Battery saving method and communication device using prediction of user location, movement and actions
First Claim
1. A method for reducing battery power consumption in a portable communication device which is configured for communication with one or more base stations on one or more control channels, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining at the portable communication device a call activity table which includes a record of past communication activity by the portable communication device;
maintaining at the portable communication device a control activity table, the control activity table including a record of detected control channel frequencies, associated received signal strength indications (RSSI) and associated times;
in response to the control activity table, determining a best base and best control channel for establishing communication with the best base;
maintaining a current time at the portable communication device;
predicting, in response to the current time and the record of past communication activity, future communication activity by the portable communication device;
removing battery power from predetermined portions of the portable communication device during times when no future communication activity is predicted; and
in response to the current time, providing battery power to the predetermined portions of the portable communication device only during a duration sufficient to detect communication from the best base on the best control channel.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus reduces power consumption in a portable communication device (104) by predicting a user'"'"'s location, movement and actions. The portable communication device (104) is powered by a battery (120) and includes a battery control (122) for decoupling portions of the communication device (104) from the battery. Historical records of control channel and call activity are maintained in memory (117) at the communication device (104). This data is used to predict calls. This permits the communication device (104) to conserve power in the battery (120) when no call activity is likely. The stored data is also used to predict what control channels should be scanned to search for a nearby base station (102). This permits the communication device (104) to scan a reduced number of control channels and reduces the time duration necessary for powering up the receiver (108) of the communication device (104).
193 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for reducing battery power consumption in a portable communication device which is configured for communication with one or more base stations on one or more control channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining at the portable communication device a call activity table which includes a record of past communication activity by the portable communication device; maintaining at the portable communication device a control activity table, the control activity table including a record of detected control channel frequencies, associated received signal strength indications (RSSI) and associated times; in response to the control activity table, determining a best base and best control channel for establishing communication with the best base; maintaining a current time at the portable communication device; predicting, in response to the current time and the record of past communication activity, future communication activity by the portable communication device; removing battery power from predetermined portions of the portable communication device during times when no future communication activity is predicted; and in response to the current time, providing battery power to the predetermined portions of the portable communication device only during a duration sufficient to detect communication from the best base on the best control channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A portable communication device configured for communication with one or more remote base stations using one or more control channels, the portable communication device comprising:
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a battery for providing power to the portable communication device; a switch for decoupling the battery from portions of the portable communication device; a controller coupled to the switch for selectively controlling the switch, the controller including; a clock for maintaining a current time; and a memory configured for storing a call activity table and a control activity table, the call activity table including a record of past communication activity by the portable communication device, the control activity table including a record of detected control channel frequencies, associated received signal strength indications and associated times, the controller predicting future communication activity by the portable communication device using the record of past communication activity and predicting future communication activity in response to the control activity table, the controller controlling the switch to decouple the battery from the portions of the portable communication device during times when the controller predicts no future communication activity. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for reducing power consumption in a portable communication device, the portable communication device configured for communicating with one or more remote base stations which transmit a plurality of control channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at the portable communication device a first control channel transmitted by a current best base station and at least a second control channel; locking to the first control channel; after locking to the first control channel, entering a low-power sleep mode; periodically changing from the low-power sleep mode to an active mode; determining a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value for each control channel; in response to the RSSI values, determining if the portable communication device is moving away from the current best base station toward a potential best base station, including the steps of; upon entering the active mode, storing data corresponding to each received control channel and an RSSI value corresponding to the each received control channel to establish a history of RSSI values; and determining motion of the portable communication device relative to the current best base station in response to the history of RSSI values; and if the portable communication device is moving away from the current best base station, registering to the potential best base station when potential best base station RSSI value exceeds current best base station RSSI value by a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for reducing power consumption in a portable communication device, the portable communication device configured for communicating with one or more remote base stations which transmit a plurality of control channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a historical record of past communications originating at the portable communication device, the historical record including associated control channels and associated times; in response to the historical record, predicting future control channels and a predicted time for a communication originating at the portable communication device; intermittently searching for the predicted control channels at the predicted time; and when not searching, entering a low-power sleep mode. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for reducing power consumption in a portable communication device which is configured for communication with one or more base stations on one or more control channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining at the portable communication device a control activity table, the control activity table including a record of detected control channels, associated signal quality parameters and associated times; maintaining a current time at the portable communication device; in response to the control activity table, determining a best base and best control channel for establishing communication with the best base; and in response to the current time, providing battery power to predetermined portions of the portable communication device at a time appropriate to detect communication from the best base on the best control channel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification