Method And System For Power Optimization For A Global Navigation Satellite System

Abstract

Methods and systems for power optimization of a global navigation satellite system may comprise receiving LEO RF satellite signals utilizing a LEO satellite signal receiver path (LEO Rx) in a wireless communication device (WCD). Circuitry in the LEO Rx may be configured in a powered down state based on a sleep schedule. A location of the wireless communication device may be determined utilizing LEO signals received by the LEO Rx. The sleep schedule may be based on a desired accuracy of the determined location, the relative strengths of signals received from a plurality of LEO satellites, a relevance factor generated by a position engine and communicated to the sort module, or a desired power level of the WCD. The relative strengths of received signals may be compared utilizing a sort module in a LEO demodulator in the LEO satellite signal receiver path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:
 in a wireless communication device having a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path:
 receiving LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path; 
 determining a location of said wireless communication device utilizing said received LEO RF satellite signals received by said LEO satellite signal receiver path; and 
 configuring circuitry in said LEO satellite signal receiver path in a powered down state based on a sleep schedule, said sleep schedule being based at least in part on satellite availability information received from a reference receiver external to said wireless communication device and on relative strengths of signals received from a plurality of LEO satellites, said relative strengths compared utilizing a sort module in a LEO demodulator in said LEO satellite signal receiver path. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a desired accuracy of said determined location. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a relevance factor generated by a position engine and communicated to said sort module. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleep schedule is received from a server. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a desired power level of said wireless communication device. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a battery level in said wireless device. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said wireless communication device also comprises a medium Earth orbit satellite signal receiver path. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising processing in-phase and quadrature signals in said LEO satellite signal receiver path. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said wireless communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU). 
     
     
         10 . A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path, said one or more circuits being operable to:
 receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path; 
 determine a location of said wireless communication device utilizing said received LEO RF satellite signals received by said LEO satellite signal receiver path; and 
 configure circuitry in said LEO satellite signal receiver path in a powered down state based on a sleep schedule, said sleep schedule being based at least in part on satellite availability information received from a reference receiver external to said wireless communication device and on relative strengths of signals received from a plurality of LEO satellites, said relative strengths compared utilizing a sort module in a LEO demodulator in said LEO satellite signal receiver path. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a desired accuracy of said determined location. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a relevance factor generated by a position engine and communicated to said sort module. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said sleep schedule is received from a server. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a desired power level of said wireless communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said sleep schedule is based on a battery level in said wireless device. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said wireless communication device also comprises a medium Earth orbit satellite signal receiver path. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said wireless communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU). 
     
     
         18 . A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device comprising a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite signal receiver path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path, said one or more circuits being operable to:
 receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path and MEO RF satellite signals utilizing said MEO satellite signal receiver path; 
 determine a location of said wireless communication device utilizing MEO signals received by said MEO satellite signal receiver path and LEO signals received by said LEO satellite signal receiver path; and 
 configure circuitry in said LEO satellite signal receiver path or said MEO satellite signal receiver path in a powered down state based on a sleep schedule, said sleep schedule being based at least in part on satellite availability information received from a reference receiver external to said wireless communication device and on relative strengths of signals received from a plurality of LEO satellites, said relative strengths compared utilizing a sort module in a LEO demodulator in said LEO satellite signal receiver path. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , comprising configuring said MEO satellite signal receiver path when a signal strength of said received MEO satellite signals falls below a threshold level. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 18 , comprising configuring said MEO satellite signal receiver path in an intermittent low power state based on said received LEO RF satellite signals.