ENERGY EFFICIENT ROAMING OF A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20130165111A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Willins, Bruce A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,179,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Energy efficient roaming of a mobile device is described. The mobile device can include a sensor for sensing a motion of the mobile device to generate a sensor signal. A radio is capable of communicating with a wireless network. A processor activates the radio in the mobile device. The processor generates an environmental profile of the mobile device based at least on the sensor signal. A memory is coupled to the processor for storing the environmental profile. The processor deactivates the radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for a first period of time. The processor reactivates the deactivated radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is below the predetermined threshold for a second period of time.

Claims

1. A method of roaming for a wireless network, the method comprising:

activating a radio in a mobile device, the radio capable of communicating with a wireless network;

sensing a motion of the mobile device to generate a sensor signal;

generating an environmental profile of the mobile device based at least on the sensor signal;

deactivating the radio when the environmental profile indicates that a rate of the motion of the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for a first period of time; and

reactivating the deactivated radio when the environmental profile indicates that a rate of the motion of the mobile device is below the predetermined threshold for a second period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rate of motion comprises a speed of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the environmental profile in a memory of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental profile further comprises at least one of:

a rate of change in orientation of the mobile device, an environmental temperature proximate to the mobile device, humidity proximate to the mobile device, altitude of the mobile device, a user interaction with the mobile device, a time of day, a location of the mobile device, a transmission status of a Bluetooth radio within the mobile device, and a battery charge status of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion is based on at least one of a velocity, acceleration, vibration, rotation, and tilt of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically reactivating the radio during the first period of time to attempt to communicate with a wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion is sensed using a motion sensor in the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating the radio when the environmental profile indicates that the mobile device is traveling in a vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising manually overriding the sensor signal to reactivate the radio when the radio is deactivated.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a sensor sensing a motion of the mobile device to generate a sensor signal;

a radio capable of communicating with a wireless network;

a processor activating the radio in the mobile device, the processor generating an environmental profile of the mobile device based at least on the sensor signal; and

a memory coupled to the processor for storing the environmental profile, the processor deactivating the radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for a first period of time and the processor reactivating the deactivated radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is below the predetermined threshold for a second period of time.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the rate of motion comprises a speed of the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the motion is based on at least one of a velocity, acceleration, vibration, rotation, and tilt of the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises at one of an accelerometer and a gyroscopic sensor.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the environmental profile further comprises at least one of:

a rate of change in orientation of the mobile device, an environmental temperature proximate to the mobile device, humidity proximate to the mobile device, altitude of the mobile device, a user interaction with the mobile device, a time of day, a location of the mobile device, a transmission status of a Bluetooth radio within the mobile device, and a battery charge status of the mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the processor periodically reactivates the radio during the first period of time to attempt to communicate with a wireless network.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the radio is deactivated when the environmental profile indicates that the mobile device is traveling in a vehicle.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising a user interface for communicating an instruction to the processor.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the instruction comprises manually overriding the sensor signal to reactivate the radio when the radio is deactivated.

23. A mobile device comprising:

means for activating a radio in a mobile device, the radio capable of communicating with a wireless network;

means for sensing a motion of the mobile device to generate a sensor signal;

means for generating an environmental profile of the mobile device based at least on the sensor signal;

means for deactivating the radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold for a first period of time; and

means for reactivating the deactivated radio when the environmental profile indicates that the rate of motion of the mobile device is below the predetermined threshold for a second period of time.