Techniques and apparatuses for configuring a power saving mode of a modem module using an external real-time clock

• US 10,499,340 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Lijun, Vanghi, Vieri, Hsu, Liangchi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh C
• Application Number:
  US16/037,958
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 455574, 4555501, 455418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module is to exit a power saving mode; instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode;

instructing a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and

instructing the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode is based at least in part on a notification from the modem module to the microcontroller based at least in part on expiration of a timer of the modem module that uses a system clock.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the modem module stores a non-access stratum protocol context in non-volatile memory prior to being disconnected from the battery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modem module loads a non-access stratum protocol context from non-volatile memory after exiting the power saving mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the modem module is instructed to exit the power saving mode using an attention (AT) command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the system clock is used to determine whether to initiate an attach request procedure with a network based at least in part on an amount of time that has elapsed since a non-access stratum protocol context was stored in non-volatile memory.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a system time of the UE is determined based at least in part on:

the RTC included in the microcontroller,

system time acquisition by the modem module using a cellular system or a global positioning system, or

a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the system time is synchronized between the microcontroller and the modem module using an attention (AT) command or another messaging protocol.

12. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the memory and the one or more processors configured to;

determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode;

instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and

instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination.

13. The UE of claim 12, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module.

14. The UE of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to instruct the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode.

15. The UE of claim 14, wherein the determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode is based at least in part on a notification from the modem module to the microcontroller based at least in part on expiration of a timer of the modem module that uses a system clock.

16. The UE of claim 14, wherein the modem module stores a non-access stratum protocol context in non-volatile memory prior to being disconnected from the battery.

17. The UE of claim 12, wherein the modem module loads a non-access stratum protocol context from non-volatile memory after exiting the power saving mode.

18. The UE of claim 12, wherein the modem module is instructed to exit the power saving mode using an attention (AT) command.

19. The UE of claim 12, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode.

20. The UE of claim 19, wherein the system clock is used to determine whether to initiate an attach request procedure with a network based at least in part on an amount of time that has elapsed since a non-access stratum protocol context was stored in non-volatile memory.

21. The UE of claim 12, wherein a system time of the UE is determined based at least in part on:

RTC included in the microcontroller,

time acquisition by the modem module using a cellular system or a global positioning system, or

combination thereof.

22. The UE of claim 21, wherein the system time is synchronized between the microcontroller and the modem module using an attention (AT) command or another messaging protocol.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions for wireless communication, the one or more instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), cause the one or more processors to;

determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode;

instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and

instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to instruct the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode.

27. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for determining, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode;

means for instructing a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the apparatus based at least in part on the determination; and

means for instructing the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for instructing the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode.