Battery operated radio receivers having power save by reducing active reception time

• US 6,782,250 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Spencer, Paul, Yellin, Daniel, Rainish, Doron
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/449,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.2, 455/127.5, 455/135, 455/343.1, 340/7.31, 340/7.32, 340/7.34, 340/525.2, 340/10.34, 370/347, 370/311, 370/330, 370/318, 370/324, 370/458, 370/459, 370/468
• US Class Current: 455/343.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable radio receiver and a method of operating the radio receiver during Standby Mode is provided. The method comprises deactivating at least part of a receive path of a receiver until the start of a data-detection time interval in a frame in the event that estimated values of predetermined characteristics of a signal received by the receiver during the frame are within corresponding thresholds. The predetermined characteristics are affected by pre-conditioning functions performed on the receiver prior to the start of the data-detection time interval.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

deactivating at least part of a receive path of a receiver until the start of a data-detection time interval in a frame in the event that estimated values of predetermined characteristics of a signal received by said receiver during said frame are acceptable, said predetermined characteristics affected by pre-conditioning functions performed on said receiver prior to the start of said data-detection time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include an automatic gain control function, and wherein said estimated values include an estimated power of said signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include a multipath search function, and wherein said estimated values include an estimated signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio of said signal.

4. A method comprising:

during a pre-conditioning period a pre-conditioning period that is prior to the start of a data-detection time interval in a frame, estimating predetermined characteristics of a signal received by a receiver during said frame, said predetermined characteristics affected by pre-conditioning functions performed on said receiver during said pre-conditioning period; and

deactivating at least part of a receive path of said receiver until the start of said data-detection time interval, thus terminating said pre-conditioning period prior to the start of said data-detection time interval, in the event that said predetermined characteristics are acceptable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include an automatic gain control function, and wherein estimating said predetermined characteristics includes at least estimating an estimated power of said signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include a multipath search function, and wherein estimating said predetermined characteristics includes at least determining an estimated signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio of said signal.

7. A portable radio receiver comprising:

control circuitry to deactivate at least a part of a receive path of the receiver until the start of a data-detection time interval of a frame in the event that estimated values of predetermined characteristics of a signal received by said receive path during said frame are acceptable, said predetermined characteristics affected by pre-conditioning functions performed on said receiver prior to the start of said data-detection time interval.

8. The receiver of claim 7, further comprising:

pre-conditioning circuitry in said receive path to pre-condition said radio receiver using said pre-conditioning functions.

9. The receiver of claim 7, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include an automatic gain control function, and wherein said predetermined characteristics include an estimated power of said signal.

10. The receiver of claim 7, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include a multipath search function, and wherein said predetermined characteristics include an estimated signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio of said signal.

11. A portable radio receiver comprising;

data-detection circuitry in a receive path to detect data destined for a selected receiver;

pre-conditioning circuitry in said receive path to pre-condition said radio receiver using pre-conditioning functions during a pre-conditioning period; and

control circuitry coupled to said data-detection circuitry and said pre-conditioning circuitry, said control circuitry to activate said receive path for said pre-conditioning period and to deactivate at least part of said receive path until the start of a data-detection time interval of a frame thus terminating said pre-conditioning period prior to said data-detection time interval in the event that estimated values of predetermined characteristics of a signal received by said receive path during said frame are acceptable, said predetermined characteristics affected by one or more of said preconditioning functions.

12. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include an automatic gain control function, and wherein said predetermined characteristics include an estimated power of said signal.

13. The receiver of claim 11, wherein said pre-conditioning functions include a multipath search function, and wherein said predetermined characteristics include an estimated signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio of said signal.