Methods and systems for power management in communication devices based on cable connectivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10122543-B2
Application number	US-201415037955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for power management in communication devices, particularly based on cable connectivity. A communication device that comprise a communication port, comprising a first connector and a signal path communicatively coupled between device components and the connector, may be operable, such as via a power management component in the communication device, to determine whether an external cable is mated to the first connector and to transition the communication device to a sleep mode if it is determined that an external cable is not mated to the first connector.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A communication device, comprising:
a communication port that comprises a connector and a signal path communicatively coupled to the connector; and
a power management component configured to:
determine whether an external cable is mated to the connector, wherein the power management component is configured to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector based on launching a probe signal onto the signal path and measuring results of that launched signal on the signal path; and
transition the communication device to a sleep mode when it is determined that the external cable is not mated to the connector.

2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component comprises:
a sensing component, and
a power control component,
wherein:
the sensing component is configured to alert the power management component regarding whether the external cable is mated to the first conductor, and
the power control component is configured to perform the operation of transitioning the communication device into the sleep mode when the external cable is not mated to the connector.

3. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply and a plurality of electronic components configured to draw energy directly or indirectly from the power supply, and wherein the sleep mode comprises turning off some or all of the plurality of electronic components to reduce amount of energy drawn from the power supply.

4. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector based on probing the communication port to measure signal characteristics on the signal path.

5. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to generate the probe signal.

6. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the probe signal is generated by an electronic component of the communication device.

7. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the probe signal is swept over a frequency range and the power management component is configured to compare measured results to corresponding references at various frequencies.

8. The communication device of claim 7 , wherein the comparing comprises comparing the energy at one or more frequencies with reference energy values corresponding to those frequencies to determine whether a signal is present at one or more frequencies or within one or more frequency bands.

9. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component comprises a cable presence circuit configured to determine whether the external cable is connected by measuring voltage or current at the communication port resulting from the probe signal.

10. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector based on detecting presence or absence of a signal on the signal path.

11. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector based on evaluating signal characteristics of a signal present on the signal path.

12. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to periodically determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector upon the initiation of the sleep mode.

13. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the power management component is configured to also enter a sleep mode for a predetermined period of time upon detecting that the external cable is not mated to the connector.

14. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein the power management component is configured to periodically awaken from the sleep mode at least long enough to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector.

15. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein when the communication device enters the sleep mode at least part of the power management component is configured to remain awake and continue to determine whether the external cable is mated to the connector.

16. A method, comprising
managing power in a communication device that comprises a communication transceiver, the managing comprising:
providing power to a sensing module;
determining whether an external cable is mated to a connector that is electrically connected to the communication transceiver, wherein determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector comprises launching a probe signal onto the signal path and measuring results of that launched signal on the signal path; and
transitioning the communication device to a sleep mode when it is determined that the external cable is not mated to the connector.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the sleep mode comprises turning off some or all of a plurality of electronic components in the communication device to reduce an amount of energy drawn from a power supply of the communication device.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector comprises probing at a communication port that comprises the connector, to measure signal characteristics on the signal path.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the probe signal is generated by a power management module.

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the probe signal is generated by an electronic component of the communication device.

21. The method according to claim 16 , comprising:
sweeping the probe signal over a frequency range, and
comparing measured results to corresponding references at various frequencies.

22. The method according to claim 21 , comprising comparing energy at one or more frequencies with reference energy values corresponding to those frequencies to determine whether a signal is present at the one or more frequencies or within one or more frequency bands.

23. The method according to claim 16 , wherein determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector comprises determining whether the external cable is connected by measuring the voltage or current at a communication port that comprises the connector, resulting from the probe signal.

24. The method according to claim 16 , wherein determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector comprises detecting the presence or absence of a signal on the signal path.

25. The method according to claim 16 , wherein determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector comprises evaluating signal characteristics of a signal present on the signal path.

26. The method according to claim 16 , comprising determining whether the external cable is mated to the connector on a periodic basis.

27. The method according to claim 16 , comprising toggling at least connection sensing components of a power management module between a sleep mode and a sensing mode when the communication device is in the sleep mode so that the power management module can periodically check for the presence of the external cable.

28. The method according to claim 16 , comprising transitioning a power management module to a sleep mode when transitioning the communication device to a sleep mode.

29. The method according to claim 28 , comprising awakening the p

Assignees

• Entropic Communications Llc

Inventors

• Petrovic Branislav

Classifications

• H04N21/6168

  involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem · CPC title

• H04L43/0811

  by checking connectivity · CPC title

• H04L41/0833

  for reduction of network energy consumption · CPC title

• H04L12/2861 Primary

  Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers · CPC title

• H04L12/2801

  Broadband local area networks · CPC title