Method and apparatus for power management of UICC

• US 9,100,918 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ruvalcaba, J. Alfredo, Ganesh, Shriram, Didjusto, Damir
• Primary Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US13/370,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20130039241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/311, 455436-444
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is disclosed for saving power in a user equipment (UE), which includes discovering at least one available access technology radio access network (RAN) having at least one access technology type, switching off power to a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) having subscription information for a second technology type different from a first technology type when a first technology type RAN is the only access technology RAN available, and establishing access to first technology type RAN user subscription information in a nonvolatile memory (NV) on the UE when a first technology type RAN is the only access technology RAN available.

Claims

1. A method for saving power in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

discovering that a radio access network (RAN) operating according to a first technology type is an only available RAN, wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to the first technology type in a non-volatile memory (NV) of the UE, and wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to a second technology type that is different from the first technology type in a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of the UE;

switching off power to the UICC based on discovering that the RAN is the only available RAN;

reading the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type from the NV; and

establishing access to the RAN using the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type read from the NV.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attempting to read information from the UE;

powering on the UICC when a cache does not contain, but the UICC contains, the information the UE is attempting to read;

reading the information from the UICC; and

updating the cache with the information read from the UICC.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising

powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attempting to write information to the UICC by the UE;

powering on the UICC; and

writing the information to the UICC.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

8. At least one processor configured to save power in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a first module for discovering that a radio access network (RAN) operating according to a first technology type is an only available RAN, wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to the first technology type in a non-volatile memory (NV) of the UE, and wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to a second technology type that is different from the first technology type in a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of the UE;

a second module for switching off power to the UICC based on discovering that the RAN is the only available RAN;

a third module for reading the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type from the NV; and

a fourth module for establishing access to the RAN using the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type read from the NV.

9. The at least one processor of claim 8, further comprising:

a fifth module for attempting to read information from the UE;

a sixth module for powering on the UICC when a cache does not contain, but the UICC contains, the information the UE is attempting to read;

a seventh module for reading the information from the UICC; and

an eighth module for updating the cache with the information read from the UICC.

10. The at least one processor of claim 9, further comprising a ninth module for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

11. The at least one processor of claim 10, further comprising

a tenth module for powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

12. The at least one processor of claim 8, further comprising:

a fifth module for attempting to write information to the UICC by the UE;

a sixth module for powering on the UICC; and

a seventh module for writing the information to the UICC.

13. The at least one processor of claim 12, further comprising an eighth module for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

14. The at least one processor of claim 13, further comprising

a ninth module for powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

15. A computer program product for saving power in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to discover that a radio access network (RAN) operating according to a first technology type is an only available RAN, wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to the first technology type in a non-volatile memory (NV) of the UE, and wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to a second technology type that is different from the first technology type in a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of the UE;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to switch off power to the UICC based on discovering that the RAN is the only available RAN;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to read the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type from the NV; and

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to establish access to the RAN using the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type read from the NV.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises:

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to attempt to read information from the UE;

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to power on the UICC when a cache does not contain, but the UICC contains, the information the UE is attempting to read;

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to read the information from the UICC; and

an eighth set of codes for causing the computer to update the cache with the information read from the UICC.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises a ninth set of codes for causing the computer to start a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises

a tenth set of codes for causing the computer to power off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises:

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to attempt to write information to the UICC by the UE;

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to power on the UICC; and

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to write the information to the UICC.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises an eighth set of codes for causing the computer to start a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises

a ninth set of codes for causing the computer to power off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

22. An apparatus for saving power in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for discovering that a radio access network (RAN) operating according to a first technology type is an only available RAN, wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to the first technology type in a non-volatile memory (NV) of the UE, and wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to a second technology type that is different from the first technology type in a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of the UE;

means for switching off power to the UICC based on discovering that the RAN is the only available RAN;

means for reading the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type from the NV; and

means for establishing access to the RAN using the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type read from the NV.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for attempting to read information from the UE;

means for powering on the UICC when a cache does not contain, but the UICC contains, the information the UE is attempting to read;

means for reading the information from the UICC; and

means for updating the cache with the information read from the UICC.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising

means for powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for attempting to write information to the UICC by the UE;

means for powering on the UICC; and

means for writing the information to the UICC.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising

means for powering off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

29. An apparatus for saving power in a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a system determination component for discovering that a radio access network (RAN) operating according a first technology type is an only available RAN, wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to the first technology type in a non-volatile memory (NV) of the UE, and wherein the UE stores subscription information corresponding to a second technology type that is different from the first technology type in a removable Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) of the UE;

a power management component for switching off power to the UICC based on discovering that the RAN is the only available RAN;

a non-volatile memory for reading the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type from the NV; and

a communications component for establishing access to the RAN using the subscription information corresponding to the first technology type read from the NV.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a processor for;

attempting to read information from the UE;

powering on the UICC when a cache does not contain, but the UICC contains, the information the UE is attempting to read;

reading the information from the UICC; and

updating the cache with the information read from the UICC.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a timer component for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein

the power management component is configured to power off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a processor for;

attempting to write information to the UICC by the UE;

powering on the UICC; and

writing the information to the UICC.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a timer component for starting a timer upon powering on the UICC to measure a timer period during which the UICC remains powered on.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein

the power management component is configured to power off the UICC when the RAN operating according to the first technology type is the only available RAN upon expiry of the timer period.