GPS receiver using data bit timing to achieve a fast time to first fix

• US 5,854,605 A
• Filed: 07/05/1996
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Gildea, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/678,573
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 342/352, 342/357, 342/386, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.62
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A GPS receiver and a method for improving time to first fix (TTFF). The GPS receiver includes an internal clock for maintaining an approximate clock time during a standby mode and a microprocessor system including a data bit timer code, a temperature compensation code, and a learned time adjustment code. When the GPS receiver enters an operational mode, the data bit timer code instructs the microprocessor system for determining a GPS-based clock time by aligning the approximate clock time according to a time-of-arrival of a GPS data bit when the approximate clock time and the GPS-based clock time are estimated to be within a correction range of ten milliseconds. The temperature compensation code and a learned time adjustment code include instructions for using a stored frequency/temperature characteristic and a learned time correction, respectively, for estimating and compensating for time drift that has occurred during the standby mode. A temperature sensor provides a temperature measurement of a reference oscillator used as a time base for the internal clock.

Claims

1. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving a GPS satellite signal including a GPS data bit having a time-of-arrival synchronized to a GPS-based clock time, comprising:

a correlation system for receiving a GPS signal representative of said GPS satellite signal and providing a correlation signal including information for said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit;

a local clock for providing a time clock signal including an internal clock time;

a microprocessor system coupled to the correlation system for receiving said correlation signal and coupled to the clock for receiving said time clock signal; and

a data bit timer code for inclusion in the microprocessor system including instructions for instructing the microprocessor system for synchronizing said internal clock time to said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit for determining said GPS-based clock time.

2. The GPS receiver of claim 1, wherein:

the correlation system is further for receiving said GPS signal from two or more GPS satellites; and

the data bit timer code further includes instructions for synchronizing to said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit from any one of said GPS satellites.

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

a compensation/adjustment code for inclusion in the microprocessor system including instructions for computing an estimated time drift of said internal clock time that has occurred during a standby mode and adjusting said internal clock time to an adjusted clock time to compensate for said estimated time drift, said adjusted clock time for use by the data bit timer code for synchronizing to said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit.

4. The GPS receiver of claim 3, wherein:

the compensation/adjustment code includes a temperature compensation code including instructions for instructing the microprocessor system for computing said estimated time drift due to a change in temperature.

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

a reference oscillator for providing a reference signal having a reference frequency to the clock for use as a time-base, the reference oscillator having a temperature;

a temperature sensor coupled to the reference oscillator for measuring said temperature and providing a temperature signal including information for said temperature to the microprocessor system;

a frequency/temperature characteristic for inclusion in the microprocessor system relating said reference frequency and said temperature; and

wherein

said temperature compensation code is further for using said temperature and the frequency/temperature characteristic for computing said estimated time drift.

6. The GPS receiver of claim 5, wherein:

said temperature compensation code is further for using a frequency of the GPS signal as a standard for measuring said reference frequency and using said reference frequency and said temperature for computing the frequency/temperature characteristic.

7. The GPS receiver of claim 3, further including:

a learned time correction for inclusion in the microprocessor system, the learned time correction based upon a previous difference between said internal clock time and said GPS-based clock time; and

wherein;

the compensation/adjustment code includes a learned time adjustment code for computing said previous difference and using the learned time correction for computing said estimated time drift.

8. The GPS receiver of claim 7, wherein:

said learned time adjustment code is further for calculating said learned time correction based upon a weighted average of two or more of said previous difference after several cycles between said standby mode and an operational mode.

9. The GPS receiver of claim 7, wherein:

said learned time adjustment code is further for measuring a time duration of said standby mode and calculating said time drift based upon the learned time correction and said time duration.

10. A method in a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving a GPS satellite signal having a GPS data bit having a time-of-arrival synchronized to a GPS-based clock time, comprising steps of:

providing an internal clock time in a time clock signal from a local clock;

correlating to a GPS signal representative of said GPS satellite signal for providing a correlation signal having information for said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit; and

aligning said internal clock time to GPS-based clock time by synchronizing to said time-of-arrival of said GPS data bit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the step of correlating to a GPS signal further includes a step of providing a correlation for a GPS signal from two or more GPS satellites, said correlation signal having information for said time-of-arrival from each of said GPS satellites.

12. The method of claim 10, further including steps of:

computing an estimated time drift of said internal clock time that has occurred during a standby mode;

adjusting said internal clock time to compensate for said time drift when the GPS receiver; and

wherein;

the step of aligning said internal clock time includes aligning said adjusted internal clock time for synchronizing to said time-of-arrival.

13. The method of claim 12, further including steps of:

providing a reference signal having a reference frequency for use as a time base for said internal clock time, said reference frequency dependent upon a temperature;

providing a frequency/temperature characteristic relating said reference frequency to said temperature;

measuring a first said temperature when said GPS receiver is about to enter said standby mode;

measuring a second said temperature after a time duration in said standby mode;

estimating a frequency drift in said reference frequency from said first temperature, said second temperature, and said frequency/temperature characteristic; and

wherein;

the step of computing said estimated time drift includes a step of estimating said estimated time drift from said frequency drift.

14. The method of claim 13, further including steps of:

measuring said reference frequency using a frequency of said GPS satellite signal as a standard;

measuring said temperature for said reference frequency; and

creating said frequency/temperature characteristic from two or more of said reference frequency and two or more of said temperature.

15. The method of claim 12, further including a step of:

calculating a learned time correction from a difference between said internal clock time and said GPS-based clock; and

wherein;

the step of computing said estimated time drift includes a step of estimating said estimated time drift based upon said learned time correction.

16. The method of claim 15, further including steps of:

measuring a time duration of said standby mode; and

wherein;

the step of computing said estimated time drift further includes a step of estimating said estimated time drift based upon said learned time correction and said time duration.