Mobile telecommunications device

• US 8,126,517 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Ashbrook, David, Holmes, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/148,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An arrangement and technique for providing an educated indication of battery consumption for any particular mobile terminal usage type. This allows the user to be provided with an accurate indication of the battery life remaining for the current usage type and also the battery life that is remaining for any other possible use of the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal preferably uses historical and/or statistical profiling for the different usage types to provide a meaningful indication of remaining battery life for at least one different usage type at any one time. In particular, the indication preferably includes a time representation that is specific to a usage type. The different usage types may include mobile television, game playing and voice calls.

Claims

1. A method of providing a usage-dependent indication of battery level on a mobile telecommunications device, the method comprising:

determining a battery level measurement;

determining at least one usage-type, relative to which the battery level is to be indicated;

determining a usage-type profile for the at least one usage-type;

determining a radio condition profile associated with an environment of the mobile telecommunications device, wherein determining the radio condition profile includes recording radio conditions over a period of time and matching the radio conditions to the radio condition profile associated with the environment; and

applying the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile to the determined battery level measurement to obtain a battery level indication relative to the at least one usage-type, wherein the battery level indication corresponds to use of the mobile communications device according to the at least one usage-type and is based on both the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile associated with the environment of the mobile telecommunications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage-type profile includes historical and/or statistical profile information relevant to its specific usage-type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage-type profile includes power consumption information relevant to its specific usage type.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least battery level indication is provided as a visual representation on a screen of the mobile telecommunications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery level indication includes a visual indication identifying the at least one usage-type and a time estimate for use of the mobile telecommunications device according to the at least one usage-type.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio condition profile relates to a location of the mobile terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio condition profile includes an indoor condition and an outdoor condition.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an age of the battery, and wherein the usage-type profile for the at least one usage-type is determined dependent on the battery age.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one usage type includes at least one of the following:

voice calls;

mobile television viewing;

game playing; and

interne usage.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined battery level measurement is a battery voltage level measurement.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one usage type is functionality-dependent and/or location-dependent.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one usage-type includes a first usage-type and a second usage-type, and wherein a first usage-type profile is determined for the first usage-type and a second usage-type profile is determined for the second usage-type, and wherein the battery level indication is provided for the first usage-type according to the first usage-type profile and the radio condition profile and for the second usage-type according to the second usage-type profile and the radio condition profile.

13. A mobile telecommunications device, comprising:

a battery device that determines a battery level measurement;

a usage type determining device that determines at least one usage type relative to which the battery level is to be indicated;

at least one profile device that;

determines a usage-type profile for the at least one usage type; and

determines a radio condition profile associated with an environment of the mobile telecommunications device, wherein the at least one profile device includes a recording device that records radio conditions over a period of time and matches the radio conditions to the radio condition profile associated with the environment; and

a calculation device that applies the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile to the determined battery level measurement to obtain a battery level indication relative to the at least one usage-type, wherein the battery level indication corresponds to use of the mobile communications device according to the at least one usage-type and is based on both the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile associated with the environment of the mobile telecommunications device.

14. The mobile telecommunications device of claim 13, wherein the at least one profile device is configured to store historical and/or statistical profile information relating to the at least one usage type.

15. The mobile telecommunications device of claim 13, wherein the at least one profile device is configured to store power consumption information relating to the at least one usage type.

16. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a display that displays a visual representation of the battery level indication.

17. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 16, wherein the display is configured to display a visual indication identifying the at least one usage type and a time estimate for use of the mobile telecommunications device according to the at least one usage-type.

18. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a processor that determines a current battery age and provides the calculation device with at least one usage-type profile from the at least one profile device which is dependent on the current battery age.

19. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one usage-type enables at least one of the following functions:

voice calls;

mobile television viewing;

game playing; and

internet usage.

20. The mobile telecommunications device to claim 13, wherein the at least one usage type is functionality-dependent and/or location-dependent.

21. The mobile telecommunications device of claim 13, wherein the at least one usage-type includes a first usage-type and a second usage-type, and wherein a first usage-type profile is determined for the first usage-type and a second usage-type profile is determined for the second usage-type, and wherein the battery level indication is provided for the first usage-type according to the first usage-type profile and the radio condition profile and for the second usage-type according to the second usage-type profile and the radio condition profile.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer software for providing a usage-dependent indication of battery level on a mobile telecommunications device, the computer software comprises executable instructions for:

determining a battery level measurement;

determining at least one usage-type, relative to which the battery level is to be indicated;

determining a usage-type profile for the at least one usage-type;

determining a radio condition profile associated with an environment of the mobile telecommunications device, wherein determining the radio condition profile includes recording radio conditions over a period of time and matching the radio conditions to the radio condition profile associated with the environment; and

applying the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile to the determined battery level measurement to obtain a battery level indication relative to the at least one usage-type, wherein the battery level indication corresponds to use of the mobile communications device according to the at least one usage-type and is based on both the usage-type profile and the radio condition profile associated with the environment of the mobile telecommunications device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the at least one usage-type profile includes at least one of:

historical profile information relevant to a specific usage-type, statistical profile information relevant to the specific usage-type, or power consumption information relevant to the specific usage type.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the battery level indication includes at least one of:

a visual representation on a screen of the mobile telecommunications device or a visual indication identifying the at least one usage-type and a time estimate use of the mobile communications terminal according to the at least one usage-type.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the radio condition profile relates to at least one of:

a location of the mobile terminal, an indoor condition or an outdoor condition.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer software further comprises executable instructions for:

determining an age of the battery, wherein the usage-type profile for the at least one usage-type is determined dependent on the battery age.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the at least one usage type includes at least one of the following:

voice calls;

mobile television viewing;

game playing; and

internet usage.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the at least one usage-type includes a first usage-type and a second usage-type, and wherein a first usage-type profile is determined for the first usage-type and a second usage-type profile is determined for the second usage-type, and wherein the battery level indication is provided for the first usage-type according to the first usage-type profile and the radio condition profile and for the second usage-type according to the second usage-type profile and the radio condition profile.