Portable Communication Device with Multi-Tiered Power Save Operation

Abstract

A system for operating a portable communication device includes a module to operate the portable communication device in a first mode. The system may provide telephony service to a user at a first performance level. The system may determine to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode. The system may operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode and provide telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a portable communication device, comprising:
 operating the portable communication device in a first mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;   determining to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode; and   operating the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes full telephony functionality. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes placing no electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state, and the power-save mode includes placing at least a portion of electrical components of the portable communication device in a sleep state. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode based on a determined operating profile specified by a user comprising respective events or conditions associated with the power-save mode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on monitored usage of the portable communication device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on a determined amount of electrical power available to the portable communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on day or time-of-day information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on a comparison between current performance level of the portable communication device and current performance needs. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining operating characteristics of the power-save mode based on a monitored performance level of the portable communication device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on type-of-day information. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on determined current communication effectiveness. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprises determining based on current signal noise level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the telephony service comprises cellular telephony service. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing telephony service to the user at the second performance level comprises providing a user-perceived communication quality different from the first performance level. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the user-perceived communication quality comprises sound quality. 
     
     
         16 . A system for operating a portable communication device, comprising:
 a module to operate the portable communication device in a first mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a first performance level;   the module to determine whether to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode that is different from the first mode; and   if the module determines to operate the portable communication device in the second mode, then operate the portable communication device in the second mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at a second performance level different from the first performance level.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the module comprises a power-save management module. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the module determine operating characteristics of the power-save mode based on monitored performance level of the portable communication device. 
     
     
         19 . A system for operating a portable communication device, comprising:
 a module to operate the portable communication device in a power-save mode, the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to a user at a determined performance level different than a normal performance level; and   the module to operate the portable communication device in the power-save mode comprising providing telephony service to the user at the determined performance level.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the normal performance level operates at a first voltage level and the determined performance level operates at a second voltage level different from the first voltage level.