Power saving system and method for mobile wireless network device

• US 20040214616A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malcolm, Jerry Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for managing battery energy usage by a mobile wireless network which detects threshold conditions for network signal found and lost; records historical events of signal found and lost with operational criteria associated with operational conditions of the events such as time, day, date, tower number, and geographic location; upon each detection of network signal loss, determines from the recorded event records a nap termination condition upon which network signal has been historically reliable; and enters a battery-saving nap mode until the nap termination condition is met.

Claims

1. A method for managing battery energy usage by a mobile wireless network device comprising:

detecting threshold conditions for network signal found and lost;

recording events of signal found and lost with operational criteria associated with operational conditions of the events;

upon each detection of network signal loss, determining from said event records a nap termination condition upon which network signal has been historically reliable; and

entering a nap mode until said nap termination condition is met, during said nap mode a state of lower power consumption being achieved including

defeating searching for said network signal.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of recording of operational criteria comprises recording criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of determining a nap termination condition comprises determining a termination criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a user interface for manipulating said event records.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of providing a user interface for manipulating said event records comprises providing a user interface selected from the group of a web page, a text screen, a map, and a calendar.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a local control signal nearby entrances and exits of an interfering physical structure receivable by a mobile device, said control signal being selected from the group of an antitheft tag energizing signal, a lower power radio frequency signal, an Infra Red signal.

7. A computer readable medium encoded with software for managing battery energy usage by a mobile wireless network device, said software performing steps comprising:

detecting threshold conditions for network signal found and lost;

recording events of signal found and lost with operational criteria associated with operational conditions of the events;

upon each detection of network signal loss, determining from said event records a nap termination condition upon which network signal has been historically reliable; and

entering a nap mode until said nap termination condition is met, during said nap mode a state of lower power consumption being achieved including

defeating searching for said network signal.

8. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for recording of operational criteria comprises software for recording criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

9. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for determining a nap termination condition comprises software for determining a termination criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the software for providing a user interface for manipulating said event records.

11. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said software for providing a user interface for manipulating said event records comprises software for providing a user interface selected from the group of a web page,

a text screen, a map, and a calendar.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 further comprising software for receiving a local control signal nearby entrances and exits of an interfering physical structure receivable by a mobile device, said control signal being selected from the group of an antitheft tag energizing signal, a lower

power radio frequency signal, an Infra Red signal.

13. A system for managing battery energy usage by a mobile wireless network device comprising:

a network signal found and lost threshold detector;

an event recorder configured to record events of signal found and lost with operational criteria associated with operational conditions of the events;

a nap condition calculator configured to, upon each detection of network signal loss, determine from said event records a nap termination condition upon which network signal has been historically reliable; and

a nap mode controller for entering a nap mode until said nap termination condition is met, during said nap mode a state of lower power consumption being achieved including defeating searching for said network signal.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said event recorder is further configured to record operational criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said nap condition calculator is further configured to determine a termination criteria selected from the list of time, date, day, month, geographic location, network identifier, and control signal presence.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a user interface for manipulating said event records.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said a user interface for manipulating said event records comprises a user interface selected from the group of a web page, a text screen, a map, and a calendar.

18. The system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a local control signal transmitter for installation nearby entrances and exits of an interfering physical structure receivable by a mobile device, said control signal being selected

from the group of an antitheft tag energizing signal, a lower power radio frequency signal, an Infra Red signal.