Patent ID: 7853813
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: G06F,H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for managing power utilization by a multi-function electronic device powered by a battery, the method comprising: receiving a user selection requesting activation of a supported function of the multi-function electronic device; estimating a power requirement for the multi-function electronic device to support the supported function requested by the user selection; obtaining a battery characteristic associated with the battery; determining, based on the battery characteristic, whether the battery has adequate capacity to satisfy the estimated power requirement for the multi-function electronic device based on the usage of the multi-function electronic device in accordance with the supported function requested by the user selection; and reducing power consumption of the multi-function electronic device when the determining determines that the battery has inadequate capacity to satisfy the power requirement, wherein the reducing of the power consumption of the multi-function electronic device comprises automatically disabling one or more other supported functions of the multi-function electronic device that are not necessary to support the supported function requested by the user selection, wherein the estimating of the power requirement is based on a predicted device usage of the electronic device, and wherein the estimating predicts a duration of the predicted device usage.