Reducing wireless communication to conserve energy and increase security

• US 10,609,655 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2018
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• 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:
  US16/180,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20190075527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 455 69, 455522, 455418, 455 411, 455 412, 455 6711, 455 62, 370252, 370328, 370329, 370338
• 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

Various arrangements are presented for controlling a mesh network. An electronic device may determine an occupancy state of a structure. In response to determining that the structure is not occupied, the electronic device may determine whether each node of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications, wherein the mesh network comprises a plurality of nodes. Power consumption of at least one node of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network may be adjusted based on determining whether each node of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a mesh network, the method comprising:

determining, by an electronic device, an occupancy state of a structure by detecting occupant activity with the structure;

in response to determining that the structure is not occupied, determining, by the electronic device, whether each node of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications, wherein;

the mesh network comprises a plurality of nodes; and

at least one node of the plurality of nodes functions as an intermediary node that relays data between two nodes of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network; and

reducing, by the electronic device, power consumption of a node of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network based on determining that the node is not in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications.

2. The method for controlling the mesh network of claim 1, wherein determining whether each node of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications comprises:

determining that the node is not functioning as the intermediary node that relays data between two nodes of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network.

3. The method for controlling the mesh network of claim 1, wherein reducing power consumption of the node of the plurality of nodes comprises disabling functionality of the node.

4. The method for controlling the mesh network of claim 1, wherein determining the occupancy state of the structure comprises receiving, by the electronic device, an indication of the occupancy state of the structure.

5. The method for controlling the mesh network of claim 1, wherein reducing power consumption of the node of the plurality of nodes of the mesh network comprises the node turning off a transmission radio.

6. The method for controlling the mesh network of claim 1, the method further comprising:

in response to determining that the structure is not occupied, determining, by the electronic device, whether every node of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently need wireless communications.

7. A system for controlling a mesh network, the system comprising:

a plurality of electronic node devices of the mesh network, wherein;

at least one node of the plurality of electronic node devices of the mesh network functions as an intermediary node that relays data between two electronic node devices of the plurality of electronic node devices of the mesh network;

each electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices of the mesh network comprises;

communication circuitry comprising a wireless communication radio; and

a processor in communication with the communication circuitry, wherein;

the processor of an electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices is configured to;

determine an occupancy state of a structure;

in response to determining that the structure is not occupied, determine whether the electronic node device is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications; and

reduce power consumption of the electronic node device based on determining that the electronic node device is not in communication with a device that currently needs wireless communications.

8. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, wherein the processor of the electronic node device being configured to determine whether the electronic node device is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications comprises:

the processor of the electronic node device being configured to determine whether the electronic node device is functioning as the intermediary node that relays data between two electronic node devices of the mesh network.

9. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, wherein the processor being configured to determine the occupancy state of the structure is based on a likelihood that occupants of the structure are home or away.

10. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, wherein the processor being configured to determine the occupancy state of the structure comprises the processor being configured to receive an indication of the occupancy state of the structure.

11. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, wherein the processor being configured to reduce power consumption comprises the processor being configured to cause the electronic node device to turn off a transmission radio.

12. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, further comprising an access point with which one or more electronic node devices of the plurality of electronic node devices communicates.

13. The system for controlling the mesh network of claim 7, wherein the plurality of electronic node devices is comprised of smart home devices.

14. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for controlling a mesh network, the non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

determine an occupancy state of a structure;

in response to determining that the structure is not occupied, determine whether each electronic node device of a plurality of electronic node devices is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications, wherein;

the mesh network comprises the plurality of electronic node devices; and

at least one electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices functions as an intermediary node that relays data between two electronic node devices of the plurality of electronic node devices of the mesh network; and

reduce power consumption of an electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices based on determining that the electronic node device of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications.

15. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

in response to determining that the structure is not occupied, determine whether every electronic node device of the mesh network is in communication with at least one device that currently need wireless communications.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine whether each electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices is in communication with at least one device that currently needs wireless communications comprise processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:

determine that the electronic node device of the plurality of electronic node devices is functioning as the intermediary node that relays data between two electronic node devices of the mesh network.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine the occupancy state of the structure comprise processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of the occupancy state of the structure.