AUTOMATING RADIO ENABLEMENT TO FACILITATE POWER SAVING

• US 20140269481A1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomson, Allan, Torres, Esteban
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an apparatus comprising a wireless transceiver and a controller coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured to receive data via the wireless transceiver. The controller operates the wireless transceiver at a first power save state where the wireless transceiver can receive a frame but other circuits are de-energized. The controller is responsive to the wireless transceiver receiving a frame while the wireless transceiver is in a first power state to determine whether the frame is a predefined wakeup frame. The controller provides additional power to the wireless transceiver responsive to determining the frame is a predefined wakeup frame.

Claims

1. A method, comprising

operating a first wireless transceiver in a first communication mode for communication with an associated first network;

operating the first wireless transceiver in a first power state, wherein a receiver, a decryption circuit, and a transmitter associated with the first wireless transceiver are each de-energized;

operating the first wireless transceiver in a second power state for repeated predetermined intervals, wherein in the second power state, power is provided to the receiver for each predetermined interval, but the decryption circuit and the transmitter are initially de-energized for each predetermined interval;

receiving a frame via the first wireless transceiver while the first wireless transceiver is in the second power state;

determining whether the frame is a predefined wakeup frame based on an address contained within the frame;

selectively providing power to the receiver and the decryption circuit with the transmitter being de-energized responsive to determining the frame is a predefined wakeup frame;

validating a signature in the frame by the decryption circuit;

selectively providing power to the receiver, the decryption circuit, and the transmitted associated with the first wireless transceiver for operative communication with the associated first network responsive to determining that the received frame has a valid signature corresponding to the predefined wakeup frame; and

selectively re-routing traffic initially targeted to a second wireless transceiver for communication via an associated second network to the first wireless transceiver for communication with the associated first network while the first wireless transceiver is in operative communication with the associated first network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the address of the frame includes a destination address;

and

wherein determining the frame is a predefined wakeup frame is performed by determining whether the destination address of the frame is a predefined multicast destination address.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising operating the first wireless transceiver on a selected wireless channel of a plurality of wireless channels to listen for the predefined wakeup frame.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

switching on the transmitter associated with the first wireless transceiver responsive to determining the predefined wakeup frame was received; and

attempting to associate with a network via the first wireless transceiver.

5. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising returning the first wireless transceiver to the first power state responsive to not successfully associating with the network within a specified time period.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising obtaining access point and channel data for at least one access point from the predefined wakeup frame.

7. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising switching the first wireless transceiver to a channel obtained from channel data obtained from the predefined wakeup frame.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a sequence of frames via the first wireless transceiver while the first wireless transceiver is in the second power state;

determining whether the sequence of frames is a predetermined sequence of wake up frames;

providing power to the decryption circuit associated with the first wireless transceiver responsive to determining the sequence of frames is the predetermined sequence of wakeup frames.

9. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising determining via the decryption circuit whether each of the received sequence of frames has a valid signature corresponding to a predefined sequence of wakeup frames for one of a group consisting of an access point sending the wakeup frame and a network associated with the access point.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising providing power to the transmit circuit associated with the first wireless transceiver responsive to determining that each of the received sequence of wakeup frames has a signature corresponding to a predefined sequence of wakeup frames.

11. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising providing additional power to the first wireless transceiver responsive to determining a predefined sequence of wakeup frames was received.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising operating the second wireless transceiver while the first wireless transceiver is in a power save mode.

13. Logic encoded in a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium for execution by an associated processor and when executed by the associated processor, the logic being operable to:

operate a first wireless transceiver in a first communication mode for communication with an associated first network;

operate the first wireless transceiver in a first power state, wherein a receiver, a decryption circuit, and a transmitter associated with the first wireless transceiver are each de-energized;

operate the first wireless transceiver in a second power state for repeated predetermined intervals, wherein in the second power state, power is provided to the receiver for each predetermined interval, but the decryption circuit and the transmitter are initially de-energized for each predetermined interval;

receive a frame via the first wireless transceiver while the first wireless transceiver is in the second power state;

determine whether the frame is a predefined wakeup frame based on an address contained within the frame;

selectively provide power to the receiver and the decryption circuit with the transmitter being de-energized responsive to a determination that the frame is a predefined wakeup frame;

validate a signature in the frame by the decryption circuit;

selectively provide power to the receiver, the decryption circuit, and the transmitted associated with the first wireless transceiver for operative communication with the associated first network responsive to a determination that the received frame has a valid signature corresponding to the predefined wakeup frame; and

selectively re-route traffic initially targeted to a second wireless transceiver for communication via an associated second network to the first wireless transceiver for communication with the associated first network while the first wireless transceiver is in operative communication with the associated first network.

14. The logic of claim 13, wherein the logic is further operable to determine whether the destination address of the frame is a predefined multicast destination address.

15. The logic of claim 13, wherein the logic is further operable to operate the first wireless transceiver on a selected wireless channel of a plurality of wireless channels to listen for the predefined wakeup frame.

16. The logic of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

switch on the transmitter associated with the first wireless transceiver responsive to a determination that the predefined wakeup frame was received; and

attempt to associate with a network via the first wireless transceiver.

17. The logic of claim 16, the logic further operable to return the first wireless transceiver to the first power state responsive to not successfully associating with the network within a specified time period.

18. The logic of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

receive a sequence of frames via the first wireless transceiver while the first wireless transceiver is in the second power state;

determine whether the sequence of frames is a predetermined sequence of wake up frames;

provide power to the decryption circuit associated with the first wireless transceiver responsive to a determination that the sequence of frames is the predetermined sequence of wakeup frames.

19. The logic of claim 18, the logic further operable to determine via the decryption circuit whether each of the received sequence of frames has a valid signature corresponding to a predefined sequence of wakeup frames for one of a group consisting of an access point sending the wakeup frame and a network associated with the access point.

22. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless transceiver sends and receives data on a first channel;

and

wherein the predefined wakeup frame is sent on a second channel

23. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the controller puts a predefined multicast address into the predefined wakeup frame.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the controller puts a predefined signature into the predefined wakeup frame.

20. Logic encoded in a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium for execution by an associated processor and when executed by the associated processor, the logic being operable to:

operate a first wireless transceiver in a first communication mode for communication with an associated cellular network;

operate a second wireless transceiver in a second communication mode different from the first communication mode for communication with an associated wireless local area network;

periodically switch the second wireless transceiver between a first power state for a predetermined time period and a second power state, wherein while in the first power state a receiver associated with the second wireless transceiver is powered, and a decryption circuit and a transmitter associated with the second wireless transceiver are initially de-energized, and the second wireless transceiver can receive data, wherein while in the second power state the receiver, the decryption circuit, and the transmitter are each de-energized and the second wireless transceiver is unable to receive data;

receive a frame via the second wireless transceiver while in the first power state;

determine whether the frame is a predefined wakeup frame;

validate a signature in the frame by the decryption circuit;

selectively provide power to the receiver, the decryption circuit, and the transmitted associated with the second wireless transceiver responsive to a determination that the received frame has a valid signature corresponding to the predefined wakeup frame;

associate the second wireless transceiver with associated wireless local area network for communication thereon responsive to a determination that the received frame has a valid signature; and

selectively re-route traffic initially targeted to the first wireless transceiver for communication via the associated cellular network to the second wireless transceiver for communication with the associated wireless local area network while the second wireless transceiver is in operative communication with the associated wireless local area network.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a controller coupled to the wireless transceiver;

wherein the controller periodically generates a predefined wakeup frame to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver; and

wherein the predefined wakeup frame is transmitted at a higher data rate than a lowest, default data rate.