MULTIRADIO POWER AWARE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

• US 20080253351A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Pernu, Ville, Palin, Arto, Okker, Jani, Ylanen, Jussi
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modules integrated within the same wireless communication device. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, time may be allocated for use in communicating over one or more wireless communication mediums. This time may be allocated based on a determination that a maximum power usage threshold will not be exceeded, and that potential communication conflicts may be avoided, over a period of time. The allocation may result in an operational schedule that may be utilized by radio modules in the wireless communication device that support the one or more wireless communication mediums.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving information regarding communication activity for at least one wireless communication medium supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

receiving information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device;

determining if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold;

determining if any potential communication conflicts exist regarding the communication activity;

formulating an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination; and

transmitting the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding communication activity includes information related to messages pending for transmission via the at least one wireless communication medium, the information related to messages pending for transmission further including at least one of the amount of messages pending, the size of each message pending or the urgency of each message pending.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding power requirements is categorized by activities in the wireless communication device that are planning to use power during a specific period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the activity categories include the at least one of wireless communication mediums or radio modules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold includes totaling all of the power requirements of activities in the wireless communication device planned for a specific period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the total power requirements for the specific period of time are compared to an allowed power usage for the same period of time in order to determine if the allowed power usage will be exceeded.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein formulating an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination includes allocating at least one timeslot during which the at least one wireless communication medium is permitted to communicate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium if the power usage threshold will not be exceeded during the timeslot.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium if no potential communication conflicts exist during the timeslot.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium based on a priority level of the at least one wireless communication medium.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to one or more wireless communication mediums in a conditional usage configuration so that the power usage threshold will not be exceeded.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditional usage configuration controls when the one or more wireless communication mediums may utilize the timeslot in view of other activities.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, comprising:

a computer readable program code configured to receive information regarding communication activity for at least one wireless communication medium supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

a computer readable program code configured to receive information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device;

a computer readable program code configured to determine if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold;

a computer readable program code configured to determine if any potential communication conflicts exist regarding the communication activity;

a computer readable program code configured to formulate an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination; and

a computer readable program code configured to transmit the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the information regarding communication activity includes information related to messages pending for transmission via the at least one wireless communication medium, the information related to messages pending for transmission further including at least one of the amount of messages pending, the size of each message pending or the urgency of each message pending.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the information regarding power requirements is categorized by activities in the wireless communication device that are planning to use power during a specific period of time.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the activity categories include the at least one of wireless communication mediums or radio modules.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein determining if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold includes totaling all of the power requirements of activities in the wireless communication device planned for a specific period of time.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the total power requirements for the specific period of time are compared to an allowed power usage for the same period of time in order to determine if the allowed power usage will be exceeded.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein formulating an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination includes allocating at least one timeslot during which the at least one wireless communication medium is permitted to communicate.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium if the power usage threshold will not be exceeded during the timeslot.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium if no potential communication conflicts exist during the timeslot.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to the at least one wireless communication medium based on a priority level of the at least one wireless communication medium.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the at least one timeslot is assigned to one or more wireless communication mediums in a conditional usage configuration so that the power usage threshold will not be exceeded.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the conditional usage configuration controls when the one or more wireless communication mediums may utilize the timeslot in view of other activities.

34. The device of claim 23, wherein the power controller further comprises a energy management hardware component and an energy management software server.

25. A device comprising:

one or more radio modules; and

at least one multiradio controller coupled to the one or more radio modules;

wherein the device is configured to;

receive information regarding communication activity for at least one wireless communication medium supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

receive information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device;

determine if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold;

determine if any potential communication conflicts exist regarding the communication activity;

formulate an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination; and

transmit the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the device further includes a power controller.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the power controller is integrated with the multiradio controller.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the power controller further comprises a energy management hardware component and an energy management software server.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the power controller receives information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device and determines if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold during a specific time period.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the various components in the device are coupled via a communication interface dedicated to conveying delay-sensitive information.

31. A device, comprising:

means for receiving information regarding communication activity for at least one wireless communication medium supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

means for receiving information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device;

means for determining if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold;

means for determining if any potential communication conflicts exist regarding the communication activity;

means for formulating an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination; and

means for transmitting the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the device further includes a power controller.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the power controller is integrated with the multiradio controller.

35. A system, comprising:

a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device further comprising at least a multiradio controller coupled to at least one radio module and a power controller;

the multiradio controller receiving information regarding communication activity for at least one wireless communication medium supported by the at least one radio module;

the power controller receiving information regarding power requirements in the wireless communication device and determining if the power requirements will exceed a power usage threshold;

the multiradio controller further determining if any potential communication conflicts exist regarding the communication activity;

at least one of the multiradio controller or the power controller formulating an operational schedule for the at least one wireless communication medium based on both the power usage and communication conflict determination; and

the multiradio controller further transmitting the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

36. A multiradio controller, comprising:

at least one interface coupled to one or more radio modules integrated within a wireless communication device; and

at least one interface coupled to a power management component integrated within the wireless communication device;

the multiradio controller being configured to receive radio module status information via the at least one interface to the one or more radio modules, and wireless communication device power information via the at least one interface to the power management component;

formulate operational schedule information for the one or more radio modules based on the received status information and received power information; and

transmit the formulated operational schedule information to the one or more radio modules via the at least one interface.