KR20230165095A - Electronic device comprising antenna and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments in the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for controlling power consumption for sensor status monitoring in an electronic device. To this end, the electronic device may stop checking the status of at least one sensor until the radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained and the cumulative specific absorption rate (SAR) reaches a preset threshold (SAR_threshold). . The cumulative electromagnetic wave absorption rate may be the electromagnetic wave absorption rate accumulated by transmission power transmitted within a time period corresponding to a time slot using a specific frequency band. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

Electronic device including an antenna and method thereof {ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING ANTENNA AND METHOD THEREOF}

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for controlling power consumption in an electronic device including an antenna.

Personal communication devices such as portable communication devices (e.g. smartphones), tablet personal computers (Tablet PC), e-books, or laptops can be carried by the user by being held in the hand or stored in a bag or pouch. there is.

Electronic devices corresponding to the personal communication devices are invisible to the human eye but can generate electromagnetic waves. In particular, more electromagnetic waves may be generated when wireless communication is performed. It is known that the electromagnetic waves can be absorbed by humans, which may have a negative effect on the human body.

For this reason, specifications for specific absorption rate (SAR) are being established domestically and internationally. In the SAR standard, the amount of electromagnetic waves generated when using a personal communication device can be absorbed by the body of a person or animal is specified in numbers. The SAR is the amount of electromagnetic energy absorbed by a unit mass (1 kg or 1 g) of the human body per unit time, and can be used as a unit of W/kg or mW/g.

When using an electronic device, if the human body is exposed to electromagnetic waves with a low frequency (low frequency, 1 Hz to 100 kHz), nerves may be stimulated (stimulation effect) due to the current induced in the human body. When the human body is exposed to electromagnetic waves with high frequency (high frequency, 100 kHz ~ 10 GHz), a thermal effect that increases body temperature may occur. For example, electromagnetic waves generated from personal communication devices are high frequencies and can cause body temperature to rise. This thermal action can be expressed quantitatively, an example of which may be SAR. For example, some countries, such as Korea (KR) or the United States (US), have a strict limit of 1.6 W/kg, which is lower than the internationally recommended standard of 2 W/kg. The safety standard of 1.6 W/kg is set 50 times more strictly than the expected risk level. For this reason, it is recommended that electronic devices have SAR measurements that meet human protection standards.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus and method for controlling power consumption for sensor monitoring will be provided in an electronic device by considering specific absorption rate (SAR).

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus and method for controlling the transmission power of an antenna based on a specific absorption rate (SAR) margin in an electronic device will be provided.

The technical problems to be achieved in the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned above may be derived from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure by those skilled in the art. there is.

According to one embodiment in the present disclosure, an electronic device includes a communication module configured to perform wireless communication, and a sensor module configured to detect a state associated with the electronic device and generate sensor monitoring information corresponding to the detected state. and at least one processor electrically connected to the communication module or the sensor module and configured to control power consumption in the electronic device, wherein the at least one processor is connected to the external electronic device by the communication module. While a radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained, status checks for at least one sensor are suspended until the cumulative specific absorption rate (SAR) reaches a pre-specified threshold (SAR_threshold), The absorption rate may be the electromagnetic wave absorption rate accumulated by the transmission power transmitted within the time period corresponding to the time slot using a specific frequency band.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling power consumption in an electronic device is provided when the cumulative specific absorption rate (SAR) reaches a predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold) while a radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained. Until then, the status check for at least one sensor is stopped, but the cumulative electromagnetic wave absorption rate may be an electromagnetic wave absorption rate accumulated by transmission power transmitted within a time period corresponding to a time slot using a specific frequency band.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device performs a sensor monitoring operation adaptively by considering whether SAR due to wireless communication is necessary and whether the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient, thereby reducing the amount of energy consumed in the sensor monitoring operation. Current can be saved.

The effects that can be obtained from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned are common knowledge in the technical field to which the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure belong from the following description. It can be clearly derived and understood by those who have it. That is, unintended effects resulting from implementing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may also be derived by those skilled in the art from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a block diagram for managing transmission power in consideration of specific absorption rate (SAR) in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is a state transition diagram for managing transmission power in consideration of specific absorption rate (SAR) in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 is a control flowchart for controlling power consumption in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a subroutine for operation in a frequency band that does not require specific absorption rate (SAR) backoff in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a subroutine for operation in a frequency band that requires specific absorption rate (SAR) backoff in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the amount of current consumed to perform periodic sensor monitoring in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 8 is a relationship diagram between parameters for managing a specific absorption rate (SAR) margin in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a signal processing procedure for monitoring sensor status in an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
In relation to the description of the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In relation to the description of the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Additionally, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100, according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment 100, the electronic device 101 communicates with the electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199. It is possible to communicate with at least one of the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (e.g., a long-distance wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, an audio output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or may include an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 160). It can be.

The processor 120, for example, executes software (e.g., program 140) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can be controlled and various data processing or calculations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 120 stores instructions or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in volatile memory 132. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 134. According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes the main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 123 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and a secondary processor 123, the secondary processor 123 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 121 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 121 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, co-processor 123 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, neural network processing device) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 101 itself on which the artificial intelligence model is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 108). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. Data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program 140) and instructions related thereto. Memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or non-volatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 and may include, for example, an operating system 142, middleware 144, or application 146.

The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display module 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

The audio module 170 can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires sound through the input module 150, the sound output module 155, or an external electronic device (e.g., directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101). Sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (e.g., speaker or headphone).

The sensor module 176 detects the operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 176 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 190 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 190 operates independently of processor 120 (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 may be a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., legacy It may communicate with an external electronic device 104 through a telecommunication network such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low latency). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (eg, mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 192 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, for example, beamforming, massive array multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 supports Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive signals or power to or from the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199 is connected to the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. can be selected. Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes: a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band); And a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band. can do.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( (e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external electronic devices 102 or 104 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for managing transmission power in consideration of SAR in the electronic device 200 (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the electronic device 200 is configured to manage transmission power in consideration of SAR, and includes a processor 210 (e.g., processor 120 of FIG. 1) and a communication module ( 220) (e.g., the communication module 190 of FIG. 1) or a sensor module 230 (e.g., the sensor module 176 of FIG. 1). The processor 210 may include one or more processors. The processor 210 is, for example, an application processor (AP) 211 (e.g., the main processor 121 in FIG. 1) or a communication processor (CP) 213 (e.g., in FIG. 1 auxiliary processor 123) may be included.

The CP 213 may control overall operations for communication performed in the electronic device 200. For example, the CP 213 uses a radio resource control (RRC) message to communicate with an electronic device (e.g., a base station) provided in a network (e.g., the second network 199 in FIG. 1). An RRC connection can be established. The RRC connection establishment may include, for example, a state transition from the RRC released state to the RRC connected state. When an RRC connection is established, the CP 213 allocates uplink and/or downlink radio resources from the base station to monitor the control channel of the base station or to transmit or receive data. You can receive it. When the RRC connection is established, the CP 213 reports various measurement information such as channel status, security management, and traffic management to the base station, or the network 199 proactively performs handover (handover) considering the channel status or traffic speed. handover) procedure can also be performed. The fact that the RRC connection is established may mean that transmission power exists. The CP 213 can re-establish or release the RRC connection using an RRC message when there is no work for a certain period of time or an event such as data blocking occurs. The RRC connection being released may mean that transmission power does not exist.

According to one embodiment, when an RRC connection is established, the CP (213) sends a request message ( SAR Event Request) can be transmitted selectively. The CP (213) sends a request message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring to the AP (211), considering whether SAR backoff is necessary or whether the SAR margin is sufficient even while the RRC connection is established. can be transmitted selectively. In one embodiment, the CP 213 provides SAR backoff even when a transmission signal is transmitted through a random access channel (RACH) in a state in which an RRC connection is not established (RRC release). A request message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring can be selectively transmitted to the AP 211, considering whether it is necessary or whether the SAR margin is sufficient. The SAR backoff means that the SAR is expected to exceed a limit level and transmit power is systematically controlled to avoid this. The frequency band that requires SAR backoff refers to the frequency band that requires systematic control and reduction of transmission power when SAR is expected to exceed a limit level. The frequency band requiring the SAR backoff may be, for example, a frequency band higher than a predetermined critical frequency band. The frequency band in which SAR backoff is not required refers to a frequency band in which it is not necessary to systematically control and reduce transmission power even if SAR is expected to exceed a limit level. The frequency band in which the SAR backoff is not required may be, for example, a frequency band lower than a predetermined threshold frequency band.

For example, the CP 213 may determine whether SAR backoff is necessary depending on the operating frequency band. The request message (SAR Event Request) may be a message requesting sensor monitoring from the AP 211. If the request message (SAR Event Request) is not transmitted to the AP 211 by the CP 213, the AP 211 may not wake up. In this case, current consumption to wake up the AP 211 may not occur.

More specifically, when it is predicted that the CP 213 can meet the SAR standard even if it operates at the maximum transmission power available to the electronic device 101 during one time slot using the operating frequency band, the SAR back You may decide that off is not necessary. The CP 213, for example, has the minimum P _limit (P _limit.min ) among the P _limits for each device state index (DSI) being the maximum that can be used while meeting the SAR standard in the electronic device 101. When operating in a frequency band (e.g., low frequency band) that exceeds the transmission power (P _max ) (P _limit.min >P _max ), it may be determined that SAR backoff is not necessary. For example, when RRC connection with a serving cell or serving base station is established in a frequency band that satisfies the condition that does not require SAR backoff (P _limit.min >P _max ), the CP (213) sends a request message (SAR Event Request) may not be transmitted to the AP (211).

The CP 213 may continue to check the SAR margin even after determining that SAR backoff is not necessary. If the SAR margin is more than a critical level (e.g., 70% of the total SAR margin), the CP (213) determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or has room and continues to send a request message (SAR Event Request) to the AP (211). ) may not be transmitted. If the SAR margin falls below a critical level, the CP 213 may determine that the SAR margin needs to be managed to meet the SAR standard and transmit a request message (SAR Event Request) to the AP 211. When the SAR margin falls below the critical level, for example, the electronic device 101 may be handed over from a serving cell or serving base station with excessive SAR consumption.

If it is predicted that the CP 213 will not be able to meet the SAR standard when operating at the maximum transmission power that the electronic device 101 can use during one time slot using the operating frequency band, SAR backoff is required. It can be judged that it is. For example, the CP 213 has a minimum P _limit (P _limit.min ) of the P _limits for each DSI that is less than or equal to the maximum transmission power (P _max ) that can be used while meeting the SAR standard in the electronic device 101 (P When operating in a frequency band (e.g., mid or high frequency band) where _limit.min ≤P _max ), SAR backoff may be determined to be necessary.

After determining that SAR backoff is necessary, the CP 213 may continue to check the first SAR margin (eg, 1 ^st SAR_Margin). When the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin<1 ^st Threshold), the CP 213 determines that the SAR margin needs to be managed to meet the SAR standard and sends a request message (SAR Event Request) can be transmitted to the AP (211). When the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level, for example, it may correspond to a case where SAR consumption is excessive in the electronic device 101. The CP 213 determines whether the SAR margin is sufficient if the first SAR margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold level (1 ^st Threshold) (e.g., 70% of the total SAR margin) (1 ^st SAR_Margin≥1 ^st Threshold), or If it is determined that there is room, the request message (SAR Event Request) may not be transmitted to the AP (211). The CP 213 may operate based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) during SAR events if the first SAR margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin≥1 ^st Threshold). Even when operating based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) among the SAR events, the CP 213 can continue to check the second SAR margin (e.g., 2 ^nd SAR_Margin). If the second SAR margin is greater than the second threshold level (2 ^nd Threshold) (2 ^nd SAR_Margin≥2 ^nd Threshold), the CP 213 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient and sends a request message (SAR Event Request) may not be continuously transmitted to the AP (211). When the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level (2 ^nd SAR_Margin<2 ^nd Threshold), the CP 213 determines that it is necessary to manage the SAR margin to meet the SAR standard and sends a request message (SAR Event Request) can be transmitted to the AP (211). When the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level, for example, it may correspond to a case where SAR consumption is excessive in the electronic device 200.

The CP 213 may receive a response message (SAR Event Response or DSI Status Response) containing information about the sensor status from the AP 211 in response to the request message (SAR Event Request or DSI Status Request). The CP 213 can change the SAR status based on the sensor status information (DSI) included in the received response message (SAR Event Response or DSI Status Response). For example, the AP 211 may transmit sensor status information (DSI) to the CP 213 without using SAR Event Response. In one embodiment, the AP 211 may directly transmit sensor status information (DSI) to the CP 213. In this case, the CP 213 may transmit “DSI Status Request” as a request message to the AP 211. In this disclosure, for convenience of explanation, “Event Request” or “DSI Status Request” is collectively referred to as either a request message, a request message (SAR Event Request), or a SAR Event Request.

The sensor state information (DSI) is, for example, sensing information of sensors related to USB (universal serial bus), grip, proxy, near, or liquid crystal display (LCD) It may be information about changes in the state of a device, such as a crystal display. The information about the change in the status of the USB may be sensing information indicating the status of whether a cable for charging or data sharing is installed in the USB port. The information about the change in the state of the grip may be sensing information sensed by the grip sensor due to whether the user is holding the electronic device 200 and/or the shape of the hand holding the electronic device 200. The information about the state change of the proxy may be sensing information about the change of the operator performing a specific function. The information about the change in proximity status may be sensing information sensed by a proximity sensor due to the distance between the electronic device 200 held by the user and the body. Information about the change in state of the LCD may be information indicating the operating state of the display. The information indicating the operating state of the display may include, for example, information indicating a power saving state such as a screen turned off or a minimum activation state (eg, always on display (AOD)). The change in the SAR state may be, for example, a change in maximum transmit power level (MTPL).

According to one embodiment, the AP 211 wakes up by a request (SAR Event Request) from the CP 213 and activates the sensor module 230 (Sensor Enable) to periodically monitor the sensor status (Sensor Response). . The AP 211 may transmit sensor status information (DSI) obtained through periodic monitoring to the CP 213. The AP 211 can stop monitoring the sensor status by disabling the sensor 2113 (Sensor Disable) in response to a stop request (SAR Event Stop) from the CP 213.

In one embodiment, the communication module 220 communicates with an electronic device (e.g., the first network 198 or the second network 199 in FIG. 1) through a network (e.g., the first network 198 or the second network 199 in FIG. 1) under the control of the CP 213. It may communicate with at least one of the electronic device 102 or the electronic device 104) or a server (eg, the server 108 of FIG. 1). For convenience of description below, it is assumed that the communication module 220 communicates with the electronic device 104 through the second network 199, which may be, for example, a long-distance wireless communication network.

The communication module 220 may transmit or receive a wireless signal when communicating with the electronic device 104 through the second network 199. For example, the communication module 220 may radiate a wireless signal to the second network 199 with a predetermined transmission power. In one embodiment, the transmission power of the communication module 220 may be managed or controlled by the CP 213. For example, the transmission power of the communication module 220 may be changed by control of the CP 213 considering whether SAR backoff is necessary or whether the SAR margin is sufficient.

In one embodiment, the sensor module 230 monitors the operating state of the electronic device 200 (e.g., display operating state, ambient illumination state, power usage state, or temperature state) or external environmental state (e.g., user grip state). or a proximity state) may be detected and an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state may be generated. After the sensor module 230 is activated under the control of the AP 211, when a state change occurs, the sensor module 230 may report the corresponding state change information to the AP 211. The sensor module 230 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, gyro sensor, barometric pressure sensor, magnetic sensor, acceleration sensor, grip sensor, proximity sensor, color sensor, IR (infrared) sensor, biometric sensor, temperature sensor, and humidity sensor. , or may include an illumination sensor. At least one sensor included in the sensor module 230 may provide sensor monitoring information according to state changes to the AP 211 periodically or in response to the occurrence of an event under the control of the AP 211.

FIG. 3 is a state transition diagram for managing transmission power in consideration of SAR in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the RRC state in the electronic device 200 is an RRC that is not connected by RRC to an electronic device (e.g., a base station or serving cell) provided in a network (e.g., the second network 199 in FIG. 1). It may include a release state (or RRC idle state) 310 or an RRC connection state 320 connected to RRC. When RRC connection with a base station (or serving cell) is established, the electronic device 200 may transition from the RRC release state 310 to the RRC connection state 320 (operation 311). When transitioning to the RRC connected state 320, the electronic device 200 may activate the SAR state. Activation of the SAR state can be understood as operating a function to manage SAR consumption to satisfy the SAR standard. When the RRC connection with the base station is released, the electronic device 200 may transition from the RRC connection state 320 to the RRC release state 310 (operation 313). When transitioning to the RRC release state 310, the electronic device 200 may deactivate the SAR state. Deactivation of the SAR state can be understood as terminating the function of managing SAR consumption to meet the SAR standard.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 may perform an operation according to one of the first operation mode 330 or the second operation mode 340 in an RRC connection state.

The first operation mode 330 defines an operation that does not perform a sensor monitoring operation, for example, when it is predicted that the SAR standard will be satisfied. In this case, current consumption due to sensor monitoring does not occur or can be reduced. For example, in the first operation mode 330, when the electronic device 200 is expected to communicate to meet the SAR standard during one time slot, the CP (e.g., the CP 213 in FIG. 2) is connected to the AP ( Example: Sensor monitoring may not be requested from the AP (211) in FIG. 2. In this case, the AP 211 and/or one or more sensors do not need to wake up for sensor monitoring, thereby reducing current consumption due to sensor monitoring.

The second operation mode 340 defines an operation that allows sensor monitoring to be performed, for example, when it is predicted that the SAR standard will not be met. In this case, current consumption may occur due to sensor monitoring. For example, in the second operation mode 340, the electronic device 200 may cause the CP 213 to request sensor monitoring from the AP 211. In this case, the AP 211 wakes up for sensor monitoring and can activate one or more sensors for sensor monitoring. The activated one or more sensors may transmit monitoring results regarding status changes to the AP 211. The AP 211 may collect monitoring results regarding the status change and transmit them to the CP 213. In this case, current consumption may occur to wake up the AP 211 and activate one or more sensors. The current consumption may, for example, consume several mA periodically to keep the AP 211 awake, and the AP 211 is awake and the sensor (e.g., the sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) In order to monitor state changes, tens to hundreds of mA may be consumed periodically.

In one embodiment, if the electronic device 200 satisfies a preset first condition when performing the first operation mode 330, the electronic device 200 may not wake up the AP 211 for sensor monitoring. The preset first condition may be, for example, a condition in which it is determined that SAR backoff is not necessary and the SAR margin is sufficient (e.g., SAR_Margin>SAR_threshold) in an RRC connection state. The electronic device 200 may determine that SAR backoff is not necessary when communicating using a frequency band with a low SAR value (e.g., low frequency band). For example, when P _limit exceeds P _max (P _limit >P _max ), the electronic device 200 may determine that it is a low frequency band in which the SAR backoff is not necessary. The P _limit may be a transmission power level that meets the SAR design target. For example, if the SAR design target is “SAR 1W/kg”, P _limit may be 20dBm. The P _max may be the maximum transmission power level that the electronic device 200 can output. If the P _limit exceeds the P _max (P _limit >P _max ), it means that the electronic device 200 performs one time slot (1 Time slot) predefined at the maximum transmission power level (FDD Band of 6 GHz or less is 100 Even if it operates for a few seconds, it can serve as a basis for predicting that the SAR design target will not be exceeded.

Exceptionally, the electronic device 200 may wake up the AP 211 for sensor monitoring in the first operation mode 330. For example, when it is determined that SAR backoff is not necessary but the SAR margin is insufficient (e.g., SAR_Margin≤SAR_threshold), the electronic device 200 may perform a sensor monitoring operation. In order to perform the sensor monitoring operation, the CP 213 may wake up the AP 211. The awakened AP 211 may activate one or more sensors to perform sensor monitoring. When it is determined that the SAR margin is not sufficient (e.g., SAR_Margin≤SAR_threshold), for example, the electronic device 200 operates in a frequency band with high SAR (e.g., middle frequency band or high frequency band). After consuming a lot of SAR margin at a base station (or cell) using a low SAR value (e.g. low frequency band), move to a base station (or cell) using a low frequency band (e.g. : handover) can be assumed (operation 341).

In one embodiment, if the electronic device 200 satisfies a preset second condition in the second operation mode 340, the electronic device 200 may wake up the AP 211 for sensor monitoring. The preset second condition may be, for example, a condition in which SAR backoff is necessary and the SAR margin is determined to be insufficient (e.g., 1 ^st SAR Margin<1 ^st Threshold or 2 ^nd SAR Margin<2 ^nd Threshold). there is. The determination of whether the preset second condition is satisfied may be equally applied when the electronic device 200 in the first operation mode 330 transitions to the second operation mode 340. The state transition from the first operation mode 330 to the second operation mode 340 may occur, for example, when the electronic device 200 operates in a frequency band with a low SAR value (e.g., a low frequency band). Move from a base station (or cell) using SAR to a base station (or cell) using a frequency band with higher SAR (e.g. middle frequency band or high frequency band) (e.g. handover) This can be done if (operation 331). The electronic device 200 may determine that SAR backoff is necessary when communicating using a frequency band with a high SAR value (e.g., middle frequency band or high frequency band). . For example, when P _limit is P _max or less (P _limit ≤P _max ), the electronic device 200 may determine that the SAR backoff is a middle or high frequency band. The P _limit may be a transmission power level that meets the SAR design target. For example, if the SAR design target is “SAR 1W/kg”, P _limit may be 20dBm. The P _max may be the maximum transmission power level that the electronic device 200 can output. The P _limit is less than or equal to the P _max (P _limit ≤P _max ), which means that the electronic device 200 operates in one time slot (1 Time slot) predefined at the maximum transmission power level (FDD Band of 6 GHz or less is 100 seconds). ), it can serve as a basis for predicting that the SAR design target may be exceeded.

FIG. 4 is a control flowchart for controlling power consumption in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 410, the electronic device 200 establishes an RRC connection with an electronic device (e.g., a base station or serving cell) provided in a network (e.g., the second network 199 of FIG. 1). You can. For example, when RRC connection with a base station (or serving cell) is established, the electronic device 200 is in an RRC release state (or RRC idle state) in which RRC connection with the base station (or cell) is not established (e.g. The state can be transitioned from the RRC release state 310 in FIG. 3 to the RRC connection state 320 in which the RRC connection is established. When transitioning to the RRC connected state 320, the electronic device 200 may activate the SAR state.

In operation 420, the electronic device 200 may determine whether SAR backoff is necessary. For example, the electronic device 200 may determine that SAR backoff is not necessary when communicating using a frequency band with low SAR (e.g., low frequency band). For example, when communicating using a low frequency band that does not require SAR backoff, it may be common for P _limit to exceed P _max (P _limit >P _max ). Therefore, when P _limit exceeds P _max (P _limit >P _max ), the electronic device 200 may determine that it communicates with the base station (or cell) using a low frequency band that does not require SAR backoff. there is. For example, the electronic device 200 may require SAR backoff when communicating using a high SAR frequency band (e.g., middle frequency band or high frequency band). You can judge. For example, when communicating using a medium or high frequency band that requires SAR backoff, it may be common for P _limit to be less than or equal to P _max (P _limit ≤P _max ). Therefore, when P _limit is P _max or less (P _limit ≤P _max ), the electronic device 200 may determine that it communicates with the base station (or cell) using a medium or high frequency band that requires SAR backoff. there is.

If it is determined that the SAR backoff is not necessary, the electronic device 200 may perform a subroutine according to the first operation mode in operation 430. The first operation mode 330 defines an operation that does not perform a sensor monitoring operation, for example, when it is predicted that the SAR standard will be satisfied. In this case, the electronic device 200 can reduce current consumption due to sensor monitoring. For example, if the electronic device 200 is expected to communicate to meet the SAR standard during one time slot in the first operation mode 330, the CP (e.g., CP 213 in FIG. 2) is It is possible to not request sensor monitoring from an AP (e.g., AP 211 in FIG. 2). In this case, the AP 211 and/or one or more sensors (e.g., the sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) do not need to wake up for sensor monitoring, thereby reducing current consumption due to sensor monitoring.

If it is determined that the SAR backoff is necessary, the electronic device 200 may perform a subroutine according to the second operation mode in operation 440. The second operation mode 340 defines an operation that allows sensor monitoring to be performed, for example, when it is predicted that the SAR standard will not be met. The electronic device 200 may consume a predetermined amount of current to perform sensor monitoring. For example, the electronic device 200 may cause the CP 213 to request sensor monitoring from the AP 211 in the second operation mode 340. In this case, the AP 211 wakes up for sensor monitoring and can activate one or more sensors for sensor monitoring. The activated one or more sensors may transmit monitoring results regarding status changes to the AP 211. The AP 211 may collect monitoring results regarding the status change and transmit them to the CP 213. In this case, current consumption may occur to wake up the AP 211 and activate one or more sensors. The current consumption may, for example, consume several mA periodically to keep the AP 211 awake, and the AP 211 is awake and the sensor (e.g., the sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) In order to monitor state changes, tens to hundreds of mA may be consumed periodically.

FIG. 5 is a sub-process diagram for an operation (e.g., operation 430 of FIG. 4) in a frequency band that does not require SAR backoff in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a diagram showing the routine.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the electronic device 200 may start a first operation subroutine (e.g., operation 430 of FIG. 4 ) in operation 510 . In operation 511, the electronic device 200 may determine whether the SAR margin satisfies the threshold level. The fact that the SAR margin satisfies the critical level allows it to be predicted that the SAR margin is sufficient. In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or has room when the SAR margin (SAR_Margin) (e.g., SAR_Margin 827 in FIG. 8) exceeds the threshold level (SAR_threshold). You can. In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 may determine that the SAR margin (SAR_Margin 827) is less than or equal to the threshold level (SAR_threshold), that the SAR margin is insufficient or that there is no room. The threshold level may be preset, for example, at 70% or more of the total SAR (e.g., SAR_LIMIT 825 in FIG. 8).

If it is determined that the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient, the electronic device 200 may determine whether an event requesting RRC release has occurred in operation 513. The event requesting RRC release may include, for example, an event such as no work for a certain period of time or data blocking. When an RRC release event occurs, the electronic device 200 may release the RRC connection using an RRC message in operation 525. If an RRC release event does not occur, the electronic device 200 may repeatedly perform operations 511 and 513. In operations 511 and 513, since the operation for sensor monitoring is not activated, the sensor monitoring operation may not be substantially performed. The sensor monitoring operation is, for example, a CP (e.g., CP 213 in FIG. 2) transmits a message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring to an AP (e.g., AP 211 in FIG. 2). Can include actions. The fact that the sensor monitoring operation is not substantially performed may mean, for example, that the CP 213 does not transmit a message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring to the AP 211. . Accordingly, if the SAR margin satisfies the critical level, the electronic device 200 may not perform a sensor monitoring operation until the RRC connection is released. This can save current consumption for sensor monitoring in the electronic device 200.

If it is determined that the SAR margin is insufficient or there is no margin, the electronic device 200 may perform a sensor monitoring operation in operation 515. The sensor monitoring operation is, for example, the CP 213 transmits a request message (SAR Event Request) requesting to monitor the sensor status to the AP 211 through a radio interface layer (RIL). The AP 211 can be woken up. When receiving a request message (SAR Event Request), the AP 211 activates (Sensor Enable) one or more sensors (e.g., sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) to periodically monitor the sensor status and Information about the sensor status can be transmitted to the CP 213. The CP 213 may obtain a device state index (DSI) from information about the sensor state provided from the AP 211. The CP 213 may determine a pre-designated threshold level and/or P _limit in response to the acquired DSI. The P _limit may be a transmission power level that meets the SAR design target.

<Table 1> below shows an example of presetting the threshold level and/or P _limit for each DSI.

In <Table 1> above, the P _limit that defines the SAR Back off Power is set. <Table 1> above sets the P _limit to be applied for each DSI. For example, in the case of the mid-frequency band and/or high frequency band in the FDD method, the P _limit can be set low due to the high SAR value under grip and/or hot spot DSI conditions. However, in the case of low frequency bands, the P _limit can be set high because the SAR margin is sufficient. For example, P _limit may have a higher value than P _max . For example, in the case of the frequency band corresponding to LTE_B1, LTE_B2, LTE_B3, LTE_B4, LTE_B7, LTE_B25, LTE_B30, LTE_B38, LTE_B40, LTE_B41, LTE_B66 or LTE_B48 in <Table 1>, P _limit is set lower than the free condition. It is done. This may mean that the SAR value is high and sensor triggering is required for sensor monitoring.

In <Table 1> above, the threshold level for checking the SAR margin may be set to a specific value for each frequency band. The set specific value may be defined as N% of the SAR value to satisfy the design target SAR value. The value corresponding to the threshold level is registered as a memory table in memory (e.g., memory 130 in FIG. 1), is included in a non-volatile (NV) structure of the electronic device 200, or is stored in software code (SW code). ) may be included in a specific area.

In operation 517, the electronic device 200 may determine whether the SAR margin satisfies the threshold level. The threshold level may be, for example, a threshold level determined through a sensor monitoring operation in operation 515. The fact that the SAR margin satisfies the critical level allows it to be predicted that the SAR margin is sufficient in the frequency band being used. In one embodiment, when the SAR margin (SAR_Margin) (e.g., SAR_Margin 827 in FIG. 8) exceeds a threshold level, the electronic device 200 may determine that the SAR margin is sufficient or that there is room. In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 may determine that the SAR margin (SAR_Margin 827) is less than or equal to a threshold level, or that the SAR margin is insufficient or there is no room.

If the electronic device 200 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient, it may stop the sensor monitoring operation in operation 521. When the electronic device 200 stops the sensor monitoring operation, it can determine in operations 511 and 513 whether there is sufficient SAR margin or the RRC connection is released without the sensor monitoring operation.

If the electronic device 200 determines that the SAR margin is insufficient or there is no margin, it may determine whether an event requesting RRC release has occurred in operation 519. The event requesting RRC release may include, for example, an event such as no work for a certain period of time or data blocking. If an RRC release event does not occur, the electronic device 200 may return to operation 515 and continue to perform the sensor monitoring operation.

When an RRC release event occurs, the electronic device 200 may stop the sensor monitoring operation in operation 523. In operation 525, the electronic device 200 may release the RRC connection using the RRC message.

FIG. 6 illustrates a subroutine for an operation (e.g., operation 440 of FIG. 4 ) in a frequency band requiring SAR backoff in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a drawing showing.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the electronic device 200 may start a second operation subroutine (eg, operation 440 of FIG. 4 ) in operation 610 . In operation 611, the electronic device 200 may determine whether the first SAR margin (e.g., 1 ^st SAR_Margin) satisfies the first threshold level (1 ^st Threshold) (e.g., 70% of the total SAR margin). . For example, after determining that SAR backoff is necessary and starting the second operation subroutine 440, the electronic device 200 may continue to check the first SAR margin. The electronic device 200 may monitor whether the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin<1 ^st Threshold). If the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin<1 ^st Threshold), the electronic device 200 may determine whether the first SAR margin satisfies the first threshold level. Failure of the first SAR margin to satisfy the first threshold level may be, for example, an indicator indicating that the SAR margin is insufficient. If the first SAR margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin≥1 ^st Threshold), the electronic device 200 may determine that the first SAR margin satisfies the first threshold level. The fact that the first SAR margin satisfies the first threshold level may be, for example, an indicator indicating that the SAR margin is sufficient or there is room.

If the electronic device 200 determines that the first SAR margin satisfies the first threshold level, in operation 613, the electronic device 200 performs an operation for SAR management based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) among SAR events. It can be done. For example, the electronic device 200 may continue to check the second SAR margin (e.g., 2 ^nd SAR_Margin) even when operating based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) during the SAR event.

In operation 615, the electronic device 200 may determine whether the second SAR margin (eg, ^2nd SAR_Margin) satisfies the second threshold level ( ^2nd Threshold). The electronic device 200 may monitor whether the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level (2 ^nd SAR_Margin<2 ^nd Threshold). If the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level (2 ^nd SAR_Margin<2 ^nd Threshold), the electronic device 200 may determine whether the second SAR margin satisfies the second threshold level. Failure of the second SAR margin to satisfy the second threshold level may be, for example, an indicator indicating that the SAR margin is insufficient. If the second SAR margin is greater than or equal to the second threshold level ( ^{2nd SAR_Margin≥2nd} Threshold), the electronic device 200 may determine that the second SAR margin satisfies the second threshold level. The fact that the second SAR margin satisfies the second threshold level may be, for example, an indicator indicating that the SAR margin is sufficient or has a margin. If the second SAR margin is equal to or higher than the second threshold level (2 ^nd SAR_Margin≥2 ^nd Threshold), the electronic device 200 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient and continues to send a request message (SAR Event Request). Therefore, it may not be transmitted to the AP (211).

If the first SAR margin does not satisfy the first threshold level or the second SAR margin does not satisfy the second threshold level, the electronic device 200 may perform a sensor monitoring operation in operation 617. . The sensor monitoring operation may be performed, for example, by sending a request message (SAR Event Request) requesting that the CP 213 monitor the sensor status to the AP 211 through RIL to wake up the AP 211. . When the AP 211 receives a request message (SAR Event Request), it can activate (Sensor Enable) one or more sensors (e.g., sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) to periodically monitor the sensor status. there is. The AP 211 may transmit information about the sensor status to the CP 213 using the monitoring results. The CP 213 may obtain a device state index (DSI) from information about the sensor state provided from the AP 211. The CP 213 may determine a pre-designated threshold level and/or P _limit in response to the acquired DSI. Determination of the threshold level and/or P _limit corresponding to the obtained DSI may be performed in the same manner as operation 515 of FIG. 5.

In operation 619, the electronic device 200 may perform SAR margin management based on the average power limit (P _limit ) and/or threshold level appropriate for the DSI event. The electronic device 200 may adjust the speed at which the SAR margin decreases, for example, by controlling transmission power. For example, when lowering the transmission power, the speed at which the SAR margin decreases can be reduced.

In operation 621, the electronic device 200 may determine whether an event requesting RRC release has occurred. The event requesting RRC release may include, for example, an event such as no work for a certain period of time or data blocking. When an RRC release event occurs, the electronic device 200 may release the RRC connection using an RRC message in operation 623. If an RRC release event does not occur, the electronic device 200 may repeatedly perform operations 611 to 619.

In the above description, the sensor monitoring operation may include, for example, the CP 213 transmitting a message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring to the AP 211. The fact that the sensor monitoring operation is not substantially performed may mean, for example, that the CP 213 does not transmit a message (SAR Event Request) requesting sensor monitoring to the AP 211. . Accordingly, if the SAR margin satisfies the critical level, the electronic device 200 may not perform a sensor monitoring operation until the RRC connection is released. This can save current consumption for sensor monitoring in the electronic device 200.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the amount of current consumed to perform periodic sensor monitoring in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 7, in one embodiment, if an RRC connection is established with a counterpart device (e.g., base station) and preset conditions (e.g., SAR backoff is required and SAR margin is not sufficient) are satisfied, The electronic device 200 can monitor sensors. In this case, the electronic device 200 periodically consumes current by the AP (e.g., the main processor 121 in FIG. 1) and/or the sensor (e.g., the sensor module 230 in FIG. 2) to monitor the sensor. (710, 720, 730, 740, 750) can occur.

In one embodiment, if a preset condition is not satisfied after the RRC connection is established (e.g., if it is determined that SAR backoff is not necessary or if it is determined that SAR backoff is necessary but the SAR margin is sufficient), the electronic device 200 may not perform monitoring on the sensor. In this case, the electronic device 200 can save current consumption to monitor the sensor.

FIG. 8 is a relationship diagram between parameters for managing SAR margin in an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, in one embodiment, the electronic device 200 performs communication using the maximum transmission power (P _MAX ) 831 from the start of one time slot in the RRC connection state. was assumed. In this case, over time, the accumulated amount of SAR (SAR_CONSUMPTION) 840 due to communication using the maximum transmission power (P _MAX ) 831 may increase. The accumulated SAR amount (SAR_CONSUMPTION) 840 will reach a predetermined threshold level (SAR_threshold) 823 at a specific point in time (T _s ) 811 after the time corresponding to the first section 851 has elapsed. The first section 851 may be a time section in which the electronic device 200 performs communication using the maximum transmission power (P _MAX ) 831. As time passes in the first section 851, SAR_Margin 827 may decrease in proportion to the SAR accumulation amount (SAR_CONSUMPTION) 840. For example, SAR_Margin(827) can be defined as “SAR_LIMIT(825) - SAR_CONSUMPTION(840)”. Here, SAR_LIMIT 825 may be the total SAR set so that the electronic device 200 meets the SAR standard in one time slot. As an example, when the electronic device 200 allocates the transmission power (P _TX ) 830 by the transmission power limit level (P _limit ) 821, which is a transmission power level that meets the SAR design target during one time slot. , can meet SAR standards.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 200 may determine that SAR backoff is necessary when the SAR accumulation amount (SAR_CONSUMPTION) 840 reaches a predetermined threshold level (SAR_threshold) 823 (841). Accordingly, the electronic device 200 performs the SAR backoff operation in the second section 853 defined when one time slot ends (T _E ) 813 is reached from the event occurrence point (T _S ). You can. The SAR backoff operation, for example, controls the transmission power (P _TX ) 830 with the backoff power (P _BACKOFF ) 833 to reduce the rate of decrease of the SAR margin (SAR_Margin) 827. It could be a movement. To this end, the electronic device 200 may perform a sensor monitoring operation so that the P _limit 821 and/or threshold level optimized for each DSI can be applied.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a signal processing procedure for monitoring a sensor state in an electronic device (eg, the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment, the CP 213 (e.g., the auxiliary processor 123 in FIG. 1) and the AP 211 (e.g., the main processor 121 in FIG. 1) send messages to each other through RIL. can be exchanged.

The CP 213 uses a radio resource control (RRC) message to establish an RRC connection with an electronic device (e.g., a base station) provided in a network (e.g., the second network 199 in FIG. 1). can be established. For example, the RRC connection establishment is an operation in which a state transition occurs from an RRC release state (e.g., RRC release state 310 in FIG. 3) to an RRC connection state (e.g., RRC connection state 320 in FIG. 3) ( Example: RRC connection/SAR state activation (311) of FIG. 3) may be included.

When an RRC connection is established, the CP 213 allocates uplink and/or downlink radio resources from the base station to monitor the control channel of the base station or to transmit or receive data. You can receive it. When the RRC connection is established, the CP 213 reports various measurement information such as channel status, security management, and traffic management to the base station, or the network 199 proactively performs handover (handover) considering the channel status or traffic speed. handover) procedure can also be performed. Therefore, the fact that an RRC connection is established may mean that transmission power exists. The CP 213 can re-establish or release the RRC connection using an RRC message when there is no work for a certain period of time or an event such as data blocking occurs. The RRC connection being released may mean that transmission power does not exist.

The CP 213 may include a protocol 2131 or a maximum transmit power level (MTPL) manager 2133. The protocol 2131 defines the rules agreed upon by the CP 213 to perform wireless communication with the base station. The protocol 2131 may include an RRC protocol or an RRC layer. The RRC protocol or RRC layer may be a protocol or layer that manages the connection between the electronic device 200 and the base station. The MTPL manager 2133 can manage the MTPL to be considered by the CP 213 to control transmission power to satisfy the SAR standard.

According to one embodiment, when an RRC connection is established by the protocol 2131, the MTPL manager 2133 requests sensor monitoring from the AP 211 by considering whether SAR backoff is necessary or whether the SAR margin is sufficient. A request message (SAR Event Request) can be selectively transmitted. The MTPL manager 2133 may determine whether SAR backoff is necessary, for example, depending on the operating frequency band. The request message (SAR Event Request) may be a message requesting sensor monitoring from the AP 211. If the request message (SAR Event Request) is not transmitted to the AP 211 by the MTPL manager 2133, the AP 211 may not wake up. In this case, current consumption to wake up the AP 211 may not occur.

When the MTPL manager 2133 predicts that the SAR standard can be met even if it operates at the maximum transmission power that the electronic device 101 can use during one time slot using the operating frequency band, the SAR backoff is set. You may decide that it is not necessary. For example, the MTPL manager 2133 determines that the minimum P _limit (P _limit.min ) among the P _limits for each DSI exceeds the maximum transmission power (P _max ) that can be used while meeting the SAR standard in the electronic device 101. When operating in a frequency band (e.g., low frequency band) where (P _limit.min >P _max ), it may be determined that SAR backoff is not necessary. For example, when RRC connection with a serving cell or serving base station is established in a frequency band that satisfies the condition that does not require SAR backoff (P _limit.min >P _max ), the MTPL manager 2133 sends a request. The message (SAR Event Request) may not be transmitted to the AP (211).

The MTPL manager 2133 may continue to check the SAR margin even after determining that SAR backoff is not necessary. If the SAR margin is more than a critical level (e.g., 70% of the total SAR margin), the MTPL manager 2133 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or has room and continues to send a request message (SAR Event Request) to the AP ( 211) may not be transmitted. If the SAR margin falls below a critical level, the MTPL manager 2133 may determine that the SAR margin needs to be managed to meet the SAR standard and transmit a request message (SAR Event Request) to the AP 211. When the SAR margin falls below the critical level, for example, the electronic device 101 may be handed over from a serving cell or serving base station with excessive SAR consumption.

If the MTPL manager 2133 predicts that the SAR standard cannot be met when operating at the maximum transmission power that can be used by the electronic device 101 during one time slot using the operating frequency band, the SAR backoff is set. You may decide it is necessary. The MTPL manager 2133, for example, sets the minimum P _limit (P _limit.min ) among the P _limits for each DSI to the maximum transmission power (P _max ) that can be used while meeting the SAR standard in the electronic device 101 ( When operating in a frequency band (e.g., mid or high frequency band) where P _limit.min ≤P _max ), SAR backoff may be determined to be necessary.

After determining that SAR backoff is necessary, the MTPL manager 2133 may continue to check the first SAR margin (e.g., 1 ^st SAR_Margin). The MTPL manager 2133 determines that it is necessary to manage the SAR margin to meet the SAR standard when the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin<1 ^st Threshold) and sends a request message (SAR Event Request) can be transmitted to the AP (211). When the first SAR margin falls below the first threshold level, for example, it may correspond to a case where SAR consumption is excessive in the electronic device 101. The MTPL manager 2133 determines whether the SAR margin is sufficient if the first SAR margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold level (1 ^st Threshold) (e.g., 70% of the total SAR margin) (1 ^st SAR_Margin≥1 ^st Threshold), or Alternatively, it is determined that there is room and the request message (SAR Event Request) may not be transmitted to the AP 211. The MTPL manager 2133 may operate based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) during SAR events if the first SAR margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold level (1 ^st SAR_Margin≥1 ^st Threshold). Even when operating based on the minimum average power limit (min.P _limit ) among the SAR events, the MTPL manager 2133 can continue to check the second SAR margin (e.g., 2 ^nd SAR_Margin). The MTPL manager 2133 determines that the SAR margin is sufficient or sufficient if the second SAR margin is greater than the second threshold level (2 ^nd Threshold) (2 ^nd SAR_Margin≥2 ^nd Threshold) and sends a request message (SAR Event Request) may not be continuously transmitted to the AP (211). When the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level (2 ^nd SAR_Margin<2 ^nd Threshold), the MTPL manager 2133 determines that it is necessary to manage the SAR margin to meet the SAR standard and sends a request message (SAR). Event Request) can be transmitted to the AP (211). When the second SAR margin falls below the second threshold level, for example, it may correspond to a case where SAR consumption is excessive in the electronic device 101.

According to the above, the MTPL manager 2133 determines that SAR backoff is not necessary in the RRC connection state (e.g., RRC connection state 320 in FIG. 3), or determines that SAR backoff is necessary but the SAR margin is sufficient. When this happens, a request message (SAR Event Request) to wake up the AP 211, that is, to wake it up, may not be transmitted to the AP 211. If the request message (SAR Event Request) is not transmitted to the AP 211 by the MTPL manager 2133, the AP 211 may not wake up. In this case, current consumption to wake up the AP 211 may not occur.

The MTPL manager 2133 may receive a response message (SAR Event Response) containing information about the sensor status from the AP 211 in response to the request message (SAR Event Request). The MTPL manager 2133 can change the SAR status based on the sensor status information (DSI) included in the received response message (SAR Event Response). The sensor state information (DSI) may be, for example, sensing information of a sensor related to USB, grip, proxy, or proximity, or information about a change in the state of a device such as an LCD. The information about the change in the status of the USB may be sensing information indicating the status of whether a cable for charging or data sharing is installed in the USB port. The information about the change in the state of the grip may be sensing information sensed by the grip sensor due to whether the user is holding the electronic device 200 and/or the shape of the hand holding the electronic device 200. The information about the state change of the proxy may be sensing information about the change of the operator performing a specific function. The information about the change in proximity status may be sensing information sensed by a proximity sensor due to the distance between the electronic device 200 held by the user and the body. Information about the change in state of the LCD may be information indicating the operating state of the display. The information indicating the operating state of the display may include, for example, information indicating a power saving state such as a screen turned off or a minimum activation state (eg, always on display (AOD)). The change in SAR status may be, for example, a change in MTPL.

The AP (211) wakes up by a request (SAR Event Request) from the CP (213) and activates (Sensor Enable) one or more sensors (2113) to periodically monitor the sensor status (Sensor Response). You can. The AP 211 may transmit sensor status information (DSI) obtained through periodic monitoring to the CP 213. The AP 211 can stop monitoring the sensor status by disabling the sensor 2113 (Sensor Disable) in response to a stop request (SAR Event Stop) from the CP 213.

The AP 211 may include a controller 2111 or one or more sensors 2113. For example, the one or more sensors 2113 may not be included in the AP 211, like the sensor module 230 shown in FIG. 2, and may be provided as a separate configuration.

More specifically, when the RRC connection is established, the protocol 2131 running on the CP 213 may notify the MTPL manager 2133 that the RRC connection has been established (RRC Connection) (operation 911). When notified that the RRC connection has been established, the MTPL manager 2133 monitors the sensor status with the controller 2111 of the AP 211 through RIL, considering whether SAR backoff is necessary or whether the SAR margin is sufficient. A request message (SAR Event Request) requesting reporting may be transmitted (operation 913). As the MTPL manager 2133 determines whether to transmit a request message (SAR Event Request), detailed description will be omitted as it has been explained previously.

When the controller 2111 of the AP 211 receives the request message (SAR Event Request) from the MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213, it activates the sensor 2113 and requests it to report the sensor status. A sensor enable signal may be transmitted to the sensor 2113 (operation 915). When the sensor 2113 receives the sensor enable signal, it is activated and when an event such as a change in state occurs, sensor monitoring information regarding the sensor 2113 can be transmitted to the controller 2111 through a response message (Sensor Response). (Action 917). Events such as the state change may include, for example, a cable being attached to a USB port for charging or data sharing, or a change in whether the user is holding the electronic device 200 and/or the shape of the hand holding it. occurs, or a change occurs in the subject of action performing a specific function, or a change occurs in the distance between the body and the electronic device 200 held by the user, or the screen turns off, or a minimum activation state ( Example: This may include operating in a power-saving state such as AOD (always on display). The controller 2111 of the AP 211 collects or combines sensor monitoring information received from one or more sensors 2113 and sends it to the MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213 through a response message (SAR Event Response). (Operation 919).

The MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213 can obtain sensor monitoring information from a response message (SAR Event Response) received from the controller 2111 of the AP 211. For example, the MTPL manager 2133 monitors the SAR status of devices such as each sensor (e.g., grip, proximity sensor, touch panel, etc.) or display (e.g., LCD) in consideration of a predetermined priority. You can check it. The MTPL manager 2133 may change the MTPL based on status information monitored from the sensor that has the highest priority and is activated among the confirmed SAR statuses (operation 921).

After being activated, the sensor 2113 may transmit sensor monitoring information regarding the sensor monitoring information periodically or whenever a state change occurs to the controller 2111 through a response message (Sensor Response) (operation 923). The controller 2111 of the AP 211 collects or combines sensor monitoring information received from one or more sensors 2113 and sends it to the MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213 through a response message (SAR Event Response). (Operation 925).

The MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213 can obtain sensor monitoring information from a response message (SAR Event Response) received from the controller 2111 of the AP 211. For example, the MTPL manager 2133 may check the SAR status of each sensor (e.g., grip, proximity sensor, touch panel, etc.) or device such as display (e.g., LCD) by considering the pre-specified priority. . The MTPL manager 2133 may change the MTPL based on status information monitored from the sensor that has the highest priority and is activated among the confirmed SAR statuses (operation 927).

The protocol 2131 running in the CP 213 releases the RRC connection when there is no work for a certain period of time or an event such as data blocking occurs, thereby maintaining the RRC connection state (e.g., the RRC connection state in FIG. 3). 320)) may transition to the RRC release state (e.g., RRC release state 310 in FIG. 3). When transitioning to the RRC release state 310, the protocol 2131 can notify the MTPL manager 2133 that the RRC connection has been released (RRC Release) (operation 929). When notified of the RRC release, the MTPL manager 2133 transmits a request message (SAR Event Stop) requesting to stop monitoring and reporting the sensor status to the controller 2111 of the AP 211 through RIL. (Operation 931). If the MTPL manager 2133 is not receiving a sensor status report from the controller 2111 of the AP 211, it may not transmit the request message (SAR Event Stop).

When the controller 2111 of the AP 211 receives the request message (SAR Event Stop) from the MTPL manager 2133 of the CP 213, it deactivates the sensor 2113 and stops reporting the sensor status. A sensor disable signal requesting operation may be transmitted to the sensor 2113 (operation 933). When the sensor 2113 receives the sensor disable signal, it can stop transmitting sensor monitoring information according to events such as state changes to the controller 2111.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various types. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to that component in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g., first) component is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively.” When mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. It can be used as A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of this document relate to a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be accessed by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101 or electronic device 200). )) may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including one or more instructions stored in the program 140. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of a device (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided and included in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g. Play StoreTM) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the above-described components may include a single or plural entity, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately placed in other components. there is. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations described above may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (eg, modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, or omitted. Alternatively, one or more other operations may be added.

Claims (20)

In electronic devices,
a communication module configured to perform wireless communication;
A sensor module configured to detect a state associated with the electronic device and generate sensor monitoring information corresponding to the sensed state: and
At least one processor electrically connected to the communication module or the sensor module and configured to control power consumption in the electronic device,
The at least one processor,
While a radio resource control (RRC) connection with an external electronic device is maintained by the communication module, a status check for at least one sensor is performed until the cumulative specific absorption rate (SAR) reaches a predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold). Stop,
The cumulative electromagnetic wave absorption rate is the electromagnetic wave absorption rate accumulated by transmission power transmitted within a time period corresponding to a time slot using a specific frequency band. According to paragraph 1,
The at least one processor,
The electronic device is configured to initiate a status check for the at least one sensor at the point when the cumulative specific absorption rate reaches the predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold) while the radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained. According to paragraph 2,
The at least one processor,
The electronic device is configured to not initiate a health check for the at least one sensor if the consumable margin specific absorption rate (SAR) meets an effective level, even if the cumulative specific absorption rate reaches the predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold). According to paragraph 2,
A first processor included in the at least one processor that controls the transmission power wakes up a second processor included in the at least one processor and controls the at least one sensor to check the status of the at least one sensor. An electronic device configured to request something. According to clause 4,
The electronic device is configured such that the second processor acquires sensing information by checking the status of the at least one sensor and transmits the sensing information to the first processor. According to clause 5,
The electronic device is configured such that the first processor acquires a power limit level (P _limit ) indicated by a device state index included in the sensing information, and controls transmission power based on the obtained power limit level (P _limit ). According to clause 5,
When the radio resource control (RRC) connection is released, instruct the first processor to stop checking the status of the at least one sensor. According to paragraph 1,
If the first specific absorption rate margin is greater than the first threshold, while operating based on the lowest average power limit, if the second specific absorption rate margin is less than the second threshold, the transmission power included in the at least one processor and transmitted is An electronic device, wherein a controlling first processor is configured to wake up a second processor included in the at least one processor and controlling the at least one sensor and request to check the status of the at least one sensor. According to clause 8,
The electronic device is configured such that the second processor acquires sensing information by checking the status of the at least one sensor and transmits the sensing information to the first processor. According to clause 9,
An electronic device configured such that the first processor acquires a power limit level (P _limit ) indicated by a device state index included in the sensing information and controls transmission power based on the obtained power limit level (P _limit ).
In a method of controlling power consumption in an electronic device,
While the radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained, suspend status checks for at least one sensor until the cumulative specific absorption rate (SAR) reaches a prespecified threshold (SAR_threshold),
The cumulative electromagnetic wave absorption rate is the electromagnetic wave absorption rate accumulated by transmission power transmitted within a time period corresponding to a time slot using a specific frequency band. According to clause 11,
While the radio resource control (RRC) connection is maintained, at the point when the cumulative specific absorption rate reaches the predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold), initiating a status check for the at least one sensor, the method comprising: . According to clause 12,
Not initiating a status check for the at least one sensor if the consumable margin specific absorption rate (SAR) meets an effective level, even if the cumulative specific absorption rate reaches the predetermined threshold (SAR_threshold). According to clause 12,
The operation to initiate the status check is,
A method comprising requesting that a first processor controlling the transmission power wake up a second processor controlling the at least one sensor and check the status of the at least one sensor. According to clause 14,
An operation of the second processor acquiring sensing information by checking the status of the at least one sensor; and
A method comprising transmitting the sensing information to the first processor. According to clause 15,
An operation of the first processor acquiring a power limit level (P _limit ) indicated by a device state index included in the sensing information; and
A method comprising controlling transmission power by the obtained power limit level (P _limit ). According to clause 15,
When the radio resource control (RRC) connection is released, the method includes instructing the first processor to stop checking the status of the at least one sensor to the second processor. According to clause 11,
If the first specific absorption rate margin is greater than or equal to the first threshold, while operating based on the lowest average power limit, if the second specific absorption rate margin is less than the second threshold, the first processor for controlling the transmitted transmission power may A method comprising waking up a second processor controlling one sensor and requesting to check the status of the at least one sensor. According to clause 18,
An operation of the second processor acquiring sensing information by checking the status of the at least one sensor; and
A method comprising transmitting the sensing information to the first processor. According to clause 19,
An operation of the first processor acquiring a power limit level (P _limit ) indicated by a device state index included in the sensing information; and
A method comprising controlling transmission power by the obtained power limit level (P _limit ).

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