Optimizing the consumption of a multimedia companion chip in a mobile radio communications terminal

• US 20030109287A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Villaret, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a radio communications terminal (10) comprising a screen (12) controlled by a control module (3) and also at least two different types of microprocessor (1, 2), said first type of microprocessor (1) improving the graphics capabilities of said terminal (10) and driving said control module (3) of the screen (12), said second type of microprocessor (2) handling the other functions of said terminal (10), the terminal being characterized in that in standby mode said first type of microprocessor (1) is deactivated while second type of microprocessor (2) drives said control module (3) of the screen (12).

Claims

1. A radio communications terminal (10) comprising a screen (12) controlled by a control module (3) and also at least two different types of microprocessor (1, 2), said first type of microprocessor (1) improving the graphics capabilities of said terminal (10) and driving said control module (3) of the screen (12), said second type of microprocessor (2) handling the other functions of said terminal (10), the terminal being characterized in that in standby mode said first type of microprocessor (1) is deactivated while second type of microprocessor (2) drives said control module (3) of the screen (12).

2. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control module (3) of the screen (12) has both a parallel interface (5) and a serial interface (4), said parallel interface being connected to the first type of microprocessor (1) via a parallel bus link (7), said serial interface (4) being connected to the second type of microprocessor (2) via a serial bus link (6), and said first and second types of microprocessor (1, 2) being interconnected via a data transmission line (8).

3. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control module (3) of the screen (12) has a single parallel interface (5), said terminal (10) further comprising an external multiplexer (9) having an output connected via a parallel bus link to said parallel interface (5) of said control module (3) of the screen (12), and first and second inputs connected respectively to the first and second types of microprocessor (1, 2) via parallel bus links, said first and second types of microprocessor (1, 2) being interconnected via a data transmission line (8).

4. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the multiplexer (9) is integrated in the chip having the second type of microprocessor made thereon.

5. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the multiplexer (9) is controlled by applying a command (standby) driven by the second type of microprocessor (2) so as to enable said multiplexer (9) to handle access priority to the control module (3) of the screen between said first and second microprocessors (1, 2) depending on whether or not said terminal (10) is in standby mode.

6. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the multiplexer (9) is controlled by applying a command (standby) driven by the second type of microprocessor (2) so as to enable said multiplexer (9) to handle access priority to the control module (3) of the screen between said first and second microprocessors (1, 2) depending on whether or not said terminal (10) is in standby mode.

7. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first type of microprocessor (1) is dedicated to processing the multimedia functions of said terminal (10).

8. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first type of microprocessor (1) is dedicated to processing the multimedia functions of said terminal (10).

9. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first type of microprocessor (1) is dedicated to processing the multimedia functions of said terminal (10).

10. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first type of microprocessor (1) is dedicated to processing the multimedia functions of said terminal (10).

11. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second type of microprocessor (2) is dedicated to processing functions associated with GSM protocol.

12. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the second type of microprocessor (2) is dedicated to processing functions associated with GSM protocol.

13. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second type of microprocessor (2) is dedicated to processing functions associated with GSM protocol.

14. A radio communications terminal (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second type of microprocessor (2) is dedicated to processing functions associated with GSM protocol.