SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING COEXISTING SIGNALS FOR RAPID RESPONSE TO USER INPUT

• US 20160232778A1
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Honjo, Hirofumi, Ramachandran, Prashanth, Sannala, Mikko, Singh, Naveen, Calidonna, Wes, Sivasithambaresan, Arjuna
• Granted Patent: US 10,204,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a system to rapidly respond to wireless instructions being transmitted by a personal device over one of several communications networks that share a common RF medium are provided. During operation of the system, certain network communications may take priority over other network communications. Rapid response communications enable a user to communicate with the system, using the personal device, in a manner that does not collide or interfere with higher priority network communications.

Claims

1. A method for processing coexistence signals in a system comprising a plurality of wireless communication circuits to enable rapid interaction with a remote device, comprising:

broadcasting a plurality of wake packets using a first wireless communication circuit, wherein each wake packet transmission period comprises an active portion and an idle portion, and wherein the wake packet is transmitted during the activity portion;

selectively enabling a second wireless communication circuit to communicate with a remote device during the idle portion of at least one wake packet transmission period; and

determining whether to alter a state of the system in response to data communicated from the remote device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake packets are broadcasted to wake up other systems that form port of a fabric network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake packets are selectively broadcasted throughout a wake time period, the method further comprising:

altering the state of the system in response to data communicated from the remote device, wherein the state of the system is altered prior to the end of the wake time period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selectively enabling a third wireless communication circuit after the wake time period elapses.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first communication circuit is a 6LOWPAW communication circuit, the second communication circuit is a Bluetooth communication circuit, and the third communication circuit is a Wi-Fi communications circuit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

managing requests for access of the first and second communication circuits; and

managing priorities of the first and second communication circuits.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the priority determines which one of the first and second communication circuits is granted access when both the first and second communication circuits are simultaneously requesting access.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively enabling a second wireless communication circuit to communicate with a remote device during the idle sub-period of at least one wake packet transmission period comprises:

advertising the existence of the system to the remote device;

authenticating the remote device; and

processing data received from the remote device after the remote device is authenticated.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sounding an alarm;

receiving an instruction from the remote device during the idle sub-period to silence the alarm; and

altering the state of the system by hushing the alarm.

10. The hazard detection system, comprising:

first communications circuitry operative to broadcast wake packets to wake up other systems that form part of a fabric network, wherein each wake packet transmission period comprises an active portion during which the wake packet is transmitted and an idle portion;

second communication circuitry coupled to the first communication circuitry, the second communications circuitry operative to communicate with a remote device during the idle portion of each wake packet transmission period; and

a processor operative to change a state of the system in response to an instruction received from the remote device during the idle portion of one of the broadcasted wake packets.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

third communications circuitry coupled to the first and second communications circuitry, the third communications circuitry operative to;

receive requests for access status from the first and second communications circuitry;

receive priority status from both the first and second communications circuitry;

grant access to one of the first and second communications circuitry based on the received request for access status and received priority status for both the first and second communications circuitry.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first communications circuitry is 6LOWPAW communications circuitry, the second communications circuitry is Bluetooth communications circuitry, and the third communications circuitry is Wi-Fi communications circuitry.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the 6LOWPAN communications circuitry has priority over the Bluetooth communications circuitry when the system is operating in a first set of states.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein during the idle portion, the second communications circuitry is operative to perform at least one of the following:

advertise the existence of the system to the remote device;

authenticate the remote device; and

process data received from the remote device after the remote device is authenticated.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the wake packets are selectively broadcasted throughout a wake time period, the processor operative to:

alter the state of the system in response to data communicated from the remote device, wherein the state of the system is altered prior to the end of the wake time period.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is operative to:

sound an alarm;

receive an indication from the second communications circuitry that an instruction to silence the alarm was received from the remote device during the idle portion; and

altering the state of the system by silencing the alarm in response to the received indication.

17. A method for facilitating rapid response to remotely generated commands, the method implemented in a hazard detection system that forms part of a fabric network of systems that communicate with each other via the fabric network, the method comprising:

executing at least one state machine that controls a state of operation of the system; and

managing coexisting first and second signals during a wake packet broadcasting session such that a second signal can be received and acted upon to change the state of operation of the system prior to an end of the wake packet broadcasting session, wherein the first signal is broadcasted to alert the other systems of the fabric network of a first state of the system, and wherein the second signal comprises an instruction generated by a remote device that is not part of the fabric network and is operative to change the system to a second state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first signal has priority over the second signal, and wherein the managing comprises:

enabling the second signal to be transmitted during periods when the first signal is not actively being transmitted.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first signal is handled by a first communications circuit and the second signal is handled by a second communication circuit, wherein the first communications circuit selectively asserts a first request for access signal to access a RF medium, and wherein the second communications circuit selectively asserts a second request for access signal to access the RF medium, wherein the managing comprises:

monitoring the first and second request for access signals to determine which circuit is granted access to the RF medium.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein first communications circuit selectively asserts a first priority signal, and wherein the second communications circuit selectively asserts a second priority signal, wherein the managing comprises:

monitoring the first and second priority signals to determine which circuit is granted access to the RF medium; and

arbitrating access to the RF medium based on the monitored first and second priority signals and the monitored first and second request for access signals.