Method for reducing power consumption in bluetooth and CDMA modes of operation

• US 20030036416A1
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Burke, John M., Pattabiraman, Ganesh
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70709 with discontinuous detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• 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

Method for reducing power consumption in Bluetooth and CDMA modes of operation is disclosed. According to a disclosed embodiment, the time for a next scheduled CDMA wakeup process to be performed by a CDMA module is established. Thereafter, if the next CDMA wakeup process is scheduled to be performed before the next Bluetooth wakeup process, a Bluetooth wakeup process is synchronized to be performed by a Bluetooth module at the same time as the next CDMA wakeup process. Following, when the time arrives for the CDMA module to perform the next CDMA wakeup process, the Bluetooth module also performs the Bluetooth wakeup process.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a wakeup schedule for a Bluetooth module and a wakeup schedule for a CDMA module in a wireless mobile unit, said method comprising steps of:

determining a next CDMA wakeup time; and

synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than a next Bluetooth wakeup time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of establishing said next Bluetooth wakeup time after said determining step and before said synchronizing step.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of:

determining a current CDMA time; and

determining a current Bluetooth time.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising a step of determining a CDMA interval, said CDMA interval equaling said next CDMA wakeup time less said current CDMA time.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a step of synchronizing said new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said current Bluetooth time plus said CDMA interval is less than said next Bluetooth time.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of performing a Bluetooth wakeup process and a CDMA wakeup process substantially at said new Bluetooth wakeup time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said performing step comprises a step of powering on said Bluetooth module and said CDMA module substantially simultaneously so as to reduce said wireless mobile unit'"'"'s power consumption.

8. A method for synchronizing a wakeup schedule for a Bluetooth module and a wakeup schedule for a CDMA module in a wireless mobile unit, said method comprising steps of:

determining a current CDMA time and a current Bluetooth time;

calculating a CDMA interval, said CDMA interval equaling a next CDMA wakeup time less said current CDMA time; and

synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said current Bluetooth time plus said CDMA interval is less than a next Bluetooth time.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising steps of:

establishing said next CDMA wakeup time prior to said step of calculating said CDMA time interval; and

establishing said next Bluetooth wakeup time prior to said step of synchronizing said new Bluetooth time.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of performing a Bluetooth wakeup process and a CDMA wakeup process substantially at said new Bluetooth wakeup time.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said performing step comprises a step of powering on said Bluetooth module and said CDMA module substantially simultaneously so as to reduce said wireless mobile unit'"'"'s power consumption.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said wireless mobile unit comprises a Bluetooth-enabled CDMA cell phone.

13. A wireless mobile unit comprising:

a CDMA module configured to perform a CDMA wakeup process at a next CDMA wakeup time; and

a processor configured to synchronize a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than a next Bluetooth wakeup time.

14. The wireless mobile unit of claim 13 further comprising a Bluetooth module configured to perform a Bluetooth wakeup process.

15. The wireless mobile unit of claim 14 wherein said Bluetooth module is configured to perform said Bluetooth wakeup process at said new Bluetooth wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than said next Bluetooth wakeup time.

16. The wireless mobile unit of claim 13 wherein said CDMA module comprises a CDMA transmitter/receiver and a CDMA antenna, said CDMA transmitter/receiver and said CDMA antenna being configured to receive a pilot signal from a base station so as to synchronize said CDMA module with said base station.

17. The wireless mobile unit of claim 16 wherein said CDMA module is further configured to derive a current CDMA time from said pilot signal.

18. The wireless mobile unit of claim 17 wherein said Bluetooth module comprises a clock, said clock being configured to track a current Bluetooth time.

19. The wireless mobile unit of claim 18 wherein said processor is further configured to calculate a CDMA interval, said CDMA interval equaling said next CDMA wakeup time less said current CDMA time.

20. The wireless mobile unit of claim 19 wherein said processor is further configured to synchronize said new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said current Bluetooth time plus said CDMA interval is less than said next Bluetooth time.

21. The wireless mobile unit of claim 14 wherein said CDMA module performs said CDMA wakeup process and said Bluetooth module performs said Bluetooth wakeup process substantially at said new Bluetooth wakeup time.

22. The wireless mobile unit of claim 21 wherein said CDMA module and said Bluetooth module are configured to power on substantially simultaneously so as to reduce said wireless mobile unit'"'"'s power consumption.

23. The wireless mobile unit of claim 13 wherein said wireless mobile unit is a Bluetooth-enabled CDMA cell phone.

24. A wireless unit comprising:

a means for performing a CDMA wakeup process at a next CDMA wakeup time; and

a means for synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than a next Bluetooth wakeup time.

25. A wireless mobile unit comprising:

a memory means; and

a means for performing a CDMA wakeup process at a next CDMA wakeup time and

for synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than a next Bluetooth wakeup time.

26. A digital signals processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory means for storing digital data; and

a digital signal processing means for interpreting digital signals to synchronize a wakeup schedule for a Bluetooth module and a wakeup schedule for a CDMA module in a wireless mobile unit by;

determining a next CDMA wakeup time; and

synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time to said next CDMA wakeup time when said next CDMA wakeup time is earlier than a next Bluetooth wakeup time.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, said digital signal processing means further interpreting digital signals to establish said next Bluetooth wakeup time after said determining a next CDMA wakeup time and before said synchronizing a new Bluetooth wakeup time.