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Apple patents phone mode that pauses data to harvest energy

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Apple describes a method where a device receives instructions from a network to temporarily pause its wireless connection. During this pause, the device lowers its power usage and activates an energy harvesting module to collect power, then resumes normal communication once the time is up.

Why it mattersThis could help devices run longer by intelligently switching off data connections to capture ambient energy, a useful feature for low-power or always-on gadgets.

In the filing’s own words

A user equipment (UE) configured to decode, based on signals received from a network, a first configuration for wireless communications with the network, wherein the wireless communications and associated processes are performed by a wireless communications module of the UE and powered by energy generated by an energy harvesting module of the UE, decode, based on signals received from the network, a second configuration for a scheduling restriction for energy harvesting comprising a duration during which some or all of the wireless communications with the network are suspended, during the duration of the scheduling restriction, reduce a power state for the wireless communications module and initiate energy harvesting operations by the energy harvesting module and after the duration of the scheduling restriction, restore the power state for the wireless communications module and stop the energy harvesting operations by the energy harvesting module.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An apparatus of a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to: decode, based on signals signaling received from a network, a first configuration for wireless communications with the network, wherein the wireless communications and associated processes are performed by a wireless communications module of the UE and powered by energy generated by an energy harvesting module of the UE; decode, based on signals signaling received from the network, a second configuration for a scheduling restriction for energy harvesting operations comprising a duration during which some or all of the wireless communications with the network are suspended; during the duration of the scheduling restriction, reduce a power state for the wireless communications module and initiate energy harvesting operations by the energy harvesting module; and after the duration of the scheduling restriction, restore the power state for the wireless communications module and stop the energy harvesting operations by the energy harvesting module.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Dynamic Operation of Wireless Communication with Energy Harvest
Publication number
US20260323525A1
Application number
19113674
Filed
Sep 14, 2023
Published
Oct 15, 2026
Inventors
8
Claims
20

Classified under

H04W 52/0296 Electricity & electronicsH04L 5/0094 Electricity & electronicsH04L 5/0096 Electricity & electronicsH04W 4/80 Electricity & electronicsH04W 52/0216 Electricity & electronicsH04W 72/1263 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.