Extended power savings for electronic devices

• US 6,501,969 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Philip D., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/305,206
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/575, 455/127, 455/74.1, 455/343, 455/464, 455/465, 455/462, 455/404, 455/524, 455/463, 340/825.44, 340/7.21, 340/7.33, 340/7.36, 379/156.06, 379/167.11
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatus and method to minimize power usage by electronic devices. In a particular disclosed example, the battery power of a remote handset is reduced by extending the sniff period of a cordless telephone when the remote handset is remote from its base unit and the user is not likely to use the cordless telephone (e.g., when away from the house or when asleep). A low power mode module causes the electronic device, e.g., the remote handset of a cordless telephone, to remain in an extended low power STANDBY mode, or to extends the period of the periodic transition to a receive only STANDBY mode to check status registers at the base unit, at appropriate times. In one embodiment, a low power mode table contains entries defining periods of time during which the remote handset may transition between the low power STANDBY mode and the receive only STANDBY mode. The remote handset transitions to a fully powered transmit/receive (TDD) ON mode, e.g., in response to an appropriate status condition, or in response to the activation of a particular button or sequence of buttons at the remote handset. The extended STANDBY mode may alternatively be activated in response to input from an external device such as a home security system indicating that the user of the cordless telephone is not willing or able to answering any incoming telephone calls. The extended STANDBY mode may also be entered upon determination by the cordless telephone that the telephone line is already in use by another extension (thereby rendering unlikely any receipt of a ring signal condition from the base unit).

Claims

1. A cordless telephone, comprising:

a base station;

a handset associated with said base station; and

a low power mode module adapted to enable said handset to maintain an extended standby condition wherein a period of time between sniffs is extended;

wherein said handset enters said extended standby condition in response to a signal from a security system.

2. The cordless telephone according to claim 1, wherein:

said low power mode module is located in said handset.

3. The cordless telephone according to claim 1, wherein:

said low power mode module is located in said base unit.

4. The cordless telephone according to claim 1, wherein:

said low power mode module is further adapted to maintain said extended standby condition during at least one predetermined event at said base station.

5. The cordless telephone according to claim 4, wherein:

said at least one predetermined event is an absence of a user of said cordless telephone as determined by said security system.

6. A method to reduce battery power usage in a handset of a cordless telephone, said method comprising:

extending a period of time between sniffs of said handset in an extended standby mode when a phone line servicing said cordless telephone is detected off-hook by another telephone device.

7. The method to reduce battery power usage in a handset of a cordless telephone according to claim 6, further comprising:

maintaining said handset said extended standby mode during an occurrence of a predetermined event.

8. The method to reduce battery power usage in a handset of a cordless telephone according to claim 7, wherein:

said predetermined event is activation of a home security system.

9. The method to reduce battery power usage in a handset of a cordless telephone according to claim 6, further comprising:

allowing said handset to return from said extended standby mode to a standby mode wherein said period of time between sniffs is shorter than when in said extended standby mode.

10. A cordless telephone, comprising:

a base station;

a handset associated with said base station; and

a low power mode module adapted to enable said handset to maintain an extended standby condition wherein a period of time between sniffs is extended;

wherein said handset enters said extended standby condition in response to a detection of an off-hook condition of another telephone using a same telephone line as said cordless telephone.