Reducing power consumption by a wireless communication device with multiple wireless communication modems

• US 9,408,145 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Narasimha, Murali, Ady, Roger W., Arshad, Iqbal, Kuchibhotla, Ravi, Love, Robert T., Slaby, Jiri, Wojack, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Eunsook
• Application Number:
  US14/513,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method includes: a wireless communication device (WCD) receiving information indicating that a second user device that is close-by is actively running a messaging application, which establishes an active communication channel with a communication service that is responsible for routing incoming voice and data communication to the WCD. The method also includes: establishing a short range communication between the communication device and the second user device; in response to receiving the information and establishing the short range communication, placing at least a first modem of the WCD in a sleep state; and in response to at least one subsequent trigger event, awakening the first modem to an active state to enable use of the first modem to complete communication. The messaging service is configured to redirect incoming calls to the second user device while the messaging service is active and the devices are within short-range communication of each other.

Claims

1. A method for minimizing power consumption in a communication device that includes at least a first modem and a second modem, each supporting a connection to at least one communication network, the method comprising:

receiving, via a client server protocol (CSP) executing on the communication device, information that indicates that a second user device in proximity to the communication device is actively running a messaging application that establishes an active communication channel with a communication service responsible for routing incoming voice and data communication intended to be communicated to the first user device via a first communication network;

establishing a short range communication between the communication device and the second user device;

in response to receiving the information and establishing the short range communication, placing at least the first modem in a sleep state; and

in response to at least one subsequent trigger event, awakening the first modem to an active state to enable use of the first modem to complete communication over the first communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a closeness of the second user device using a first proximity detection and signaling (PDS) module of the communication device;

monitoring the closeness of the second user device following the placing of the at least the first modem in the sleep state; and

triggering the awakening of the first modem, in response to the second user device falling out of a proximity range to the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises:

when a user signs into a user account for a messaging application at the communication service, from another device that is in proximate range of the communication device, receiving an indication of a user signed-in status at the communication device; and

initiating a power saving mode at the communication device in response to receipt of the indication;

wherein the indication is provided by the CSP, which executes on and communicates between the communication device and the second user device over a short range low power radio technology signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring a link established with short range low power radio technology signal to the second user device for a subsequent indication that a trigger event has occurred that requires the communication device to cause the first modem to exit the sleep mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one subsequent trigger event comprises at least one of:

(a) detection of a termination of the close range communication;

(b) receipt of a notification of an incoming communication being forwarded for completion over the first network;

(c) detection of a termination of the active running of the messaging application at the second user device;

(d) receipt of a user-inactive notification indicating that a user is no longer attentive to the second user device;

(e) detecting separation of the communication device beyond a proximity threshold range of the second user device;

(f) detecting separation of a first user wearable device from within a proximity threshold range of the second user device;

or (g) receipt of a message from the second user device indicating initiation of a procedure on the second device to transfer communication to the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to placing at least the first modem in a sleep state, the method further comprises:

detecting communicative access via the short range communication technology to the second user device; and

identifying that the second user device is a pre-registered call-redirection device with the communication service, wherein the call-redirection device receives an incoming communication intended to be routed via the first network to the first user device while the second user device is within an established proximity threshold range of the first user device and has a corresponding messaging application set for open access to the communication service.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

forwarding a call-redirection signal to the communication service to trigger implementation at the communication service of the call redirection to the second user device; and

periodically placing the first modem in an active state in order to exchange parameters with the first communication network that are required to maintain the first modem in a ready state for quickly establishing a communication channel with the first communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

placing the first modem into the sleep state comprises at least one of (a) turning off power to the first modem, (b) removing power from one or more power consuming components of the first modem, (c) turning off specific power consuming components of the first modem, (d) intermittently providing power to a subset of components of the first modem that are required to periodically transmit registration parameters to the first wireless network and exchange timing data with a network tower for uplink and downlink communication, (e) placing the first modem in a low power state in which the first modem consumes a limited amount of power but retains operational readiness to enable a quick response to receipt of the incoming communication, or (f) placing the first modem in a state in which the first modem monitors a signal of the first communication network less frequently than the frequency of monitoring of the signal when the first modem is in an active state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event is receipt of a notification at the second modem of an incoming communication to be routed via the first communication network, and the awakening of the first modem comprises:

in response to receipt, at the second modem, of the notification, awakening the first modem to an active state to enable receipt of a page corresponding to the incoming communication via the first modem.

10. A wireless communication device comprising:

a first wireless modem that enables the wireless communication device (WCD) to interface with a first wireless network and perform wireless communication exchange via a first communication channel;

a second wireless modem that enables the WCD to interface with a second wireless network and perform wireless communication exchange via a second communication channel;

at least one processor coupled to the first wireless modem and the second wireless modem;

a client server protocol (CSP) executing on the communication device and which receives information that indicates that a second user device in proximity to the communication device is actively running a messaging application that establishes an active communication channel with a communication service responsible for routing incoming voice and data communication intended to be communicated to the first user device via a first communication network;

a short range communication component that establishes a short range communication between the communication device and a second short range communication device of the second user device to track the proximity of the communication device to the second user device;

a communication and power management (CPM) utility that executes on the processor and configures the WCD to;

in response to receiving the information and establishing the short range communication, place at least the first modem in a sleep state; and

in response to at least one subsequent trigger event, awaken the first modem to an active state to enable use of the first modem to complete communication over the first wireless network.

11. The WCD of claim 10, further comprising:

a first proximity detection and signaling (PDS) module that;

detects a closeness of the second user device to the communication device;

monitors the closeness of the second user device following the placing of the at least the first modem in the sleep state; and

triggers the awakening of the first modem in response to the second user device falling out of proximity range of the communication device.

12. The WCD of claim 10, wherein the client sever protocol further:

receives an indication of a user signed-in status at the communication device, when a user signs into a user account for a messaging application at the communication service, from another device that is in proximate range of the communication device; and

triggers the CPM utility to initiate a power saving mode at the communication device in response to receipt of the indication;

wherein the indication is provided by the CSP, which executes on and communicates between the communication device and the second user device over a short range low power radio technology signal.

13. The WCD of claim 10, wherein prior to placing at least the first modem in a sleep state, the CPM utility further:

detects communicative access via the short range communication technology to the second user device;

identifies that the second user device is a pre-registered call-redirection device with the communication service, wherein the call-redirection device receives an incoming communication intended to be routed via the first network to the first user device while the second user device is within an established proximity threshold range of the first user device and has a corresponding messaging application set for open access to the communication service.

14. The WCD of claim 10, wherein the CPM utility further configures the device to:

forward a call-redirection signal to the communication service to trigger implementation at the communication service of the call redirection to the second user device; and

periodically place the first modem in an active state in order to exchange parameters with the first communication network that are required to maintain the first modem in a ready state for quickly establishing a communication channel with the first communication network.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a modem utilized by the electronic device to interface with a data communication network and exchange voice and data communication with a communication service that is configured to provide call redirection services for incoming calls to a wireless communication device (WCD);

a short range communication component that establishes a short range communication between the electronic device and the WCD when the WCD is in proximity of the electronic device;

a proximity detection and signaling (PDS) module that monitors the proximity of the WCD to the electronic device;

a client server protocol that supports Internet protocol (IP) data communication services via at least one IP network and enables the electronic device to provide an active portal to a user account of a messaging service that is also provided on the WCD, wherein the electronic device enables user log in to the user account via a messaging application to provide an active messaging session; and

at least one processor coupled to the modem, the short range communication component and the PDS module and which executes program code, including program code of the CSP and the messaging application to configure the electronic device to;

connect to the user account at the communication service;

trigger the communication service to issue a notification to the WCD to indicate that the messaging session is active on the electronic device;

identify within the trigger to the communication service that the electronic device is within proximity of the WCD;

in response to receipt of an incoming signal indicating a call re-direction is being made to the electronic device;

accept the call re-direction; and

handle a call associated with the call re-direction as a Voice over IP (VOIP) call received over the data communication network.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to identifying one of a plurality of trigger events occurring with one of the electronic device, the WCD, and the messaging service, the CSP configures the electronic device to;

signal the WCD to place a call-receiving modem into an active state, wherein the WCD is pre-configured to respond to receipt of the signal by placing the call-receiving modem into an active state if the call-receiving modem is in a sleep state;

initiate a three way call connection with the WCD; and

in response to completion of the three way call connection with the WCD, transfer the VOIP call to the WCD.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the PDS module:

triggers the short range communication component to establish a close range communication channel with a next short range communication component of the WCD to track the proximity of the WCD to the electronic device;

detects when the proximity of the WCD to the electronic device falls outside of a threshold proximity; and

in response to detecting that the proximity of the WCD to the electronic device falls outside of a threshold proximity, forwards a signal to the messaging service that the electronic device is no longer within proximity to the WCD.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the CSP configures the electronic device to:

signal to the WCD that the electronic device has an active messaging session with the communication service; and

signal at least one of the WCD and the communication service when a trigger event is detected from among (i) passage of a period of user inactivity with one of the messaging application and the electronic device, (ii) loss of short range communication with the WCD, and (iii) loss of the active messaging communication session.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising a user interface (UI) cloning module that enables the electronic device to mirror applications and activities running on the WCD onto a browser application of the electronic device, wherein the UI cloning module generates a clone of the executing applications of the WCD on the electronic device in response to establishing the short range communication with the WCD while the WCD is in proximity to the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising a call transfer module within a VOIP application that can be triggered by a user of the electronic device to initiate transfer of an ongoing call from the electronic device to the WCD when the call was originally intended for the WCD and redirected to the electronic device.

21. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the PDS module:

determines a current position of the electronic device;

calculates a relative proximity of the WCD to the electronic device; and

transmits an indication to a user account at the messaging service indicating when the electronic device is in proximity of the WCD.

22. A communication service comprising:

a processor;

a first communication interface enabling communication with user devices via a first communication network that supports routing of voice calls to a first wireless communication device (WCD) associated with a user account maintained at the communication service;

a second communication interface enabling communication with at least the first WCD and a second electronic device, via a second communication network;

a call re-direction utility that executes on the processor and which configures the communication service to;

identify when messaging applications of both the first WCD and the second electronic device are communicatively connected to a same user account of the communication service, with at least the second electronic device having an active messaging session;

receive a signal from one of the first WCD and the second electronic device to establish the second electronic device as the active device for the user account;

in response to receiving the signal, updating a redirect setting of a call routing status of the user account to on, which causes the communication service to switch from routing incoming calls to the first WCD over the first communication interface to re-directing the incoming calls to the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving an incoming call directed to a phone number associated with the user account while the re-direct setting is set to on, autonomously re-direct the incoming call to the second electronic device for completion as a Voice over IP (VOIP) call.

23. The communication service of claim 22, further comprising:

an advance notification of incoming call (ANIC) utility that executes on the processor and which configures the communication service to, in response to the call routing status not having the redirect setting set to on;

generate a notification indicating that the incoming call is going to be forwarded to a second phone number associated with the first WCD;

transmit the notification to the first WCD over the second communication interface; and

forward the incoming call to the second phone number via the first communication interface.

24. The communication service of claim 22, wherein the call re-direction utility executes on the processor and configures the communication service to:

in response to updating the call redirection setting to on, forward a sleep notification to the WCD via the second communication interface to trigger at least a first modem of the WCD to enter into the sleep state;

subsequently divert data traffic to the electronic device via the second communication interface; and

in response to detecting that the messaging session with the second electronic device is no longer active, forwarding an awake signal notification to trigger WCD to re-activate the first modem from the sleep state.

25. The communication service of claim 22, wherein prior to autonomously redirecting the incoming call to the second electronic device, the call re-direction utility configures the commutation service to:

evaluate a robustness of a connection with the second electronic device; and

re-directing voice calls to the electronic device only in response to the connection with the electronic device being evaluated as having a desired robustness.