Apparatus, system and method capable of integrating a cellular phone stack in an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer

• US 7,751,794 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Velhal, Ravindra V., Deshmukh, Jeetendra G., Deshpande, Nikhil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Blane J
• Application Number:
  US11/089,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/343.5, 455/574, 455/67.11, 455/404.13, 455/414.1, 455/572, 455/573, 713/1
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a wireless device capable of integrating a cellular phone stack in an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer, wherein the cellular phone stack within the EFI layer may include TDMA or CDMA-based technology. An embodiment of the present invention may further provide at least one agent running under an OS/EFI continuously monitoring said wireless device status, OS availability and remaining power and wherein anytime events occur where said OS is unavailable, missing, infected, corrupted or when the remaining power is less than threshold, the wireless device may switch itself to the low power secure EFI mode where it may continue to use basic cell phone services and applications seamlessly.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless device capable of integrating a cellular phone stack in a firmware layer; and

at least one monitoring agent running under the firmware layer, and applications, cellular stack and switching logic running under an OS mode,

wherein said cellular phone stack within said firmware layer is a cellular phone stack within an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer and capable includes TDMA or CDMA-based technology.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein anytime events occur where an OS is unavailable, missing, infected, corrupted and when a remaining power is less than a threshold, said wireless device switches itself to a low power secure EFI mode where it can continue to use basic cell phone services and applications.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein based upon the context and or activity, said wireless device may enter into a low power EFI mode where said wireless device can extend its power thereby enabling continued use for making critical calls and utilizing basic services, regardless of the presence and functionality of said OS.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power management portion of said wireless device capable of coordinating the transfer/switching of said cell phone stack from said OS-mode to a low power secure EFI-mode.

5. A method of power management in a wireless device, comprising:

integrating a cellular phone stack in an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer;

integrating at least one monitoring agent running under the firmware layer, and applications, cellular stack and switching logic running under an OS mode; and

adapting said wireless device to include within said cellular phone stack within said EFI layer, TDMA or CDMA-based technology.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising switching said wireless device to a low power secure EFI mode anytime events occur where an OS is unavailable, missing, infected, corrupted and when a remaining power is less than a threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising entering, based upon the context and or activity of said wireless device, into a low power EFI mode wherein said wireless device can extend its power thereby enabling continued use for making critical calls and utilizing basic services, regardless of the presence and functionality of said OS.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising coordinating the transfer/switching of said cell phone stack from said OS-mode to a low power secure EFI-mode by a power management portion of said wireless device.

9. A wireless device, comprising:

a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform results in integrating a cellular phone stack in an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer, wherein;

said wireless device is adapted to include within said cellular phone stack within said EFI layer, TDMA or CDMA-based technology; and

wherein said instructions control the integration of at least one monitoring agent running under the firmware layer, and applications, cellular stack and switching logic running under an OS mode.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein said instructions control the switching of said wireless device to a low power secure EFI mode anytime events occur where an OS is unavailable, missing, infected, corrupted and when a remaining power is less than a threshold, thereby enabling it to continue to use basic cell phone services and applications.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, further comprising controlling the entering, based upon the context and or activity of said wireless device, into a low power EFI mode where said wireless device can extend its power thereby enabling continued use for making critical calls and utilizing basic services, regardless of the presence and functionality of said OS.

12. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication infrastructure enabling the communication between a plurality of wireless devices, wherein at least one of said wireless devices is capable of integrating a cellular phone stack in an extended firmware interface (EFI) layer; and

at least one monitoring agent running under the firmware layer, and applications, cellular stack and switching logic running under an OS mode and wherein anytime events occur where an OS is unavailable, missing, infected, corrupted or when a remaining power is less than a threshold, said wireless device switches itself to a low power secure EFI mode where it can continue to use basic cell phone services and applications seamlessly.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said communication infrastructure is TDMA or CDMA-based technology.