TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROLLING A RADIO PROCESSOR IN A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090061781A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Haining
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/66.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques for controlling a radio processor for a mobile computing device are described. An apparatus may comprise a mobile computing device to support cellular voice communication, wireless data communication and computing capabilities, the mobile computing device including an applications processor coupled to a radio processor. The applications processor may include a radio management module to manage operations for the radio processor, the radio management module having a radio control module arranged to enable and disable the radio processor in accordance with a radio control schedule. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile computing device to support cellular voice communication, wireless data communication and computing capabilities, the mobile computing device including an applications processor coupled to a radio processor, the applications processor to include a radio management module to manage operations for the radio processor, the radio management module having a radio control module arranged to enable and disable the radio processor in accordance with a radio control schedule.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio management module to include a radio scheduling application to receive operator instructions to define the radio control schedule, and generate the radio control schedule in accordance with operator instructions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio management module to include a radio timer set to a defined time interval in accordance with the radio control schedule, the radio timer to notify the radio control module when the defined time interval has expired.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio control module to send a disable radio control command to the applications processor, the applications processor to send a disable radio control signal to the radio processor to disable the radio processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio control module to send an enable radio control command to the applications processor, the applications processor to send an enable radio control signal to the radio processor to enable the radio processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio control schedule to include a schedule event parameter to define a power mode for the radio processor when disabled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the radio control schedule to include a schedule location parameter to define a location to activate the radio control schedule.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the mobile computing device comprising a location system to identify a location for the mobile computing device, the radio control schedule to include a schedule location parameter to define a location to activate the radio control schedule, and the radio control module to use the radio control schedule when the location matches the schedule location parameter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the mobile computing device comprising a global positioning system to identify a location for the mobile computing device, the radio management module to generate a prompt for an operator to manually enable or disable the radio processor based on the location.

10. A method comprising:

setting a radio timer for a schedule start time based on a schedule start parameter from a radio control schedule;

receiving notification that the radio timer is at the schedule start time; and

sending a disable radio control command to disable a radio processor for a mobile computing device supporting cellular voice communication and wireless data communication to reduce power consumption of a battery.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving the disable radio control command by an applications processor; and

sending a disable radio control signal from the applications processor to the radio processor.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising:

setting the radio timer for a schedule end time based on a schedule end parameter from the radio control schedule;

receiving notification that the radio timer is at the schedule end time; and

sending an enable radio control command to enable the radio processor.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

receiving the enable radio control command by an applications processor; and

sending an enable radio control signal from the applications processor to the radio processor.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising:

generating a graphics user interface view with radio control preferences;

receiving selections for radio control preferences; and

storing the radio control preferences in the radio control schedule.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving location information for the mobile computing device;

comparing the location information with a schedule location parameter; and

activating the radio control schedule when the location information matches the schedule location parameter.

16. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

set a radio timer for a schedule start time based on a schedule start parameter from a radio control schedule;

receive notification that the radio timer is at the schedule start time; and

send a disable radio control command to disable a radio processor for a mobile computing device supporting cellular voice communication and wireless data communication to reduce power consumption of a battery.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

receive the disable radio control command by an applications processor; and

send a disable radio control signal from the applications processor to the radio processor.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

set the radio timer for a schedule end time based on a schedule end parameter from the radio control schedule;

receive notification that the radio timer is at the schedule end time; and

send an enable radio control command to enable the radio processor.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

receive the enable radio control command by an applications processor; and

send an enable radio control signal from the applications processor to the radio processor.

20. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

receive location information for the mobile computing device;

compare the location information with a schedule location parameter; and

activate the radio control schedule when the location information matches the schedule location parameter.