Power saving device and method for GPS receiver

• US 6,774,838 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sun, Chun-I
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US10/329,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.12, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A power saving device and method for a GPS receiver is provided to have the GPS receiver being connected to an oscillation switch and the vibration generated from moving the GPS receiver can be utilized to actuate the oscillation switch so as to turn on the power of the GPS receiver automatically with a power controller. The oscillation switch makes the power controller turning off the power of the GPS receiver automatically so that the power can be saved economically.

Claims

1. A power saving device for a GPS receiver, comprising:

a GPS receiver;

a power controller, being connected to the GPS receiver; and

an oscillation switch, being connected to the power controller;

wherein, the oscillation switch can sense the GPS receiver being a stationary state or a moving state and sends out an OFF or an ON signal with respect to the stationary state or the moving state so that the power controller can control the GPS receiver to be OFF or ON based on the OFF or the ON signal,

wherein the oscillation switch further comprises an oscillation sensor and a time delay controller connected to the oscillation sensor; and

when the oscillation sensor is in a state moving, the oscillation sensor sends the ON/OFF signal continuously to the time delay controller such that the time delay controller can send out an ON signal continuously, wherein the time delay controller comprises a transistor with a collect end and a base end, a resistor with two ends and a capacitor with two ends;

the collect end is connected to the power controller and both of the resistor and the capacitor at one of the ends thereof are grounded and at another one of the ends are connected to the collect end; and

the oscillation sensor and an information record and/or an output device are connected to the base end.

2. The power saving device for a GPS receiver according to claim 1, wherein the GPS receiver further connects with the information record and/or the output device.

3. The power saving device for a GPS receiver according to claim 2, wherein the information record and/or the output device further connects with the base end of the transistor;

the information record and/or the output device can process and operate a positional signal sent by the GPS receiver;

when the moving time and the moving speed exceed a preset value respectively, the information record and/or output device can send out the OFF and the ON signals sequentially following a preset time interval; and

the power controller can control the GPS receiver to be OFF or ON based on the OFF or the ON signal, which has been detected by the power controller.

4. The power saving device for a GPS receiver according to claim 3, wherein the oscillation sensor is a mercury oscillation switch or a rolling ball oscillation switch.

5. A saving method for a GPS receiver, comprising following steps:

(1) a information record and/or output device counting a moving time and a moving speed of the GPS receiver based on positional data sent out by the GPS receiver;

(2) detecting the moving time and the moving speed in a way of continuing the detection in case of the moving time and the moving speed do not exceed a respective preset value and entering next step in case of said moving time and said moving speed exceeding said respective preset value;

(3) the position and/or output device sending out the OFF and the ON signals sequentially based on a set time interval; and

(4) the power controller controlling the GPS receiver to be OFF or ON based on the OFF and the ON signals.