Method and system for supporting residual energy awareness in an ad hoc wireless communications network

• US 20050075084A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kaaja, Harald, Reunamaki, Jukka, Celentano, Ulrico, Palin, Arto, Salokannel, Juha
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless communications device detects a change in its residual energy status, and transmits the residual energy status across a wireless communications network to a remote device that coordinates communications in the wireless communications network. For example, the remote device may be a piconet coordinator (PNC) in an IEEE 802.15.3 network, or a master device in a Bluetooth network. A wireless communications device that coordinates communications in a wireless communications network (the coordinator) transmits one or more first handover commands to one or more remote devices upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Based on responses to these first commands, the coordinator selects a remote device for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network.

Claims

1. A method in a wireless communications device, the method comprising:

(a) detecting a change in a residual energy status of the wireless communications device;

(b) transmitting an indication of the residual energy status across a wireless communications network to a remote device, wherein the remote device coordinates wireless communications in the wireless communications network based on at least the transmitted residual energy status.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a residual energy percentage level; and

assigning a residual energy level class corresponding to the residual energy percentage level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the residual energy level class comprises:

assigning a first class when the wireless communications device receives power from a fixed power supply;

assigning a second class when the residual energy percentage level is greater than approximately 66 percent;

assigning a third class when the residual energy percentage level is less than approximately 66 percent, and greater than or equal to approximately 33 percent

assigning a fourth class when the residual energy percentage level is less than approximately 33 percent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the residual energy level class comprises:

assigning a first class indicating the wireless communications device is always available to coordinate wireless communications in the wireless communications network;

assigning a second class indicating the wireless communications device is currently available to coordinate wireless communications in the wireless communications network;

assigning a third class indicating the wireless communications device does not desire to coordinate wireless communications in the wireless communications network; and

assigning a fourth class indicating the wireless communications device is not available to coordinate wireless communications in the wireless communications network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the fixed power supply is an alternating current (AC) power supply.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein step (b) comprises transmitting an indicator of the residual energy level class to the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device is a master device in a Bluetooth network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote device is an IEEE 802.15.3 piconet coordinator (PNC).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) comprises transmitting the residual energy status in one or more capabilities information elements (IEs).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more capabilities IEs include a PNC Des-mode bit and a PSRC bit.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) comprises transmitting the residual energy status in a PNC probe request.

12. A wireless communications device comprising:

a wireless communications portion for communicating with a plurality of remote devices in a wireless communications network;

a processor;

a memory; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in the memory for;

detecting a change in a residual energy status of the wireless communications device;

transmitting an indicator of the residual energy status across the wireless communications network to a first of the remote devices, wherein the first remote device coordinates wireless communications in the wireless communications network based on at least the transmitted residual energy status.

13. A system, comprising:

means for detecting a change in a residual energy status of the device;

means for transmitting an indicator of the residual energy status across a wireless communications network to a remote device, wherein the remote device coordinates wireless communications in the wireless communications network based on at least the transmitted residual energy status.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to operate in a wireless communications device, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for detecting a change in a residual energy status of the wireless communications device;

program code for transmitting an indicator of the residual energy status across a wireless communications network to a remote device, wherein the remote device coordinates wireless communications in the wireless communications network based on at least the transmitted residual energy status.

15. A method in a wireless communications device that coordinates communications in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

(a) upon the occurrence of a triggering event, transmitting one or more first handover commands to one or more remote devices;

(b) receiving one or more responses to the one or more first handover commands;

(c) based on the responses received in step (b), selecting a device from the one or more remote devices, the selected device for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network; and

(d) transmitting a second handover command to the selected device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the triggering event includes a change in a residual energy status of the wireless communications device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (a) and (d) are performed within a predetermined time duration.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an acceptance of the second handover command from the selected device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein step (b) comprises receiving one or more refusals to the one or more first handover commands, each of the one or more refusals including a residual energy status of the corresponding remote device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the residual energy status includes a residual energy level class indicator corresponding to a residual energy percentage.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed when the one or more responses received in step (b) fail to include an acceptance of one of the first handover commands.

22. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a wireless communications portion for communicating with a plurality of remote devices in a wireless communications network;

a processor;

a memory; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in the memory for;

coordinating communications in the wireless communications network;

upon the occurrence of a triggering event, transmitting one or more first handover commands to one or more remote devices;

receiving one or more responses to the one or more first handover commands;

based on the one or more received responses, selecting a device from the one or more remote devices, the selected device for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network; and

transmitting a second handover command to the selected device.

23. A system, comprising:

means for coordinating communications in a wireless communications network;

means for transmitting one or more first handover commands to one or more remote devices upon the occurrence of a triggering event;

means for receiving one or more responses to the one or more first handover commands;

means for selecting a device from the one or more remote devices based on the one or more received responses, the selected device for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network; and

means for transmitting a second handover command to the selected device.

24. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to operate in a wireless communications device, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for coordinating communications in a wireless communications network;

program code for transmitting one or more first handover commands to one or more remote devices upon the occurrence of a triggering event;

program code for receiving one or more responses to the one or more first handover commands;

program code for selecting a device from the one or more remote devices based on the one or more received responses, the selected device for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network; and

program code for transmitting a second handover command to the selected device.

25. A method in a wireless communications device, the method comprising:

(a) coordinating wireless communications in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network including the wireless communications device and a plurality of remote devices;

(b) maintaining a database, the database storing at least residual energy status information for each of plurality of remote devices;

(c) receiving updated residual energy status information from at least one of the remote devices

(d) dynamically updating the database based on the received information; and

(e) selecting one of the plurality of remote devices as a best candidate for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network, said selection based on at least the stored residual energy status information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the residual status information includes an energy level class indicator corresponding to a residual energy percentage level of the corresponding remote device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein step (e) comprises selecting one of the plurality of remote devices based on a plurality of priorities, wherein one of the priorities corresponds to the stored residual energy status information.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein step (b) comprises storing the plurality of priorities in the database.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising transferring the database to the remote device selected in step (e).

30. The method of claim 25, wherein step (e) is performed upon the occurrence of a triggering event.

31. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a wireless communications portion for communicating with a plurality of remote devices in a wireless communications network;

a processor;

a memory; and

a processor that executes instructions stored in the memory for;

coordinating wireless communications in the wireless communications network;

maintaining a database, the database storing at least residual energy status information for each of plurality of remote devices;

receiving updated residual energy status information from at least one of the remote devices

dynamically updating the database based on the received information;

selecting one of the plurality of remote devices as a best candidate for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network, said selection based on at least the stored residual energy status information.

32. A wireless communications device, comprising:

means for coordinating wireless communications in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network including the wireless communications device and a plurality of remote devices;

means for maintaining a database, the database storing at least residual energy status information for each of plurality of remote devices;

means for receiving updated residual energy status information from at least one of the remote devices;

means for dynamically updating the database based on the received information; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of remote devices as a best candidate for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network, said selection based on at least the stored residual energy status information.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to operate in a wireless communications device, the computer program logic comprising:

program code for coordinating wireless communications in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network including the wireless communications device and a plurality of remote devices;

program code for maintaining a database, the database storing at least residual energy status information for each of plurality of remote devices;

program code for receiving updated residual energy status information from at least one of the remote devices;

program code for dynamically updating the database based on the received information; and

program code for selecting one of the plurality of remote devices as a best candidate for coordinating future communications in the wireless communications network, said selection based on at least the stored residual energy status information.