US 2004/0172566 A1 · Mechanism for reducing power consumption of a transmitter/receiver circuit

Abstract

A mechanism that reduces power consumption of a transmitter/receiver circuit in a wireless device. The transmitter/receiver circuit is powered down to a reduced-power state after transmitting a message. The reduced-power state is too low to be able to transmit or receive information. Round trip statistics regarding how low it typically takes to receive a response to the message are then used to determine when to power up the transmitter/receiver circuit to the extent that it could receive the response. Accordingly, by being powered up for only a window of time in which the receipt of the response would likely occur, the transmitter/receiver circuit consumes less power while still likely receiving the response. The window of time may be adjusted as appropriate for the importance of the information, the performance of the specific wireless network, and the sensitivity of the wireless network to not receiving the response.

Claims30

Dependent claims

In a computing system that includes a transmitter/receiver circuit for communication over a wireless network, a method for transmitting a message and receiving a response thereto in a power efficient manner, the method comprising the following:

an act of transmitting the message over the wireless network using the transmitter/receiver circuit;
an act of placing the transmitter/receiver circuit in a reduced power mode after transmitting the message, the reduced power mode allowing the transmitter/receiver circuit to consume less power than when the transmitter/receiver circuit is prepared to transmit or receive;
an act of identifying a time that a response to the message would most likely be delivered after based on previous statistical monitoring of round trip times of the wireless network;
and
an act of preparing the transmitter/receiver circuit to receive a response to the message at about the identified time.

2 more elements

A computer program product for use in a computing system that includes a transmitter/receiver circuit for communication over a wireless network, the computer program product for implementing a method for transmitting a message and receiving a response thereto in a power efficient manner, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for causing the message to be transmitted over the wireless network using the transmitter/receiver circuit;
computer-executable instructions for placing the transmitter/receiver circuit in a reduced power mode after transmitting the message, the reduced power mode allowing the transmitter/receiver circuit to consume less power than when the transmitter/receiver circuit is prepared to transmit or receive;
computer-executable instructions for identifying a time that a response to the message would most likely be delivered after based on previous statistical monitoring of round trip times of the wireless network;
and
computer-executable instructions for causing the transmitter/receiver circuit to be prepared to receive a response to the message at about the identified time.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mechanism for reducing power consumption of a transmitter/receiver circuit

Life of this patent

Mechanism for reducing power consumption of a transmitter/receiver circuit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30