Systems and Methods for Wake-on-LAN for Wireless LAN Devices

• US 20080313481A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Conexant Systems Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Paljug, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof

Abstract

A system and method for wireless waking computing devices over a computer network is provided. A signal is broadcast over the network that includes one or more device specific wake-up data sequences. Each device specific wake-up data sequence includes multiple iterations of the hardware address of the wireless network card associated with that device. While in a reduced power or “sleep mode”, the wireless network card monitors wireless channels for packets containing a wake-up data sequence. If a wake-up data sequence is received, the sequence is matched against the hardware address information for that network card. If a match is determined, the network card sends a signal to the computing device causing full system power to be restored. A signal is sent to the network confirming that the device has been successfully woken from the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method for waking on a computing device over a wireless network comprising:

broadcasting a signal containing a wake-up data sequence for at least one computing device over a wireless network;

receiving the broadcast signal at the at least one computing device, while that device is in a reduced power mode;

scanning the received signal for a wake-up data sequence for that computing device; and

restoring that computing device to a full power mode upon detection of a wake-up data sequence for that device.