Low power operation for network nodes

• US 20060291408A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Adler, Robert, Hummel, Vincent, Huang, Jonathan, Nachman, Lama, Kling, Ralph
• Application Number:
  US11/167,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291408A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a wireless multi-hop network, in which data may pass from node to node through the network, a sleep/wake protocol may be used to reduce power consumption by placing various nodes into coordinated low power modes, and having the nodes wake up to maintain network connections and/or to pass data.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a wireless device to operate as a first network node in a network, the wireless device to:

receive a first command from a second network node to enter a first low power mode;

send a second command to a third network node to enter a second low power mode;

receive a first acknowledgement from the third network node responsive to the second command;

ascertain a first time period during which the third network node is to be in the second low power mode;

begin the first time period;

send a second acknowledgement to the second network node responsive to the first command; and

ascertain a second time period during which the first and second network nodes do not communicate with each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising entering the first low power mode for a time during which the first and second time periods overlap.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the wireless device comprises a radio, and

the first low power mode comprises a state in which the radio is in a low power state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is configured such that the first, second, and third network nodes are in a hierarchical network structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is further to:

send a third command to a fourth network node to enter a third low power mode;

receive a third acknowledgement from the fourth network node responsive to the third command;

begin a third time period during which the fourth network node is to be in the third low power mode; and

send the second acknowledgement to the second network node only after receiving the first and third acknowledgements.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and third time periods are to end at approximately a same time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device comprises a dynamic random access memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is further to:

communicate with the third network node subsequent to expiration of the first time period; and

ascertain a third time period during which the third network node is to be in another low power mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is further to:

receive a third command from the second network node to resume normal communications between the first and second network nodes;

send a fourth command to the third network node to resume normal communications between the first and third network nodes;

receive a third acknowledgement from the third network node responsive to the fourth command;

resume normal communications between the first and third network nodes;

send a fourth acknowledgement to the second network node responsive to the third command; and

resume normal communications between the first and second network nodes.

10. A method, comprising

sending a first message to a first network node, the first message notifying the first network node of an intent for the first network node to enter a first low power mode;

receiving a first acknowledgement from the first network node responsive to the first message;

beginning to measure a first time period known to the first network node, the first time period indicating a time during which the first network node is to be in the first low power mode; and

not communicating with the first network node until after expiration of the first time period.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining in communications with the first network node, prior to said beginning, the first time period.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second message from a second network node prior to said sending the first message;

sending, subsequent to said receiving the first acknowledgement, a second acknowledgement to the second network node responsive to the second message;

beginning to measure a second time period known to the second network node; and

not communicating with the second network node during the second time period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending a third message to the first network node, the third message notifying the first network node to not re-enter the first low power mode; and

receiving a third acknowledgement from the first network node responsive to the third message.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a fourth message from the second network node prior to said sending the third message, the fourth message indicating to resume normal communications with the second network node;

sending a fourth acknowledgement to the second network node subsequent to said receiving the third acknowledgment; and

resuming said normal communications with the second network node.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising entering a second low power mode during a period in which the first and second time periods overlap.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second low power mode comprises placing a radio in a low power state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second low power mode comprises placing a processor in a low power state.

18. An article comprising

a machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a computing platform, result in at least one machine performing operations comprising:

sending a first message to a first network node, the first message notifying the first network node of an intent for the first network node to enter a first low power mode;

receiving a first acknowledgement from the first network node responsive to the first message;

beginning to measure a first time period known to the first network node, the first time period indicating a time during which the first network node is to be in the first low power mode; and

not communicating with the first network node until after expiration of the first time period.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising determining in communications with the first network node, prior to said beginning, the first time period.

20. The article of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a second message from a second network node prior to said sending the first message;

sending, subsequent to said receiving the first acknowledgement, a second acknowledgement to the second network node responsive to the second message;

beginning to measure a second time period known to the second network node; and

not communicating with the second network node during the second time period.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

sending a third message to the first network node, the third message notifying the first network node to not re-enter the first low power mode; and

receiving a third acknowledgement from the first network node responsive to the third message.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a fourth message from the second network node prior to said sending the third message, the fourth message indicating to resume normal communications with the second network node;

sending a fourth acknowledgement to the second network node subsequent to said receiving the third acknowledgment; and

resuming said normal communications with the second network node.

23. The article of claim 18, further comprising entering a second low power mode during a period in which the first and second time periods overlap.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the second low power mode comprises placing a radio in a low power state.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the second low power mode comprises placing a processor in a low power state.