Scalable, reconfigurable GPS receiver

An apparatus comprising:

• a GPS receiver having a first microprocessor, a first memory, a second memory, and an input/output interface;
• and
• a client device having a second microprocessor, a third memory, and an input/output interface;
• the input/output interface of the client device connected to the input/output interface of the GPS receiver via a communication link;
• wherein the first memory of the GPS receiver contains a first set of instructions for the first microprocessor to download at least one time critical GPS software module from the third memory in the client device and to store in the second memory of the GPS receiver,
• wherein the first memory of the GPS receiver further contains a second set of instructions for the microprocessor to determine whether to download each of a plurality of non-time critical GPS software modules from the third memory in the client device and to store in the second memory of the GPS receiver.

A method in a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• running a first set of instructions stored in a first memory in the GPS receiver when the GPS receiver is first provided power;
• downloading at least one time critical GPS software module to a second memory in the GPS receiver based on the first set of instructions stored in the first memory;
• running a second set of instructions stored in the first memory in the GPS receiver when the GPS receiver is first provided power;
• determining whether to download each of a plurality of non-time critical GPS software modules based on the second set of instructions stored in the first memory in the GPS receiver;
• and
• downloading each of the plurality of non-time critical GPS software modules to the second memory in the GPS receiver if it is determined that the non-time critical GPS software module should be downloaded.