METHODS AND APPARATUS TO REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION IN A WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20080220828A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Jensen, Mathias Stein Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to reduce power consumption in a wireless device are disclosed. An example method includes sensing movement of the wireless device via a sensor unit; conveying data of a first size at a first frequency from the sensor unit to a first microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller comprises data buffers of a second size; wirelessly transmitting data of the second size to a second microcontroller at a second frequency, wherein the second microcontroller comprises data buffers of the second size; and conveying data of the first size at a third frequency from the second microcontroller to an electronic device to communicate with the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method to reduce power consumption in a wireless device, comprising:

sensing movement of the wireless device via a sensor unit;

conveying data of a first size at a first frequency from the sensor unit to a first microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller comprises data buffers of a second size;

wirelessly transmitting data of the second size from the first microcontroller to a second microcontroller at a second frequency, wherein the second microcontroller comprises data buffers of the second size; and

conveying data of the first size at a third frequency from the second microcontroller to an electronic device to communicate with the wireless device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second size is greater than the first size.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second frequency is less than the first and third frequencies.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first frequency varies over time.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the first frequency is greater than or equal to the second frequency.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting data of the second size to the second microcontroller at the second frequency comprises activating a wireless transceiver of the wireless device.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising interpolating data before conveying data from the second microcontroller to the electronic device.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first size is 8 bits and the second size is 12 bits.

9. An apparatus to reduce power consumption in a wireless device, comprising:

a sensor unit to detect movement of the wireless device, wherein the sensor unit conveys data of a first size at a first frequency to a first microcontroller having data buffers of a second size;

a second microcontroller having data buffers of the second size, wherein the first microcontroller wirelessly transmits data of the second seize at a second frequency to the second microcontroller; and

an electronic device to communicate with the wireless device, wherein the second microcontroller conveys data of the first size at a third frequency to the electronic device.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the wireless device further comprises a light source and wherein the sensor unit comprises an array of photodetectors to detect light emitted by the light source.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising a first wireless transceiver coupled to the first microcontroller and a second wireless transceiver coupled to the second microcontroller.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the second size is greater than the first size.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the second frequency is less than the first and third frequencies.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the first frequency varies over time.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the first frequency is greater than or equal to the second frequency.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the electronic device is at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a personal digital assistant.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the wireless device comprises a mouse powered by one or more batteries.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the second microcontroller is contained in a receiving unit coupled to the electronic device via a Universal Serial Bus device.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the light source comprises at least one of a laser or a light emitting diode.

20. A wireless device, comprising:

a light source to emit light onto a surface and a sensor unit to detect movement of the wireless device by sensing a reflection of the light off of the surface;

a microcontroller coupled to the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit serially transmits movement data of a first size at a first frequency to the microcontroller;

a transceiver coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the transceiver wirelessly transmits movement data of a second size at a second frequency from the microcontroller to a receiving unit, wherein the receiving unit is coupled to an electronic device, and wherein the receiving unit serially transmits movement data of the first size at a third frequency to the electronic device.

21. A wireless device as defined in claim 20, wherein the second size is greater than the first size, and wherein the first and third frequencies are greater than the second frequency.

22. A wireless device as defined in claim 20, wherein the receiving unit comprises a dongle coupled to the electronic device via a Universal Serial Bus interface.

23. A wireless device as defined in claim 20, wherein the transceiver comprises at least one of a radio frequency transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, an optical transceiver, or an acoustic transceiver.