# US 2014/0194134 A1 · Communication during thermal mitigation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194134 A1 - Document ID: US20140194134A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,096 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Kwangho Byun; Rajesh Ambati; Syed A. Rahim; Someet K. Lal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194134A1 ## CPC - H04W 52/367: {Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range} - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 52/325: {Power control of control or pilot channels} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract In order to facilitate communication in a wireless network, an accessibility issue in the wireless network may be detected. For example, if an electronic device is near the boundary between two adjacent cells in the cellular-telephone network, the signal power of signals from a current cell or connection may decrease. Concurrently, the maximum transmit power of the electronic device may be constrained by a thermal limit of the electronic device. When this occurs, the connection may be lost unless remedial action is taken. Therefore, in response to this condition, the electronic device may temporarily increase the maximum transmit power to allow the electronic device to communicate with the cellular-telephone network so that the connection may be transitioned to another cell or connection. In this way, the communication technique may restore the communication performance and avoid a dropped call, which will improve the user experience and customer satisfaction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: an antenna; an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna, configured to communicate in a wireless network; a processor; and memory, wherein the memory stores a program module, and wherein the program module is configured to be executed by the processor to facilitate communication in the wireless network, the program module including: if a transmit power of the interface circuit is less than a first threshold value from a maximum transmit power of the interface circuit associated with a thermal limit of the electronic device and a first signal-strength metric for a first connection between the electronic device and the wireless network is less than a second threshold value, instructions for performing a remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes: increasing the maximum transmit power by a pre-defined amount for a first pre-defined time interval; providing, to the wireless network, the first signal-strength metric for the first connection; receiving a switch-over message from the wireless network indicating that the wireless network has transitioned communication with the electronic device from the first connection to a second connection that has a second signal-strength metric which is greater than the first signal-strength metric; providing an acknowledgment message to the wireless network confirming that the communication has transitioned to the second connection; and reducing the transmit power based on the second signal-strength metric for the second connection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless network includes a cellular-telephone network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, after providing the acknowledgment message, the program module further comprises instructions for decreasing the maximum transmit power by the pre-defined amount if an elapsed time since the increase in the maximum transmit power is less than the first pre-defined time interval. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if, after performing the remedial action, the transmit power of the interface circuit is still less than the first threshold value from the maximum transmit power of the interface circuit, and the first signal-strength metric for the first connection is still less than the second threshold value, the program module further comprises: instructions for waiting for a second pre-defined time interval; and instructions for repeating the remedial action. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the second pre-defined time interval is larger than the first pre-defined time interval. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the second pre-defined time interval is greater than or equal to 2 s. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first threshold value is less than or equal to 1 dB. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined amount is greater than or equal to 4 dB. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first pre-defined time interval is less than or equal to 500 ms. ### Claim 10 A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, to facilitate communication in a wireless network, the computer-program mechanism including: if a transmit power of the interface circuit is less than a first threshold value from a maximum transmit power of the interface circuit associated with a thermal limit of the electronic device and a first signal-strength metric for a first connection between the electronic device and the wireless network is less than a second threshold value, instructions for performing a remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes: increasing the maximum transmit power by a pre-defined amount for a first pre-defined time interval; providing, to the wireless network, the first signal-strength metric for the first connection; receiving a switch-over message from the wireless network indicating that the wireless network has transitioned communication with the electronic device from the first connection to a second connection that has a second signal-strength metric which is greater than the first signal-strength metric; providing an acknowledgment message to the wireless network confirming that the communication has transitioned to the second connection; and reducing the transmit power based on the second signal-strength metric for the second connection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the wireless network includes a cellular-telephone network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein, after providing the acknowledgment message, the computer-program mechanism further comprises instructions for decreasing the maximum transmit power by the pre-defined amount if an elapsed time since the increase in the maximum transmit power is less than the first pre-defined time interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein, if, after performing the remedial action, the transmit power of the interface circuit is still less than the first threshold value from the maximum transmit power of the interface circuit, and the first signal-strength metric for the first connection is still less than the second threshold value, the computer-program mechanism further comprises: instructions for waiting for a second pre-defined time interval; and instructions for repeating the remedial action. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the second pre-defined time interval is larger than the first pre-defined time interval. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the second pre-defined time interval is greater than or equal to 2 s. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the first threshold value is less than or equal to 1 dB; and wherein the pre-defined amount is greater than or equal to 4 dB. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the first pre-defined time interval is less than or equal to 500 ms. ### Claim 18 An electronic-device-implemented method for improving communication in a wireless network, wherein the method comprises: if a transmit power of the interface circuit is less than a first threshold value from a maximum transmit power of the interface circuit associated with a thermal limit of the electronic device and a first signal-strength metric for a first connection between the electronic device and the wireless network is less than a second threshold value, instructions for performing a remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes: increasing the maximum transmit power by a pre-defined amount for a first pre-defined time interval; providing, to the wireless network, the first signal-strength metric for the first connection; receiving a switch-over message from the wireless network indicating that the wireless network has transitioned communication with the electronic device from the first connection to a second connection that has a second signal-strength metric which is greater than the first signal-strength metric; providing an acknowledgment message to the wireless network confirming that the communication has transitioned to the second connection; and reducing the transmit power based on the second signal-strength metric for the second connection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless network includes a cellular-telephone network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein, if, after performing the remedial action, the transmit power of the interface circuit is still less than the first threshold value from the maximum transmit power of the interface circuit, and the first signal-strength metric for the first connection is still less than the second threshold value, the method further comprises: waiting for a second pre-defined time interval; and repeating the remedial action.