Intel Bluetooth Collaboration Saves Power

It is said on Monday CSR had improved the way its Bluetooth modules interact with Intel's processors to improve the battery life of Intel-based notebooks. ADVERTISEMENT Bluetooth Advanced Power Management can now be designed into Intel mobile processor-based laptops, CSR said. The technology in question is known as "USB Sideband Deferring". According to CSR, an integrated USB-Bluetooth dongle or chip can prevent a microprocessor from entering a deep-sleep state, where the chip saves the most power. The processor constantly has to "wake up" and check whether or not the Bluetooth component is preparing to transfer data. With the APM technology, the notebook processor can remain in the lowest-power (C3) state. "Laptop PCs are increasingly becoming an integral part of contemporary mobile lifestyle," said Kamal Shah, manager of mobility enabling initiatives for Intel's Mobile Platforms Group, in a statement. "Bluetooth technology further advances the paradigm of unwired computing. CSR's implementation of Intel's USB sideband deferring technology makes this possible while saving system power." CSR has developed new Bluetooth firmware and complementary Windows software to facilitate the technology. The result? More battery life for notebook users. The exact savings is about a watt, or roughly 30 minutes in battery life, depending on how the notebook is configured. Bluetooth Advanced Power Management is available now using firmware for CSR's flash-based BlueCore4-External component, CSR said. ROM-based silicon will be sampling to lead customers in September 2008.