Mobile station having short-range radio function and power consumption reduction method therefor

• US 6,970,726 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takayanagi, Asako
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/194,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20030148760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.2, 455/11.1, 455/13.4, 455/343.1, 455/343.5, 455/420, 455/421
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile station with a short-range radio function includes a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of the radio section. This mobile station further includes a control section for shifting the short-range radio function of the short-range radio section to a low power consumption mode in accordance with the state of short-range radio communication.

Claims

1. A mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of said radio section, comprising:

control means for shifting the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section to a low power consumption mode in accordance with a state of short-range radio communication without receiving an external command from said base station, and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

4. A station according to claim 1, wherein said control means shifts the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section to the low power consumption mode when no data is exchanged by short-range radio communication for not less than a predetermined period of time.

7. A station according to claim 1, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

10. A station according to claim 4, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

11. A station according to claim 1, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

14. A station according to claim 4, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

2. A mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of said radio section and having a power saving mode of turning off a backlight mounted on a display portion when no operation is performed by a user for not less than a predetermined period of time, comprising:

control means for shifting the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section without receiving an external command from said base station, to a low power consumption mode in synchronism with the power saving mode and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

5. A station according to claim 2, further comprising control means for, when operation is done by the user in the power saving mode, restoring the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section from the low power consumption mode upon execution of control for restoration from the power saving mode to a normal mode in which the backlight is turned on.

8. A station according to claim 2, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

12. A station according to claim 2, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

3. A folding mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of said radio section, comprising:

control means for shifting the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section without receiving an external command from said base station, to a low power consumption mode when said short-range radio function is not used, and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

6. A station according to claim 3, further comprising control means for restoring the short-range radio function of said short-range radio section from the low power consumption mode when the short-range radio function is used.

9. A station according to claim 3, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

13. A station according to claim 3, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to said short-range radio section.

15. A power consumption reducing method for a mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of the radio section,

wherein power consumption is reduced by shifting the short-range radio function of the short-range radio section to a low power consumption mode in accordance with a state of short-range radio communication without receiving an external command from said base station, and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein power consumption is reduced by shifting the short-range radio function of the short-range radio section to the low power consumption mode when no data is exchanged by short-range radio communication for not less than a predetermined period of time.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

26. A method according to claim 18, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

16. A power consumption reducing method for a mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of the radio section and having a power saving mode of turning off a backlight mounted on a display portion when no operation is performed by a user for not less than a predetermined period of time,

wherein power consumption is reduced by shifting the short-range radio function of the short-range radio section without receiving an external command from said base station, to a low power consumption mode in synchronism with the power saving mode and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

17. A power consumption reducing method for a folding mobile station with a short-range radio function including a radio section which communicates with a base station and a short-range radio section for performing short-range radio communication independently of the radio section,

wherein power consumption is reduced by shifting the short-range radio function of the short-range radio section without receiving an external command from said base station, to a low power consumption mode when the short-range radio function is not used and wherein all short-range radio signals are stopped.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.

25. A method according to claim 17, wherein the low power consumption mode is a mode of intermittently stopping supply of power to the short-range radio section.