Dynamic Power Budget Management for Handheld Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld communication devices face challenges in managing battery life due to the power-intensive nature of features like GPS location determination, which consumes variable amounts of time and power, leading to limitations in feature performance and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dynamic power budget management algorithm that recalculates the frequency of power events for variable managed features based on remaining power, allowing for a tradeoff between feature performance and power usage, and reallocates power budgets to optimize battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS location determination is performed frequently to improve location accuracy and feature performance, then feature performance is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the GPS fix frequency adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically modifies the frequency of GPS location determination based on remaining battery power levels, allowing the device to optimize between location accuracy and power consumption in real-time conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of GPS fix frequency based on battery power conditions. When battery power is sufficient, the system performs GPS fixes at a higher frequency for better location accuracy. When battery power becomes limited, the system reduces the fix frequency to conserve power, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and energy usage
2Reliability
If GPS location determination is performed continuously to maintain up-to-date location information, then feature performance is improved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by scheduling GPS fixes at intervals rather than continuously. The frequency of these periodic fixes is determined by battery power conditions, creating an adaptive periodic schedule that maintains location information availability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the periodic fix schedule based on remaining battery power. As battery power decreases, the interval between GPS fixes increases, allowing the device to maintain location information availability for as long as possible while extending battery life through adaptive periodic operation
3Productivity
If power budget is allocated to variable managed features to improve feature performance, then feature performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of variable managed features based on remaining power budget. The system monitors power consumption and dynamically adjusts feature performance parameters, such as reducing GPS fix frequency or modifying other feature behaviors, to maintain productivity while adapting to available power resources
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically reallocates power budget to variable managed features based on remaining power levels. When power is abundant, features can operate at higher performance levels. When power becomes limited, the system dynamically reduces feature performance demands to match available power budget, resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy loss
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to reducing battery usage in handheld communication devices due to operation of variable managed features, such as a location determination feature and other features that consume variable amounts of time and power. The techniques of this disclosure include dynamically managing a power budget allocated to one or more variable managed features of the handheld communication device based on power consumption over time by the variable managed features. More specifically, the techniques include, for each variable managed feature, recalculating a frequency for performing power events based on an amount of remaining power after one or more power events. The techniques also include reallocating the power budget to the one or more variable managed features based on an amount of remaining power after one or more power events of the variable managed features, a pre-determined period of time, or reaching a threshold level of power consumption jitter.