METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT TO MANAGE BATTERY NEEDS IN A PORTABLE DEVICE

• US 20090187780A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann M, McBrearty, Gerald F., Mullen, Shawn P., Shieh, Johnny M., Murillo, Jessica C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A battery conservation component synchronizes with a user'"'"'s schedule or calendar. The battery conservation component may disable functions or features to ensure that the device has sufficient battery life for selected calendar events. The battery conservation component may warn the user if a battery charge is necessary to make selected calendar events. The battery conservation component may be applied to a wide variety of portable devices with time-sensitive events. For example, the battery conservation component may be applied to a device with vehicle navigation and estimate time-sensitive events based on waypoints in the vehicle'"'"'s route. The battery conservation component may synchronize with a user'"'"'s travel itinerary. Alternatively, the battery conservation component may suggest alternative functions or features based on a time-sensitive event, such as suggesting a shorter movie on a flight or road trip.

Claims

1. A method for managing battery needs in a portable device, the method comprising:

receiving one or more schedule events;

identifying remaining life of a battery of a portable device; and

determining whether the battery will last through the one or more schedule events based on the remaining life of the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, disabling one or more features or functions of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, limiting access to one or more functions or features of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more schedule events comprises:

loading a schedule comprising a plurality of schedule events; and

selecting the one or more schedule events from the plurality of schedule events based on at least one of a predetermined time period, one or more policies, one or more schedule events being marked as battery draining, one or more schedule events being marked as critical, or one or more schedule events being marked as requiring the portable device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more schedule events comprises:

deriving the one or more schedule events from at least one of a navigation route or a travel itinerary.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the battery will last through the one or more schedule events comprises examining historical data to determine an amount of power used during particular events or by particular hardware features.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying remaining life of a battery of a portable device comprises using historical data to adjust for inconsistencies in battery level detection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a user starting a function or feature on the portable device, estimating an allowed time limit for the function or feature based on the one or more schedule events and the remaining battery life; and

notifying the user of the allowed time limit.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

stopping the function or feature after expiration of the allowed time limit.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to occurrence of a given event within the one or more schedule events, updating the one or more schedule events;

identifying remaining life of a battery of the portable device; and

determining whether the battery will last through the updated one or more schedule events based on the remaining life of the battery.

11. A portable device, comprising:

one or more hardware features;

a battery level detection circuit; and

battery conservation logic, wherein the battery conservation logic receives one or more schedule events;

wherein the battery level detection circuit identifies remaining life of a battery of the portable device; and

wherein the battery conservation logic determines whether the battery will last through the one or more schedule events based on the remaining life of the battery.

12. The portable device of claim 11, wherein responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, the battery conservation logic disables one or more features or functions of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

13. The portable device of claim 11, wherein responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, the battery conservation logic limits access to one or more functions or features of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

14. The portable device of claim 11, wherein receiving one or more schedule events comprises:

loading a schedule comprising a plurality of schedule events; and

selecting the one or more schedule events from the plurality of schedule events based on at least one of a predetermined time period, one or more policies, one or more schedule events being marked as battery draining, one or more schedule events being marked as critical, or one or more schedule events being marked as requiring the portable device.

15. The portable device of claim 11, wherein the portable device is one of personal digital assistant, laptop computer, smart phone, cell phone, handheld computer device, portable digital video disc player, or portable digital media player.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive one or more schedule events;

identify remaining life of a battery of a portable device; and

determine whether the battery will last through the one or more schedule events based on the remaining life of the battery.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, disable one or more features or functions of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to a determination that the battery will last through the one or more schedule events, limit access to one or more functions or features of the portable device based on the remaining life of the battery.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program comprises instructions that are stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the instructions were downloaded over a network from a remote data processing system.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program comprises instructions that are stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the instructions are downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium with the remote data processing system.