Power management in communication devices

• US 20050181840A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Banginwar, Rajesh P., Gorbatov, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,144 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 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Actual power savings achieved by using a power savings mode in a communications device may be increased by analyzing the effects of the power savings mode on delays and using the analysis on which to base a decision as to whether or not to enter the power savings mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a communications interface power requirement;

determining a system power requirement excluding said communications interface;

finding an expected relative delay ratio between entering a power saving mode and not entering said power saving mode; and

determining whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between said expected relative delay ratio and a function of said interface power requirement and said system power requirement.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said finding comprises:

determining an expected network latency between sending a request and receiving a response; and

determining an expected delay introduced by entering said power saving mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said finding comprises:

determining an expected network latency between receiving two consecutive responses; and

determining an expected delay introduced by entering said power saving mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining an interface power requirement comprises predetermining and storing an interface power requirement, and wherein said determining a system power requirement comprises predetermining and storing a system power requirement.

5. A machine-accessible medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a computing platform, cause said computing platform to perform operations comprising a method of:

determining power requirements relating to a system, exclusive of a communications interface component, and to said communications interface component;

finding an expected relative delay ratio between entering a power saving mode and not entering said power saving mode; and

determining whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between said expected relative delay ratio and a function of said power requirements.

6. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 5, wherein said determining power requirements comprises:

determining said communications interface power requirement; and

determining said system power requirement.

7. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 6, wherein each of said determining a communications interface power requirement and said determining a system power requirement comprises:

predetermining and storing a power requirement.

8. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 5, wherein said finding comprises:

determining an expected network latency, L, between sending a request and receiving a response; and

determining a delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode.

9. The machine accessible medium according to claim 8, wherein said expected relative delay ratio is of one of the forms,

$\frac{L+D}{L}$

 

⁢

and ⁢

D L .

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein said finding comprises:

determining an expected network latency, L, between receiving two consecutive responses; and

determining an expected delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode.

11. The machine accessible medium according to claim 10, wherein said expected relative delay ratio is of one of the forms,

$\frac{L+D}{L}$

 

⁢

and ⁢

D L .

12. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 5, wherein said finction of said power requirements comprises a ratio of said communications interface power requirement to said system power requirement.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a power measurement module to determine at least one of a power requirement of a system, exclusive of a communications interface component, and a power requirement of a communications interface component; and

a power management module, coupled to said power measurement module, to determine whether or not to enter a power saving mode based at least upon a ratio of said power requirements of a communications interface component and of a system.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said power management module is further adapted to determine whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on comparing an expected delay ratio with said ratio of said power requirements.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a delay estimation module coupled to said power management module to provide at least one of a set of expected delays when running said system in said power saving mode and when not running said system in said power saving mode and an expected ratio of said delays.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said power measurement module comprises:

memory to store at least one of said power requirements.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

power control logic coupled to said power management module and adapted to place the system into said power saving mode responsive to said power management module.

18. A system, comprising:

a communications subsystem adapted to be coupled to a network; and

a power control subsystem coupled to said communications subsystem, the power control subsystem comprising;

a power measurement module to determine at least one of a power requirement of said system, exclusive of said communications subsystem, and a power requirement of said communications subsystem; and

a power management module, coupled to said power measurement module, to determine whether or not to enter a power saving mode based at least upon a ratio of said power requirements of said communications subsystem and of said system.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a memory coupled to said power management subsystem.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said power management subsystem further comprises:

a delay estimation module coupled to said power management module to provide at least one of a set of expected delays when running said system in said power saving mode and when not running said system in said power saving mode and an expected ratio of said delays.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said power management module is adapted to determine whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between a delay ratio, based on said at least one of a set of expected delays and said expected ratio of said delays, and a function of said ratio of said power requirements.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein said power control subsystem further comprises:

power control logic coupled to said power management module to control power usage in said communications subsystem responsive to said power management module.