Power management of a mobile communications device

• US 9,047,084 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Khawand, Charbel, Fudally, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US12/564,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 455572-574, 370/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3062 where the monitored property is the power consumption power management in a computing system G06F1/3203
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A user interface for power management of a mobile communications device is described. In an implementation, power consumption used in performance of a plurality of tasks is monitored by a mobile communications device. A determination is made as to an amount of power that remains in a battery of the mobile communications device. A user interface is displayed on a display device of the mobile communications device that describes an amount of time each of the plurality of tasks may be performed based on the determined amount of power that remains in the battery.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable storage memories comprising instructions that, responsive to execution by a mobile communications device, provide an operating system to:

determine an amount of power that is available from a battery of the mobile communications device;

expose data generated from the determined amount of power that is available from the battery via an application programming interface (API) to an application that is executing on the mobile communications device, the exposing effective to enable the application to;

determine, by the application and based on the exposed data from the API, that the current power level of the battery is below a power level threshold that corresponds to a power level of the battery;

determine, by the application, which tasks of the application are defined within the application to be allowed to be performed by the application based on the determined power level threshold; and

adjust, by the application, the power consumption of the application by performing only the tasks of the application determined to be allowed.

2. One or more computer-readable storage memories as described in claim 1, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by reducing a frequency at which at least one task of the application is performed.

3. One or more computer-readable storage memories as described in claim 1, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by restricting its access to one or more hardware resources of the mobile communications device.

4. One or more computer-readable storage memories as described in claim 1, wherein the tasks of the application may be one or more of network access, video rendering capability, or hardware emulation functionality.

5. One or more computer-readable storage memories as described in claim 1, wherein the tasks of the applications that are determined to be allowable based on the determined power level threshold are at least partially customized by a user of the communications device.

6. One or more computer-readable storage memories as described in claim 1, wherein the adjustment, by the application, of the power consumption is performed automatically and without user intervention.

7. A mobile communications device comprising:

a battery;

a processor; and

memory configured to maintain an application and an operating system, the operating system executable on the processor to;

determine an amount of power that is available from the battery;

expose data generated from the determined amount of power that is available from the battery via an application programming interface (API) to the application effective to enable the application to;

determine, by the application, that the amount of power that is available from the battery is below a power level threshold that corresponds to a power level of the battery;

determine, by the application, which tasks of the application are defined within the application to be allowed to be performed by the application based on the determined power level threshold; and

adjust, by the application, the power consumption of the application by performing the tasks of the application determined to be allowed.

8. A mobile communications device as described in claim 7, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by reducing a frequency at which at least one task of the application is performed.

9. A mobile communications device as described in claim 7, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by restricting hardware resources used by the application.

10. A method comprising:

determining an amount of power available from a battery of a computing device;

exposing data generated from the determined amount of power available from the battery of the computing device via an application programming interface (API) of the operating system of the computing device to an application, the exposing effective to enable the application to;

determine, by the application and based on the exposed data, that a current power level of the battery is decreased below a power level threshold that corresponds to a power level of the battery;

determine, by the application, which tasks of the application are defined within the application to be allowed to be performed by the application based on the determined power level threshold; and

adjust, by the application, the power consumption involved in the execution of the application by performing only the tasks of the application determined to be allowed.

11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by reducing a frequency at which at least one task of the application is performed.

12. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by restricting hardware resources used by the application.

13. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the tasks that are allowed to be performed by the application based on the determined power level threshold are at least partially defined by a user of the computing device.

14. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the determination of which tasks are allowed to be performed by the application includes identifying which tasks are allowed to be performed simultaneously or individually based on the determined power level threshold.

15. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the application is further enabled to adjust its power consumption by reducing a frame rate used to display content.

16. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the adjustment, by the application, of the power consumption is performed automatically and without user intervention.

17. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the application is further enabled to prevent one or more tasks from being performed based on power consumption by the one or more tasks that would adversely affect operation of emergency features.

18. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the tasks of the application that are determined to be allowable based on the determined power level threshold are customizable by a user of the computing device.