TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSITIONING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE BETWEEN DIFFERENT SELECTABLE POWER MODES

• US 20140106788A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeglein, Mark L., Jalali, Ahmad, Tian, Bin, King, Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/137,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106788A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture for use by a device that is operable in a plurality of modes, including “higher power mode” and a “lower power mode”. In an example implementation, a device that is operable in a plurality of selectable power modes may measure a signal strength value for a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter, and transition operation to a lower power mode, wherein at least a portion of a receiver used to acquire the signal is disabled, based, at least in part, on: (a) a profile test indicating that the device is within a characterized environment, wherein the profile test is satisfied, at least in part, by the signal strength value; or (b) an indication based, at least in part, on the signal strength value, that the device is in a constrained motion state; or (c) both (a) and (b).

Claims

1. A method comprising, with a device operable in a plurality of power modes:

measuring a signal strength value for a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter; and

transitioning operation of said device to a lower power mode, wherein at least a portion of a receiver used to acquire said signal is disabled, based, at least in part, on;

(a) a profile test indicating that said device is within a characterized environment, wherein said profile test is satisfied, at least in part, by said signal strength value;

or

(b) an indication based, at least in part, on said signal strength value, that said device is in a constrained motion state;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

transitioning operation of said device to said lower power mode based further, at least in part, on one or more attribute values.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of said one or more attribute values is obtained from one or more signals from at least one of:

an inertial sensor;

or an environment sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

using said receiver to perform a search for signals transmitted from a plurality of ground-based transmitters; and

selecting said signal from a plurality of signals identified in said search based, at least in part, on a comparison of corresponding signal stability values for said plurality of signals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of said signal stability values is based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a type of received signal;

a received signal phase measurement;

a received signal phase drift measurement;

a received signal frequency;

a received signal frequency stability;

a received signal availability measurement;

a transmitter position uncertainty;

a transmitter range;

a transmitter power;

a type of transmitter;

or a type of transmitter antenna.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

accessing, for one or more ground-based transmitters, at least a portion of at least one of;

a base station almanac;

or a neighbor list; and

selecting said signal based, at least in part, on said at least said portion.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

enabling use of at least one of;

a transmitter;

or said receiver while said device is operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode.

8. An apparatus for use in a device operable in a plurality of selectable power modes, the apparatus comprising:

means for measuring a signal strength value for a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter; and

means for transitioning operation of said device to a lower power mode, wherein while said device is operating in said lower power mode at least a portion of a receiver used to acquire said signal is disabled, based, at least in part, on;

(a) a profile test indicating that said device is within a characterized environment, wherein said profile test is satisfied, at least in part, by said signal strength value;

or

(b) an indication based, at least in part, on said signal strength value, that said device is in a constrained motion state;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

9. The apparatus of claim 8, and further comprising:

means for transitioning operation of said device to said lower power mode based further, at least in part, on one or more attribute values.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of said one or more attribute values is obtained from one or more signals from at least one of:

an inertial sensor;

or an environment sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, and further comprising, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

means for performing a search for signals transmitted from a plurality of ground-based transmitters; and

means for selecting said signal from a plurality of signals identified in said search based, at least in part, on a comparison of corresponding signal stability values for said plurality of signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of said signal stability values is based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a type of received signal;

a received signal phase measurement;

a received signal phase drift measurement;

a received signal frequency;

a received signal frequency stability;

a received signal availability measurement;

a transmitter position uncertainty;

a transmitter range;

a transmitter power;

a type of transmitter;

or a type of transmitter antenna.

13. A device operable in a plurality of selectable power modes, the device comprising:

a receiver; and

a processing unit to;

obtain a signal strength value for a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter using said receiver; and

transition operation of said device to a lower power mode, wherein at least a portion of said receiver is disabled, based, at least in part, on;

(a) a profile test indicating that said device is within a characterized environment, wherein said profile test is satisfied, at least in part, by said signal strength value;

or

(b) an indication based, at least in part, on said signal strength value, that said device is in a constrained motion state;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

14. The device of claim 13, said processing unit to further:

transition operation of said device to said lower power mode based further, at least in part, on one or more attribute values.

15. The device of claim 14, and further comprising at least one of:

an inertial sensor;

or an environment sensor, and wherein at least one of said one or more attribute values is obtained from one or more signals from at least one of;

said inertial sensor;

or said environment sensor.

16. The device of claim 13, said processing unit to further, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

use said receiver to perform a search for signals transmitted from a plurality of ground-based transmitters; and

select said signal from a plurality of signals identified in said search based, at least in part, on a comparison of corresponding signal stability values for said plurality of signals.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of said signal stability values is based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a type of received signal;

a received signal phase measurement;

a received signal phase drift measurement;

a received signal frequency;

a received signal frequency stability;

a received signal availability measurement;

a transmitter position uncertainty;

a transmitter range;

a transmitter power;

a type of transmitter;

or a type of transmitter antenna.

18. The device of claim 13, said processing unit to further, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

access, for one or more ground-based transmitters, at least a portion of at least one of;

a base station almanac;

or a neighbor list, and select said signal based, at least in part, on said at least said portion.

19. The device of claim 13, and further comprising a transmitter, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode, said processing unit to further enable use of at least one of:

said transmitter, or said receiver.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer implementable instructions executable by a processing unit of a device to:

obtain a signal strength value for a signal acquired from a ground-based transmitter; and

transition operation of said device to a lower power mode wherein while said device is operating in said lower power mode at least a portion of a receiver used to acquire said signal is disabled, based, at least in part, on;

(a) a profile test indicating that said device is within a characterized environment, wherein said profile test is satisfied, at least in part, by said signal strength value;

or

(b) an indication based, at least in part, on said signal strength value, that said device is in a constrained motion state;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

transition operation of said device to said lower power mode based further, at least in part, on one or more attribute values.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of said one or more attribute values is obtained from one or more signals from at least one of:

an inertial sensor;

or an environment sensor.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

initiate said receiver to perform a search for signals transmitted from a plurality of ground-based transmitters; and

select said signal from a plurality of signals identified in said search based, at least in part, on a comparison of corresponding signal stability values for said plurality of signals.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein at least one of said signal stability values is based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a type of received signal;

a received signal phase measurement;

a received signal phase drift measurement;

a received signal frequency;

a received signal frequency stability;

a received signal availability measurement;

a transmitter position uncertainty;

a transmitter range;

a transmitter power;

a type of transmitter;

or a type of transmitter antenna.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to, with said device operating in a power mode other than said lower power mode:

access, for one or more ground-based transmitters, at least a portion of at least one of;

a base station almanac;

or a neighbor list; and

select said signal based, at least in part, on said at least said portion.