GPS Position Detecting Apparatus Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional GPS position detecting apparatuses using coin-type batteries face issues with excessive power consumption and voltage drop, leading to potential breakdowns when continuously receiving GPS signals for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A position detecting apparatus that switches between operation and inoperative modes to conserve battery power, ensuring all sub-frame data is acquired before switching back to operation mode, thereby minimizing power consumption and avoiding abrupt voltage drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the receiving unit continuously receives GPS signals to ensure complete sub-frame data acquisition, then the reliability of position detection is improved, but the power consumption increases and causes voltage drop leading to potential breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving unit operates in periodic cycles, alternating between receiving GPS signals and entering sleep mode. The control unit monitors sub-frame data acquisition progress and activates the receiving unit only when incomplete data is detected, allowing the battery to recover between active periods and preventing continuous power consumption that would cause voltage drop and breakdown
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit autonomously monitors the acquisition status of sub-frame data and intelligently controls the switching between receiving and sleep modes based on whether all sub-frames have been acquired. This self-regulating mechanism ensures reliable position detection while optimizing power usage without requiring external intervention
2Use of energy by moving object
If the receiving unit operates in intermittent modes to conserve battery power, then the power consumption is reduced, but the time required to acquire complete sub-frame data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit checks whether all sub-frame data have been acquired before switching to sleep mode. By preliminarily assessing data completeness and planning subsequent receiving cycles accordingly, the system avoids unnecessary repeated receptions while ensuring all required data are eventually collected, optimizing both time and power efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively receives GPS signals without battery failure, maintaining steady operation and prolonging battery life by optimizing power usage during GPS signal acquisition.
Implementation Method 1
GPS (Global Positioning System) is a system, which receives electromagnetic waves from plural satellites
Data Source
AI summary
CPU instructs RF controlling section to switch RF section from an inoperative mode to an operation mode and from the operation mode to the inoperative mode. When all of five pieces of sub-frame data have not been acquired, RF section is switched intermittently from the inoperative mode to the operation mode in synchronization with transmission of lacking sub-frame data, thereby acquiring such lacking sub-frame data. When all the five pieces of sub-frame data have been acquired, the current position is calculated using positional information contained in the sub-frame data. A part of five pieces of sub-frame data including the first to fifth sub-frame data transmitted from a satellite in a time series manner is acquired from GPS signal received in the operation mode, and the remaining part of the five pieces of sub-frame data is acquired in operation mode set at other timing, and then the positional information is judged based on the five pieces of sub-frame data acquired in the above manner.