Power consumption debugging in mobile terminals

• US 20060181560A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Langberg, Anders, Pehrsson, Goran
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC

Abstract

Power consumption of an electronic device is measured by using circuitry within the electronic device to make power consumption measurements of the electronic device at predetermined time intervals. Each of the power consumption measurements is provided to a user of the device. This may involve incorporating each of the power consumption measurements in a debug printout generated by the electronic device. The measurements may be initiated by retrieving a parameter from a storage area within the electronic device, and initiating the power consumption measuring techniques in response to detecting that the retrieved parameter is in a predetermined state.

Claims

1. A method of measuring power consumption of an electronic device, the method comprising:

using circuitry within the electronic device to make power consumption measurements of the electronic device at predetermined time intervals; and

providing each of the power consumption measurements to a user of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing each of the power consumption measurements to a user of the device comprises incorporating each of the power consumption measurements in a debug printout generated by the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using circuitry within the electronic device to make power consumption measurements of the electronic device comprises:

detecting a voltage drop across a resistor that is in series with a power supply of the electronic device;

converting the detected voltage drop into a charge value; and

accumulating a number of charge values over a predetermined measurement time period.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

generating an average power consumption measurement by dividing the accumulated charge values by the measurement time period.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

retrieving a parameter from a storage area within the electronic device; and

initiating the power consumption measuring method in response to detecting that the retrieved parameter is in a predetermined state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile terminal.

7. An apparatus for measuring power consumption of an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

logic within the electronic device that makes power consumption measurements of the electronic device at predetermined time intervals; and

logic that provides each of the power consumption measurements to a user of the device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the logic that provides each of the power consumption measurements to a user of the device comprises logic that incorporates each of the power consumption measurements in a debug printout generated by the electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the circuitry within the electronic device that makes power consumption measurements of the electronic device comprises:

logic that detects a voltage drop across a resistor that is in series with a power supply of the electronic device;

logic that converts the detected voltage drop into a charge value; and

logic that accumulates a number of charge values over a predetermined measurement time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising:

logic that generates an average power consumption measurement by dividing the accumulated charge values by the measurement time period.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising:

logic that retrieves a parameter from a storage area within the electronic device; and

logic that initiates the power consumption measuring method in response to detecting that the retrieved parameter is in a predetermined state.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electronic device is a mobile terminal.