US 9,072,052 B2 · Communication system providing context-based mobile wireless communications device power consumption management and related methods

Abstract

A communication system may include a plurality of near-field communication (NFC) sensors each associated with a respective location, and a mobile wireless communications device(s) switchable among a plurality of different power consumption modes. The mobile wireless communications device(s) may include a portable housing, an NFC circuit carried by the housing and configured to establish NFC communications with at least one of the NFC sensors when in proximity therewith, and a plurality of different wireless communications circuits carried by the housing. The mobile wireless communications device(s) may further include a controller carried by the housing and coupled to the NFC circuit and the different wireless communications circuits which may be configured to switch to a given power consumption mode based upon the at least one NFC sensor. In particular, some of the different power consumption modes may be associated with selectively powering respective ones of the wireless communications circuits.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A communication system comprising:

a plurality of near-field communication (NFC) sensors each associated with a respective location and storing information regarding a wireless communication format available at the respective location;
and
at least one mobile wireless communications device being switchable among a plurality of different power consumption modes, said at least one mobile wireless communications device comprising
a portable housing,
an NFC circuit carried by said portable housing and configured to establish NFC communications with at least one of said plurality of NFC sensors when in proximity therewith,
a plurality of different wireless communications circuits carried by said portable housing, and
a controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said NFC circuit and said plurality of different wireless communications circuits, said controller configured to switch to a given power consumption mode based upon establishing NFC communication with the at least one NFC sensor and also based upon whether another mobile device has previously established NFC communication with the at least one NFC sensor, and determining the wireless communications format available at the respective location,
wherein at least some of the different power consumption modes are associated with selectively powering at least one of said plurality of wireless communications circuits and not powering at least one other of said plurality of wireless communications circuits.

5 more elements

A mobile wireless communications device for use with a plurality of near-field communication (NFC) sensors each associated with a respective location and storing information regarding a wireless communication format available at the respective location, the mobile wireless communications device being switchable among a plurality of different power consumption modes, the mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;
an NFC circuit carried by said portable housing and configured to establish NFC communications with at least one of the plurality of NFC sensors when in proximity therewith;
a plurality of different wireless communications circuits carried by said portable housing;
and
a controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said NFC circuit and said plurality of different wireless communications circuits, said controller configured to switch to a given power consumption mode based upon establishing NFC communication with the at least one NEC sensor and also based upon whether another mobile device has previously established NFC communication with the at least one NFC sensor, and determining the wireless communications format available at the respective location;
wherein at least some of the different power consumption modes are associated with selectively powering at least one of said plurality of wireless communications circuits and not powering at least one other of said plurality of wireless communications circuits.

3 more elements

A method for switching power consumption modes of a mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, a near-field communication (NFC) circuit carried by the portable housing and configured to establish NFC communications with at least one of a plurality of NFC sensors each associated with a respective location when in proximity therewith, each NFC sensor storing information regarding a wireless communication format available at the respective location, and a plurality of different wireless communications circuits carried by the portable housing, the method comprising:

switching the mobile wireless communications device to a given power consumption mode based upon establishing NFC communication with the at least one NFC sensor and also based upon whether another mobile device has previously established NFC communication with the at least one NFC sensor, and determining the wireless communications format available at the respective location;
wherein at least some of the different power consumption modes are associated with selectively powering at least one of the plurality of wireless communications circuits and not powering at least one other of the plurality of wireless communications circuits.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Communication system providing context-based mobile wireless communications device power consumption management and related methods

Life of this patent

Communication system providing context-based mobile wireless communications device power consumption management and related methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24