or a second median value of the second position calculation results; and

generate the second position information of the device by determining a position based on the second mode value or the second median value.

6. The device according to claim 5,

wherein the receiver is configured to generate parameter information representing reception status of the satellite signals as received by the first antenna, and

the second receiver is configured to generate second parameter information representing reception status of the satellite signals as received by the second antenna.

7. The device according to claim 5,

wherein the processor is configured to:

compare respective precisions of the timing signals and the second timing signals based on the parameter information and the second parameter information; and

select one of the timing signals and the second timing signals based on results of the comparison.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an oscillator that outputs clock signals,

wherein the processor is configured to synchronize the clock signals with the timing signals.