Satellite (GPS) assisted clock apparatus, circuits, systems and processes for cellular terminals on asynchronous networks

摘要

A wireless circuit (1100, 1190) for tracking an incoming signal and for use in a network (2000) having handover from one part (Cell A) of the network to another part (Cell B). The wireless circuit includes a processor (CE 1100) responsive to the incoming signal, the processor (CE 1100) operable to generate pulse edges representing network-based receiver synchronization instances (RSIs), and a timekeeping circuitry (2420, 2430, 2450) including an oscillator circuitry (2162), the timekeeping circuitry (2420, 2430) operable to maintain a set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) including a counter circuitry (2422) operable to maintain at least one network time component based on the RSIs and another counter circuitry (2428) operable at least during handover and during loss of network coverage for maintaining at least one internal time component (NC) based on the oscillator circuitry (2162), the set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) operable to account for elapsing time substantially gaplessly and substantially without overlap between the time components during a composite of network coverage, loss of network coverage and handover, and the timekeeping circuitry further including a time generator (2450) for combining the time components from the set of counter circuitries (2422-2428) to generate an approximate absolute time (SGTB). Other electronic circuits, positioning systems, methods of operation, and processes of manufacture are also disclosed and claimed.