Reducing wireless communication to conserve energy and increase security

• US 10,165,522 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Velu, Kamesh Raj
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan H
• Application Number:
  US15/701,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20180014258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 455 69, 455522, 455 411, 455 412, 455 131, 455410, 455435, 455127, 455 6711, 455452, 455 901, 4555501, 4555521, 4555531, 4554521, 455513, 455 301, 4555621, 455 111, 4554221, 455574, 370201, 370338, 370252, 370328, 370389, 370352, 725 40, 725 37
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level

Abstract

An electronic device includes communication circuitry configured to communicably couple the electronic device to one or more other electronic devices in a wireless network associated with a structure. A processor of the electronic device is operatively coupled to a memory. The processor is configured to determine a status associated with one or more occupants of the structure. The processor is configured to control wireless transmission power output of the electronic device or the one or more other electronic devices based on the status associated with one or more occupants of the structure.

Claims

1. A wireless access point, comprising:

communication circuitry configured to provide a wireless network by wirelessly communicating with electronic devices present in a home; and

a processor operatively coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the processor is configured to;

wirelessly communicate with a first electronic device using the communication circuitry;

determine a communication error rate with the first electronic device;

determine a second electronic device does not need access to wireless network; and

control a wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point, such that;

the communication error rate is maintained below a maximum allowable error rate for the first electronic device; and

a second communication error rate is above the maximum allowable error rate for the second electronic device in response to determining that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network.

2. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the processor controls the wireless transmission power output based on a home occupancy status of the home and the processor being configured to determine that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network is at least partially based on the home being unoccupied.

3. The wireless access point of claim 2, wherein the processor being configured to determine that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network is at least partially based on determining a type of device of the second electronic device using a MAC address of the second electronic device.

4. The wireless access point of claim 2, wherein the processor being configured to control the wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point such that the communication error rate is maintained below the maximum allowable error rate for the first electronic device is based on determining that the home is unoccupied and that the first electronic device requires connectivity with the wireless network while the home is unoccupied.

5. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the processor being configured to control the wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point comprises iteratively reducing the wireless transmission power output until the communication error rate for the first electronic device approaches the maximum allowable error rate.

6. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a signal from a cloud service to cause the wireless access point to control the wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point.

7. A wireless network system, comprising:

a first electronic device;

a second electronic device; and

a wireless access point, comprising;

communication circuitry configured to provide a wireless network by wirelessly communicating with electronic devices present in a home; and

one or more processors operatively coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

wirelessly communicate with the first electronic device;

determine a communication error rate with the first electronic device;

determine the second electronic device does not need access to wireless network; and

control a wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point, such that;

the communication error rate is maintained below a maximum allowable error rate for the first electronic device; and

a second communication error rate is above the maximum allowable error rate for the second electronic device in response to determining that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network.

8. The wireless network system of claim 7, wherein the first electronic device is located within the home and the second electronic device is located outside of the home.

9. The wireless network system of claim 7, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are smart home devices.

10. The wireless network system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the wireless transmission power output based on a home occupancy status of the home and the one or more processors being configured to determine that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network is at least partially based on the home being unoccupied.

11. The wireless network system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors being configured to determine that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network is at least partially based on the one or more processors being configured to determine a type of device of the second electronic device using a MAC address of the second electronic device.

12. The wireless network system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors being configured to control the wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point such that the communication error rate is maintained below the maximum allowable error rate for the first electronic device is based on the one or more processors being configured to determine that the home is unoccupied and that the first electronic device requires connectivity with the wireless network while the home is unoccupied.

13. A method for controlling wireless network access using a wireless access point, the method comprising:

communicating, by the wireless access point, with a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, wherein;

communication between the first electronic device and the wireless access point allows the first electronic device to be part of a wireless network; and

the first electronic device and the wireless access point are present at a home;

determining, by the wireless access point, a communication error rate with the first electronic device;

determining, by the wireless access point, a second electronic device does not need access to wireless network; and

controlling, by the wireless access point, a wireless transmission power output of the wireless access point, such that;

the communication error rate is maintained below a maximum allowable error rate for communication with the first electronic device; and

a second communication error rate is above the maximum allowable error rate for the second electronic device in response to determining that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network.

14. The method for controlling wireless network access using the wireless access point of claim 13, wherein controlling the wireless transmission power output is based on a home occupancy status of the home and determining that the second electronic device does not need access to the wireless network is at least partially based on the home being unoccupied.