Remedying power drain via a coverage map
First Claim
1. A method of creating a power-drain map for a wireless communications device, the power-drain map usable to modify a communications behavior of the communications device to reduce consumption of remaining battery power, the method comprising:
- determining, by the wireless communications device, a current geographical location of the wireless communications device;
measuring, by the wireless communications device, a power drain associated with wireless connectivity at the current geographical location related to a current communication mode in use by the wireless communications device, the power drain including a power drain per unit data during transmission or receipt of data;
associating, by the wireless communications device, the measured power drain with the current geographical location and the current communication mode; and
building, by the wireless communications device, the power-drain map, the power-drain map comprising the measured power drain, current communication mode, current geographical location, and information associated with a power-drain model for increasing drain of a battery of the wireless communication device, the power-drain map being usable by the wireless communications device to modify the communications behavior to reduce consumption of the remaining battery power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for managing mobile communications device connectivity and communication behavior monitor device location relative to known communication-mode coverage areas and cause or suggest changes in device connectivity or behavior based on a power-drain map to preserve device battery power. The power-drain map provides, in an embodiment, a pairing of locations, available communication modes, and expected power drains when a given device employs each available communication mode. In general, behavioral modifications include preemptive or delayed downloading as well as switching networks or network types among other types of behavior.
177 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of creating a power-drain map for a wireless communications device, the power-drain map usable to modify a communications behavior of the communications device to reduce consumption of remaining battery power, the method comprising:
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determining, by the wireless communications device, a current geographical location of the wireless communications device; measuring, by the wireless communications device, a power drain associated with wireless connectivity at the current geographical location related to a current communication mode in use by the wireless communications device, the power drain including a power drain per unit data during transmission or receipt of data; associating, by the wireless communications device, the measured power drain with the current geographical location and the current communication mode; and building, by the wireless communications device, the power-drain map, the power-drain map comprising the measured power drain, current communication mode, current geographical location, and information associated with a power-drain model for increasing drain of a battery of the wireless communication device, the power-drain map being usable by the wireless communications device to modify the communications behavior to reduce consumption of the remaining battery power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of modifying communications behavior of a wireless communications device, the method comprising:
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determining at the wireless communications device, a current geographical location of the wireless communications device and at least one predicted future geographical location of the wireless communications device; determining, at the wireless communications device, based on a power-drain map, the power-drain map including information associated with a power-drain model for increasing drain of a battery of the wireless communication device, a power-drain condition associated with one or more communication modes available to the wireless communications device at each of the current geographical location, and the at least one predicted future geographical location; and based at least in part on the determined power drains associated with the one or more communication modes available to the wireless communications device at each of the current geographical location and the at least one predicted future geographical location, modifying the communications behavior of the wireless communications device to reduce consumption of remaining battery power of the wireless communications device using the model for the increasing drain of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of modifying communications behavior of a wireless communications device, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a map server from the wireless communications device, a report of a current geographical location of the wireless communications device; predicting, by the map server, a future location of the wireless communications device; reading a power-drain map, at the map server, to obtain power-drain data associated with each of the current geographical location and the future location of the wireless communications device, the power-drain data for each location reflecting a wireless connectivity power cost for each of one or more communication modes available at that location and including information associated with a power-drain model for increasing drain of a battery of the wireless communication device; and based at least in part on the obtained power-drain data, selecting a course of action regarding behavior of the wireless communications device with respect to wireless communications, the course of action including modifying the communications behavior of the wireless communications device, using the model for the increasing drain of the battery, to reduce consumption of remaining battery power of the wireless communications device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification