Device, system, and method of power saving using location sensing modules

• US 20090163226A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Karkaria, Burges, Zimmer, Vincent J., Baca, Jim S.
• Application Number:
  US12/004,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20090163226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• 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

A method, apparatus and system for, in a computing apparatus, periodically activating a location operating system detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus, selecting a computing environment from a predetermined set of computing environments based on the change in the location of the apparatus, where the selected computing environment may be the most appropriate computing environment for the changed location, and altering the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus, specified by the selected computing environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a computing apparatus, periodically activating a location operating system detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus;

selecting a computing environment from a predetermined set of computing environments based on the change in the location of the apparatus, where the selected computing environment is the most appropriate computing environment for the changed location; and

altering the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus, specified by the selected computing environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus is based on signals transmitted in a surrounding area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus includes increasing the power applied to a processor for activating an application specified by the selected computing environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the location operating system comprises increasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from a power save mode to an active mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically deactivating the location operating system by decreasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from an active mode to a power save mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computing environments in the predetermined set of computing environments may be generated based on user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals comprise image data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein periodically activating comprises activating when a timer indicates a predetermined time interval has elapsed.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a controller to periodically activate a location operating system detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus;

a policy engine to select a computing environment from a predetermined set of computing environments based on the change in the location of the apparatus, where the selected computing environment is the most appropriate computing environment for the changed location; and

a power control unit to alter the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus, specified by the selected computing environment.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus is based on signals transmitted in a surrounding area.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein altering the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus includes increasing the power applied to the processor for activating an application specified by the selected computing environment

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein activating the location operating system comprises increasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from a power save mode to an active mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller periodically deactivates the location operating system by decreasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from an active mode to a power save mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein one or more computing environments in the predetermined set of computing environments may be generated based on user input.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a timer for indicating when a predetermined time interval for periodically activating the location operating system has elapsed.

16. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that when executed by a processor in a computing apparatus cause the processor to:

periodically activate a location operating system detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus;

select a computing environment from a predetermined set of computing environments based on the change in the location of the apparatus, where the selected computing environment is the most appropriate computing environment for the changed location; and

alter the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus, specified by the selected computing environment.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein detecting a substantial change in the location of the apparatus is based on signals transmitted in a surrounding area.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein altering the power mode of one or more components of the apparatus includes increasing the power applied to a processor for activating an application specified by the selected computing environment.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein activating the location operating system comprises increasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from a power save mode to an active mode.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to periodically deactivate the location operating system by decreasing the power applied to a sensor for changing the state of the sensor from an active mode to a power save mode.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein one or more computing environments in the predetermined set of computing environments may be generated based on user input.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the signals comprise image data.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein periodically activating comprises activating when a timer indicates a predetermined time interval has elapsed.