USER-CONTROLLED APPLICATION-BASED POWER MANAGEMENT

• US 20100145643A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation, Domingo Enterprises, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Svendsen, Hugh, Amidon, Christopher M., Katpelly, Ravi Reddy
• Granted Patent: US 9,172,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A user-controlled application-based power management function is provided for a battery-operated device. In general, for each of a number of applications of the battery-operated device, a power management function enables a user of the battery-operated device to provide a usage parameter for the application defining a desired amount of usage of the application for each of one or more tasks. For each task, the power management function determines an estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task and determines whether the estimated amount of battery life is available. If the estimated amount of battery life is available, the power management function allocates an amount of battery life corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life to the application for the task.

Claims

1. A method of operating a battery-operated device, comprising:

for each task of one or more tasks for each application of a plurality of applications of the battery-operated device;

receiving, from a user of the battery-operated device, user input defining a usage parameter for the application for the task that corresponds to a desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determining an estimated amount of battery life of a battery of the battery-operated device that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determining whether the estimated amount of battery life is available; and

if the estimated amount of battery life is available, allocating an amount of battery life of the battery to the application for the task corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life; and

wherein the one or more tasks for each of the plurality of applications form a plurality of tasks, and the method further comprises enabling the user to prioritize the plurality of tasks.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the estimated amount of battery life is not available:

determining a maximum amount of usage of the application that is allowable for a currently remaining, non-allocated amount of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user of the maximum amount of usage.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application; and

notifying the user when the user has consumed the desired amount of usage of the application for the task.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application; and

notifying the user when the user has consumed the desired amount of usage of the application for the task and there is no remaining non-allocated battery life.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application; and

notifying the user when the user has consumed a threshold amount of the desired amount of usage of the application for the task.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the application is infringing on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for another application of the plurality of applications.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the application is about to infringe on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for another application of the plurality of applications.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the battery-operated device comprises a second application for which an amount of battery life has not been allocated, and the method further comprises:

monitoring usage of the second application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the second application is infringing on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for one of the plurality of applications.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the battery-operated device comprises a second application for which an amount of battery life has not been allocated, and the method further comprises:

monitoring usage of the second application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the second application is about to infringe on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for one of the plurality of applications.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the application is infringing on an amount of battery life allocated to a higher priority task.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

notifying the user when the usage of the application is about to infringe on an amount of battery life allocated to a higher priority task.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the user has consumed one of a group consisting of;

the desired amount of usage of the application for one of the one or more tasks and a total desired amount of usage of the application for the one or more tasks.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the user has consumed one of a group consisting of;

the desired amount of usage of the application for one of the one or more tasks and a total desired amount of usage of the application for the one or more tasks, and there is no remaining non-allocated battery life.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the usage of the application is infringing on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for another application of the plurality of applications.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the usage of the application is about to infringe on an amount of battery life allocated to a task for another application of the plurality of applications.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the usage of the application is infringing on an amount of battery life allocated to a higher priority task for another application of the plurality of applications.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and a corresponding usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

automatically terminating the usage of the application when the usage of the application is about to infringe on an amount of battery life allocated to a higher priority task for another application of the plurality of applications.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and battery life consumed during the usage of the application;

updating the estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for each of the one or more tasks for the application based on monitoring the usage of the application and the battery life consumed during the usage of the application; and

updating the amount of battery life allocated for each of the one or more tasks for the application to reflect the updating of the estimated amount of battery life.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising, for each application of the plurality of applications:

monitoring usage of the application and battery life consumed during the usage of the application;

updating the estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for each of the one or more tasks based on monitoring the usage of the application and the battery life consumed during the usage of the application to provide an updated estimated amount of battery life; and

optimizing the usage of the application if the updated estimated amount of battery life for at least one of the one or more tasks is greater than the amount of battery life allocated for the at least one of the one or more tasks for the application, such that battery life consumed for the desired amount of usage for the at least one of the one or more tasks for the application remains within the amount of battery life allocated for the at least one of the one or more tasks for the application.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the estimated amount of battery life is available comprises determining whether the estimated amount of battery life is less than or equal to a remaining, non-allocated amount of battery life of the battery.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a phone application, and the usage parameter is a desired amount of talk time.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a media player application, and the usage parameter is a desired amount of playback time.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a media player application, and the usage parameter is a desired number of media items to play.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a camera application, and the usage parameter is a desired number of pictures.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a camera application, and the usage parameter is a desired number of pictures at a defined quality level.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is a web application, and the usage parameter is a desired amount of connectivity.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of applications are all applications of the battery-operated device.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of applications are a subset of all applications of the battery-operated device.

3. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found. further comprising:

monitoring usage of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device; and

taking an action based on monitoring the usage of the battery life.

30. A computer readable medium storing software for instructing a control system of a battery-operated device to:

for each task of one or more tasks for each application of a plurality of applications of the battery-operated device;

receive, from a user of the battery-operated device, user input defining a usage parameter for the application for the task that corresponds to a desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determine an estimated amount of battery life of a battery of the battery-operated device that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determine whether the estimated amount of battery life is available; and

if the estimated amount of battery life is available, allocate an amount of battery life of the battery to the application for the task corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life; and

wherein the one or more tasks for each of the plurality of applications form a plurality of tasks, and the software is further adapted to instruct the control system of the battery-operated device to enable the user to prioritize the plurality of tasks.

31. A battery-operated device comprising:

a battery sensor adapted to determine a battery life of a battery of the battery-operated device; and

a control system associated with the battery sensor and adapted to;

for each task of one or more tasks for each application of a plurality of applications of the battery-operated device;

receive, from a user of the battery-operated device, user input defining a usage parameter for the application for the task that corresponds to a desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determine an estimated amount of battery life of the battery of the battery-operated device that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task;

determine whether the estimated amount of battery life is available; and

if the estimated amount of battery life is available, allocate an amount of battery life of the battery to the application for the task corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life; and

wherein the one or more tasks for each of the plurality of applications form a plurality of tasks, and the control system is further adapted to enable the user to prioritize the plurality of tasks.