Apparatus and methods for low power sensing of wireless access technologies
First Claim
1. A mobile device comprising:
- a sensing circuitry portion configured to operate at a first power level wherein the sensing circuitry portion includes at least one configurable searcher that is operable to sense signals of one or more of a plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device, where the signals for each of the plurality of wireless access technologies are receivable via a respective wireless chain of a plurality of wireless chains and a baseband processor that are within the sensing circuitry portion and are operable at the first power level; and
a processing circuitry portion including a primary transceiver and configured to demodulate and decode at least one sensed signal of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies, the processing circuitry portion including the primary transceiver operable at a second power level higher than the first power level of the sensing circuitry portion in the mobile device and the primary transceiver operable for demodulating and decoding the at least one sensed signal.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for low power sensing of wireless access technologies are disclosed. In particular, a mobile wireless device, such as an access terminal, may utilize a lower power circuitry portion that operates at a lower power than active circuitry, such as a primary transceiver. The lower power circuitry portion includes a configurable searcher that is capable of sensing if signals of one or more various wireless access technologies are present. When the wireless device utilizes sleep or idle modes for power savings, use of the lower power sensing circuitry to sense the presence of wireless access technologies, rather than using an awoken higher power primary transceiver for sensing, affords increased power savings. An added ability of the lower power circuitry to be put into sleep or idles modes achieves even greater power savings.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A mobile device comprising:
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a sensing circuitry portion configured to operate at a first power level wherein the sensing circuitry portion includes at least one configurable searcher that is operable to sense signals of one or more of a plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device, where the signals for each of the plurality of wireless access technologies are receivable via a respective wireless chain of a plurality of wireless chains and a baseband processor that are within the sensing circuitry portion and are operable at the first power level; and a processing circuitry portion including a primary transceiver and configured to demodulate and decode at least one sensed signal of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies, the processing circuitry portion including the primary transceiver operable at a second power level higher than the first power level of the sensing circuitry portion in the mobile device and the primary transceiver operable for demodulating and decoding the at least one sensed signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for operating a mobile device that supports multiple wireless access technologies comprising:
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searching for one or more of a plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device using a sensing circuitry portion configured to operate at a power level lower than a higher power level at which a processing circuitry portion including a primary transceiver in the mobile device operates, wherein the processing circuitry portion is configured to demodulate and decode signals of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device and signals for each of the plurality of wireless access technologies are receivable via a respective wireless chain of a plurality of wireless chains and a baseband processor that are within the sensing circuitry portion and are operable at the power level lower than the higher power level at which the processing circuitry portion and the primary transceiver operate; and sending a wakeup trigger from the sensing circuitry portion to the processing circuitry portion when a signal of any of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies is sensed during searching, wherein the wakeup trigger initiates a transition of the processing circuitry portion from a power-saving state to the higher power level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mobile device that supports multiple wireless access technologies comprising:
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means for sensing signals of one or more of a plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device and operable at a first power level, where the signals for each of the plurality of wireless access technologies are receivable via a respective wireless chain of a plurality of wireless chains and a baseband processor that are within the means for sensing signals and are operable at the first power level; and means for demodulating and decoding at least one sensed signal of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies, and operable at a second power level higher than the first power level of the means for sensing signals, and the means for demodulating and decoding including a primary transceiver for demodulating and decoding the at least one sensed signal and operable at the second power level higher than the first power level. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer program product for use within a mobile device that supports multiple wireless access technologies, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon:
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code for causing a computer to search for one or more of a plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device using a sensing circuitry portion configured to operate at a power level lower than a higher power level at which a processing circuitry portion including a primary transceiver in the mobile device operates, wherein the processing circuitry portion is configured to demodulate and decode signals of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies supported by the mobile device and signals for each of the plurality of wireless access technologies are receivable via a respective wireless chain of a plurality of wireless chains and a baseband processor that are within the sensing circuitry portion and are operable at the power level lower than the higher power level at which the processing circuitry portion and the primary transceiver operate; and code for causing a computer to send a wakeup trigger from the sensing circuitry portion to the processing circuitry portion when a signal of any of the one or more of the plurality of wireless access technologies is sensed during searching, wherein the wakeup trigger initiates a transition of the processing circuitry portion from a power-saving state to the higher power level. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification