Apparatus and method for controlling the power consumption of a combined UMTS/GSM/EDGE radio station

1. An apparatus for controlling power consumption of a radio station, comprising:

a plurality of radio systems, each supporting a distinct radio standard, wherein a first radio system of the plurality of radio systems comprises a time control unit and a clock signal generator, wherein the clock signal generator provides a clock signal to the time control unit;

a first frequency generating unit comprising an audio-frequency oscillator; and

a monitoring unit electrically connected to the first frequency generating unit, to the plurality of radio systems, to the clock signal generator and to the time control unit of the first radio system, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to control power consumption of the time control unit of the first radio system by switching the time control unit to a different operating state during an activation pause;

wherein the monitoring unit is configured to determine a remaining time of an activation pause using a clock signal provided by the audio-frequency oscillator, and is configured to receive a remainder of the remaining time of the activation pause from the clock signal generator of the first radio system, the remainder comprising a non-integer multiple of a period of the audio-frequency oscillator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the clock signal generator is electrically connected to the monitoring unit via a second signal line.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a processor unit;

a power supply unit;

a second frequency generating unit; and

wherein operating states of the processor unit, of the power supply unit, and of the second frequency generating unit are characterized by different power consumption and the operating states are controlled by the monitoring unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a first signal line electrically connected between the monitoring unit and the processor unit and a second signal line electrically connected between the monitoring unit and the processor unit, wherein first signals matching time patterns of the plurality of radio systems are transmitted via the first signal line and second signals for reprogramming the plurality of radio systems are transmitted via the second signal line.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a signal line connected to respective clock signal generators within the plurality of radio systems.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the monitoring unit controls starting and ending times of the operating states according to selected power consumption.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supported radio standards are selected from a group comprising UMTS, GSM and GSM/EDGE standards.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of radio systems, each comprising a clock signal generator and a time control unit which generates trigger signals at starting times of activation pauses;

wherein the monitoring unit generates switch off signals in response to the trigger signals and generates switch on signals after a duration of the activation pauses.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the time control units of the plurality of radio systems enter a reduced power state in response to the switch off signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the time control units of the plurality of radio systems enter an active operating state in response to the switch on signals.

11. A method for controlling power consumption of a radio station, comprising:

providing a plurality of radio systems each supporting a distinct radio standard;

transmitting and receiving signals for the plurality of radio systems according to the distinct radio standards and varied time patterns;

detecting activity pauses for the plurality of radio systems during the transmitting and receiving signals;

switching to low power operating states during the detected activity pauses;

wherein detecting the activity pauses further comprises detecting a start time, end time, and duration for the activity pauses, and wherein detecting the duration for the activity pauses comprises measuring the duration for the activity pauses in time units of the respective varied time patterns of the distinct radio standards;

using a clock signal provided by an audio-frequency oscillator to detect a remaining time of an activity pause, and

receiving a remainder of the remaining time of the activity pause from a clock signal generator in a first radio system of the plurality of radio systems, the remainder comprising a non-integer multiple of a period of the audio-frequency oscillator.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein switching to low power operating states comprises deactivating time control units of the radio systems.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein switching to low power operating states comprises causing time control units of the radio systems to enter a standby mode with reduced power consumption.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein switching to low power operating states further comprises deactivating a second frequency generating unit until an end of the detected activity pauses as determined by a clock signal from an audio frequency oscillator.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising programming durations of the activity pauses into a monitoring unit.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein transmitting and receiving signals for the plurality of radio systems further comprises generating trigger signals by time control units of the radio systems upon initiation of the activity pauses.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating switch off signals in response to the generated trigger signals.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the duration of the activity pauses is measured by an audio-frequency oscillator and a clock signal generator of one of the plurality of radio systems, wherein the clock signal generator provides a clock signal with a finer time resolution than that which is allowed by the clock signal from the audio-frequency oscillator.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first radio system of the plurality of radio systems comprises a time control unit and a clock signal generator, wherein the clock signal generator provides a clock signal to the time control unit.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

using the clock signal provided by an audio-frequency oscillator to detect a duration of an activity pause.

21. A method for controlling power consumption of a radio station, comprising:

providing a plurality of radio systems each supporting a distinct radio standard;

transmitting and receiving signals for the plurality of radio systems according to the distinct radio standards and varied time patterns;

detecting activity pauses for the plurality of radio systems during the transmitting and receiving signals;

switching the plurality of radio systems and a radio-frequency oscillator to low power operating states during the detected activity pauses, wherein the radio frequency oscillator provides a radio frequency clock signal to each of the plurality of radio systems;

switching the radio-frequency oscillator or the power supply unit, or both to active operating states prior to an end of the detected activity pauses;

using a clock signal provided by an audio-frequency oscillator to detect a remaining time of an activity pause, and

receiving a remainder of the remaining time of the activity pause from a clock signal generator in a first radio system of the plurality of radio systems, the remainder comprising a non-integer multiple of a period of the audio-frequency oscillator.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein an end of an activity pause is determined using an audio-frequency oscillator and a clock signal generator of one of the plurality of radio systems, wherein the clock signal generator provides a clock signal with a finer time resolution than that which is allowed by the clock signal from the audio-frequency oscillator.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein a first radio system of the plurality of radio systems comprises a time control unit and a clock signal generator, wherein the clock signal generator provides a clock signal to the time control unit.

24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

using the clock signal provided by an audio-frequency oscillator to detect a duration of an activity pause.