Electronic device including predicted frequency error estimation of a voltage controlled oscillator and related methods

A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

• a portable housing;
• a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) carried by said portable housing;
• a temperature sensor carried by said portable housing;
• wireless communications circuitry carried by said portable housing and coupled to said VCO;
• and
• a controller configured to
• cooperate with said VCO and said temperature sensor to determine both a temperature and a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples, each sample having a given age associated therewith and the plurality of most recent samples being less than 50,
• align the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes, and
• estimate a predicted frequency error of said VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples.

A method of operating an electronic device comprising a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a temperature sensor coupled to the VCO, the method comprising:

• sensing a temperature using the temperature sensor;
• determining a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples based upon the sensed temperature, each sample having a given age associated therewith;
• aligning the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes;
• estimating a predicted frequency error of the VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples;
• and
• controlling the VCO based upon the predicted frequency error.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use with an electronic device comprising a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a temperature sensor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing the electronic device to perform steps comprising:

• cooperating with the VCO and the temperature sensor to determine both a temperature and a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples, each sample having a given age associated therewith;
• aligning the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes;
• and
• estimating a predicted frequency error of the VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples.