System and methods for reducing GNSS receiver power usage by leveraging signals of opportunity to predict GNSS availability

A system for reducing GNSS receiver power usage in a portable electronic device, the system comprising:

• a first receiver operable to:
• receive at least one wireless signal at a portable electronic device in a signal environment, the at least one wireless signal comprising at least one satellite signal;
• and
• measure at least one signal characteristic of the at least one wireless signal at the portable electronic device in the signal environment;
• a processor module operable to:
• estimate an estimated signal strength of the at least one wireless signal in the signal environment based on the at least one signal characteristic;
• and
• compare the estimated signal strength to an expected signal strength of the at least one wireless signal to calculate an estimated signal-strength-change relative to the expected signal strength;
• and
• a second receiver operable to:
• receive a GNSS signal at the portable electronic device, if the estimated signal-strength-change indicates an expected GNSS signal attenuation lower than a signal attenuation threshold;
• and
• reconfigure a receiving procedure for receiving the GNSS signal at the portable electronic device, if the estimated signal-strength-change indicates the expected GNSS signal attenuation is greater than the signal attenuation threshold.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for reducing satellite receiver power usage in portable electronic device, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

• receiving at least one wireless signal at a portable electronic device in a signal environment, the at least one wireless signal comprising at least one satellite signal;
• measuring at least one signal characteristic of the at least one wireless signal at the portable electronic device in the signal environment;
• estimating an estimated signal strength of the at least one wireless signal in the signal environment based on the at least one signal characteristic;
• comparing the estimated signal strength to an expected signal strength of the at least one wireless signal to calculate an estimated signal-strength-change relative to the expected signal strength;
• tracking a GNSS signal at the portable electronic device, if the estimated signal-strength-change indicates an expected GNSS signal attenuation is lower than a signal attenuation threshold;
• and
• reconfiguring tracking of the GNSS signal at the portable electronic device, if the estimated signal-strength-change indicates the expected GNSS signal attenuation is greater than the signal attenuation threshold.