Prevent USB device from power drainage

Question

The battery life on my Acer Aspire E15 E5-575 has gotten seriously bad lately. Using powertop, I've noticed that there seems to be some sort of USB device drawing quite a bit of power.

  Power est.    Usage     Device name
  9.14 W    100.0%        USB device: usb-device-04ca-3015
              0.0 pkts/s  Network interface: eth0 (r8169)
  534 mW     12.5%        DRAM
  304 mW     12.5%        CPU core
 15.0 mW     12.5%        CPU misc
              6.2 pkts/s  Network interface: wlp3s0 (ath10k_pci)
    0 mW    100.0%        USB device: xHCI Host Controller
    0 mW     15.1%        Display backlight
    0 mW      0.0%        USB device: xHCI Host Controller
    0 mW      0.0 ops/s   GPU core
    0 mW      0.0%        Radio device: acer-wmi
    0 mW      0.0%        USB device: HD WebCam (KS0HD0500471803443LM06)
    0 mW      0.0%        Audio codec hwC0D0: Realtek
    0 mW      0.0%        Radio device: btusb
    0 mW      0.0 ops/s   GPU misc

Further research led me to run lsusb -v which shows the following output for usb-device-04ca-3015 :

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 04ca:3015 Lite-On Technology Corp. 
Couldn't open device, some information will be missing
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.01
  bDeviceClass          224 Wireless
  bDeviceSubClass         1 Radio Frequency
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Bluetooth
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x04ca Lite-On Technology Corp.
  idProduct          0x3015 
  bcdDevice            0.01
  iManufacturer           0 
  iProduct                0 
  iSerial                 0 
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength          177
    bNumInterfaces          2
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xe0
      Self Powered
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              100mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           3
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0010  1x 16 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x82  EP 2 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x02  EP 2 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0000  1x 0 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0000  1x 0 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       1
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0009  1x 9 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0009  1x 9 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       2
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0011  1x 17 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0011  1x 17 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       3
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0019  1x 25 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0019  1x 25 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       4
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0021  1x 33 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0021  1x 33 bytes
        bInterval               1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       5
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass       224 Wireless
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Radio Frequency
      bInterfaceProtocol      1 Bluetooth
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0031  1x 49 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x03  EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes            1
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0031  1x 49 bytes
        bInterval               1

I've been searching and messing around with powertop, tlp, and general power settings for a few days now and just can't seem to get rid of this ridiculous power drainage from a usb device. All of the tunables are set to 'Good'. I have also enabled USB autosuspend mode for the Bluetooth device using TLP's configuration.

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 23 '17 at 07:42

powertop is not the most accurate tool. The total power estimation is based on how much the battery drained, and does give a good insight on the total power usage of the system. The distribution of power between components is not always accurate though.

From my experience, there is usually some device that most of the power usage is assigned to, but it is not necessarily the root of the problem.

Regardless, you can try going to the tunable tab in powertop and toggling the "Bad" processes.

Which tool should I use, to get accurate power distribution? In my opinion, power loss is certain because I lose around 25% power in one hour while in sleep mode. — Akash, Oct 23 '17 at 08:13

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 23 '17 at 08:35

Looks like the device is a wireless radio, probably bluetooth, from all these types of lines:

bDeviceClass          224 Wireless
bDeviceSubClass         1 Radio Frequency
bDeviceProtocol         1 Bluetooth

Do you need bluetooth on? Try turning it off or disabling it - should be in a menu or right-click from a panel / system tray icon, usually is in XFCE but I don't know what your desktop is or how all the others are set up, could be in settings or a bluetooth or network somewhere in a programs menu too.

Or a terminal command if you prefer, this Q ( How do you disable Bluetooth from terminal in Ubuntu ) has some from 2015, but they might not work anymore since systemd seems to be more prolific... Anyway, upvote Maythux's answer if any are vaguely helpful:

sudo service bluetooth stop 
# or start or restart or status

rfkill block bluetooth
# or unblock

Or chcsramm's answer if this is useful too:

sudo hciconfig hci0 down

If you can unplug / turn off / disable any other radios (WiFi) or any devices that should help with the battery too, and lower brightness, spindown / sleep any mechanical hard drives (could run from ram), or lower cpu frequency, those should help the battery too.

I have disabled the Bluetooth. Still no luck. Battery keeps draining in sleep mode. — Akash, Oct 26 '17 at 06:47
"Sleep mode" wasn't mentioned before, the battery will always die using it, since it doesn't really turn off the computer. So do a real shutdown, or at least a hibernate if you can't spare the seconds for a full reboot. — Xen2050, Oct 26 '17 at 19:40

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 24 '17 at 10:02

0

In Ubuntu 16.04 we can use a UDEV rule to make the bluetooth device disappear from rfkill

sudo apt-get install gksu
gksu gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/81-bluetooth-hci.rules

Then paste this as one line into the editor

SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="04ca", ATTRS{idProduct}=="3015", ATTR{authorized}="0"

See if it still uses power after rebooting

answered Oct 24 '17 at 10:02

Jeremy31

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It still drains power. Can't figure out what is causing it. – Akash Oct 25 '17 at 03:29
Not sure of how to fix other than replace the wifi card with another one without bluetooth – Jeremy31 Oct 25 '17 at 10:30
While I was tweaking around with TLP, I used tlp-stat --usb and got this Bus 002 Device 001 ID 1d6b:0003 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms = 0 -- Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub (hub) Bus 001 Device 003 ID 0bda:57f2 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms = 2000 -- Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (uvcvideo) Bus 001 Device 002 ID 04ca:3015 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms = 2000 -- Lite-On Technology Corp. (no driver) Bus 001 Device 001 ID 1d6b:0002 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms = 0 -- Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub (hub) Lite-On Technology Corp. shows no driver. – Akash Oct 26 '17 at 06:37
@Xen2050 Bus 001 Device 002 ID 04ca:3015 control = auto, autosuspend_delay_ms = 2000 -- Lite-On Technology Corp. (no driver) . Is the problem related to driver? – Akash Oct 26 '17 at 06:44

Prevent USB device from power drainage

3 Answers3