Patent ID: 8428097

Claim:
A spread spectrum signal receiver adapted to receive a number of radio signals, the receiver comprising: a radio signal processing unit adapted to produce position/time related data in response to the received signals, the receiver being adapted to operate the radio signal processing unit on at least two processing intensity levels each at which an amount of processing per time unit is different, wherein the at least two processing intensity levels comprise a signal-source-acquisition level at which the radio signal processing unit is adapted to operate when searching for, identifying and synchronizing with at least one radio signal source, and wherein the radio signal processing unit is adapted to operate on the signal-source-acquisition level when generating a first estimate of the position/time related data; wherein the radio signal processing unit is at least partly implemented in a software running on a microprocessor, the microprocessor is adapted to effect at least one separate software-controlled function in addition to the at least-part implementation of the radio signal processing unit, such that: during periods when the radio signal processing unit operates on a relatively low processing intensity level, a first amount of processing capacity is available for the at least one separate software-controlled function, and during periods when the radio processing unit operates on a relatively high processing intensity level, a second amount of processing capacity is available for the at least one separate software-controlled function, the second amount being smaller than the first amount; wherein the receiver is further adapted to operate in at least two operation modes, and for each operation mode a unique operation scheme is defined according to which the processing performed by the radio signal processing unit is distributed over time between the at least two processing intensity levels; and a user interface adapted to receive user-initiated measurement control commands, the at least two operation modes further comprise: a push-to-fix mode for which the operation scheme, after reception of a user-initiated measurement control command, defines: an initial signal-source-acquisition level operation for the radio signal processing unit; and a subsequent tracking-level operation for the radio signal processing unit during at least a predefined measurement period.