METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING RESOURCES AT A WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20080085717A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chhabra, Gurvinder, Mir, Idreas, Klingenbrunn, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1446 of transmission speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements

Abstract

Techniques for managing resources at a wireless device are described. In one aspect, the wireless device controls applications based on resource demands and available resources. Processing demands by the applications may be monitored, and at least one of the applications may be controlled based on the processing demands and a maximum processing capacity of a processing unit executing the applications. A data application may be controlled by reducing the amount of data exchanged by the application when high processing demands are detected, and vice versa. In another aspect, the wireless device varies resource capacity to match resources demands. The processing capacity of the processing unit may be adjusted based on the processing demands. Higher clock frequency may be selected for the processing unit when the processing demands exceed a high threshold, and lower clock frequency may be selected when processing demands fall below a low threshold.

Claims

1. A device capable of wireless communication with a base station, comprising:

a processing unit having a maximum processing capacity and operative to execute applications running on the device; and

a controller operative to monitor processing demands by the applications and to control at least one of the applications based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to select the at least one application for control from among the applications running on the device based on priorities of the applications.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the controller is operative to control a low priority application first and to control a high priority application after the low priority application has been fully controlled.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controller is operative to reduce amount of data exchanged by the data application with the base station when high processing demands are detected, and to increase the amount of data exchanged by the data application with the base station when low processing demands are detected.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein high processing demands are detected when the processing demands exceed a high threshold and low processing demands are detected when the processing demands fall below a low threshold.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controller is operative to adjust a window size for the data application based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity, the window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets exchanged by the data application.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to adjust the window size between a maximum value and a minimum value, the minimum value being selected to avoid timeout by Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to reduce the window size when high processing demands are detected.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to reduce the window size from a maximum value to a minimum value when high processing demands are detected.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to reduce the window size from a maximum value to a minimum value when high processing demands are detected and the data application is not yet controlled, and to reduce the window size in steps when high processing demands are detected and the data application is being controlled.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to increase the window size in steps, up to a maximum value, when low processing demands are detected.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to increase the window size by an up step in each update interval, up to a maximum value, when low processing demands are detected.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to maintain the window size when medium processing demands are detected.

14. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to send the window size to the base station.

15. The device of claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to send the window size to the base station multiple times to improve reliability.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to reduce size of a window regulating number of unacknowledged protocol data units (PDUs) sent by Radio Link Protocol (RLC) for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) when high processing demands are detected, and to send the window size to the base station.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to obtain a channel quality indicator (CQI) based on measured channel quality at the device for the base station, to reduce the CQI when high processing demands are detected, and to send the reduced CQI to the base station.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the controller is operative to send negative acknowledgements (NAKs) for a predetermined percentage of packets received from the base station, even if the packets are decoded correctly, when high processing demands are detected.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controller is operative to a transport block size for the data application based on the processing demands.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controller is operative to generate buffer status reports for the data application based on the processing demands, and to send the buffer status reports to the base station.

21. A method comprising:

monitoring processing demands by applications running on a wireless device for a processing unit having a maximum processing capacity; and

controlling at least one of the applications based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controlling the at least one application comprises

reducing amount of data exchanged by the data application with a base station when high processing demands are detected, and

increasing the amount of data exchanged by the data application with the base station when low processing demands are detected.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the controlling the at least one application comprises

adjusting a window size for the data application based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity, the window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets exchanged by the data application.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the adjusting the window size for the data application comprises

reducing the window size when high processing demands are detected, and

increasing the window size when low processing demands are detected.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring processing demands by applications running on a wireless device for a processing unit having a maximum processing capacity; and

means for controlling at least one of the applications based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the means for controlling the at least one application comprises

means for reducing amount of data exchanged by the data application with a base station when high processing demands are detected, and

means for increasing the amount of data exchanged by the data application with the base station when low processing demands are detected.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one application comprises a data application, and wherein the means for controlling the at least one application comprises

means for adjusting a window size for the data application based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity, the window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets exchanged by the data application.

28. A processor-readable media for storing instructions to:

monitor processing demands by applications running on a wireless device for a processing unit having a maximum processing capacity; and

control at least one of the applications based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity.

29. The processor-readable media of claim 28, and further for storing instructions to:

reduce amount of data exchanged by a data application with a base station when high processing demands are detected, the data application being one of the at least one application being controlled, and

increase the amount of data exchanged by the data application with the base station when low processing demands are detected.

30. The processor-readable media of claim 28, and further for storing instructions to:

adjust a window size for a data application based on the processing demands and the maximum processing capacity, the data application being one of the at least one application being controlled, the window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets exchanged by the data application.

31. An apparatus capable of wireless communication with a wireless device, comprising:

a controller operative to receive information determined based on processing demands and maximum processing capacity at the wireless device and to control amount of data to exchange with the wireless device based on the received information; and

a processor operative to exchange data with the wireless device based on control from the controller.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the information comprises a window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets, and wherein the processor is operative to send packets to the wireless device in accordance with the window size.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the information comprises a window size regulating number of unacknowledged protocol data units (PDUs) sent by Radio Link Protocol (RLC) for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and wherein the processor is operative to send PDUs to the wireless device in accordance with the window size.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the information comprises a channel quality indicator (CQI), wherein the controller is operative to select a data rate for transmission to the wireless device based on the CQI, and wherein the processor is operative to send packets to the wireless device in accordance with the selected data rate.

35. A method comprising:

receiving information determined based on processing demands and maximum processing capacity at a wireless device; and

controlling amount of data to exchange with the wireless device based on the received information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the information comprises a window size regulating number of unacknowledged packets, and wherein the amount of data to exchange with the wireless device is controlled based on the window size.

37. A device capable of wireless communication with a base station, comprising:

processing resources assignable to applications running on the device; and

a controller operative to monitor processing demands by the applications for the assignable processing resources and to control at least one of the applications based on the processing demands.

38. The device of claim 37, further comprising:

bus resources assignable to the applications running on the device, and

wherein the controller is operative to monitor bus demands by the applications for the assignable bus resources and to control the at least one application based on the bus demands.

39. The device of claim 37, further comprising:

memory resources assignable to the applications running on the device, and

wherein the controller is operative to monitor memory demands by the applications for the assignable memory resources and to control the at least one application based on the memory demands.

40. The device of claim 37, further comprising:

cache resources assignable to the applications running on the device, and

wherein the controller is operative to monitor cache demands by the applications for the assignable cache resources and to control the at least one application based on the cache demands.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the controller is operative to receive information indicating whether each application running on the device is controllable or not controllable, and to select the at least one application for control based on the received information.

42. The device of claim 37, wherein the controller is operative to receive information indicating priorities of the applications running on the device, and to select the at least one application for control based on the received information.

43. A method comprising:

monitoring processing demands by applications running on a wireless device for assignable processing resources at the wireless device; and

controlling at least one of the applications based on the processing demands.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring bus demands by the applications for the assignable bus resources at the wireless device; and

controlling the at least one application based on the bus demands.

45. A device capable of wireless communication with a base station, comprising:

a processing unit having configurable processing capacity and operative to execute applications running on the device; and

a controller operative to monitor processing demands by the applications and to adjust the processing capacity of the processing unit based on the processing demands.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the controller is operative to vary clock frequency of the processing unit to adjust the processing capacity.

47. The device of claim 45, wherein the controller is operative to select a higher clock frequency for the processing unit when the processing demands exceed a high threshold, and to select a lower clock frequency for the processing unit when the processing demands fall below a low threshold.

48. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a bus having configurable bus capacity, and wherein the controller is operative to monitor bus demands by the applications and to adjust the bus capacity based on the bus demands.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the controller is operative to vary clock frequency of the bus to adjust the bus capacity.

50. A method comprising:

executing applications running on a wireless device by a processing unit having configurable processing capacity;

monitoring processing demands by the applications; and

adjusting the processing capacity of the processing unit based on the processing demands.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the adjusting the processing capacity of the processing unit comprises

selecting a higher clock frequency for the processing unit when the processing demands exceed a high threshold, and

selecting a lower clock frequency for the processing unit when the processing demands fall below a low threshold.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

monitoring bus demands by the applications for a bus having configurable bus capacity; and

adjusting the bus capacity based on the bus demands.