BATTERY POWER MANAGEMENT FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120047379A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Liren, Taylor, Kirk S., Steenstra, Jack B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Techniques for managing battery power of a mobile device are described. In an aspect, battery power may be reserved for an application prior to execution of the application on the mobile device. The reservation may ensure that the application has sufficient battery power for execution. In another aspect, battery power may be allocated to applications based on their priorities. The applications may be ordered based on their priorities, and the available battery power for the mobile device may be allocated to one application at a time, starting with the highest priority application. In yet another aspect, battery power may be allocated to applications based on a battery discharge curve for the mobile device. An operating point on the battery discharge curve may be selected based on at least one objective. The available battery power may be determined based on the selected operating point and allocated to the applications.

Claims

1. A method of managing battery power, comprising:

receiving an indication of an application becoming active on a mobile device; and

reserving battery power for the application prior to executing the application on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reserving battery power for the application comprises

determining available battery power for the mobile device,

determining required battery power for the application,

allocating the required battery power to the application if the required battery power does not exceed the available battery power, and

updating the available battery power for the mobile device to account for allocation of the required battery power to the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein battery power is quantified based on current, and wherein required current for the application is allocated to the application if the required current does not exceed available current for the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein battery power is quantified based on battery capacity, and wherein required battery capacity for the application is allocated to the application if the required battery capacity does not exceed available battery capacity for the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining required battery power for the application comprises

identifying at least one subsystem of the mobile device used by the application,

estimating battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application, and

determining the required battery power for the application based on the estimated battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the estimating battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application comprises

identifying a subsystem used by the application and at least one active application, the subsystem being one of the at least one subsystem supporting the application,

estimating battery power consumed by the subsystem to support the at least one active application,

estimating total battery power consumed by the subsystem to support the application and the at least one active application, and

estimating battery power consumed by the subsystem to support the application based on a difference between the total battery power consumed by the subsystem to support the application and the at least one active application and the battery power consumed by the subsystem to support the at least one active application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reserving battery power for the application comprises

reserving battery power for the application if required battery power for the application does not exceed available battery power for the mobile device, and

performing at least one mitigation action if the required battery power for the application exceeds the available battery power for the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the performing at least one mitigation action comprises adjusting data rate, or lowering video quality, or reducing screen brightness, or disabling one or more subsystems of the mobile device, or disabling one or more applications running on the mobile device, or a combination thereof to increase the available battery power for the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the performing at least one mitigation action comprises

providing a list of possible mitigation actions to reduce power consumption by the application or the mobile device,

receiving a selection of a mitigation action from the list of possible mitigation actions, and

performing the mitigation action to reduce power consumption by the application or the mobile device.

10. An apparatus for managing battery power, comprising:

means for receiving an indication of an application becoming active on a mobile device; and

means for reserving battery power for the application prior to executing the application on the mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for reserving battery power for the application comprises

means for determining available battery power for the mobile device,

means for determining required battery power for the application,

means for allocating the required battery power to the application if the required battery power does not exceed the available battery power, and

means for updating the available battery power for the mobile device to account for allocation of the required battery power to the application.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for determining required battery power for the application comprises

means for identifying at least one subsystem of the mobile device used by the application,

means for estimating battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application, and

means for determining the required battery power for the application based on the estimated battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for reserving battery power for the application comprises

means for reserving battery power for the application if required battery power for the application does not exceed available battery power for the mobile device, and

means for performing at least one mitigation action if the required battery power for the application exceeds the available battery power for the mobile device.

14. An apparatus for managing battery power, comprising:

at least one processor configured to receive an indication of an application becoming active on a mobile device, and to reserve battery power for the application prior to executing the application on the mobile device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine available battery power for the mobile device, to determine required battery power for the application, to allocate the required battery power to the application if the required battery power does not exceed the available battery power, and to update the available battery power for the mobile device to account for allocation of the required battery power to the application.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify at least one subsystem of the mobile device used by the application, to estimate battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application, and to determine the required battery power for the application based on the estimated battery power consumed by the at least one subsystem to support the application.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to reserve battery power for the application if required battery power for the application does not exceed available battery power for the mobile device, and to perform at least one mitigation action if the required battery power for the application exceeds the available battery power for the mobile device.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to determine available battery power for the mobile device,

code for causing the at least one computer to determine required battery power for the application,

code for causing the at least one computer to allocate the required battery power to the application if the required battery power does not exceed the available battery power, and

code for causing the at least one computer to update the available battery power for the mobile device to account for allocation of the required battery power to the application.

19. A method of managing battery power, comprising:

identifying a plurality of applications active on a mobile device;

determining priorities of the plurality of applications; and

allocating battery power to the plurality of applications based on the priorities of the plurality of applications.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining the priorities of the plurality of applications comprises determining a priority of each application based on user input, or user preferences, or priority information associated with the application, or a marking used to differentiate the application from other applications, or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the allocating battery power to the plurality of applications comprises

determining available battery power for the mobile device,

ordering the plurality of applications based on the priorities of the plurality of applications, and

allocating the available battery power to one application at a time, starting with a highest priority application among the plurality of applications.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

updating the priorities of the plurality of applications; and

periodically repeating the allocating battery power to the plurality of applications based on the updated priorities of the plurality of applications.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the updating the priorities of the plurality of applications comprises updating a priority of each application based on performance of the application.

24. An apparatus for managing battery power, comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of applications active on a mobile device;

means for determining priorities of the plurality of applications; and

means for allocating battery power to the plurality of applications based on the priorities of the plurality of applications.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for allocating battery power to the plurality of applications comprises

means for determining available battery power for the mobile device,

means for ordering the plurality of applications based on the priorities of the plurality of applications, and

means for allocating the available battery power to one application at a time, starting with a highest priority application among the plurality of applications.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

means for updating the priorities of the plurality of applications; and

means for periodically repeating the allocating battery power to the plurality of applications based on the updated priorities of the plurality of applications.

27. A method of managing battery power, comprising:

identifying at least one application active on a mobile device;

determining a battery discharge curve applicable for the mobile device; and

allocating battery power to the at least one application based on the battery discharge curve.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining battery requirements of the at least one application, and wherein battery power is allocated to the at least one application based further on the battery requirements of the at least one application.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the allocating battery power to the at least one application comprises

selecting an operating point on the battery discharge curve,

determining available battery power for the mobile device based on the selected operating point, and

allocating the available battery power to the at least one application.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining at least one objective related to battery power for the mobile device, and wherein battery power is allocated to the at least one application based further on the at least one objective.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the allocating battery power to the at least one application comprises

determining available battery power for the mobile device based on the battery discharge curve and the at least one objective, and

allocating the available battery power to the at least one application.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one objective comprises longest discharging time, or longest standby time, or largest overall battery capacity, or best performance for one or more designated applications, or fair service for the at least one application, or a combination thereof.

33. An apparatus for managing battery power, comprising:

means for identifying at least one application active on a mobile device;

means for determining a battery discharge curve applicable for the mobile device; and

means for allocating battery power to the at least one application based on the battery discharge curve.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for determining battery requirements of the at least one application, and wherein battery power is allocated to the at least one application based further on the battery requirements of the at least one application.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for allocating battery power to the at least one application comprises

means for selecting an operating point on the battery discharge curve,

means for determining available battery power for the mobile device based on the selected operating point, and

means for allocating the available battery power to the at least one application.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for determining at least one objective related to battery power for the mobile device, and wherein battery power is allocated to the at least one application based further on the at least one objective.