Method and apparatus for reducing standby power consumption of a handheld communication system

• US 7,522,941 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/135,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 4553431-3434, 455572-574, 455/522, 455/52, 713320-324, 320/132, 320/133
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method and apparatus for managing power consumption within a handheld multistandard communication system are disclosed and may comprise receiving a power setting signal from a control device within the handheld multistandard communication system. The power setting signal may indicate a desired power level setting. In accordance with the power setting signal, power supplied to at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system may be adjusted based on a generated power adjustment signal. The power adjustment signal may control the power supplied to the device. The adjusted power supplied to the at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system may correspond to one or more power level settings. The power level settings may comprise a NORMAL operating power level setting and/or a LOW power level setting.

Claims

1. A method for managing power consumption within a handheld multistandard communication system, the method comprising:

receiving at least one power setting signal from a control device within the handheld multistandard communication system indicative of a desired power level setting, wherein the handheld multistandard communication system is configured to operate at a NORMAL power level setting and a standby setting that comprises a LOW power level setting and a sleep mode setting; and

in accordance with said at least one power setting signal, adjusting power supplied to at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system based on a power adjustment signal, wherein power supplied to said at least one device during said LOW power level setting is reduced to a level that is below that normally used for a wake-up mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusted power supplied to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system corresponds to one of a plurality of power level settings.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of power level settings comprises said NORMAL power level setting and said LOW power level setting.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating at least one power adjustment signal that is utilized for said adjusting.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said power adjustment signal controls said power supplied to said at least one device.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising, if said desired power level setting comprises said NORMAL power level setting, supplying a voltage that corresponds to said NORMAL power level setting to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising, if said desired power level setting comprises said LOW power level setting, supplying a voltage that corresponds to said LOW power level setting to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising, if a present power level setting is said NORMAL power level setting and said desired power level setting comprises said LOW power level setting, switching a power supply to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system from said NORMAL power level setting to said LOW power level setting based on said at least one power adjustment signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising, if a present power level setting is said LOW power level setting and said desired power level setting comprises said NORMAL power level setting, switching a power supply to said at least one devices within the handheld multistandard communication system from said LOW power level setting to said NORMAL power level setting based on said at least one power adjustment signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising, if said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system is switched to a desired LOW power level setting, clocking said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system utilizing at least one real-time clock signal.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising acquiring said at least one power setting signal indicative of said desired power level setting from said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising limiting a current to said at least one devices within the handheld multistandard communication system based on said desired power level setting.

13. An apparatus for managing power consumption within a handheld multistandard communication system, the apparatus comprising:

one or more circuits in a handheld multistandard communication system, said one or more circuits receives at least one power setting signal from a control device within the handheld multistandard communication system indicative of a desired power level setting, wherein the handheld multistandard communication system is configured to operate at a NORMAL power level setting and a standby setting that comprises a LOW power level setting and a sleep mode setting; and

said one or more circuits adjusts power supplied to at least one devices within the handheld multistandard communication system based on a power adjustment signal in accordance with said at least one power setting signals, wherein power supplied to said at least one device, during said LOW power level setting, is reduced to a level that is below that normally used for a wake-up mode.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuit comprises a plurality of registers that store one or both of:

voltage setting information and/or current setting information, for said power supply based on said received at least one power setting signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said adjusted power supplied to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system corresponds to one of a plurality of power level settings.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of power level settings comprises said NORMAL power level setting and said LOW power level setting.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits generates at least one power adjustment signal that is utilized for said adjusting.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said power adjustment signal controls said power supplied to said at least one device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if said desired power level setting comprises said NORMAL power level setting, said one or more circuits supplies a voltage that corresponds to said NORMAL operating power level setting to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

20. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if said desired power level setting comprises said LOW power level setting, said one or more circuits supplies a voltage that corresponds to said LOW power level setting to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if a present power level setting is said NORMAL power level setting and said desired power level setting comprises said LOW power level setting, wherein said one or more circuits switches a power supply to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system from said NORMAL power level setting to said LOW power level setting based on said at least one power adjustment signal.

22. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if a present power level setting is said LOW power level setting and said desired power level setting comprises said NORMAL power level setting, said one or more circuits switches a power supply to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system from said LOW power level setting to said NORMAL power level setting based on said at least one power adjustment signal.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits comprises a clock source that clocks said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system utilizing at least one real-time clock signal, if said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system is switched to a desired LOW power level setting.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits acquires said at least one power setting signal indicative of said desired power level setting from said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system.

25. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits limits a current to said at least one device within the handheld multistandard communication system based on said desired power level setting.