Transceiver control with sleep mode operation

• US 6,978,149 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2000
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Morelli, Daniel J., Trompower, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/728,564
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/343, 455/574, 455/73, 455/74, 455/343.1, 455/343.5, 375/219, 375/220, 375/222
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A transceiver which keeps circuitry associated with a receiver in a powered down state during periods when a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) indicates that a signal being received is below a pre-determined threshold level, and which begins to power up the transmitter as soon as it is determined that a packet being received requires a response. The RSSI signal represents the strength of any signal current being received, and if the RSSI signal falls below a given threshold level, digital circuitry associated with the back-end circuitry of the receiver system is disabled. If the RSSI signal rises above the threshold level, the digital circuitry of the receiver is enabled. A control circuit within the transceiver processes the packet as it is received to determine whether the packet requires a response. If it is determined that a response is necessary, the control circuit provides a control signal to the transmitter to power up the transmitter from a sleep mode even before the entire packet has been received and processed. The control circuit then continues to process the remainder of the packet as it is received while the transmitter powers up from the sleep mode. In this manner, the transmitter will become stabilized much earlier. Accordingly, the transceiver is able to respond more quickly than conventional devices and is thus able to increase response times and overall data exchange rates. Moreover, battery power of the transceiver is utilized more efficiently compared to devices which must continuously maintain the receiver and transmitter in fully powered modes.

Claims

1. A transceiver comprising:

a transmitter portion for transmitting information;

a receiver portion for receiving information, the receiver portion being switchable between a sleep mode and an active mode, the receiver portion including power-consuming components that are selectively activated in the active mode but not activated in the sleep mode; and

a control circuit coupled to the receiver portion for selectively switching the receiver portion from the sleep mode to the active mode in response to detecting an information signal to be received by the receiver, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode;

wherein the control circuit detects the information signal based on a power level of the information signal.

2. The transceiver apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power level is represented by a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal.

3. A transceiver comprising:

a transmitter portion for transmitting information;

a receiver portion for receiving information, the receiver portion being switchable between a sleep mode and an active mode, the receiver portion including power-consuming components that are selectively activated in the active mode but not activated in the sleep mode; and

a control circuit coupled to the receiver portion for selectively switching the receiver portion from the sleep mode to the active mode in response to detecting an information signal to be received by the receiver, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode;

wherein the control circuit switches the receiver portion between the active mode and the sleep mode based on a power level of the information signal.

4. The transceiver apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuit includes a comparator for comparing the power level of the information signal to a threshold level, and the control circuit switches the receiver portion between the active mode and the sleep mode based on the comparison.

5. The transceiver apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuit switches the receiver portion to the active mode when the power level exceeds the threshold level, and switches the receiver portion to the sleep mode when the power level is less than the threshold level.

6. A method for controlling a transceiver apparatus having a transmitter portion for transmitting information;

and a receiver portion for receiving information, the receiver portion being switchable between a sleep mode and an active mode and including power-consuming components that are selectively activated in the active mode but not activated in the sleep mode, the method comprising the step of;

selectively switching the receiver portion from the sleep mode to the active mode in response to detecting an information signal to be received by the receiver, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode;

wherein the information signal is detected by detecting a power level of the information signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiver portion is switched if the power level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

8. A cellular communication system comprising:

a network;

a host computer coupled to the network;

a plurality of base stations coupled to the network and communicating with the host computer, each of the base stations including a base station transmitter for transmitting wireless communications and a base station receiver for receiving wireless communications; and

a plurality of mobile terminals each for communicating with the network by way of at least one of the plurality of base stations, each of the plurality of mobile terminals having a mobile terminal receiver for receiving wireless communications from at least one of the plurality of base stations;

wherein the receiver of at least one of the mobile terminals or base stations includes;

a receiver portion for receiving information, the receiver portion being switchable between a low power consumption mode and an active mode; and

a control circuit coupled to the receiver portion for selectively switching the receiver portion from the low power consumption mode to the active mode in response to detecting an information signal to be received by the receiver, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode;

wherein the control circuit detects the information signal based on a power level of the information signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the power level is represented by a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal.

10. A cellular communication system comprising:

a network;

a host computer coupled to the network;

a plurality of base stations coupled to the network and communicating with the host computer, each of the base stations including a base station transmitter for transmitting wireless communications and a base station receiver for receiving wireless communications; and

a plurality of mobile terminals each for communicating with the network by way of at least one of the plurality of base stations, each of the plurality of mobile terminals having a mobile terminal receiver for receiving wireless communications from at least one of the plurality of base stations;

wherein the receiver of at least one of the mobile terminals or base stations includes;

a receiver portion for receiving information, the receiver portion being switchable between a low power consumption mode and an active mode; and

a control circuit coupled to the receiver portion for selectively switching the receiver portion from the low power consumption mode to the active mode in response to detecting an information signal to be received by the receiver, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode;

wherein the control circuit switches the receiver portion between the active mode and the low power consumption mode based on a power level of the information signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuit includes a circuit for comparing the power level of the information signal to a threshold level, and the control circuit switches the receiver portion between the active mode and the low power consumption mode based on the comparison.

12. A transceiver comprising:

a transmitter portion which transmits information;

a receiver portion which receives information and which is switchable between a sleep mode and an active mode, the receiver portion including power-consuming components that are selectively activated in the active mode but not activated in the sleep mode; and

a control circuit coupled to the receiver portion which switches the receiver portion from the sleep mode to the active mode when a power level of an information signal to be received by the receiver portion exceeds a threshold level.

13. A method for controlling a receiver portion of a transceiver apparatus, comprising the steps of:

detecting an information signal to be received by a receiver portion of the apparatus;

measuring a power level of the information signal; and

switching the receiver portion from a sleep mode to an active mode whereat power-consuming components are selectively activated that are not activated in the sleep mode, if the power level of the information signal exceeds a threshold value, whereby the receiver portion receives the information signal in the active mode.