Synchronized network for battery backup

• US 10,057,859 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: George, Jay Douglas, Filoso, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thier, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Rownak
• Application Number:
  US13/670,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,114 Days
• Field of Search: 370311, 370388, 370328, 370329, 370350, 370252, 370503, 370235, 370236, 370324, 340575, 340 1034, 340652, 340 32, 3406361, 455574, 4553434, 4551275, 455208, 455265, 455502, 709223
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Devices, systems, and techniques for a synchronized network for battery backup are described herein. A network device can establish a synchronized sleep schedule with the network while in a mains-power mode of operation. The network device can transmit data in the mains-power mode without regard for a transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule. The network device can detect an interruption of mains power to itself and transition to a low-power mode of operation. The network device can then transmit data in the low-power mode, restricting data transmission to the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network device in a network, the method comprising:

establishing a synchronized sleep schedule with the network, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule includes alternating periods of a transmission window and periods outside the transmission window;

transmitting data during the transmission window and periods outside the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when in a mains-power mode of operation;

detecting an interruption of mains power to the network device;

in response to detecting the interruption of mains power to the network device, transitioning the network device to a low-power mode of operation; and

transmitting data only during the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when in the low-power mode, wherein the network device is configured to transmit and receive data with every other network device during the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising shutting down a network transmit chain of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule is shared with all participants of the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning the network device to the low-power mode of operation includes notifying another network participant of the transition.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting re-establishment of mains power to the network device;

in response to detecting the re-establishment of mains power to the network device, transitioning the network device to the mains-power mode of operation; and

transmitting data in the mains-power mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transitioning the network device to the mains-power mode of operation includes notifying another network participant of the transition to mains power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the synchronized sleep schedule with the network includes receiving synchronization messages at regular intervals.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising shutting down a network receive chain of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

9. A non-transitory machine readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a component of a machine, cause a network device to perform operations comprising:

establishing a synchronized sleep schedule with a network, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule includes alternating periods of a transmission window and periods outside the transmission window;

transmitting data during the transmission window and periods outside the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when in a mains-power mode of operation;

detecting an interruption of mains power to the network device,

in response to detecting the interruption of mains power to the network device, transitioning the network device to a low-power mode of operation; and

transmitting data only during the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when in the low-power mode, wherein the network device is configured to transmit and receive data with every other network device during the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, including instructions causing the network device to perform operations comprising shutting down a network transmit chain of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule is shared with all participants of the network.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein transitioning the network device to the low-power mode of operation includes notifying another network participant of the transition.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, including instructions causing the network device to perform operations comprising:

detecting re-establishment of mains power to the network device;

in response to detecting the re-establishment of mains power to the network device, transitioning the network device to the mains-power mode of operation; and

transmitting data in the mains-power mode of operation.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein transitioning the network device to the mains-power mode of operation includes notifying another network participant of the transition to mains power.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein establishing the synchronized sleep schedule with the network includes receiving synchronization messages at regular intervals.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, including instructions causing the network device to perform operations comprising shutting down a network receive chain of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

17. A network device in a network, the network device comprising:

a network transmitter to transmit data to the network;

a network receiver to receive data from the network;

wherein the network device is configured to determine whether the network device is operating in at least one of a low-power mode or a mains-powered mode; and

wherein the network device is configured to receive and store synchronization information via the network receiver, the synchronization information including a synchronized sleep schedule for the network, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule includes alternating periods of a transmission window and periods outside the transmission window; and

a controller configured to;

transmit data via the network transmitter during the transmission window and periods outside the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when the network device is operating in the mains-powered mode;

transmit data via the network transmitter only during the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when the network device is operating in the low-powered mode; and

wherein the network transmitter and the network receiver are configured to transmit and receive data with every other network device during the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule when the network device is in the low-powered mode.

18. The network device of claim 17, wherein the network device is configured to determine whether the network device is operating in at least one of the low-power mode or the mains-powered mode by monitoring a source voltage of the network device for transitions over a predetermined source voltage threshold.

19. The network device of claim 17, wherein the network device is configured to determine whether the network device is operating in at least one of the low-power mode or the mains-powered mode by monitoring a sleep request control line of the network device for the presence of a sleep assertion.

20. The network device of claim 17, wherein the network device is configured to determine whether the network device is operating in at least one of the low-power mode or the mains-powered mode by monitoring data received from the network receive chain for at least one of a sleep or wake command.

21. The network device of claim 17, wherein the synchronized sleep schedule is shared with all participants of the network.

22. The network device of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to shut down the network transmitter of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

23. The network device of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to shut down the network receiver of the network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.

24. A system comprising a network including:

a first network device configured to;

maintain, within the first network device, a synchronized sleep schedule for the network without regard to a current power mode of the first network device, the synchronized sleep schedule including alternating periods of a transmission window and periods outside the transmission window;

detect an interruption of mains power to the first network device;

in response to detecting the interruption of mains power to the network device, transition the first network device to a low-power mode; and

while in the low-power mode, transmit data, to the network, only during the transmission window of the synchronized sleep schedule, wherein the first network device is configured for data transmission and reception with every other network device during the transmission window when in the low-power mode; and

a second network device configured to transmit data to the first network device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first network device is configured to notify the network when transitioning into the low-power mode;

and

the second network device is configured to transition into the lower-power mode in response to a message based on the notification from the first network device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein every network device in the network is configured to transition into the low-power mode in response to the message.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the network is a mesh network.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the first network device is a mesh router of the second network device, the second network device is in a mains-power mode, and the second network device is configured to cease using the first network device as the wireless mesh router in response to a determination that the first network device is in a low-power mode.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the network is a synchronized sleep network configured to communicate the synchronized sleep schedule to every network device in the network, the synchronized sleep schedule including a single set of transmission windows for every network device, the transmission window being a member of the set of transmission windows.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the network is configured to transmit higher priority data during a transmission window in the set of transmission windows.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the first network device configured to shut down a network transmitter and a network receiver of the first network device during the periods outside the transmission window when in the low-power mode.