Wireless power control

• US 20050101340A1
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Archteck, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Archteck, Inc.
• Inventors: Archiable, Donald Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/705,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with wireless power control are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a wireless communication apparatus configured to transmit a wireless computer communication signal at a configurable power level and a power level logic that is configured to automatically determine the configurable power level for the wireless communication apparatus.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a power level logic configured to automatically determine a power level at which a wireless communication apparatus will transmit a wireless computer communication, where the power level depends, at least in part, on a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and a receiver of the wireless computer communication; and

a power setting logic configured to be operably connected to the power level logic and the wireless communication apparatus, the power setting logic configured to establish the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication.

2. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic may be configured to provide one or more test power levels at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit one or more power level determination messages.

3. The system of claim 2, where the power level logic may be configured to analyze one or more responses to the one or more power level determination messages to determine the power level.

4. The system of claim 3, where the power level logic may be configured to determine a minimal power level at which a desired quality of service can be maintained.

5. The system of claim 4, where the power setting logic may be configured to establish the minimal power level as the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication.

6. The system of claim 3, where the power setting logic may be configured to establish the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication in response to the power level determined by analyzing the one or more responses.

7. The system of claim 1, where the power setting logic may be configured to establish the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication by sending a signal to the wireless communication apparatus.

8. The system of claim 1, where the power setting logic may be configured to establish the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication by controlling one or more of, a voltage, a current, and a resistance associated with the wireless communication apparatus.

9. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic, the power setting logic, and the wireless communication apparatus are located in a computer.

10. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic, the power setting logic, and the wireless communication apparatus are located in a personal digital assistant.

11. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic, the power setting logic, and the wireless communication apparatus are located in a cellular telephone.

12. The system of claim 1, where the wireless communication apparatus may be configured to transmit a global system for mobile communications (GSM) communication.

13. The system of claim 1, where the wireless communication apparatus may be configured to transmit an IEEE 802.11 wireless computer communication.

14. The system of claim 1, where the wireless communication apparatus may be configured to transmit an IEEE 802.11g wireless computer communication.

15. The system of claim 1, where the wireless communication apparatus may be configured to transmit an IEEE 802.15.1 wireless computer communication.

16. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic may be configured to periodically redetermine the power level.

17. The system of claim 16, where the power setting logic may be configured to periodically reestablish the power level.

18. The system of claim 1, where the power level logic is configured to perform a step-down method for identifying a reduced power level at which a desired quality of service can be maintained.

19. A system, comprising:

a power level logic configured to automatically determine a power level at which a wireless communication apparatus will transmit a wireless computer communication, where the power level depends, at least in part, on a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and a receiver of the wireless computer communication; and

a power setting logic configured to be operably connected to the power level logic and the wireless communication apparatus, the power setting logic configured to establish the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication;

where the power level logic is configured to provide one or more test power levels at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit one or more power level determination messages, to receive one or more responses to the one or more power level determination messages, and to analyze the one or more responses to determine a minimal power level at which a desired quality of service can be maintained; and

where the power setting logic is configured to establish the minimal power level as the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication, and where the power setting logic establishes the power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit the wireless computer communication by one or more of, sending a signal to the wireless communication apparatus, and controlling one or more of, a voltage, a current, and a resistance associated with the wireless communication apparatus.

20. The system of claim 19, where the power level logic, the power setting logic, and the wireless communication apparatus are located in one of, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cellular telephone.

21. The system of claim 19, where the wireless communication apparatus may be configured to transmit one or more of, an IEEE 802.11 communication, and an IEEE 802.15.1 communication.

27. The system of claim 21, where the power level logic is configured to determine a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and the receiver of the wireless computer communication by analyzing one or more global positioning system (GPS) data.

22. A system, comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus configured to transmit a wireless computer communication signal at a configurable power level that is related to the distance between the wireless communication apparatus and a receiver of the wireless computer communication signal; and

a power level logic operably connectable to the wireless communication apparatus, the power level logic configured to automatically determine the configurable power level for the wireless communication apparatus, where the power level maintains a desired quality of service for the wireless computer communication signal and facilitates reducing a power consumption by the wireless communication apparatus.

23. The system of claim 22, where the power level logic may be configured to determine the configurable power level by analyzing one or more wireless computer communications between the wireless communication apparatus and the receiver.

24. The system of claim 23, where the wireless computer communication signal is one or more of, an IEEE 802.11 signal, and an IEEE 802.15.1 signal.

25. The system of claim 23, where the configurable power level is the minimum power level that maintains the desired quality of service.

26. The system of claim 22, where the wireless communication apparatus and the power level logic are located in one of, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cellular telephone.

28. A method, comprising:

determining a power level at which a wireless communication apparatus associated with a computing device will transmit, where the power level is based, at least in part, on a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and a receiver; and

configuring the wireless communication apparatus to transmit at the determined power level.

29. The method of claim 28, where determining the power level includes:

one or more times;

establishing a test power level at which a test message will be transmitted from the wireless communication apparatus to the receiver;

transmitting the test message at the test power level;

making a response determination concerning whether a response to the test message was received; and

if a response was received, making a response evaluation concerning the response; and

calculating the power level based, at least in part, on the response determination and the response evaluation.

30. The method of claim 28, where determining the power level includes:

calculating a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and the receiver; and

computing the power level based, at least in part, on the distance.

31. The method of claim 28, where determining the power level includes:

identifying a communication protocol by which the wireless communication apparatus will communicate; and

computing the power level based, at least in part, on the communication protocol.

32. The method of claim 28, where determining the power level includes:

computing the power level based, at least in part, on whether the wireless communication apparatus is located in a PVLAN zone.

33. The method of claim 28, including periodically redetermining the power level.

34. The method of claim 28, where the computing device is one of, a computer, and a personal digital assistant.

35. A computer-readable medium storing processor executable instructions operable to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining a power level at which a wireless communication apparatus associated with a computing device will transmit, where the power level is based, at least in part, on a distance between the wireless communication apparatus and a receiver; and

configuring the wireless communication apparatus to transmit at the determined power level.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, where determining the power level includes:

one or more times;

establishing a test power level at which a test message will be transmitted from the wireless communication apparatus to the receiver;

transmitting the test message at the test power level;

making a response determination concerning whether a response to the test message was received; and

if a response was received, making a response evaluation concerning the response; and

calculating the power level based, at least in part, on the response determination and the response evaluation.

37. A method, comprising:

sensing a strength of an electromagnetic field produced by a wireless communication device with which a wireless-enabled computing device will communicate;

computing a transmission power level for the wireless-enabled computing device based, at least in part, on the electromagnetic field strength; and

configuring the wireless-enabled computing device according to the computed transmission power level.

38. The method of claim 37, including:

sending a test message from the wireless-enabled computing device to the wireless communication device at the computed transmission power level; and

selectively recomputing the transmission power level based on a response to the test message.

39. A system, comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus;

a field sensing logic configured to sense the strength of a wireless communication field in which the wireless communication apparatus is located; and

a power level logic operably connectable to the wireless communication apparatus and the field sensing logic, the power level logic configured to control a power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit based, at least in part, on the strength of the wireless communication field sensed by the field sensing logic.

40. A system, comprising:

means for determining a power level at which a wireless communication device will transmit to facilitate reducing a power consumption while maintaining a desired quality of service; and

means for transmitting a wireless computer communication at the determined power level.

41. A wireless-enabled computing device, comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus;

a global positioning system apparatus configured to compute a location for the wireless-enabled computing device; and

a power level logic operably connectable to the wireless communication apparatus and the global positioning system apparatus, the power level logic configured to control a power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit based, at least in part, on the location of the wireless-enabled communication device.

42. A wireless-enabled device, comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus;

a global positioning system apparatus configured to compute a location for the wireless-enabled device; and

a power level logic operably connectable to the wireless communication apparatus and the global positioning system apparatus, the power level logic configured to control a power level at which the wireless communication apparatus will transmit based, at least in part, on the location of the wireless-enabled device.