Portable communication device with multi-tiered power save operation

1. A method for operating a portable communication device, the method comprising:

operating the portable communication device in a first power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;

determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode that is different from the first power-save mode; and

operating the portable communication device in the second power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power-save mode is characterized by full telephony functionality at a reduced performance level relative to a normal operating mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power-save mode is characterized by placing no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power-save mode is characterized by placing no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state, and the second power-save mode is characterized by placing at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power-save mode is characterized by placing at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state for a first predetermined time period specified by a user in an operating profile, and the second power-save mode is characterized by placing at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state for a second predetermined time period specified by a user in an operating profile, where the second predetermined time period is different from the first predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a pre-determined operating profile specified by a user, the predetermined operating profile comprising a table of respective events or conditions associated with the first and second power-save modes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on monitored usage of the portable communication device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a determined amount of electrical power available to the portable communication device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based, at least in part, on time-of-day information.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a comparison between current performance level of the portable communication device and current performance needs.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a user request.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first power-save mode comprises providing a first power supply voltage characterized by first voltage characteristics, and the second power-save mode comprises providing a second power supply voltage characterized by second voltage characteristics different from the first voltage characteristics.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining operating characteristics of the second power-save mode based at least in part on monitored performance level of the portable communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining operating characteristics of the second power-save mode in real-time.

15. A system for operating a portable communication device, the system comprising at least one module that operates to, at least:

operate the portable communication device in a first power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;

determine whether to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode that is different from the first power-save mode; and

if the at least one module determines to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode, then operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first module comprises a power-save module; and

the second module comprises a power-save management module.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first power-save mode is characterized by full telephony functionality at a reduced performance level relative to a normal operating mode.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein, in the first power-save mode, the at least one module operates to place no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

in the first power-save mode, the at least one module operates to place no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state; and

in the second power-save mode, the at least one module operates to place at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

in the first power-save mode, the at least one module operates to place at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state for a first predetermined time period specified by a user in an operating profile; and

in the second power-save mode, the at least one module operates to place at least a portion of the electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state for a second predetermined time period specified by a user in an operating profile, where the second predetermined time period is different from the first predetermined time period.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode according to a pre-determined operating profile specified by a user, the predetermined operating profile comprising a table of respective events or conditions associated with the first and second power-save modes.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on monitored usage of the portable communication device.

23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a determined amount of electrical power available to the portable communication device.

24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based, at least in part, on time-of-day information.

25. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a comparison between current performance level of the portable communication device and current performance needs.

26. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based at least in part on a user request.

27. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first power-save mode comprises providing a first power supply voltage characterized by first voltage characteristics, and the second power-save mode comprises providing a second power supply voltage characterized by second voltage characteristics different from the first voltage characteristics.

28. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine operating characteristics of the second power-save mode based at least in part on monitored performance level of the portable communication device.

29. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one module operates to determine operating characteristics of the second power-save mode in real-time.

30. A method for operating a portable communication device, the method comprising:

operating the portable communication device in a first mode;

determining to operate the portable communication device in a selected power-save mode of a plurality of power-save modes, each of the plurality of power-save modes comprising providing telephony service to a user at a different respective performance level; and

operating the portable communication device in the selected power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a respective performance level.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first mode is a power-save mode of the plurality of power-save modes, and the first mode is associated with providing telephony service to the user at a respective performance level that is different from the respective performance level associated with the selected power-save mode.

32. A system for operating a portable communication device, the system comprising at least one module that operates to, at least:

determine to operate the portable communication device in a selected power-save mode of a plurality of power-save modes, each of the plurality of power-save modes comprising providing telephony service to a user at a different respective performance level; and

operate the portable communication device in the selected power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a respective performance level.

33. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode based, at least in part, on day-of-week information.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode based, at least in part, on type-of-day information.

35. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode based, at least in part, on date information.

36. The method of claim 10 , wherein the current performance needs are user-specified.

37. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based, at least in part, on determined current communication effectiveness.

38. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode instead of another power-save mode based, at least in part, on current signal noise level.

39. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in a second power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the second power-save mode while operating the portable communication device in the first power-save mode.

40. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first voltage characteristics comprise a first voltage level, and the second voltage characteristics comprise a second voltage level different from the first voltage level.

41. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first voltage characteristics comprise a first voltage variability level, and the second voltage characteristics comprise a second voltage variability level different from the first voltage variability level.

42. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephony service comprises cellular telephony service.

43. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level comprises providing telephony service to the user at a first level of user-perceived communication quality; and

providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level comprises providing telephony service to the user at a second level of user-perceived communication quality different from the first level of user-perceived communication quality.

44. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level comprises providing telephony service to the user at a first level of sound quality; and

providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level comprises providing telephony service to the user at a second level of sound quality different from the first level of sound quality.