Application Dependent Channel Condition Assessment

A method for a wireless user equipment (UE) device to reduce power consumption in conjunction with cellular communications, the method comprising:

• determining one or more application traffic characteristics of an application executing on the UE which is using a cellular communication link of the UE;
• selecting a channel condition assessment mode for assessing a wireless communication channel used for the cellular communication link from at least a first channel condition assessment mode and a second channel condition assessment mode,
• wherein the channel condition assessment mode is selected based at least in part on the determined one or more application traffic characteristics;
• performing channel condition assessment according to the selected channel condition assessment mode;
• and
• transmitting channel condition assessment results obtained from performing the channel condition assessment to a cellular base station via the cellular communication link.

A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for a wireless user equipment (UE) device reduce power consumption in conjunction with cellular communications, wherein when executed, the program instructions cause the UE to:

• select a channel condition assessment mode for assessing a wireless communication channel used for a cellular link from at least a first channel condition assessment mode and a second channel condition assessment mode,
• wherein the first channel condition assessment mode more precisely measures channel conditions and generates more finely grained channel condition assessment results than the second channel condition assessment mode,
• wherein the first channel condition assessment mode is selected for application traffic having a first application traffic pattern, wherein the second channel condition assessment mode is selected for application traffic having a second application traffic pattern;
• perform channel condition assessment according to the selected channel condition assessment mode;
• and
• transmit channel condition assessment results obtained from performing the channel condition assessment to a cellular base station via the cellular link.