Method for power saving in mobile devices by optimizing wakelocks

• US 9,801,135 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Backholm, Ari, Hu, Allan, Li, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US15/139,299
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for conserving device and/or network resources is provided herein. The method includes detecting a wakelock operating on a mobile device and determining a consumption of one of a power or radio usage attributed to the detected wakelock. The method further includes determining a criticality related to user experience for the detected wakelock and releasing the detected wakelock based on the determined consumption and criticality. Related systems and mobile devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a wakelock acquisition request on a mobile device;

determining whether to acquire a wakelock in response to the wakelock acquisition request, wherein a wakelock optimizer identifies patterns and periodicity in one or more wakelocks and performs one or more queries to determine patterns of the one or more wakelocks;

determining whether the wakelock matches a pattern known to be caused by a targeted wakelock, wherein a targeted wakelock is a wakelock that is considered unnecessary or potentially unnecessary based on pre-determined criteria; and

identifying and removing an unnecessary wakelock that is indifferent to an end user experience.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakelock optimizer uses caching algorithms to identify the patterns and periodicity in the one or more wakelocks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakelock is set by an application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wakelock is configured to trigger a processor wakelock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakelock optimizer monitors processor activities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wakelock optimizer triggers a lower processor frequency.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the wakelock optimizer shuts down one or more processor cores.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the wakelock optimizer terminates an application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wakelock optimizer terminates the application based on a processor usage threshold while the mobile device is not actively used by the user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wakelock optimizer restarts the application after at least one of a delay and an external event.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured for;

detecting a wakelock acquisition request on a mobile device;

determining whether to acquire a wakelock in response to the acquisition request, wherein a wakelock optimizer identifies patterns and periodicity in one or more wakelocks and performs one or more queries to determine patterns of the one or more wakelocks;

determining whether the wakelock matches a pattern known to be caused by a targeted wakelock, wherein a targeted wakelock is a wakelock that is considered unnecessary or potentially unnecessary based on pre-determined criteria; and

identifying and removing an unnecessary wakelock that is indifferent to an end user experience.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the wakelock optimizer uses caching algorithms to identify the patterns and periodicity in the one or more wakelocks.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the wakelock is set by an application.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the wakelock is configured to trigger a processor wakelock.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the wakelock optimizer monitors processor activities.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the wakelock optimizer triggers a lower processor frequency.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the wakelock optimizer shuts down one or more processor cores.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the wakelock optimizer terminates an application.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the wakelock optimizer terminates the application based on a processor usage threshold while the mobile device is not actively used by the user.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the wakelock optimizer restarts the application after at least one of a delay and an external event.