System and method for optimizing power supplies in a wireless transceiver

• US 20080176608A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Budampati, Ramakrishna S., Pham, Hai D., Mathur, Anoop K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• 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

Abstract

Different components in a wireless transceiver are powered using different power supplies. For example, one or more first tasks in the wireless transceiver can be powered with a Galvanic cell, and one or more second tasks in the wireless transceiver can be powered with a fuel cell. The one or more first tasks could represent higher-current or intermittent tasks, and the one or more second tasks could represent lower-current or continuous tasks. The one or more first tasks could include transmission of a radio frequency (RF) signal, which may involve RF signal modulation or RF signal amplification. The one or more second tasks could include RF signal tuning, RF signal reception, RF signal demodulation, analog-to-digital conversion, digital-to-analog conversion, digital signal processing, operation of a controller, illumination of a display, operation of an audio speaker, operation of a microphone, or operation of a keypad.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

powering one or more first tasks in a wireless transceiver with a first power supply; and

powering one or more second tasks in the wireless transceiver with a second power supply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more first tasks comprise one or more higher-current or intermittent tasks; and

the one or more second tasks comprise one or more lower-current or continuous tasks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first power supply comprises a Galvanic cell; and

the second power supply comprises a fuel cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more first tasks comprise one or more tasks requiring current above a threshold; and

the one or more second tasks comprise one or more tasks requiring current below the threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the first power supply is exclusively applied to the one or more first tasks; and

the second power supply is exclusively applied to the one or more second tasks.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more first tasks comprise transmission of a radio frequency (RF) signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmission of the RF signal comprises at least one of:

RF signal modulation and RF signal amplification.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more second tasks comprise reception of a radio frequency (RF) signal.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more second tasks comprise at least one of:

radio frequency (RF) signal tuning, RF signal demodulation, analog-to-digital conversion, digital-to-analog conversion, digital signal processing, and operation of a controller.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more second tasks comprise at least one of:

illumination of a display, operation of an audio speaker, operation of a microphone, and operation of a keypad.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a first power supply; and

a second power supply;

wherein the first power supply is operable to power the transmitter and the second power supply is operable to power the receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first power supply comprises a Galvanic cell; and

the second power supply comprises a fuel cell.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a first power conduit from the first power supply to the transmitter;

a second power conduit from the second power supply to the receiver; and

a multiplexer operable to establish the first and second power conduits.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the transmitter is operable to be powered exclusively by the first power supply; and

the receiver is operable to be powered exclusively by the second power supply.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitter comprises a radio frequency (RF) modulator, an RF amplifier, and an antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second power supply is further operable to power the transmitter when the transmitter is operating in at least one of:

a sleep mode, an idle mode, and a low-power mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital signal processor, a controller, a speaker, a microphone, a display, and a keypad that are powered exclusively by the second power supply.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus forms at least part of a mobile telephone.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising:

computer readable program code for identifying multiple connections between multiple power supplies and multiple loads, the connections identified based on power levels of at least some of the power supplies and power requirements of at least some of the loads; and

computer readable program code for initiating formation of the connections.

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein:

the power supplies comprise at least one Galvanic cell and at least one fuel cell;

the loads comprise components in a wireless transceiver; and

the computer readable program code for initiating the formation of the connections comprises computer readable program code for controlling a multiplexer, the multiplexer operable to form the connections.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a multiplexer having multiple power inputs operable to be coupled to multiple power supplies and multiple power outputs operable to be coupled to multiple loads, the multiplexer operable to selectively couple the power inputs to the power outputs; and

a controller operable to control the selective coupling of the power inputs to the power outputs based on power levels of at least some of the power supplies and power requirements of at least some of the loads.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the power supplies comprise at least one Galvanic cell and at least one fuel cell; and

the loads comprise components in a wireless transceiver.