Method and apparatus for providing updated information using power control in portable terminal device

• US 7,890,779 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Joung-youl, Kim, Hong-sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoynov; Stefan
• Application Number:
  US11/872,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/100, 713/300, 713/320, 709/219, 709/220, 709/222, 455/3.01, 455/343.1, 455/422.1, 455/574, 370/311, 340/636.1
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of providing updated information using power control in a portable terminal device. The method includes connecting to a server periodically by supplying power at predetermined time intervals; determining whether or not updated information exists in the connected server; and according to a result of determining, selectively outputting the updated information on a predetermined basis when the updated information is determined to exist in the connected server.

Claims

1. A method of providing updated information using power control in a portable terminal device, the method comprising:

entering a sleep mode;

connecting to a server periodically by supplying power at predetermined time intervals;

determining whether updated information exists in the connected server; and

selectively outputting the updated information on a predetermined basis when the updated information is determined to exist in the connected server,

wherein the power is supplied only to components needed to perform operations in the connecting to the server, the determining of whether the updated information exists, and the outputting of the updated information, while in the sleep mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined basis is determined based on a type of the updated information, a source of the updated information, an importance of the updated information, an urgency of the updated information, and remaining power of the portable terminal device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

receiving predetermined information from the server when the server is connected; and

comparing the received information with information previously received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined information is information received from one or more web sites.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting of the updated information comprises displaying the updated information or a message indicating the presence of the updated information on a screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting of the updated information comprises performing an alarm function using sound or vibration when the updated information exists.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting of the updated information comprises storing the updated information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting the updated information comprises transmitting the updated information to another device connected to the portable terminal device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmission is performed wired or wirelessly.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the power of the portable terminal device is controlled by software programmed to control the power.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program that, when executed by a portable terminal device, cause the portable terminal device to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A portable terminal device to provide updated information using power control, the portable terminal device comprising:

a power control unit to control power supplied to the portable terminal device and enter a sleep mode;

a communication module to periodically connect to a server at predetermined time intervals based on the power control of the power control unit;

a determination unit to determine whether updated information exists in the connected server; and

an information provider to selectively output the updated information on a predetermined basis when the updated information exists according to a result of the determination unit,

wherein the power control unit supplies power only to components needed to perform operations of the communication module, the determination unit, and the information provider, while in the sleep mode.

12. The portable terminal device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined basis is determined based on a type of the updated information, a source of the updated information, an importance of the updated information, an urgency of the updated information, and remaining power of the portable terminal device.

13. The portable terminal device of claim 11, wherein the determination unit comprises:

a receiver to receive predetermined information from the server when the server is connected by the communication module; and

a comparator to compare the received information with previously received information.

14. The portable terminal device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined information is information received from one or more web sites.

15. The portable terminal device of claim 11, wherein the information provider comprises an output unit to output the updated information or a message indicating the presence of the updated information.

16. The portable terminal device of claim 11, wherein the information provider comprises an alarm unit to perform an alarm function using sound or vibration when the updated information is determined to exist.

17. The portable terminal device of claim 11, wherein the information provider comprises a transmission unit to transmit the updated information to another device connected to the portable terminal device.

18. The portable terminal device of claim 17, wherein the transmission unit transmits the updated information wired or wirelessly.

19. The portable terminal device of claim 11, further comprising a storage unit to store the updated information.

20. The portable terminal device of claim 19, wherein the storage unit is one or more of a RAM (random-access memory), a hard disk, and a flash memory.

21. The portable terminal device of claim 11, further comprising software programmed to perform the power control.