Method and Apparatus of Awaking a Communication Device

• US 20100165898A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ralink Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ralink Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Hsin-Yi, Tang, Sung-Chien
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of awaking a communication device operating in a sleep mode for a wireless network interface card includes continuously sending a plurality of coupling packets to maintain coupling between the communication device and a remote communication device, receiving a wireless packet from the remote communication device, determining a packet type of the wireless packet according to a packet format corresponding to a wake-up packet, and controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode when the wireless packet is determined to be the wake-up packet.

Claims

1. A method of awaking a communication device operating in a sleep mode, comprising:

continuously sending a remote communication device a plurality of coupling packets to maintain coupling between the communication device and the remote communication device;

receiving a wireless packet from the remote communication device;

determining whether the wireless packet is a wake-up packet; and

controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode when the wireless packet is determined to be the wake-up packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupling packets are null frame packets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake-up packet is a magic packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote communication device is an access point device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode comprises switching a power supply of the communication device from an auxiliary power to a main power.

6. A wireless network interface card of a communication device in a sleep mode, comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting wireless signals corresponding to a plurality of coupling packets and receiving a wireless signal corresponding to a wireless packet sent by a remote communication device;

a packet reception unit coupled to the transceiver, for receiving the wireless packet;

a determining unit coupled to the packet reception unit, for determining whether the wireless packet corresponds to a wake-up packet and generating a control signal when the wireless packet is determined to be a wake-up packet; and

a wake-up unit coupled to the determining unit, for controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode according to the control signal.

7. The wireless network interface card of claim 6, wherein the plurality of coupling packets are null frame packets.

8. The wireless network interface card of claim 6, wherein the wake-up packet is a magic packet.

9. The wireless network interface card of claim 6, wherein the remote communication device is an access point device.

10. A method of awaking a communication device comprising a wireless network interface card, the communication device at least comprising one sleep mode and one non-sleep mode, the method comprising:

in the sleep mode, continuously sending a plurality of coupling packets to a remote communication device by the wireless network interface card;

receiving a wireless packet from the remote communication device;

determining whether the wireless packet corresponds to a packet type of a wake-up packet; and

controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode when the wireless packet corresponds to the wake-up packet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of coupling packets are null frame packets.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wake-up packet is a magic packet.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote communication device is an access point device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication device loads at least a driver of the wireless network interface card and switches to an auxiliary power.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-sleep mode is a normal mode in which the communication device is powered through a main power.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein a step of controlling the communication device to leave the sleep mode comprises switching a power supply of the communication device from an auxiliary power to a main power.