Patent ID: 8521148

Claim:
A method of reducing power consumption within a portable communication device, the device including a plurality of spatial sensing modules, the method comprising: using one or more of the spatial sensing modules to sense motion or a spatially stationary state of the portable communication device, and to continuously monitor the device's surroundings; and using a control module of the device, for selectively switching ON or switching OFF one or more of the plurality of spatial sensing modules in a hierarchical manner, to reduce power consumption, in response to sensing motion or the spatially stationary state of the device, and/or in response to monitoring the device's surroundings, and further comprising: employing, for the spatial sensing modules, one or more of: global positioning system, and a module operable to determine the position of the device using a cellular wireless communication infrastructure through which the device is operable to communicate and through near-field wireless communication infrastructure proximal to the device, and at least one inertial motion sensor incorporated within the portable communication device.