US 7,024,220 B2 · GPS receiver system and method

Abstract

GPS functionality is added to a wireless communication device in an efficient and cost effective manner. Briefly, the present invention has a common mixer constructed to be used for a GPS signal and another signal or a common IF filter constructed to be used for a GPS signal and another signal. In one embodiment, a common mixer and IF filter are used for both PCS and GPS signals. In another embodiment, a band select switch may be used to select either the PCS signal or the GPS signal. Alternatively, a duplexer or diplexer may couple the GPS signal and the PCS signal to the common mixer. In this way, a common mixer is enabled to be used for both GPS and PCS. A dual band local oscillator may be configured to output a local oscillator signal facilitating selection of a GPS IF signal, a PCS IF signal or a cellular CDMA IF signal, using a common IF filter. In another embodiment, both the GPS low noise amplifier (LNA) and the PCS LNA may be switched on and off depending upon whether GPS or PCS reception is selected.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A receiver portion for selectively converting a GPS signal and a second RF signal to a lower frequency signal in a wireless handset, comprising:

a GPS control signal generator for generating a GPS control signal;
a band select switch connected to the GPS control signal generator for selecting the GPS signal or the second RF signal, responsive to the GPS control signal;
a mixer connected to the band select switch for receiving the selected signal and to a local oscillator for converting the selected signal to the lower frequency signal;
a GPS antenna for receiving the GPS signal;
a second RF signal antenna for receiving the second RF signal;
a GPS low noise amplifier connected to the GPS antenna and to the band select switch for amplifying the GPS signal;
a PCS low noise amplifier connected to the second RF signal antenna and to the band select switch for amplifying the second RF signal;
and
a power supply connected to the GPS control signal generator for supplying power to the GPS low noise amplifier and to the PCS low noise amplifier, wherein:
the GPS control signal generator is connected:
to a power line of the GPS low noise amplifier for connecting the power supply to the GPS low noise amplifier when the GPS control signal is on and;
to a power line of the PCS low noise amplifier for connecting the power supply to the PCS low noise amplifier when the GPS control signal is off.

9 more elements

A receiver portion for converting a GPS signal and a second RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal comprising:

a GPS control signal generator for generating a GPS control signal;
a local oscillator configured to generate a GPS local oscillator signal and a second RF signal local oscillator signal wherein the GPS control signal generator is connected to the local oscillator for selecting either the second RF signal local oscillator signal or the GPS local oscillator signal;
a GPS antenna for receiving the GPS signal;
a second RF signal antenna for receiving the second RF signal;
a duplexer connected to the GPS antenna and to the second RF signal antenna and configured to transmit the GPS signal and the second RF signal;
a mixer connected to the local oscillator source and to the duplexer, the mixer constructed to convert the second RF signal to a first lower frequency signal and to convert the GPS signal to a second lower frequency signal;
a band pass filter connected to the mixer, the filter configured to transmit either the first lower frequency signal or the second lower frequency signal;
a GPS low noise amplifier connected to the GPS antenna and to the duplexer for amplifying the GPS signal;
a PCS low noise amplifier connected to the PCS antenna and to the duplexer for amplifying the PCS signal;
and
a power supply connected to the GPS control signal generator for supplying power to the GPS low noise amplifier and to the PCS low noise amplifier wherein:
the GPS control signal generator is connected to a power line of the GPS low noise amplifier and to a power line of the PCS low noise amplifier for connecting the power supply to the GPS low noise amplifier when the GPS control signal is on and for connecting the power supply to the PCS low noise amplifier when the GPS control signal is off.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

GPS receiver system and method

Life of this patent

GPS receiver system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22