NOVEL METHODS FOR EFFICIENT POWER MANAGEMENT IN 60GHZ DEVICES

• US 20130329576A1
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sinha, Rajesh Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,313,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• 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

A device and method for managing power in a wireless telecommunication system. A telecommunication device operates in a power saving mode during a sleep interval whenever possible to minimize power drain. The telecommunication device monitors various device, channel and network parameters and dynamically adjusts the duration of the sleep interval based on the monitored parameters in order to optimize power savings.

Claims

1. A method comprising.

receiving at a telecommunication device a radio transmission from a remote telecommunication device;

extracting a system reliability parameter from the radio transmission;

using the system reliability parameter to determine a sleep interval duration for a power saving state;

entering the power saving state; and

upon expiration of the sleep interval duration, exiting the power saving state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecommunication device comprises a wireless radio and wherein extracting the system reliability parameter from the radio transmission comprises extracting a maximum lost beacons parameter from a control beacon transmitted by the remote telecommunication device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at the telecommunication device, detecting a time-varying channel characteristic for a signal transmission; and

adjusting the sleep interval duration based on the channel characteristic.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

measuring signal to noise ratio for the received radio transmission from the remote telecommunication device;

determining the sleep interval duration based on the signal to noise ratio.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

after exiting the power saving state, receiving a subsequent radio transmission from a remote telecommunication device;

measuring an updated signal to noise ratio for the subsequent received radio transmission;

if the updated signal to noise ratio varies from the signal to noise ratio, determining a new sleep interval duration based on the updated signal to noise ratio;

entering the power saving state; and

upon expiration of the new sleep interval duration, exiting the power saving state.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at the telecommunication device, determining a number of other telecommunication devices communicating in a network formed by the remote telecommunication device; and

adjusting the sleep interval duration based on the number of other telecommunication devices.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

at the telecommunication device, transmitting an information request query to the remote telecommunication device;

in response to the information request query, receiving a transmission with information about the other telecommunication devices; and

parsing the transmission to determine the number of other telecommunication devices.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

after exiting the power saving state, transmitting a subsequent radio information request query to the remote telecommunication device;

in response to the subsequent information request query, receiving a response transmission with new information about the other telecommunication devices; and

parsing the response transmission to determine the updated number of other telecommunication devices;

if the updated number of other telecommunication devices varies from the previously determined number of other telecommunication devices, determining a new sleep interval duration based on the updated number of other telecommunication devices;

entering the power saving state; and

upon expiration of the new sleep interval duration, exiting the power saving state.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at the telecommunication device, periodically determining if the telecommunication device is idle; and

adjusting the sleep interval duration based on the determination.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

setting a timer expiry value to time the idle duration;

in response to a determination that the telecommunication device is idle, increasing the timer expiry value to a new expiry value;

in response to a determination that the telecommunication device is not idle, decreasing the timer expiry value to a new expiry value;

determining a new sleep interval duration based on the new idle time duration;

entering the power saving state; and

upon expiration of the new sleep interval duration, exiting the power saving state.

11. A method comprising:

at a communication device operable in a network with a plurality of other remote telecommunication devices in a network, determining a value for a time-varying operating parameter;

using the time varying operating parameter to establish a sleep interval duration;

entering the sleep state to reduce power consumption in the communication device;

from time to time, determining a new value for the time-varying operating parameter or determining a value for a second time-varying operating parameter;

updating the sleep interval duration using the new value for the time-varying operating parameter or the value for the second time-varying operating parameter; and

upon expiration of the updated sleep interval duration, exiting the sleep state.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein determining a value for a time-varying operating parameter comprises determining one of

a channel parameter for the communication channel between the communication device and a remote communication device,

a number of other remote telecommunication devices in the network, and

a measure of idle time of the communication device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein updating the sleep interval duration using the value for the second time-varying operating parameter comprises determining another one of

a channel parameter for the communication channel between the communication device and a remote communication device,

a number of other remote telecommunication devices in the network, and

a measure of idle time of the communication device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining a channel parameter for the communication channel between the communication device and a remote communication device comprises determining signal to noise ratio for the communication channel.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a control beacon from a control communication device in the network;

extracting a system reliability parameter from the control beacon; and

using the system reliability parameter to adjust the sleep interval duration.

16. A telecommunication device comprising:

a radio circuit to communicate with a remote telecommunication device in a network;

a memory to store data and instructions; and

a processor in data communication with the memory and the radio circuit, the processor operable to determine a sleep interval duration during which the telecommunication device operates in a low power sleep state and to adapt the sleep interval duration to time-varying conditions of the network.

17. The telecommunication device of claim 16 further comprising a signal to noise ratio module to from time to time determine an indication of signal to noise ratio for a communication channel between the telecommunication device and a remote telecommunication device of the network, the processor being in data communication with the signal to noise ratio module to receive the indication of signal to noise ratio for the communication channel and to periodically adjust the sleep interval duration based on the indication of signal to noise ratio.

18. The telecommunication device of claim 16 further comprising a polling module operative to determine a number of other remote telecommunication devices in the network and to adjust the sleep interval duration when the number of other remote telecommunication devices has changed by increasing the sleep interval duration when the number of other remote telecommunication devices has decreased and increasing the sleep interval duration when the number of other remote telecommunication devices has increased.

19. The telecommunication device of claim 16 further comprising an idle time monitor module operative to monitor idle time of the telecommunication device and to adjust the sleep time duration in response to the monitored idle time by increasing the sleep time duration in response to an increase in idle time of the telecommunication device and decreasing the sleep time duration in response to a decrease in idle time of the telecommunication device.

20. The telecommunication device of claim 16 further comprising a maximum sleep time duration module in data communication with the radio circuit to determine a maximum lost beacons parameter from a control beacon transmitted by a remote telecommunication device and to adjust the sleep time duration in response to the maximum lost beacons parameter.