Determining and controlling radiation absorption in a user terminal

• US 10,263,657 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellraid Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cellraid Ltd.
• Inventors: Niemi, Pasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Orange, David
• Application Number:
  US14/483,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3844 with means to alert the user that a certain exposure has been reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

An instantaneous value for the specific absorption rate of user terminal is determined, the instantaneous value is compared to a predetermined threshold; and the voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal are controlled on the basis of the comparison and the call connection and data transfer status of the user terminal.

Claims

1. A user terminal, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal at least to;

determine, using the computer program code, properties of the user terminal;

receive, using the computer program code, receipt-signal power levels for signals received by at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal from one or more transmitters by querying modems for signal power levels received from eNodeBs and wireless local area networks;

determine, using the computer program code, transmit-signal power level information for signals transmitted by the at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal based on the receipt-signal power levels;

determine, using the computer program code, call connection information and data transfer status of the user terminal;

receive, using the computer program code, sensor information from one or more sensors of the user terminal;

determine, using the computer program code, an amount of electromagnetic radiation comprising the electromagnetic radiation originating from the transmit-signals and from the receipt-signals

determine, using the computer program code, value for a specific absorption rate for the user terminal by adjusting the determined amount of electromagnetic radiation based on the received sensor information, and determined properties of the user terminal;

compare, using the computer program code, the determined value for the user terminal to a predetermined threshold; and

control, using the computer program code, voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal based on the comparison and the determined call connection information and data transfer status of the user terminal,

wherein the control of the voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal is performed when the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal is larger than the predetermined threshold to utilize a connection causing a smaller specific absorption rate value for the user terminal.

2. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to control, using the computer program code, the data transfer capabilities by disabling data transfer in response to the determination that the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal is larger than the predetermined threshold.

3. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to:

determine, using the computer program code, the specific absorption rate value for the user terminal caused by exposure of a user of the user terminal to a cellular connection;

determine, using the computer program code, a specific absorption rate value for the user terminal caused by exposure of the user of the user terminal to a local area network connection; and

control the data transfer capabilities by controlling data transfer to utilize one of the cellular connection or the local area network connection causing the smaller for the specific absorption rate value for the user terminal.

4. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to:

determine, using the computer program code, a position of the user terminal in relation to the user of the user terminal based on the sensor information received from the one or more sensors of the user terminal; and

take, using the computer program code, the determined position into account when determining the properties of the user terminal.

5. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to control the data transfer capabilities by allowing data transfer only periodically.

6. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to:

determine, using the computer program code, a model of the user terminal;

transmit, using the computer program code, a query to a network server regarding the properties of the user terminal; and

receive, using the computer program code, from the network server information indicating the properties of the user terminal.

7. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user terminal to store the determined value for the specific absorption rate for the user terminal and/or transmit the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal to a network server.

8. A method performed within a user terminal that comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code cause the user terminal to perform the method comprising:

determining, using the computer program code, properties of the user terminal;

receiving, using the computer program code, receipt-signal power levels for signals received by at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal from one or more transmitters by querying modems for signal power levels received from eNodeBs and wireless local area networks;

determining, using the computer program code, transmit-signal power level information for signals transmitted by the at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal based on the receipt-signal power levels;

determining, using the computer program code, call connection information and data transfer status of the user terminal;

receiving, using the computer program code, sensor information from one or more sensors of the user terminal;

determining, using the computer program code, an amount of electromagnetic radiation comprising the electromagnetic radiation originating from the transmit-signals and from the receipt-signals

determining, using the computer program code, a specific absorption rate value for the user terminal by adjusting the determined amount of electromagnetic radiation based on the received sensor information, and determined properties of the user terminal;

comparing, using the computer program code, the value to a predetermined threshold; and

controlling, using the computer program code, voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal based on the comparison and the determined call connection information and data transfer status information of the user terminal, wherein the control of the voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal is performed when the determined specific absorption rate value for user terminal is larger than the predetermined threshold to utilize a connection causing a smaller specific absorption rate value for the user terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising controlling, using the computer program code, the data transfer capabilities by disabling data transfer in response to a determination that the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal is larger than the predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, using the computer program code, a specific absorption rate value for the user terminal caused by exposure of a user of the user terminal to a cellular connection;

determining, using the computer program code, a specific absorption rate value for the user terminal caused by exposure of the user of the user terminal to a local area network; and

controlling, using the computer program code, the data transfer capabilities by controlling data transfer to utilize one of the cellular connection or the local area connection causing the smaller specific absorption rate value for the user terminal.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, using the computer program code, a position of the user terminal in relation to the user of the user terminal based on the sensor information received from the one or more sensors of the user terminal; and

taking, using the computer program code, the determined position into account when determining the properties of the user terminal.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein further controlling the data transfer capabilities is performed by allowing data transfer only periodically.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, using the computer program code, a model of the user terminal;

transmitting, using the computer program code, a query to a network server regarding the properties of the user terminal; and

receiving, using the computer program code, from the network server information on the properties of the user terminal.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing, using the computer program code, the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal and/or transmitting the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal to a network server.

15. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions which, when loaded into a user terminal that comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including the computer program instructions, cause the user terminal to execute the operations of:

determining, using the computer program instructions, properties of the user terminal;

receiving, using the computer program instructions, receipt-signal power levels for signals received by at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal from one or more transmitters by querying modems for signal power levels received from eNodeBs and wireless local area networks;

determining, using the computer program instructions, transmit-signal power level information for signals transmitted by the at least one radio transceiver of the user terminal based on the receipt-signal power levels;

determining, using the computer program instructions, call connection and data transfer status of the user terminal;

receiving, using the computer program instructions, sensor information from one or more sensors of the user terminal;

determining, using the computer program code, an amount of electromagnetic radiation comprising the electromagnetic radiation originating from the transmit-signals and from the receipt-signals

determining, using the computer program instructions, a specific absorption rate value for the user terminal by adjusting the determined amount of electromagnetic radiation based on received sensor information, and determined properties of the user terminal;

comparing, using the computer program instructions, the determined specific absorption rate value to a predetermined threshold; and

controlling, using the computer program instructions, voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal based on the comparison and the determined call connection information and data transfer status of the user terminal,

wherein the control of the voice call and data transfer capabilities of the user terminal is performed, using the computer program instructions, when the determined specific absorption rate value for the user terminal is larger than the predetermined threshold to utilize a connection causing a smaller specific absorption rate value for the user terminal.