Abstract:
An exemplary method for conserving power of a portable communication device includes supplying voltage by a power supply of the portable communication device; distributing one or more corresponding voltages to other components; the portable communication device entering a normal mode and enabling user-selected prompts after being powered by one of said voltages; generating digital voltage signals corresponding to the voltage supplied by the power supply; detecting a voltage of the digital voltage signals to obtain a detected voltage; comparing the detected voltage with a predetermined value; changing a current mode of the portable communication device from the normal mode to a power conserving mode, if the detected voltage is equal to or less than the predetermined value and the current mode is the normal mode; and disabling a pickup button of the portable communication device. Thereby, an operational time of other units of the portable communication device can be prolonged.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is related to a commonly-assigned pending application filed concurrently herewith and also entitled “PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONSERVING POWER”. Disclosure of the above identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to portable communication devices and methods for conserving power of portable communication devices, and especially to a portable communication device and a method involving disabling of a unit of the portable communication device and thereby prolonging an operational time of other units of the portable communication device. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    In the so-called “information age”, portable communication devices have become more and more important in people&#39;s lives. Portable communication devices include mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other similar devices. 
         [0006]    A typical portable communication device is supplied with voltage by a battery. Because the capacity of the battery is limited, when the voltage of the battery is below a certain value, the portable communication device becomes unusable. 
         [0007]    A common type of PDA available in the market includes a communication unit. The communication unit can be disabled by a user independently of other functional units of the PDA. Thus, an operational time of the other functional units of the PDA can be prolonged. In detail, the PDA has a so-called flight mode. If the user selects the flight mode, the PDA restarts and disables the communication unit. After the communication unit of the PDA is disabled, the PDA can still be used to perform other functions, such as searching desired contact information in an address list, playing games, and so on. However, when the communication unit of the PDA is disabled, the PDA can no longer receive communication signals, so it is possible for the user to miss important incoming calls and text messages. 
         [0008]    Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A portable communication device and a method for conserving power of a portable communication device are provided. The portable communication device automatically disables a pickup button if voltage of the portable communication device is equal to or less than a predetermined value, thereby prolonging an operational time of the portable communication device. 
         [0010]    The portable communication device includes a storage unit, a power supply, a power management unit, an analog-to-digital converter, a pickup button and central processing unit. The storage unit is configured for storing user-selected prompts. The pickup button is configured for sending outgoing calls and answering incoming calls. The power supply supplies voltage to the power management unit and the analog-to-digital converter. The power management unit distributes one or more corresponding voltages to one or more components of the portable communication device. The analog-to-digital converter generates digital voltage signals corresponding to the voltage supplied by the power supply. The central processing unit includes a controlling module and a detection module. The controlling module signals the portable communication device to enter a normal mode after being powered by a voltage of the central processing unit, and enables the user-selected prompts stored in the storage unit. The detection module receives the digital voltage signals from the analog-to-digital converter, detects a voltage of the digital voltage signals to obtain a detected voltage, and compares the detected voltage with a predetermined value. If the detected voltage is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the controlling module signals the portable communication device to change from the normal mode to a power conserving mode. When the portable communication device changes from the normal mode to the power conserving mode, the controlling module disables the pickup button when the portable communication device changes from the normal mode to the power conserving mode. 
         [0011]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a mobile phone in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of the mobile phone of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an exemplary method for conserving power of the mobile phone of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present features and functions involving conserving power can be incorporated in a portable communication device such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The following detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is made with reference to the attached drawings. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a mobile phone  10  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The mobile phone  10  includes a display panel  11  and a keypad. The keypad includes a plurality of function keys and alphanumerical keys for a user to enter operational inputs (instructions). The function keys include a pickup button  12 . The pickup button  12  is configured for sending outgoing calls and answering incoming calls. The display panel  11  is configured for displaying information of the mobile phone  10 . The information includes incoming calls, text messages, an address list, and so on. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of the mobile phone  10 . In this aspect, the mobile phone  10  includes a power supply  13 , a power management unit  14 , a central processing unit  15 , a display unit  16 , a backlight unit  17 , a communication unit  18 , a command input unit  19 , a storage unit  20 , a vibration unit  21 , and a ring unit  22 . 
         [0018]    The power supply  13  may be a nickel-cadmium battery, a lithium-ion battery, or another suitable kind of secondary cell. The power supply  13  is configured for connecting to the power management unit  14 , and supplying a voltage to the power management unit  14 . The power management unit  14  receives the voltage from the power supply  13 , and distributes corresponding voltages to various components of the mobile phone  10 . The components include the central processing unit  15 , the display unit  16 , the backlight unit  17 , the communication unit  18 , the command input unit  19 , the storage unit  20 , the vibration unit  21 , and the ring unit  22 . 
         [0019]    The display unit  16  is configured for displaying information on the display panel  11 . The information may include incoming calls, text messages, an address list, and so on. The backlight unit  17  is configured for illuminating the display panel  11 . After an operational instruction is input on the command input unit  19  by the user, the command input unit  19  can process the instruction accordingly. In particular, the command input unit  19  is configured for generating a corresponding command instruction, and sending the command instruction to the central processing unit  15 . For example, when the portable communication device is receiving an incoming call and the pickup button  12  is pressed by the user, the corresponding operational instruction is entered in the command input unit  19 . Accordingly, the command input unit  19  generates an answer instruction so as to answer the incoming call. 
         [0020]    The communication unit  18  is configured for performing communication functions of the mobile phone  10 . That is, the communication unit  18  receives and/or transmits communication signals via wireless communication means, and as a result the mobile phone  10  is able to communicate with other communication devices (not shown). 
         [0021]    When the mobile phone  10  receives an incoming call or a text message, the central processing unit  15  signals the vibration unit  21  and/or the ring unit  22  to vibrate and/or ring respectively, so as to alert the user. 
         [0022]    The storage unit  20  stores the address list, the text messages, user-selected prompts, power conserving options, and a predetermined text message. The user-selected prompts include at least one of the choices of turning on the backlight unit  17 , enabling the vibration unit  21 , and enabling the ring unit  22 . While the mobile phone  10  is receiving an incoming call or a text message, the user-selected prompts are enabled in order to alert the user. The power conserving options include at least one of the choices of disabling the backlight unit  17 , disabling the vibration unit  21 , and disabling the ring unit  22 . The predetermined text message is configured for messaging the caller that the recipient will call back later. For example, the message can be “my cellphone out of power, I will call back later”. 
         [0023]    Modes of the mobile phone  10  include a normal mode and a power conserving mode. In the normal mode, the mobile phone  10  can perform all its normal functions. The normal functions include enabling the user-selected prompts, receiving incoming calls, dialing a telephone number, searching contact information, voice dialing or voice alerting, and so on. In the power conserving mode, the pickup button  12  of the mobile phone  10  is disabled, and the selected power conserving options are enabled. Thereby, the mobile phone  10  cannot receive incoming calls and cannot provide dialing of a telephone number. Further, in the power conserving mode, at least one of the following options is in effect: the backlight unit  17  is turned off, the vibration unit  21  is disabled, and the ring unit  22  is disabled. 
         [0024]    The mobile phone  10  further includes an analog-to-digital converter  23 . When the mobile phone  10  is powered on, the power supply  13  supplies a voltage to the analog-to-digital converter  23 . The analog-to-digital converter  23  receives the voltage, converts the voltage to digital voltage signals, and sends the digital voltage signals to the central processing unit  15 . 
         [0025]    The central processing unit  15  includes a controlling module  151  and a detection module  152 . The controlling module  151  signals the mobile phone  10  to enter the normal mode after being powered by the voltage of the central processing unit, and enables the user-selected prompts. 
         [0026]    The detection module  152  receives the digital voltage signals from the analog-to-digital converter  23 , detects a voltage of the digital voltage signals to obtain a detected voltage, and compares the detected voltage with a predetermined value. The predetermined value is a threshold amount of remaining voltage of the power supply  13 . When the detected voltage is less than the predetermined value, this means the remaining voltage of the power supply  13  is low. Accordingly, usage of the mobile phone  10  should be limited. For example, such usage is restricted to performing only certain functions, such as searching desired contact information in the address list if necessary. Thus, the detection module  152  conveys the result of the comparison of the detected voltage with the predetermined value to the controlling module  151 . At this time, the controlling module  151  detects a current mode of the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0027]    If the detected voltage is equal to or less than the predetermined value and the mobile phone  10  is in the power conserving mode, the controlling module  151  does not signal the mobile phone  10  to change the current mode. However, if the mobile phone  10  is in the normal mode, the controlling module  151  signals the mobile phone  10  to change from the normal mode to the power conserving mode, disables the pickup button  12 , and enables the power conserving options stored in the storage unit  20 . 
         [0028]    If the detected voltage is greater than the predetermined value, and the mobile phone  10  is in the normal mode, the controlling module  151  does not signal the mobile phone  10  to change the current mode. However, if the mobile phone  10  is in the power conserving mode, the controlling module  151  enables the pickup button  12  and the user-selected prompts, and signals the mobile phone  10  to change from the power conserving mode to the normal mode. 
         [0029]    Furthermore, in the power conserving mode, when the mobile phone  10  receives an incoming call from a caller, the controlling module  151  identifies a telephone number of the incoming call. That is, the controlling module  151  detects whether the telephone number of the incoming call is from a telecommunication provider that provides text message services. 
         [0030]    If the controlling module  151  identifies that the telephone number of the incoming call is from a telecommunication provider that provides text message services, the controlling module  151  records the telephone number of the incoming call to the storage unit  20 , and automatically transmits the predetermined text message to the caller. 
         [0031]    If the controlling module  151  identifies that the telephone number of the incoming call is not from a telecommunication provider that provides text messages, the controlling module  151  only records the telephone number of the incoming call to the storage unit  20 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an exemplary method for conserving power of the mobile phone  10 . In step S 30 , when the mobile phone  10  is powered on, the power supply  13  supplies voltage to the power management unit  14  and the analog-to-digital converter  23 . 
         [0033]    In step S 31 , the power management unit  14  distributes corresponding voltages to various components of the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0034]    In step S 32 , the controlling module  151  signals the mobile phone  10  to enter the normal mode after being powered by the corresponding voltage of the central processing unit  15 . 
         [0035]    In step S 33 , the analog-to-digital converter  23  receives the voltage from the power supply  13 , and generates digital voltage signals corresponding to the voltage. 
         [0036]    In step S 34 , the detection module  152  receives the digital voltage signals, and detects a voltage of the digital voltage signals to obtain a detected voltage. 
         [0037]    In step S 35 , the detection module  152  compares the detected voltage with the predetermined value, and determines whether the detected voltage is greater than the predetermined value. 
         [0038]    If in step S 35  the detected voltage is equal to or less than the predetermined value, then in step S 36 , the controlling module  151  detects a current mode of the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0039]    If the mobile phone  10  is in the power conserving mode, the controlling module  151  does not signal the mobile phone  10  to change the current mode, and the procedure goes back to step S 34 . If the mobile phone  10  is in the normal mode, in step S 37 , the controlling module  151  signals the mobile phone  10  to change from the normal mode to the power conserving mode, whereupon the procedure goes to step S 38 . 
         [0040]    In step S 38 , the controlling module  151  disables the pickup button  12  and enables the power conserving options, whereupon the procedure goes back to step S 34 . In an alternative embodiment, the controlling module  151  can disable the pickup button  12 , with the power conserving options not being enabled. 
         [0041]    If in step S 35  the detected voltage is greater than the predetermined value, then in step S 39 , the controlling module  151  detects a current mode of the mobile phone  10 . 
         [0042]    If the mobile phone  10  is in the normal mode, the procedure goes back to step S 34 . If the mobile phone  10  is in the power conserving mode, in step S 40 , the controlling module  151  enables the pickup button  12  and the user-selected prompts stored in the storage unit  20 , whereupon the procedure goes to step S 41 . In an alternative embodiment of step S 40 , the controlling module  151  only enables the pickup button  12 , with the user-selected prompts already being enabled. 
         [0043]    In step S 41 , the controlling module  151  signals the mobile phone  10  to change from the power conserving mode to the normal mode, whereupon the procedure goes back to step S 34 . Steps S 34  to S 41  are then performed iteratively if and as necessary until the mobile phone  10  is powered off. 
         [0044]    It is understood that the invention may be embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given above.