ADJUSTING A DUTY CYCLE OF WIRELESS TRANSMISSIONS

• US 20150072721A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lagnado, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 9,414,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/28 using user profile, e.g. mobile speed, priority or network state, e.g. standby, idle or non transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A duty cycle of wireless transmissions of the electronic device is adjusted based on wireless transmission activity. The adjusting considers the electronic device to be idle if the electronic device wirelessly transmits at a power level less than a non-zero power threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring wireless transmission activity of an electronic device during a given time interval; and

adjusting a duty cycle of wireless transmissions of the electronic device based on the monitored wireless transmission activity, where the adjusting considers the electronic device to be idle if the electronic device wirelessly transmits at a power level less than a non-zero power threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the monitored wireless transmission activity, whether a radiation-related threshold will be violated,

wherein adjusting the duty cycle is based on the determining.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

computing a measure of radiation exposure based on the monitored wireless transmission activity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein computing the measure is based on a power level of a given wireless transmission and a time duration of the given wireless transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the duty cycle of wireless transmissions comprises varying an amount of time of active wireless transmissions relative to an amount of time of the electronic device being idle, within a predefined time interval.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting at least one physical characteristic associated with the electronic device,

wherein the monitoring and the adjusting are triggered in response to detecting the at least one physical characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein detecting the at least one physical characteristic comprises detecting at least one characteristic selected from among a proximity of the electronic device to a user, and an orientation of the electronic device.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a sensor to detect a physical characteristic associated with the electronic device; and

at least one processor to;

in response to detecting the physical characteristic, trigger performance of a duty cycle adjustment procedure that adjusts a duty cycle of wireless transmissions from the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the detected physical characteristic including a proximity of the electronic device to a user.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the detected physical characteristic includes an orientation of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein adjusting the duty cycle includes varying an amount of time the electronic device is active in wireless transmission relative to an amount of time the electronic device is idle, in a predefined time interval.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the duty cycle adjustment procedure comprises assigning different weights to data units transmitted at corresponding different power levels,

where adjusting the duty cycle of wireless transmissions from the electronic device is based on the weights.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the duty cycle adjustment procedure further includes monitoring wireless transmission activity of the electronic device within a given time interval, wherein the data units are included in the wireless transmission activity.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is to further compute a measure of radiation exposure based on the assigned weights, and wherein the adjusting of the duty cycle is based on the computed measure.

15. An article comprising at least one machine readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause an electronic device to:

monitor wireless transmission activity of an electronic device during a given time interval; and

adjust a duty cycle of wireless transmissions of the electronic device based on the monitored wireless transmission activity, where the adjusting considers the electronic device to be idle if the electronic device wirelessly transmits at a power level less than a non-zero power threshold.