Server initiated power mode switching in portable communication devices

• US 8,165,644 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Syed, Zeeshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US11/847,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 455/115.3, 455/522, 455/574, 370/311, 370/318
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a process, a power mode indicator is transmitted from a content server and is received by a Portable Communication Device (PCD). The indicator is indicative of a power mode potentially available to a circuit block in the PCD. The circuit block exhibits different levels of power consumption when operated in different power modes and is operated in the indicated power mode in response to the received power mode indicator. The content server may be a stream server. The circuit block may be operated in the power mode to receive/process a data stream.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable communication device (PCD), comprising:

receiving at the PCD, from a content server for transmitting media content, a power mode indicator indicative of a power mode selected from a plurality of power modes available to a circuit block in said PCD, said circuit block exhibiting different levels of power consumption when operated in different ones of said power modes; and

operating said circuit block in said power mode in response to said received power mode indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of power modes comprises a full power mode and at least one reduced power mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said content server is a stream server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a data stream for a media content from said stream server;

and processing said data stream for presentation of said media content to a user, as said data stream is being received, said circuit block operating in said power mode to perform at least one of said receiving and processing said data stream.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said power mode is selected based on at least a bitrate of said data stream.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said data stream comprises compressed data, and said power mode is selected based on at least a compression ratio of said compressed data.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said media content comprises video images and said power mode is selected based on at least a graphics resolution of said video images.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said data stream comprises a television broadcast signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said television broadcast signal comprises a sideband, said power mode indicator being transmitted in said sideband.

10. The method of claim 4, comprising transmitting to said stream server data indicative of a processing capacity, and wherein one of said least one reduced power mode is selected when said processing capacity is higher than needed to process said data stream.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said PCD communicates with said content server through wireless communication.

12. A method of operating a content server for transmitting media content, comprising:

transmitting to a portable communication device (PCD) a power mode indicator indicative of a power mode that may be available to a circuit block in said PCD, said circuit block exhibiting different levels of power consumption when operated in different power modes; and

transmitting data to said PCD.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said power modes comprise a full power mode and at least one reduced power mode.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising receiving from said PCD data indicative of a processing capacity, and selecting one of said least one reduced power mode when said processing capacity is higher than needed by said PCD to process said data transmitted to said PCD.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said content server is a stream server.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting data to said PCD comprises transmitting a data stream for a media content to said PCD, while said data stream is received and processed by said PCD for presentation of said media content to a user and said circuit block is operated in said power mode to perform at least one of receiving and processing said data stream.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said power mode is selected based on at least a bitrate of said data stream.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said data stream comprises compressed data, and said power mode is selected based on at least a compression ratio of said compressed data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said media content comprises video images and said power mode is selected based on at least a graphics resolution of said video images.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said data stream comprises a television broadcast signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said television broadcast signal comprises a sideband, said power mode indicator being transmitted in said sideband.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said PCD communicates with said content server through wireless communication.

23. A portable communication device (PCD) for media content, comprising:

a circuit block operable in a plurality of power modes, said circuit block exhibiting different levels of power consumption when operated in different ones of said power modes;

a receiver for receiving, from a remote content server, media content and a power mode indicator indicative of a power mode selected from said plurality of power modes; and

a power management module for setting said circuit block to operate in said power mode in response to receiving said power mode indicator.

24. The PCD of claim 23, which is a cellular telephone.

25. The PCD of claim 24, wherein said content server is a stream server.

26. The PCD of claim 25, wherein said circuit block is operated in said power mode to perform at least one of receiving and processing streamed data.

27. A content server for transmitting media content comprising:

a power mode selector for selecting a power mode indicator indicative of a power mode selected from a plurality of power modes potentially available to a circuit block in a portable communication device (PCD), said circuit block exhibiting different levels of power consumption when operated in different ones of said power modes; and

a transmitter for transmitting to said PCD said power mode indicator and data.

28. The content server of claim 27, wherein said content server is a stream server.

29. The content server of claim 28, wherein said power mode indicator is associated with a data stream for media content to be transmitted to said PCD such that said circuit block is operable in said power mode to receive or process, or both receive and process, said data stream for presentation of said media content to a user.