Method and apparatus for battery saving in a radio communication device

• US 5,507,040 A
• Filed: 12/19/1994
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mock, Von A., Eaton, Eric T., Parkes, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US08/358,058
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.3, 455/127, 455/229, 455/343, 340/311.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 455/343.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for battery saving in a battery powered radio communication device having a receiver for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal comprises the step of enabling (100) the receiver for reception of the RF signal. The method further comprises the steps of determining (120) that the RF signal is being received at an off-signal data rate different from an on-signal data rate at which data is normally provided to the battery powered radio communication device and disabling (130) the receiver in response to determining that the RF signal is being received at the off-signal data rate.

Claims

1. A method for battery saving in a battery powered radio communication device comprising a receiver for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, the method comprising the steps of:

enabling the receiver for reception of the RF signal;

determining whether the RF signal is being received at a predetermined on-signal data rate at which data is normally provided to the battery powered radio communication device;

determining, substantially coincident with determining whether the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate, whether the RF signal is being received at a predetermined off-signal data rate which is not an integer multiple of the predetermined on-signal data rate; and

disabling the receiver in response to determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring, subsequent to the enabling step and prior to the disabling step, peak and valley settings of the RF signal;

enabling the receiver for reception of the RF signal at a predetermined time after disabling the receiver;

determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate; and

utilizing the peak and valley settings acquired when the RF signal was received at the predetermined off-signal data rate to recover data included In the RF signal received at the predetermined on-signal data rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the off-signal data rate is transmitted utilizing a predetermined data pattern, and wherein the disabling step comprises the step of:

disabling the receiver in response to determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate, wherein the detection of the off-signal data rate is performed in substantially less time than is the detection of the on-signal data rate.

4. A method for battery saving in a radio communication device comprising a receiver powered by a battery, wherein the radio communication device is included in a radio communication system comprising a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, the method comprising the steps of:

the transmitter transmitting the RF signal at a predetermined on-signal data rate when data is to be provided to the radio communication device;

the transmitter transmitting the RF signal at a predetermined off-signal data rate between transmissions at the on-signal data rate, wherein the predetermined off-signal data rate is not an integer multiple of the on-signal data rate;

the radio communication device enabling the receiver for reception of the RF signal;

the radio communication device determining whether the RF signal is being transmitted at the predetermined on-signal data rate or the predetermined off-signal data rate by searching specifically for both the predetermined on-signal data rate and the predetermined off-signal data rate at substantially coincident times;

the radio communication device processing the RF signal to recover the data included therein in response to determining that the RF signal is being transmitted at the predetermined on-signal data rate; and

the radio communication device disabling the receiver in response to determining that the RF signal is being transmitted at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

the radio communication device determining that the RF signal is not being transmitted at either the predetermined on-signal data rate or the predetermined off-signal data rate; and

the radio communication device disabling the receiver in response thereto.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising, in the radio communication receiver, the step of:

acquiring, subsequent to the enabling step and prior to the determining step, peak and valley settings of the RF signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, in the radio communication device, the steps of:

enabling the receiver for reception of the RF signal at a predetermined time after the step of disabling the receiver;

determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate; and

utilizing the peak and valley settings acquired when the RF signal was received at the predetermined off-signal data rate to recover data included in the RF signal received at the predetermined on-signal data rate.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the off-signal data rate is transmitted utilizing a predetermined data pattern, and wherein the disabling step comprises the step, in the radio communication receiver, of:

disabling the receiver in response to determining that the RF signal is being transmitted at the predetermined off-signal data rate, wherein the detection of the off-signal data rate is performed in substantially less time than is the detection of the on-signal data rate.

9. A radio communication device for receiving and processing a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the radio communication device is powered by a battery, the radio communication device comprising:

a receiver for receiving the RF signal;

an on-signal baud rate detector coupled to the receiver for determining whether the RF signal is being received at a predetermined on-signal data rate at which data is normally provided to the radio communication device;

a decoder coupled to the receiver and the on-signal baud rate detector for decoding the RF signal in response to the on-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate;

an off-signal baud rate detector coupled to the receiver for determining whether the RF signal is being received at a predetermined off-signal data rate which is not an integer multiple of the predetermined on-signal data rate, wherein the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors search for the predetermined on-signal and predetermined off-signal data rates, respectively, at substantially coincident times; and

power switching means coupled to the receiver and the off-signal baud rate detector for disabling the receiver in response to the off-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

10. The radio communication device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a programmable memory coupled to the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors for storing values utilized by the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors to determine whether the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate or the predetermined off-signal data rate.

11. The radio communication device according to claim 9, wherein the power switching means comprises:

a switch coupled between the battery and the receiver; and

a microcomputer coupled to the switch and the off-signal baud rate detector for opening the switch to decouple the battery and the receiver in response to the off-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate and for subsequently closing the switch to couple the battery and the receiver such that receiver is again enabled for reception of the RF signal.

12. The radio communication device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a peak and valley detector coupled to the receiver for acquiring peak and valley settings of the RF signal and for storing the peak and valley settings when the RF signal is received at the predetermined off-signal data rate, wherein the peak and valley settings are utilized by the decoder for data recovery when the RF signal is received at the predetermined on-signal data rate subsequent to being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

13. The radio communication device of claim 9, wherein the off-signal data rate is transmitted utilizing a predetermined data pattern, and wherein the detection of the off-signal data rate occurs in substantially less time than does the detection of the on-signal data rate.

14. A radio communication system for radio communication between devices, comprising:

a paging transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal at a predetermined on-signal data rate when data is included in the RF signal and for transmitting the RF signal at a predetermined off-signal data rate between transmissions at the predetermined on-signal data rate, wherein the predetermined off-signal data rate is not an integer multiple of the predetermined on-signal data rate;

a radio communication device for receiving the RF signal, the radio communication device comprising;

a battery for powering the radio communication device

a receiver coupled to the battery for receiving the RF signal;

an on-signal baud rate detector coupled to the receiver for determining whether the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate;

a decoder coupled to the receiver and the on-signal baud rate detector for decoding the RF signal in response to the on-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate;

an off-signal baud rate detector coupled to the receiver for determining whether the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate different from the predetermined on-signal data rate, wherein the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors search for the predetermined on-signal and predetermined off-signal data rates, respectively, at substantially coincident times; and

power switching means coupled to the receiver and the off-signal baud rate detector for disabling the receiver in response to the off-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

15. The radio communication system according to claim 14, wherein the radio communication device further comprises:

a programmable memory coupled to the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors for storing values utilized by the on-signal and off-signal baud rate detectors to determine whether the RF signal is being received at the predetermined on-signal data rate or the predetermined off-signal data rate.

16. The radio communication system according to claim 14, wherein the power switching means of the radio communication device comprises:

a switch coupled between the battery and the receiver; and

a microcomputer coupled to the switch and the off-signal baud rate detector for opening the switch to decouple the battery and the receiver in response to the off-signal baud rate detector determining that the RF signal is being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate and for subsequently closing the switch to, couple the battery and the receiver such that receiver is again enabled for reception of the RF signal.

17. The radio communication system according to claim 16, wherein the radio communication device further comprises:

a peak and valley detector coupled to the receiver for acquiring peak and valley settings of the RF signal and for storing the peak and valley settings when the RF signal is received at the predetermined off-signal data rate, wherein the peak and valley settings are utilized by the decoder for data recovery when the RF signal is received at the predetermined on-signal data rate subsequent to being received at the predetermined off-signal data rate.

18. The radio communication system of claim 14, wherein the off-signal data rate is transmitted utilizing a predetermined data pattern, and wherein the detection of the off-signal data rate occurs in substantially less time than does the detection of the on-signal data rate.