Power Mode Control for Sensors

• US 20140019044A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: van Diggelen, Frank, Malkos, Steven, ZANUTTA, Roberto Ernesto
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/469
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product to provide accurate positioning of a vehicle while conserving power is provided. The system includes a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal that determines a position of the vehicle and an auxiliary sensor configured to provide data to supplement the positioning signal so as to provide the position of the vehicle more accurately than with using solely the positioning signal. The system also includes an auxiliary controller coupled to the auxiliary sensor. The auxiliary controller is configured to generate a first signal to power-up the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to entering an area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal, and calibrate the auxiliary sensor prior to the vehicle entering the area; and generate a second signal to power-down the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to exiting the area.

Claims

1. A system to provide accurate positioning of a vehicle while conserving power, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal that determines a position of the vehicle;

an auxiliary sensor configured to provide data to supplement the positioning signal so as to determine the position of the vehicle more accurately than with using solely the positioning signal; and

an auxiliary controller coupled to the auxiliary sensor and configured to;

generate a first signal to power-up the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to entering an area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal, and calibrate the auxiliary sensor prior to the vehicle entering the area; and

generate a second signal to power-down the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to exiting the area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to determine if the vehicle is proximate to entering the area if the vehicle'"'"'s speed decreases below a first threshold speed, and

wherein the auxiliary sensor determines the speed of the vehicle based on the positioning signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to determine if the vehicle is proximate to exiting the area if the vehicle'"'"'s speed increases above a first threshold speed, and

wherein the auxiliary controller determines the speed of the vehicle based on the positioning signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor increases the accuracy of the positioning signal by providing one or more of a heading of the vehicle, a position of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and an orientation of the system with respect to a heading of the vehicle;

wherein the heading of the vehicle is a direction the vehicle is traveling in.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor is one or more of an accelerometer, a gyro, and a magnetic compass.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the auxiliary controller and configured to store a map;

wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to determine if the vehicle is proximate to entering or exiting the area based on one or more of the map, a position of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the area is an environment that restricts line-of-sight access of the system to the positioning signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the area is an urban canyon, a forest canopy, or a tunnel.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning signal is one or more of a satellite-based positioning signal or a triangulation signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning signal is one or more of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLASS) signal or a WiFi signal.

11. A method in a positioning system, comprising:

determining whether a vehicle is proximate to an area that reduces accuracy of a positioning signal, wherein the positioning signal determines a position of the vehicle;

generating a control signal when it is determined that the vehicle is proximate to the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal;

powering up a sensor that provides data to supplement the positioning signal so as to determine the position of the vehicle more accurately than with using solely the positioning signal, in response to said control signal; and

calibrating the sensor prior to the vehicle entering the area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein it is determined that the vehicle is proximate to the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal if the vehicle slows down below a first threshold speed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the area is an environment that restricts line-of-sight access of the vehicle to the positioning signal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein it is determined that the vehicle is proximate to the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal based on a map stored in a memory.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the area is an urban canyon, a forest canopy, or a tunnel.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the vehicle is exiting the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal used to determine the position of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising powering down the sensor if it is determined that the vehicle is exiting the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal used to determine the position of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein it is determined that the vehicle is exiting the area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal used to determine the position of the vehicle if the vehicle'"'"'s speed increases above the first threshold.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the positioning signal is one or more of a satellite-based positioning signal or a triangulation signal.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal is one or more of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal or a WiFi signal.