Method and System for Reducing Power Consumption in Wireless Communications

• US 20130054990A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hulvey, Robert William
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

According to one disclosed embodiment, a method for reducing power consumption in wireless communications is described. This method may include transmitting a data transmission from a peripheral device to a primary device during a receiving interval of the primary device, receiving a correction offset by the peripheral device from the primary device after the transmitting of the data transmission, and transmitting a subsequent data transmission from the peripheral device to the primary device using the correction offset to ensure that the subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device occurs within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption in a wireless communication, the method comprising:

initiating a receiving interval by a primary device;

receiving a data transmission from a peripheral device during the receiving interval;

determining, by the primary device, a correction offset according to a receive timing of the data transmission of the peripheral device, the correction offset determined so as to enable a subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device to occur within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device; and

transmitting the correction offset by the primary device to the peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second data transmission by the primary device from the peripheral device according to the correction offset.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the timing of the receiving interval of the primary device according to the correction offset.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing the receiving interval as the correction offset stabilizes at a near zero value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a slotted communication format.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data transmission occurs in the middle of a time slot providing an interval before and after the data transmission within the time slot to adjust for clock drift.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a Bluetooth format.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a timing of the data transmission to allow the primary device to handle other traffic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transmission occurs according to a pseudo-random timing pattern known to the primary device.

11. A method for reducing power consumption in a wireless communication, the method comprising:

transmitting a data transmission from a peripheral device to a primary device during a receiving interval of the primary device;

receiving a correction offset by the peripheral device from the primary device after the transmitting of the data transmission; and

transmitting a subsequent data transmission from the peripheral device to the primary device using the correction offset to ensure that the subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device occurs within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting a second data transmission by the peripheral device to the primary device according to the correction offset.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a slotted communication format.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a Bluetooth format.

16. A system for reducing power consumption in wireless communications, the system comprising:

a peripheral device including a processor, a transmitter and a receiver, the processor configured to;

transmit, using the transmitter, a data transmission to a primary device during a receiving interval of the primary device;

receive, using the receiver, a correction offset from the primary device after transmitting the data transmission; and

transmit, using the transmitter, a subsequent data transmission to the primary device using the correction offset to ensure that the subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device occurs within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, using the transmitter, a second data transmission to the primary device according to the correction offset.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a slotted communication format.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a Bluetooth format.