Power management of sensors within a mobile device

1. A method for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

ascertaining that registration has been performed;

determining whether the sensor is powered off; and

determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

ascertaining that deregistration has been performed;

updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

updating the sensor operating mode; and

turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

starting a sensor power off timer;

determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a start data request;

determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

updating a sensor operating mode; and

updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

updating a sensor operating module;

starting a sensor “power off” timer; and

turning the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires.

9. An apparatus for managing power consumption of at least one sensor within a mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a power supply coupled to the processor;

at least one sensor coupled to the power supply; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to

receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor,

determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration,

control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor,

determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor, and

control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that registration has been performed;

determine whether the sensor is powered off; and

determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that deregistration has been performed;

update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

update the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

update the sensor operating mode; and

turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

start a sensor power off timer;

determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a start data request;

determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

update a sensor operating mode; and

update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to

determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

update a sensor operating module;

start a sensor “power off” timer; and

turn the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to manage power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

instructions to receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

instructions to determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

instructions to control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

instructions to determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

instructions to control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

instructions to update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that registration has been performed;

instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off; and

instructions to determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that deregistration has been performed;

instructions to update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

instructions to update the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

instructions to update the sensor operating mode; and

instructions to turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , further comprising:

instructions to ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

instructions to start a sensor power off timer;

instructions to determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

instructions to power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a start data request;

instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

instructions to determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

instructions to update a sensor operating mode; and

instructions to update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

instructions to determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and update the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

instructions to determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

instructions to update a sensor operating module;

instructions to start a sensor “power off” timer; and

instructions to turn the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires.

25. An apparatus for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor;

means for determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration;

means for controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor;

means for determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and

means for controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:

means for determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and

means for updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising:

means for ascertaining that registration has been performed;

means for determining whether the sensor is powered off; and

means for determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 , further comprising:

means for ascertaining that deregistration has been performed;

means for updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients;

means for updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients;

means for updating the sensor operating mode; and

means for turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , further comprising:

ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on;

starting a sensor power off timer;

determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and

powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a start data request;

means for determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off;

means for determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor;

means for updating a sensor operating mode; and

means for updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients.

31. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and

means for determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients.

32. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:

means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request;

means for determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor;

means for updating a sensor operating module;

means for starting a sensor “power off” timer; and

means for turning the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires.