Power-saving mode for portable communication devices
First Claim
1. A portable communication package comprising:
- a first battery-powered communication device and a second battery-powered communication device, said second communication device having power consumption requirements which are at least an order of magnitude greater than those of the first communication device;
at least one battery supplying a flow of electricity for powering both communication devices, said at least one battery having first and second output terminals, said first output terminal having a potential that is positive with respect to the potential of said second output terminal;
a power management unit for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said first communication device for a predetermined period although said battery has insufficient capacity for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said second communication device for said predetermined period, said power management unit comprising;
an oscillator having a clock signal;
an inverter including a P-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling said first output terminal to an output node, and an N-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling said second output terminal to said output node;
a current-limiting resistor;
an intermediate FET having a gate and a channel connected in series with said current-limiting resistor coupling said first output terminal to said second output terminal;
a plurality of series-coupled diodes coupling said output node to the gate of said intermediate FET; and
a flyback inductor through for current from a storage device to intermittently flow, such intermittent flow being controlled by said intermediate FET to provide a pulsating flyback voltage after the rectification and filtering thereof gives an output voltage for powering said second communication device.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for ensuring that, in a portable, battery-powered communication package incorporating at least two communication devices, such as a combination cellular telephone and a pager, sufficient power is provided for extended operation of the communication device having the lowest continuous power consumption requirements when the device having a higher continuous power consumption rate has consumed a selected portion of the total power initially available to the combined devices. In the case of the aforestated exemplary device, cellular telephone function is disabled when a selected portion of the total power initially available is consumed. A first embodiment of the invention is implemented with a single electrochemical battery. The first embodiment of the invention may include a headroom-limited flyback power supply which powers the high-power consumption device. When headroom drops below a minimum set by a series-coupled diode string, power is cut off to the high-power-consumption device. The first embodiment of the invention may alternatively include a battery charge sense circuit which produces a digital signal, the digital signal corresponding to either a battery charge state that is above the predetermined voltage level or a battery charge state that is below the predetermined voltage level. For this alternate first embodiment, operation of the high-power-consumption device is disabled when the predetermined battery charge state is reached, thus permitting operation of the low-power consumption communication device for an extended period which, ideally, should be at least 24 hours. A second embodiment of the invention is implemented using a separate electrochemical power source (e.g., a single electrochemical cell or battery) to power the low-power consumption device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A portable communication package comprising:
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a first battery-powered communication device and a second battery-powered communication device, said second communication device having power consumption requirements which are at least an order of magnitude greater than those of the first communication device;
at least one battery supplying a flow of electricity for powering both communication devices, said at least one battery having first and second output terminals, said first output terminal having a potential that is positive with respect to the potential of said second output terminal;
a power management unit for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said first communication device for a predetermined period although said battery has insufficient capacity for providing an uninterrupted flow of electricity to said second communication device for said predetermined period, said power management unit comprising;
an oscillator having a clock signal;
an inverter including a P-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling said first output terminal to an output node, and an N-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling said second output terminal to said output node;
a current-limiting resistor;
an intermediate FET having a gate and a channel connected in series with said current-limiting resistor coupling said first output terminal to said second output terminal;
a plurality of series-coupled diodes coupling said output node to the gate of said intermediate FET; and
a flyback inductor through for current from a storage device to intermittently flow, such intermittent flow being controlled by said intermediate FET to provide a pulsating flyback voltage after the rectification and filtering thereof gives an output voltage for powering said second communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In combination with at least two communication devices packaged in a single portable unit having a single battery providing power for operating said devices, a power management unit comprising:
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an oscillator producing a clock signal;
an inverter including a P-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling a first output terminal to an output node, and an N-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling a second output terminal to said output node;
a current-limiting resistor;
an intermediate FET having a gate and a channel in series with said current-limiting resistor coupling a first output terminal to a second output terminal;
a plurality of series-coupled diodes coupling said output node to the gate of said intermediate FET;
a flyback inductor through which current from a storage device intermittently flows being controlled by said intermediate FET for providing intermittent output power subsequent to rectification and filtering powers a second communication device;
an intermediate node interposed between a current-limiting resistor and an intermediate FET;
a final FET having a gate coupled to said intermediate node through at least one buffer, said final FET and said flyback inductor providing a serial current path between said first and second output terminals; and
a final node within the serial current path, said final node interposed between said flyback inductor and said final FET for said intermittent output power being taken from the final node. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. In combination with a wireless communication device and a pager device packaged in a single portable unit having a single battery providing power for operating both of said devices, a power management unit comprising:
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an oscillator producing a clock signal;
an inverter having both a P-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling a first output terminal to an output node and an N-channel FET having a gate coupled to said clock signal and a channel coupling a second output terminal to said output node;
a current-limiting resistor;
an intermediate FET having a gate and a channel connected in series with said current-limiting resistor coupling a first output terminal to a second output terminal;
a plurality of series-coupled diodes coupling said output node to the gate of said intermediate FET; and
a flyback inductor through which current from a storage device intermittently flows being controlled by said intermediate FET to provide intermittent output power subsequent to the rectification and filtering thereof powers said second communication device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification