Power saving techniques based on coverage conditions
View Patent ↗Techniques for managing power consumption are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include a first network interface module, a second network interface module, and a power management module. The first network interface module may communicate with wireless networks of a first network type, and the second network interface module may communicate with wireless networks of a second network type. Examples of first and second network types are EVDO and CDMA2000, respectively. The power management module may suspend one or more operations of the first network interface module when a number of first network type outages exceeds a predetermined outage threshold within a predetermined time interval.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first network interface module to communicate with wireless networks of a first network type;
a second network interface module to communicate with wireless networks of a second network type; and
a power management module to suspend one or more operations of the first network interface module for a first time duration when a number of first network type outages exceeds a predetermined outage threshold within a predetermined time interval, the power management module to suspend the one or more operations of the first network interface module for a second time duration when the number of first network type outages exceeds a second predetermined outage threshold within the predetermined time interval, wherein the second predetermined outage threshold is greater than the predetermined outage threshold, and the second time duration is greater than the first time duration.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power management module is to place the first network interface module in a sleep state when the number of first network type outages exceeds the predetermined outage threshold within the predetermined time interval.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power management module is to reduce a power consumption of the first network interface module when the number of first network type outages exceeds the predetermined outage threshold within the predetermined time interval.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power management module resumes the one or more operations of the first network interface module upon an initiation of a data communication.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the power management module directs the data communication to the second network interface module when resumption the one or more operations of the first network interface module fails.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power management module resumes the one or more operations of the first network interface module when a suspension time interval elapses.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless networks of the first network type provide greater data communication rates than the wireless networks of the second network type.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wireless networks of the first network type are EVDO networks, and wherein the wireless networks of the second network type are CDMA2000 networks.
9. A method, comprising:
performing, by a processor, operations of a first network wireless type and operations of a second wireless network type;
determining, by the processor, a number of first wireless network type outages within a predetermined time interval;
suspending, by the processor, one or more of the operations of the first wireless network type for a first time duration when the number of first wireless network type outages exceeds a predetermined outage threshold within a predetermined time interval; and
suspending, by the processor, the one or more operation of the first wireless network type for a second time duration when the number of first wireless network type outages exceeds a second predetermined outage threshold within the predetermined time interval,
wherein the second predetermined outage threshold is greater than the predetermined outage threshold, and the second time duration is greater than the first time duration.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said suspending comprises placing a network interface module in a sleep state.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said suspending comprises reducing power consumption of a network interface module.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
resuming the one or more operations of the first wireless network type when a suspension time interval elapses.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
resuming the one or more operations of the first wireless network type when a data communication is initiated.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
directing the data communication to the second network interface module when the resumption of the one or more operations of the first network interface module fails.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising attempting the data communication across a wireless network of the first wireless network type, and attempting the data communication across a wireless network of the second wireless network type when wireless network of the first wireless network type is unavailable.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first network type is EVDO, and wherein the second network type is CDMA2000.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wireless networks of the first network type provide greater data communication rates than the wireless networks of the second network type.
18. A system, comprising:
a first network interface module to communicate with wireless networks of a first network type;
a second network interface module to communicate with wireless networks of a second network type;
a power management module to suspend one or more operations of the first network interface module for a first time duration when a number of first network type outages exceeds a predetermined outage threshold within a predetermined time interval, the power management module to suspend the one or more operations of the first network interface module for a second time duration when the number of first network type outages exceeds a second predetermined outage threshold within the predetermined time interval, wherein the second predetermined outage threshold is greater than the predetermined outage threshold, and the second time duration is greater than the first time duration; and
a base station to provide a wireless network of the first network type and a wireless network of the second network type.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a battery to provide operational power to the first network interface module.
20. An article comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:
perform operations of a first network type and operations of a second network type;
determine a number of first network type outages within a predetermined time interval;
suspend one or more of the operations of the first network type for a first time duration when the number of first network type outages exceeds a predetermined outage threshold within a predetermined time interval; and
suspend the one or more operation of the first network type for a second time duration when the number of first network type outages exceeds a second outage threshold within the predetermined time interval,
wherein the second predetermined outage threshold is greater than the predetermined outage threshold, and the second time duration is greater than the first time duration.
21. The article of claim 20 , wherein the storage medium contains instructions that if executed enable a system to:
resume the one or more operations of the first network type when a data transfer is attempted.