Method and equipment for saving power in infrared data transmission
First Claim
1. A method for saving power in a data transmission system using an infrared transmission medium between two or more stations, employing at least a two-layer data transmission structure whereby a lower layer controls the transmission medium and a next higher layer controls logical data communications, comprising the steps of:
- step 1, providing a Power Manager means for the next higher layer;
step 2, routing activity data relating to the next higher layer'"'"'s requirement to transmit payload data to the Power Manager;
step 3, shutting down the transmission medium by the Power Manager means when the activity data indicates that the next higher layer is not required to transmit payload data;
step 4, starting up the transmission medium when the activity data indicates that the next higher layer requires transmission of payload data; and
step 5, initiating a low-power sleep mode on at least one of the stations in which the Power Manager is an actively functioning device block.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided wherein idle periods occurring in the data transmission between various services are detected by means of a Power Manager, whereby the infrared link (IrDA-SIR) is shut down automatically. The link restarts automatically when new activity is detected. Thanks to the method, at least one of the stations can also go into the sleep mode, even though a virtual link to the application layer (7) of the other station is maintained in the application layer (7).
84 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for saving power in a data transmission system using an infrared transmission medium between two or more stations, employing at least a two-layer data transmission structure whereby a lower layer controls the transmission medium and a next higher layer controls logical data communications, comprising the steps of:
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step 1, providing a Power Manager means for the next higher layer; step 2, routing activity data relating to the next higher layer'"'"'s requirement to transmit payload data to the Power Manager; step 3, shutting down the transmission medium by the Power Manager means when the activity data indicates that the next higher layer is not required to transmit payload data; step 4, starting up the transmission medium when the activity data indicates that the next higher layer requires transmission of payload data; and step 5, initiating a low-power sleep mode on at least one of the stations in which the Power Manager is an actively functioning device block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of saving power in a data transmission system using an infrared transmission medium between two or more stations, which has at least two modes whereby in a first mode the transmission medium is in a basic mode when payload data is not transmitted between the stations and whereby in a second mode the transmission medium is in a communication mode when payload data is transmitted between the stations, comprising the steps of:
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step 1, providing a Power Manager means; step 2, routing activity data on the transmission medium to the Power Manager means; step 3 shutting down the transmission medium by the Power Manager means when the transmission medium is in the basic mode; step 4, starting up the transmission medium when the transmission medium goes into the communication mode, wherein at least one of the stations goes into a low-power sleep mode in which the Power Manager means is an actively functioning device block.
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Specification