Method and apparatus for managing power of WLAN module in portable terminal

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for managing power of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) module in a portable terminal are provided. In the method, the WLAN module is operated according to a Power Save Mechanism (PSM). Whether the portable terminal operates in a sleep state is determined. At least one of a beacon interval and a Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) interval of the PSM is changed depending on whether the portable terminal operates in the sleep state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing power of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) module in a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 operating the WLAN module according to a Power Save Mechanism (PSM); 
 determining, by the WLAN module, whether a host processor of the portable terminal operates in enters a sleep state mode while the WLAN module is operated according to the PSM; and 
 changingin response to determining that the host processor of the portable terminal enters the sleep mode, changing, by the WLAN module, a duration of at least one of a beacon interval and a Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) interval of the PSM depending on whether the portable terminal operates in the sleep state of the WLAN module from a first duration to a second duration. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing of the duration of the at least one of the beacon interval and the DTIM interval of the WLAN module comprises:
 whilein response to the host processor of the portable terminal operates ininforming the WLAN module of entry into the sleep statemode, increasing the duration of the at least one of the beacon interval and the DTIM interval to the second duration; and 
 whenin response to the sleep statemode of the host processor of the portable terminal endsending, restoringdecreasing the duration of the at least one of the beacon interval and the DTIM interval that was increased to the first duration, 
 
 wherein the WLAN module operates in an awake state during a section of the DTIM interval and in a sleep state during another section of the DTIM interval, and 
 wherein the section is repeated based on the DTIM interval. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the host processor of the portable terminal operates in enters the sleep state mode comprises:
 determining whether a predefined time elapses without a user's input while the WLAN module operates according to the PSM; and  
 when a the predefined time elapses without the user's input does not occur within a predefined time occurring, determining that the host processor of the portable terminal operates in has entered the sleep state mode. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein further comprising, when it has been determined that the host processor of the portable terminal operates is in the sleep state mode and at least one of the user's input occurs or a packet is received, determining that signaling the portable host processor of the terminal no longer operates in to wake up from the sleep state when the user's input occurs or a packet is received mode. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of whether the host processor of the portable terminal operates in enters the sleep state mode comprises:
 when a user's input occurs within before a predefined time elapses while the WLAN module operates according to the PSM, determining that the host processor of the portable terminal does not operate in enter the sleep state mode. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PSM comprises a technique in which the WLAN module repeatedly switches between an awake state where in which the WLAN module operates with power of a predefined level or more to transmit/receive perform transmission or reception of a packet, and a sleep state where in which the WLAN module operates with power of less than the predefined level and so does not perform packet transmission/reception is not performed transmission or reception. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus A portable terminal for managing power of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) module in a the portable terminal, the apparatus portable terminal comprising:
 a host processor for detecting whether of the portable terminal operates in a sleep state; and 
 the WLAN module that operates which is powered by the host processor and configured to:
 operate according to a Power Save Mechanism (PSM), 
 detect whether the host processor of the portable terminal enters a sleep mode while the WLAN module is operated according to the PSM, and 
 
 that changesin response to detecting that the host processor of the portable terminal has entered the sleep mode, change a duration of at least one of a beacon interval and a Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) interval of the PSM depending on whether the portable terminal operates in the sleep state of the WLAN module from a first duration to a second duration. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus portable terminal of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the WLAN module increases is further configured to increase the duration of the at least one of the beacon interval and the DTIM interval while to the second duration in response to the host processor of the portable terminal operates in informing the WLAN module of entry into the sleep state mode, and restores to decrease the duration of the at least one of the beacon interval and the DTIM interval that was increased when the sleep state of the portable terminal ends to the first duration in response to the sleep mode of the host processor of the portable terminal ending, 
 wherein the WLAN module operates in an awake state during a section of the DTIM interval and in a sleep state during another section of the DTIM interval, and 
 wherein the section is repeated based on the DTIM interval. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus  portable terminal of claim  8  7, wherein after the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to:
 determine whether a predefined time elapses without a user's input occurring while the WLAN module operates according to the PSM, and 
 has determineddetermine that the host processor of the portable terminal operates inenters the sleep state, the host processor determines the portable terminal no longer operates in the sleep state when a signal informing that the user's input occurs or a packet is received from the outside is receivedmode when the predefined time elapses without the user's input occurring. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus portable terminal of claim  7  8, wherein after the host processor determines of the portable terminal operates in enters the sleep state when a user's input does not occur within a predefined time  mode, the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to wakeup from the sleep mode in response to a signal informing that a user's input occurs or a packet is received. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus portable terminal of  claim 7 , wherein the host processor determines the portable terminal does of the portable terminal is further configured to determine to not operate in enter the sleep state mode when a user's input occurs within before a predefined time elapses. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus portable terminal of  claim 7 , wherein the PSM comprises a technique in which the WLAN module repeatedly switches between an awake state where in which the WLAN module operates with power of a predefined level or more to transmit/receive perform transmission or reception of a packet, and a sleep state where in which the WLAN module operates with power of less than the predefined level and so does not perform packet transmission/reception is not performed transmission or reception. 
     
     
       13. A method for operating a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 operating a wireless local area network (WLAN) module according to a power save mechanism (PSM);   determining, while the WLAN module operates according to the PSM, whether a predefined time elapses without a user's input occurring; and   in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring, controlling the WLAN module to change a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) interval of the PSM of the WLAN module from a first interval to a second interval.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
 in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring, controlling a host processor of the portable terminal to enter a sleep mode from an active mode; and   informing the WLAN module of entry into the sleep mode of the host processor of the portable terminal,   wherein the WLAN module operates in an awake state during a section of the DTIM interval and in a sleep state during another section of the DTIM interval, and   wherein the section is repeated based on the DTIM interval.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second interval is larger than the first interval. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 13, further comprising, after controlling the WLAN module to change the DTIM interval of the PSM to the second interval, determining whether the predefined time elapses without the user's input occurring. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, in response to the user's input occurring before the predefined time elapses, controlling the WLAN module based on the DTIM interval set to the first interval. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 14, further comprising, after controlling the WLAN module to change the DTIM interval of the PSM, in response to receiving a packet, configuring the WLAN module to restore the DTIM interval of the PSM to the first interval. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, in response to receiving the packet, waking up the host processor of the portable terminal into the active mode from the sleep mode. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
 in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring, controlling the WLAN module to change a beacon interval of the PSM from a third interval to a fourth interval.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 13, wherein the PSM comprises an awake state during which the WLAN module operates with power of a predetermined level, and a sleep state during which the WLAN module operates with power of less than the predetermined level. 
     
     
       22. A portable terminal, comprising:
 a wireless local area network (WLAN) module; and   a host processor of the portable terminal configured to:
 control the WLAN module according to a power save mechanism (PSM), 
 determine, while the WLAN module operates according to the PSM, whether a predefined time elapses without a user's input occurring, and 
 in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring, control the WLAN module to change a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) interval of the PSM of the WLAN module from a first interval to a second interval. 
   
     
     
       23. The portable terminal of claim 22,
 wherein, in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring, the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to enter a sleep mode from an active mode, and inform the WLAN module of entry into the sleep mode of the host processor of the portable terminal,   wherein the WLAN module operates in an awake state during a section of the DTIM interval and in a sleep state during another section of the DTIM interval, and   wherein the section is repeated based on the DTIM interval.   
     
     
       24. The portable terminal of claim 22, wherein the second interval is larger than the first interval. 
     
     
       25. The portable terminal of claim 22, wherein the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to determine whether the user's input occurs before the predefined time elapses, after controlling the WLAN module to set the DTIM interval of the PSM as the first interval. 
     
     
       26. The portable terminal of claim 25, wherein the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to control the WLAN module based on the DTIM interval set to the first interval, in response to the user's input occurring before the predefined time elapses. 
     
     
       27. The portable terminal of claim 23, wherein, after controlling the WLAN module to change the DTIM interval of the PSM, the WLAN module is further configured to restore the DTIM interval of the PSM to the first interval in response to receiving a packet. 
     
     
       28. The portable terminal of claim 27, wherein the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to enter the active mode from the sleep mode in response to receiving the packet. 
     
     
       29. The portable terminal of claim 22,
 wherein the host processor of the portable terminal is further configured to control the WLAN module to change a beacon interval of the PSM from a third interval to a fourth interval in response to the predefined time elapsing without the user's input occurring.   
     
     
       30. The portable terminal of claim 22, wherein the PSM comprises an awake state where the WLAN module operates with power of a predetermined level, and a sleep state where the WLAN module operates with power of less than the predetermined level.