Mixed-Mode Wireless Device Operation

• US 20120106658A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: MUTH, James Michael, MCINTYRE, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,780,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods to operate wireless devices are provided herein. In an exemplary system a first wireless device coupled to a consumer electronics device is operated in a sleep mode. It is determined whether there is a second device is operating in the same bandwidth spectrum as the first device. If there is a second device operating in the same bandwidth spectrum, then the first device is switched to a sniff mode of operation.

Claims

1. A host device, comprising:

a memory;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to transmit and receive data to and from one or more wireless devices that are associated with the host device; and

a processor that manages an operating state of a first wireless device using the RF transceiver based on instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine if the one or more wireless devices includes a second wireless device communicating with the host device over a same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first wireless device;

cause the first wireless device to operate in a sniff mode if there is a second wireless device communicating with the host processor over the same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first wireless device; and

cause the first wireless device to operate in a sleep mode if there is not a second wireless device communicating with the host processor over the same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first wireless device.

2. The host device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device is a Bluetooth peripheral device.

3. The host device of claim 2, wherein the first wireless device is a Bluetooth remote control.

4. The host device of claim 1, wherein the processor, based on instructions in the memory, continuously scans a bandwidth spectrum for data to be transmitted by the first wireless device when the first wireless device is being operated in the sleep mode.

5. The host device of claim 1, wherein in a sleep mode, the first wireless device is configured to turn off its processor and its radio frequency transceiver until the first wireless device has to transmit data to the host.

6. The host device of claim 1, wherein the processor, based on instructions in the memory, periodically scans a bandwidth spectrum for data to be transmitted by the first wireless device when the first wireless device is being operated in the sniff mode.

7. The host device of claim 1, wherein in a sniff mode, the first wireless device is configured to periodically power up its processor and radio frequency transceiver, synchronize with the host device, transmit data if data is present for transmission, and power down its processor and its radio frequency transceiver.

8. The host device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, based on instructions in the memory, detect a second wireless device operating in the same bandwidth spectrum as the first wireless device, when the second wireless device requests to register itself with the host device as a slave device.

9. The host device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, based on instructions in the memory, switch the first wireless device back to the sleep mode upon determining that the second wireless device has stopped operating in the same bandwidth spectrum as the first device.

10. The host device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device is a device that transmits data to the host device at random intervals of time.

11. The host device of claim 1, wherein the second wireless device is a device that continuously or periodically transmits data to the host device.

12. The host device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, based on instructions in the memory, switch the first wireless device to a sniff mode by sending a command packet to the first wireless device to operate in the sniff mode.

13. A method in a host device, wherein the host device is in wireless communication with one or more devices, including a first device, and manages an operating state of the first device, comprising:

determining if a second device is communicating with the host device over a same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first device;

causing the first device to operate in a sniff mode if there is a second device communicating with the host processor over the same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first device; and

causing the first device to operate in a sleep mode if there is not a second device communicating with the host processor over the same bandwidth spectrum as that used by the first device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first device is a Bluetooth remote control.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein in a sleep mode, the first device turns off its processor and radio frequency transceiver until the first device has to transmit data to the host device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein in a sniff mode, the first device periodically powers up its processor and radio frequency transceiver, synchronizes with the host device, transmits data if data is present for transmission, and powers down the processor and the radio frequency transceiver.

17. The method of claim 13, the commanding step further comprising:

continuously scanning a bandwidth spectrum for data to be transmitted by the first device when the first device is in the sleep mode.

18. The method of claim 13, the determining step comprising:

determining whether the second device is attempting to register with the host device as a slave device that operates in the same bandwidth spectrum as the first device.

19. The method of claim 13, the switching step comprising:

sending a command packet to the first device to operate in the sniff mode.

20. The method of claim 13, the switching step comprising:

receiving a request from the first device to go into sleep mode and not replying to the request thereby causing the first device to switch to the sniff mode.

21. The method of claim 13, the switching step comprising:

receiving a request from the first device to go into the sleep mode and sending a command packet to the first device to switch to the sniff mode.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising switching the first device back to sleep mode when the second device is not using the bandwidth spectrum of the first device.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the first device is a device that transmits data to the consumer electronics device at random intervals.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the second device continuously or periodically transmits or receives data to/from the consumer electronics device.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the second device is a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, a gestural input device, a portable media player, a cellular phone, a Voice over IP (VoIP) device, three-dimensional glasses or a streaming audio headset.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the host device is a master device and the first and second devices are slave devices.

27. The method of claim 13, wherein the host device is one of a television, a cable television set-top box, a blu-ray player, a receiver or an amplifier.

28. A device, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to wirelessly communicates with a host device;

a processor coupled to the RF transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the processor including instructions that cause the processor to;

operate the device in a sleep mode by default;

exit the sleep mode when an event occurs;

send data to the host device based on the event using the RF transceiver;

send a request to the host device to return to sleep mode using the RF transceiver;

return to sleep mode if the host device acknowledges the request; and

enter sniff mode if the host device does not acknowledge the request.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein in a sleep mode, the processor and the radio frequency transceiver are turned off until the event occurs.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein in a sniff mode, the processor and radio frequency transceiver are periodically powered up, the host device is synchronized with, data is transmitted if data is present for transmission, and the processor and the radio frequency transceiver are powered down.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the device is a remote control operating under the Bluetooth protocol and the host device is a consumer electronics device.