Short range wireless power consumption management

A portable communication device is provided. The device comprises a first radio transceiver operable for wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band, a directional antenna coupled to the first radio transceiver, a processor, and an application. When executed by the processor, the application analyzes a power level of a signal received by the first radio transceiver and controls a transmission power level of the first radio transceiver based at least in part on the power level of the received signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

Portable communication devices may be used by private individuals to maintain nearly ubiquitous voice and data communications connectivity. Portable communication devices may have a plurality of radio transceivers to promote communication according to a plurality of different wireless communication protocols and/or in a variety of different radio spectrum bands. Technical innovation continues to be applied to refining and elaborating the capabilities and functionality of portable communication devices.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a portable communication device is disclosed. The device comprises a first radio transceiver operable for wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band, a directional antenna coupled to the first radio transceiver, a processor, and an application. When executed by the processor, the application analyzes a power level of a signal received by the first radio transceiver and controls a transmission power level of the first radio transceiver based at least in part on the power level of the received signal.

In an embodiment, a method of power management in a portable communication device is disclosed. The method comprises, in response to a first triggering event, a first portable communication device negotiating a first transmission power level for wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band with a second portable communication device, wherein the first portable communication device is mechanically coupled to the second portable communication device. The method further comprises storing a value of the first transmission power level in the first portable communication device and transmitting wireless communication by the first portable communication device to the second portable communication device at a power level limited by the first transmission power level.

In another embodiment, a method of power management in a portable communication device. The method comprises automatically placing a first radio transceiver of a first portable communication device in a sleep mode of operation, wherein the first radio transceiver is unable to transmit and consumes reduced power when in the sleep mode, and wherein the first radio transceiver is operable to provide wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band when in an awake mode of operation. The method further comprises, in response to receiving a first communication by a second radio transceiver of the portable communication device when the first radio transceiver is in sleep mode, automatically placing the first radio transceiver in the awake mode, wherein the second radio transceiver is operable to provide wireless communication in a licensed radio spectrum band. The method further comprises receiving via the first radio transceiver a second communication from a second portable communication device mechanically coupled to the first portable communication device, wherein the second communication is associated with responding to the first communication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, a first portable communication device may be mechanically coupled to a second portable communication device. Alternatively, the first and second portable communication devices may be placed in proximity to each other. The first portable communication device and the second portable communication device may communicate via short range radio communications, and the second portable communication device may promote long range communications. The first portable communication device may have a short range radio transceiver but lack a long range radio transceiver. For example, the first portable communication device may have a WiFi radio transceiver and/or a BLUETOOTH radio transceiver but may lack a cellular radio transceiver. The second portable communication device may have one or more short range radio transceivers as well as one or more long range radio transceivers. For example, the second portable communication device may have a WiFi radio transceiver and/or a BLUETOOTH radio transceiver as well as one or more cellular radio transceivers. In an embodiment, the second portable communication device may originate a voice call via the long range radio transceiver in response to the first portable communication device providing dialed digits to the second portable communication device via short range radio communication. The second portable communication device may also access and/or transmit data via the long range radio transceiver, for example media content, in response to the first portable communication device providing a universal reference locator (URL) to the second portable communication device via short range radio communication.

The present disclosure teaches a system and methods for managing the power levels of the short range radio transceivers of one and/or both of the two portable communication devices. The second portable communication device may comprise a directional antenna and supporting components that promote steering a beam of the antenna to align with an antenna of the first portable communication device such that the transmit power of the short range radio of the first portable communication device and/or the second portable communication device can be decreased while continuing to maintain reliable communications over the short range radio link. As is understood by those skilled in the art, the term antenna beam refers not to a physical structure of the antenna but rather to the disposition of a radiation pattern associated with the antenna. For example, an antenna beam may refer to a lobe of an antenna radiation pattern. Because of the principle of antenna reciprocity, the radiation pattern of the antenna is equally descriptive of the radio reception of the subject antenna. Alternatively, the directional antenna may be configured to direct a beam in a fixed direction based on the known location of the corresponding antenna of the first portable communication device when the first and second communication devices are mechanically coupled.

In an embodiment, the directional antenna may comprise two or more elements. The transmit circuit may split a first transmit signal into a plurality of equivalent but parallel second transmit signals and phase shift some of the second transmit signals before feeding to the antenna elements to steer the beam of the antenna. Due to the principle of antenna reciprocity, the receive antenna beam may be controlled in a similar manner by shifting the relative phase among a plurality of parallel receive signals provided by the antenna elements before combining the phase shifted receive signals. The beam of the antenna may be steered to different angles by adapting the phase offset among the parallel transmit signals and/or among the parallel receive signals. The second portable communication device may respond to a first triggering event by steering the beam of the antenna to a variety of directions, determine a received signal strength (for example, associated with a signal received from the short range radio of the first portable communication device) associated with each beam direction, and identify a preferred antenna beam direction, for example the direction of an antenna coupled to the short range radio transceiver of the first portable communication device.

Once the preferred antenna beam direction is determined, the second portable communication device may continue to direct the antenna beam to this preferred direction until a second triggering event occurs. The preferred direction of the antenna beam will depend principally on the relative positions of the antenna of the first portable communication device and the antenna of the second portable communication device and on the structures of the first portable communication device and of the second portable communication device. In a common operation mode, the first and second portable communication devices may be operated as a unit and maintained in a substantially constant position relative to each other. In this circumstance, once a preferred antenna beam direction of the antenna of the second portable electronic device has been determined, there may be little benefit to re-identifying the preferred antenna beam direction. Triggering events are discussed further hereinafter, but as an example a triggering event may comprise the second portable communication device powering on.

The first and second portable communication devices may initiate a transmission power level negotiation on a third triggering event, for example when the devices establish a communication link between them for the first time and/or after aligning the antenna beam of the second portable communication device. The negotiation may include starting at a first power level and transmitting at a plurality of different power levels. The receiving device sends back one or more messages indicating the nature of their reception of the transmitted signal. The transmission power may be dropped until the receiving device fails to properly receive the transmitted signal, for example experiences bit errors or other communication failure. At this point, the transmitting device may set a transmission power level that is increased by a predefined amount relative to the last successful transmission power level, whereby to provide a margin of reliability. Alternatively, the transmission power may be started at a low value and increased until the opposite device replies with an acknowledgement of receipt, at which point the transmit signal may be set relative to this minimum power threshold, for example a power level that is increased by a predetermined amount relative to the first successful transmission power level, whereby to provide a margin of reliability. This procedure can be followed to configure the transmission power level of both devices. The procedure can be conducted in serial or in parallel. In an embodiment, the power level negotiation may preferably be conducted after the antenna beam of the second portable communication device has been aligned. The transmission power levels configured for the two portable communication devices may continue to be used until a fourth triggering event occurs, for example one or the other of the two portable communication devices powering on. While the two portable communication devices remain in a static locational relationship with each other, there may be no benefit to renegotiating the transmit power levels.

The short range radio transceiver of one or more of the portable communication devices may transition to a sleep mode after a period of inactivity, in order to conserve and manage battery power. For example, after a predefined period of time during which the second portable communication device has not received a phone call on its long range radio transceiver or a web service request from the first portable communication device via its short range radio transceiver, the second portable communication device may turn off its short range radio transceiver. The short range radio transceiver of the second portable communication device may remain turned off until an incoming voice call is received by the long range radio transceiver of the second portable communication device. The short range radio transceiver of the second portable communication device may also be commanded to reawaken by actuating a control button on the second portable communication device, for example by momentarily pressing a power button of the second portable communication device.

The short range radio transceiver of the first portable communication device may also transition to a sleep mode after a period of inactivity, in order to conserve and manage battery power. The short range radio transceiver of the first portable communication device may wake up when a touch screen or other interface of the first portable communication device is actuated in any way. In an embodiment, a voice call may be received by the long range radio transceiver of the second portable communication device. In response to the incoming voice call, the second portable communication device may present an aural alert, such as playing back a ring tone over a speaker of the second portable communication device. The user of the package comprising the first and second portable communication device may respond to the aural alert by touching the touch pad of the first portable communication device, and the first portable communication device may respond to the input to the touch pad by reawakening its short range radio transceiver.

Turning now toFIG. 1, a communication device100is described. The communication device100comprises a first portable communication device102and a second portable communication device104. The portable communication devices102,104may be mechanically coupled together or placed into proximity to one another. For example, the second portable communication device104may mechanically couple to the first portable communication device102using a flexible sleeve that at least partially surrounds the first portable communication device102, for example a flexible plastic sleeve. The second portable communication device104may comprise a housing that is configured to receive and hold the first portable communication device102, for example a recess into which the first portable communication device102may be positioned and held in place by a friction fit, a snap fit, or other. In an embodiment, the first portable communication device102may comprise a first short range radio transceiver106, a touch screen interface108, a hyper text mark-up language (HTML) browser110, and a first battery112. The first short range radio transceiver106, for example, may be a WiFi radio transceiver or a BLUETOOTH radio transceiver. It is understood that the first portable communication device102may vary somewhat from its depiction inFIG. 1. For example, the first portable communication device102may have an additional short range radio transceiver (not shown). The first portable communication device102may have an interface other than a touch screen interface. The first portable communication device102may have a content access application other than a hyper text mark-up language browser. In an embodiment, the first portable communication device102may have a long range radio transceiver. It is understood that the first portable communication device102may comprise additional components that are not shown to avoid unnecessarily clutteringFIG. 1.

The second portable communication device104may comprise a first long range radio transceiver120, a second long range radio transceiver122, a second short range radio transceiver124, a public access control (PAC) gateway application126, a web server application128, a microphone130, a speaker132, and a second battery134. The first long range radio transceiver120may be a cellular voice radio transceiver that promotes voice communication according to one or more of a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless protocol, a global system for mobile communication (GSM) wireless protocol, a long-term evolution (LTE) wireless protocol, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) wireless protocol, or the like wireless protocol. The second long range radio transceiver122may be a cellular data radio transceiver that promotes data communication according to one or more of the wireless protocols identified above. In an embodiment, the first long range radio transceiver120may promote voice communication according to a code division multiple access one times radio transmission technology (CDMA 1xRTT) wireless protocol, and the second long range radio transceiver122may promote data communication according to a code division multiple access evolution data only revision A (CDMA EVDOrA) wireless protocol.

It is understood that the second portable communication device104may vary somewhat from its depiction inFIG. 1. For example, the second portable communication device104may have a single long range radio transceiver instead of two long range radio transceivers. The second portable communication device104may comprise two short range radio transceivers, for example both a WiFi radio transceiver and a BLUETOOTH radio transceiver. It is understood that the second portable communication device104may comprise additional components that are not shown to avoid unnecessarily clutteringFIG. 1.

In an embodiment, the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104may be held and operated by a user as an integrated unit and/or assembly. It is contemplated, however, that the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104may be sold and/or distributed separately. Additionally, the first portable communication device102may be operated independently of the second portable communication device104, although the first portable communication device102may lack voice communication capability in the absence of the second portable communication device104. Further, some of the functionality described below may be provided when the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104are separated but in proximity to each other, for example when the first portable communication device102is close enough to the second portable communication device104that the first short range radio transceiver106and the second short range radio transceiver124are able to establish a radio link with each other. In an embodiment, there may be a coupling between the first battery112of the first portable communication device102and the second battery134of the second portable communication device104, whereby the second battery134may provide supplemental power to the first battery112and/or to the first portable communication device102. In an embodiment, the second battery134may be coupled to the first portable communication device102in such a way as to provide power for recharging the first battery112.

In an embodiment, the first time the browser110transmits a request to access content via the first short range radio transceiver106while the first portable communication device102is coupled or proximate to the second portable communication device104, the second short range radio transceiver124receives the transmission of the first short range radio transceiver106, and the PAC gateway126intercepts the content request. In response to intercepting the content request, the PAC gateway126transmits a dialer shortcut initializer content via the second short range radio transceiver124to the first short range radio transceiver106, and the browser110displays the dialer shortcut initializer content, for example on the touch screen interface108. The dialer shortcut initializer content may comprise hyper text mark-up language comprising active instructions. The dialer shortcut initializer content, when displayed, may invite a user of the first portable communication device102to click a control button to install a dialer shortcut to a dialer and/or web dialer on the touch screen interface108.

When the dialer shortcut is installed on the touch screen interface108, when the user of the first portable communication device102actuates the dialer shortcut, the web browser110sends a message to the web server128via the first short range radio transceiver106and the second short range radio transceiver124requesting a dialer be displayed on the touch screen interface108. When the dialer is displayed and when the user actuates a dialer button, the dialer sends a message indicating the actuated dialer button via the short range radio transceivers106,124to the web server128. The web server128translates the indication of the actuated dialer button to an AT command and sends the AT command to the first long range radio transceiver120to provide a dialed digit. After a succession of dialed digits are provided to the first long range radio transceiver120in this way, the first long range radio transceiver120may originate a voice call to a called party. When the call is established, two-way communication on the call may be supported by the second portable communication device104, for example by receiving voice audio from the microphone130, encoding this audio, transmitting this audio as a wireless signal and by receiving audio from the called party, decoding this audio, and playing back the audio over the speaker132.

When a call to the second portable communication device104is originated, the second portable communication device104may alert about the incoming call by sounding an audio alert, by vibrating, or by presenting a visual alert. The call may be received by pressing a call receive button on the second portable communication device104. Alternatively, the call may be received by actuating the dialer shortcut on the first portable communication device102, the hyper text markup language browser110may request a dialer interface from the web server128, a dialer interface may be returned to the hyper text markup language browser110, and the dialer interface may be presented on the first portable communication device102. The dialer interface may provide controls for answering an in-coming phone call and/or for terminating a phone call as well as controls for inputting dialed digits.

In an embodiment, when a voice message is pending in a voice message storage box, for example stored in a data store coupled to a voice mail server, an alert may be sent to the second portable communication device104, and the second portable communication device104may alert about the pending voice message by sounding an audio alert, by vibrating, or by presenting a visual alert. The alerts associated with a pending voice message may be distinct from the alerts associated with an incoming voice call. By actuating the dialer shortcut on the first portable communication device102, the hyper text markup language browser110may request a dialer interface from the web server128, a dialer interface may be returned to the hyper text markup language browser110, and the dialer interface may be presented on the first portable communication device102. The dialer interface may provide controls for calling to a voice mail server to retrieve pending voice messages and to perform other actions related to voice mail, for example voice mailbox housekeeping tasks, replaying stored voice messages, and other actions.

In an embodiment, the dialer interface may provide controls for entering a universal reference locator and retrieving content via the web server128of the second portable communication device104. The web server128may retrieve the requested content via the cellular data transceiver122. In some circumstances, data services provided over the wireless link provided by the cellular data transceiver122may provide higher speed data communication than data services provided over the wireless link provided by the first short range radio transceiver106of the first portable communication device102and/or by a long range radio transceiver of the first portable communication device102. The dialer interface further may provide access to controls to add contacts to an address book and to originate calls based on the address book. The contact information may be stored in a memory of the second portable communication device.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a communication system is described. The communication device100, comprising the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104, may establish a wireless link with a base transceiver station (BTS)150, for example the first long range radio transceiver120and/or the second long range radio transceiver122of the second portable communication device104may establish a wireless link with the base transceiver station150. The base transceiver station150may couple the communication device100into the network152. The network152may comprise a public voice communication network, a public data network, a private network, or a combination thereof. The network152may promote coupling the communication device100to a content server156for downloading content to the communication device100and/or uploading content from the communication device100to the content server156. The network152may promote coupling the communication device100to a voice mail server and/or voice message mailbox. The network152may promote establishing voice calls between the communication device100and a telephone158. While illustrated inFIG. 2as a land-line phone, it is understood that the telephone158may be any telephone, for example a mobile phone, a land-line phone, a headset type of phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, or other type of telephone. To receive wireless communication services via the base transceiver station150, it may be necessary for the communication device100to be provisioned for wireless service, for example in association with a wireless subscription account. In an embodiment, the second portable communication device104may be provisioned for wireless communication service. For further details about the communication device100, the first portable communication device102, and the second portable communication device104, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/898,121, filed Oct. 5, 2010, entitled “Broadband Wireless Router,” by Lyle T. Bertz, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Turning now toFIG. 3, an embodiment of the second portable communication device104is discussed. In an embodiment, the second portable communication device104may have a plurality of antenna elements, for example a first antenna element170and a second antenna element172. In other embodiments, the second portable communication device104may have a single antenna element or more than two antenna elements. The antenna elements170,172may be referred to in some contexts as a single antenna173. In some contexts, the antenna173may be referred to as a directional antenna. Alternatively, the antenna elements170,172may be referred to as an antenna array173. The antenna173may comprise additional components (not shown) that promote splitting and/or combining radio signals, for example radio frequency splitters, radio frequency combiners, and/or radio frequency hybrids. The antenna173may also comprise one or more components for adjusting the phase between the signals transmitted to each of the antenna elements170,172and/or adjusting the phase between the signals received from each of the antenna elements170,172. The antenna173may be used by the second short range radio transceiver124to transmit wireless signals to and receive wireless signals from the first short range radio transceiver106.

By adjusting the phase between the antenna elements170,172, the directionality of the antenna173may be adjusted or adapted to promote improved communication with the first short range radio transceiver106of the first portable communication device102. For example, by directing a beam of the antenna173towards a corresponding antenna coupled to the first short range radio transceiver106, both the second short range radio transceiver124and the first short range radio transceiver106may communicate effectively with reduced transmit power relative to a non-directional antenna.

While for reasons of ease of illustration and discussion, the antenna173illustrated inFIG. 3,FIG. 4A, andFIG. 4Bcomprises an array of two dipole or monopole antenna elements, the present disclosure contemplates using other kinds of electronically steerable directional antennas which may also be suitable for embodying the teachings herein. In an embodiment, an antenna may comprise any radiating device, and any plurality of radiating elements may be used for producing an electronically steerable antenna beam. For example, the antenna173may be implemented as a plurality of separately fed patch antennas. The antenna173may be implemented as a slot antenna having a plurality of apertures that are separately fed. Yet other electronically steerable directional antennas may be suitable for implementing some aspects of the present disclosure. While illustrated located on an end of the second portable communication device104, the antenna173may be located in other locations in the device104, for example, near a surface of a package enclosing the electrical and electronic components of the second portable communication device104and in about the middle of the second portable communication device104. Also, because the communication via the antenna173is expected to occur over a very short range and using unlicensed spectrum, in an embodiment the antenna173may be simple and/or inefficient.

It is understood that the present disclosure also contemplates using directional antennas which are configured to provide a fixed directionality. The antenna173may be coupled to the short range transceiver124with predetermined phasing between antenna elements, thereby producing a substantially fixed antenna beam direction. The beam of the antenna173may be designed and manufactured to center on or aim at the corresponding antenna of the first portable communication device102based on the expected location of the first portable communication device102when it is mechanically coupled to the second portable communication device104.

Turning toFIG. 4AandFIG. 4B, an example of steering a main lobe and/or beam of an antenna pattern is discussed. The view ofFIG. 4AandFIG. 4Bmay be considered to be looking down on the second portable communication device104from above. InFIG. 4A, adapting the phase of the antenna elements170,172results in two main lobes of the antenna pattern, a first main lobe174aand a second main lobe174b. The antenna pattern is a polar plot and shows a dotted line of constant power or constant signal strength. The point Φ may have the polar coordinate (100 feet, 80 degrees), and the point ψ may have the polar coordinate (15 feet, 45 degrees). From the illustrated antenna pattern, it can be seen that rather than radiating uniformly in all directions (hence, non-directional), the antenna173radiates differently in different directions—concentrating radiated radio power in some directions and reducing radiated radio power in other directions. The antenna173may be thought to focus the transmission radio power along the first beam175aand the second beam175b. A consequence of directing one of the beams175at a receiver is that less transmission energy can be used relative to a less directional antenna pattern to result in equal radio power delivered to a point proximate to the antenna beam175. The directionality of an antenna is often compared to a unidirectional antenna, such as a single element dipole antenna, and may be quantified as an antenna gain. The higher the degree of directionality of an antenna—the more tightly focused the antenna beam—the higher the antenna gain. Because of the reciprocity of antennas—statements regarding the transmission of an antenna are equally valid regarding the reception of the antenna—a transmitter located near one of the beams175may transmit with less transmission energy relative to a less directional antenna pattern

InFIG. 4B, the phasing of the antenna173has been adapted to direct the beams175as illustrated. It may happen that as the main lobes174are steered away from their position inFIG. 4Athat secondary lobes176may appear. Energy is also radiated in the directions of the secondary lobes176, in the case of antenna transmission. Secondary lobes176may be undesirable but unavoidable consequences of electronically steering the antenna beams175away from their position inFIG. 4A. It is understood that the antenna patterns illustrated inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4Bare for illustrative purposes only to support the discussion herein of electronically steering the beams175of the antenna173. In an embodiment, the antenna patterns associated with the antenna173may be different from those illustrated inFIG. 4Aand inFIG. 4B. For example, in the case of a planar antenna173, for example a plurality of patch antennas, a ground plane may be employed that effectively excludes the radiation from the opposite side of the ground plane from the patch antennas.

A first radio frequency signal may be split into a second radio frequency signal and a third radio frequency signal of approximately equal amplitudes, for example by using a radio frequency splitter and/or hybrid. Each of the second and third signal may have a power of about −3 dB relative to the power of the first signal. The second signal may be fed to the first antenna element170for radiation from the first antenna element170, and the third signal may first be phase shifted relative to the second signal, for example using a first phase shifting component, and then fed to the second antenna element172for radiation from the second antenna element172. The first antenna element170may receive a fourth radio frequency signal and feeds this fourth radio frequency signal into a radio frequency combiner and/or hybrid. The second antenna element172may receive a fifth radio frequency signal and feeds this fifth radio frequency signal to a second phase shifting component and feeds the phase shifted signal to the radio frequency combiner and/or hybrid. The radio frequency combiner and/or hybrid produces a sixth radio frequency signal that is the combination of the fourth signal and the phase shifted version of the fifth signal. In an embodiment, the phase shift produced by the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter are substantially equal. In an embodiment, the same phase shifter component provides the functionality of the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter. The amount of phase shift that is introduced by the phase shift components may be controlled electronically, for example under control of a processor of the second portable communication device104that executes an application to adapt the main beams175to align with a preferred peer antenna, for example an antenna coupled to the first portable communication device102.

In an embodiment, on an event the second portable communication device104may adapt the direction of the main beam175of the antenna173to align with the antenna of the first portable communication device102. For example, an application executing on a processor of the second portable communication device104may request the first portable communication device102to transmit a constant amplitude radio signal during a test interval. During the test interval, the application may cause the main beams175of the antenna173to scan over a range of directions to detect the direction of greatest received signal strength and hence the direction in which at least one of the main beams175align with the antenna of the first portable communication device102. The application may store the alignment direction in memory and may electronically steer the antenna173to direct one of its main beams175, for example the first main beam175A, in the direction indicated by the stored value. In an embodiment, the value stored in memory may be an angular direction, a phase offset of one or more antenna elements, or other information. Aligning one of the beams175with an antenna coupled to the first short range radio transceiver106may enable reducing the transmission energy expended by the second portable communication device104and/or by the first portable communication device102.

Turning now toFIG. 5, a method200is described. At block202, in response to a first triggering event, a first portable communication device102negotiates a first transmission power level for wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band with a second portable communication device104. The first portable communication device102may be mechanically coupled to the second portable communication device104as described further above. Alternatively, the first portable communication device102may not be mechanically coupled to the second portable communication device104, and the two devices may simply be in proximity to each other, for example close enough for establishing a wireless communication link between their short range radio transceivers106,124. For example, the first portable communication device102negotiates a first transmission power level with the second portable communication device104, or the second portable communication device104negotiates the first transmission power level for wireless communication in the unlicensed radio spectrum band with the first portable communication device102. The unlicensed radio spectrum band may be associated with WiFi wireless communication, with BLUETOOTH wireless communication, or with another short range wireless communication protocol.

The first triggering event may be a power-on event of the first portable communication device102. The first triggering event may be a first time that the first portable communication device102has been in proximity to the second portable communication device104, for example the first time the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104have discovered each other. The first triggering event may be a first scheduled time. For example, the first portable communication device102may initiate transmission power level negotiation with the second portable communication device104periodically, for example daily, weekly, monthly, or on some other periodic interval. The first triggering event may be a manual activation of an input of the first communication device, for example a short duration actuation of a power button. The first triggering event may be another suitable triggering event.

The first portable communication device102may negotiate the power level according to a variety of methods or techniques. The first portable communication device102may begin a series of communication cycles with the second portable communication device104where the first portable communication device102sends a message to the second portable communication device104, and the second portable communication device104replies with an acknowledgement or acknowledgement message when it receives the message from the first portable communication device102. In an embodiment, the acknowledgement message may include information about the signal received by the second portable communication device104. For example, the acknowledgement message may comprise a signal strength value, a signal to noise ratio (SNR) value, or some other indication of the quality of the radio signal received by the second portable communication device104. The first portable communication device102may send the first message with a relatively high wireless transmission power level and decrement the wireless transmission power level with each subsequent message transmitted to the second portable communication device104. When the second portable communication device104fails to reply with an acknowledgement, the first portable communication device102may conclude that the last wireless transmission power level was inadequate.

In an embodiment, the power level may be adjusted lower in equal increments. Alternatively, the power level may be adjusted lower by an amount proportional to the previous power level, for example 80% of the previous power level, 65% of the previous power level, 50% of the previous power level, or some other fraction of the previous power level. The power level may be adjusted lower by 1.5 dB (−1.5 dB relative to previous power level), by 3 dB (−3 dB relative to previous power level), or by some other amount. Alternatively, the power level may be adjusted lower based on information included in the acknowledgement message. For example, based on a signal to noise ratio that is 15 dB greater than deemed effective for receiving the radio transmission, the power level may be reduced by 12 dB in the next cycle of power negotiation.

In an embodiment, the first portable communication device102may retransmit a second message at the same wireless transmission power level. If the second portable communication device104does not reply to either the first or the second message at the subject low wireless transmission power level, the first portable communication device102may then conclude that the last wireless transmission power level is inadequate. Otherwise, if the second portable communication device104replies to the second message, the first portable communication device102may resume the sequence of successively weaker wireless transmissions.

Alternatively, the first portable communication device102may start at a low transmission power level and increase the transmission power level until it receives an acknowledgement from the second portable communication device104. The first portable communication device102may increase the power level by a constant amount of power every successive time it transmits to the second portable communication device104. Alternatively, the first portable communication device102may increment its transmission power level by an amount proportional to the previous power level, for example a 25% increase, a 40% increase, a 50% increase, or some other increase.

When the first portable communication device102transitions between a level of transmit power that succeeds in communicating with the second portable communication device104and a level of transmit power that fails to communicate with the second portable communication device104, it may begin seeking a threshold transmit power level by incrementing and/or decrementing transmission power in smaller amounts to define the threshold between successful wireless communication transmission power level and unsuccessful wireless communication transmission power level more precisely.

When the first portable communication device102has identified the power level at which communication with the second portable communication device104becomes unreliable, the first portable communication device102may determine a first transmission power level that is adjusted based on the power negotiation. For example, the transmission power setting associated with the minimum transmission power level that provided successful wireless communication may be defined to be the first transmission power level. Alternatively, the first transmission power level may be based on the transmission power setting associated with the minimum transmission power level that provided successful wireless communication adjusted higher to provide a margin of robustness.

In an embodiment, the first transmit power level determined by the processing of block202may be determined once and remain at a fixed value for an extended period of time. For example, the first transmit power level may remain set at the value determined in block202until the first portable communication device102undergoes a power cycle or until a user initiated power level negotiation is invoked from the interface of the first portable communication device102. Unlike communication using a cellular transceiver to communicate with a base transceiver station150where the radio environment may dynamically change over short periods of time due to mobility and due to changes of weather, the radio environment between the first portable communication device102and the second portable communication device104may be expected to remain substantially constant for extended periods of time. Because of this substantially constant radio environment the power transmission levels may be set at lower levels and/or with lower signal to noise ratios than is done when the cellular transceiver negotiates power levels with a base transceiver station150. This lower transmission level can have advantages for conserving battery power of the portable communication devices102,104.

At block204, the value of the first transmission power level is stored in the first portable communication device102, for example in a memory of the first portable communication device102and/or in a memory of the second portable communication device104. At block206, the first portable communication device102transmits wireless communication to the second portable communication device104at a power level limited by the first transmission power level. For example, the first portable communication device102transmits wirelessly at about the first transmission power level via the unlicensed radio spectrum band to the second portable communication device104. Alternatively, the second portable communication device104transmits wirelessly at about the first transmission power level via the unlicensed radio spectrum band to the first portable communication device102. In an embodiment, a second triggering event may occur, and the processing of blocks202,204, and206may be repeated. In an embodiment, the first triggering event and/or the second triggering event may be the event of the first portable communication device102powering on, which may be referred to in some contexts as power cycling the device. In an embodiment, the processing of blocks202,204, and206may be substantially repeated with the devices102,104reversing the roles and actions described above. In an embodiment, the processing of blocks202,204, and206may desirably be performed after completion of alignment of the beam175of the antenna173as described further above.

Turning now toFIG. 6, a method220is described. At block222, a first radio transceiver of a first portable communication device102is automatically placed into a sleep mode of operation. In an embodiment, the first portable communication device102may be the second portable communication device104described above. When in the sleep mode, the first radio transceiver is unable to transmit and consumes reduced power. The first radio transceiver is operable to provide wireless communication in an unlicensed radio spectrum band when in an awake mode of operation, for example in the WiFi radio spectrum, in the BLUETOOTH radio spectrum, or in other radio spectrum associated with other short range wireless communication protocols. The sleep mode may be initiated after the passage of a predefined period of time without receiving any control inputs or communications from external devices.

At block224, in response to receiving a first communication by a second radio transceiver of the first portable communication device102, when the first radio transceiver is in sleep mode, the first radio transceiver is automatically placed in the awake mode, wherein the second radio transceiver is operable to provide wireless communication in a licensed radio spectrum band. In an embodiment, the licensed radio spectrum band may be a code division multiple access (CDMA) spectrum band, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) radio spectrum band, a long-term evolution (LTE) radio spectrum band, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), or another cellular licensed radio spectrum band.

At block226, a second communication is received via the first radio transceiver from a second portable communication device104. The second communication is associated with responding to the first communication. In an embodiment, the second portable communication device104may be the first portable communication device102described above. For example, the second communication may be a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) message requesting the second portable communication device104to transmit a voice call dialer interface to the first portable communication device102to promote accepting a voice call.

In an embodiment, the devices102,104may each transition to a reduced radio power level after a predefined duration of inactivity. The radio power level may be reduced by about 9 dB, about 12 dB, about 15 dB, or some other amount deemed effective for conducting low bandwidth handshaking communication between the devices102,104while also conserving stored energy on the devices102,104. Such low bandwidth handshaking communication may be used to maintain a communication channel or link between the devices102,104. For example, when operating in the reduced radio power mode, the second portable communication device104may communicate handshaking messages via the second short range transceiver124to the first short range radio transceiver106of the first portable communication device102with a different modulation technique from the modulation technique used when other communications between the devices102,104is being conducted, for example when the first portable communication device102is requesting content from the content server156via the web server128of the second portable communication device104.

The modulation technique may rely on a lower transmission bit rate and/or an increased amount of redundancy in the information content in the transmitted handshaking messages. As a consequence of reducing the transmission bit rate and/or increasing the redundancy of the transmitted information content, it may be possible to demodulate the handshaking messages in a lower signal to noise ratio environment. In an embodiment, redundantly transmitted information may be utilized by the portable communication devices102,104to aggregate a signal and boost the effective signal to noise ratio for receiving the subject message by adding corresponding parts of the signal. Noise, assumed to be random, may not sum additively, while information content of the message may sum additively, thereby raising the signal to noise ratio.

When the second portable communication device104receives an incoming voice call on its cellular voice transceiver120, it may first return the second short range radio transceiver124to the normal power mode and then send a command to the first short range radio transceiver106to likewise return to the normal power mode. When the first portable communication device102receives a control input, for example a touchscreen of the first portable communication device102is touched, the first portable communication device102may first return the first short range radio transceiver106to the normal power mode and then send a command to the second short range radio transceiver124to likewise return to the normal power mode. The normal power mode may be the radio transmitter level that was negotiated between the portable communication devices102,104, for example as described further above with reference toFIG. 1and method200andFIG. 5.

FIG. 7shows a block diagram of a portable electronic device500that may be suitable for implementing some embodiments of the first portable communication device102and/or the second portable communication device104. While a variety of known components typically associated with mobile phones and/or personal digital assistants (PDAs) are depicted, in an embodiment a subset of the listed components and/or additional components not listed may be included in the portable electronic device500. The portable electronic device500includes a digital signal processor (DSP)502and a memory504. As shown, the portable electronic device500may further include an antenna and front end unit506, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver508, an analog baseband processing unit510, a microphone512, an earpiece speaker514, a headset port516, an input/output interface518, a removable memory card520, a universal serial bus (USB) port522, an infrared port524, a vibrator526, a keypad528, a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch sensitive surface530, a touch screen/LCD controller532, a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera534, a camera controller536, and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor538. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device500may include another kind of display that does not provide a touch sensitive screen. In an embodiment, the DSP502may communicate directly with the memory504without passing through the input/output interface518. Additionally, in an embodiment, the portable electronic device500may comprise other peripheral devices that provide other functionality.

The keypad528couples to the DSP502via the interface518to provide one mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, and otherwise provide input to the portable electronic device500. Another input mechanism may be the touch screen LCD530, which may also display text and/or graphics to the user. The touch screen LCD controller532couples the DSP502to the touch screen LCD530.

FIG. 8illustrates a software environment602that may be implemented by the DSP502. The DSP502executes operating system software604that provides a platform from which the rest of the software operates. The operating system software604may provide a variety of drivers for the handset hardware with standardized interfaces that are accessible to application software. The operating system software604may be coupled to and interact with application management services (“AMS”)606that transfer control between applications running on the portable electronic device500. Also shown inFIG. 8are a web browser application608, a media player application610, JAVA applets612, and the web sever128described above with reference toFIG. 1. The web browser application608configures the portable electronic device500to operate as a web browser, allowing a user to enter information into forms and select links to retrieve and view web pages. The media player application610configures the portable electronic device500to retrieve and play audio or audiovisual media. The JAVA applets612configure the portable electronic device500to provide games, utilities, and other functionality.

FIG. 9illustrates a computer system780suitable for implementing one or more aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, for example the content server156. The computer system780includes a processor782(which may be referred to as a central processor unit or CPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondary storage784, read only memory (ROM)786, random access memory (RAM)788, input/output (I/O) devices790, and network connectivity devices792. The processor782may be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

The secondary storage784is typically comprised of one or more disk drives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data and as an over-flow data storage device if RAM788is not large enough to hold all working data. Secondary storage784may be used to store programs which are loaded into RAM788when such programs are selected for execution. The ROM786is used to store instructions and perhaps data which are read during program execution. ROM786is a non-volatile memory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative to the larger memory capacity of secondary storage784. The RAM788is used to store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to both ROM786and RAM788is typically faster than to secondary storage784. The secondary storage784, the RAM788, and/or the ROM786may be referred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and/or non-transitory computer readable media.

The network connectivity devices792may take the form of modems, modem banks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards, serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radio transceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), and/or other air interface protocol radio transceiver cards, and other well-known network devices. These network connectivity devices792may enable the processor782to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the processor782might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. Such information, which is often represented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor782, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, in the form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

The processor782executes instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk (these various disk based systems may all be considered secondary storage784), ROM786, RAM788, or the network connectivity devices792. While only one processor782is shown, multiple processors may be present. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by a processor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, or otherwise executed by one or multiple processors. Instructions, codes, computer programs, scripts, and/or data that may be accessed from the secondary storage784, for example, hard drives, floppy disks, optical disks, and/or other device, the ROM786, and/or the RAM788may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory instructions and/or non-transitory information.

In some contexts, the secondary storage784, the ROM786, and the RAM788may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium or a computer readable storage media. A dynamic RAM embodiment of the RAM788, likewise, may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium in that while the dynamic RAM receives electrical power and is operated in accordance with its design, for example during a period of time during which the computer780is turned on and operational, the dynamic RAM stores information that is written to it. Similarly, the processor782may comprise an internal RAM, an internal ROM, a cache memory, and/or other internal non-transitory storage blocks, sections, or components that may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitory computer readable media or computer readable storage media.