Power management in a data-capable strapband

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relates generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and computing devices, and more specifically to structures and techniques for managing power generation, power consumption, and other power-related functions in a data-capable strapband, including receiving input from one or more sensors coupled to a wearable computing device, processing the input to determine a pattern, the pattern indicating a threshold clock frequency, and operating a processor coupled to the wearable computing device at a clock frequency above the threshold clock frequency.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving input from one or more sensors coupled to a wearable computing device;   processing the input to determine a pattern, the pattern indicating a threshold clock frequency; and   operating a processor coupled to the wearable computing device at a clock frequency above the threshold clock frequency.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises motion data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises environmental characteristics. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises a mode of operation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises biometric data, and the pattern comprises sleep activity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises a distance between an end portion of the wearable computing device and another end portion of the wearable computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating a sensor load of the one or more sensors, the sensor load indicating another threshold clock frequency; and   operating the processor at a clock frequency above the threshold clock frequency and the another threshold clock frequency.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating a level of power stored in a battery coupled to the wearable computing device;   determining whether the level of power stored is below a threshold level; and   shutting off one of the one or more sensors if the level of power stored is below the threshold level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating a rate of power consumed by one of the one or more sensors;   determining whether the rate of power consumed is above a threshold rate; and   shutting off the one of the one or more sensors if the rate of power consumed is above the threshold rate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern further indicates a priority scheme, and further comprising executing one or more applications comprising executable instructions based on the priority scheme. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern further indicates a subset of the one or more sensors, and further comprising shutting off a sensor not within the subset of the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         12 . A wearable computing device, comprising:
 one or more sensors coupled to the wearable computing device;   an inference engine configured to process input received from the one or more sensors to determine a pattern, the pattern associated with a clock frequency;   a power clock controller configured to operate a processor coupled to the wearable computing device at the clock frequency.   
     
     
         13 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the input comprises biometric data. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , further comprising a power manager configured to determine whether a level of power stored in a battery coupled to the wearable computing device is below a threshold level and to reduce power to one of the one or more sensors if the level of power stored is below the threshold level. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , further comprising a power manager configured to determine whether a rate of power consumed by one of the one or more sensors is above a threshold rate and to reduce power to the one of the one or more sensors if the rate of power consumed is above the threshold rate. 
     
     
         17 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the pattern is further associated with a priority scheme, and further comprising a power manager configured to execute one or more applications comprising executable instructions based on the priority scheme. 
     
     
         18 . The wearable computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the pattern is further associated with a subset of the one or more sensors, and further comprising a power manager configured to reduce power to a sensor not within the subset of the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising instructions for:
 receiving input from one or more sensors coupled to a wearable computing device;   processing the input to determine a pattern, the pattern indicating a clock frequency; and   operating a processor coupled to the wearable computing device at the clock frequency.