ANTICIPATORY POWER MANAGEMENT FOR BATTERY-POWERED ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080201587A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universität Zürich
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for managing power consumption of a battery-powered electronic device are disclosed. According to one embodiment, power management can take action to reduce power consumption to accommodate estimated power requirements. According to another embodiment, power management can notify a user when a power deficiency is anticipated. According to still another embodiment, power management can advise a user to charge a battery of the battery-powered electronic device. According to still another embodiment, a user can influence power management by user selections.

Claims

1. A method for managing power utilization by an electronic device powered by a battery, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection indicating an imminent usage for the electronic device;

estimating a future power requirement for the electronic device based on the imminent usage;

obtaining a battery characteristic associated with the battery;

determining, based on the battery characteristic, whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the estimated future power requirement for the electronic device;

reducing power consumption of the electronic device when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement; and

presenting a notification regarding charging the battery when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement, the notification including a recommended charging duration.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimating of the future power requirement is further based on a schedule associated with a user of the electronic device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimating of the future power requirement is further based on a predicted usage of the electronic device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimating of the future power requirement is further based on a current usage of the electronic device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the future power requirements is a power estimate for the electronic device to complete a predicted, imminent, future, scheduled and/or current usage of the electronic device.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the estimating of the future power requirements is based on continuation of the imminent usage for a predetermined duration.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. A method for managing power utilization by an electronic device powered by a battery, the method comprising:

identifying an impending device usage;

obtaining a power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage;

obtaining a battery characteristic associated with the battery;

determining, based on the battery characteristic, whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage; and

reducing power consumption of the electronic device during at least the impending device usage when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate charge capacity to satisfy the power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage,

wherein the impending device usage includes a workout usage, and

wherein the power estimate pertains to an estimate of power needed to power the electronic device in the manner utilized during the workout usage.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying of the impending device usage is based at least in part on a user input.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the user input initiates the impending device usage.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying estimates or predicts the impending device usage.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying comprises receiving an indication of the impending device usage based on a user input.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a multi-functional device.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the reducing of the power consumption of the electronic device comprises:

automatically disabling one or more functions that are not necessary to support the impending device usage.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the reducing of the power consumption of the electronic device comprises:

disabling one or more functions that are not necessary to support the impending device usage but which reduce power consumption so that the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the reduced power needs for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein one or more functions are operable on the portable electronic device, and wherein at least a plurality of the one or more functions are software applications, each of the software applications provide the portable electronic device with different capabilities when such software application is operating.

20. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the multi-functional device has a display, and

wherein the reducing of the power consumption of the electronic device comprises:

presenting a power adjustment screen on the display, the power adjustment screen providing at least one user-selectable power saving option; and

reducing the power consumption of the electronic device in accordance with the user-selectable power saving option when the user-selectable option is selected.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a warning that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the presenting the warning comprises displaying the warning on the display, wherein the warning is provided within the power adjustment screen.

23. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the multi-function device supports a plurality of functions selected from the group of:

media playback, voice communications, data transfer, or workout data capture.

24. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a warning that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage.

25. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting a notification regarding charging the battery when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage, the notification including a recommended charging duration.

27. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein an estimated duration is associated with the workout usage, and wherein the power estimate is based in part on the estimated duration of the workout usage.

28. A method as recited in claim 11,

wherein the battery characteristic is used to determine a power estimate for the electronic device to complete the impending device usage,

wherein the obtaining of the battery characteristic obtains an available battery power of the battery, and

wherein the determining of whether the battery has adequate capacity comprises comparing the power estimate to the available battery power.

26. (canceled)

29. A method for managing power utilization by an electronic device powered by a battery, the method comprising:

estimating a future power requirement for the electronic device;

obtaining a battery characteristic associated with the battery;

determining, based on the battery characteristic, whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the estimated future power requirement for the electronic device;

determining a recommended charging duration for the battery to acquire adequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement; and

presenting a notification regarding charging the battery when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement, the notification including the recommended charging duration.

41. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the electronic device is a portable, multi-functional device.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the multi-function device supports a plurality of functions selected from the group of:

media playback, voice communications, data transfer, or workout data capture.

43. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the multi-function device supports at least a media playback function and workout data capture function.

30. (canceled)

31. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for managing power utilization by an electronic device powered by a battery, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a user selection indicating an impending device usage for the electronic device;

computer program code for estimating a future power requirement for the electronic device based on the impending device usage;

computer program code for determining whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the estimated future power requirement for the electronic device;

computer program code for reducing power consumption of the electronic device when the computer program code for determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirements;

computer program code for presenting a notification regarding charging the battery when the computer program code for determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement; and

computer program code for determining a recommended charging duration for the battery to acquire adequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement,

wherein the notification includes the recommended charging duration.

33. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 31,

wherein the computer program code for determining whether the battery has adequate capacity comprises:

computer program code for obtaining a battery characteristic associated with the battery, and

wherein the computer readable medium for determining whether the battery has adequate capacity is based on the battery characteristic.

32. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a battery;

a battery monitor configured to acquire battery status information from the battery;

a user input device configured to receive a user selection indicating imminent usage for said portable electronic device;

a device usage manager configured to provide device usage information, the device usage information being based on the imminent usage for said portable electronic device as indicated by the user selection; and

a power manager operatively connected to the battery monitor and the device usage manager, the power manager manages power utilization by the electronic device based on the device usage information and the battery status information, and the power manager further causes a notification to be displayed on the display, the notification pertaining to at least inadequate capacity of the battery and providing a recommended charging duration.

37. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein the power manager operates to:

estimate a future power requirement for the electronic device;

obtain a battery characteristic associated with the battery;

determine, based on the battery characteristic, whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the estimated future power requirement for the electronic device; and

reduce power consumption of the electronic device when the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the future power requirement.

38. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 37, wherein the future power requirement is a power estimate for the electronic device to complete a predicted, imminent, scheduled and/or current usage of the electronic device.

39. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 37, wherein the notification comprises a warning that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the estimated future power requirement.

40. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 36, wherein the portable electronic device supports a plurality of functions selected from the group of:

media playback, voice communications, data transfer, or workout data capture.