US 7,409,188 B2 · Method and apparatus for lowering power use by a ranging receiver

Abstract

Equipment and a method by which power consumed by a ranging receiver (12) is reduced without appreciably impairing performance of the GPS receiver (12), the method including: a step (21) in which a controller (15) reads sensor signals provided by a motion sensor (14) mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver (12); and a step (22) in which the controller (15) powers down selected components of the ranging receiver (12) based on whether the sensor signals indicate only at most insubstantial motion of the ranging receiver (12). The motion sensor is advantageously a motion sensor constructed using MEMS technology, but at any rate is of a type using so little power as to provide a power savings when used according to the invention, i.e. when it is always on and at least partially based on its sensor signals, the ranging receiver (12) is sometimes at least partially turned off.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

a ranging receiver, responsive to power control signals based on sensor signals indicating whether the ranging receiver is in motion, the power control signals for powering off selected components of the ranging receiver so as to put the ranging receiver in a standby mode as opposed to a fully active mode or a fully powered off mode, or powering on the selected components of the ranging receiver so as to put the ranging receiver in a fully active mode;
and
a motion sensor, mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver so as to move when the ranging receiver moves, configured to provide the sensor signals,
wherein the selected components of the ranging receiver is powered off if the sensor signals indicate the ranging receiver is stationary, and wherein the selected components of the ranging receiver is powered on if the sensor signals indicate the ranging receiver is in motion, or if a time since the powering off of the selected components of the ranging receiver has exceeded a predetermined time.

1 more element

An apparatus, comprising:

a ranging receiver, responsive to power control signals for powering on or off selected components of the ranging receiver so as to put the ranging receiver in a standby mode as opposed to a fully active mode or a fully powered off mode, and also responsive to ranging signals from sources for positioning, configured to provide output signals indicative of the location of the ranging receiver;
a motion sensor, mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver so as to move with the ranging receiver, configured to provide sensor signals indicating whether the ranging receiver is in motion;
and
a controller, responsive to the sensor signals, configured to provide the power control signals so as to power off the selected components of the ranging receiver if the sensor signals indicate that the ranging receiver is substantially stationary, and configured to provide the power control signals so as to power on the selected components of the ranging receiver if the sensor signals indicate the ranging receiver is motion, or if a time since the powering off of the selected components of the ranging receiver has exceeded a predetermined time.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for lowering power use by a ranging receiver

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for lowering power use by a ranging receiver

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20