Wireless receiver operation

• US 7,184,745 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ballantyne, Wayne Wiggins, Markwell, Jeff Scott, Miranda-Knapp, Carlos Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/356,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/403, 455/404.2, 455/550.1, 455/95, 455/552.1, 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/256, 342/357.15, 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/358
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/015 between indoor and outdoor environments
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A method and apparatus that monitors at least one environmental characteristic associated with a location of a wireless signal receiver (102). A determination is then made as to whether the wireless signal receiver (102) is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal at its location. The determination is based at least in part upon the monitored at least one environmental characteristic that is associated with the location of the wireless signal receiver (102). The performance of the wireless signal receiver (102) is then improved based upon determining if the wireless signal receiver (102) is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring at least one environmental characteristic associated with a location of a wireless signal receiver;

determining if the wireless signal receiver is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal at the location, wherein the determination is based at least in part upon the monitored at least one environmental characteristic associated with the location of the wireless signal receiver; and

improving the performance of the wireless signal receiver based upon determining if the wireless signal receiver is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal

wherein the at least one environmental characteristic comprises at least one of ambient temperature, luminosity level, and a received signal strength of a second wirelessly transmitted signal;

wherein the determining uses the at least one environmental characteristic in conjunction with at least one of a temperature table, time of day, and an approximate location for the wireless signal receiver.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal receiver determines its location.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the improving inhibits a receiving function of the wireless signal receiver.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the improving lowers the power consumption of the wireless signal receiver.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal receiver is operated in a non-periodic manner after the determining determines that the wireless signal receiver is not likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal, wherein the non-periodic manner is not a random back-off.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature table comprises historical climactic data for the location for one or more time of year.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the improving is inhibited when operating in a priority mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the priority mode is an emergency telephone call.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless signal receiver;

an environmental monitor for monitoring at least one environmental characteristic associated with a location of the wireless signal receiver;

a receive likelihood estimator, communicatively coupled to the environmental monitor, for determining if the wireless signal receiver is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal at the location, wherein the determination is based at least in part upon the monitored at least one environmental characteristic associated with the location of the wireless signal receiver; and

a receiver controller, communicatively coupled to the receive likelihood estimator and the wireless signal receiver, for commanding an operational mode change in the wireless signal receiver in response to a determination of whether the wireless signal receiver is likely to receive a wirelessly transmitted signal, wherein the operational mode change improves the performance of the wireless signal receiver;

wherein the operational mode change comprises operating the wireless signal receiver in a non-periodic manner, wherein the non-periodic manner is not a random back-off.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wireless signal receiver is a geo-positioning receiver.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the operational mode change inhibits a receiving function of the wireless signal receiver.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the operational mode change lowers the power consumption of the wireless signal receiver.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic comprises at least one of ambient temperature, luminosity level, and a received signal strength of a second wirelessly transmitted signal.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the receive likelihood estimator uses the at least one environmental characteristic in conjunction wit at least one of a temperature table, time of day, and an approximate location of the wireless signal receiver.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the temperature table comprises historical climactic data for the location for one or more time of year.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the receiver controller does not command the operational mode change when operating in a priority mode.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the priority mode is an emergency telephone call.