From 9db15780f9f5464f35f9819cdda1aca605421e79 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ben Meadors <benmmeadors@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 May 2026 13:44:09 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Enhance GPS search failure handling backoff logic

---
 .claude/worktrees/naughty-payne-60fdb7 |  1 +
 src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.cpp        | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++---
 src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.h          |  1 +
 3 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
 create mode 160000 .claude/worktrees/naughty-payne-60fdb7

diff --git a/.claude/worktrees/naughty-payne-60fdb7 b/.claude/worktrees/naughty-payne-60fdb7
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..f2923590b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/worktrees/naughty-payne-60fdb7
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit f2923590bc458027dd826cebd52b239055f79a78
diff --git a/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.cpp b/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.cpp
index 45634d2d3..27d7f5963 100644
--- a/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.cpp
+++ b/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ void GPSUpdateScheduling::informGotLock()
     searchEndedMs = millis();
     LOG_DEBUG("Took %us to get lock", (searchEndedMs - searchStartedMs) / 1000);
     updateLockTimePrediction();
+    consecutiveFailures = 0; // Drop back to fast cadence as soon as we acquire any fix
 }
 
 // Search finished without obtaining a fix. We still need to mark the end time so
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ void GPSUpdateScheduling::informGotLock()
 void GPSUpdateScheduling::informSearchFailed()
 {
     searchEndedMs = millis();
-    LOG_DEBUG("GPS search ended without fix after %us", (searchEndedMs - searchStartedMs) / 1000);
+    consecutiveFailures++;
+    LOG_DEBUG("GPS search ended without fix after %us (consecutive failures: %u)", (searchEndedMs - searchStartedMs) / 1000,
+              consecutiveFailures);
 }
 
 // Clear old lock-time prediction data.
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ void GPSUpdateScheduling::reset()
     searchEndedMs = 0;
     searchCount = 0;
     predictedMsToGetLock = 0;
+    consecutiveFailures = 0;
 }
 
 // How many milliseconds before we should next search for GPS position
@@ -46,6 +50,21 @@ uint32_t GPSUpdateScheduling::msUntilNextSearch()
     // Target interval (seconds), between GPS updates
     uint32_t updateInterval = Default::getConfiguredOrDefaultMs(config.position.gps_update_interval, default_gps_update_interval);
 
+    // After a failed search, back off: indoors / no-sky environments will keep failing,
+    // so wake at most once per broadcast interval rather than once per gps_update_interval.
+    // Capped at 1 hour so a user-configured very-long broadcast interval still retries
+    // periodically (in case conditions change). Reset on any successful lock.
+    if (consecutiveFailures > 0) {
+        constexpr uint32_t failureRetryCapMs = 60UL * 60UL * 1000UL; // 1 hour cap
+        uint32_t broadcastSecs =
+            Default::getConfiguredOrMinimumValue(config.position.position_broadcast_secs, default_broadcast_interval_secs);
+        uint32_t failureSleepMs = broadcastSecs * 1000UL;
+        if (failureSleepMs > failureRetryCapMs)
+            failureSleepMs = failureRetryCapMs;
+        if (updateInterval < failureSleepMs)
+            updateInterval = failureSleepMs;
+    }
+
     // Check how long until we should start searching, to hopefully hit our target interval
     uint32_t dueAtMs = searchEndedMs + updateInterval;
     uint32_t compensatedStart = dueAtMs - predictedMsToGetLock;
@@ -81,14 +100,18 @@ bool GPSUpdateScheduling::isUpdateDue()
 bool GPSUpdateScheduling::searchedTooLong()
 {
     constexpr uint32_t oneMinuteMs = 60UL * 1000UL;
-    constexpr uint32_t maxSearchClampMs = 15UL * oneMinuteMs; // Hard cap: 15 minutes is always too long
+    constexpr uint32_t maxSearchClampMs = 15UL * oneMinuteMs;   // Hard cap: 15 minutes is always too long
+    constexpr uint32_t postFailureSearchMs = 5UL * oneMinuteMs; // Tighter dwell once we know the environment is hostile
     uint32_t elapsed = elapsedSearchMs();
 
     // Anything over 15 minutes is too long, regardless of the broadcast interval.
-    // TODO: Make a smarter algorithm that backs off the search dwell time when not getting a lock.
     if (elapsed > maxSearchClampMs)
         return true;
 
+    // After a prior failed search, shorten the dwell
+    if (consecutiveFailures > 0 && elapsed > postFailureSearchMs)
+        return true;
+
     uint32_t minimumOrConfiguredSecs =
         Default::getConfiguredOrMinimumValue(config.position.position_broadcast_secs, default_broadcast_interval_secs);
     uint32_t maxSearchMs = Default::getConfiguredOrDefaultMs(minimumOrConfiguredSecs, default_broadcast_interval_secs);
diff --git a/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.h b/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.h
index 64835a469..120605c4e 100644
--- a/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.h
+++ b/src/gps/GPSUpdateScheduling.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class GPSUpdateScheduling
     uint32_t searchEndedMs = 0;
     uint32_t searchCount = 0;
     uint32_t predictedMsToGetLock = 0;
+    uint32_t consecutiveFailures = 0; // Count of search cycles that ended without a fix; reset on lock
 
     const float weighting = 0.2; // Controls exponential smoothing of lock-times prediction. 20% weighting of "latest lock-time".
 };
\ No newline at end of file