Beacon assisted hybrid asynchronous wireless communications protocol
First Claim
1. A method of asynchronously communicating with a target wireless device, comprising:
- occasionally entering a first wake up mode from a default sleep mode to transmit an initiating device beacon and to listen for target device transmissions;
entering a second wake up mode if a data packet message must be transmitted to the target wireless device;
during the second wake up mode;
waiting to receive a target beacon directly from the target wireless device;
transmitting the data packet message directly to the target wireless device after receiving the target device beacon directly from the target wireless device; and
reverting to the default sleep mode upon termination of either the first or the second wake up mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A beacon assisted asynchronous method of wireless communication according to the present invention enables initiating and target devices (12, 14) to remain in sleep mode most of the time and to periodically wake up to asynchronously, and directly, communicate with one another. Specifically, each of the initiating and target devices (12, 14) transmits a beacon while operating in a default transmit/receive mode (40, 40a, 42, 42a) and subsequently listens for a response. Alternatively, the initiating device (12) may enter a data packet message mode to receive a beacon from the target device (14) and to subsequently transmit a data packet message to the target device (14) after receiving the first beacon. The initiating device (12) minimizes the length of time in which it must wait to receive the target device beacon by timing a corresponding target beacon receive period based on stored data such as information based on previous communication with the target device (14).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of asynchronously communicating with a target wireless device, comprising:
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occasionally entering a first wake up mode from a default sleep mode to transmit an initiating device beacon and to listen for target device transmissions;
entering a second wake up mode if a data packet message must be transmitted to the target wireless device;
during the second wake up mode;
waiting to receive a target beacon directly from the target wireless device;
transmitting the data packet message directly to the target wireless device after receiving the target device beacon directly from the target wireless device; and
reverting to the default sleep mode upon termination of either the first or the second wake up mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16)
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11. A method of wireless communication, comprising:
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transmitting initiating and target beacons from initiating and target devices, respectively, during respective initiating and target device transmit periods;
listening for the initiating and target beacons at the target and initiating devices, respectively, during respective target and initiating device receive periods;
if necessary, entering a data packet message period at the initiating device to enable the initiating device to receive the target beacon from the target device regardless of a timing of the target beacon;
at the initiating device, transmitting the data packet message to the target device after receiving the target beacon from the target device; and
subsequently returning to a default sleep mode at the target device after either transmitting the acknowledgement message or upon expiration of the target device receive period, and at the initiating device after either receiving the acknowledgement message or upon expiration of the initiating device receive period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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17. A wireless communications network, comprising:
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an initiating device including a processor for periodically causing the initiating device to wake up from a default sleep mode to transmit an initiating device beacon and to subsequently receive a target device message during a default initiating device transmit/receive mode;
the processor further for also causing the initiating device to enter a data packet message mode to enable the initiating device to listen for the target device message until the target device message is received, and to transmit a data packet message upon receipt of the target device message; and
the processor for causing the initiating device to return to the default sleep mode subsequent to termination of either the default transmit/receive mode or the data packet message mode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification