POWER MANAGEMENT OF SENSORS WITHIN A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20100302028A1
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yuen, Ricky W., Desai, Ashish Nagesh, Sheynblat, Leonid
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• 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

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device. A method may include receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor, determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration, controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor, determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor, and controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. An apparatus may include a processor, a power supply coupled to the processor, a sensor coupled to the power supply, and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to execute the aforementioned method.

Claims

1. A method for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

ascertaining that registration has been performed;

determining whether the sensor is powered off; and

determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

ascertaining that deregistration has been performed;

updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

updating the sensor operating mode; and

turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

starting a sensor power off timer;

determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a start data request;

determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

updating a sensor operating mode; and

updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

updating a sensor operating module;

starting a sensor “

power off”

timer; and

turning the senor power off when the sensor “

power off”

timer expires.

9. An apparatus for managing power consumption of at least one sensor within a mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a power supply coupled to the processor;

at least one sensor coupled to the power supply; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to

receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor,

determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration,

control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor,

determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor, and

control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request;

and

update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that registration has been performed;

determine whether the sensor is powered off; and

determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that deregistration has been performed;

update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

update the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

update the sensor operating mode; and

turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

start a sensor power off timer;

determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a start data request;

determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

update a sensor operating mode; and

update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

and

determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

update a sensor operating module;

start a sensor “

power off”

timer; and

turn the senor power off when the sensor “

power off”

timer expires.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to manage power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

instructions to receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

instructions to determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

instructions to control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

instructions to determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

instructions to control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions to determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

instructions to update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that registration has been performed;

instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off; and

instructions to determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that deregistration has been performed;

instructions to update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

instructions to update the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

instructions to update the sensor operating mode; and

instructions to turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

instructions to start a sensor power off timer;

instructions to determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

instructions to power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a start data request;

instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

instructions to determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

instructions to update a sensor operating mode; and

instructions to update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

instructions to determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and update the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

instructions to determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

instructions to update a sensor operating module;

instructions to start a sensor “

power off”

timer; and

instructions to turn the senor power off when the sensor “

power off”

timer expires.

25. An apparatus for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

means for determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

means for controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

means for determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

means for controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

means for updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for ascertaining that registration has been performed;

means for determining whether the sensor is powered off; and

means for determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for ascertaining that deregistration has been performed;

means for updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

means for updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

means for updating the sensor operating mode; and

means for turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

starting a sensor power off timer;

determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a start data request;

means for determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

means for determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

means for updating a sensor operating mode; and

means for updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

means for determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

means for determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

means for updating a sensor operating module;

means for starting a sensor “

power off”

timer; and

means for turning the senor power off when the sensor “

power off”

timer expires.