Wireless communication device having reduced power consumption

• US 8,744,011 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Godbole, Sachin
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US13/252,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 375/345
• US Class Current: 375/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless communication device is disclosed that is capable of reduced power consumption. The device includes several analog components, including some that may be capable of operating at multiple different operation powers and others whose function may be performed by an equivalent digital component. Based on a quality of a received signal, the wireless communication device can adjust a power consumption configuration of its analog components in order to optimize power use. For example, when signal quality is higher than necessary, the device can sacrifice performance to reduce operating power and/or switch to digital equivalent components. Similarly, when signal quality is lower than necessary, the device can enhance performance by increasing operating power and/or switching from digital equivalent components to corresponding analog components.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiver module configured to receive a signal;

a signal quality review module configured to determine a signal quality of the received signal;

an analog module that includes a replaceable analog component;

a digital module that includes a digital component that functions as a digital equivalent of the replaceable analog component;

an analog-to-digital converter connected between the replaceable analog component and the digital component; and

a power control module configured to control a power consumption of the receiver module by switching between operation of the replaceable analog component and operation of the digital component based on the determination by the signal quality review module.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the analog module further includes an adjustable analog component that is capable of operating at multiple different operating powers, and

the power control module controls the power consumption of the receiver module by adjusting an operating power of the adjustable analog component based on the determination by the signal quality review module.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the analog-to-digital converter is capable of operating at an adjustable bit resolution, and

the power control module controls the power consumption of the receiver module by adjusting the bit resolution of the analog-to-digital converter based on the determination by the signal quality review module.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the analog module further includes an adjustable analog component that is capable of operating at multiple different operating powers, and

the power control module controls the power consumption of the receiver module by at least one of (1) adjusting an operating power of the adjustable analog component, and (2) switching between operation of the replaceable analog component and operation of the digital component, based on the determination by the signal quality review module.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the adjustable analog component, the replaceable analog component, and the digital component are connected in series.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the digital component is connected parallel to the replaceable analog component.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the signal quality review module determines the signal quality of the received signal on a continuous (real-time) basis.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the received signal includes a plurality of data frames, and

the signal quality review module determines the signal quality of the received signal on a frame-by-frame basis.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the received signal includes a plurality of data frames, and

the signal quality review module determines the signal quality of the received signal on the basis of a group of data frames, each group including more than one frame from the plurality of frames.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of power selection lines, wherein

the analog module further includes a plurality of analog components that include the replaceable analog component,

the receiver module includes a plurality of digital equivalent components that function as digital equivalents of the corresponding analog components and that include the digital component,

the analog components are connected in series, and

each of the digital equivalent components resides on a different power selection line, such that each of the digital equivalent components is connected in parallel with its corresponding analog component and with the other digital equivalent components.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10, wherein

the power control module controls the power consumption of the receiver module by selecting a power selection line among the plurality of power selection lines.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein

when the power control module transitions from selecting a first power selection line among the plurality of power selection lines to selecting a second power selection line from among the plurality of power selection lines, the power control module temporarily supplies an operation power to both the components of the first power selection line and the components of the second power selection line.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

the power control module controls the power consumption of the receiver module by referring to a Look-Up Table (LUT) based on the determined signal quality.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein

when the determined signal quality exceeds a first threshold, the power control module reduces the power consumption of the receiver module, and

when the determined signal quality is below a second threshold, the power control module increases the power consumption of the receiver module.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein when the signal quality of the received signal is determined to be above a predetermined threshold, the power control module is configured to switch off the replaceable analog component and switch on the digital component.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein when the signal quality of the received signal is determined to be below a predetermined threshold, the power control module is configured to switch off the digital component and switch on the replaceable analog component.

17. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiver module configured to receive a signal;

a signal quality review module configured to determine a signal quality of the received signal;

an analog module that includes a replaceable analog component;

a digital module that includes a digital component that functions as a digital equivalent of the replaceable analog component;

an analog-to-digital converter connected between the replaceable analog component and the digital component; and

a power control module configured to control a power consumption of the receiver module based on the determination by the signal quality review module,

wherein when the signal quality of the received signal is determined to be above a predetermined threshold, the power control module is configured to switch off the replaceable analog component and switch on the digital component.

18. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiver module configured to receive a signal;

a signal quality review module configured to determine a signal quality of the received signal;

an analog module that includes a replaceable analog component;

a digital module that includes a digital component that functions as a digital equivalent of the replaceable analog component;

an analog-to-digital converter connected between the replaceable analog component and the digital component; and

a power control module configured to control a power consumption of the receiver module based on the determination by the signal quality review module,

wherein when the signal quality of the received signal is determined to be below a predetermined threshold, the power control module is configured to switch off the digital component and switch on the replaceable analog component.