CONNECTION SETUP FOR LOW ENERGY WIRELESS NETWORKS BASED ON MASTER DEVICE PACKET THAT INCLUDES TIMING INFORMATION

• US 20130003715A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Xhafa, Ariton E., Ho, Jin-Meng
• Application Number:
  US13/526,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus includes a controller configured to cause a wireless transceiver to send and receive wireless packets. The controller is configured to receive a packet from another wireless device. The packet specifies a scan window length, a scan interval, and a start time. Based on the start time, scan interval, and a current time, the controller is configured to compute when a subsequent scan window will begin and the wireless transceiver does not transmit advertising packets until the subsequent scan window begins.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to cause a wireless transceiver to send and receive wireless packets;

wherein the controller is configured to receive a packet from another wireless device, the packet specifying a scan window length, a scan interval, and a start time; and

wherein, based on the start time, scan interval, and a current time, the controller is configured to compute when a subsequent scan window will begin and the wireless transceiver does not transmit advertising packets until the subsequent scan window begins.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the received packet also includes an end time, and the start time and end time define when the scan window length and the scan interval are valid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller computes when the subsequent scan window will begin by dividing a result of the current time minus the start time by the scan interval to compute an elapsed time interval.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the controller further computes when the subsequent scan window will begin by computing:

REM=current time−

(start time+elapsed time interval)

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller determines whether REM is greater than the scan window.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein, based on REM being greater than the scan window, the controller waits a period of time equal to the current time plus the scan interval less REM before causing the wireless transceiver to transmit advertising packets.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein, based on REM being less than the scan window, the controller causes the wireless transceiver to transmit advertising packets.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless packet that specifies a scan window length, a scan interval, and a start time; and

based on the start time, scan interval, and a current time, computing when a subsequent scan window will begin.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising avoiding transmitting advertising packets until the subsequent scan window begins.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein computing when the subsequent scan window will begin comprises:

dividing a result of the current time minus the start time by the scan interval to compute an elapsed time interval; and

computing REM=current time−

(start time+elapsed time interval).

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising, based on REM being greater than the scan window, waiting a period of time equal to the current time plus the scan interval less REM before wirelessly transmitting advertising packets.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising, based on REM being less than the scan window, wirelessly transmitting advertising packets.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to cause a wireless transceiver to send and receive packets;

wherein the controller is configured to generate a scan update packet that specifies a scan window length, a scan interval, a start time and an end time, wherein the scan window length and scan interval are valid between the start time and the end time.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller causes the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit the scan update packet.