Method and apparatus to manage power in a communication system

• US 20050261038A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sky Royal Trading Limited (Guangdong Oujia Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chary, Ram V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• 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

Method and apparatus to manage power for a communication device having multiple radios are described.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an antenna;

a radio management module to connect to said antenna, said radio management module to comprise;

a set of application modules 1-M;

a set of radios 1-N; and

a power management module to connect to said application modules 1-M and said radios 1-N, said power management module to receive a request for a data connection from one of said application modules 1-M, select a data connection radio from said set of radios 1-N in accordance with a radio selection policy, and establish said data connection using said data connection radio.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said radio selection policy comprises a set of rules to select said data connection radio based on a power source for said radios.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source interface to connect to said power management module, said power source interface to indicate a connection to an external power source or an internal power source.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said external power source comprises an alternating current power supply, and said internal power source comprises a direct current power supply.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said power management module selects said data connection radio using a set of radio bandwidth values corresponding to said radios 1-N if said power source interface indicates a connection to an external power source.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said power management modules selects said data connection radio using a set of radio power cost values corresponding to said radios 1-N if said power source interface indicates a connection to an internal power source.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a set of application modules 1-M;

a set of radios 1-N; and

a power management module to connect to said application modules 1-M and said radios 1-N, said power management module to receive a request for a data connection from one of said application modules 1-M, select a data connection radio from said set of radios 1-N in accordance with a radio selection policy, and establish said data connection using said data connection radio.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said radio selection policy comprises a set of rules to select said data connection radio based on a power source for said radios.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a power source interface to connect to said power management module, said power source interface to indicate a connection to an external power source or an internal power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said external power source comprises an alternating current power supply, and said internal power source comprises a direct current power supply.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said power management module selects said data connection radio using a set of radio bandwidth values corresponding to said radios 1-N if said power source interface indicates a connection to an external power source.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said power management modules selects said data connection radio using a set of radio power cost values corresponding to said radios 1-N if said power source interface indicates a connection to an internal power source.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a data connection from an application executed by a wireless device;

selecting a data connection radio from at least two radios accessible by said wireless device in accordance with a radio selection policy; and

establishing said data connection using said data connection radio.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said radio selection policy comprises a set of rules to select said data connection radio based on a power source for said radios.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein selecting said data connection radio comprises:

retrieving a radio bandwidth value and a radio power cost value for each radio;

determining whether said radios are using an external power source or an internal power source;

selecting said data connection radio using said radio bandwidth values if said radios are using said external power source; and

selecting said data connection radio using said radio power cost values if said radios are using said internal power source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting said data connection radio using said radio bandwidth values comprises:

retrieving a radio status value for each radio;

comparing said radio bandwidth values for all radios having said radio status value set to active; and

selecting said data connection radio having a higher radio bandwidth value.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said selecting said data connection radio using said radio power cost values comprises:

ordering said radios based on said radio power cost values from a first radio to a last radio;

retrieving an application bandwidth value and application latency value for said application, and a radio status value for each radio;

comparing said application bandwidth value and application latency with a radio bandwidth value and radio latency value for each radio having said radio status value set to active starting with said first radio; and

selecting said data connection radio having a radio bandwidth value higher than said application bandwidth value and a radio latency value lower than said application latency value.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said first radio has a lowest radio power cost value and said last radio has a highest radio power cost.

19. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored instructions that, when executed by a processor, are operable to receive a request for a data connection from an application executed by a wireless device, select a data connection radio from at least two radios accessible by said wireless device in accordance with a radio selection policy, and establish said data connection using said data connection radio.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, select said data connection radio using stored instructions operable to retrieve a radio bandwidth value and a radio power cost value for each radio, determine whether said radios are using an external power source or an internal power source, select said data connection radio using said radio bandwidth values if said radios are using said external power source, and select said data connection radio using said radio power cost values if said radios are using said internal power source.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, select said data connection radio using said radio bandwidth values using stored instructions operable to retrieve a radio status value for each radio, compare said radio bandwidth values for all radios having said radio status value set to active, and select said data connection radio having a higher radio bandwidth value.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, select said data connection radio using said radio power cost values using stored instructions operable to order said radios based on said radio power cost values from a first radio to a last radio, retrieve an application bandwidth value and application latency value for said application and a radio status value for each radio, compare said application bandwidth value and application latency with a radio bandwidth value and radio latency value for each radio having said radio status value set to active starting with said first radio, and select said data connection radio having a radio bandwidth value higher than said application bandwidth value and a radio latency value lower than said application latency value.