GPS receiver having a low power standby mode

• US 5,592,173 A
• Filed: 07/18/1994
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodal, Eric B., Martin, Kreg A., Lau, Chung Y., Farmer, Dominic G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US08/276,886
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 455/343, 455/230, 455/231, 364/707
• US Class Current: 342/357.74
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A GPS receiver having a normal mode to receive GPS satellite signals and to provide location information, and a low power standby mode. A microprocessor system in the GPS receiver causes the GPS receiver to alternate between the normal mode and the low power standby mode in order to reduce the average power consumption in the GPS receiver. In the normal mode a GPS antenna receives GPS satellite signals, the GPS frequency downconverter converts the frequency of the GPS satellite signals to an intermediate frequency, a digital signal processing system processes the intermediate frequency to provide GPS satellite signal correlation information. The microprocessor system processes the correlation information and provides location information to a user. In the standby mode, the operating power is inhibited in the GPS antenna and the GPS frequency downconverter, the system clock is inhibited in the digital processing system, and the microprocessor clock is inhibited in the microprocessor system.

Claims

1. A GPS receiver having a normal operational mode to process GPS satellite signals and provide GPS location information and having a low power standby mode, the GPS receiver including:

a GPS frequency downconverter to downconvert the frequency of said GPS satellite signals and to provide a GPS intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

clock signal means for providing a system clock signal;

a digital signal processing (DSP) system, coupled to the GPS frequency downconverter and the clock signal means, to operate with the system clock signal to provide correlation information corresponding to said GPS IF signal in said normal mode and to receive a control signal to enable said system clock signal for said normal mode or to inhibit said system clock signal for said standby mode;

a microprocessor system, coupled to the DSP system, to process said correlation information to provide said GPS location information;

standby mode selection means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for calculating a standby time duration for said standby mode; and

the microprocessor system includes means for providing said control signal according to the standby mode selection means to cause said standby mode or said normal mode.

2. The GPS receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the microprocessor system further includes means for providing said control signal for causing the DSP system to alternate between said standby mode and said normal mode.

3. The GPS receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the microprocessor system further includes means for processing said correlation information to provide GPS variable information including at least one of (i) rate of change of location of the GPS antenna, (ii) GPS satellite visibility, (iii) GPS satellite signal consistency, and (iv) GPS satellite signal strength; and

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said GPS variable information.

4. The GPS receiver of claim 1, further including:

an input device, coupled to the microprocessor system, to receive a user request from a user and to pass said user request to the microprocessor system.

5. The GPS receiver of claim 4, wherein:

said user request includes a request to initiate said normal mode; and

the microprocessor system includes further means for receiving said initiation request and providing said control signal to initiate said normal mode.

6. The GPS receiver of claim 4, wherein:

said user request includes a request to define said standby time duration; and

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said standby time duration request.

7. The GPS receiver of claim 4, wherein:

said user request includes a request for an intended user application; and

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said intended user application request.

8. The GPS receiver of claim 7, wherein:

said intended user application includes at least one of (i) aviation, (ii) vehicle, (iii) marine, (iv) pedestrian, and (v) fixed.

9. The GPS receiver of claim 1, further including:

dead reckoning (DR) means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for interrupting the microprocessor system to initiate said normal mode.

10. The GPS receiver of claim 9, wherein:

the DR means includes a distance measuring DR device drawn from the class consisting of an odometer, a barometer, an altimeter, or a marine log.

11. The GPS receiver of claim 9, wherein:

the DR means includes a velocity measuring device drawn from the class consisting of a speedometer, a water speed indicator, an air speed indicator, or a climb rate indicator.

12. The GPS receiver of claim 9, wherein:

the DR means includes an acceleration sensor.

13. A GPS receiver having a normal operational mode to process GPS satellite signals and provide GPS location information and having a low power standby mode, the GPS receiver including:

a GPS frequency downconverter, coupled to a GPS antenna, to downconvert the frequency of said GPS satellite signals received by said antenna and to provide a GPS intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

a digital signal processing (DSP) system, coupled to the GPS frequency downconverter to provide correlation information corresponding to said GPS IF signal;

a microprocessor clock to provide a microprocessor clock signal;

a microprocessor system, coupled to the DSP system and the microprocessor clock, including a pre-coded software sleep instruction, to operate with the microprocessor clock signal to process said correlation information to provide said GPS location information;

standby mode selection means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for calculating a standby time duration for said standby mode; and

the microprocessor system includes means for executing said sleep instruction according to the standby selection means to inhibit said microprocessor clock signal to cause said standby mode.

14. The GPS receiver of claim 13 wherein:

the microprocessor system further includes means for alternating between said standby mode and said normal mode.

15. The GPS receiver of claim 13, wherein:

the microprocessor system further includes means for processing said correlation information to provide GPS variable information including at least one of (i) rate of change of location of the GPS antenna, (ii) GPS satellite visibility, (iii) GPS satellite signal consistency, and (iv) GPS satellite signal strength; and

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said GPS variable information.

16. The GPS receiver of claim 13, further including:

an input device, coupled to the microprocessor system, to receive a user request from a user and to pass said user request to tile microprocessor system.

17. The GPS receiver of claim 16, wherein:

said user request includes a request to initiate said normal mode; and

the microprocessor system further includes means for receiving said initiation request and providing said control signal to initiate said normal mode.

18. The GPS receiver of claim 16, wherein:

said user request includes a request to define said standby time duration;

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said standby time duration request.

19. The GPS receiver of claim 16, wherein:

said user request includes a request for an intended user application; and

the standby mode selection means includes means for calculating said standby time duration based upon said intended user application request.

20. The GPS receiver of claim 19, wherein:

said intended user application includes at least one of (i) aviation, (ii) vehicle, (iii) marine, (iv) pedestrian, and (v) fixed.

21. The GPS receiver of claim 13, further including:

dead reckoning (DR) means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for interrupting the microprocessor system to initiate said normal mode.

22. The GPS receiver of claim 13, wherein:

the DR means includes a distance measuring DR device drawn from the class consisting of an odometer, a barometer, an altimeter, or a marine log.

23. The GPS receiver of claim 13, wherein:

the DR means includes a velocity measuring device drawn from the class consisting of a speedometer, a water speed indicator, an air speed indicator, or a climb rate indicator.

24. The GPS receiver of claim 13, wherein:

the DR means includes an acceleration sensor.

25. A GPS receiver having a normal mode to process GPS satellite signals and provide GPS location information and having a low power standby mode, the GPS receiver including:

a power controller to receive a control signal to enable or to inhibit an operating power;

a GPS frequency downconverter, coupled to the GPS antenna, to operate in said normal mode to downconvert tile frequency of said GPS satellite signals and to provide a GPS intermediate frequency (IF) signal when said operating power is enabled and to be in said standby mode when said operating power is inhibited;

a digital signal processing (DSP) system, coupled to the GPS frequency downconverter, to provide correlation information corresponding to said GPS IF signal;

a microprocessor system, coupled to tile DSP system, to process said correlation information to provide said GPS location information;

standby mode selection means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for calculating a standby time duration for said standby mode;

dead reckoning (DR) means, coupled to the microprocessor system, for interrupting the microprocessor system to initiate said normal mode; and

the microprocessor system includes means for providing said control signal according to the standby mode selection means and the DR means to cause said standby mode or said normal mode.

26. The GPS receiver of claim 25, wherein:

the microprocessor system further includes means for providing said control signal for causing the GPS frequency downconverter to alternate between said standby mode and said normal mode.

27. The GPS receiver of claim 25, wherein:

the DR means includes a distance measuring DR device drawn from the class consisting of an odometer, a barometer, an altimeter, or a marine log.

28. The GPS receiver of claim 25, wherein:

the DR means includes a velocity measuring device drawn from the class consisting of a speedometer, a water speed indicator, an air speed indicator, or a climb rate indicator.

29. The GPS receiver of claim 25, wherein:

the DR means includes an acceleration sensor.

30. A GPS receiver having a normal operational mode to process GPS satellite signals passed from a GPS antenna, each satellite signal having location information, to process user input signals from user input devices, and to issue the location information to user output devices;

and having a low power standby mode, the GPS receiver including;

a GPS antenna to receive GPS satellite signals from GPS satellites, to receive power, and to provide a GPS antenna signal;

a GPS frequency downconverter to receive the GPS antenna signal, to receive power, and to provide a GPS intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) system to receive a system clock signal from a clock source, to receive the GPS IF signal from the GPS frequency downconverter, and to provide signals including GPS correlation information;

one or more user input devices to receive power, to receive requests, including standby time selection information, from a user, and to provide user input signals representative of the user requests;

one or more user output devices to receive power and to receive and to display user output signals;

a microprocessor system, including pre-coded software instructions, to receive a microprocessor clock signal from a microprocessor clock source, to receive the GPS correlation information from the DSP system, to receive the user input signals, to issue the user output signals representing at least one of (i) location coordinates for the GPS antenna, (ii) GPS satellite pseudoranges to the GPS antenna, (iii) rate of change of location of the GPS antenna location, and (iv) time to at least one user output device, to provide a signal representing a selected time duration for standby mode, to receive a wakeup interrupt signal, and to issue control signals;

a real time clock to receive the signal for the time duration of the standby mode and to provide a wakeup interrupt signal at the elapse of a time interval of length approximately equal to the standby time duration;

a selection means to receive standby time selection information from the microprocessor system, to process the standby time selection information, and to provide said microprocessor system with said selected time duration for standby mode;

the microprocessor system includes means to control the GPS receiver to alternate between normal mode and low power standby mode, whereby average power consumption in the GPS receiver is approximately a time weighted average of power consumption in normal mode and power consumption in standby mode;

the standby time selection information to include at least one of (i) intended user application, (ii) variables measured by the GPS receiver, and (iii) variables representing user requests;

the measured variables are drawn from the group comprising rate of change of location of said GPS antenna, GPS satellite visibility, GPS satellite signal consistency, and GPS satellite signal strength;

a power controller to receive a control signal from the microprocessor system and to respond to the control signal by inhibiting power to at least one of the following recipient devices selected from the GPS antenna, the GPS frequency downconverter, the one or more input devices, and the one or more output devices, to cause the recipient device to enter a standby mode;

one or more clock registers to receive a control signal from the microprocessor system and to respond to the control signal by inhibiting the system clock signal in the DSP system to cause the DSP system to enter a standby mode; and

a sleep instruction included in the pre-coded software, the microprocessor system to inhibit operation of the microprocessor clock signal to cause the microprocessor system to enter a standby mode when the sleep instruction is executed, the microprocessor system to enable operation of the microprocessor clock signal to cause the microprocessor system to enter a normal mode when the wakeup interrupt signal is received;

whereby a low power standby mode occurs when at least one of the following events occurs;

(i) the power is inhibited to at least one of the recipient devices, (ii) the system clock signal is inhibited in the DSP system, or (iii) the microprocessor clock signal is inhibited in the microprocessor system, and a normal mode, where GPS satellite signals are processed and location information provided, occurs when all of the following events occur;

(i) the power is passed to all of the recipient elements, (ii) the system clock is not inhibited in the DSP system, and (iii) the microprocessor clock is not inhibited in the microprocessor system.

31. A GPS receiver having a normal operational mode to process GPS satellite signals passed from a GPS antenna, each satellite signal having location information, to process user input signals from user input devices, and to issue the location information to user output devices;

and having a low power standby mode, the GPS receiver including;

a GPS antenna to receive GPS satellite signals from GPS satellites, to receive power, and to provide a GPS antenna signal;

a GPS frequency downconverter to receive the GPS antenna signal, to receive power, and to provide a GPS intermediate frequency (IF) signal;

a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) system to receive a system clock signal from a clock source, to receive the GPS IF signal from the GPS frequency downconverter, and to provide signals including GPS correlation information;

one or more user input devices to receive power, to receive requests, including standby time selection information, from a user, and to provide user input signals representative of the user requests;

one or more user output devices to receive power and to receive and to display user output signals;

a microprocessor system, including pre-coded software instructions, to receive a microprocessor clock signal from a microprocessor clock source, to receive the GPS correlation information from the DSP system, to receive the user input signals, to issue the user output signals representing at least one of (i) location coordinates for the GPS antenna, (ii) GPS satellite pseudoranges to the GPS antenna, (iii) rate of change of location of the GPS antenna location, and (iv) time to at least one user output device, to provide a signal representing a selected time duration for standby mode, to receive a wakeup interrupt signal, and to issue control signals;

a real time clock to receive the signal for the time duration of the standby mode and to provide a wakeup interrupt signal at the elapse of a time interval of length approximately equal to the standby time duration;

said wakeup interrupt signals are further provided by one of;

(i) a distance measuring dead reckoning device drawn from the class consisting of an odometer, a barometer, an altimeter, or a marine log, (ii) a velocity measuring dead reckoning device drawn from the class consisting of a speedometer, a water speed indicator, an air speed indicator, or a climb rate indicator, (iii) an accelerometer or an acceleration sensor;

and including at least one of;

a power controller to receive a control signal from the microprocessor system and to respond to the control signal by inhibiting power to at least one of the following recipient devices selected from the GPS antenna, the GPS frequency downconverter, the one or more input devices, and the one or more output devices, to cause the recipient device to enter a standby mode;

one or more clock registers to receive a control signal from the microprocessor system, and to respond to the control signal by inhibiting the system clock signal in the DSP system to cause the DSP system to enter a standby mode; and

a sleep instruction included in the pre-coded software, the microprocessor system to inhibit operation of the microprocessor clock signal to cause the microprocessor system to enter a standby mode when the sleep instruction is executed, the microprocessor system to enable operation of the microprocessor clock signal to cause the microprocessor system to enter a normal mode when the wakeup interrupt signal is received;

whereby a low power standby mode occurs when at least one of the following events occurs;

(i) the power is inhibited to at least one of the recipient devices, (ii) the system clock signal is inhibited in the DSP system, or (iii) the microprocessor clock signal is inhibited in the microprocessor system, and a normal mode, where GPS satellite signals are processed and location information provided, occurs when all of the following events occur;

(i) the power is passed to all of the recipient elements, (ii) the system clock is not inhibited in the DSP system, and (iii) the microprocessor clock is not inhibited in the microprocessor system.