Batching notifications to optimize for battery life

• US 8,621,026 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lau, William, Cherukuri, Ravikant, Firstenberg, Yossi, Louie, Darren, Anand, Gaurav, Woley, Kevin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US13/229,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 842 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-227, 709/228, 702/60, 700/291, 713/340
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a notification server 110 may batch together notifications to reduce power consumption. A notification server 110 may receive a power consumption profile 430 from a client device 120. The notification server 110 may assign a notification batch schedule at a notification server 110 based on the power consumption profile 430.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a power consumption profile from a client device; and

assigning a notification batch schedule at a notification server based on the power consumption profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering a batch dispersal to the client device according to the notification batch schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a batch interval based on the power consumption profile.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

triggering the batch interval upon receiving an initial notification in a notification queue.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a priority level rating for a notification based on the power consumption profile.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering a batch dispersal upon receiving a high priority notification.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering a batch dispersal upon reaching a queue threshold for a notification queue.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a profile protocol command indicating a power consumption profile change of the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting the notification batch schedule based on the power consumption profile change.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a notification in a notification queue at the notification server according to an idle batch notification schedule until a power consumption profile change.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a high priority notification at the notification server; and

replacing a lower priority notification in a notification queue with the high priority notification.

12. A tangible machine-readable medium having a set of instructions detailing a method stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform the method, the method comprising:

selecting a power consumption profile from a range of power consumption profile candidates at a client device; and

receiving a notification batch in the client device from a notification server following a notification batch schedule based on the power consumption profile.

13. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a profile protocol command to the notification server.

14. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

applying a power consumption heuristic to a power consumption context.

15. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

factoring a user input into a power consumption context of the client device.

16. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a power consumption profile change of the client device.

17. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

sending a profile protocol command indicating the power consumption profile change.

18. A notification server, comprising:

a communication interface that receives a power consumption profile selected from a range of power consumption profile candidates by a client device and transmits a notification batch to the client device according to a notification batch schedule, and

a processor that assigns the notification batch schedule based on the power consumption profile.

19. The notification server of claim 18, wherein a batch dispersal is triggered by reaching a queue threshold.

20. The notification server of claim 18, wherein a batch dispersal is triggered by receiving a high priority notification.