Entering a battery power down mode using over-the-air command for wireless devices

• US 9,343,226 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Esnard-Domerego, Domitille, Wyper, George Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LINH V
• Application Number:
  US14/034,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20140021910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 341/67.1, 341/67.7, 341/67.14, 341/423, 341/573, 455/67.1, 455/67.7, 455/67.14, 455/423, 455/573
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A wireless electronic device includes a rechargeable battery, a receiver, and a shut down module. The rechargeable battery is at least partially charged. The receiver is configured to enable wireless communications for the wireless device. The receiver is capable of receiving wireless commands configured to cause corresponding functions to be performed in the wireless electronic device, which may include test functions, calibration functions, and shut down functions. The shut down module is configured to cause the wireless electronic device to initiate a shut down protocol according to a shut down command received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting at least one wireless command from a transmitter to a wireless electronic device, the at least one wireless command including a shut down command, the wireless electronic device including a battery safety circuit and is configured to receive a charge current from a rechargeable battery that is at least partially charged, the safety circuit being configured to protect the rechargeable battery; and

in response to receiving the shut down command, forcing a voltage at a port of the battery safety circuit coupled to a battery voltage signal to a voltage value that is configured to transition the wireless electronic device to a low power mode from a normal operating mode, the low power mode being configured to reduce battery self-discharge during wireless electronic device non-use.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the wireless electronic device to be transported from a manufacturing facility in which the wireless electronic device was manufactured subsequent to said transmitting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting a calibration command to the wireless electronic device to perform a calibration function in the wireless electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting a test command to the wireless electronic device to perform a test function in the wireless electronic device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a wireless response to the transmitted wireless command from the wireless electronic device prior to said enabling.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forcing the voltage at the port of the battery safety circuit coupled to the battery voltage signal to a voltage value that is greater than a threshold value of the battery safety circuit to transition the wireless device to the normal operating mode.

6. A method in a wireless electronic device, comprising:

receiving at least one wireless command from a transmitter, the at least one wireless command including a shut down command;

transitioning the wireless electronic device that includes a safety circuit to a low power mode from a normal operating mode in response to a receiving the shut down command to reduce battery self-discharge during wireless electronic device non-use, said transitioning includes forcing a voltage at a port of the battery safety circuit to a voltage value that is configured to transition the wireless electronic device to the low power mode, the battery safety circuit being configured to protect the rechargeable battery.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one wireless command includes a calibration command, the method further comprising:

performing a calibration function in the wireless electronic device in response to the calibration command.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one wireless command includes a test command, the method further comprising:

performing a test function in the wireless electronic device in response to the test command.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing said transitioning prior to the wireless electronic device being transported from a manufacturing facility in which the wireless electronic device was manufactured.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a charge voltage from a battery charger at the wireless electronic device for the rechargeable battery after being transported from the manufacturing facility; and

transitioning from the low power mode to the normal operation mode in response to receiving the charge voltage.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the battery safety circuit is configured to protect the rechargeable battery against at least one of an overcharge current, an overcharge voltage, or an overdischarge voltage.

11. A wireless electronic device, comprising:

a shut down module configured to cause the wireless electronic device to initiate a shut down protocol according to a shut down command wirelessly received by the wireless electronic device, the shut down protocol configured to transition the wireless electronic device from a first operation mode to a low power mode configured to reduce battery self-discharge during wireless electronic device non-use; and

a safety circuit configured to protect a rechargeable battery of the wireless electronic device and further configured to receive the shut down command to force a voltage at a port of the battery safety circuit coupled to a battery voltage signal to a voltage value that is configured to transition the wireless electronic device to the low power mode.

12. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a calibration module configured to perform a calibration function in the wireless electronic device according to a calibration command received by the wireless electronic device.

13. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a test module configured to perform a test function in the wireless electronic device according to a test command received by the wireless electronic device.

14. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a transmitter capable of transmitting a wireless response to a received wireless command.

15. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a battery charge interface configured to provide a charge voltage received from a battery charger to a rechargeable battery of the wireless electronic device; and

wherein the wireless electronic device is configured to transition from the low power mode to the first operation mode in response to the charge voltage being received.

16. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, wherein the safety circuit includes a safety component that includes a port that has an associated under voltage lock out (UVLO) threshold value, the port receiving a voltage value generated by the shut down module during the shut down protocol, the voltage value being less than the UVLO threshold value to transition the wireless electronic device from the first operation state to the low power mode.

17. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, wherein the safety circuit is configured to create an open circuit in a voltage signal coupled to the rechargeable battery in response to a signal provided by the shut down module to reduce battery self-discharge of the rechargeable battery.

20. The wireless electronic device of claim 11, wherein the wireless electronic de vice is transitioned to the lower power mode prior to being transported from a manufacturing facility in which the wireless electronic device was manufacture.