DETERMINING A TARGET TRANSMIT POWER OF A WIRELESS TRANSMISSION

• US 20090111504A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Brown, Michael S., Little, Herb, Brown, Michael K., Totzke, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/281 taking into account user or data type priority

Abstract

Different target transmit powers are determined for different wireless transmissions from a wireless device. The target transmit power of a wireless transmission may depend upon whether any transmitters other than the device to which the wireless transmission is to be sent are within range of the sending wireless device. The target transmit power of a wireless transmission may be based, at least in part, on a current location of a device to which one or more frames carried by the wireless transmission are addressed. The target transmit power of a wireless transmission may be based, at least in part, on confidentiality of data carried by the wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A method in a first wireless device, the method comprising:

preparing to send a wireless transmission to a second wireless device;

determining whether any transmitters other than said second wireless device are within range of said first wireless device;

if no transmitters other than said second wireless device are within range of said first wireless device, setting a first target transmit power for said wireless transmission; and

if at least one transmitter other than said second wireless device is within range of said first wireless device, setting a second target transmit power for said wireless transmission, wherein said second target transmit power is lower than said first target transmit power.

2. A method in a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on a current location of a device to which one or more frames carried by said wireless transmission are addressed; and

transmitting said wireless transmission.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining said target transmit power includes determining a lower target transmit power for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a higher security ranking than for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a lower security ranking.

4. A method in a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on confidentiality of data carried by said wireless transmission; and

transmitting said wireless transmission.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining said target transmit power includes determining a lower target transmit power for a wireless transmission carrying data of higher confidentiality than for a wireless transmission carrying data of lower confidentiality.

6. A first wireless device comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by said processor, determines a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on a current location of a second wireless device to which one or more frames carried by said wireless transmission are addressed; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit said wireless transmission.

7. The first wireless device of claim 6, wherein said target transmit power is lower for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a second wireless device having a higher security ranking than for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a second wireless device having a lower security ranking.

8. The first wireless device of claim 6, wherein said first wireless device is a mobile device.

9. The first wireless device of claim 6, wherein said first wireless device includes smart card reader functionality.

10. The first wireless device of claim 6, wherein said first wireless device is a headset.

11. The first wireless device of claim 6, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with a Bluetooth standard.

12. A wireless device comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by said processor, determines a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on confidentiality of data carried by said wireless transmission; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit said wireless transmission.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said target transmit power is lower for a wireless transmission carrying data of higher confidentiality than for a wireless transmission carrying data of lower confidentiality.

14. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said data carried by said wireless transmission comprises a document to be printed by a wireless printer.

15. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said wireless device is a mobile device.

16. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said wireless device includes smart card reader functionality.

17. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said wireless device is a headset.

18. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with a Bluetooth standard.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a wireless device, result in:

determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on confidentiality of data carried by said wireless transmission.