07-06-2013, 02:56 PM
Methods and apparatus for mobile phone power management
[attachment=54950]
Introduction:
The rapid growth of the mobile telephone industry has resulted in millions of users of handheld, battery powered mobile telephones. Many users of such mobile telephones leave their telephones switched off unless they need to make an outgoing call, thereby conserving the unit's battery power for days, or even weeks.
Newer models have. decreased in size substantially, while still incorporating more features and functions that consume more battery power. One result of these technological advances is that the telephone's internal battery now typically occupies half, or more, of the total physical volume of the telephone, and may account for the majority of the unit's total weight. At the same time, the desire for longer operational time periods between battery recharge cycles has increased
A mobile telephone power management method and apparatus is disclosed that places the telephone in a dormant, or idle, mode. In this mode, battery power is only supplied to a device incorporated into the mobile telephone that monitors incoming radio frequency (RF) signals. If the device detects an inbound call, the device sends signals to switch on battery power to the mobile telephone baseband microprocessor. The device also sends stored registration information to the baseband microprocessor, thereby allowing the telephone to rapidly switch to active mode, and to answer the inbound call. This method allows the telephone to effectively emulate standby mode for weeks rather than days without the need for battery recharging.
Components of an idle power control subsystem for controlling a low power idle operational mode of a mobile telephone:
1. A radio frequency (RF) receiver being operable to only receive RF signals.
2. A mobile identification number (MIN) detector connected to an output of RF receiver which the idle power control subsystem is operable to switch said mobile telephone out of idle mode upon mobile identification number (MIN) detector detecting the MIN of mobile telephone.
3. a memory for storing registration information for mobile telephone.
4. a baseband converter for converting analog RF signals from MIN detector to digital signals.
5. a battery power control circuit operable to switch a mobile telephone into and out of idle mode.
6. a main control circuit being operable to send a signal to battery power control circuit upon main control circuit receiving the MIN of mobile telephone to increase battery power to a mobile telephone baseband processor.
A method for controlling the operational mode of a mobile telephone:
Operational state is the state that consumes significantly less power than the standby state of a typical mobile telephone, yet provides the capability to rapidly resume a normal operational state. the steps include,
1. receiving mobile telephone RF signals;
2. monitoring said RF signals for the mobile identification number (MIN) associated with said mobile telephone;
3. detecting said MIN, where MIN indicates an incoming telephone call;
4. converting said RF signals indicating an incoming telephone call to digital signals;
5. sending said digital signals to a low power microprocessor, which upon recognizing an incoming telephone call generates an output signal to controllably increase the power supplied to a mobile telephone baseband microprocessor.
6. sending said output signal from said low power microprocessor to a power control circuit;
7. switching on battery power to provide operating power to the mobile telephone baseband microprocessor.
8. utilizing said low power microprocessor to retrieve mobile telephone registration information stored in a memory;
9. sending said registration information to the mobile. telephone baseband microprocessor, thereby rapidly switching said mobile telephone from idle mode to active mode.
Summary:
The present invention recognizes that a need exists in a variety of contexts for techniques to extend the effective operational time period between battery recharge cycles, irrespective of the particular battery technology utilized.
This incorporates special circuitry and software into the design of a. standard mobile telephone unit. This circuitry and software sense the first radio frequency (RF) signal signifying an incoming call, and utilize that signal to rapidly switch the telephone into a normal operational state, thereby allowing a user to receive an incoming call. One implementation of this embodiment incorporates this special circuitry into a power control subsystem device that is incorporated into the design of a standard mobile telephone. This power control subsystem device may be incorporated into an integrated circuit (IC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a digital signal processor (DSP).
The power control subsystem device enables the mobile telephone to function as if the unit is in standby mode, while consuming significantly less power than such a mobile telephone ordinarily would in standby mode. In operation, the device monitors the appropriate radio frequencies to detect the mobile telephone's MIN, while the telephone's baseband microprocessor remains powered off. This mode of operation is known as idle mode. Since a mobile telephone baseband microprocessor must operate at a high clock frequency to provide real-time voice communications, it consumes a relatively large amount of power even when in standby mode. Since the device of the present invention provides very limited functionality, such as detecting the telephone's MIN and switching the baseband microprocessor on and off, it may operate at a relatively low clock frequency, and therefore consume much less power than a baseband microprocessor in standby mode.
[attachment=54950]
Introduction:
The rapid growth of the mobile telephone industry has resulted in millions of users of handheld, battery powered mobile telephones. Many users of such mobile telephones leave their telephones switched off unless they need to make an outgoing call, thereby conserving the unit's battery power for days, or even weeks.
Newer models have. decreased in size substantially, while still incorporating more features and functions that consume more battery power. One result of these technological advances is that the telephone's internal battery now typically occupies half, or more, of the total physical volume of the telephone, and may account for the majority of the unit's total weight. At the same time, the desire for longer operational time periods between battery recharge cycles has increased
A mobile telephone power management method and apparatus is disclosed that places the telephone in a dormant, or idle, mode. In this mode, battery power is only supplied to a device incorporated into the mobile telephone that monitors incoming radio frequency (RF) signals. If the device detects an inbound call, the device sends signals to switch on battery power to the mobile telephone baseband microprocessor. The device also sends stored registration information to the baseband microprocessor, thereby allowing the telephone to rapidly switch to active mode, and to answer the inbound call. This method allows the telephone to effectively emulate standby mode for weeks rather than days without the need for battery recharging.
Components of an idle power control subsystem for controlling a low power idle operational mode of a mobile telephone:
1. A radio frequency (RF) receiver being operable to only receive RF signals.
2. A mobile identification number (MIN) detector connected to an output of RF receiver which the idle power control subsystem is operable to switch said mobile telephone out of idle mode upon mobile identification number (MIN) detector detecting the MIN of mobile telephone.
3. a memory for storing registration information for mobile telephone.
4. a baseband converter for converting analog RF signals from MIN detector to digital signals.
5. a battery power control circuit operable to switch a mobile telephone into and out of idle mode.
6. a main control circuit being operable to send a signal to battery power control circuit upon main control circuit receiving the MIN of mobile telephone to increase battery power to a mobile telephone baseband processor.
A method for controlling the operational mode of a mobile telephone:
Operational state is the state that consumes significantly less power than the standby state of a typical mobile telephone, yet provides the capability to rapidly resume a normal operational state. the steps include,
1. receiving mobile telephone RF signals;
2. monitoring said RF signals for the mobile identification number (MIN) associated with said mobile telephone;
3. detecting said MIN, where MIN indicates an incoming telephone call;
4. converting said RF signals indicating an incoming telephone call to digital signals;
5. sending said digital signals to a low power microprocessor, which upon recognizing an incoming telephone call generates an output signal to controllably increase the power supplied to a mobile telephone baseband microprocessor.
6. sending said output signal from said low power microprocessor to a power control circuit;
7. switching on battery power to provide operating power to the mobile telephone baseband microprocessor.
8. utilizing said low power microprocessor to retrieve mobile telephone registration information stored in a memory;
9. sending said registration information to the mobile. telephone baseband microprocessor, thereby rapidly switching said mobile telephone from idle mode to active mode.
Summary:
The present invention recognizes that a need exists in a variety of contexts for techniques to extend the effective operational time period between battery recharge cycles, irrespective of the particular battery technology utilized.
This incorporates special circuitry and software into the design of a. standard mobile telephone unit. This circuitry and software sense the first radio frequency (RF) signal signifying an incoming call, and utilize that signal to rapidly switch the telephone into a normal operational state, thereby allowing a user to receive an incoming call. One implementation of this embodiment incorporates this special circuitry into a power control subsystem device that is incorporated into the design of a standard mobile telephone. This power control subsystem device may be incorporated into an integrated circuit (IC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a digital signal processor (DSP).
The power control subsystem device enables the mobile telephone to function as if the unit is in standby mode, while consuming significantly less power than such a mobile telephone ordinarily would in standby mode. In operation, the device monitors the appropriate radio frequencies to detect the mobile telephone's MIN, while the telephone's baseband microprocessor remains powered off. This mode of operation is known as idle mode. Since a mobile telephone baseband microprocessor must operate at a high clock frequency to provide real-time voice communications, it consumes a relatively large amount of power even when in standby mode. Since the device of the present invention provides very limited functionality, such as detecting the telephone's MIN and switching the baseband microprocessor on and off, it may operate at a relatively low clock frequency, and therefore consume much less power than a baseband microprocessor in standby mode.