Power management system for cellular telephones

• US 6,463,305 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Crane, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US09/326,055
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/575, 455/90, 455/550, 455/343, 455/127, 320/107, 320/114, 320/127
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A cellular telephone power management system is described that can be actuated without the telephone becoming active for making or receiving calls. The management system provides the user with a useful indication of the power available in the telephone battery based on utilization since the last complete battery charge. Additionally, the available power indication is provided in a form which specifies available talk time and available standby time.

Claims

1. A mobile phone power management system for a mobile phone with a display, battery and key pad with a plurality of keys, the system comprising, in combination:

a detector to detect the simultaneous depression of a power on key and another key on the mobile phone wherein said mobile phone does not become active as a wireless phone in response to said detector;

a display circuit responsive to said detector for displaying on the display the status of the mobile phone battery.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said battery status indication comprises a graphical representation of the mobile phone battery voltage.

3. The system of claim 2 additionally including a resistive load coupled to the mobile phone battery to simulate power drain on said battery when said mobile phone is in a power on state and communicating with a base station.

4. The system of claim 1 additionally including a resistive load coupled to the mobile phone battery to simulate power drain on said battery when said mobile phone is in a power on state and communicating with a base station.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said battery status indication comprises an indication of talk time and standby time utilized since the last time said battery was charged.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said battery status indication additionally comprises an indication of the remaining talk time and standby time available before said battery becomes discharged.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said battery status indication comprises an indication of the remaining talk time and standby time available before said battery becomes discharged.

8. The system of claim 1 additionally including a timer circuit to turn the mobile phone off after having displayed said indication for a predetermined period of time.

9. A power management system for a mobile phone comprising, in combination:

a battery within said mobile phone to provide electrical power thereto;

a display in said phone;

a display generator coupled to said display and powered by said battery to cause the display of a battery status representation of talk time and standby time remaining before said battery becomes discharged wherein the battery status representation is a graphical image plotting talk time available before battery discharge versus standby time.

10. The power management system of claim 9 including circuitry to display only said battery status representation without consuming power to activate coupling said mobile phone to a service provider.

11. The power management system of claim 10 including a timer to permit display of said battery status indication for a predetermined period of time after which the mobile phone is turned off.

12. The power management system of claim 9 including a timer to permit display of said battery status indication for a predetermined period of time after which the mobile phone is turned off.

13. The system of claim 9 additionally including a resistive load coupled to the battery to simulate power drain on said battery when said mobile phone is in a power on state and displaying the status of only the mobile phone battery.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said display is actuated by depression of a power on key and a second key on the mobile phone and the mobile phone is actuated thereby to actuate said display.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said display is actuated for a predetermined period of time and thereafter the phone is powered off.