Method and apparatus for providing reserve power in a cellular telephone

• US 20020016189A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leonid, Wolf, Thomas George
• Granted Patent: US 6,408,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/145 Using a supplementary range measurement, e.g. based on pseudo-range measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Reserve power is provided in a portable cellular transceiver comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver by monitoring a power level of a battery of the portable cellular transceiver using a power detection circuit. A comparator circuit determines whether the power level of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold. Based on the available power level, a power control circuit automatically places the transceiver into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches a corresponding threshold level. The low power mode selectively powers down circuitry of the portable cellular transceiver. The corresponding threshold level reserves power for an emergency telephone call. Power is provided to the circuitry of the portable cellular transceiver when the available power level is greater than the predetermined threshold. The reserve power provides power for the activation of the portable cellular transceiver, establishment of a call between the portable cellular transceiver and a cellular base station, transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the portable cellular transceiver, receipt of GPS satellite information, communication of GPS satellite information to the cellular base station, and determination of a position of the portable cellular transceiver. The emergency telephone call may be a single button enhanced 911 call.

Claims

1. A method for providing reserve power in a portable communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a power level of a battery of the portable communication device; and

automatically placing the portable communication device into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches at least one threshold level, wherein the at least one threshold level reserves power for at least one emergency communication message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device comprises a portable cellular transceiver, wherein the portable cellular transceiver comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the SPS receiver comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and wherein once said portable communication device is placed in said at least one low power mode, said portable communication cannot be used to communicate except for said at least one emergency communication message thereby preserving power in said battery for said at least one emergency communication message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a power level of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

providing power to at least one circuit of the portable communication device when the power level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one emergency communication message is an enhanced 911 call, wherein the reserve power allows for:

activation of the portable communication device;

establishment of a call between the portable communication device and a cellular base station;

receipt of GPS signals; and

communication of GPS satellite information to the cellular base station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the reserve power further allows for:

transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the portable communication device; and

determination of a position of the portable communication device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the reserve power further allows for determination of a position of the portable communication device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the GPS satellite information comprises at least one of GPS pseudorange information, digitized signals from which GPS pseudorange information can be determined, and latitude and longitude information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one emergency communication message is an emergency 911 call, wherein the reserve power allows for:

activation of the portable communication device;

establishment of a high power call between the portable communication device and at least three cellular base stations, wherein the at least three cellular base stations determine the location of the portable communication device using a network overlay approach, wherein the network overlay allows for a determination of the location using a time of arrival of the signal at the at least three cellular base stations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is a single button call, wherein one button of the portable communication device enables the emergency communication message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one low power mode selectively powers down circuitry of the portable communication device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one low power mode selectively disables capabilities of the portable communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of predicting the time at whith the portable communication device will be placed into the at least one low power mode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a single button of the portable communication device provides the at least one emergency communication message, wherein activation of the single button results in:

selective application of power to GPS receiver circuitry, wherein a position information of the portable cellular transceiver is determined;

selective application of power to communication circuitry, wherein the position information of the portable communication device is transmitted along with an emergency message to an emergency operator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the emergency message comprises voice data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the emergency message comprises an alphanumeric message, the alphanumeric message comprising the identification and location of the user.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the emergency message comprises voice data and alphanumeric data, wherein the alphanumeric data comprises position information of the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is a single button enhanced 911 call, wherein activation of the single button enables the reserve power, the enabled reserve power:

activating the portable cellular telephone;

establishing a call between the portable cellular telephone and a cellular base station;

receiving signals to perform a positioning operation; and

communicating position information to the cellular base station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the enabled reserve power is used to determine a position information of the portable cellular telephone.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the position information comprises at least one of pseudorange information, digitized signals from which pseudorange information can be determined, and latitude and longitude information.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein a single button of the portable cellular telephone provides the at least one emergency telephone call, wherein activation of the single button results in:

selective application of power to the position circuit, wherein a position information of the portable cellular telephone is determined;

selective application of power to communication circuitry, wherein the position information of the portable cellular telephone is transmitted along with an emergency message to an emergency operator.

24. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 23, wherein the power detection circuit monitors a power level of the battery.

25. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 23, further comprising a comparator circuit for determining if a power level of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold, wherein the power control circuit provides power to at least one circuit of the portable cellular transceiver when the power level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

26. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 23, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is a single button enhanced 911 call, wherein activation of the single button enables the reserve power, the enabled reserve power providing power for:

activation of the portable cellular transceiver, wherein the portable cellular transceiver comprises telephone circuitry and GPS receiver circuitry;

establishment of a call between the portable cellular transceiver and a cellular base station;

transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the portable cellular transceiver;

receipt of GPS signals; and

communication of position information to the cellular base station.

27. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 26, wherein the enabled reserve power further provides power for transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the portable cellular transceiver.

28. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 26, wherein the enabled reserve power further provides power for determination of a position of the portable cellular transceiver.

29. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 26, wherein the position information comprises at least one of GPS pseudorange information, digitized signals from which GPS pseudorange information can be determined, and latitude and longitude information.

30. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 23, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is an emergency 911 call, wherein activation of the single button enables the reserve power, the reserve power providing power for

activation of the portable cellular transceiver;

establishment of a high power call between the portable cellular transceiver and at least three cellular base stations, wherein the at least three cellular base stations determine the location of the portable cellular transceiver using a network overlay approach, wherein the network overlay allows for a determination of the location using a time of arrival of the signal at the at least three cellular base stations.

31. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 23, wherein the at least one low power mode selectively powers down circuitry of the portable cellular transceiver, wherein a single button of the portable cellular transceiver provides the at least one emergency telephone call, wherein activation of the single button results in:

selective application of power to GPS receiver circuitry, wherein a position information of the portable cellular transceiver is determined; and

selective application of power to communication circuitry, wherein the position information of the portable cellular transceiver is transmitted along with an emergency message to an emergency operator.

32. The portable cellular transceiver of claim 31, wherein the emergency message comprises identification and position information of a user.

18. A method for providing reserve power in a portable cellular telephone comprising a position circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a power level of a battery of the portable cellular telephone; and

automatically placing the portable cellular telephone into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches at least one threshold level, wherein the at least one threshold level reserves power for at least one emergency telephone call.

23. A portable cellular transceiver comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, the portable cellular transceiver comprising:

a power detection circuit coupled to a battery, the power detection circuit monitoring a power level of the battery of the portable cellular transceiver; and

a power control circuit coupled to at least one transceiver circuit of the portable cellular transceiver for automatically placing the portable cellular transceiver into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches at least one threshold level, wherein the at least one threshold level reserves power for at least one emergency telephone call.

33. A hand-held cellular telephone system comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, wherein the system comprises:

a power detection circuit coupled to a battery for monitoring a power level of the battery of the hand-held cellular telephone system; and

a power control circuit coupled to a transceiver circuit of the portable cellular transceiver for automatically placing the hand-held cellular telephone system into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches at least one threshold level, wherein the at least one threshold level reserves power for at least one call to an emergency operator.

34. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 33, further comprising a comparator circuit for determining if a power level of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold, wherein the power control circuit provides power to at least one circuit of the hand-held cellular telephone system when the power level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

35. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 33, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is a single button enhanced 911 call, wherein activation of the single button enables the reserve power, the enabled reserve power providing power for:

activation of the hand-held cellular telephone system, wherein the hand-held cellular telephone system comprises telephone circuitry and GPS receiver circuitry;

establishment of a call between the hand-held cellular telephone system and the emergency operator;

transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the hand-held cellular telephone system;

receipt of GPS signals; and

communication of GPS satellite information to the emergency operator.

36. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 35, wherein the enabled reserve power further provides power for transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the hand-held cellular telephone system.

37. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 35, wherein the enabled reserve power further provides power for determination of a position of the portable cellular transceiver.

38. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 35, wherein the GPS satellite information comprises at least one of GPS pseudorange information, digitized signals from which GPS pseudorange information can be determined, and latitude and longitude information.

39. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 33, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is an emergency 911 call, wherein activation of the single button enables the reserve power, the enabled reserve power providing power for:

activation of the hand-held cellular telephone;

establishment of a high power call between the hand-held cellular telephone and at least three cellular base stations, wherein the at least three cellular base stations determine the location of the hand-held cellular telephone using a network overlay approach, wherein the network overlay allows for a determination of the location using a time of arrival of the signal at the at least three cellular base stations.

40. The hand-held cellular telephone system of claim 33, wherein the at least one low power mode selectively powers down circuitry of the hand-held cellular telephone system, wherein a single button of the hand-held cellular telephone system provides the at least one call, wherein activation of the single button results in:

selective application of power to GPS receiver circuitry, wherein a position information of the hand-held cellular telephone system is determined; and

selective application of power to communication circuitry, wherein the position information of the hand-held cellular telephone system is transmitted along with an emergency message to an emergency operator.

41. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the system to perform the steps for providing reserve power in a portable cellular transceiver comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver comprising:

monitoring a power level of a battery of the portable cellular transceiver; and

automatically placing the portable cellular transceiver into at least one low power mode when the power level reaches at least one threshold level, wherein the at least one threshold level reserves power for at least one emergency telephone call.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the processing system is further configured to perform the steps of:

determining if a power level of the battery is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

providing power to at least one circuit of the portable cellular transceiver when the power level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the at least one emergency telephone call is an enhanced 911 call, wherein the reserve power allows for:

activation of the portable cellular transceiver;

establishment of a call between the portable cellular transceiver and a cellular base station;

transfer of GPS satellite acquisition aiding information to the portable cellular transceiver;

receipt of GPS signals; and

communication of GPS satellite information to the cellular base station.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the enhanced 911 call is a single button call, wherein one button of the portable cellular transceiver enables the emergency telephone call.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the step of automatically placing the portable cellular transceiver into at least one low power mode comprises selectively powering down circuitry of the portable cellular transceiver.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the processing system is further configured to allow a single button of the portable cellular transceiver to provide the at least one emergency telephone call, wherein activation of the single button results in:

selective application of power to GPS receiver circuitry, wherein a position information of the portable cellular transceiver is determined;

selective application of power to communication circuitry, wherein the position information of the portable cellular transceiver is transmitted along with an emergency message to an emergency operator.