Reduced Power Consumption in a Communication Device

• US 20070057663A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.), ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Solum, Jeff
• Application Number:
  US11/456,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057663A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for controlling power consumption in a communication device is provided. The method includes powering down a receiver of the communication device for a selected period of time and, when the selected period of time expires, powering up the receiver to check for incoming data.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. A method for controlling power consumption in a remote communication device comprising:

powering down at least part of a receiver circuit of a remote communication device for a predetermined power down period based on a transmission;

powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device after the predetermined power down period; and

determining at a head end when the predetermined power down period has elapsed.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device further comprises:

powering down based on a received transmission.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device further comprises:

powering down based on a transmission indicating an end of a data transfer.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining an end of a data transfer; and

wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device powers down based on the determined end of the data transfer.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device further comprises:

powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit for at least a predetermined power up period.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

powering down the at least a part of a receiver circuit of the remote communication device again when a transmission is not received at the remote communication device while the receiver circuit is powered up.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down further comprises:

reducing power consumption of the at least part of the receiver circuit.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down further comprises:

cutting off power to the at least part of the receiver circuit.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein powering up further comprises:

powering up at least part of the powered down parts of the receiver circuit.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

synchronizing transmission of signals from the head end with the predetermined power down period of the remote communication device.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

synchronizing a control circuit at the head end based on the predetermined power down period of the remote communication device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein synchronizing a control circuit further comprises:

synchronizing a counter in the control circuit based on the predetermined power down period of the remote communication device.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down further comprises:

powering down based on a message received at the remote communication device.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein powering down further comprises:

powering down based on a signal detected at the remote communication device.

35. A method for controlling power consumption from a head end comprising:

starting a predetermined time period based on a transmission between a remote communication device and a head end; and

waiting until an end of the predetermined time period to send a transmission to the remote device.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending a transmission to the remote device; and

wherein starting a predetermined time period is based on the transmission sent to the remote device.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

synchronizing the sending of a transmission with the predetermined time period.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

synchronizing a control circuit with the predetermined time period.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein synchronizing further comprises:

synchronizing a counter in the control circuit with the predetermined time period.

40. A method for controlling power consumption at a remote communication device comprising:

powering down at least part of a receiver circuit for a predetermined power down period based on a transmission between the remote communication device and a head end;

powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit when the predetermined power down period has elapsed; and

checking for incoming transmissions while the receiver is powered up.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a transmission from a head end; and

wherein powering down powers down based on the transmission received from the head end.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit, further comprises:

powering down based on a received transmission.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit further comprises:

powering down based on a transmission indicating an end of a data transfer.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

determining an end of a data transfer; and

wherein powering down at least part of a receiver circuit powers down the at least part of a receiver circuit based on the determined end of the data transfer.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit further comprises:

powering up the at least part of a receiver circuit for at least a predetermined power up period.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

powering down the at least a part of a receiver circuit again when a transmission is not received while the receiver is powered up.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down further comprises:

reducing power consumption of the at least part of the receiver circuit.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down further comprises:

cutting off power to the at least part of the receiver circuit.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein powering up further comprises:

powering up at least a portion of the powered down parts of the receiver circuit.

50. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down further comprises:

powering down based on a received message.

51. The method of claim 40, wherein powering down further comprises:

powering down based on a detected signal.