Method and system for managing power consumption of a network interface module in a wireless computing device

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps for managing power consumption of a wireless computing device having a network interface module) for transmitting and receiving wireless network communication data, comprising:

• analyzing traffic statistics data to derive parameters of a model for predicting an amount of delayed traffic data that will accumulate as a function of time when the network interface module is put in a low-power state in which the network interface module stops transmit network communication data;
• and
• calculating a target idle time for the network interface module based on the model with the derived parameters, wherein putting the network interface module in the low-power state for the target idle time is predicted by the model to result in an amount of delayed traffic data that is less than or equal to a pre-selected threshold.

A power management system for use in a wireless computing device having a network interface module for transmitting and receiving wireless network communications, comprising:

• a traffic statistics database for storing traffic statistics data including a set of historical inter-arrival rates and a set of historical service rates;
• and
• a power manager for selectively setting the network interface module into a low-power state, the power manager having a stochastic decider for analyzing the traffic statistics data to derive an average inter-arrival rate and an average service rate, and calculating a target idle time for the network interface module based on the average inter-arrival and service rates, the target idle time being predicted to result in an amount of delayed network traffic data that is less than or equal to a pre-selected threshold when the network interface module in put in the low-power state for the target idle time.