SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING POWER CONSUMPTION IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20100098102A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Synapse Wireless Incorporated (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ewing, David B., Banks, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for reducing power consumption in communication networks. In one exemplary embodiment, a system includes a leader node in communication with a plurality of follower nodes. The leader node causes the leader and follower nodes to transition from an awake mode to a sleep mode where they consume less power. An exemplary embodiment of a method includes the steps of configuring nodes in a communication network as follower nodes and configuring a node in the communication network as a leader node. The leader node is configured to cause the leader and follower nodes to alternate between an awake mode and a sleep mode. The leader and follower nodes consume less power when in the sleep mode than when in the awake mode.

Claims

1. A system for reducing power consumption in a wireless mesh communication network, comprising:

a plurality of follower nodes; and

a leader node in communication with the plurality of follower nodes, the leader node being operable to cause the plurality of follower nodes to transition from an awake mode to a sleep mode, the leader node and the plurality of follower nodes consuming less power in the sleep mode than when in the awake mode, wherein the leader node is configured to synchronize a transition of the plurality of nodes from the awake mode to the sleep mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the leader node is configured to send at least one sleep command to the plurality of follower nodes that causes the plurality of follower nodes to transition to and remain in the sleep mode for a specified sleep period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of follower nodes are operable to elect a new leader node if the leader node becomes inoperable.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein election of the new leader node is based on unique identifiers associated with the plurality of follower nodes.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein election of the new leader node is initiated after a predetermined grace period.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein any one of the plurality of follower nodes can initiate an election of the new leader node.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein an election of the new leader node is initiated by one of the plurality of follower nodes nominating itself as the new leader node.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein an election of the new leader node is completed when each one of the plurality of follower nodes has performed a check to determine if it should be the new leader node and, if so, nominated itself as the new leader node.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein only a portion of the plurality of follower nodes periodically transition from the awake mode to the sleep mode.

10. A method of reducing power consumption in a wireless mesh communication network, comprising the steps of:

communicating messages among a plurality of follower nodes;

transitioning the plurality of follower nodes from an awake mode to a sleep mode, the plurality of follower nodes consuming less power when in the sleep mode than when in the awake mode; and

synchronizing the transitioning step by transmitting at least one sleep command from a leader node to the plurality of follower nodes.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of electing a new leader node if the leader node is unable to communicate with the plurality of follower nodes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electing step is based on unique identifiers respectively associated with each of the plurality of follower nodes.