Systems and Techniques for Reducing Power Consumption in a Mobile Computing Device

• US 20080300027A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Boireau, Olivier, Kopelman, Avi, Dou, Weiping, Bowen, James Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 2201/206 being in radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3047 for intermittent signals, e.g. burst signals

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to systems and techniques for reducing power consumption in a mobile computing device. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a user environment based on detected antenna impedance or detected current. After the user environment is determined, the mobile computing device may confirm that total radiation power (TRP) for the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds the minimum TRP threshold required by the network carrier to receive acceptable quality of service (QoS). Based on the excess TRP for the particular user environment, the mobile computing device may determine a reduced conducted power level to be input to an antenna system. Accordingly, significant power savings may be achieved. To save additional power, the mobile computing device may automatically adjust and/or improve antenna impedance matching based on user environment allowing a further reduction in conducted power. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a battery to supply power to the mobile computing device;

at least one antenna; and

a power control module to determine a user environment of the mobile computing device, confirm that total radiation power (TRP) of the at least one antenna at an initial conducted power level exceeds a minimum threshold TRP, and determine a reduced conducted power level to input to the at least one antenna.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising impedance sense circuitry to detect antenna impedance, the power control module to determine user environment based on detected antenna impedance.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein detected antenna impedance is higher in a free space user environment than in a talk position user environment.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising current sense circuitry to detect current supplied by the battery, the power control module to determine user environment based on detected current

5. The mobile computing device of claim 4, wherein detected current is higher in a talk position user environment than in a free space user environment.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the reduced conducted power level input to the at least one antenna results in a reduced TRP that at least meets the minimum threshold TRP.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the reduced TRP exceed the minimum threshold TRP.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein user environment is based on proximity of the mobile computing device to a user.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein user environment is based on distance between the mobile computing device and a head of the user.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 1, the reduced power level based on excess TRP.

11. The mobile computing device of claim 1, the power control module to select from among a plurality of reduced power levels.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a matching switch system to improve antenna impedance matching.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 12, the matching switch system comprising a switch controller and a plurality of matching circuitries.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 12, further comprising impedance sense circuitry to detect antenna impedance, the power control module to determine user environment based on detected antenna impedance.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 12, further comprising current sense circuitry to detect current supplied by the battery, the power control module to determine user environment based on detected current.

16. A method comprising:

determining a user environment of a mobile computing device;

confirming that total radiation power (TRP) of at least one antenna of the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds a minimum threshold TRP; and

determining a reduced conducted power level to input to the at least one antenna.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting antenna impedance and determining user environment based on detected antenna impedance.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein detected antenna impedance is higher in a free space user environment than in a talk position user environment.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting current and determining user environment based on detected current

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detected current is higher in a talk position user environment than in a free space user environment.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the reduced conducted power level input to the at least one antenna resulting in a reduced TRP that at least meets the minimum threshold TRP.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the reduced TRP exceed the minimum threshold TRP.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining user environment based on proximity of the mobile computing device to a user.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining user environment based on distance between the mobile computing device and a head of the user.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising improving antenna impedance matching.

26. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to perform the method of claim 16.