Portable device with subscriber identity cards and method for controlling transmission power thereof

• US 9,173,171 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yueh-Hsiang, Tseng, Chung-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US13/895,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20140099934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/13.4, 455/522, 455/571, 455/572, 455/574, 455/127.1, 455/127.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 portable device is provided. The portable device comprises a first wireless module, a second wireless module, a first subscriber identity card coupled to the first wireless module, a second subscriber identity card coupled to the second wireless module and a battery. The first subscriber identity card camps on a cell via the first wireless module. The second subscriber identity card camps on the same cell or a different cell via the second wireless module. A first transmission power of one of the first and second wireless modules is maintained, and a second transmission power of another one of the first and second wireless modules is dynamically adjusted according to a variation in a voltage of the battery.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising:

a first wireless module;

a second wireless module;

a first subscriber identity card coupled to the first wireless module, camping on a cell via the first wireless module;

a second subscriber identity card coupled to the second wireless module, camping on the same cell or a different cell via the second wireless module; and

a battery,

wherein a first transmission power of one of the first and second wireless modules is maintained, and a second transmission power of another one of the first and second wireless modules is dynamically adjusted according to a variation in a voltage of the battery, and

wherein when the voltage of the battery is regained, the second transmission power is increased.

2. The portable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the first and second wireless modules, making a first call with the first subscriber identity card according to the first transmission power and making a second call with the second subscriber identity card according to the second transmission power, wherein the first call is made prior to the second call,

wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold, the processor controls the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and

wherein when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold, the processor controls the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power of the second wireless module, and a voltage level of the second threshold is larger than that of the first threshold.

3. The portable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the first and second wireless modules, making a call with the first subscriber identity card according to the first transmission power and exchanging data packets with the second subscriber identity card according to the second transmission power,

wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold, the processor controls the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and

wherein when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold, the processor controls the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power, and a voltage level of the second threshold is larger than that of the first threshold.

4. The portable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the first and second wireless modules, making a first call with the first subscriber identity card according to the first transmission power and making a second call with the second subscriber identity card according to the second transmission power, wherein the first call is made prior to the second call,

wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the processor controls the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and

wherein when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the processor controls the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power of the second wireless module, and a voltage level of the second threshold is larger than that of the first threshold.

5. The portable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the first and second wireless modules, making a first call with the first subscriber identity card according to the first transmission power and exchanging data packets with the second subscriber identity card according to the second transmission power,

wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the processor controls the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and

wherein when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the processor controls the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power of the second wireless module, and a voltage level of the second threshold is larger than that of the first threshold.

6. The portable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first call is made with the first wireless module according to the first transmission power, and when the first call is made, a second call is made with the second wireless module or data packets are exchanged with the second wireless module according to the second transmission power, wherein the first call is made prior to the second call.

7. The portable device as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold, the first wireless module notifies the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold, the first wireless module notifies the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power of the second wireless module, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold.

8. The portable device as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the first wireless module notifies the second wireless module to decrease the second transmission power of the second wireless module, and when the voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped, the first wireless module notifies the second wireless module to increase the decreased second transmission power of the second wireless module, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold.

9. A method for controlling transmission power of a portable device, wherein the portable device comprises a battery, a first wireless module camping on a cell with a first subscriber identity card, and a second wireless module camping on the same cell or a different cell with a second subscriber identity card, comprising:

detecting a voltage of the battery when first and second communication services are provided by the portable device via the first and second subscriber identity cards, respectively;

determining a slave wireless module between the first and second wireless modules according to the communication services; and

dynamically adjusting a transmission power of the slave wireless module according to the detected voltage of the battery,

wherein when the detected voltage of the battery is regained, the transmission power of the slave wireless module is increased and a transmission power of a master wireless module between the first and second wireless modules is maintained.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

making a first call with the first subscriber identity card to provide the first communication service; and

when the first call is made, making a second call with the second subscriber identity card to provide the second communication service,

wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the transmission power of the slave wireless modules according to the detected voltage of the battery further comprises;

decreasing the transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold; and

increasing the decreased transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold, and

wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold, and the slave wireless module is the second wireless module.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

making a call with the first subscriber identity card to provide the first communication service; and

when the first call is made, exchanging data packets with the second subscriber identity card to provide the second communication service,

wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the transmission power of the slave wireless modules according to the detected voltage of the battery further comprises;

decreasing the transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold; and

increasing the decreased transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold, and

wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold, and the slave wireless module is the second wireless module.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

making a first call with the first subscriber identity card to provide the first communication service;

when the first call is made, making a second call with the second subscriber identity card to provide the second communication service; and

determining whether the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped,

wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the transmission power of the slave wireless modules according to the detected voltage of the battery further comprises;

decreasing the transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped; and

increasing the decreased transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped,

wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold, and the slave wireless module is the second wireless module.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

making a call with the first subscriber identity card to provide the first communication service;

when the first call is made, exchanging data packets with the second subscriber identity card to provide the second communication service; and

determining whether the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped,

wherein the step of dynamically adjusting the transmission power of the slave wireless modules according to the detected voltage of the battery further comprises;

decreasing the transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is smaller than a first threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped; and

increasing the decreased transmission power of the slave wireless module when the detected voltage of the battery is larger than a second threshold and the transmission slots of the first and second wireless modules are overlapped,

wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold, and the slave wireless module is the second wireless module.