Method and apparatus for compensating for frequency drift in a low frequency sleep clock within a mobile station operating in a slotted paging mode

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described for tracking the length of a sleep period within a mobile station using a sleep clock to precisely calibrate portions of the sleep period. The sleep period subdivided into a sequence of sub-periods each of known duration wherein the durations of the sub-periods are not necessarily integer multiples of cycles of the sleep clock. Elapsed time is tracked within each individual sub-period of the sleep period using an integer sleep counter which tracks whole cycles of the sleep clock. Then any remaining fractional portions of the cycles of the sleep mode clock not accounted for by the integer sleep counter are tracked using a fractional sleep counter. The fractional sleep counter accumulates remaining fractional portions of sleep mode cycles from one sub-period to the next. A method and apparatus is also described for estimating frequency drift with a sleep clock signal used during a slotted paging mode of operation of a wireless mobile station. An initial frequency of the sleep clock signal is determined following power-up of the mobile station. A fixed frequency drift compensation factor representative of a difference between the initial frequency of the sleep clock signal and a predetermined nominal frequency is then determined. A dynamic frequency error compensation factor representative of a difference between the initial frequency and a current frequency of the slow clock signal is estimated. Then, throughout the slotted mode of operation, new values for the dynamic frequency compensation factor are iteratively determined by using a loop filter.