Reduced power use in mobile GPS-based technologies

Abstract

A method, a mobile device arid and a computer program product for acquiring GPS on a mobile device possessing GPS capability are disclosed. The method comprises the step of setting a current value of the period of the power-up phase of the GPS dependent upon adaptive predictions of when the GPS should be powered on to meet specifications on positioning accuracy and GPS acquisition time.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of acquiring GPS on a mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communications network, said mobile device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless network and an embedded GPS module for GPS capability, said method comprising:
 setting a current value of a period of a power-up phase of said GPS dependent on a current radio position and error of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and adaptive predictions of when said GPS should be powered on to meet specifications on positioning accuracy and GPS acquisition time.   
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the current radio position and error are determined using Cramer-Rao Bounds. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the period of the power-up phase is set while retaining the accuracy of a position fix and acquisition times of the position fix within acceptable statistical bounds. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said mobile device determines dynamically an optimal period of the power-up phase. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said current value of said period of the power-up phase is set using adaptive-filter and machine-learning techniques. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said adaptive-filter and machine learning techniques are implemented using said mobile device. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim further comprising:
 if at least one of said position error and acquisition times of GPS fail to meet acceptable bounds, reducing said value of said period of the power-up phase; and   if at least one of said position error and acquisition times of GPS meet said acceptable bounds, increasing said value of said period of the power-up phase.   
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said mobile device comprises a power limited device. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said embedded GPS module comprises an embedded GPS device. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of making adaptive predictions using a neural network. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said setting step comprises:
 predicting a next position at a next scheduled power-up time using a number of last positions reported of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network;   comparing said predicted position at said next power-up time with an actual position of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and determining said position error; and   storing current values of said period of the power-up phase, acquisition time, said position error, and position in a storage unit of said mobile device.   
     
     
       12. A mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communications network, said mobile device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless network, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to said processor;   an embedded GPS module coupled to said processor providing a GPS capability for said mobile device; and   means for setting a current value of a period of a power-up phase of said GPS dependent on the current radio position and error of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and adaptive predictions of when said GPS should be powered on to meet specifications on positioning accuracy and GPS acquisition time.   
     
     
       13. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein the current radio position and error are determined using Cramer-Rao Bounds. 
     
     
       14. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein the period of the power-up phase is set while retaining the accuracy of a position fix and acquisition times of the position fix within acceptable statistical bounds. 
     
     
       15. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein said mobile device determines dynamically an optimal period of the power-up phase. 
     
     
       16. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein said current value of said period of the power-up phase is set using adaptive-filter and machine-learning techniques. 
     
     
       17. The mobile device according to  claim 16 , wherein said adaptive-filter and machine-learning techniques are implemented using said mobile device. 
     
     
       18. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 means for, if at least one of position error and acquisition times of GPS fail to meet acceptable bounds, reducing said value of said period of the power-up phase; and   means for, if at least one of said position error and acquisition times of GPS meet said acceptable bounds, increasing said value of said period of the power-up phase.   
     
     
       19. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein said mobile device comprises a power limited device. 
     
     
       20. The mobile device according to  claim 19 , further comprising a battery for powering said mobile device. 
     
     
       21. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a neural network module for making adaptive predictions. 
     
     
       22. The mobile device according to  claim 12 , wherein said setting means comprises:
 means for predicting a next position at a next scheduled power-up time using a number of last positions reported of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network;   means for comparing said predicted position at said next power-up time with an actual position of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and determining said position error; and   means for storing current values of a period of the power-up phase, acquisition time, said position error, and position in a storage unit of said mobile device.   
     
     
       23. A computer program product for a mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communication network, said mobile device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless network and an embedded GPS module for GPS capability, said computer program product having a computer readable medium storing a computer program for acquiring GPS on said mobile device, comprising:
 computer program code means for interfacing with the GPS capability of said mobile device; and   computer program code means for setting a current value of the period of the power-up phase of said GPS depenent on a current radio position and error of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and adaptive predictions of when said GPS should be powered on to meet specifications on positioning accuracy and GPS acquisition time.   
     
     
       24. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein the current radio position and error are determined using Cramer-Rao Bounds. 
     
     
       25. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein the period of the power-up phase is set while retaining the accuracy of a position fix and acquisition times of the position fix within acceptable statistical bounds. 
     
     
       26. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein said computer program product determines dynamically an optimal period of the power-up phase. 
     
     
       27. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein said current value of said period of the power-up phase is set using adaptive-filter and machine-learning techniques. 
     
     
       28. The computer program product according to  claim 27 , wherein said adaptive-filter and machine-learning techniques are implemented using said mobile device. 
     
     
       29. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 computer program code means for, if at least one of said position error and acquisition times of GPS fail to meet acceptable bounds, reducing said value of said period of the power-up phase; and   computer program code means for, if at least one of said position error and acquisition times of GPS meet said acceptable bounds, increasing said value of said period of the power-up phase.   
     
     
       30. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein said mobile device comprises a power limited device. 
     
     
       31. The computer program product according to  claim 30 , wherein said mobile device comprises a battery for powering said mobile device. 
     
     
       32. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , further comprising computer program code means for providing a neural network module to make adaptive predictions. 
     
     
       33. The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein said computer program code means for setting comprises:
 computer program code means for predicting at a next position a next scheduled power-up time using a number of last positions reported of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network;   computer program code means for comparing said predicted position at said next power-up time with an actual position of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network and determining said position error; and   computer program code means for storing current values of a period of the power-up phase, acquisition time, said position error, and position in a storage unit of said mobile device.   
     
     
       34. A method of acquiring GPS on a mobile device for a wireless network, said mobile device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless network and GPS capability, said method comprising the steps of:
 using a position error of said mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network;   if the position error is too large, adjusting a current value of a period of a power-up phase of said GPS downward;   if the position error is too small, adjusting the current value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS upward;   estimating using a neural network a new value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS dependent upon said position error; and   setting a new value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS to a weighted value dependent upon an acceptable error bound.   
     
     
       35. A method of acquiring GPS on a mobile device for a wireless network, said mobile device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless network and GPS capability, said method comprising the steps of:
 using an acquisition time at a last position fix of the mobile device in the wireless network determined from the wireless network;   if the acquisition time is too large, adjusting a current value of a period of a power-up phase of said GPS downward;   if the acquisition time is too small, adjusting the current value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS upward;   estimating using a neural network a new value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS dependent upon said acquisition time; and   setting a new value of said period of the power-up phase of said GPS to a weighted value dependent upon an acceptable bound.   
     
     
       36. The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the position error is the Cramer-Rao Bound on the radio position of the mobile device. 
     
     
       37. A method of acquiring a position on a mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communications network, said mobile wireless communication device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless communications network and an embedded GPS module for GPS capability, said GPS referring to GPS-based techniques, said method comprising:
 determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on, said embedded GPS module then being powered on,   said when said embedded GPS module should be powered on being dependent on at least one of a current radio position and a position error of said mobile device determined from the wireless communications network, said wireless communications network being different from said GPS.    
     
     
       38. The method according to claim 37, wherein said powered on comprises said module powering up from a low-power mode such as a TricklePower power-down mode.  
     
     
       39. The method according to claim 37, wherein said determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on is also dependent on at least one of; a last satellite position; a last position determined by the GPS; and a last time determined by the GPS.  
     
     
       40. A mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communications network, said mobile wireless communication device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless communications network and an embedded GPS module for GPS capability, said GPS referring to GPS-based techniques, said mobile wireless communication device comprising:
 an embedded GPS module providing a GPS capability for said mobile wireless communication device; and means for   determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on, said embedded GPS module then being powered on,   said determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on being dependent on at least one of a current radio position and a position error of said mobile device determined from the wireless communications network, said wireless communications network being different from said GPS.    
     
     
       41. The mobile device according to claim 40, wherein said powered on comprises said module powering up from a low-power mode such as a TricklePower power-down mode.  
     
     
       42. The mobile device according to claim 40, wherein said determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on is also dependent on at least one of; a last satellite position; a last position determined by the GPS; and a last time determined by the GPS.  
     
     
       43. A computer program product for a mobile wireless communication device for a wireless communication network, said mobile wireless communication device possessing wireless communications capability for said wireless communications network and an embedded GPS module for GPS capability, said GPS referring to GPS-based techniques, said computer program product embodied on computer readable storage medium, said computer program product for acquiring a GPS position on said mobile wireless communication device, comprising:
 a first portion designed to interface with the GPS capability of said mobile wireless communication device; and a second portion designed to determine when said embedded GPS module should be powered on,   said embedded GPS module then being powered on,   said determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on being dependent on at least one of a current radio position and a position error of said mobile device determined from the wireless communications network, said wireless communications network being different from said GPS.    
     
     
       44. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein said powered on comprises said module powering up from a low-power mode such as a TricklePower power-down mode.  
     
     
       45. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein said determining when said embedded GPS module should be powered on is also dependent on at least one of; a last satellite position; a last position determined by the GPS; and a last time determined by the GPS.