The present invention relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a wireless modem device, a wireless modem system, a wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method, and a terminal.
A Wireless Wide Area Network (Wireless Wide Area Network, WWAN) MOdulator and DEModulator (MOdulator and DEModulator, MODEM) device of a Universal Serial Bus (Universal Serial Bus, USB) port is powered by a USB port of a Personal Computer (Personal Computer, PC). When the PC enters a Standby or Sleep state, some USB ports of the PC stay powered. During implementation of the present invention, the inventor finds that the prior art has at least the following disadvantages: 1) The wireless MODEM of the USB port cannot be turned off, which still consumes power when the PC is in a Standby or Sleep state; 2) after the USB WWAN Modem is turned off, if the PC resumes from the Sleep state, the USB WWAN Modem cannot be started automatically and can only be started through unplugging and plugging.
In one situation, when the PC enters the Standby or Sleep state and the USB port of the PC still stays powered, the wireless MODEM communicating through the USB cannot be turned off. In this case, the PC cannot really enter the Standby or Sleep state, and the wireless modem still consumes the electrical energy of the PC. Therefore, the Standby or Sleep function of the PC is affected, and the use life of the PC is reduced.
In another situation, when the PC enters the Standby or Sleep state and the USB port of the PC still stays powered, the wireless modem communicating through the USB is turned off. At this time, when the PC resumes from the Standby or Sleep state, since the USB port that stays powered does not go through a process of being powered off and then powered on, the wireless MODEM communicating through the USB cannot obtain a startup signal of the PC, so the wireless MODEM cannot be turned on again. A user has to unplug the wireless MODEM connected to the PC first and then plug the wireless modem again to turn on the wireless MODEM. Especially, for the wireless MODEM communicating through the USB of a built-in Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-e) mini card interface, the user cannot unplug and plug the wireless modem again, so the PC has to be restarted.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a wireless modem device, a wireless modem system, a wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method, and a terminal, so the wireless modem device has sleep and self-starting functions, thereby increasing the operability of the wireless modem device.
In one aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless modem device, where the wireless modem device includes:
a USB port, connected to a terminal through a serial bus to obtain an action signal from the terminal; and
a sleep/wake-up circuit unit, connected to the USB port and configured to send a notification signal to a central processing unit (CPU) of the wireless modem device according to the received action signal to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a terminal, where the terminal includes:
a USB port, connected to a wireless modem device through a serial bus to provide an action signal to the wireless modem device; and
a modem drive unit, connected to the USB port and an operating system of the terminal, and configured to receive a sleep signal, a standby signal or a resume signal of the terminal sent by the operating system and convert the received signal into an action signal for driving the wireless modem device to output the action signal to the wireless modem device through the USB port, where the action signal is a standby/sleep signal or a wake-up signal of the terminal or a suspend signal or a resume signal of a USB.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless modem system, where the wireless modem system includes a terminal and a wireless modem device, where the terminal is configured to convert a sleep signal, a standby signal or a resume signal of the terminal into an action signal for driving the wireless modem device and send the action signal to the wireless modem device; and
the wireless modem device is configured to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up according to the received action signal,
where the action signal is a standby/sleep signal or a wake-up signal of the terminal or a suspend signal or a resume signal of a USB.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method, where the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method includes:
receiving an action signal obtained from a terminal through a serial bus; and
sending a notification signal to a central processing unit (CPU) of a wireless modem device according to the received action signal to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method, where the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method includes:
converting a sleep signal, a standby signal or a resume signal into an action signal for driving a wireless modem device; and
outputting the action signal to the wireless modem device through a serial bus to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up.
It can be known from the preceding technical solutions that, through the wireless modem device, the wireless modem system, the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method, and the terminal of the embodiments of the present invention, the action signal generated by the terminal is sent through the USB port, and after the action signal is received by the USB port of the wireless modem device, the action signal controls the CPU in the wireless modem device to either sleep or wake up, so that the power consumption of the wireless modem device is decreased when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, and the wireless modem device is capable of self-starting when the terminal resumes the use of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention are described in the following clearly with reference to the accompanying drawings. Apparently, the embodiments in the following descriptions are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. Persons of ordinary skill in the art can derive other embodiments based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts, which all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
The action signal may be a standby/sleep signal or a wake-up signal of the terminal or a suspend signal or a resume signal of a USB, where the suspend signal and the resume signal are respectively obtained by converting the standby/sleep signal or the wake-up signal. That is to say, the action signal received by the USB port 11 of the wireless modem device may be the standby/sleep signal or the wake-up signal of the terminal directly sent by the terminal, the suspend signal of the USB suitable for the USB port 11 converted from the standby/sleep signal in the terminal, or the resume signal of the USB suitable for the USB port 11 converted from the wake-up signal. The action signal may be any format that can be recognized by the wireless modem device.
The wireless modem device according the embodiment of the present invention may also include some basic function modules for implementing a modem so that the terminal may access the internet, where data signals received by the USB port 11 are not limited to the action signal. Only addition and improvement of circuit modules corresponding to newly added or changed functions in the wireless modem device are described herein. The terminal mentioned in the embodiment of the present invention may be peripheral equipment similar to a computer and capable of wireless network connection by adopting the wireless modem device. In the following embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral equipment is represented by the terminal.
Through the wireless modem device provided in this embodiment, the action signal is received through the USB port, the sleep/wake-up circuit unit controls the CPU in the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up, so that the power consumption of the wireless modem device is decreased when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, and the wireless modem device is capable of self-starting when the use of the wireless modem device is resumed, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
The wireless modem device may also include a power supply circuit 14, which is connected to the USB port 11 and configured to output a power supply signal to supply power to the sleep/wake-up circuit unit 12 and the CPU 13.
Through the wireless modem device provided in this embodiment, the sleep signal or the suspend signal or the wake-up signal or the resume signal is received through the USB port, the sleep circuit module processes the sleep signal or the suspend signal to control the CPU in the wireless modem device to sleep or suspend, and the wake-up circuit module processes the wake-up signal or the resume signal to control the CPU in the wireless modem device to wake up or resume, so that the power consumption of the wireless modem device is decreased when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, and the wireless modem device is capable of self-starting when the use of the wireless modem device is resumed, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
This embodiment only describes that the terminal is connected to the wireless modem device according to the embodiment of the present invention through a serial bus and controls relevant function modules of the wireless modem device. By adding one modem drive unit in the terminal, it can be implemented that when the terminal is in a sleep state or a standby state, the wireless modem device connected to the terminal also enters the sleep or suspend state, and when the terminal resumes work, the wireless modem device connected to the terminal also resumes from the sleep or suspend state to be started, so that the power consumption of the wireless modem device is decreased when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, and the wireless modem device is capable of self-starting when the use of the wireless modem device is resumed, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
If the USB port of the wireless modem device (that is, the USB port 11 as shown in
It can be known from the detailed description of the modem drive unit in the terminal according to this terminal that, the terminal may send an action signal of standby, sleep, or resume to the wireless modem device, so that when the terminal is in a sleep state or a standby state, the wireless modem device connected to the terminal also enters the sleep or suspend state, and when the terminal resumes work, the wireless modem device connected to the terminal also resumes from the sleep or suspend state to be started, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
The wireless modem device 51 may include: a first USB port 511, connected to a second USB port 521 in the terminal 52 through a serial bus to obtain a power supply signal and the action signal from the terminal 52; and a sleep/wake-up circuit unit 512, connected to the first USB port 511 and configured to receive the action signal and send a notification signal to a CPU 513 of the wireless modem device 51 to enable the wireless modem device 51 to sleep or wake up.
The terminal 52 may include: the second USB port 521, connected to the first USB port 511 in the wireless modem device 51 through the serial bus to provide the power supply signal and the action signal; and a modem drive unit 522, connected to the second USB port 521 and an operating system 523 of the terminal 52 and configured to receive the sleep signal, the standby signal or the resume signal of the terminal 52 sent by the operating system 523 of the terminal 52 and convert the signal into the action signal for driving the wireless modem device 51.
The detailed compositions and functions of modules of the wireless modem device and the terminal in the wireless modem system provided in this embodiment are as described in the foregoing embodiment. Through this embodiment, the second USB port of the terminal sends the standby/sleep signal or the wake-up signal or the suspend signal or the resume signal generated by the terminal, and after the signal is received by the first USB port of the wireless modem device, the sleep/wake-up circuit unit controls the CPU in the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up, so that the power consumption of the wireless modem device is decreased when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, and the wireless modem device is capable of self-starting when the use of the wireless modem device is resumed, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 601, an action signal obtained from a terminal is received through a serial bus.
In step 602, a notification signal is sent to a CPU of a wireless modem device according to the received action signal to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up.
The action signal may be a standby/sleep signal or a wake-up signal of the terminal or a suspend signal or a resume signal of a USB, where the suspend signal and the resume signal are respectively obtained by converting the standby/sleep signal and the wake-up signal. That is to say, the action signal received by a USB port of the wireless modem device may be the standby/sleep signal or the wake-up signal of the terminal directly sent by the terminal, the suspend signal of the USB suitable for the USB port converted from the standby/sleep signal in the terminal, or the resume signal of the USB suitable for the USB port converted from the wake-up signal. The action signal may be any format that can be recognized by the wireless modem device.
Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that, when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, the wireless modem device is enabled to sleep to decrease the power consumption of the wireless modem device, and when the wireless modem device needs to be used again, the wireless modem device is enabled to wake up from a sleep state to implement self-starting of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 701, a standby/sleep signal of a terminal or a suspend signal of a USB is received through a serial bus.
In step 702, the standby/sleep signal of the terminal is converted into a first notification signal, and the first notification signal is sent to a CPU of a wireless modem device to instruct the wireless modem device to enter a sleep state; or the suspend signal of the USB is converted into a first notification signal, and the first notification signal is sent to the CPU of the wireless modem device to instruct the wireless modem device to enter a suspend state.
Step 703 may also be included before step 701. In step 703, the terminal converts a sleep signal or a standby signal into the standby/sleep signal of the terminal or the suspend signal of the USB for driving the wireless modem device and sends the converted signal.
The specific work process of this embodiment is described with reference to the schematic structural view of the wireless modem device in
Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that, when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, the wireless modem device is enabled to sleep to decrease the power consumption of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 801, a wake-up signal of a terminal or a resume signal of a USB is received through a serial bus.
In step 802, the wake-up signal of the terminal or the resume signal of the USB is converted into a second notification signal, and the second notification signal is sent to a CPU of a wireless modem device to wake up or resume the wireless modem device.
Step 803 may also be included before step 801. In step 803, the terminal converts a resume signal into the wake-up signal of the terminal or the resume signal of the USB for driving the wireless modem device and sends the converted signal.
The specific work process of this embodiment is described with reference to the schematic structural view of the wireless modem device in
Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that, when the wireless modem device needs to be used again, the wireless modem device is enabled to wake up from the sleep state to implement self-starting of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 901, a sleep signal, a standby signal or a resume signal is converted into an action signal for driving a wireless modem device.
In step 902, the action signal is output to the wireless modem device through a serial bus to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up.
The terminal converts the sleep signal, standby signal or resume signal of the terminal itself into the action signal for driving the wireless modem device. The action signal may be a standby/sleep signal or a wake-up signal of the terminal or a suspend signal or a resume signal of a USB, where the suspend signal and the resume signal are respectively obtained by converting the standby/sleep signal and the wake-up signal. The terminal outputs the action signal to the wireless modem device, and the wireless modem device converts the action signal into a notification signal to enable the wireless modem device to sleep or wake up through a CPU of the wireless modem device.
Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, the wireless modem device is enabled to sleep to decrease the power consumption of the wireless modem device, and when the wireless modem device needs to be used again, the wireless modem device is enabled to wake up from a sleep state to implement self-starting of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 1001, a terminal converts a sleep signal or a standby signal into a standby/sleep signal of the terminal or a suspend signal of a USB for driving the wireless modem device.
In step 1002, the standby/sleep signal of the terminal or the suspend signal of the USB is output to the wireless modem device through a serial bus, so that the wireless modem device enters a sleep state or a suspend state.
For detailed description of the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method in combination with the structure of the wireless modem device and the terminal, reference may be made to the foregoing embodiment, and the details will be not described herein again. Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that when the wireless modem device does not need to be used, the wireless modem device is enabled to sleep to decrease the power consumption of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
In step 1101, a terminal converts a resume signal into a wake-up signal of the terminal or a resume signal of a USB for driving the wireless modem device.
In step 1102, the wake-up signal of the terminal or the resume signal of the USB is output to the wireless modem device through a serial bus to wake up or resume the wireless modem device.
For detailed description of the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method in combination with the structure of the wireless modem device and the terminal, reference may be made to the foregoing embodiment, and the details will be not described herein again. Through the wireless modem device sleep/wake-up method provided in this embodiment, it can be implemented that, when the wireless modem device needs to be used again, the wireless modem device is enabled to wake up from the sleep state to implement self-starting of the wireless modem device, thereby increasing the usability of the wireless modem device.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art should understand that all or a part of the processes of the method according to the embodiments may be implemented by a computer program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. When the program is run, the processes of the methods according to the embodiments are performed. The storage medium may be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like.
Finally, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are merely provided for describing the technical solutions of the present invention, but not intended to limit the present invention. It should be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, modifications may be made to the technical solutions described in the embodiments, or equivalent replacements may be made to some technical features in the technical solutions, as long as such modifications or replacements do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200910006519.X | Feb 2009 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2009/075036, filed on Nov. 19, 2009, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 200910006519. X, filed on Feb. 4, 2009, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/CN2009/075036 | Nov 2009 | US |
Child | 13198545 | US |