Method and apparatus for managing power in network interface modules
First Claim
1. A method for managing power in a network interface module in a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving through a programming interface a tag from an application, the tag being associated with a packet and indicating a fast response is required;
determining if the mobile device is being powered from a limited energy power source;
if the mobile device is being powered from the limited energy power source;
determining if the mobile device is associated with an access point;
if the mobile device is associated with an access point operating the network interface module in a power saving mode that is the lower power of;
a power saving mode set based on an analysis of packet traffic;
ora fast power save mode or a maximum power saving mode set in response to the tag;
if the mobile device is not associated with an access point;
determining if the network interface module is scanning;
operating the network interface module in a constant awake mode if the network interface module is scanning; and
setting the network interface module to a doze mode if the network interface module is not scanning,wherein;
the fast power save mode comprises;
a1) setting the network interface module to the doze mode between beacon intervals; and
b1) setting the network interface module to an on state to receive a beacon for each beacon interval; and
the maximum power saving mode comprises;
a2) setting the network interface module to the doze mode between listening intervals; and
b2) setting the network interface module to an on state to receive a beacon for each listening interval.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for managing power consumption in a portable computing device having a network interface module is presented. A power management module receives inputs from other modules and determines when the network interface module is to be put in a doze state for a predetermined number of beacon intervals to conserve power consumption in the network interface module. The network interface module in a device that is associated with a network is put in the doze state after an event has occurred including when a scan has been performed, after a delayed sleep timer has expired, and after a beacon transmission has been completed and no traffic is buffered for the device. The delayed sleep time is set based on the estimated round trip time of a packet.
101 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A method for managing power in a network interface module in a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving through a programming interface a tag from an application, the tag being associated with a packet and indicating a fast response is required; determining if the mobile device is being powered from a limited energy power source; if the mobile device is being powered from the limited energy power source; determining if the mobile device is associated with an access point; if the mobile device is associated with an access point operating the network interface module in a power saving mode that is the lower power of; a power saving mode set based on an analysis of packet traffic;
ora fast power save mode or a maximum power saving mode set in response to the tag; if the mobile device is not associated with an access point; determining if the network interface module is scanning; operating the network interface module in a constant awake mode if the network interface module is scanning; and setting the network interface module to a doze mode if the network interface module is not scanning, wherein; the fast power save mode comprises; a1) setting the network interface module to the doze mode between beacon intervals; and b1) setting the network interface module to an on state to receive a beacon for each beacon interval; and the maximum power saving mode comprises; a2) setting the network interface module to the doze mode between listening intervals; and b2) setting the network interface module to an on state to receive a beacon for each listening interval.
-
-
2. A method for managing power in a network interface module in a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving through a user interface of the mobile device user preference information relating to power conservation; determining if the mobile device is being powered from a limited energy power source; if the mobile device is being powered from the limited energy power source; determining if the mobile device is associated with an access point; operating the network interface module in a fast power save mode or a maximum power saving mode if the mobile device is associated with an access point, the operating comprising operating the network interface module in the fast power save mode at a first time and operating the network interface module in the maximum power save mode at a second time, the first time and the second time being determined based on the user preference information, the operating further comprising setting a power saving mode based on a packet traffic analysis to take precedence over the user preference information; and if the mobile device is not associated with an access point; determining if the network interface module is scanning; operating the network interface module in a constant awake mode if the network interface module is scanning; and setting the network interface module to a doze mode if the network interface module is not scanning, wherein operating the network interface module in the fast power save mode comprises, during operation at the first time, the steps of; a) determining when the network interface module can enter the doze mode; b) sending a notification to an access point that the network interface module is being set to the doze mode; c) setting the network interface module to the doze mode after the notification has been sent; d) setting the network interface module to an on state to receive a beacon for each beacon interval; e) repeating steps b-f if the beacon indicates that no packets are queued for the mobile device; and f) repeating steps a-f if the beacon indicates that at least one packet is queued for the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for managing power in a network interface module in a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
determining if the mobile device is being powered from a limited energy power source; if the mobile device is being powered from the limited energy power source; determining if the mobile device is associated with an access point; operating the network interface module in a fast power save mode or a maximum power saving mode if the mobile device is associated with an access point, the operating comprising selecting between a maximum power save mode and a fast power save mode, the selecting being based at least in part on information received from an application through an API and/or information from a user received through a user interface of the mobile device, the operating further comprising setting a power saving mode based on a packet traffic analysis to take precedence over the information received from the application through the API and/or the information from the user; and if the mobile device is not associated with an access point; determining if the network interface module is scanning; operating the network interface module in a constant awake mode if the network interface module is scanning; and setting the network interface module to a doze mode if the network interface module is not scanning. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification