# US 10,455,512 B1 · Techniques and apparatuses for configuring a power saving mode of a modem module using an external real-time clock > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,512 B1 - Document ID: US10455512B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/037,958 - Filed: 2018-07-17 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-17 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Lijun Lin; Vieri Vanghi; Liangchi Hsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455512B1 ## CPC - H04W 52/0296: {switching to a backup power supply} - H04M 1/72519 - H04M 1/72522 - H04W 52/02: Power saving arrangements - H04W 52/0225: {using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal} - H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal} - H04W 88/02: Terminal devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module is to exit a power saving mode; instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. Numerous other aspects are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: determining, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode; instructing a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and instructing the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode is based at least in part on a notification from the modem module to the microcontroller based at least in part on expiration of a timer of the modem module that uses a system clock. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the modem module stores a non-access stratum protocol context in non-volatile memory prior to being disconnected from the battery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the modem module loads a non-access stratum protocol context from non-volatile memory after exiting the power saving mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the modem module is instructed to exit the power saving mode using an attention (AT) command. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the system clock is used to determine whether to initiate an attach request procedure with a network based at least in part on an amount of time that has elapsed since a non-access stratum protocol context was stored in non-volatile memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a system time of the UE is determined based at least in part on: the RTC included in the microcontroller, system time acquisition by the modem module using a cellular system or a global positioning system, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the system time is synchronized between the microcontroller and the modem module using an attention (AT) command or another messaging protocol. ### Claim 12 A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: memory; and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the memory and the one or more processors configured to: determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode; instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to instruct the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, wherein the determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode is based at least in part on a notification from the modem module to the microcontroller based at least in part on expiration of a timer of the modem module that uses a system clock. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, wherein the modem module stores a non-access stratum protocol context in non-volatile memory prior to being disconnected from the battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein the modem module loads a non-access stratum protocol context from non-volatile memory after exiting the power saving mode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein the modem module is instructed to exit the power saving mode using an attention (AT) command. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The UE of claim 19, wherein the system clock is used to determine whether to initiate an attach request procedure with a network based at least in part on an amount of time that has elapsed since a non-access stratum protocol context was stored in non-volatile memory. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The UE of claim 12, wherein a system time of the UE is determined based at least in part on: RTC included in the microcontroller, time acquisition by the modem module using a cellular system or a global positioning system, or combination thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The UE of claim 21, wherein the system time is synchronized between the microcontroller and the modem module using an attention (AT) command or another messaging protocol. ### Claim 23 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions for wireless communication, the one or more instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), cause the one or more processors to: determine, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode; instruct a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the UE based at least in part on the determination; and instruct the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to instruct the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode. ### Claim 27 An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: means for determining, using a real-time clock (RTC) included in a microcontroller, that a modem module, included in a low power wide area module, is to exit a power saving mode; means for instructing a load switch to connect the modem module to a battery of the apparatus based at least in part on the determination; and means for instructing the modem module to exit the power saving mode based at least in part on the determination. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the low power wide area module includes a power management integrated circuit that does not include an RTC for controlling the power saving mode of the modem module. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for instructing the load switch to disconnect the modem module from the battery based at least in part on a determination that the modem module is to enter the power saving mode. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the microcontroller configures a system clock of the modem module based at least in part on a notification, from the modem module, that the modem module has exited the power saving mode.