GNSS Receiver Power Saving via Inertial Sensor Dead Reckoning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile electronic devices face challenges in accurately determining geo-spatial positions in areas with insufficient satellite signal strength, leading to unnecessary power consumption and reduced navigation accuracy in dead-zones such as indoors or urban canyons.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a GNSS receiver and inertial sensors, with the ability to switch to dead-reckoning navigation using polynomial curve fitting and data from a remotely located database, allowing the GNSS receiver to be disabled in dead-zones and reducing power consumption by using inertial sensor data for navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the GNSS receiver is fully powered during periods when the receiver is unable to receive sufficient signal strength, then positioning availability is maintained, but power consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating state of the GNSS receiver based on real-time signal quality assessment. When signal strength falls below a threshold indicating dead-zone conditions, the receiver is disabled and the system transitions to using inertial sensor data for positioning, thereby avoiding unnecessary power consumption while maintaining positioning functionality through alternative means
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary approach by using inertial sensors as a bridge when GNSS signals are unavailable. The inertial sensors provide continuous positioning data during dead-zone periods, allowing the system to maintain positioning availability without keeping the power-hungry GNSS receiver active
2Use of energy by moving object
If the GNSS receiver is disabled in dead-zones, then power consumption is reduced, but positioning accuracy deteriorates without alternative methods
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple positioning data sources - GNSS receiver data and inertial sensor data - into a unified positioning solution. By combining these complementary sources and using polynomial curve fitting to integrate them, the system maintains positioning accuracy during dead-zone periods while the GNSS receiver remains disabled, thus reducing power consumption without sacrificing measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter representation of positioning data by applying polynomial curve fitting to inertial sensor measurements. This mathematical transformation allows the inertial data to accurately represent position, velocity, and time parameters that would traditionally require continuous GNSS signaling, thereby maintaining precision while enabling receiver shutdown
3Measurement precision
If polynomial curve fitting is used to integrate GNSS and inertial data, then positioning accuracy in dead-zones is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary polynomial curve fitting computations during periods when GNSS signals are available and conditions are favorable. By pre-computing and storing polynomial coefficients and fitted curves during good signal periods, the system reduces the computational burden during dead-zone periods, as the heavy mathematical operations have already been completed in advance
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for saving power during synthetic positioning in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers is provided. According to one embodiment, a device includes a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, and an inertial sensor block. The GNSS receiver is disabled when the device enters a dead zone, and the device uses data from the inertial sensor block and a remotely located database to perform navigation functions.