Reducing idle mode power consumption for monitoring neighboring base stations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9369962-B2
Application number	US-201113108864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2011
Priority date	May 17, 2010
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A method for reducing idle mode power consumption is disclosed. An idle mode is entered. A neighboring base station is selected. If the selected neighboring base station is assigned a high-frequency monitoring mode, a signal strength of the neighboring base station is measured. A low-frequency monitoring mode is assigned to the selected neighboring base station if the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station has been below a power threshold for longer than a time threshold. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for reducing idle mode power consumption by a mobile device, comprising:
entering an idle mode, wherein the mobile device is not communicating and yet continues monitoring wireless signals from one or more other wireless communication devices while in the idle mode;
measuring, when a selected neighboring base station is assigned a high-frequency monitoring mode, a signal strength of the selected neighboring base station, wherein more than a minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when at least one neighboring base station is in the high-frequency monitoring mode;
assigning, by the mobile device while in the idle mode, a low-frequency monitoring mode to the selected neighboring base station upon determining the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station has been below a power threshold for longer than a time threshold;
measuring, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned the low-frequency monitoring mode, the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station when it is time to measure the signal strength, wherein the minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when all neighboring base stations are in the low-frequency monitoring mode; and
assigning the selected neighboring base station to the high-frequency monitoring mode when the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station is above the power threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining an idle mode timer for each neighboring base station.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the assigning the low-frequency monitoring mode comprises comparing the idle mode timer for the selected neighboring base station with the time threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the assigning the high-frequency monitoring mode comprises resetting the idle mode timer for the selected neighboring base station if the selected neighboring base station is above the power threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power threshold and the time threshold are selected to achieve a power reduction in the idle mode and maintain performance indicators during operation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time threshold is static.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning the low-frequency monitoring mode to each of a plurality of neighboring base station if the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station has been below the power threshold for longer than the time threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering the idle mode further comprises:
determining the mobile device is not transmitting; and
entering an awake mode associated with a paging schedule during which the mobile device may monitor, according to the assigned low-frequency monitoring mode or the assigned high-frequency monitoring mode, the signal strength of the neighboring base station, wherein the assigned low-frequency monitoring mode or the assigned high-frequency monitoring mode reduces a duration in which the mobile device is in the awake mode.

10. A wireless communication device for reducing idle mode power consumption, comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor;
instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to enter an idle mode, wherein the wireless communication device is not communicating and yet continues monitoring wireless signals from one or more other wireless communication devices while in the idle mode;
select, while in the idle mode, a neighboring base station;
measure, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned a high-frequency monitoring mode, a signal strength of the neighboring base station, wherein more than a minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when at least one neighboring base stations is in the high-frequency monitoring mode;
assign, by the wireless communication device while in the idle mode, a low-frequency monitoring mode to the selected neighboring base station upon determining the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station has been below a power threshold for longer than a time threshold;
measure, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned the low-frequency monitoring mode, the signal strength of the neighboring base station when it is time to measure the signal strength, wherein the minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when all neighboring base stations are in the low-frequency monitoring mode; and
assign the high-frequency monitoring mode to the selected neighboring base station when the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station is above the power threshold.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , further comprising instructions executable to maintain an idle mode timer for each neighboring base station.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable to assign the low-frequency monitoring mode comprise instructions executable to compare the idle mode timer for the selected neighboring base station with the time threshold.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions executable to assign the high-frequency monitoring mode comprise instructions executable to reset the idle mode timer for the selected neighboring base station if the selected neighboring base station is above the power threshold.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the power threshold and the time threshold are selected to achieve a power reduction in the idle mode and maintain performance indicators during operation.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication device operates in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system.

16. A wireless communication device for reducing idle mode power consumption, comprising:
means for entering an idle mode, wherein the wireless communication device is not communicating and yet continues monitoring wireless signals from one or more other wireless communication devices while in the idle mode;
means for selecting, while in the idle mode, a neighboring base station;
means for measuring, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned a high-frequency monitoring mode, a signal strength of the selected neighboring base station, wherein more than a minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when at least one neighboring base stations is in the high-frequency monitoring mode;
means for assigning, by the wireless communication device while in the idle mode, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned the high-frequency monitoring mode, a low-frequency monitoring mode to the selected neighboring base station upon determining the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station has been below a power threshold for longer than a time threshold;
means for measuring, when the selected neighboring base station is assigned the low-frequency monitoring mode, the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station when it is time to measure the signal strength, wherein the minimum number of power monitors per paging cycle are performed when all neighboring base stations are in the low-frequency monitoring mode; and
means for assigning the high-frequency monitoring mode to the selected neighboring base station when the signal strength of the selected neighboring base station is above the power thre

Assignees

• Mohseni Jafar
• Children Philip J
• Robinson Nigel Phillip
• Tebbit Nicholas J
• Smith Christopher J
• O'Shea Helena Deirdre
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Mohseni Jafar
• Children Philip J
• Robinson Nigel Phillip
• Tebbit Nicholas J
• Smith Christopher J
• O'Shea Helena Deirdre

Classifications

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W24/04

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title

• H04L43/024

  by adaptive sampling · CPC title

• H04L43/0811

  by checking connectivity · CPC title