Mobile Terminal and Power-Saving Method and Device for Same

• US 20130238917A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: ST-Ericcson SA (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Zhong, Yong
• Granted Patent: US 9,285,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• 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 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a power-saving method for a mobile terminal, comprising the steps, after setting the mobile terminal to be in a data service power-saving state, monitoring, by the mobile terminal, a data service in accordance with a monitoring strategy for the data service power-saving state, and triggering a data service power-saving operation when a triggering condition set in the monitoring strategy is met. The present invention further provides a power-saving apparatus arranged within a mobile terminal, comprising a monitoring unit and an executing unit, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to monitor data services of the mobile terminal in accordance with a preset monitoring strategy, and send a power-saving command to the executing unit when a data service power-saving strategy is met. The present invention further provides a mobile terminal comprising the power-saving apparatus. As a result, the mobile can rapidly enter the data service power-saving mode according to the monitoring strategy, reduce unnecessary power consumption, and prolong the service time for the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A power-saving method for a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

monitoring, by the mobile terminal, data services in accordance with a monitoring strategy for a data service power-saving state;

triggering a data service power-saving operation when a triggering condition set in the monitoring strategy is met; and

performing, by the mobile terminal, the data service power-saving operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring, by the mobile terminal, data services in accordance with the monitoring strategy for the data service power-saving state comprises:

monitoring, by the mobile terminal, whether or not there exists an on-going data service;

if there exists the data service, starting a timer, and monitoring whether or not there exists data transmission for the data service;

if there exists data transmission for the data service, re-starting the timer and monitoring whether or not there exists the on-going data service, and if there exists no data transmission for the data service, monitoring whether or not there exists non-access stratum NAS signaling transmission;

if there exists no NAS signaling transmission, judging whether or not the timer is timed out, if not, continuing to monitor the data for the data service, and if yes, regarding that a triggering condition set in the monitoring strategy is met; and

If there exists NAS signaling, judging whether a duration away from the timeout of the timer is greater than a maximum timer duration T_NAS for an NAS layer, if the duration away from the timeout of the timer is greater than T_NAS, continuing to monitor the data for the data service, and if the duration away from the timeout of the timer is less than T_NAS, adjusting a duration of the timer so that it is timed out at least after T_NAS.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, after the timer is timed out, the duration of the timer is reset to an initial duration, and

the step of adjusting the duration of the timer comprises:

prolonging the duration of the timer by T_NAS;

or

prolonging the duration away from the timeout of the timer to T_NAS.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, prior to the step of judging whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is greater than T_NAS, the method further comprises:

if there exists NAS signaling, prior to judging whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is greater than T_NAS, judging whether the duration of the timer is less than T_NAS; and

if the duration of the timer is less than T_NAS, re-starting the timer and monitoring whether or not there exists the on-going data service, and if the duration of the timer is greater than or equal to T_NAS, judging whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is greater than T_NAS.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to monitoring, by the mobile terminal, the data services, a step of setting the mobile terminal to be in the data service power-saving state, wherein

the step of setting the mobile terminal to be in the data service power-saving state comprises:

setting the mobile terminal to be in the data service power-saving state by default;

or

setting, by a user, the mobile terminal via software commands, turning on a data service power-saving function, and entering the data service power-saving state.

6. A power-saving apparatus, arranged within a mobile terminal, the power-saving apparatus comprising a monitoring unit and an executing unit, wherein

the monitoring unit is configured to monitor data services of the mobile terminal in accordance with a preset monitoring strategy, and send a power-saving command to the executing unit when a data service power-saving strategy is met;

and

the executing unit is configured to, after receiving the power-saving command from the monitoring unit, execute a power-saving operation so as to turn on the mobile terminal to enter a data service power-saving mode.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring unit comprises a first monitoring module, a second monitoring module, a third monitoring module, a timer monitoring module, and a timer T connected to the first, second and third monitoring modules and the timer monitoring module respectively, wherein

the first monitoring module is configured to monitor whether there exists an on-going data service on the mobile terminal, and if yes, start the timer T, and send an indication indicating that there exists the data service to the second monitoring module;

the second monitoring module is configured to, after receiving the indication indicating that there exists the data service from the first monitoring module, monitor whether data for the data service is transmitted between the mobile terminal and the network side, if yes, restart the timer T, and if not, send an indication indicating that there exists no data for the data service to the third monitoring module;

the third monitoring module is configured to, after receiving the indication indicating that there exists no data for the data service from the second monitoring module, monitor whether there exists NAS signaling data, if yes, send an indication indicating that there exists the NAS signaling data to the timer monitoring module, and if not, send an indication indicating that there exists no NAS signaling data to the timer monitoring module;

the timer monitoring module is configured to judge whether the timer is timed out upon receiving the indication indicating that there exists no NAS signaling data from the third monitoring module, if yes, send the power-saving command to the executing unit;

and judge whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is less than T_NAS upon receiving the indication indicating that there exists the NAS signaling data from the third monitoring module, if the duration is less than T_NAS, adjust the duration of the timer T to be timed out at least after T_NAS; and

the timer T is configured to receive a command to start the timing from the first monitoring module, a command to restart the timer from the second monitoring module and a command to adjust the duration from the timer monitoring module.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the timer monitoring module is configured to judge whether the duration of the timer T is less than T_NAS upon receiving the indication indicating that there exists the NAS signaling data from the third monitoring module, if the duration is less than T_NAS, restart the timer T, and if the duration is greater than or equal to T_NAS, judge whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is less than T_NAS.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a setting unit, connected to the monitoring unit, configured to process settings of a user for a data service power-saving function, store the settings, send a command to turn on or turn off the data service power-saving function to the monitoring unit, and store setting parameters in the case that the data service power-saving function is turned on.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the setting unit is connected to the executing unit, and the executing unit is configured to receive an indication to turn on or turn off the data service power-saving function from the setting unit, and start or stop receiving the power-saving command from the monitoring unit.

11. A mobile terminal comprising a power-saving apparatus, the power-saving apparatus comprising a monitoring unit and an executing unit, wherein

the monitoring unit is configured to monitor data services of the mobile terminal in accordance with a preset monitoring strategy, and send a power-saving command to the executing unit when a data service power-saving strategy is met;

and

the executing unit is configured to, after receiving the power-saving command from the monitoring unit, execute a power-saving operation so as to turn on the mobile terminal to enter a data service power-saving mode.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 11, wherein the monitoring unit comprises a first monitoring module, a second monitoring module, a third monitoring module, a timer monitoring module, and a timer T connected to the first, second and third monitoring modules and the timer monitoring module respectively, wherein

the first monitoring module is configured to monitor whether there exists an on-going data service on the mobile terminal, and if yes, start the timer T, and send an indication indicating that there exists the data service to the second monitoring module;

the second monitoring module is configured to, after receiving the indication indicating that there exists the data service from the first monitoring module, monitor whether data for the data service is transmitted between the mobile terminal and the network side, if yes, restart the timer T, and if not, send an indication indicating that there exists no data for the data service to the third monitoring module;

the third monitoring module is configured to, after receiving the indication indicating that there exists no data for the data service from the second monitoring module, monitor whether there exists NAS signaling data, if yes, send an indication indicating that there exists the NAS signaling data to the timer monitoring module, and if not, send an indication indicating that there exists no NAS signaling data to the timer monitoring module;

the timer monitoring module is configured to judge whether the timer is timed out upon receiving the indication indicating that there exists no NAS signaling data from the third monitoring module, if yes, send the power-saving command to the executing unit;

and judge whether the duration away from the timeout of the timer is less than T_NAS upon receiving the indication indicating that there exists the NAS signaling data from the third monitoring module, if the duration is less than T_NAS, adjust the duration of the timer T to be timed out at least after T_NAS; and

the timer T is configured to receive a command to start the timing from the first monitoring module, a command to restart the timer from the second monitoring module and a command to adjust the duration from the timer monitoring module.