GB2335569A - Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level - Google Patents

Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2335569A
GB2335569A GB9805645A GB9805645A GB2335569A GB 2335569 A GB2335569 A GB 2335569A GB 9805645 A GB9805645 A GB 9805645A GB 9805645 A GB9805645 A GB 9805645A GB 2335569 A GB2335569 A GB 2335569A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
circuit portion
unit
modem
power
radio
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9805645A
Other versions
GB9805645D0 (en
Inventor
Efraim Rushinek
Reuven Konevky
Simha Tanne
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Motorola Solutions Inc
Original Assignee
Motorola Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Motorola Inc filed Critical Motorola Inc
Priority to GB9805645A priority Critical patent/GB2335569A/en
Publication of GB9805645D0 publication Critical patent/GB9805645D0/en
Publication of GB2335569A publication Critical patent/GB2335569A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
    • H04B1/06—Receivers
    • H04B1/16—Circuits
    • H04B1/1607—Supply circuits
    • H04B1/1615—Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/02—Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0225—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
    • H04W52/0235—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where the received signal is a power saving command
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W52/00—Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes
    • H04W52/02—Power saving arrangements
    • H04W52/0209—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices
    • H04W52/0225—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
    • H04W52/0241—Power saving arrangements in terminal devices using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02D—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
    • Y02D30/00—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
    • Y02D30/70—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks in wireless communication networks

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

A GSM data unit 100 comprising a radio communication device and a modem card for connection to another electronic device such as a palm or lap top computer 108 comprises radio and base band sections 102, 104, a modem unit 106, a battery 112 and a modem controller 122 for monitoring the battery. When the power level of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold, the power supply to the radio and base band circuits is disconnected. As soon as any data remaining in the modem prior to the disconnection of the radio and base band units has been transferred to the palm or lap top computer, the power supply to the modem unit is disconnected and the data unit powered down completely. The threshold level is set so that there is sufficient power remaining in the battery to make an emergency call.

Description

2335569 ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF POWERING-DOWN THEREFOR
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a method of powering-down therefor, where the electronic apparatus can be electrically coupled to an electronic device. An example of the electronic apparatus is a combined radio communication module and modem, such as a GSM card 10 combined with a PCMCIA data card.
Backeround of the Invention It is known to electrically connect a combined radio-communications/modem card (hereinafter "the G5M data uniC to another electronic device, such as a Palm-top computer, PDA or a Laptop Personal Computer (PC). As would be expected, it is necessary to provide power for the electronic circuitry of the GSM data unit. However, it is disadvantageous to derive the power needed to power the card unit exclusively from the palm-top computer, as this will reduce the amount of time that the palm-top computer can re operational. A solution is therefore to provide the card unit with a separate dedicated power sourceY for example, a battery. However, as would be expected, the battery will run flat after a certain amount of use and consequently data received prior to the battery running flat may be lost.
It is thus an object of the present invention to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned problem associated with card units or other electronic devices having a built in power source.
5-umuuunE Qf the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus comprising a power source selectively coupled to each of a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, and monitoring means for monitoring the power level of the power source, the first and second circuit portions being arranged to transfer data therebetween, the monitoring means being The operation of the above described embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
The GSM data unit 100 is typically connected to the palm-top computer 108 via the interface 128 in order to receive and transmit data to and from the palm-top computer 108 via radio-frequency interface.
During operation, the modem controller 122 monitors the power level; of the battery 112 (step 200). When the power level of the battery 112 falls below a predetermined threshold value, the modem controller 122 actuates the second switch 124 (step 202) by sending a control signal on the second control line 126 so as to power-down the electronic circuitry in the RF and BB units 102, 104. The predetermined threshold value is set to such a value so that enough power can still be provided by the battery 112 to make emergency calls.
If the GSM data unit 100 was receiving data prior to the RF and BB units 102, 104 being powered-down, the received data remaining in the modem unit 106 is processed and transferred to the palm-top computer 108 (step 204). Once all the remaining data received, prior to powering-down the RF and BB units 102, 104, has been transferred from the modem unit 106 as described above, the modem controller 122 actuates the first switch (step 206) via the first control line 118, thereby powering-down the GSM data unit 100 completely. Thus, it is possible to receive data up to when the RF and BB units 102, 104 are powered-down without loss of the data.
It should be appreciated that it is conceivable that the first switch is actuable both directly by a user and the modem controller 122 (i.e. a physical switch which is electronically actuable), or uniquely by the modem controller 122 according to any technique known in the art.
Although the invention has been described in the context of a GSM data unit and a palm-top computer 108, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to such a configuration and is also applicable to any For the purposes of clarity and simplicity of description, the circuitry of the GSM data unit 100 will not be described in detail. Furthermore, the detailed construction and operation of the GSM data unit 100 does not relate to essence of the present invention.
The RF unit 102 has a first switch 110, having a first terminal coupled to a first terminal of a battery 112, the second terminal of the battery 112 being connected to ground 114. The second terminal of the first switch 110 is coupled to an internal power supply line 116 for supplying electrical power from the battery 112 to the RF unit 102, the BB unit 104 and the modem unit 106.
The first switch 110 is coupled to a modem controller 122 located within the modem unit 106, via a first control line 118. The modem controller 122 is also coupled to the internal power line 116. It should be appreciated that the detailed manner in which the modem controller 122 is coupled to the internal power supply line 116 does not form part of the present invention.
The RF unit 102 and the BB unit 104 comprise electronic circuitry, including a call controller 120 located within the BB unit 104. The electronic circuitry in the RF and BB units 102, 104 (including the call controller 120) are coupled to the internal power supply line 116 via a second switch 124, the second switch being coupled to the modem controller 122 via a second control line 126. It is thus possible for the modem controller 122 to selectively control the provision of power to the RF and BB units 102, 104.
The palm-top computer 108 is capable of being interfaced with the GSM data unit 100, via an interface 128, for the purpose of communication between the GSM data unit 100 and the palm-top computer 108. The detailed arrangement of the interface 128 does not relate to the present invention, and so for the purpose of clarity, no further reference to the construction of the interface 128 shall be made.
The first and second switches 110, 124 are preferably electronic switches, for example, transistors. However, the use other switches is envisaged, such as opto-isolators.
Cl MS 1. An electronic apparatus compn sing a power source selectively coupled to each of a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, and monitoring means for monitoring the power level of the power source, the first and second circuit portions being arranged to transfer data therebetween, the monitoring means being arranged to deprive the first circuit portion of power in response to the power level of the power source being below a predetermined value.

Claims (1)

  1. 2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first circuit portion
    is a communications unit.
    3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the telecommunications unit comprises a radio-frequency unit and a base-band unit.
    4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second circuit portion is a modem unit.
    5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined value is set to a value corresponding to a power level sufficient to permit the second circuit portion to continue functioning for a predetermined period of time.
    6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined value is set to a value corresponding to a power level sufficient to permit an emergency call to be made.
    7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein any data received by the second circuit portion from the first circuit portion is transferred out of the second circuit portion.
    8. An apparatus as Claimed in Claim 8, wherein the data received by the second circuit portion from the first circuit portion is transferred to an additional electronic unit coupled to the second circuit portion.
    combined transmission device (preferably, radio-frequency) and data modulator and/or demodulator.
    9. A combined radio-comirnlini cations and modem apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
    10. A method of powering-down an electronic apparatus comprising a power source selectively coupled to each of a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, the first and second circuit portions being arranged to transfer data therebetween, the method comprising the steps of. monitoring the power level of the power source, and depriving the first circuit portion of power in response to the power 10 level of the power source being below a predetermined value.
    11. An electronic apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1.
    12. A method of powering-down substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 2.
GB9805645A 1998-03-18 1998-03-18 Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level Withdrawn GB2335569A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9805645A GB2335569A (en) 1998-03-18 1998-03-18 Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9805645A GB2335569A (en) 1998-03-18 1998-03-18 Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9805645D0 GB9805645D0 (en) 1998-05-13
GB2335569A true GB2335569A (en) 1999-09-22

Family

ID=10828697

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9805645A Withdrawn GB2335569A (en) 1998-03-18 1998-03-18 Selective power down of a data unit in response to battery level

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2335569A (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000039908A1 (en) * 1998-12-30 2000-07-06 Ericsson Inc. A reserve power system for any battery operated device
GB2354891A (en) * 1999-07-22 2001-04-04 Nec Corp Power supply method and device for mobile telephone
WO2003098818A2 (en) * 2000-12-08 2003-11-27 Intel Corporation Special battery reserve of portable electronic devices for emergency use
CN101150438B (en) * 2007-07-31 2010-12-08 中兴通讯股份有限公司 Dense wave division multiplexing system and its optical port automatic discovery method
US7925904B2 (en) 2002-08-15 2011-04-12 Htc Corporation Circuit and operating method for integrated interface of PDA and wireless communication system
US8248743B2 (en) 2005-02-16 2012-08-21 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Device having failure recovery capabilities and a method for failure recovery

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4908523A (en) * 1988-04-04 1990-03-13 Motorola, Inc. Electronic circuit with power drain control
GB2263593A (en) * 1992-01-27 1993-07-28 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Function control of battery-operated system; mobile alarm system
GB2302770A (en) * 1995-05-30 1997-01-29 Motorola Inc Power supply control in battery powered portable electronic devices; portable radio communication devices
GB2321163A (en) * 1996-12-12 1998-07-15 Nec Corp Power source control for a portable radio transceiver

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4908523A (en) * 1988-04-04 1990-03-13 Motorola, Inc. Electronic circuit with power drain control
GB2263593A (en) * 1992-01-27 1993-07-28 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Function control of battery-operated system; mobile alarm system
GB2302770A (en) * 1995-05-30 1997-01-29 Motorola Inc Power supply control in battery powered portable electronic devices; portable radio communication devices
GB2321163A (en) * 1996-12-12 1998-07-15 Nec Corp Power source control for a portable radio transceiver

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000039908A1 (en) * 1998-12-30 2000-07-06 Ericsson Inc. A reserve power system for any battery operated device
US6427072B1 (en) 1998-12-30 2002-07-30 Ericsson Inc. Reserve power system for any battery operated device
GB2354891A (en) * 1999-07-22 2001-04-04 Nec Corp Power supply method and device for mobile telephone
GB2354891B (en) * 1999-07-22 2001-12-05 Nec Corp Power supply method and power supply device for portable telephone
US6678538B1 (en) 1999-07-22 2004-01-13 Nec Corporation Power supply method and power supply device for portable telephone
WO2003098818A2 (en) * 2000-12-08 2003-11-27 Intel Corporation Special battery reserve of portable electronic devices for emergency use
WO2003098818A3 (en) * 2000-12-08 2004-03-25 Intel Corp Special battery reserve of portable electronic devices for emergency use
GB2391762B (en) * 2000-12-08 2005-05-11 Intel Corp Special Battery Reserve Of Portable Electronic Devices For Emergency Use
US7925904B2 (en) 2002-08-15 2011-04-12 Htc Corporation Circuit and operating method for integrated interface of PDA and wireless communication system
US8417977B2 (en) 2002-08-15 2013-04-09 Htc Corporation Operating method for integrated interface of PDA and wireless communication system
US8248743B2 (en) 2005-02-16 2012-08-21 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Device having failure recovery capabilities and a method for failure recovery
CN101150438B (en) * 2007-07-31 2010-12-08 中兴通讯股份有限公司 Dense wave division multiplexing system and its optical port automatic discovery method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9805645D0 (en) 1998-05-13

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)