GPS Engine QoS Adjustment for Geofence Battery Conservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices with GPS functionality experience reduced battery life due to high power consumption during active geofence monitoring, especially when repeatedly failing to obtain a GPS fix in challenging conditions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to adjust the Quality of Service (QoS) parameter for the GPS engine, limiting its running time and switching between maximum and minimum QoS periods based on GPS fix attempts and geofence breach detection, to conserve battery power and reduce false alarms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the GPS engine operates continuously in active geofence monitoring state, then geofence monitoring accuracy is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The GPS engine operates in periodic cycles with alternating QoS periods (maximum and minimum) instead of continuous operation. The system switches between active monitoring phases and reduced monitoring phases, creating a periodic pattern that reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining acceptable monitoring accuracy through strategic high-precision measurement opportunities.
Solution Approach 2:
The QoS parameter is dynamically adjusted between maximum and minimum values based on operational conditions and fix acquisition success. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the balance between monitoring precision and power consumption in real-time, rather than operating at a fixed performance level.
2Reliability
If the GPS engine operates with high QoS parameter, then GPS fix acquisition reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The QoS parameter is changed between maximum and minimum values based on operational context. When GPS fix acquisition is successful, the system transitions to minimum QoS to conserve energy. When fixes fail or conditions warrant higher reliability, the system increases QoS to maximum, dynamically adjusting the parameter to balance reliability and energy loss.
3Reliability
If the GPS engine operates in active monitoring state repeatedly failing to obtain fix, then monitoring coverage is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from GPS fix acquisition results to adjust future QoS settings. When the GPS engine fails to obtain a fix during a QoS period, this information feeds back into the control logic, which then adjusts the QoS parameter for subsequent operations. This feedback mechanism prevents continuous high-power operation in conditions where fixes are not obtainable, thereby preserving battery life while maintaining monitoring coverage.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and devices are provided for operating a GPS engine in an active geofence monitoring state for no more than a first QoS period to obtain a first GPS fix. The GPS engine may also be set to operate in the active geofence monitoring state for no more than a second lower QoS period to obtain a second GPS fix in response to determining the first GPS fix was not obtained. The method may determine whether a geofence breach is detected in response to determining the GPS engine obtained the first GPS fix. The GPS engine may be set to operate in the active geofence monitoring state for no more than the second QoS period to obtain the second GPS fix in response to determining the geofence breach is not detected. The GPS engine may thus operate in the active geofence monitoring state to obtain the second GPS fix.