Methods and apparatus to manage power consumption in wireless devices

• US 20080161072A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Chandra, Praphul, Lide, David Alson
• Application Number:
  US11/648,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161072A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• 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

Methods and apparatus to manage power consumption in wireless devices are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus comprises a motion detector to detect motion, and a wireless modem to perform a background scan when motion is detected.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a motion detector to detect motion; and

a wireless modem to perform a background scan when motion is detected.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless modem is implemented in accordance with a standard from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer (IEEE) 802.11x family of standards.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the motion detector is an accelerometer.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a scanning module to determine when to perform the background scan based upon the detected motion.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the scanning module comprises:

a motion calculator to determine a first value representative of the detected motion; and

a scanning rate module to compare the first value to a threshold.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the scanning module further comprises a power monitor to determine a second value representative of a remaining battery power, the scanning rate module to adjust the threshold based upon the second value.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the scanning module comprises an activity detector to determine a value representative of usage, the wireless modem to perform the background scan based upon the detected motion and the value.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the scanning module comprises a signal measurer to determine a value representative of a signal strength, the wireless modem to perform the background scan when the value is less than a threshold.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a background scanning frequency is adjusted based upon a value representative of the detected motion.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), an MP3 player, a wireless telephone, a cellular phone, a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, a smart phone, or a computer.

11. A method comprising:

detecting motion of a wireless device; and

controlling a background scan based upon the detected motion.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the background scan is performed in accordance with a standard from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer (IEEE) 802.11x family of standards.

13. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein controlling the background scan comprises:

determining a first value representative of the motion; and

comparing the first value to a threshold.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein an interval between the background scan and a second background scan is reduced when the first value is greater than the threshold.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a second value representative of a battery strength; and

adjusting the threshold based upon the second value.

16. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

determining a strength of a received signal; and

performing the background scan when the strength is less than a threshold.

17. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

determining a value representative of a usage; and

repressing the background scan when the value is less than a threshold.

18. An article of manufacture storing machine accessible instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

detect motion of a wireless device; and

control a background scan based upon the detected motion.

19. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 18, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to control the background scan by:

determining a first value representative of the motion; and

comparing the first value to a threshold.

20. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to perform the background scan when the first value is greater than the threshold.

21. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 18, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

determine a strength of a received signal; and

perform the background scan when the strength is less than a threshold.

22. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 18, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

determine a value representative of a usage; and

repress the background scan when the value is less than a threshold.