System and method for conserving power for devices

• US 9,380,249 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ronald Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US13/580,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,301 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A power conservation circuit for a hand-held motion-sensing device and a method for conserving power on such devices are provided. The present disclosure provides for sensing the movement of device by a sensor and outputting a sense signal in response to the movement, processing the sense signal output of the sensor by a processing circuit, selectively enabling and disabling power to the processing circuit (404) by a power management circuit and providing a signal by a motion detect circuit to the power management circuit for enabling power to the processing circuit based on the sense signal from the sensor. The motion detect circuit differentiates the sense signal from the sensor and provides a power enable signal to the power management circuit if the differentiated sense signal exceeds a signal threshold.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a sensor that senses movement of the device and outputting a sense signal in response to the movement;

a motion detect circuit coupled to the output of the sensor, the motion detect circuit receiving the sense signal from the sensor and outputting a power enable signal if the sense signal exceeds a threshold value;

a power management circuit coupled to the motion detect circuit, the power management circuit receiving the power enable signal from the motion detect circuit (420) and outputting a power signal to initiate a power up mode as a result of receiving the power enable signal; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the power management circuit and the sensor, the processing circuit, the processing circuit receiving the power signal along with receiving and processing the sense signal,

wherein the sense signal, in response to movement, first, initiates the power up mode and, second, provides an input that defines a specific command for a graphic user interface.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the motion detect circuit differentiates the sense signal from the sensor.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein the power management circuit disables power to the processing circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

4. The device as in claim 2, wherein the processing circuit provides a power disable signal to the power management circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a 3-axis motion sensing device.

6. The device as in claim 5, wherein the motion detect circuit is configured to detect an absolute value of the change in acceleration of at least one of the 3 axes.

7. The device as in claim 5, wherein the motion detect circuit includes an operational amplifier differentiator to detect an absolute value of the change in acceleration of at least one of the 3 axes.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein a gain of the differentiator is adjustable to set a signal threshold and wherein the motion detect circuit provides a power enable signal to the power management circuit if the absolute value signal exceeds the signal threshold.

9. A method for conserving power in a wireless hand-held motion-sensing controller, the method comprising:

sensing motion of the controller by a sensor and outputting a sense signal in response to the motion;

outputting a power enable signal if the sense signal exceeds a threshold value; and

providing a power signal to a processing circuit as part of initiating a start up mode based on the power enable signal,

wherein the sense signal, in response to movement of the wireless handheld motion sensing controller, first, initiates the start up mode, and second, provides an input to the processing circuit that defines a specific command for a graphic user interface.

10. The method as in claim 9, further comprising differentiating the sense signal from the sensor to determine if the sense signal exceeds the threshold value.

11. The method as in claim 9, further comprising disabling power to the processing circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

12. The method as in claim 9, further comprising providing a power disable signal to the processing circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

13. The method as in claim 9, wherein the sensor is a 3-axis motion sensing device.

14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising determining an absolute value of the change in acceleration of at least one of the 3 axes in order to determine if the sense signal exceeds the threshold value.

15. The method as in claim 9, wherein the threshold value is adjustable.

24. The method as in claim 14, wherein the absolute value is determined using an operational amplifier differentiator.

16. A device comprising:

a means for sensing motion of the device and outputting a sense signal in response to the motion;

a means for outputting a power enable signal if the sense signal exceeds a threshold value; and

a means for providing a power signal to a processing circuit as part of initiating a start up mode based on the power enable signal,

wherein the sense signal, in response to movement of the wireless handheld motion sensing controller, first, initiates the start up mode, and second, provides an input to the processing circuit that defines a specific command for a graphic user interface.

17. The device as in claim 16, further comprising means for differentiating the sense signal from the sensor to determine if the sense signal exceeds the threshold value.

18. The device as in claim 16, further comprising means for disabling power to the processing circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

19. The method as in claim 16, further comprising means for providing a power disable signal to the processing circuit if motion is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

20. The device as in claim 16, wherein the sensor is a 3-axis motion sensing device.

21. The device as in claim 20, further comprising determining an absolute value of the change in acceleration of at least one of the 3 axes in order to determine if the sense signal exceeds the threshold value.

22. The device as in claim 21, wherein the absolute value is determined using an operational amplifier differentiator.

23. The device as in claim 16, wherein the threshold value is adjustable.