Electronic devices and methods for providing location information

An electronic device, comprising:

• a GPS receiver, having receiver circuitry, configured to switch between a location information-acquiring mode, during which the GPS receiver generates geographical location readings, and a power-saving mode, during which the GPS receiver is deactivated;
• inertial sensors, having sensor circuitry, configured to generate sensor readings corresponding to sensed motion of the electronic device;
• a main controller (MCU) and an application processor, wherein the MCU controls the application processor to selectively operate the GPS receiver in either the location information-acquiring mode or the power-saving mode;
• the MCU having control circuitry, configured to:
• use a plurality of the geographical location readings to determine a reference location information responsive to the plurality of the geographical location readings converging or variance among the plurality of the geographical location readings corresponding to a variance threshold;
• generate a GPS-not-required event responsive to the reference location information being determined;
• compute a GPS-fused location information based on the sensor readings and, when determined, the reference location information;
• provide, to the application processor, the GPS-fused location information;
• generate a GPS-required event based on a change of the GPS-fused location information;
• and
• provide, to the application processor, only one of either the GPS-required event or the GPS-not-required event;
• the application processor, having processor circuitry, configured to:
• receive, from the MCU, the GPS-fused location information;
• receive, from the MCU, the only one of either the GPS-required event or the GPS-not-required event;
• responsive to the GPS-required event being received from the MCU, operate the GPS receiver in the location information-acquiring mode to generate next geographical location readings;
• and
• responsive to the GPS-not-required event being received from the MCU, operate the GPS receiver in the power-saving mode during which the GPS receiver is deactivated, after which the GPS receiver is operated in the location information-acquiring mode responsive to a subsequent GPS-required event being received from the MCU.