Switching communication radio path based on power constraints
AssigneeBlackBerry Limited
InventorMiranda Bing Ying Lim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects relate to determining whether a constraint or other condition on a mobile device may be alleviated or better satisfied by switching from one communication network to another for a call (or setting up a call on one network in preference to another). A mobile device is operable to conduct a communication session over at least two different communication media, which have different power consumption characteristics. Where a remaining battery power level is constrained, a determination can be made whether using one network over another saves more than a threshold amount of power over another network. Estimates of battery life for each network can be made based on predictions of a length of the communication session, and a power factor calculated for the network.
Claims18
A method of operating a communication device, comprising:
- determining operational conditions for a first communication network and a second communication network, which the communication device is operable to use for communicating;
- determining a condition of an energy storage element for powering the device;
- determining a threshold based on an expected amount of energy to complete a new communication session or an ongoing communication session;
- responsive to the current condition of the energy storage element being below the threshold;
- determining, for a communication session, whether an expected energy consumption for using the first communication network is less than using the second communication network by at least a threshold, and responsively providing an indication on an interface of the device, the indication prompting a selection of an active communication network, between either the first communication network or the second communication network;
- and
- if the selected communication network is not currently active, then switching to the selected communication network for the communication session.
A method of operating a communication device capable of using a plurality of communication networks, comprising:
- determining a current condition of an energy storage element powering the device;
- determining a threshold of remaining energy based on an expected amount of energy required to complete a new communication session or an ongoing communication session;
- responsive to the current condition of the energy storage element being below the threshold of remaining energy, determining whether at least one of the plurality of communication networks is available for use and is expected to require at least a threshold amount less energy to use during a communication session than another communication network of the plurality;
- indicating availability of the lower-energy consumption communication network;
- and
- accepting an indication whether to use the lower-energy consumption communication network for the communication session.
A mobile device, comprising:
- a plurality of interfaces to communication networks;
- and
- a processor programmed to select, for a communication session, an active communication network interface from among the plurality of communication network interfaces by detecting a threshold condition in an energy storage element for powering the mobile device, responsive to detecting the threshold condition, determining a threshold amount of energy based on an expected amount of energy to complete a new communication session or an ongoing communication session, responsive to the current condition of the energy storage element being below the threshold of remaining energy;
- determining whether usage of one of the communication networks for the communication session would save at least a threshold amount of energy if used, and responsively selecting the interface to that communication network for the communication session.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program comprising executable code for controlling a communication device to perform a method, comprising:
- determining a current condition of an energy storage element powering the device;
- determining a threshold of remaining energy based on an expected amount of energy to complete a new communication session or an ongoing communication session;
- responsive to the current condition of the energy storage element being below the threshold of remaining energy, determining whether at least one of a plurality of communication networks is available for use and would save at least a threshold amount of energy, compared with another of the communication networks during a communication session;
- indicating availability of a lower-power consumption communication network;
- and accepting a selection whether to use the available lower power consumption communication network or not.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.