Power management in communication devices

• US 7,281,144 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Banginwar, Rajesh P., Gorbatov, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sugent; James F.
• Application Number:
  US10/778,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/522, 455/574, 370/252, 370/318, 713300-340
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• 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 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Actual power savings achieved by using a power savings mode in a communications device may be increased by analyzing the effects of the power savings mode on delays and using the analysis on which to base a decision as to whether or not to enter the power savings mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a communications interface power requirement;

determining a system power requirement excluding said communications interface;

finding an expected relative delay ratio between entering a power saving mode and not entering said power saving mode wherein finding the expected relative delay comprises;

determining an expected network latency, L;

determining a delay, D; and

wherein the expected relative delay ratio is of one of the forms,

$\frac{L+D}{L}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{and}<br><br>\frac{D}{L};<br><br>$

determining whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between said expected relative delay ratio and a function of said interface power requirement and said system power requirement; and

determining an expected network latency, L, between sending a request and receiving a response; and

determining an expected delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode.

2. method according to claim 1, wherein said finding comprises:

determining an expected network latency, L, between receiving two consecutive responses; and

determining an expected delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining an interface power requirement comprises predetermining and storing an interface power requirement, and wherein said determining a system power requirement comprises predetermining and storing a system power requirement.

4. A machine-accessible storage medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a computing platform, cause said computing platform to perform operations comprising a method of:

determining power requirements relating to a system, exclusive of a communications interface component, and to said communications interface component;

finding an expected relative delay ratio between entering a power saving mode and not entering said power saving mode wherein finding the expected relative delay comprises;

determining an expected network latency, L, between sending a request and receiving a response;

determining a delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode; and

wherein the expected relative delay ratio is of one of the forms,

$\frac{L+D}{L}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{and}<br><br>\frac{D}{L};<br><br>$

 

and

determining whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between said expected relative delay ratio and a function of said power requirements.

5. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 4, wherein said determining power requirements comprises:

determining said communications interface power requirement; and

determining said system power requirement.

6. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 5, wherein each of said determining a communications interface power requirement and said determining a system power requirement comprises:

predetermining and storing a power requirement.

7. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 4, wherein said function of said power requirements comprises a ratio of said communications interface power requirement to said system power requirement.

8. A machine-accessible medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a computing platform, cause said computing platform to perform operations comprising a method of:

determining power requirements relating to a system, exclusive of a communications interface component, and to said communications interface component;

finding an expected relative delay ratio between entering a power saving mode and not entering said power saving mode wherein finding the expected relative delay comprises;

determining an expected network latency, L, between receiving two consecutive responses; and

determining an expected delay, D, introduced by entering said power saving mode; and

wherein the expected relative delay ratio is of one of the forms,

$\frac{L+D}{L}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{and}<br><br>\frac{D}{L};<br><br>$

 

and

determining whether or not to enter said power saving mode based on a comparison between said expected relative delay ratio and a function of said power requirements.

9. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 8, wherein said determining power requirements comprises:

determining said communications interface power requirement; and

determining said system power requirement.

10. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 9, wherein each of said determining a communications interface power requirement and said determining a system power requirement comprises:

predetermining and storing a power requirement.

11. The machine-accessible medium according to claim 8, wherein said function of said power requirements comprises a ratio of said communications interface power requirement to said system power requirement.