Method of and apparatus for operating a mobile terminal in response to an indication of charge level of battery of the terminal

• US 20050260970A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Descos, Jerome, Losquin, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/132,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20050260970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.500
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The charge level of a battery of a mobile terminal is monitored. The terminal is switched to a previously defined economical operating mode from a normal active operating mode if (1) the charge level is less than or equal to a threshold value and (2) a user of the mobile terminal has agreed to switch to the economical operating mode.

Claims

1. Method of transmitting data by using at least one mobile terminal, said method including:

measuring the present value of a parameter representing the charge level of a battery of the mobile terminal; and

configuring the terminal in a previously defined economical operating mode if (a) the present value is less than or equal to a threshold value and (b) following the execution of an alert step, a user of the mobile terminal has given his agreement for this configuration step to be executed.

2. Data transmission method according to claim 1, further including loading configuration data defining the economical operation mode prior to performing the configuring step.

3. Data transmission method according to claim 1, further including identifying an active operating mode in which the terminal is situated prior to performing the configuring step.

4. Data transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the alert step includes emitting at least one alert stimulus for the attention of the user in order to inform the user of a low battery charge level and a possible change in operating mode, the said alert step being performed prior to performing the configuring step.

5. Data transmission step according to claim 4, further including performing an alert verification step to confirm the actual emission of at least one alert stimulus, the verification step being performed prior to the configuration step.

6. Device for transmitting data indicative of the charge level of a battery of a mobile terminal, including:

a monitor for measuring the present value of a parameter representing the charge level; and

a processor arrangement for configuring the terminal in a previously defined economical operating mode (a) if the present value is less than or equal to the threshold value and (b) if, following the operation of an alert arrangement, a user of the mobile terminal has given his agreement for the processor arrangement to perform the configuring of the terminal.

7. Data transmission device according to claim 6, wherein the processor arrangement is arranged to load the configuration data defining the economical operating mode prior to the processor arrangement configuring the terminal.

8. Data transmission device according to claim 6, wherein the processor arrangement is arranged for identifying the active operating mode in which the terminal is situated prior to the processor arrangement configuring the terminal.

9. Data transmission device according to claim 6, wherein the processor arrangement is arranged for emitting at least one alert stimulus for the attention of the user in order to inform the user of a low battery charge level and a possible change in operating mode, the processor arrangement being arranged to be activated for enabling emission of the alert stimulus prior to the processor arrangement configuring the terminal.

10. Data transmission device according to claim 9, wherein the processor arrangement is arranged to confirm the actual emission of at least one alert stimulus prior to the processor arrangement configuring the terminal.

11. A method of operating a mobile terminal having a battery comprising:

deriving an indication of the charge level of the battery; and

switching from a normal operating mode of the terminal to an economical operating mode of the terminal in response to the indication being equal to or less than a threshold value for the charge level and a user of the terminal signaling to the mobile terminal that the switching operation is to be performed.