Advanced power management for satellite positioning system

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/322,329, filed on Sep. 14, 2001, and entitled “Advanced Power Management For Global Positioning System Receivers,” which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to Satellite Positioning Systems (“SPS”) devices, and in particular to a SPS device capable of providing fast update rates while being power conscious.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] The worldwide utilization of wireless devices such as two-way radios, pagers, portable televisions, personal communication system (“PCS”), personal digital assistants (“PDAs”) cellular telephones (also known a “mobile phones”), Bluetooth, satellite radio receivers and Satellite Positioning Systems (“SPS”) such as Global Positioning Systems (“GPS”), also known as NAVSTAR, is growing at a rapid pace. As the number of people employing wireless devices increases, the number of features offered by wireless service providers also increases, as does the integration of these wireless devices in other products.

[0006] However, wireless devices, in order to operate, receive power from portable power sources such as batteries. As these wireless devices increase in complexity by offering greater features and increased integration of different devices in a single product, the amount of power required to properly operate these wireless devices increases. As an example, there is a need for additional power as SPS devices are integrated into other wireless devices such as two-way radios, pagers, portable televisions, PCS, PDAs, cellular telephones, Bluetooth devices, satellite radio and other similar devices.

[0007] Unfortunately, energy is expensive and at times in short supply. Generally, portable power sources such as batteries have a limited battery time. Limited battery time results into limited continuous operation time of the wireless device. As an example, if a user (a user may be a person or an application) forgets to power off the wireless device the battery will drain and force the user to re-charge the battery before it can be utilized again.

[0008] However, for typical SPS applications, SPS devices do not have to operate continuously because a user may not need or desire to obtain the positional information of the SPS device (also known as a “fix” of the SPS device) continuously. This is generally true for applications involving a slow moving wireless device in an “open sky” (i.e., there are no obstructions to prevent the viewing of available satellites) environment. Examples of this situation may include traveling in an automobile on an open road, a marine vehicle (such as a ship or boat) in open waters, or hiking on an open path with a wireless device (such as a cellular telephone) with an integrated SPS receiver. A user may only need fixes at specific times (such as every 20 to 300 seconds) or on demand (such as when the user places an E911 call based on the new Federal Communication Commissions' “FCC” guidelines). As a result, operating the SPS receiver continuously in these situations would be a waste of limited power and result in shorter operation times for the wireless device. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a power management scheme capable of regulating the amount of power consumed by the SPS device based on the needs of wireless device and user.

[0009] A power management system for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the power management is disclosed. The power management system may include a real-time clock, an input/output device, an radio frequency front-end and a SPS engine in signal communication with the real-time clock, input/output device and radio frequency front-end, the SPS engine capable of powering down itself the input/output device and radio frequency front-end in response to determining a mode of operation.

[0010] The power management system typical operates by obtaining a position of the wireless device with the SPS receiver, determining the mode of operation of the SPS receiver and adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source to the SPS receiver in response to the determined mode of operation.

[0011] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

[0020] In FIG. 1, a block diagram of an example implementation of a power management system (“PMS”) 100 is illustrated. The PMS may be in signal communication with a communication unit such as a processing (“CP”) unit 102, power source 104 and an antenna 106 via signal paths 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118. The PMS 100 may include a satellite positioning system (“SPS”) engine 120, a radio frequency (“RF”) front-end 122, a real-time clock (“RTC”) 124 and an input/output (“I/O”) device 126. The SPS engine 120 is in signal communication with RF front-end 122, RTC 124, I/O 126, power source 104 and CP unit 102 via signal paths 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 140, 142 and 116, respectively. The RTC 124 provides the SPS engine with a clock signal 130 and may include a backup memory 144. The power source 104 may be a battery.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a signal flow diagram 200 illustrating an example operation of the PMS 100. In general, the PMS 100 first obtains satellite measurement data from the RF front-end 122 via signal path 128 (signal 202). The SPS engine 120 then calculates a fix, where a “fix” is the position (i.e., a “fixed position”), of the SPS receiver at a given time. The SPS engine 120 then stores the fix data and the time (“To”) it took the SPS receiver to acquire the fix in a SPS memory (not shown but optionally located within the SPS engine 120). The I/O 126 receives a mode of operation request from the CP 102, via signal path 114, (signal 204) and passes it to the SPS engine 120 via signal path 136 (signal 206). The PMS 100 has two modes of operation. The first mode is a “duty cycle” mode and the second mode is time-between fixes mode (“TBF mode”). In the duty cycle mode, the PMS 100 operates in a manner to maximize the lifetime of the power source 104. In the TBF mode, the PMS 100 is set so that the SPS receiver produces fixes at a specific time.

[0022] In response to the mode requested by the CP 102, the SPS engine 120 prepares to power down itself and the RF front-end 122 and I/O 126 in order to lower the power consumption of the PMS 100. The SPS engine 120 first programs the RTC 124, via signal path 132 (signal 208), with an alarm signal. The alarm signal contains the information needed by the RTC 124 to wakeup the SPS engine 120 once it is powered down in a sleep mode of operation. The RTC 124 may store the information from the alarm signal in the backup memory 144. The SPS engine 120 then powers down the RF front-end 122, via signal path 146 (signal 210), and I/O 126, via signal path 148 (signal 212), by ordering the RF front-end 122 and I/O 126 to no longer accept power, via signal path 110 and 108, respectively, from the power source 104. The SPS engine 120 then powers itself down, via signal path 142, and no longer accepts power from the power source 104 via signal path 140.

[0023] The RTC 124 then sends a wake up signal to the SPS engine 120 (signal 214), via signal path 134, based on the information provided by the alarm signal. In response, to receiving the wakeup signal, the SPS engine 120 powers up itself, the I/O 126 (signal 216) and RF front-end 122 (signal 218), via signal paths 148 and 146, respectively. The SPS engine 120 then obtains new satellite measurement data from the RF front-end 122, via signal path 128 (signal 220), and again powers down the RF front-end 122 (signal 222). The SPS engine 120 then calculates a fix for the PMS 100. Once the fix is obtained, it is sent to the CP 102 via the I/O 126. The SPS engine 120 then recalculates the off-time and on-time needed for a power duty cycle that will maintain the power consumption of the PMS 100 to a desired level. The SPS engine 120 then re-programs the RTC 124, via signal path 132 (signal 224), with a new alarm signal and the process repeats. It is appreciated that the CP 102 may wakeup the SPS engine 120 at any time providing an external interrupt message via signal path 116 (signal 226).

[0024] FIG. 3 shows an example implementation of the SPS engine 120. The SPS engine 120 is a control and processing section of a SPS receiver. Examples of the SPS receiver may include SiRFstarI, SiRFstarII and SiRFstarIII GPS receiver produced by SiRF Technology, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., GPSOne GPS receiver produced by Qualcomm Incorporated of San Diego, Calif., or any other GPS receiver. The SPS engine 120 may include a SPS processor 300, GPS memory 302 and a digital signal processor (“DSP”) 304. The RF front-end 122 may be any general front-end of a receiver for receiving SPS such as global positioning system (“GPS”) signals. Examples of the RF front-end 122 may include GRF2i produced by SiRF Technology, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., MRFIC1505 produced by Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill., or any other similar SPS RF front-end. The I/O 126 may be a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (“UART”) or similar input/output device or interface. It is appreciated by one skilled in the art that the SPS engine 120, I/O 126 and RTC 124 may be integrated into one unit such as, for example, GSP2e produced by SiRF Technology, Inc. of San Jose, Calif.

[0025] As an example operation, a user (not shown) interfaces with the CP 102. The user may be a person or an application (not shown) from another system (not shown) such as handset processor in a cellular telephone (not shown) or a network server (not shown) is signal communication with the cellular telephone. As before, the PMS 100 has two modes of operation. In the duty cycle mode, the PMS 100 is set by the user to operate in a manner that maximizes the power source 104 life. The TBF mode is set by the user to assure that the SPS receiver produces fixes at a specific time.

[0026] If the duty cycle mode (also known as “duty priority”) is selected, the PMS 100 first obtains a fix for the SPS receiver. The PMS 100 determines the time (“T₀”) it took the SPS receiver to acquire the fix. Once the PMS 100 determines T₀, the PMS 100 attempts to conserve power from the power source 104 by selectively powering down (i.e., placing in sleep mode) the RF front-end 122, I/O 126 and SPS engine 120 for a certain amount of time (“T_Off”) and then powering up the RF front-end 122, I/O 126 and SPS engine 120 for another certain amount of time (“T_On”) based on the duty cycle needed to maintain a desired power consumption for the PMS 100. The effect of this is that the time between subsequent fixes (“T_TBF”) is a variable number. T_TBF is generally stable when the signal conditions are not varying but generally the PMS 100 will not attempt to main T_TBF constant. Typically, T_On=T₀ and

[0027] $T_{\mathrm{Off}}=T_{\mathrm{On}}\left(\frac{1-\mathrm{duty}\mathrm{cycle}}{\mathrm{duty}\mathrm{cycle}}\right).$

[0028] It is appreciated that while the PMS 100 will not normally attempt to maintain a constant T_TBF, the PMS 100 will attempt to maintain a constant T_TBF when the calculated T_Off would result in a smaller T_TBF than requested by the user. In this case, the T_Off will be extended to give the requested T_TBF.

[0029] If the TBF mode (also known as “TBF priority mode”) is selected instead, the PMS 100 first obtains a fix for the SPS receiver then the PMS 100 determines T₀. Once the PMS 100 determines T₀, the PMS 100 attempts to conserve power from the power source 104 by selectively powering down the RF front-end 122, I/O 126 and SPS engine 120 for T_Off and then powering up the RF front-end 122, I/O 126 and SPS engine 120 for another T_On based the desired T_TBF. Typically, T_TBF is determined by the relation T_Off=T_TBF−_TOn. If the T_TBF is to small (i.e., T_On is equal to or greater than T_TBF) for the PMS 100 to power down and then up again, the PMS 100 will be set to full power mode.

[0030] Beyond the user selections, the environment effects the operation of the PMS 100 in both the duty priority and TBF priority modes. In an unobstructed environment (known as “open sky”) the SPS receiver in the PMS 100 will receive relatively high power signals from the available satellites. In FIG. 4, a graphical plot 400 of SPS signal power level 402 versus time 404 is shown. In an open sky environment the received SPS signal power level at the PMS 100 is relatively high 406. However, if the wireless device leaves this open sky environment and enters 408, as an example, an obstructed environment (such as entering a structure or an area with mountains, trees and other types of obstructions) the received SPS signal power level drops to a relatively low level 410. As a result of the environment, the PMS 100 will need more time to acquire the signals and generate a fix.

[0031] In FIG. 5, a graphical plot 500 of PMS 100 operational power 502 versus time 504 in a duty priority mode is shown. The time values correspond to the time values in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5, T_TBF 506, 508, 510 and 512 are shown as variable based on the duty cycle of the PMS 100 powering down to low power 514 (also known as “tricklestate”) and then power back up to full power 516. As the received SPS signal power levels drop 408, the PMS 100 determines that the SPS receiver requires more time in acquiring a fix that it originally needed when the received SPS signal power levels where high 406. The PMS 100, in a duty priority mode, recognizes that in order to get a fix the needed T_On is longer than before so the PMS 100 increases the T_Off in order to maintain the same duty cycle. As a result, the PMS 100 changes the T_TBF based on the received SPS signal power.

[0032] In FIG. 6, a graphical plot of PMS 100 operational power 602 versus time 604 in a TBF priority mode is shown. Again, the time values correspond to the time values in FIG. 4. In FIG. 6, T_TBF 606, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 and 618 are shown as variable based on the duty cycle of the PMS 100 powering down to low power 620 to the tricklestate and then power back up to full power 622. Similar to FIG. 5, as the received SPS signal power levels drop 408, the PMS 100 determines that the SPS receiver requires more time in acquiring a fix that it originally needed when the received SPS signal power levels where high 406. The PMS 100, in a TBF priority mode, recognizes that in order to get a fix the needed T_On is longer than before but if the PMS 100 increases the T_Off in order to maintain the same duty cycle, the desired T_TBF will not be met. As a result, the PMS 100 meets the desired T_TBF by powering up all the components and by operating at full power with no duty cycle. Once the received SPS signal power increases (i.e., the environment improves), the PMS 100 will again begin to power down the system as needed.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating another example implementation of the PMS 700 in signal communication with a CP 702 and power supply 704. The PMS 700 may include a SPS engine 706, RF front-end 708, RTC 710, RF section regulator 712, switch 714 and low noise amplifier 716. The PMS 700 has three modes of operation including full power, central processor unit (“CPU”) only mode and trickelestate.

[0034] In the full power state after initial hard reset, the CP 702 toggles the power control 718 of the power supply 704 that powers both the RF regulator 712 and SPS engine 706 via signal paths 720 and 722, respectively. After an initial hard reset, the PWRCTL/GPIO8 line 724 is set to default high, which ensures that the RF regulator 712 is on and GPSCLK 726 is supplied to the SPS engine 706. Software (optionally located in the SPS engine 706) will subsequently toggle GPIO3 728 high (which has a default value of low) to put the RF front-end 708 into full power mode and power the low noise amplifier (“LNA”) 716. If GPIO3 728 is low, the RF front-end 708 will be in a “clock-only” mode as long as power is being supplied. Therefore, regardless of the GPIO3 728 state, the RF front-end 708 will generate the GPSCLK 726 signal for clocking the SPS engine 706 as long as RF front-end 708 is powered by the RF section regulator 712.

[0035] To enter the CPU-Only mode, the SPS engine 706 will toggle the GPIO3 728 line low. This will place the RF front-end 708 into a clock only mode and disable the LNA 716. Also at this time, the SPS engine 706 will disable some internal clocks to the SPS DSP side (not shown) of the SPS engine 706. The result is that only the interface (such as an ARM) (not shown) and UARTs (not shown) are still clocked. At this mode, none of the internal timer interrupts are available of the SPS engine 70r are available.

[0036] To enter the lowest possible power state (“known as the “tricklestate”), the PMS 700 will first enter the CPU-Only state (described above). If the PMS 700 has determined that it is time to shutdown, then the PMS 700 will enable an internal finite-state machine (“FSM”) (not shown) to shut down the PMS 700 after all serial communication has been completed. The FSM is entered from a type of background loop once all pending tasks have been completed. The FSM will stop the clock to the SPS engine 706 interface, wait a certain number of RTC 710 cycles and then toggle the PWRCTL/GPIO8 line 724 low (the default number of cycles is 1 and the maximum number of cycles is 7). This will shutdown the RF section regulator 712 which stops the GPSCLK 726.

[0037] In the tricklestate, the internal memory (not shown) is maintained through an internal refresh. Once the PMS 700 has entered the tricklestate, only the external interrupt 730, RTC interrupt 732 or a hard power reset from the CP 702 can restart it. If the SPS engine 706 plans on providing another fix after the shutdown, the SPS engine 706 will program the RTC 710 counters (not shown) to wake up the SPS engine 706 in a timely manner. If the required number of fixes has been sent, the SPS engine 706 will enter the tricklestate without setting the RTC 710. The SPS engine 706 will remain essentially dormant until an external interrupt 730 is received from the CP 702 or the SPS engine 706 is reset.

[0038] If the SPS engine 706 is in the tricklestate, SPS engine 706 may be woken up by an RTC interrupt 732, an external interrupt 730 or a hard-reset. A hard-reset would be similar to the full power state after initial hard reset situation described above. In the hard-reset case, the contents of the SPS engine 706 memory would be lost and any aiding information would need to be provided again. If the SPS engine 706 receives an interrupt, the PWRCTL/GPIO8 line 724 is driven high by SPS engine 706. The result is that the RF section regulator 712 will be turned on. The RF section regulator 712 then powers the RF front-end 708 and the GPSCLK 726 will again be provided to the SPS engine 706 allowing the interfaces and other components to run. In order to ensure that a stable clock is provided to the SPS engine 706, the FSM will wait a certain number of RTC 710 clock cycles after the PWRCTL/GPIO8 line 724 goes high until the FSM enables the clocks in the SPS engine 706. The default number of cycles that the board waits is 48, and the maximum is 63. In this example, the delay between when the PWRCTL/GPIO8 line 724 gets toggled and when the clocks are enabled in the SPS engine 706 may be about 1.5 ms. The software in an interrupt handler (not shown) will toggle GPIO3 728 high to put the PMS 700 into full power.

[0039] The process in FIG. 2 may be performed by hardware or software. If the process is performed by software, the software may reside in software memory (not shown) in the mobile unit or cellular network server. The software in software memory may include an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions (i.e., “logic” that may be implement either in digital form such as digital circuitry or source code or in analog form such as analog circuitry or an analog source such an analog electrical, sound or video signal), may selectively be embodied in any computer-readable (or signal-bearing) medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that may selectively fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” and/or “signal-bearing medium” is any means that may contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer readable medium may selectively be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples “a non-exhaustive list” of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection “electronic” having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a RAM (electronic), a read-only memory “ROM” (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory “CDROM” (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium may even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0040] While various embodiments of the application have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.