Virtual real-time clock based on time information from multiple communication systems

• US 20040190378A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Farmer, Dominic
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/02 the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/005 compensating for timing error by adjustment in the receiver

Abstract

Method and apparatus to implement a “virtual” real-time clock at a terminal based on time information from multiple communication systems. At least one system (e.g., GPS) provides “absolute” time information for the virtual real-time clock, and at least one other system (e.g., a cellular system) provides “relative” time information. The virtual real-time clock is “time-stamped” with absolute time as it becomes available from the first system. Relative time (which may be received from multiple asynchronous transmitters) is mapped to the timeline of the virtual real-time clock as it is received from the second system. Absolute time at any arbitrary time instant on the timeline may then be estimated based on the absolute time from the first system and the relative time from the second system. Absolute times from the first system for two or more time instants may also be used to calibrate the relative time from the second system.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a virtual real-time clock based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

receiving absolute time information from a first communication system;

receiving relative time information from a second communication system; and

providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time information from the first communication system and the relative time information from the second communication system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication system is the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the absolute time information comprises GPS time for at least one time instant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication system is a cellular communication system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the relative time information comprises frame-level timing.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the relative time information is received via a plurality of signaling messages, and wherein time difference between any two signaling messages is ascertainable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the absolute time information comprises absolute time for a first time instant and the relative time information comprises first and second signaling messages received at second and third time instants, respectively, and wherein the absolute time estimate for the designated time instant is based at least in part on the absolute time for the first time instant and a determined time difference between the second and third time instants.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calibrating the relative time information from the second communication system based on the absolute time information from the first communication system.

8. A method for providing an estimate of absolute time based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time instant;

receiving a first signaling message from a second communication system at a second time instant;

determining a time offset between the first and second time instants;

receiving a second signaling message from the second communication system at a third time instant;

determining an elapsed time between the second and third time instants;

determining a time difference between the third time instant and a fourth time instant; and

providing an estimate of absolute time at the fourth time instant based on the absolute time for the first time instant, the time offset, the elapsed time, and the time difference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the time offset and time difference are each determined based on a local clock.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining absolute time from the first communication system for a fifth time instant; and

determining a difference in absolute time between the first and fifth time instants, and wherein the elapsed time is determined based at least in part on the difference in absolute time.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a frame period for the second communication system based at least in part on the difference in absolute time, and wherein the elapsed time is determined based on the frame period.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second signaling messages are transmitted at known locations in two frames.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first communication system is the Global Positioning System.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the second communication system is a cellular communication system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the relative time information comprises frame-level timing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the cellular communication system is operated asynchronously.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the cellular communication system is a GSM system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second signaling messages are synchronization bursts transmitted on a synchronization channel in the GSM system.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the cellular communication system is a W-CDMA system.

20. A method for providing an estimate of absolute time based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

receiving absolute time information from a first communication system;

receiving relative time information from a first transmitter in a second communication system;

receiving relative time information from a second transmitter in the second communication system; and

providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time information from the first communication system and the relative time information from the first and second transmitters in the second communication system.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a difference between timing of the first and second transmitters, and wherein the absolute time estimate for the designated time instant is further based on the determined difference between the timing of the first and second transmitters.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second transmitters are asynchronous.

23. A method for providing an estimate of absolute time based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time instant;

receiving a first signaling message from a first transmitter in a second communication system at a second time instant;

determining a first time offset between the first and second time instants;

receiving a second signaling message from a second transmitter in the second communication system at a third time instant;

determining a second time offset between the first and third time instants; and

providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based at least in part on the absolute time for the first time instant and the second time offset.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a third signaling message from the second transmitter at a fourth time instant; and

determining a time difference between the fourth and designated time instants, and wherein the absolute time estimate for the designated time instant is further based on the time difference.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second transmitters are asynchronous.

26. A method for determining a position of a receiver unit in a wireless communication system, comprising:

obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time instant;

receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

estimating absolute time at a second time instant based on the absolute time for the first time instant and the relative time information from the second communication system; and

determining the position of the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time instant.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the absolute time for the first time instant is obtained from a position fix determined for the first time instant.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

going to sleep for a duration of time between the first and second time instants determined based on an estimated stability of time for the second communication system.

29. A memory communicatively coupled to a digital signal processing device (DSPD) capable of interpreting digital information to:

receive absolute time information from a first communication system;

receive relative time information from a second communication system; and

provide an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time information from the first communication system and the relative time information from the second communication system.

30. A computer program product for providing an estimate of absolute time based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

code for receiving absolute time from a first communication system for a first time instant;

code for receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

code for providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time for the first time instant and the relative time information from the second communication system; and

a computer-usable medium for storing the codes.

31. An apparatus for implementing a virtual real-time clock based on time information from a plurality of communication systems, comprising:

means for receiving a representation of a timeline;

means for receiving absolute time information from a first communication system;

means for associating the absolute time information with the timeline;

means for receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

means for mapping the relative time information to the timeline; and

means for providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant on the timeline based on the associated absolute time information and the mapped relative time information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the timeline representation is provided by a counter.

33. A receiver unit in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a first receiver operative to process signals from a first communication system to provide absolute time information;

a second receiver operative to process signals from a second communication system to provide relative time information; and

a processing unit operative to provide an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time information from the first communication system and the relative time information from the second communication system.

34. The receiver unit of claim 33, further comprising:

a timer unit operative to provide a representation of a timeline to which the absolute time information and relative time information are mapped.

35. The receiver unit of claim 33, wherein the first receiver is operative to process signals from GPS satellites.

36. The receiver unit of claim 33, wherein the second receiver is operative to process signals from one or more base stations in a cellular communication system.

37. The receiver unit of claim 33, wherein the processing unit is operative to receive an absolute time for a first time instant from the first receiver and to determine a time offset between the first time instant and timing of each base station received by the second receiver.

38. A receiver apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for processing signals from a first communication system to provide absolute time information;

means for processing signals from a second communication system to provide relative time information; and

means for providing an estimate of absolute time at a designated time instant based on the absolute time information from the first communication system and the relative time information from the second communication system.