Extending battery life in communication devices having a plurality of receivers

• US 7,496,060 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Hughes, James David, Ramirez, Dalier J., Rockwell, Ronald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/134,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20060262739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/310.2, 370/311, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/338, 370/334, 455/573, 455/574, 455/132, 455/133, 455/134, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/168.1
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method (300) of extending battery life in a communication device having a plurality of receivers includes receiving information with a primary receiver that is configured to operate on a first network (303) and controlling a secondary receiver that is configured to operate on a second network that is independent from the first network in accordance with the information obtained with the primary receiver. A corresponding communication device (201) includes: a primary receiver (221) configured to operate on a first network (203); a secondary receiver (227, 233) configured and arranged to operate as a short range receiver with an access point (205, 207) that is independent of the first network; and a controller (225, 231, 237) that is configured to control the secondary receiver in accordance with information obtained from the primary receiver.

Claims

1. A method of extending battery life in a communication device having a plurality of receivers, the method comprising:

receiving information with a primary receiver that is configured to operate on a first network; and

controlling a secondary receiver that is configured to operate on a second network that is independent from and uncorrelated with the first network, the controlling further comprising waking up the secondary receiver in accordance with the information obtained with the primary receiver,

wherein the receiving the information with the primary receiver further comprises receiving information corresponding to availability of access points associated with one or more other networks, and

wherein the controlling the secondary receiver further comprises only waking up the secondary receiver when access points that are compatible with the secondary receiver are available based on the information corresponding to availability of access points.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the information with the primary receiver further comprises receiving information corresponding to a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle for the primary receiver.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the controlling the secondary receiver further comprises only waking up the secondary receiver according to a secondary duty cycle that corresponds to the DRX cycle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the secondary duty cycle is synchronized to the DRX cycle and includes wake periods for the secondary receiver corresponding to a fraction of wake periods for the primary receiver.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the information with the primary receiver further comprises receiving information corresponding to availability of access points associated with one or more other wireless short range networks.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the secondary receiver further comprises only waking up the secondary receiver when short range wireless access points are available.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the secondary receiver further comprises comparing location information for the communication device to the information corresponding to availability of access points and only waking up the secondary receiver when the location information compares favorably with the information corresponding to availability of access points in terms of location and compatibility of the access points and the secondary receiver.

8. An integrated circuit arranged and configured to extend battery life in a communication device, the integrated circuit comprising:

a first interface configured to provide an interface to a primary receiver that is operable on a first network;

a second interface configured to provide an interface to a secondary receiver that is a wireless short range receiver which is operable on an independent and non synchronized network; and

a controller coupled to the first interface and the second interface, the controller configured to;

facilitate operation of the primary receiver on the first network and obtain information from the primary receiver; and

facilitate operation of the secondary receiver and wake up the secondary receiver in accordance with the information obtained from the primary receiver,

wherein the controller further obtains information, from the primary receiver, corresponding to availability of one or more access points configured to support a wireless short range protocol, and

wherein the controller further only facilitates wake up of the secondary receiver when access points that are compatible with the secondary receiver are available based on the information corresponding to availability of the one or more access points.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 further comprising at least a portion of the primary receiver, wherein the primary receiver is operable on a public access communication network.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 further comprising at least a portion of the secondary receiver, the secondary receiver comprising at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) receiver, a Bluetooth receiver, and an ultra wideband receiver.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the controller further obtains information, from the primary receiver, corresponding to a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle, facilitates operation of the primary receiver in accordance with the DRX cycle, and only wakes up the secondary receiver in accordance with a duty cycle that is synchronized to the DRX cycle.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 11 wherein the controller further only wakes up the secondary receiver in accordance with a duty cycle corresponding to a fraction of wake periods for the primary receiver.

13. A communication device arranged and configured to extend battery life, the communication device comprising:

a primary receiver configured to operate on a first network;

a secondary receiver configured and arranged to operate as a short range receiver with an access point that is independent of and not synchronized with the first network; and

a controller, coupled to the primary receiver and the secondary receiver, that is configured to control the secondary receiver in accordance with information obtained from the primary receiver,

wherein the controller further obtains, from the primary receiver, information corresponding to availability of one or more access points configured to support a wireless short range protocol and only wakes up the secondary receiver when access points are available based on the information corresponding to availability of one or more access points.

14. The communication device of claim 13 wherein the primary receiver further comprises a wide area network (WAN) receiver and the secondary receiver further comprises an unlicensed mobile access receiver.

15. The communication device of claim 13 wherein the controller further wakes up the secondary receiver in accordance with information corresponding to a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle obtained from the primary receiver and used by the controller to control the primary receiver.

16. The communication device of claim 15 further comprising a real time clock that wakes up the controller in accordance with the DRX cycle, wherein the controller further synchronizes wake periods of the secondary receiver to the DRX cycle.

17. The communication device of claim 13 wherein the controller further compares location information for the communication device with the information corresponding to availability of one or more access points and only when the location information compares favorably with the information corresponding to availability of one or more access points, wakes up the secondary receiver in a mode that is compatible with the one or more access points.