Method and apparatus for reducing battery power consumption of transceivers in a communications network using an external generated timing signal
First Claim
1. A method for reducing power consumption in a communications network including a plurality of portable devices, comprising the steps of:
- periodically receiving a timing signal in each device from a transmitter external to the network, thereby providing for time synchronization of the plurality of devices without consuming therefor power in the network;
synchronizing a real-time clock in each device to the periodically received timing signal, the real-time clock determining a synchronized timing interval for providing an awake period and a sleep period for each device;
initiating transmitting and receiving of data between the devices during the awake period of the synchronized timing interval; and
entering the sleep period of the synchronized timing interval upon completion of the awake period, the sleep period having a longer duration than the awake period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a compunctions network of low power devices, power consumption of the devices is reduced by periodically receiving a timing signal in each device from a transmitter external to the network. A real-time clock in each of the devices is synchronized to the periodically received timing signal to determine a synchronized timing interval. Transmitting and receiving of data between the devices is initiated during an awake period of the synchronized timing interval. Power consumption is reduced in each of the devices during a sleep period of the synchronized timing interval, the sleep period being significantly longer than the awake period.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for reducing power consumption in a communications network including a plurality of portable devices, comprising the steps of:
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periodically receiving a timing signal in each device from a transmitter external to the network, thereby providing for time synchronization of the plurality of devices without consuming therefor power in the network;
synchronizing a real-time clock in each device to the periodically received timing signal, the real-time clock determining a synchronized timing interval for providing an awake period and a sleep period for each device;
initiating transmitting and receiving of data between the devices during the awake period of the synchronized timing interval; and
entering the sleep period of the synchronized timing interval upon completion of the awake period, the sleep period having a longer duration than the awake period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for reducing power consumption in a communications network including a plurality of portable devices, comprising:
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means for periodically receiving a timing signal in each device from a transmitter external to the network, thereby providing for time synchronization of the plurality of devices without consuming therefor power in the network;
means for synchronizing a real-time clock in each device to the periodically received timing signal, the real-time clock determining a synchronized timing interval for providing an awake period and a sleep period for each device;
means for initiating transmitting and receiving of data between the devices during the awake period of the synchronized timing interval; and
means for initiating the sleep period of the synchronized time interval after the awake period, the sleep period being significantly longer in duration than the awake period.
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Specification