METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING POWER CONSERVATION VIA TIME-GATING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100093288A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Holenstein, Christan, Burke, Joseph Patrick, Pan, Chengzhi
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The described apparatus and methods may include a receiver configured to receive a control signal, and a controller configured to regulate power consumption of the receiver during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signals. The controller may also be configured to regulate power consumption of a transmitter during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a control signal; and

a controller configured to regulate power consumption of the receiver during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one sub-frame.

3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one symbol.

4. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 3, wherein the symbol has a duration of approximately 71.4 us.

5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 5, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

7. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the receiver is powered off during the intervals.

8. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the receiver is powered on in between the intervals.

9. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 8, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than one sub-frame.

10. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 9, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than 1 ms.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a control signal; and

regulating power consumption of a receiver during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one sub-frame.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one symbol.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the symbol has a duration of approximately 71.4 us.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiver is powered off during the intervals.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiver is powered on in between the intervals.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than one sub-frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than 1 ms.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a control signal; and

means for regulating power consumption of the means for receiving during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one sub-frame.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one symbol.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the symbol has a duration of approximately 71.4 us.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving is powered off during the intervals.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for receiving is powered on in between the intervals.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the means for receiving is powered on for a period of time less than one sub-frame.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the means for receiving is powered on for a period of time less than 1 ms.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for receiving a control signal; and

code for regulating power consumption of a receiver during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one sub-frame.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein at least one of the intervals has a duration of less than one symbol.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the symbol has a duration of approximately 71.4 us.

35. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising code for generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the receiver is powered off during the intervals.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the receiver is powered on in between the intervals.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than one sub-frame.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the receiver is powered on for a period of time less than 1 ms.

41. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a control signal; and

a controller configured to regulate power consumption of a transmitter during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

42. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 41, wherein at least one of the intervals is the duration of a subframe.

43. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 42, wherein the subframe is less than one radio frame in duration.

44. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 43, wherein the subframe has a duration of approximately 1 ms.

45. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 41, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

46. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 45, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

47. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 46, wherein the transmitter is powered on during the intervals.

48. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 47, wherein the transmitter is powered off in between the intervals.

49. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 48, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the transmitter is powered off for a period of time less than one radio frame.

50. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 49, wherein, during at least one of the intervals, the transmitter is powered on for a period of time less than one radio frame.

51. A method, comprising:

receiving a control signal; and

regulating power consumption of a transmitter during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one of the intervals is the duration of a subframe.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the subframe is less than one radio frame in duration.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the subframe has a duration of approximately 1 ms.

55. The method of claim 51, further comprising generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the transmitter is powered on during the intervals.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the transmitter is powered off in between the intervals.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the transmitter is powered off for a period of time less than one radio frame.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein, during at least one of the intervals, the transmitter is powered on for a period of time less than one radio frame.

61. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a control signal; and

means for regulating power consumption of a transmitter during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein at least one of the intervals is the duration of a subframe.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the subframe is less than one radio frame in duration.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the subframe has a duration of approximately 1 mss.

65. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising means for generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the transmitter is powered on during the intervals.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the transmitter is powered off in between the intervals.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the transmitter is powered off for a period of time less than one radio frame.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein, during at least one of the intervals, the transmitter is powered on for a period of time less than one radio frame.

71. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for receiving a control signal; and

code for regulating power consumption of a transmitter during intervals of less than one radio frame based on the control signal.

72. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein at least one of the intervals is the duration of a subframe.

73. The computer program product of claim 72, wherein the subframe is less than one radio frame in duration.

74. The computer program product of claim 73, wherein the subframe has a duration of approximately 1 mss.

75. The computer program product of claim 71, further comprising code for generating a pattern that indicates a temporal location of the intervals.

76. The computer program product of claim 75, wherein the temporal location of the intervals depends on the control signal.

77. The computer program product of claim 76, wherein the transmitter is powered on during the intervals.

78. The computer program product of claim 77, wherein the transmitter is powered off in between the intervals.

79. The computer program product of claim 78, wherein, in between at least two of the intervals, the transmitter is powered off for a period of time less than one radio frame.

80. The computer program product of claim 79, wherein, during at least one of the intervals, the transmitter is powered on for a period of time less than one radio frame.