System and method for dynamic power management of a mobile device

• US 8,493,029 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Winger, Lyall Kenneth, Veselic, Dusan, Guthrie, Martin George Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US13/491,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of dynamic power management of a mobile device. The method includes monitoring at least one load to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive, determining a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by a single voltage converter based on voltage level requirements of the at least one load that will become active or inactive, converting an input voltage level via the voltage converter to provide the minimum required output voltage level to the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive, monitoring the input voltage level, determining whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold, and when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, reducing the output voltage level provided by the single voltage converter.

Claims

1. A method of dynamic power management of a mobile device, the mobile device comprising at least one load electrically connected to an output power port on the mobile device, the method comprising:

monitoring the at least one load to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determining a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by a single voltage converter based on voltage level requirements of the at least one load that will become active or inactive;

converting an input voltage level via the voltage converter to provide the minimum required output voltage level to the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitoring the input voltage level;

determining whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, reducing the output voltage level provided by the voltage converter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, when more than one load is active, the output voltage level is set at an output voltage level for the active load that has the higher voltage level requirement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated, then the output voltage level will not be increased.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost converter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the output voltage level is in a range of approximately 3 volts to 5 volts.

6. A system of dynamic power management of a mobile device, the mobile device comprising at least one load electrically connected to an output power port of the mobile device, the system comprising:

a single voltage converter electrically connected to the output power port and configured to receive an input voltage level and convert the received input voltage level to provide an output voltage level to the output power port and a processor configured to;

monitor the at least one load to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determine a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by the single voltage converter based on voltage level requirements the at least one load that will become active or inactive;

control the voltage converter to convert the input voltage level to provide at least the minimum required output voltage level on the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitor the input voltage level;

determine whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, control the voltage converter to reduce the output voltage level.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to, when more than one load is active, set the output voltage level at an output voltage level for the active load that has the higher voltage level requirement.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein, the processor is further configured not to increase the output voltage level if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost converter.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the output voltage level is in a range of approximately 3 volts to 5 volts.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to:

monitor at least one load connected to an output power port to determine when the at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determine a minimum required output voltage level for the output power port based on voltage level requirements of the at least one load that will become active or inactive; and

control a single voltage converter to convert an input voltage level to provide at least the minimum required output voltage level on the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitor the input voltage level;

determine whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold; and

when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, reduce the output voltage level provided by the voltage converter.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to, when more than one load is active, set the output voltage level at an output voltage level for the active load that has the higher voltage level requirement.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein, the processor is further configured not to increase the output voltage level if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost converter.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the output voltage level is in a range of approximately 3 volts to 5 volts.

16. A mobile device, comprising

an output power port;

at least one load electrically connected to the output power port;

a single voltage converter electrically connected to the output power port and configured to receive an input voltage level and convert the received input voltage level to provide an output voltage level to the output power port; and

a processor, the processor configured to;

monitor the at least one load to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive;

determine a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by the single voltage converter based on voltage level requirements of the at least one load that will become active or inactive;

control the voltage converter to convert the input voltage level to provide at least the minimum required output voltage level on the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive;

monitor the input voltage level;

determine whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold, and when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, control the voltage converter to reduce the output voltage level.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to, when more than one load is active, set the output voltage level at an output voltage level for the active load that has the higher voltage level requirement.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein, the processor is further configured not to increase the output voltage level if the at least one load currently active requires a higher voltage than the load to be activated.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the voltage converter is a buck/boost converter.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the output voltage level is in a range of approximately 3 volts to 5 volts.