Portable Communication Device with Multi-Tiered Power Save Operation

• US 20120329533A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-ying, Vorenkamp, Pieter, Kim, Neil Y., Ranganathan, Sumant
• Application Number:
  US13/606,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329533A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• 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 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• 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

A system for operating a portable communication device includes a module to operate the portable communication device in a first mode. The system may provide telephony service to a user at a first performance level. The system may determine to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode. The system may operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode and provide telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

Claims

1. A method for operating a portable communication device, comprising:

operating the portable communication device in a first mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;

determining to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode; and

operating the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode includes full telephony functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode includes placing no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state, and the power-save mode includes placing at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode based on a determined operating profile specified by a user comprising respective events or conditions associated with the power-save mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on monitored usage of the portable communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on a determined amount of electrical power available to the portable communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on day or time-of-day information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on a comparison between current performance level of the portable communication device and current performance needs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining operating characteristics of the power-save mode based on a monitored performance level of the portable communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on type-of-day information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on determined current communication effectiveness.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on current signal noise level.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephony service comprises cellular telephony service.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing telephony service to the user at the second performance level comprises providing a user-perceived communication quality different from the first performance level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user-perceived communication quality comprises sound quality.

16. A system for operating a portable communication device, comprising:

a module to operate the portable communication device in a first mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;

the module to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode; and

if the module determines to operate the portable communication device in the second mode, then operate the portable communication device in the second mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the module comprises a power-save management module.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the module determine operating characteristics of the power-save mode based on monitored performance level of the portable communication device.

19. A system for operating a portable communication device, comprising:

a module to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode, the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a determined performance level different than a normal performance level; and

the module to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at the determined performance level.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the normal performance level operates at a first voltage level and the determined performance level operates at a second voltage level different from the first voltage level.