Synchronized-timed-reminded communications for family radios

• US 6,615,033 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cragun, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Naghmeh
• Application Number:
  US09/480,388
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343, 455/502, 455/518, 455/519, 455/466, 455/186.1, 455/69, 455/70, 455/572, 455/574, 455/68, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Communications sessions between two or more radio transceivers are synchronized automatically to conserve battery power. A duty cycle is established, and the duty cycle data are communicated from one transceiver to the other(s) along with the time of day and other information. When the on-time portion of the duty cycle indicates that the transceiver is to be powered-on from a power-conserving sleep state to a full-power active state, a microprocessor causes power to be applied to the radio transceiver circuitry. Because they are synchronized, all transceivers of the system simultaneously power-on in this manner. In the active state, there is sufficient power for radio communication between the transceivers, and the users can use the transceivers in the conventional manner during the active state. The transceivers remain in the active state until the off-time portion of the duty cycle indicates to the microprocessor that the transceiver is to be powered-off from the active state to the sleep state. The cycle repeats periodically in accordance with the duty cycle.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing communications sessions between a plurality of radio transceivers, comprising the steps of:

receiving user selected duty cycle information including an on-time and an off-time;

a first and second of said plurality of transceivers simultaneously powering-on from a sleep state in which there is insufficient power for radio communication between them to an active state in which there is sufficient power for radio communication between them and remaining in said active state in accordance with said on-time;

said first and second transceivers simultaneously powering-off from said active state to said sleep state in accordance with said off-time; and

periodically repeating said powering-on and powering-off steps in accordance with said on-time and off-time.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating said duty cycle information between said first and second transceivers to ensure both said first and second transceivers have said on-time and said off-time.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of said first and second transceivers providing a human-perceptible indication when entering said active state.

4. The method claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of said first and second transceivers remaining in said active state irrespective of said on-time if radio communication between them has occurred within a predetermined keep active time.

5. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of communicating said duty cycle information between said first and second transceivers comprises the steps of:

one of said first and second transceivers transmitting a unique pattern detectable by the other of said first and second transceivers;

said one of said first and second transceivers transmitting a current time of day, a start time, said on-time, and said off-time.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein said step of communicating said duty cycle information between said first and second transceivers further comprises the steps of:

a first user associated with said first transceiver and a second user associated with said second transceiver mutually establishing which of said first and second transceivers is to transmit said duty cycle information and which of said first and second transceivers is to receive said duty cycle information; and

one of said users setting said transceiver established to receive said duty cycle information to a state in which it automatically detects a transmission of said duty cycle information from said transceiver established to transmit said duty cycle information.

7. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein said duty cycle information is transmitted in an encoded tone format.

8. A radio transceiver having a communications synchronization system, comprising:

radio transceiver circuitry for providing radio communication;

input device for receiving operational parameters input by a user;

a microprocessor for synchronizing duty cycle information including an on-time and an off-time between two or more radio transceivers in response to said operational parameters inputted by the user, for initiating powering-on from a sleep state in which there is insufficient power for radio communication to an active state in which there is sufficient power for radio communication and remaining in said active state in accordance with said on-time, and for initiating powering-off from said active state to said sleep state in accordance with said off-time; and

a power distribution grid for distributing power controlled by said microprocessor to said radio transceiver circuitry.

9. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

signal processing circuitry for encoding established duty cycle information into a format for communication to a remote transceiver and for decoding established duty cycle information received from a remote transceiver; and

wherein said microprocessor further initiates communication of established duty cycle information to a remote transceiver and stores established duty cycle information received from a remote transceiver.

10. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 9, wherein said microprocessor further initiates providing a human-perceptible indication when initiating powering-on to said active state.

11. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 9, wherein said microprocessor maintains said active state irrespective of said on-time if radio communication has occurred within a predetermined keep active time.

12. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said microprocessor initiates communication of said established duty cycle information by communicating a unique pattern detectable by said remote transceiver; and

said microprocessor initiates communication of said established duty cycle information by communicating a current time of day, a start time, said on-time, and said off-time.

13. The radio transceiver claimed in claim, 12, wherein:

said input means includes selection means for receiving an indication from said user that said radio is to transmit said duty cycle information and alternatively that said radio is to receive said duty cycle information; and

said microprocessor, in response to said indication that said radio is to receive said duty cycle information, sets said signal processing circuitry to a state in which it automatically detects received duty cycle information.

14. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 12, wherein said signal processing circuitry includes an encoder for encoding said duty cycle information in a tone format.

17. The portable communication device of claim 8, further comprising communication circuitry for communicating the common duty cycle to another portable communication device.

18. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 8, wherein the radio transceiver comprises a portable two-way radio.

19. The radio transceiver claimed in claim 8, wherein the two or more radio transceivers power-on from the sleep state to the active state and power-off from the active state to the sleep state generally simultaneously.

15. A portable communication device having a power saving operation mode, comprising:

an input device for receiving operational parameters from a user; and

a processor programmed to perform a method for reducing power consumption comprising;

(a) receiving the user selected operational parameters from the input device;

(b) establishing a common duty cycle among a plurality of portable communication devices using the operational information, wherein the common duty cycle includes an on-time and an off-time;

(c) switching the transceiver from a sleep state in which there is insufficient power for communication to an active state in which there is sufficient power for communication in accordance with the on-time; and

(d) switching the transceiver from the active state to the sleep state in accordance with the off-time.

16. The portable communication device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed to indicate when switching from the sleep state to the active state.

20. The portable communication device of claim 15, wherein the communication device comprises a two-way radio.