Patent Abstract:
An apparatus and method for efficient and concurrent sampling of a sensor signal to create multiple output signals each at different sampling rates is provided. The apparatus and method determine an aperiodic sampling rate or sampling schedule such that only samples representing samples at the different sampling rates are taken. The aperiodic samples are taken then de-interleaved to filter wanted samples for a particular application or user. As a result, the aperiodic samples is just a combination of all of the subsets to each application. Such aperiodic sampling reduces a total number of samples taken and, as a direct result, reduces the number of samples needing to be processed and stored and also reduced the power otherwise consumed to sample, process and store unused samples.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for aperiodically sampling sensor data in a wireless device. More particularly, the disclosure relates to providing periodic samples to applications requiring different sampling rates from an aperiodic sampled source. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A single mobile device may allow multiple applications to execute simultaneously. Several applications requiring sensor data often run concurrently within a user&#39;s mobile device. Two or more of these applications may need sensor measurements from a common type of sensor or the same sensor. Often the requirements for sensor data from separate applications vary. That is, one application may require samples from a sensor at a first periodic sampling rate while a second application requires data from the same sensor but at a second periodic sampling rate. 
         [0004]    Typically, applications require sensor measurements at a periodic rate but a first application may need sensor measurements often while a second application may use measurements from the same sensor less frequently. For example, a first application may require measurement every 20 milliseconds (ms) (equivalent to a sampling rate of 50 Hz) and a second application may require measurements every 25 ms (equivalent to a sampling rate of 40 Hz). 
         [0005]    Several approaches are available to accommodate different sampling rates. In a first approach, a mobile device may provide a corresponding number of sensors, each with its own sampler. That is, if there are N applications requiring sensor measurements, there are a corresponding N or more sensors. This approach requires a number of duplicative sensors and samplers, each consuming power and requiring circuit board real estate. 
         [0006]    A second approach includes a single sensor but a plural number of samplers. This single-sensor approach has the advantage of saving some power but disadvantages associated with having of multiple samplers. 
         [0007]    A third approach includes a single sensor with a single sampler. With this approach, a higher over-sampled sampling rate is used such that each of the various required sampling rates are found within the over-sampled sampling rate. That is, a periodic sampling rate is selected based on the least common multiple (LCM) of the different sampling rates, which typically results in a high LCM sampling rate and a large number of unused samples. The over-sampled sampling rate is the smallest number that is a multiple of each of the required sampling rates. For example, the LCM of 50 Hz (sampling rate of first application) and 40 Hz (sampling rate of first application) is 200 Hz (sampling rate of sampler). In this case, the sampler provides samples at a rate four times what is necessary for the first application and five times what is necessary for the second application. 
         [0008]    Of the several approaches available, each having its various drawbacks in extra hardware requirements, power consumption and time necessary to process unused samples. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0009]    An apparatus and method for efficient and concurrent sampling of a sensor signal to create multiple output signals each at different sampling rates are provided. 
         [0010]    Embodiments determine an aperiodic sampling rate or sampling schedule such that only samples representing samples at the different sampling rates are taken. The aperiodic samples are taken then de-interleaved to filter out wanted samples for a particular application or user. For example, a first subset of the aperiodic samples are routed to a first application at a first periodic sampling rate, and a second overlapping subset of the aperiodic samples are routed to a second application at a different second periodic sampling rate. As a result, the aperiodic samples are just a combination of all of the subsets. Typically, such aperiodic sampling reduces a total number of samples taken and, as a direct result, reduces the number of samples needing to be processed and stored and also reduced the power otherwise consumed to sample, process and store unused samples. 
         [0011]    According to some aspects, disclosed is a method of providing a sensor signal to multiple applications in a mobile device, each requiring a different sampling rate, the method comprising: sampling the sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate resulting in aperiodic samples; and de-interleaving the aperiodic samples comprising routing to a first application a first subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the first subset represents samples at a first periodic sampling rate; and routing to a second application a second subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the second subset represents samples at a second periodic sampling rate, and wherein the first periodic sample rate differs from the second periodic sampling rate. 
         [0012]    According to some aspects, disclosed is a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications in a mobile device, each requiring a different sampling rate, the device comprising: a sampler comprising an input port to couple to the sensor signal, a control port to couple to an aperiodic trigger based on an aperiodic sampling rate, and an output port to provide aperiodic samples at the aperiodic sampling rate; and a de-interleaver comprising an input port to couple to the aperiodic samples, a first output port to route to a first application a first subset of the aperiodic samples at a first periodic sampling rate, and a second output port to route to a second application a second subset of the aperiodic samples at a second periodic sampling rate; wherein the first and second periodic sample rates are different. 
         [0013]    According to some aspects, disclosed is a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications in the mobile device, each requiring a different sampling rate, the device comprising: means for sampling the sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate resulting in aperiodic samples; and means for de-interleaving the aperiodic samples comprising means for routing a first application a first subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the first subset represents samples at a first periodic sampling rate; and means for routing a second application a second subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the second subset represents samples at a second periodic sampling rate, wherein the first periodic sample rate differs from the second periodic sampling rate. 
         [0014]    According to some aspects, disclosed is a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications in the mobile device, each requiring a different sampling rate, the device comprising a processor and a memory wherein the memory includes software instructions to: instruct a sampler to sample the sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate resulting in aperiodic samples; and de-interleave the aperiodic samples comprising software instructions to route a first application a first subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the first subset represents samples at a first periodic sampling rate; and route a second application a second subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the second subset represents samples at a second periodic sampling rate, wherein the first periodic sample rate differs from the second periodic sampling rate. 
         [0015]    According to some aspects, disclosed is a computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising program code to: instruct a sampler to sample the sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate resulting in aperiodic samples; and de-interleave the aperiodic samples comprising program code to route a first application a first subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the first subset represents samples at a first periodic sampling rate; and route a second application a second subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the second subset represents samples at a second periodic sampling rate, wherein the first periodic sample rate differs from the second periodic sampling rate. 
         [0016]    It is understood that other aspects will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described various aspects by way of illustration. The drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows two applications receiving samples from a common sensor via separate samplers. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a mobile device, which oversamples a sensor signal at a high periodic rate in order to effectively provide samples at two lower sampling rates. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show an example of a first periodic schedule for sampling a sensor signal at a first periodic sampling rate and a second periodic schedule for sampling a sensor signal at a second periodic sampling rate. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show an example a periodic sampling schedule for over sampling a sensor signal at a periodic over-sampling rate and a corresponding over-sampling triggering signal. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show an example of an aperiodic sampling schedule for sampling a sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate and a corresponding aperiodic triggering signal, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  diagrams a flowchart of a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  shows a messaging diagram of a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  illustrates a processor in a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  shows an aperiodic de-interleaver, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  illustrates a timing diagram showing a minimum duration between samples, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various aspects of the present disclosure and is not intended to represent the only aspects in which the present disclosure may be practiced. Each aspect described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration of the present disclosure, and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure. Acronyms and other descriptive terminology may be used merely for convenience and clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0029]    With each of the approaches describe above, one or more samplers each having a periodic sampling rate. In accordance to embodiments of the present invention, however, a single sampler is used and has an aperiodic sampling rate is used. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  shows two applications receiving samples from a common sensor via separate samplers. According to the second approach described above, one sensor  10  is connected to two samplers  40 . The sensor  10  provides a common sensor signal  20  to both samplers  40 , which in turn provides corresponding samples  71 ,  72  to applications  1001 ,  1002 . A first sampler  40  receives a first trigger  61 . The first trigger  61  carries a first periodic sampling rate  51  (e.g., 50 Hz). The first sampler  40  provides resulting samples  71  at the first periodic sampling rate  51  to a first application  1001 . Similarly, a second sampler  40  receives a second trigger  62 . The second trigger  62  carries a second periodic sampling rate  52  (e.g., 40 Hz). The second sampler  40  provides resulting samples  72  at the second periodic sampling  52  rate to a second application  1002 . Again, this approach has the disadvantage of multiple samplers, on for each application requiring sensor samples from a common sensor. Also, sampling requests from multiple samplers may collide at the sensor, thus the sensor may not be able to receive each sampling command. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  shows a mobile device, which oversamples a sensor signal at a high periodic rate in order to effectively provide samples at two lower sampling rates. Instead of two separate samples, a single sampler  40  accepts a sensor signal  20  from a sensor  10 . The sampler is triggered by a triggering signal (LCM-sampling trigger  160 ), which operates at a periodic sampling rate (periodic LCM-sampling rate  150 ) and provides LCM samples  180  at a periodic over-sampled sample rate (LCM-sampling rate  180 ). This LCM-sampled rate  150  is set to the least common multiple (LCM) of two or more different periodic sampling rates required by a corresponding two or more different applications. 
         [0032]    The LCM-sampling rate  150  is higher than the data rates required by the applications. In a typical architecture, the LCM samples  180  pass from the sampler  40  to a periodic de-interleaver  110  via a bus  80 . At the higher LCM-sampling rate  150 , bus transitions require significantly more power than would be required at one of the sample rates required by one of the applications. The periodic de-interleaver  110  acts as a multiplexer or switch to provide the various application only the samples that each needs and discards the remaining samples. In the case shown, the periodic de-interleaver  110  accepts the LCM samples  180  arriving at the periodic LCM-sampling rate, diverts samples  71  at a first sampling rate required by a first application  1001 , diverts samples  72  at a second sampling rate required by a second application  1002 , and discards the remaining unwanted samples. Therefore, depending on timing, each particular sample from the LCM samples  180  will be: (1) forwarded to just a single application; (2) forwarded to two or more applications; or (3) discarded and not provided to any application. A controller  120  generates the LCM-sampling trigger  160  based on the periodic LCM-sampling rate  150 , which is in turn based on the first and second periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52 . The control  120  may also provide a de-interleaving control signal  170  to be used by the periodic de-interleaver  110  to route or parse the incoming LCM samples  180 . The periodic de-interleaver  110  and controller  120 , as well as the first and second applications  1001 ,  1002 , may each execute as routines on a processor  100 . Alternatively, the periodic de-interleaver  110  and controller  120  may be implemented in hardware or as a combination of hardware and software. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show an example of a first periodic schedule for sampling a sensor signal at a first periodic sampling rate and a second periodic schedule for sampling a sensor signal at a second periodic sampling rate.  FIG. 3A  shows timing for samples  71  used in a first application  1001  requiring at a first periodic sampling rate  51  (e.g., every 20 ms at times {t, t+20, t+40, t+60, t+80, t+100, . . . } or at a rate of 50 Hz) beginning at a time t.  FIG. 3B  shows timing for samples  72  used in a second application  1002  requiring at a second periodic sampling rate  52  (e.g., every 25 ms at times {t, t+25, t+50, t+75, t+100, . . . } or at a rate of 40 Hz) beginning at the time t. In this example, samples  71  and  72  for the first and second applications have common samples at time {t, t+100, t+200, . . . }. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show an example of a periodic sampling schedule for over sampling a sensor signal at a periodic over-sampling rate and a corresponding over-sampling triggering signal. In  FIG. 4A , samples  180  are taken at a rate much higher than either the first or second periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52 . The periodic LCM-sampling rate  150  is selected to be equal to the LCM of the first and second periodic sampling rates  51  and  52 . In the example provided, a sampler  40  operating at the periodic LCM-sampling rate  150  is produces samples  180  every 5 ms at times {t, t+5, t+10, t+15, t+20, . . . } or at a rate of 200 Hz.  FIG. 4B  shows a corresponding LCM-sampling trigger signal  160  with a negative edge every 5 ms resulting in a periodic triggering signal of 200 Hz. 
         [0035]    The high rate of the periodic triggering signal  160  results in frequent data bit transition on bus  30  and a majority of the samples taken may never be used by any applications. For example, in the example described above: (1) 4 of every 20 samples are used just by the first application  1001 ; (2) 3 of every 20 samples are used just by the second application  1002 ; and (3) 1 of every 20 samples is used by the first and second applications  1001 ,  1002 . As a result, the remaining 12 of 20 samples are discarded. These unnecessary samples consumed power to produce at the sampler  40  and consumed power at the bus  80  for data transitions. 
         [0036]    Embodiments of the present invention reduce the power otherwise consumed by reducing a number of total samples taken and, as a result, reducing a number of total bus transitions. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show an example of an aperiodic sampling schedule for sampling a sensor signal at an aperiodic sampling rate and a corresponding aperiodic triggering signal, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 5A , samples are shown at times needed by at least one of the applications. The first and second applications  1001 ,  1002  require samples at a first sampling rate  51  and second sampling rate  52 . The sampler  40  produces samples  280  just when at least one of the two applications requires a sample. As a result, the samples  280  occur at an aperiodic sampling rate  250 . Unnecessary samples are not taken by sampler  40 . For example, if the first and second periodic sampling rates  51  and  52  are 50 Hz and 40 Hz, respectfully, the samples will occur at times {t, t+20, t+25, t+40, t+50, t+60, t+75, t+80, t+100, . . . }. An aperiodic sampling rate  250  is derived from multiple periodic sample rates. For example, a first periodic sampling rate may be N times a base rate and a second periodic sampling rate may be M times the base rate, where N and M are different positive integers. In addition, in some cases, the ratios of N to M and M to N are both non-integers. Also, in some cases, the N and M are both greater than one. Based on the periodic sampling rates, the resulting periodic subsets of samples may overlap (i.e., have some common samples). 
         [0039]      FIG. 5B  shows a corresponding aperiodic trigger signal  260 , which occurs at a time corresponding to when each sample is needed. The aperiodic trigger signal  260  is used by the sampler  40  to trigger each raw sample. 
         [0040]    In some embodiments, a timer is used to generate the aperiodic triggering signal  260 . For the example shown and considering time t as the current time, a timer may be set to expire after a first duration (D 1 =|(t+20)−t|). Based on the timer expiring after the first duration of time at time t+20, a transition is provided on the aperiodic triggering signal  260  and the timer is reset to expire after a second duration (D 2 =|(t+25)−(t+20)|). The timer next expires after the second duration of time at time t+25. Based on the timer expiring after the second duration, another transition is provided on the aperiodic triggering signal  260  and the timer is reset to expire after a third duration (D 3 =|(t+40)−(t+25)|). For an aperiodic sampling rate, the first, second and third durations are not necessarily equal. In this example, the first duration is 20 ms, the second duration is 5 ms and the third duration is 15 ms. For periodic samples, the duration between successive samples is a constant time. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  illustrates a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that some embodiments will have at least two applications that require the same sampling rate, while another application requires a different sampling rate. The mobile device  1  includes a sensor  10 , a sampler  40 , a processor  200  and a bus  80  coupling the sampler to the processor  200 . The processor  200  includes memory  230 , a controller  220 , an aperiodic de-interleaver  210  and first and second applications  1001 ,  1002 . The controller  220 , an aperiodic de-interleaver  210  and applications may each be modules running on the processor  200 . Each module may be software to perform the functions of the module. The sensor  10  provides an analog sensor signal  20  to the sampler  40 . The sampler  40  includes an input port to couple to the sensor signal  20 , a control port to couple to an aperiodic triggering signal  260 , which is based on an aperiodic sampling rate  250 , and an output port to provide aperiodic samples  280  at the aperiodic sampling rate  250 . Based on timing provided by an aperiodic triggering signal  260 , which provides negative transitions at an aperiodic sampling rate  250 , the sampler  40  provides samples  280  to the processor  200  via a bus  80 . The sampler  40  acts as a means for sampling the sensor signal  20  at an aperiodic sampling rate  250  resulting in aperiodic samples  280 . 
         [0042]    As noted above, excessive bus transitions consume significantly more power with high rate periodic sampling. Using the lower rate aperiodic sampling, consumption of power on the bus is greatly reduced. The samples  280  are digitized versions of the analog sensor signal  20  at the transitions supplied by the aperiodic triggering signal  260 . The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  copies the incoming samples  280  for use by the separate applications  1001 ,  1002 . The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  acts as a means for de-interleaving. The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  includes an input port to couple to the aperiodic samples  280 , a first output port to route to a first application  1001  a first subset of the aperiodic samples  71  at a first periodic sampling rate  51 , and a second output port to route to a second application  1002  a second subset of the aperiodic samples  72  at a second periodic sampling rate  52 . A combination of all of the subsets of periodic samples results in the aperiodic samples  280 . As noted above, the first and second periodic sample rates are different. The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  may also include a first control port to couple to the first periodic sampling rate and a second control port to couple to the second periodic sampling rate. The first and second periodic sampling rates may be represented by the de-interleaving control signal  270 . 
         [0043]    The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  may use memory  230  to store or buffer samples  280  in one buffer or a buffer corresponding to each application. In this manner, each sample  280  entering the aperiodic de-interleaver  210  is supplied to one or more of the applications. For example, a first sample  280  is provided to both the first and second applications  1001 ,  1002  as sample  71  to the first application  1001  and as sample  72  to the second application  1002 . A second sample  280  is provided to just the first application  1001  as sample  71 . A third sample  280  is provided to just the second application  1002  as sample  72 . Thus, the first application  1001  receives samples  71  at the first periodic sampling rate  51  and the second application  1002  receives samples  72  at the second periodic sampling rate  52 . Therefore, depending on timing, each particular sample from the aperiodic samples  280  will be either: (1) forwarded to just a single application; or (2) forwarded to two or more applications. No samples  280  are discarded. As such, each sample  280  is provided to at least one application. 
         [0044]    Control for determining which one or more applications receive a particular sample  280  is determined by a de-interleaving control signal  270  generated by the controller  220 . The de-interleaving control signal  270  may be a separate control signal for each application, which indicates whether a particular sample  280  will be passed to a particular application represented by that control signal. Alternatively, the de-interleaving control signal  270  may be a schedule, which the aperiodic de-interleaver  210  interprets to determine routing of incoming samples  280 . 
         [0045]    The controller  220  sets the de-interleaving control signal  270  and the aperiodic triggering signal  260  based on the required periodic sampling rates. For example, a first and second periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52  are provided to the controller  220 . The controller  220  determines a sampling schedule based on these required periodic rates. Depending on the applications&#39; requirements, a multiple of one rate may equal the other rate. In these cases, a periodic sampling rate equal to the larger of the two rates is used. In some cases, applications may require two different periodic sampling rates such that a multiple N of first required periodic sampling rate equals a multiple M of a second required periodic sampling rate (i.e., N*R 1 =M*R 2 , where R 1  is a first periodic sampling rate and R2 is a first periodic sampling rate), where N and M are unequal, positive integers greater than one. In these cases, the de-interleaver  210  will periodically supply a common sample  280  to both applications during the course of de-interleaving the samples. In some cases, a first periodic sampling rate is N times a base rate and the second periodic sampling rate is M times the base rate, wherein N and M are positive integers and wherein ratios of N to M and M to N are both non-integers. In cases where N and M are unequal, positive integers greater than one, samples  71  and samples  72  are overlapping subsets. In each case, samples  71  and samples  72  combine to form a set of samples represented by samples  280 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 7  diagrams a flowchart of a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0047]    At  310 , the mobile device  1  receives a request for samples  71  at a first periodic sampling rate  51  from a first application  1001 . At  320 , the mobile device  1  receives a request for samples  72  at a second periodic sampling rate  52  from a second application  1002 , wherein the first and second periodic sampling rates are different. The first and second application  1001 ,  1002  may reside within mobile device  1  as code executing on the processor  200 . 
         [0048]    At  330 , the mobile device  1  determines an aperiodic sampling rate  250  based on the first and the second periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52 . This flowchart may be expanded with a third application requiring a third periodic sampling rate. The mobile device  1  could receive a request for samples at a third periodic sampling rate from a third application. Then at  330 , the mobile device  1  determines an aperiodic sampling rate  250  based on the three periodic sampling rates. 
         [0049]    At  340 , the mobile device  1  samples a sensor signal  20  at the aperiodic sampling rate  250  resulting in aperiodic samples  280 . At  350 , the mobile device  1  writes the aperiodic samples to memory  230 . The memory  230  may be a single input register on the processor  200 , a pair of memory locations, one memory location for each application, a buffer for incoming samples, or a buffer for each application. 
         [0050]    At  360  and  370 , the mobile device  1  de-interleaves the aperiodic samples for the first and second applications  1001 ,  1002 , thereby routing the first application  1001  a first subset of the aperiodic samples  71  and routing the second application  1002  a second subset of the aperiodic samples  72 . The first subset  71  represents samples at the first periodic sampling rate  51 . Similarly, the second subset  72  represents samples at the second periodic sampling rate  52 . In the case of one or more additional applications, the act of de-interleaving the aperiodic samples  280  further comprises routing to the third application a third subset of the aperiodic samples, wherein the third subset represents samples at the third periodic sampling rate. 
         [0051]      FIG. 8  shows a messaging diagram of a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The mobile device includes a sensor  10 , a sampler  40 , and processor  200  with a controller  220  and de-interleaver  210  running a first, second and third applications  1001 ,  1002 ,  1003 . The sensor  10  provides an analog sensor signal  20  to a sampler  40 . 
         [0052]    At  310 , the first application  1001  sends a request for samples  71  at a first periodic sampling rate  51 . At  320 , the second application  1002  sends a request for samples  72  at a second periodic sampling rate  52 . At  322 , the third application  1003  sends a request for samples  73  at a third periodic sampling rate  53 . The request are received by a controller module  220  in the processor  200  and may arrive in or out of order and at scheduled times. The requests may be initiated by the applications and pushed to the controller  220 , or may be pulled from the applications by the controller  220 . 
         [0053]    At  330  and based on requested sampling rates received so far (e.g., the second and third rates have been requested but the first rate request has not been received yet), the controller  220  determines an aperiodic sampling rate  250  and generates an aperiodic triggering signal  260  based on the determined aperiodic sampling rate  250  to the sampler  40 . The aperiodic triggering signal  260  may be a pulsed signal (as shown in  FIG. 5B ) or may be in the form of digital control commands. The controller  220  updates this aperiodic triggering signal  260  as additional requests for a new sampling rate are received and as requests for old sampling rates expire. 
         [0054]    The sampler  40  receives the aperiodic triggering signal  260  and the analog sensor signal  20  continuously generated by the sensor  10  while the sensor  10  is in an activated mode. At  270  and in response to the aperiodic triggering signal  260 , the sampler  40  returns samples  280  at the aperiodic sampling rate  250 . This process continues until the aperiodic triggering signal  260  updates to a new aperiodic sampling rate or terminates sampling. 
         [0055]    At  360  and  370 , the aperiodic de-interleaver  210  de-interleaves the received aperiodic samples  280 . The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  receives stream of aperiodic samples  280  and routes or parses out periodic streams of samples (e.g., periodic samples  71  at the first sampling rate  51  for the first application  1001 , periodic samples  72  at the second sampling rate  52  for the second application  1002 , and periodic samples  73  at the third sampling rate  53  for the third application  1003 ). 
         [0056]      FIG. 9  illustrates a processor in a mobile device for providing a sensor signal to multiple applications, each requiring a different sampling rate, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The mobile device includes a processor  200  with an aperiodic de-interleaver  210 , a controller  220  and a first, second, third and fourth applications  1001 ,  1002 ,  1003 ,  1004 . The controller  220  receives a respective four periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 , determines an aperiodic sampling rate  250  based on the four periodic sampling rates  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 , generates an aperiodic triggering signal  260  for the sampler  40  based on the aperiodic sampling rate  250 , and generates a de-interleaving control signal  270  also based on the aperiodic sampling rate  250 . The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  routes or parses the incoming samples  280  each to the appropriate one or more applications  1001 ,  1002 ,  1003 ,  1004 , based on the de-interleaving control signal  270  to create the respective periodic sample streams  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 10  shows an aperiodic de-interleaver, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The aperiodic de-interleaver  210  includes one switch for each output stream  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 . The switches act as a means for routing or parsing subsets of the aperiodic samples to the respective applications. Each switch is controlled by a separate control derived from the de-interleaving control signal  270 . For example, a first switch couples the aperiodic samples  280  to the periodic sample stream  71 . The switch may be implemented in hardware or software. If in software, the aperiodic de-interleaver  210  copies an incoming sample from the aperiodic samples  280  to a memory location such that the first application may receive the sample as the next sample in the periodic samples  71 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 11  illustrates a timing diagram showing a minimum duration between samples, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Often a sampler requires a minimum duration ‘D’ between samples, which is usually represented by a maximum sampling frequency 1/D in Hertz. In these cases, the controller  220  or sampler  40  may delay the triggering time to comply with the minimum spacing. For example, if the last sample was taken at time t, and the next sample is scheduled to be taken as t k  but |t i −t k |&lt;D, the controller  220  may shift the next time to occur at time t i+1 , where |t i −t i+1 =D. Alternatively, the controller  220  or sampler  40  may advance the triggering time to avoid the minimum spacing issue. For example, if the last sample was taken at time t, and the next sample is scheduled to be taken as t k  but |t i −t k |&lt;D, the controller  220  or sampler  40  may skip sampling at time t k  (or time t i+1 ) and use the sample at time t, to represent a sample at time t k . Alternatively, the controller  220  or sampler  40  may advance or delay the triggering time. For example, if the last sample was taken at time t, and the next sample is scheduled to be taken as t k  and if |t i −t k |&lt;D/2, the controller  220  may skip sampling at time t k  (or time t i+1 ) and use the sample at time t i  to represent a sample at time t k . If D/2&lt;|t i −t k |&lt;D, the controller  220  or sampler  40  may shift the next time to occur at time t i+1 , where |t i −t i+1 |=D. 
         [0059]    As indicated, the above-described modules may be implemented individually or in combination as software instructions. These software instructions may be saved as program code on a computer-readable medium for later execution on a processor  200 . Furthermore, a mobile device  1  may include a processor  200  and memory  230 , wherein the memory  230  includes these software instructions to execute one or more of these modules. 
         [0060]    The previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7