Methods and apparatus for controlling power consumption in an electronic device with a communication subsystem

1. A method of controlling a communication subsystem in an electronic device between a power saving mode and an active mode, a first threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the power saving mode to the active mode and a second threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the active mode to the power saving mode, the method comprising:

detecting an activity state of the electronic device, the detected activity state being one of a plurality of defined activity states, the defined activity states each being defined by activation or deactivation of at least one application or component of the electronic device, wherein each defined activity state is associated with a corresponding anticipated level of communication traffic; and

changing at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold based on the detected activity state, wherein the first threshold comprises a first packets per interval, and the second threshold comprises a second packets per interval, and wherein the first packets per interval is greater than the second packets per interval.

2. A method of claim 1 , further comprising switching the communication subsystem to the power saving mode when the communication traffic is below the second threshold; and switching the communication subsystem to the active mode when the communication traffic is above the first threshold.

3. A method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of activity states are each defined by at least one of display activated, display deactivated, input interface activated, input interface deactivated, media application activated, media application deactivated, browser activated, browser deactivated, social network application activated, social network application deactivated, game activated, game deactivated, telephone application activated, and telephone application deactivated.

4. A method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold has a shorter interval of measurement when a first activity state is detected than when a second activity state is detected.

5. A method of claim 1 , wherein the communication subsystem is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio compliant with at least one of an IEEE 802.11b standard, an IEEE 802.11a standard, an IEEE 802.11g standard, an IEEE 802.11n standard, a WiMax standard, a Bluetooth standard, and a Near Field Communication standard.

6. A method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the active mode and the power saving mode comprises one setting within a range of power levels.

7. A method of claim 6 , wherein the one setting is changed based on the detected activity state.

8. A method of claim 1 , wherein the changing is delayed for a period of time.

9. A method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of defined activity states are each defined by a combination of activation or deactivation of two or more applications or components of the electronic device.

10. A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions for performing a method of controlling a communication subsystem between a power saving mode and an active mode, a first threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the power saving mode to the active mode and a second threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the active mode to the power saving mode, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

detect an activity state of the electronic device, the detected activity state being one of a plurality of defined activity states, the defined activity states each being defined by activation or deactivation of at least one application or component of the electronic device, wherein each defined activity state is associated with a corresponding anticipated level of communication traffic; and

change at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold based on the detected activity state, wherein the first threshold comprises a first packets per interval, and the second threshold comprises a second packets per interval, and herein the first packets per interval is greater than the second packets per interval.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory tangibly stores executable instructions;

a communication subsystem having a power saving mode and an active mode, a first threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the power saving mode to the active mode and a second threshold of communication traffic being defined for switching from the active mode to the power saving mode;

wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to:

detect an activity state of the electronic device, the detected activity state being one of a plurality of defined activity states, the defined activity states each being defined by activation or deactivation of at least one application or component of the electronic device, wherein each defined activity state is associated with a corresponding anticipated level of communication traffic; and

change at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold based on the detected activity state, wherein the first threshold comprises a first packets per interval, and the second threshold comprises a second packets per interval, and wherein the first packets per interval is greater than the second packets per interval.

12. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

switch the communication subsystem to the power saving mode when the communication traffic is below the second threshold; and

switch the communication subsystem to the active mode when the communication traffic is above the first threshold.

13. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of activity states are each defined by at least one of display activated, display deactivated, input interface activated, input interface deactivated, media application activated, media application deactivated, browser activated, browser deactivated, social network application activated, social network application deactivated, game activated, game deactivated, telephone application activated, and telephone application deactivated.

14. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold has a shorter interval of measurement when a first activity state is detected than when a second activity state is detected.

15. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the communication subsystem is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio compliant with at least one of an IEEE 802.11b standard, an IEEE 802.11a standard, an IEEE 802.11g standard, an IEEE 802.11n standard, a WiMax standard, a Bluetooth standard, and a Near Field Communication standard.

16. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the active mode and the power saving mode comprises one setting within a range of power levels.

17. An electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the one setting is changed based on the detected activity state.

18. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the change is delayed for a defined period of time.

19. An electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of defined activity states are each defined by a combination of activation or deactivation of two or more applications or components of the electronic device.