Reducing power consumption in a networked battery-operated device using sensors

• US 7,016,705 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Bahl, Paramvir, Shih, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/124,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/566, 455/567, 455/343.1, 345/156
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system for mobile device power consumption management decreases the instantaneous power consumption of a mobile device, increasing operational lifetime of the device. In an embodiment of the invention, the mobile device is associated with a plurality of device behavior modification techniques that can be set in response to data collected from a plurality of sensors associated with the device. In an embodiment, the sensors detect the device'"'"'s motion, tilt, proximity to a user, contact with a user, and orientation with respect to a user. In a further embodiment, the sensors detect a temperature related to the device or its environment.

Claims

1. A low power wireless device comprising:

a screen for displaying information to a user;

a ringer for audibly apprising the user of an incoming communication;

a vibrator for providing the user with a tactile prompt apprising the user of an incoming communication;

a network interface for interfacing the device to a wireless transceiver; and

a sensor array comprised of a plurality of sensors for sensing a plurality of qualities of an environment of the device and for yielding an output related thereto, wherein the sensor array output is utilized to affect the operation of at least one of the screen, the ringer, the vibrator, and the network interface, wherein when the sensor array output indicates that a user is looking at the device screen, the operation of the ringer and vibrator are affected so that in response to notification of an incoming communication received at the wireless interface, the ringer provides no audible signal, and the vibrator is not activated, and the operation of the screen is affected so that it does receive power.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the screen receiving power causes the screen to display a visual notification of the incoming communication.