APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN OPERATION OF AN APPARATUS

• US 20090080503A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: WENZEL, Dietmar, Meixner, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/861,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080503A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to various embodiments of an apparatus, particular to an apparatus comprising a radio signal transmitter and/or receiver circuitry and to a method for controlling an operation of an apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an interface for receiving useful data;

an RF signal processing unit for RF signal processing at least a derivate of the useful data;

a contact for receiving a supply voltage;

a voltage detector connected to the contact; and

a control unit connected to the voltage detector and connected to the RF signal processing unit;

whereby the control unit suspends an RF signal processing of the RF signal processing unit in dependence of a voltage detection signal produced by the voltage detector.

2. An apparatus of claim 1, whereby the interface comprises a terminal to provide a first signal indicating a suppression state of the signal processing.

3. An apparatus of claim 1, comprising a memory connected to the control unit.

4. An apparatus of claim 1, comprising a digital interface.

5. An apparatus of claim 4, the digital interface being arranged to receive and/or transmit a digital word indicating a suppression state of the signal processing.

6. An apparatus of claim 1, the control unit comprising a comparator that compares the voltage detection signal to a threshold value.

7. A transmitter comprising:

a power supply terminal;

a power control unit connected to the power supply terminal;

an RF signal processing unit for generating a transmission signal connected to the power control unit;

the power control unit and the RF signal processing unit being structured in one integrated apparatus; and

the power control unit being disposed to activate or deactivate the RF signal processing unit.

8. A transmitter according to claim 7, comprising:

a demodulation unit for demodulating a reception signal.

9. A transmitter according to claim 7, comprising:

a digital interface connectable to a baseband unit.

10. A transmitter according to claim 9, wherein the digital interface is arranged for a telegram communication.

11. A transmitter according to claim 7, comprising:

an analogue interface connectable to a baseband unit.

12. A method for controlling an operation of an apparatus having a contact for receiving a supply voltage and an RF signal processing unit for RF signal processing at least a derivate of the useful data, comprising:

receiving the supply voltage at the contact;

detecting a supply voltage value;

comparing the supply voltage value to a threshold value to produce a voltage detection signal; and

suspending an RF signal processing of the RF signal processing unit in dependence of the voltage detection signal.

13. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

setting the threshold value.

14. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

retrieving the threshold value from a plurality of distinct threshold values.

15. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

generating a control information if suspending the signal processing of the RF signal processing unit; and

providing the control information at an output of the device.

16. A method according to claim 15, comprising:

providing the control information as digital telegram.

17. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

suspending the signal processing of the RF signal processing unit during a defined time interval.

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising:

resuming the signal processing of the RF signal processing unit after the defined time interval.

19. A method according to claim 12, comprising:

resuming the signal processing of the RF signal processing unit if a target transmit power is lower than a transmit power threshold value.