Power Management Using At Least One Of A Special Purpose Processor And Motion Sensing

• US 20090259865A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolf, Thomas G., Sheynblat, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US12/101,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power management device useable in a mobile station includes a main processor configured to execute applications including signal processing applications and further configured to enter a sleep mode in response to predetermined criteria. The device further includes a circuit configured to operate when the main processor is in the sleep mode comprising at least one of a low power processor and a sensor to monitor at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment, the circuit waking up the main processor responsive to one of the low power processor and the sensor. The device may operate a method and may execute instructions based on a machine readable medium.

Claims

1. A method of managing power in a mobile station comprising the steps of:

executing applications including signal processing applications;

entering a sleep mode in response to predetermined criteria;

monitoring at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment when in the sleep mode; and

waking up responsive to said step of monitoring at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment.

2. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 1 wherein said step of monitoring comprises monitoring with a low power processor.

3. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 2 further comprising the step of storing at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in a memory for subsequent processing by a main processor.

4. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising the step of waking up in response to said step of monitoring of at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands received in the mobile station exceeding a threshold.

5. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 1 wherein said step of monitoring comprises sensing a change in the environment.

6. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 5 wherein the change in environment comprises at least one of motion, temperature, direction, acceleration, magnetic field, and light.

7. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 5 wherein said step of sensing initiates said step of waking up in response to a sensed change in environment that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise at least one of a period of user inactivity, a reduced reception of wireless signals, no change in position, and no changes in the environment.

9. The method of managing power in a mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving wireless signals.

27. The machine-readable medium according to claim 1 further comprising instructions to receive a wireless signals.

10. A power management circuit in a mobile station comprising:

a main processor configured to execute applications including signal processing applications and further configured to enter a sleep mode in response to predetermined criteria; and

a circuit configured to operate when said main processor is in the sleep mode comprising at least one of a low power processor and a sensor to monitor at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment, said circuit waking up said main processor responsive to one of said low power processor and said sensor.

11. The power management circuit according to claim 10 wherein said circuit comprises said low power processor and wherein said low power processor is configured to monitor at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in the mobile station.

12. The power management circuit according to claim 11 wherein said low power processor is configured to store at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in a memory for subsequent processing by said main processor.

13. The power management circuit according to claim 10 wherein said low power processor is configured to wake up said main processor in response to the monitoring of at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands received in the mobile station exceeding a threshold.

14. The power management circuit according to claim 10 wherein said circuit comprises said sensor and said sensor is configured to sense a change in the environment.

15. The power management circuit according to claim 14 wherein the change in environment comprises at least one of motion, temperature, direction, acceleration, magnetic field, and light.

16. The power management circuit according to claim 14 wherein said sensor is configured to wake up said main processor in response to a sensed change in environment that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The power management circuit according to claim 10 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise at least one of a period of user inactivity, a reduced reception of wireless signals, no change in position, and no changes in the environment.

18. The power management circuit according to claim 10 further comprising a radio frequency unit configured to receive wireless signals.

19. The power management circuit according to claim 18 wherein said low power processor is integrated into one of said main processor and said radio frequency unit.

20. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least a main processor cause the main processor to manage power in a mobile station, the instructions comprising:

instructions to execute applications in a main processor including signal processing applications;

instructions to enter a sleep mode in response to predetermined criteria;

instructions to monitor at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment when the main processor is in the sleep mode with at least one of a low power processor and a sensor; and

instructions to wake up the main processor responsive to one of the low power processor and the sensor.

21. The machine-readable medium according to claim 20 further comprising instructions to store at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in a memory for subsequent processing by the main processor.

22. The machine-readable medium according to claim 20 further comprising instructions to wake up in response to the instructions to monitor at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands received in the mobile station exceeding a threshold.

23. The machine-readable medium according to claim 20 wherein the instructions to monitor comprises instructions to sense a change in the environment.

24. The machine-readable medium according to claim 23 wherein the change in environment comprises at least one of motion, temperature, direction, acceleration, magnetic field, and light.

25. The machine-readable medium according to claim 23 wherein the instructions to sense initiates the instructions to wake up in response to a sensed change in environment that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

26. The machine-readable medium according to claim 20 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise at least one of a period of user inactivity, a reduced reception of wireless signals, no change in position, and no changes in the environment.

28. A power management circuit in a mobile station comprising:

means for executing applications including signal processing applications;

means for placing said executing means in a sleep mode in response to predetermined criteria;

means for monitoring at least one of signals, commands, inputs, and changes in environment when the executing means is in the sleep mode; and

means for waking up responsive to said monitoring means.

29. The power management circuit according to claim 28 wherein said monitoring means comprises means for low power processing and wherein said low power processing means is configured to monitor at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in the mobile station.

30. The power management circuit according to claim 29 wherein said low power processing means is configured to store at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands in a memory for subsequent processing by said executing means.

31. The power management circuit according to claim 28 wherein said low power processing means is configured to wake up said executing means in response to the monitoring of at least one of the inputs, signals, and commands received in the mobile station exceeding a threshold.

32. The power management circuit according to claim 28 further comprising means for sensing a change in the environment.

33. The power management circuit according to claim 32 wherein the change in environment comprises at least one of motion, temperature, direction, acceleration, magnetic field, and light.

34. The power management circuit according to claim 32 wherein said sensing means is configured to wake up said executing means in response to a sensed change in environment that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

35. The power management circuit according to claim 28 wherein the predetermined criteria comprise at least one of a period of user inactivity, a reduced reception of wireless signals, no change in position, and no changes in the environment.

36. The power management circuit according to claim 29 further comprising a radio frequency receiving means for receiving wireless signals.

37. The power management circuit according to claim 36 wherein said low power processor is integrated into one of said executing means and said radio frequency receiving means.