Methods and apparatus for reducing mobile telephone power consumption and/or radiation exposure
AssigneeDugan Patents, LLC
InventorsBrian M. Dugan, Valerie G. Dugan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some embodiments, a method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone includes (1) providing a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory having computer program code; and (2) employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to (a) determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle; and (b) in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period. Numerous other aspects are provided.
Claims20
A method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone comprising:
- providing an application including computer program code configured for use with a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory;
- and
- employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to:
- check signal strength at the mobile telephone of a signal from a cellular tower;
- determine if the signal strength from the cellular tower is below a predetermined threshold;
- in response to the signal strength from the cellular tower being below the predetermined threshold, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period;
- determine if the signal strength from the cellular tower is above the predetermined threshold;
- and
- in response to the signal strength from the cellular tower being above the predetermined threshold, terminate the reduced power sequence.
A method of reducing power consumption by a mobile telephone comprising:
- providing an application including computer program code configured for use with a mobile telephone including a processor, an antenna, and a memory;
- and
- employing the processor of the mobile telephone and computer program code to:
- determine if the mobile telephone is in a vehicle;
- and
- in response to the mobile telephone being in a vehicle, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on transmission by the antenna of the mobile telephone for a second time period.
An application configured for use with a mobile telephone having a processor, a transmitter circuit coupled to the processor, an antenna coupled to the transmitter circuit, and a memory coupled to the processor, the application comprising:
- computer program code configured for storage in the memory of the mobile telephone and that when executed by the processor of the mobile telephone causes the mobile telephone to:
- check a received signal strength at the mobile telephone of a signal from a cellular tower;
- responsive to the received signal strength of the signal from the cellular tower being below a predetermined threshold, initiate a reduced power sequence in which the mobile telephone repeatedly turns off the transmitter circuit of the mobile telephone for a first time period and turns on the transmitter circuit of the mobile telephone for a second time period;
- and
- responsive to the reduced power sequence being initiated and the received signal strength of the signal from the cellular tower being above the predetermined threshold, terminate the reduced power sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.