Electronic device including predicted frequency error estimation of a voltage controlled oscillator and related methods

1. An electronic device comprising:

a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO);

a temperature sensor; and

a controller configured to

cooperate with said VCO and said temperature sensor to determine both a temperature and a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples, each sample having a given age associated therewith,

align the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes, and

estimate a predicted frequency error of said VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to estimate the predicted frequency error by applying a least squares estimation in the 3D coordinate system.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to estimate the predicted frequency error based upon a selected estimation algorithm from among a plurality of available estimation algorithms.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of estimation algorithms comprises first and second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithms, the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm being configured to acquire a wireless communications signal at a slower rate than the second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein said controller is configured to select the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm based upon the predicted frequency error being above a threshold.

6. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein said controller is further configured to determine a reliability value of the predicted frequency error and select the given estimation algorithm based upon the reliability value.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the reliability value as a probability that the predicted frequency error exceeds a threshold probability.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate the predicted frequency error if the reliability value exceeds the threshold probability.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising wireless communications circuitry coupled to said controller and configured to perform at least one wireless communications function.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein said controller is configured to cooperate with said wireless communications circuitry to reduce a wireless communications signal acquisition rate if the estimated predicted frequency error exceeds a threshold.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of most recent samples is less than 50.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a portable housing carrying said VCO, said temperature sensor, and said controller; and

wireless communications circuitry coupled to said VCO.

13. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) carried by said portable housing;

a temperature sensor carried by said portable housing;

wireless communications circuitry carried by said portable housing and coupled to said VCO; and

a controller configured to

cooperate with said VCO and said temperature sensor to determine both a temperature and a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples, each sample having a given age associated therewith and the plurality of most recent samples being less than 50,

align the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes, and

estimate a predicted frequency error of said VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 , wherein said controller is configured to estimate the predicted frequency error by applying a least squares estimation in the 3D coordinate system.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 , wherein said controller is configured to estimate the predicted frequency error based upon a selected estimation algorithm from among a plurality of available estimation algorithms.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of estimation algorithms comprises first and second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithms, the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm being configured to acquire a wireless communications signal at a slower rate than the second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm.

17. A method of operating an electronic device comprising a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a temperature sensor coupled to the VCO, the method comprising:

sensing a temperature using the temperature sensor;

determining a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples based upon the sensed temperature, each sample having a given age associated therewith;

aligning the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes;

estimating a predicted frequency error of the VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples; and

controlling the VCO based upon the predicted frequency error.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predicted frequency error is estimated by applying a least squares estimation in the 3D coordinate system.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predicted frequency error is estimated based upon a selected estimation algorithm from among a plurality of available estimation algorithms.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of estimation algorithms comprises first and second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithms, the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm acquires a wireless communications signal at a slower rate than the second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising selecting the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm based upon the predicted frequency error being above a threshold.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising determining a reliability value of the predicted frequency error and selecting the given estimation algorithm based upon the reliability value.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use with an electronic device comprising a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a temperature sensor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing the electronic device to perform steps comprising:

cooperating with the VCO and the temperature sensor to determine both a temperature and a frequency error of the VCO for each of a plurality of most recent samples, each sample having a given age associated therewith;

aligning the temperature, the frequency error, and the given age for each of the plurality of most recent samples in a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system having respective temperature, frequency error and age axes; and

estimating a predicted frequency error of the VCO based upon the aligned temperature, frequency error, and given age of the plurality of most recent samples.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are for causing the electronic device to perform the step of estimating the predicted frequency error by applying a least squares estimation in the 3D coordinate system.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are for causing the electronic device to perform the step of estimating the predicted frequency error based upon a selected estimation algorithm from among a plurality of available estimation algorithms.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of estimation algorithms comprises first and second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithms, the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm acquires a wireless communications signal at a slower rate than the second wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are for causing the electronic device to perform the step of selecting the first wireless communications signal acquisition rate algorithm based upon the predicted frequency error being above a threshold.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are for causing the electronic device to perform the step of determining a reliability value of the predicted frequency error and select the given estimation algorithm based upon the reliability value.