Detecting method and device for saving electrical power consumption of communication device

• US 7,860,537 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lin, Ying-Tsang
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/926,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/572, 455/127.1, 455/127.5
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A detecting method and a detecting device for saving electrical power consumption of a communication device are introduced. During each operation cycle, a receiving end is switched between a hibernation mode and an operation mode alternately. The receiving end in the hibernation mode is supplied with a first electric power, the receiving end in the operation mode is supplied with a second electric power, and the first electric power is smaller than the second electric power. The receiving end in the operation mode detects whether there is a first signal from a sending end. If receiving the first signal, the receiving end is kept in the operation mode, and continued to be supplied with the second electric power. If the receiving end in the operation mode does not receive the first signal, the receiving end enters the hibernation mode and is supplied with the first electric power.

Claims

1. A detecting method for saving electrical power consumption of a communication device, comprising:

providing a receiving end, wherein an operation cycle of the receiving end comprises a hibernation mode and an operation mode;

after a first time period, switching the receiving end from the hibernation mode to the operation mode, wherein the receiving end in the hibernation mode is supplied with a first electric power, and the receiving end in the operation mode is supplied with a second electric power;

switching to the operation mode, wherein the receiving end detects a signal for communication sent from a sending end in a second time period;

keeping the receiving end in the operation mode when receiving a plurality of first signals from the sending end;

switching the receiving end from the operation mode to the hibernation mode if the receiving end does not detect the first signals after the second time period; and

wherein the second time period is determined by a sending time parameter period, a buffer time parameter buf, and a transmission time parameter τ

, and the second time period is (period+buf+τ

).

2. The detecting method for saving electrical power consumption of a communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sending time parameter is determined by times of transmitting the first signals in the operation cycle.

3. The detecting method for saving electrical power consumption of a communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buffer time parameter is determined by a transmission time span of a second signal from the sending end.

4. The detecting method for saving electrical power consumption of a communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission time parameter is determined by a time required by transmitting the first signal from the sending end to the receiving end and then back to the sending end.

5. A communication device, applied in a radio communication system, comprising:

a sending end, for providing a plurality of first signals; and

a receiving end, for receiving the first signals, wherein an operation cycle of the receiving end comprises an operation mode and a hibernation mode, wherein the receiving end further comprises;

a transmitting/receiving antenna;

an audio modulation unit, coupled to the transmitting/receiving antenna, for processing the first signals;

an electric power unit, for providing electric power required by the operation of the receiving end;

a processing unit, coupled to the audio modulation unit, wherein the processing unit is used to count time for switching the receiving end from the hibernation mode to the operation mode after a first time period, when the processing unit is in the hibernation mode, the processing unit determines to supply a first electric power to the communication device, when the processing unit is in the operation mode, the processing unit determines to supply a second electric power to the communication device and detects whether the sending end sends the first signals in the period, if receiving the first signals in the period, the receiving end is kept in the operation mode, and if the receiving end does not receive the first signals in the period, the receiving end is switched from the operation mode to the hibernation mode after a second time period; and

wherein the second time period is determined by a sending time parameter period, a buffer time parameter buf, and a transmission time parameter τ

, and the second time period is (period+buf+τ

).

6. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electric power unit supplies corresponding electric power according to the hibernation mode and the operation mode.

7. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sending end is further used to send second signals which are audio signals.

8. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sending time parameter is determined by times of transmitting the first signals in the operation cycle.

9. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the buffer time parameter is determined by a transmission time span of a second signal from the sending end.

10. The communication device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transmission time parameter is determined by a time required by transmitting the first signal from the sending end to the receiving end and then back to the sending end.