IP Library Granted Patent US 11,191,027
Granted Patent B2
US 11,191,027 · App. 16/325,425 · Granted Nov 30, 2021

Automatic power saving selection based on target use

Inventor: Rickard Ljung (Helsingborg, SE)
Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
H04W52/0261H04W52/0277H04W88/02Y02D30/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,191,027
App. No.
16/325,425
Granted
Nov 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for power management in a battery powered device, wherein the battery powered device comprises a one or more power saving functionalities that are either activated or deactivated on the device, the method comprising: receiving a target battery life, comparing the target battery life with a retrieved time threshold, upon determining whether the target battery life exceeds the retrieved time threshold, selectively activating at least one power saving functionalities from the one or more power saving functionalities. The method may be advantageous as it may allow a user defining a target battery life during which the battery powered device should be able to operate without running out of power.

Claims (48)

1. A method for power management in a battery powered device, wherein the battery powered device comprises one or more power saving functionalities that are each associated with a priority level and are either activated or deactivated on the device, the method comprising:

receiving a target battery life by obtaining a calculated average of one or more time intervals between previous recharges of the battery powered device, the target battery life being a time interval in which the battery powered device is operable without having to initiate a recharging;

retrieving an estimation of remaining battery power life of the battery powered device, wherein a retrieved time threshold is the retrieved estimation of remaining battery power life;

comparing the target battery life with the retrieved time threshold, the retrieved time threshold being an estimate on a length of time remaining for which the battery powered device will be operable;

upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the retrieved time threshold, selectively activating at least one power saving functionality from the one or more of power saving functionalities based on the priority level associated with the one or more power saving functionalities, wherein the priority level is adjustable by a user.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation of remaining battery power life comprises a first estimated battery power life, and the one or more power saving functionalities are selectively activated upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the first estimated battery power life.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the estimation of remaining battery power life further comprises retrieving a second estimation of the remaining battery power life after activating one or more power saving functionalities upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the first estimated battery power life, the method further comprises:

upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the second estimation of the remaining battery power life and one or more power saving functionalities are deactivated, activating one or more power saving functionalities.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the estimation of remaining battery power life further comprises retrieving a third estimation of the remaining battery power life after activating one or more power saving functionalities upon determining that the second estimation of the remaining battery power life exceeds the target battery life, the method further comprises:

upon determining that the third estimation of the remaining battery power life exceeds the target battery life and one or more power saving functionalities are activated, deactivating one or more power saving functionalities while maintaining one or more power saving functionalities active.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the one or more power saving functionalities is selectively activated in an order of the priority level.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein each power saving functionality is associated with a known reduction of power consumption of the battery powered device, wherein the third estimation of the remaining battery power life is derived from linearly extrapolating the first power consumption level plus the associated reduction of power consumption of the deactivated one or more power saving functionalities to a point in time at which the energy in the battery powered device is zero.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the third estimation of the remaining battery power life is derived from calculating a third power consumption level of the battery powered device, the third power consumption level being calculated in a condition that the one or more power saving functionalities selected from activated power saving functionalities have been deactivated,

linearly extrapolating the third power consumption level to a point in time at which the energy in the battery powered device is zero.

8. The method according to claim 3 , wherein each power saving functionality is associated with a known reduction of power consumption of the battery powered device and wherein the second estimation of the remaining battery power life is derived from linearly extrapolating the first power consumption level minus the associated reduction of power consumption of the activated one or more power saving functionalities to a point in time at which the energy in the battery powered device is zero.

9. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second estimation of the remaining battery power life is derived from calculating a second power consumption level of the battery powered device, the second power consumption level being calculated in a condition that the one or more power saving functionalities selected from deactivated power saving functionalities have been activated,

linearly extrapolating the second power consumption level to a point in time at which the energy in the battery powered device is zero.

10. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first estimated battery power life is derived by:

calculating a first power consumption level of the battery powered device,

linearly extrapolating the first power consumption level to a point in time at which the energy in the battery powered device is zero.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first power consumption level is calculated using a running average of battery drainage of the battery powered device.

12. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first estimated battery life is calculated using usage statistics of the battery powered device.

13. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the estimation of remaining battery power life further comprises retrieving a second estimation of the remaining battery power life after activating one or more power saving functionalities, the method further comprises:

determining whether the second estimation of remaining battery power life exceeds a value equal to the target battery life plus a tolerance time interval; and

upon determining that the second estimation of remaining battery power life exceeds a value equal to the target battery life plus a tolerance time interval, deactivating one or more power saving functionalities.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the target battery life is further obtained from an input by a user.

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a request for a user to accept an activation or deactivation of one or more power saving functionalities.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the power saving functionalities are one or more from the list of:

reduced display backlight luminance,

reduced clock frequency of a processing unit,

reduced display resolution,

reduced amount of background data activities.

17. A battery powered device comprising:

a battery;

a battery monitor entity configured to detect and output a power level and/or a power consumption of the battery;

a memory storing data relating to one or more power saving functionalities that are each associated with a priority level and can be activated and deactivated on the battery powered device; and a power saving control entity configured to:

retrieve a time threshold, the time threshold being an estimate on a length of time remaining for which the battery powered device will be operable;

receive a target battery life by obtaining a calculated average of one or more time intervals between previous recharges of the battery powered device, the target battery life being a time interval in which the battery powered device is operable without having to initiate a recharging;

compare the target battery life with the time threshold, the retrieved time threshold being an estimate on a length of time remaining for which the battery powered device will be operable;

upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the time threshold, selectively activating at least one power saving functionality from the one or more power saving functionalities based on the priority level associated with the one or more power saving functionalities, wherein the priority level is adjustable by a user.

18. A method for power management in a battery powered device, wherein the battery powered device comprises one or more power saving functionalities that are either activated or deactivated on the device, the method comprising:

receiving a target battery life by obtaining a calculated average of one or more time intervals between previous recharges of the battery powered device, the target battery life being a time interval in which the battery powered device is operable without having to initiate a recharging;

retrieving a first estimation of a length of time of remaining battery power life of the battery powered device;

comparing the target battery life with the first estimation of a length of time remaining for which the battery powered device will be operable;

upon determining that the target battery life exceeds the first estimation of remaining battery power life, selectively activating at least one power saving functionality from the one or more of power saving functionalities;

retrieving a second estimation of remaining battery power life after activating the at least one power saving functionality;

determining whether the second estimation of remaining battery power life exceeds a value equal to the target battery life plus a tolerance time interval; and

upon determining that the second estimation of remaining battery power life exceeds a value equal to the target battery life plus a tolerance time interval, deactivating one or more power saving functionalities.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2021
From: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057913/0725 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 26, 2021
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057915/0499 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: LJUNG, RICKARD
To: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC
Reel/Frame 049891/0400 →
Continuity (1)
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Cited By (1)
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