Adaptive power modulation

• US 10,117,191 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Egan, Kenneth W., Dearman, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan H
• Application Number:
  US15/828,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20180092046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength

Abstract

A system may comprise a sensor device. The sensor device may be configured to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a signal received from another device. The sensor device may be configured to determine, based on the RSSI and a sensitivity threshold, a transmission power level. The sensor device may be configured to send a second signal using the determined transmission power level.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first sensor device; and

a second sensor device in communication with the first sensor device, wherein the second sensor device is configured to;

receive, by a receiver of the second sensor device and from a transmitter of the first sensor device, a first signal;

determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the first signal;

determine, based on the RSSI exceeding a sensitivity threshold of the receiver and based on a difference between the RSSI and the sensitivity threshold, a transmission power level; and

send, by a transmitter of the second sensor device, a second signal using the transmission power level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor device is configured to send the second signal to the first sensor device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor device is configured to determine the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the first signal by determining a received signal strength per transmission packet of the first signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor device is further configured to determine the sensitivity threshold of the receiver.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor device is configured to send the second signal using the transmission power level based at least on a battery level of the second sensor device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises an indication of the transmission power level.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the indication comprises a request to reduce, to the transmission power level, a power of the transmitter.

8. A method comprising:

determining a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a signal sent to a first sensor device from a second sensor device;

determining, based on the RSSI exceeding a sensitivity threshold of a receiver of the first sensor device and based on a difference between the RSSI and the sensitivity threshold, a transmission power level for a transmitter of at least one of the first sensor device or the second sensor device; and

causing, based on the transmission power level, a power level of the transmitter of the at least one of the first sensor device or the second sensor device to be modified.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the signal comprises determining a received signal strength per transmission packet of the signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the causing the power level of the transmitter to be modified comprises sending an indication of the transmission power level.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the transmission power level is further based on absorption of the signal.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the causing the power level of the transmitter to be modified comprises reducing a transmission power of the transmitter.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises determining the sensitivity threshold of the receiver.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the transmission power level is further based on a distance between the first sensor device and the second sensor device.

15. A first sensor device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first sensor device to;

determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of a first signal, from a transmitter of a second sensor device, received by a receiver of the first sensor device;

determine a sensitivity threshold of the receiver;

determine, based on the RSSI exceeding the sensitivity threshold of the receiver and based on a difference between the RSSI and the sensitivity threshold, a transmission power level; and

send, by a transmitter of the first sensor device, a second signal using the transmission power level.

16. The first sensor device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the first sensor device to determine the sensitivity threshold of the receiver based at least on gain of an antenna of the first sensor device.

17. The first sensor device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the first sensor device to send the second signal via a wireless communication protocol.

18. The first sensor device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the first sensor device to receive, by the receiver, the first signal.

19. The first sensor device of claim 15, wherein the second signal comprises a command to reduce a power of the transmitter to the transmission power level.

20. The first sensor device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the first sensor device to send the second signal using the transmission power level based at least on a battery level of the first sensor device.