Dynamic battery capacity allocation for data retention among mobile computers and electronic devices

• US 8,805,457 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sarker, Ataul
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US13/592,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/127.3, 455/343.5, 455/343.6, 455/522, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/66.1, 455/67.11, 455/557, 455/127.1, 365/26, 365/63, 365/52, 365/226, 365/227, 365/225, 711/170, 711/104, 711/105, 711/154, 710/104, 710/302, 713/320, 713/321, 957/4, 912/73, 934/35, 934/36, 952/2, 934/31, 934/32, 9 6/61, 9 6/711, 955/7, 912/71
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3225 of memory devices

Abstract

Systems devices and/or methods that facilitate dynamic battery capacity allocation are presented. Extended use times or smaller form factors can be achieved for devices employing dynamic battery capacity allocation. By determining factors that can include the type of memory, the usage of the memory, and/or the user'"'"'s preference to continue to use a device rather than retain data in a volatile memory for a period of time before supplying alternative power, the device can be available for use for longer periods of time on a battery or a smaller battery can be used to achieve similar use time.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates dynamic allocation of battery capacity of a device, the system comprising:

a memory mode sensing component that determines a state of one or more memories employed in the device, wherein a portion of a finite power supply corresponding to the battery capacity of the device is reserved to power the one or more memories;

a user interaction component that facilitates interaction of a user with the device; and

an allocation component that allocates some portion of the finite power supply reserved for the one or more memories to power the device based on the determination of both the state of the one or more memories and the interaction of the user with the device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory mode sensing component determines the state of one or memories based on memory types, memory usage, and remaining power supply capacity available to the one or more memories, and further wherein the memory types are at least one of volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, active memories, inactive memories, or combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a device power condition component that determines power condition of the device based at least in part on the memory types, memory usages, and remaining power supply capacity, wherein the allocation component allocates some portion of the finite power supply by adjusting a power consumption of the device based on the power condition of the device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device power condition component facilitates interaction with the device or system by way of an application program interface, or the like.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the allocation component transfers data from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory to allocate some portion of the finite portion supply reserved for the one or more memories to power the device when the memory types of one or memories are determined to be volatile memories.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interaction component facilitates interaction of the user with the device by way of a user interface, a system user interface, or the like.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface, the system user interface, or the like, is a graphical user interface or command line interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of a computer, a laptop computer, network equipment, a media player, a media recorder, a television, a smart card, a phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, an electronic organizer, a personal digital assistant, a portable email reader, a digital camera, an electronic game, an electronic device associated with digital rights management, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, a trusted platform module (TPM), a Hardware Security Module (HSM), set-top boxes, a digital video recorder, a gaming console, a navigation system, a secure memory device with computational capabilities, a device with at least one tamper-resistant chip, an electronic device associated with industrial control systems, or an embedded computer in a machine, or a combination thereof, wherein the machine comprises one of an airplane, a copier, a motor vehicle, or a microwave oven.

9. A method that facilitates dynamic allocation of battery capacity of a device, the method comprising:

reserving a portion of a finite power supply corresponding to the battery capacity to power one or more memories employed in the device;

determining a state of the one or more memories;

determining a user interaction parameter based on the interaction of the user with the device; and

allocating some of the portion of the finite power supply reserved for the one or more memories to power the device based on the determination of both the state of the one or more memories and the user interactions parameter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination of the state of the one or more memories includes determining memory types of the one or memories, wherein the memory types are at least one of volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, active memories, inactive memories, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

determining the state of one or more memories further comprises determining the memory types, determining the memory usages, determining the remaining power supply capacity available to the one or more memories, and determining a power condition of the device based at least in part on the memory types, memory usages, and remaining power supply capacity; and

allocating some portion of the finite power supply to the device further comprises adjusting a power consumption of the device based on the determination of the power condition of the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the allocated portion of the finite power supply is at or near 0% when the memory types are only nonvolatile or when the memory usages employ only persistent memory during use.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the allocated portion of the finite power supply is based at least in part on communicating information related to the finite power supply allocation when the memory usages include active usages.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the allocated portion of the finite power supply is based at least in part on a predetermined amount of power supply capacity or a remaining amount of power supply capacity when the memory usages include inactive usages.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein allocating some portion of the finite power supply reserved for the one or more memories further comprises transferring data from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory when the memory types of one or more memories are determined to be volatile memories.