Method and system for providing an energy efficient exchange of information in wireless networks

• US 20070077951A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Bhaskar, Venkatraman, Lakshmi, Manjeshwar, Arati
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/515
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 7/02 by radio

Abstract

A method and system to synchronize a first device and a second device includes generating a first tone by the first device, the first tone one of including an identity of the second device and generated at a predefined time, receiving the first tone by the second device, setting a clock of the second device based on the received first time, and sending an acknowledgment by the second device to the first device.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a first device and a second device, comprising:

generating a first tone by the first device, the first tone one of including an identity of the second device and generated at a predefined time;

receiving the first tone by the second device;

setting a clock of the second device based on the received first time; and

sending an acknowledgment by the second device to the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) waiting for a predefined period of time by the second device for an indication of acknowledged receipt of the acknowledgement; and

(ii) waking up in a subsequent supervision time slot to receive the indication of acknowledged receipt of the acknowledgement if the indication is not received within the predefined period of time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

repeating steps (i) and (ii) for a predefined number of times; and

transmitting a poll by the second device to the first device if the indication of acknowledged receipt is not received.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second tone by the first device to acknowledge receipt of the acknowledgement;

receiving the second tone by the second device; and

entering into sleep mode by the second device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first tone and the second tone are distinguishable via a single bit.

6. A method of exchanging information between at least two wireless communication devices, comprising:

transmitting a tone between the at least two wireless communication devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tone is used to synchronize at least one of the at least two communication devices.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the tone is used to ensure a connectivity status between at least two of the at least two communication devices.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the tone is used to supervise at least one of the at least two communication devices.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the tone includes a short pulse.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the tone includes an indication of an identity of one of the at least two communication devices.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the at least two communication devices are wireless communication devices.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the at least two communication devices are an energy-constrained device.

14. A method of energy efficient exchange of information in a wireless network, comprising:

transmitting a tone to a node element of the wireless network, the tone including at least one of an identity of the node element and generated at a predefined time known to the node element; and

receiving the tone by the node element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the tone is transmitting in a predefined time slot allocated for supervision of the wireless network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

waking up in the predefined time slot to receive the tone.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

setting a clock of the node element based on the predefined time known to the node element.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgment of receipt of the tone.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

one of;

transmitting a tone by the node element if an acknowledgement to the acknowledgement of the receipt of the tone is not received; and

entering a sleep mode by the node element if the acknowledgement to the acknowledgement of the receipt of the tone is received.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting another tone in a default frequency of the wireless network if a predefined supervision interval expires and one of the acknowledgement of the receipt of the tone has not been received and the tone transmitted by the node element is not received.