Systems and methods for conserving energy in a communications network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communications network comprising:
- a first node that comprises at least one transceiver and is configured to;
observe one or more conditions in at least one of the communications network or the first node,select a sleep mode of a plurality of sleep modes based on the observed one or more conditions, each sleep mode of the plurality of sleep modes being associated with a different powering down procedure and a sleep duration;
power down the at least one transceiver for the sleep duration and according to the powering down procedure associated with the selected sleep mode; and
where the plurality of sleep modes includes at least four sleep modes,where in response to selecting a first sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the first node, when powering down, is configured to;
set a sleep timer to a first period of time,buffer outgoing packets, andpower down the at least one transceiver for the first period of time, andwhere in response to selecting a second sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the first node, when powering down, is configured to;
transmit a link-level broadcast to at least one neighboring node,set the sleep timer to a second period of time, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time,buffer outgoing packets, andpower down the at least one transceiver for the second period of time; and
a plurality of neighboring nodes.
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Abstract
A communications network (100) includes a first node (110) and a group of neighboring nodes (110). The first node (110) includes at least one transceiver (340). The first node (110) may observe one or more conditions in at least one of the communications network (100) and the first node (110) and select a sleep mode of a group of sleep modes based on the observed one or more conditions. Each sleep mode of the group of sleep modes may be associated with a different procedure. The first node (110) may power down the at least one transceiver (340) according to the procedure associated with the selected sleep mode.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A communications network comprising:
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a first node that comprises at least one transceiver and is configured to; observe one or more conditions in at least one of the communications network or the first node, select a sleep mode of a plurality of sleep modes based on the observed one or more conditions, each sleep mode of the plurality of sleep modes being associated with a different powering down procedure and a sleep duration; power down the at least one transceiver for the sleep duration and according to the powering down procedure associated with the selected sleep mode; and where the plurality of sleep modes includes at least four sleep modes, where in response to selecting a first sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the first node, when powering down, is configured to; set a sleep timer to a first period of time, buffer outgoing packets, and power down the at least one transceiver for the first period of time, and where in response to selecting a second sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the first node, when powering down, is configured to; transmit a link-level broadcast to at least one neighboring node, set the sleep timer to a second period of time, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time, buffer outgoing packets, and power down the at least one transceiver for the second period of time; and
a plurality of neighboring nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for conserving power in a communications network, comprising:
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monitoring, via a node in the communications network, one or more conditions in the communications network; selecting, via the node, a sleep mode of a plurality of sleep modes based on the one or more conditions, each sleep mode of the plurality of sleep modes being associated with a unique powering down procedure and a different sleep duration; and powering down the node for the sleep duration associated with the selected sleep mode and in accordance with the unique powering down procedure, where the plurality of sleep modes includes at least four sleep modes, where in response to the node selecting a first sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the powering down includes; setting a sleep timer to a first period of time, buffering outgoing packets, and powering down at least one transceiver associated with the node for the first period of time, and where in response to the node selecting a second sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the powering down the node for the sleep duration includes; transmitting a link-level broadcast to one or more neighboring nodes, setting the sleep timer to a second period of time, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time, buffering outgoing packets, and powering down the at least one transceiver for the second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer-readable memory device including a plurality of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for conserving power in a node of a communications network, the node including at least one transceiver, the method comprising:
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monitoring one or more conditions in the communications network; selecting one of a plurality of sleep modes based on the monitoring, each sleep mode of being associated with a different powering down procedure and a sleep duration; and powering down the at least one transceiver for the sleep duration and in accordance with the powering down procedure associated with the selected sleep mode, where the plurality of sleep modes includes at least four sleep modes, where in response to selecting a first sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the powering down includes; setting a sleep timer to a first period of time, buffering outgoing packets, and powering down the at least one transceiver for the first period of time, and where in response to selecting a second sleep mode of the at least four sleep modes, the powering down the at least one transceiver for the sleep duration includes; transmitting a link-level broadcast to one or more neighboring nodes, setting the sleep timer to a second period of time, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time, buffering outgoing packets, and powering down the at least one transceiver for the second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for conserving power in a communications node that includes at least one transceiver, comprising:
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selecting a sleep mode from a group that includes at least four sleep modes, a first sleep mode of the group including powering down the at least one transceiver without notifying neighboring nodes, a second sleep mode of the group including powering down the at least one transceiver after transmitting a link-level broadcast to neighboring nodes, a third sleep mode of the group including powering down the at least one transceiver after transmitting a point-to-point message to each neighboring node and receiving a first acknowledgement message from each neighboring node, and a fourth sleep mode of the group including powering down the at least one transceiver after transmitting a routing application message to each neighboring node that causes each neighboring node to remove the communications node from its routing tables and receiving a second acknowledgement message from each neighboring node; and powering down the at least one transceiver in accordance with the selected sleep mode.
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Specification