Managing energy usage in mobile devices

• US 10,097,681 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Mark, Kohtz, Robert Arlan, Austin, Rickey George
• Primary Examiner(s): Bataille, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US15/613,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/44 Testing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/84 Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for managing energy usage by a mobile device is described. An environmental characteristic is monitored over environments in which the mobile device is operable. A location of the mobile device is tracked in relation to the environments. The mobile device is informed with data relating to the environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device location is tracked. A characteristic of the mobile device is sensed. The data, related to the environmental characteristic of the tracked location, is compared to the sensed mobile device characteristic. An action is determined related to the energy-using operation of the mobile device based on the comparison. The energy-using operation of the mobile device is controlled, based on the determined action.

Claims

1. A method for managing energy usage by a mobile device, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one environmental characteristic of at least two environments in which the mobile device is operable;

tracking a location of the mobile device in relation to the at least two environments;

receiving on the mobile device at least one environmental characteristic over a wireless network, wherein the environmental characteristic is determined remotely based upon the location of the mobile device;

informing the mobile device, based on the tracking, with data relating to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located; and

sensing a characteristic of the mobile device upon detecting a change in location between the at least two environments;

comparing the data, related to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located, to the sensed characteristic of the mobile device;

determining an action related to at least one energy-using operation of the mobile device based on the comparing of the environmental characteristic data to the sensed mobile device characteristic;

controlling the at least one energy-using operation of the mobile device based on the determined action.

2. The method as described in claim 1 where the mobile device comprises at least one component, and where the controlled operation comprises changing an operating state of the at least one mobile device component.

3. The method as described in claim 2 where the mobile device component comprises a heater element, and where the controlled operation comprises changing an operating state of the heater element between one or more of:

an energized state and a deenergized state;

a deenergized state and an energized state;

or

a partially energized state.

4. The method as described in claim 1 where the monitored at least one environmental characteristic comprises one or more of:

a temperature;

a humidity level;

a relative humidity;

or

a dew point.

5. The method as described in claim 1, where sensing the characteristic of the mobile device comprises measuring a temperature of the mobile device.

6. The method as described in claim 1, where determining an action comprises computing a dew point based on the sensed mobile device characteristic and the monitored at least one environmental characteristic.

7. The method as described in claim 6, where the mobile device component comprises a heater element, and further comprising energizing the heater element upon the computed dew point at least meeting a programmed value.

8. The method as described in claim 7, where the at least meeting the programmed value comprises one or more of meeting or exceeding the programmed value.

9. The method as described in claim 6, further comprising de-energizing the heater element upon the programmed value exceeding the computed dew point.

10. The method as described in claim 1, where:

the monitoring is performed continuously, repeatedly, or periodically;

the tracking of the location of the mobile device in relation to the at least two environments comprises;

determining a position of the mobile device within a first of the at least two environments; and

detecting a change in the position of the mobile device from within the first, to the at least second of the two environments; and

the method further comprises, upon the detecting the change in the position of the mobile device from within the first, to the at least second of the two environments, repeating, in relation to the at least second of the two environments, the informing, the sensing, the comparing, the determining, and the controlling.

18. The method as described in claim 2, wherein changing of the operating state of the at least one mobile device component is performed based on a dew point computation performed in relation to the comparing the data, related to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located, to the sensed characteristic of the mobile device.

11. A mobile device operable for managing energy usage, the mobile device comprising:

an energy-using component;

a processor operable for controlling an operation of the energy-using component by;

monitoring at least one environmental characteristic of at least two environments in which the mobile device is operable;

tracking a location of the mobile device in relation to the at least two environments;

receiving on the mobile device at least one environmental characteristic over a wireless network, wherein the environmental characteristic is determined remotely based upon the location of the mobile device;

informing the mobile device, based on the tracking, with data relating to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located;

sensing a characteristic of the mobile device upon detecting a change in location between the at least two environments;

comparing the data, related to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located, to the sensed characteristic of the mobile device;

determining an action related to at least one energy-using operation of the mobile device based on the comparing of the environmental characteristic data to the sensed mobile device characteristic; and

controlling the at least one energy-using operation of the mobile device based on the determined action.

12. The mobile device as described in claim 11 where the energy-using component comprises a heater element, and where the controlled operation comprises changing an operating state of the heater element between one or more of:

an energized state and a deenergized state;

a deenergized state and an energized state;

or

a partially energized state.

13. The mobile device as described in claim 11 where the monitored at least one environmental characteristic comprises one or more of:

a temperature;

a humidity;

a relative humidity;

or

a dew point.

14. The mobile device as described in claim 13, further comprising a sensor operable for measuring a temperature of the mobile device.

15. The mobile device as described in claim 14, where the determining of the action comprises computing a dew point based on the sensed mobile device characteristic and the monitored at least one environmental characteristic.

16. The mobile device as described in claim 11, further comprising at least one network interface operable for exchanging data signals with the processor, and with a network, the data signals relating to one or more of:

the monitoring of at least one environmental characteristic of at least two environments in which the mobile device is operable;

the tracking of the location of the mobile device in relation to the at least two environments;

or

the informing of the mobile device with the data relating to the at least one environmental characteristic of the environment in which the mobile device is located.

17. The mobile device as described in claim 11, further comprising:

a case disposed about and encasing a plurality of components of the mobile device; and

an optically transparent window disposed within the case;

where the energy-using component is operable for deterring one or more of a fog condensation or a frost deposit upon the optically transparent window.