Method for Reducing the Power Consumption of a Mobile Device

Abstract

Where a communications device maintains multiple wireless connections to other devices and networks which use slotted communications protocols, the slots used by those protocols are arranged so as to minimize the power consumed by the device. Where multiple radios are used, power is minimized by avoiding using radios at the same time when those radios are likely to interfere with each other. Slots used by communication protocols can also be selected to maximize the time that the communications device can spend in low power mode.

1 . A method of minimizing the power consumption of a communications device maintaining multiple wireless connections to other devices and networks, the method comprising simultaneously coordinating the arrangement of the slotted communications protocols used by each of the said wireless connections. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the device contains one or more radios used for the purpose of maintaining separate wireless connections to other devices and networks. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the device contains one or more radios which can be shared by more than one wireless connection to other devices and networks. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which any one or more of the said radios are software defined radios. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the slotted protocols are arranged in such as way as to ensure that those radios which do not interfere with each other share the same time slots. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the slotted protocols are arranged in such a way as to ensure that those radios which do interfere with each other do not share the same time slots. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the slotted protocols are arranged in such a way as to ensure that adjacent time slots are used wherever possible. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  in which any one or more of the radios are turned off and powered down when not in use. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  in which not all slots available to the communications protocols are used. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  in which each radio is provided with an API which can be used both to control its operation and provide information relating to its use. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the communications device is provided with a single component that
 a. can obtain or be provided with information relating to the power constraints to which the device is subject together with other items of information which may constrain its operation including but not limited to quality of service and costs; and   b. can obtain or be provided with information relating both to the communications networks and/or devices to which the device wishes to remain connected and to the protocols used to communicate with those networks and/or devices; and   c. is enabled to evaluate the above information and decide on an selection of slots to be used by the protocols in use which is optimized for the constraints to which the device is subject.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the communications device is enabled to define the slots used by any or all of the communications protocols in use. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the communications device is a mobile telephone or other device used to access cellular telephone networks. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  in which the communications device maintains multiple accounts on cellular telephone networks and in which each account requires a separate wireless connection. 
     
     
         15 . A computing device arranged to operate in accordance with the methods as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . An operating system for causing a computing device to operate in accordance with the methods as claimed in  claim 1 .