Power supply control in a wireless receiver
AssigneeNXP Semiconductors
InventorsDenis Noel, Steven Aerts, Harry Neuteboom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wireless receiver is activated periodically to measure the level of received signals. It measures the average received level over a plurality of the activation periods, and enables the supply of power to receiver circuitry dependent on the measured average value. In one embodiment the power is enabled if an increase in the average value is detected which is greater than a predetermined margin. The average value may be measured in a sliding or stepped window. In another embodiment the power is enabled if the level in an activation period exceeds the average value by a predetermined margin.
Claims18
A method of operating a wireless receiver, comprising:
- measuring, using a measurement circuit, a level of energy received in each of a plurality of intermittent time periods corresponding to successive positions of a sliding window, wherein the measurement circuit is controlled in response to a controller circuit to measure the plurality of intermittent time periods at times that are separated from each other by one or more additional time periods;
- generating, in an energy-evaluation circuit, a first value dependent on levels of energy in a first plurality of the time periods;
- and
- enabling, using the controller circuit and dependent on the first value, a supply of power to a circuit wherein the controller circuit assesses the first value and subsequent measurements taken by the measurement circuit based on the first value to determine whether the supply of power is to be enabled, wherein the plurality of intermittent time periods have a set of characteristics including unequal spacing of the intermittent time periods in time, at least two of the intermittent time periods having different durations, or a combination thereof;
- the sliding window includes overlapping positions, the method further comprising:
- generating a second value dependent on the levels of energy in a second plurality of the time periods, the second plurality including at least one time period occurring later than the time periods of the first plurality;
- and
- enabling the supply of power if the second value exceeds the first value by more than a first margin.
A wireless receiver, comprising:
- a measurement circuit for measuring a level of energy received in each of a plurality of intermittent time periods, the plurality of intermittent time periods having a set of characteristics including unequal spacing of the intermittent time periods in time, at least two of the intermittent time periods having different durations, or a combination thereof;
- an evaluation circuit for generating a first value dependent on levels of energy in a first plurality of the time periods;
- and
- a controller including circuitry and configured for enabling, dependent on the first value, a supply of power to a circuit, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured and arranged to generate a second value dependent on the levels of energy in a second plurality of the time periods and dependent on a different number of time periods than in the first plurality of time periods, the second plurality including at least one time period occurring later than the time periods of the first plurality;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured and arranged to enable the supply of power if the second value exceeds the first value by more than a first margin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.