Systems and methods for waking up wireless LAN devices

• US 7,398,408 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Conexant Systems Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Paljug, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Application Number:
  US10/995,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/323
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof

Abstract

A system and method for wireless waking computing devices over a computer network is provided. A signal is broadcast over the network that includes one or more device specific wake-up data sequences. Each device specific wake-up data sequence includes multiple iterations of the hardware address of the wireless network card associated with that device. While in a reduced power or “sleep mode”, the wireless network card monitors wireless channels for packets containing a wake-up data sequence. If a wake-up data sequence is received, the sequence is matched against the hardware address information for that network card. If a match is determined, the network card sends a signal to the computing device causing full system power to be restored. A signal is sent to the network confirming that the device has been successfully woken from the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method for waking a computing device over a wireless network comprising:

broadcasting a signal containing a wake-up data sequence for at least one computing device over a wireless network, wherein broadcasting the signal comprises periodically broadcasting the signal over one or more wireless channels until either a first predetermined time period expires or a confirmation signal is received;

receiving the broadcast signal at the at least one computing device, while that device is in a reduced power mode, wherein receiving comprises first entering a wake-up data sequence detection mode;

scanning the received signal for a wake-up data sequence for that computing device, wherein scanning is performed until either the wake-up data sequence for that computing device is received or a second predetermined time period expires; and

restoring that computing device to a full power mode upon detection of a wake-up data sequence for that device and exiting the wake-up data sequence detection mode if the second predetermined time period expires.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting a signal over a wireless network comprising broadcasting a signal from a wireless access point over a wireless local area network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the broadcast signal at the least one computing device comprises receiving the signal at an antenna of a wireless network interface card associated with the at least one computing device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the received signal for a wake-up data sequence for that computing device comprises scanning the received signal for a wake-up data sequence comprising multiple iterations of the address of that wireless network interface card.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the wireless confirmation signal from the computing device back to the network after full power has been restored to the computing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising deactivating the receiver for another predetermined period of time.

7. A system for waking up a computing device over a wireless network, comprising:

a main power terminal and an auxiliary power terminal, wherein when the computing device is in the full power mode, card power is supplied by a power controller of the computing device via the main power terminal and when the computing device is in the reduced power mode, card power is supplied from the power controller of the computing device via the auxiliary power terminal;

a receiver configured to scan one or more wireless channels for a wake-data sequence from the wireless network, wherein the receiver enters a wake-up data sequence detection mode for a predetermined time period and scans each of the one or more wireless channels, wherein the receiver is further configured to exit the wake-up data sequence detection mode if the predetermined time period expires;

circuitry for comparing a received wake-up data sequence against a stored wake-up data sequence for that card; and

circuitry for issuing a wake-up command signal to the power controller when the received wake-up data sequence matches the stored wake-up data sequence.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless LAN.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprising circuitry for issuing a confirmation signal to the network after full power has been restored to the computing device.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the receiver is deactivated for a second pre-specified time period after the receiver scans each of the one or more channels.

11. A method of wirelessly waking a computing device over a computer network comprising:

broadcasting a wireless signal over the network containing a wake-up data sequence for at least one computing device authorized on the computer network, wherein broadcasting the signal comprises periodically broadcasting the signal over one or more wireless channels;

repeating the step of broadcasting until either a predetermined time period has expired or until a confirmation signal from the computing device has been recieved; and

deactivating a receiver within the computing device for another predetermined period of time.

12. The method according to claim 11, broadcasting a wireless signal over the network containing a wake-up data sequence for at least one computing device comprising broadcasting a packet-based signal containing multiple iterations of the hardware address of a network interface card associated with the at least one computing device.

13. A method of wireless waking a computing device from a sleep mode over a computer network comprising;

supplying power to a wireless network card associated with a computing device;

monitoring one or more wireless channels with a receiver within the wireless network card, wherein monitoring comprises first entering a wake-up data sequence detection mode for a predetermined time period in order to monitor each of the one or more wireless channels;

parsing a wireless signal received over one of the one or more wireless channels for a wake-up data sequence;

comparing the received wake-up data sequence with previously stored information;

sending a signal from the wireless network card to the computing device to cause the computing device to restore full system power; and

deactivating the receiver for another predetermined period of time.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of monitoring one or more wireless channels with a wireless network card comprises monitoring one or more wireless channels with a mini-PCI card-based wireless network card.

15. The method according to claim 13, supplying power to a wireless network card comprises supplying power through a main terminal when the computing device is a full power mode and supplying power through an auxiliary terminal when the computing device is in a sleep mode.

16. The method according to claim 13, after all of the one or more channels have been monitored waiting a predetermined period before monitoring again.

17. The method according to claim 13, parsing a wireless signal received over one of the one or more wireless channels for a wake-up data sequence comprising parsing the wireless signal for a multiple iterations of the hardware address of the wireless network card.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising sending a wireless signal from the network card to the network confirming that full power has been restored to the computing device.