LOW DUTY CYCLE DEVICE PROTOCOL

• US 20080242313A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Chong U., Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Aryan, Babak, Holcman, Alejandro R., Kerdar, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for establishing communication between a low duty cycle device and other devices through a wireless communication network. In one particular implementation, the low duty cycle device may awaken from a hibernating state in synchronization with transmission of messages.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive signals from one or more transmitters; and

a transceiver adapted to communicate with a server through a wireless communication network,

wherein said device is adapted to intermittently awaken from a hibernating state in synchronization with said server to exchange information with said server over said wireless communication network,

said information including location information which is based, at least in part, on said received signals.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is adapted to bi-directionally exchange said information using a short message service (SMS).

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said location information comprises pseudorange measurements determined based, at least in part, on said received signals.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said information further comprises information selected from the group consisting essentially of almanac Information and ephemeris information associated with a satellite positioning system (SPS).

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said transceiver is adapted to transmit information to or receive information from said wireless communication network, or both, according to a code division multiple access protocol.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is adapted to awaken from said hibernating state according to a predetermined schedule.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said information further includes commands issued to said device from said server.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said information comprises an estimate of a location of said device based, at least in part, on said received signals.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is further adapted to transmit environmental sensor data to said server through said wireless communication network.

10. A method comprising:

receiving signals at a receiver;

intermittently awakening a first device from a hibernating state in synchronization with a second to exchange information with said second device server over a wireless communication network, said information including location information which is based, at least in part, on said received signals.

11. The method of claim 10, and further comprising exchanging said information using a short message service (SMS).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said location information comprises pseudorange measurements determined based, at least in part, on said received signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said information is selected from the group comprising essentially of almanac information and ephemeris information associated with a satellite positioning system (SPS).

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said information is transmitted to said wireless communication network, received from said wireless communication network, or both, according to a code division multiple access protocol.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said intermittently awakening said device from said hibernating state comprises awakening said device from said hibernating state according to a predetermined schedule.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said information further includes commands issued to said device from said server.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said information comprises an estimate of a location of said device based, at least in part, on said received signals.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said device is further adapted to transmit environmental sensor data to said server through said wireless communication network.

19. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

process signals received at a receiver; and

intermittently awaken a first device from a hibernating state in synchronization with a second to exchange information with said second device server over a wireless communication network, said information including location information which is based, at least in part, on said processed signals.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to intermittently awaken said device from said hibernating according to a predetermined schedule.

21. The article of claim 19, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to initiate exchange of said information using a short message service (SMS).

22. The article of claim 19, wherein said location information comprises pseudorange measurements determined based, at least in part, on said received signals.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for processing signals received at a receiver; and

means for intermittently awakening a first device from a hibernating state in synchronization with a second to exchange information, with said second device over a wireless communication network, said information including location information which is based, at least in part, on said processed signals.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for intermittently awakening said first device further comprises means for intermittently awakening said first device from said hibernating according to a predetermined schedule,

25. The apparatus of claim 23, and further comprising means for initiating exchange of said information with said second device using a short message service (SMS).

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said location information comprises pseudorange measurements determined based, at least in part, on said received signals.

27. A method comprising:

receiving messages addressed to a device; and

scheduling transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened from a hibernating state.

28. The method of claim 27, and further comprising:

receiving information from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle; and

scheduling said transmission based, at least in part, on said information.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said information is transmitted from said device during a procedure to register said device with a wireless communication network.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said messages are transmitted according to a short message service (SMS) protocol.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said scheduling said transmission of messages comprises scheduling said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages in said downlink portion.

32. The method of claim 27, and further comprising:

defining an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

scheduling transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said defining said interval comprises changing said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein said defining said interval comprises defining said interval based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink.

35. An article comprising:

a storage medium having machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to

store messages addressed to a device in a data structure; and

schedule transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened from a hibernating state.

36. The article of claim 35, wherein said machine-readable instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

schedule said transmission based, at least in part, on information received from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle.

37. The article of claim 35, wherein said instructions., if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to schedule said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages in said downlink portion.

38. The article of claim 35, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

define an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

schedule transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

39. The article of claim 37, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to change said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

40. The article of claim 35, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to define said interval based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink.

41. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform, said computing platform being adapted to;

store messages addressed to a device in a data structure; and

schedule transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened from a hibernating state.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said computing platform is further adapted to:

schedule said transmission based, at least in part, on said information. Indicating a hibernation duty cycle.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said computing platform is further adapted to:

schedule transmission of said messages independently of the timing of transmission of said messages in said downlink portion.

44. The method of claim 41, and further comprising:

defining an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

scheduling transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said defining said interval comprises changing said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein said defining said interval comprises defining said interval based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between initiating transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink.

47. An apparatus comprising;

means for receiving messages addressed to a device; and

means for scheduling transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened from a hibernating state.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, and further comprising:

means for receiving information from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle, and

means for scheduling said transmission based, at least in part, on said information.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said means for scheduling said transmission of messages comprises means for scheduling said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages

50. The apparatus of claim 47, and further comprising:

means for defining an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

means for scheduling transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said means for defining said interval comprises means for changing said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said means for defining said interval comprises means for defining said interval based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between initiating transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink.