Method, device and computer program product for managing radio states in a mobile communication device using device mobility information

• US 9,107,166 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mach, Tomasz Henryk
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/848,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 455/74.1, 455/41.2, 455/67.1, 455/68, 340/540
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a method, computer program product and mobile communication device configured for managing radio states in a mobile communication device using device mobility information. A mobility state is determined from the number of cell changes over a predefined period of time. If the mobility state transitions to medium or high, such as when the user is in a vehicle, a Bluetooth radio is enabled. If a connection to a Bluetooth-enabled device is available, a connection is established. When the connection is disconnected, a configurable timer is started. If the timer expires without re-establishing the connection or the mobility state transitioning to medium or high, the Bluetooth radio is disabled to reduce power consumption. According to an embodiment, a Wi-Fi radio may then enabled to establish a Wi-Fi connection. Various configurations of computer program products and mobile communication devices are also described.

Claims

1. A method for managing radio states in a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

monitoring a mobility state of the mobile communication device;

when the mobility state transitions to a mobility state which is at or above a predetermined threshold, enabling a first short range radio on the mobile communication device;

establishing a connection with a compatible first short range radio-enabled device using the first short range radio;

when the first short range radio connection is disconnected, disabling the first short range radio after a first predetermined period of time during which both the mobility state is below the predetermined threshold and the first short range radio connection is not reestablished;

when the mobility state transitions to a mobility state which is at or above another predetermined threshold, enabling a second short range radio after a second predetermined period of time after the first short range radio has been disabled; and

,

disabling the second short range radio if no second short range radio connection is established during a third predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first short range radio is a Bluetooth radio.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the first predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second short range radio is a Wi-Fi radio.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the second predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of disabling the second short range radio on the mobile communication device after the mobility state transitions to a mobility state at or above the predetermined threshold if no second short range radio connection is present.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the third predetermined period of time.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium for managing states in a mobile communication device, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code which when loaded into memory and executed on an associated processor is adapted to perform:

monitoring a mobility state of the mobile communication device;

when the mobility state transitions to a mobility state which is at or above a predetermined threshold, enabling a first short range radio on the mobile communication device;

establishing a first short range radio connection with a compatible first short range radio-enabled device using the first short range radio;

when the first short range radio connection is disconnected, disabling the first short range radio after a first predetermined period of time during which both the mobility state is below the predetermined threshold and the first short range radio connection is not reestablished;

when the mobility state transitions to a mobility state which is at or above another predetermined threshold, enabling a second short range radio after a second predetermined period of time after the first short range radio has been disabled; and

,

disabling the second short range radio if no second short range radio connection is established during a third predetermined period of time.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first short range radio is a Bluetooth radio.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second short range radio is a Wi-Fi radio.

11. A mobile communication device configured for managing radio states in the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device comprising:

a mobility state module configured to monitor a mobility state of the mobile communication device;

a first short range radio module configured to enable and disable a short range radio on the mobile communication device, and to establish a first short range radio connection with a compatible first short range radio-enabled device using the first short range radio;

a second short range radio module configured to enable and disable a second short range radio on the mobile communication device; and

a control module operatively associated with the mobility state module to receive the mobility state of the mobile communication device, the control module being operatively associated with the first short range radio module to receive a notification that the first short range radio connection has been disconnected and being operatively associated with the second short range radio module, the control module being configured to;

when the mobility state transitions to a mobility state which is at or above a predetermined threshold, communicate with the first short range radio module to enable the first short range radio, and after receiving the notification that the first short radio range connection has been disconnected, communicate with the first short range radio module to disable the first short range radio after a first predetermined period of time during which both the mobility state is below the predetermined threshold and the first short range radio connection is not reestablished and communicate with the second short range radio module to enable the second short range radio after a second predetermined period of time after the first short range radio has been disabled, and communicate with the second short range radio module to disable the second short range radio after a third predetermined period of time if no second short range radio connection is established during the third predetermined period of time.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the first short range radio is a Bluetooth radio.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 11 wherein the second short range radio module is configured to establish a second short range radio connection using the second short range radio.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the second short range radio is a Wi-Fi radio.