Connection mode for low-end radio

• US 7,680,520 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Reunamaki, Jukka, Salokannel, Juha, Ruuska, Paivi M., Lappetelainen, Antti
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/797,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 455/41.3, 370/311, 370/449, 370/346, 370/503, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for a implementing an optimized power conservation communication protocol, wherein the communication link is flexible and the power consumption characteristics are optimized. One facet of the system'"'"'s flexibility relates to the system'"'"'s ability to negotiate device control roles associated with a polling communication link. Also, once the device control roles are in place and the communication link is established, the system selectively implements a number of polling protocols for a multitude of applications that need a low power consumption. In some embodiments the system maintains a communication link with a reduced frequency polling protocol. This type of communication link maintains efficient power consumption characteristics, as well as, connection times that are faster than establishing a communication link between disconnected devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a low activity request message including proposed low activity parameters from a polling device to a polled device, wherein the low activity parameters specify a number of polling messages the polling device may refrain from transmitting;

receiving a low activity response message from the polled device, and

entering a low activity mode based on the set of parameters included in the low acitivity request message, wherein the low activity mode reduces power consumption in the polling device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

during said processing of the low activity messages, the polling device and the polled device each transmit at least one additional message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said at least one additional message transmitted by the polled device indicates the number of polling messages to which the polled device will not respond during the low activity mode.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said at least one additional message transmitted by the polling device indicates the number of polling messages the polling device may refrain from transmitting during the low activity mode.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the low activity mode is asymmetrical, wherein the polled device and the polling device enter low activity modes of different time durations.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the low activity mode is symmetrical, wherein the polled device and the polling device enter low activity modes of equal time durations.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the polling and polled devices implement a modified Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a Bluetooth master device assumes a polling device role.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the polling and polled devices implement a modified low-end radio wireless communication protocol.

10. A polling device, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to process said instructions to cause the polling device to;

transmit from the polling device a low activity request message to a polled device, the low activity request message including proposed low activity parameters, wherein the low activity request parameters specify a proposed number of polling messages the polling device may refrain from transmitting;

receive a low activity response message from the polled device; and

enter a low activity mode for a time interval based on parameters from the low activity messages, wherein the low activity mode reduces power consumption in the polling device.

11. The polling device of claim 10, wherein:

the low activity response message accepts the low activity parameters.

12. The polling device of claim 10, wherein:

the low activity response message rejects the low activity parameters in the low activity request message.

13. The polling device of claim 12, wherein:

the low activity response message includes proposed new low activity parameters.

14. The polling device of claim 13, further comprising instructions for causing the polling device to:

transmit an updated low activity request message based on the proposed new low activity parameters from the polling device; and

receive a new low activity response message accepting the updated low activity request message.

15. The polling device of claim 10, wherein the polling and polled devices implement a modified low-end radio communication protocol.

16. A polled device, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to process said instructions to cause the polled device to;

receive from a polling device a low activity request message including low activity parameters, wherein the low activity parameters specify a maximum number of polling messages occurring before the polling device accesses a data transfer channel;

transmit a low activity response message to the polling device; and

maintaining connection with the polling device for a time interval the polling device may refrain from accessing a data transfer channel in accordance with low activity parameters included in the low activity message.

17. The polled device of claim 16, wherein:

the low activity response message accepts the low activity parameters in the low activity request message.

18. The polled device of claim 16, wherein:

the low activity response message rejects the low activity parameters in the low activity request message.

19. The polled device of claim 18, wherein:

the low activity response message includes proposed new low activity parameters.

20. The polled device of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing the polled device to:

receive an updated low activity request message based on the proposed new low activity parameters from the polling device; and

transmit a new low activity response message accepting the updated low activity request message.

21. The apparatus polled device of claim 16, wherein the polling and polled devices implement a modified Low End Radio communication protocol.

22. A method, comprising:

transmitting polling messages to at least one polled device according to a general polling mode and a request to the at least one polled device to enter a low activity polling mode, wherein the low activity mode request includes a set of low activity polling mode parameters indicating a number of polling messages to which the polled device may refrain from responding;

receiving a response message from the at least one polled device; and

entering a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the polled device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with the set of low activity polling mode parameters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the time interval is derived from a negotiation between the polling and polled devices.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

a periodicity of polling message transmissions in the low activity polling mode is specified in the transmitted low activity mode request.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the general polling mode further comprises:

the periodicity associated with transmitting the polling messages is defined by a fixed time-interval, wherein said fixed time-interval commences following receipt of said response message.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the general polling mode further comprises:

the periodicity associated with transmitting the polling messages is defined by a fixed time-interval, wherein said fixed time-interval commences at the end of a previous polling message, if no response message has been detected.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the low activity mode is asymmetrical, whereby the at least one polled device abstains from responding to at least one of the polling messages; and

a number of polling messages to which the at least one polled device can abstain from responding to is specified in a parameter defined in the low activity mode request.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the low activity mode is asymmetrical, whereby the polling device abstains from transmitting at least one of the polling messages; and

a number of polling messages to which the polling device can refrain from transmitting is specified in a parameter defined in the low activity mode request.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

transmitting a message modifying the low activity time-interval after low activity data transfer has occurred.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

conducting carrier sensing multiple access with collision avoidance for determining that there are no transmission conflicts prior to transmitting polling messages.

31. A communication device, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to process said instructions to cause the communication device to;

transmit polling messages to at least one polled device according to a general polling mode and transmit a low activity polling mode request to the at least one polled device, wherein the low activity polling mode request includes at least one of a number of polling messages to which the communication device will not respond and a number of polling messages that the communication device will refrain from transmitting during the low activity polling mode;

receive a response message from the at least one polled device, containing a response to the low activity polling mode request;

enter a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the communication device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with an accepted set of low activity polling mode parameters.

32. The communication device of claim 31, wherein the time interval is derived from a negotiation between the communication device and polled device.

33. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code configured to transmit polling messages to at least one polled device according to a general polling mode and transmit a low activity polling request to the at least one polled device, wherein the low activity polling mode request includes at least one of a number of polling messages to which the communication device will not respond and a number of polling messages that the communication device will refrain from transmitting during the low activity polling mode;

code configured to receive a response message from the at least one polled device, containing a response to the low activity polling mode request;

code configured to enter a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the communication device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with an accepted set of low activity polling mode parameters.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the time interval is derived from a negotiation between the communication device and the polled device.

35. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code configured to transmit a low activity request message including proposed low activity parameters from a polling device to a polled device, wherein the low activity parameters specify a number of polling messages the polling device may refrain from transmitting;

code configured to receive a low activity response message from the polled device; and

code configured to enter a low activity mode based on the set of parameters included in the low activity request message, wherein the low activity mode reduces power consumption in the polling device.

36. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code configured to transmit polling messages to at least one polled device according to a general polling mode and a request to the at least one polled device to enter a low activity polling mode, wherein the low activity mode request includes a set of low activity polling mode parameters indicating a number of polling messages to which the polled device may refrain from responding;

code configured to receive a response message from the at least one polled device; and

code configured to enter a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the polled device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with the set of low activity polling mode parameters.

37. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to;

transmit polling messages to at least one polled device according to a general polling mode and a request to the at least one polled device to enter a low activity polling mode, wherein the low activity mode request includes a set of low activity polling mode parameters indicating a number of polling messages to which the polled device may refrain from responding;

receive a response message from the at least one polled device; and

enter a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the polled device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with the set of low activity polling mode parameters.

38. A method, comprising:

transmitting a low activity polling mode request to a polled device, wherein the low activity polling mode request includes a set of low activity polling mode parameters indicating a number of polling messages to which the polled device may refrain from responding;

receiving a response message from the at least one polled device; and

entering a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the polled device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with the set of low activity polling mode parameters.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including executable instructions, the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

transmit a low activity polling mode request to a polled device, wherein the low activity polling mode request includes a set of low activity polling mode parameters indicating a number of polling messages to which the polled device may refrain from responding;

receive a response message from the at least one polled device; and

enter a low activity polling mode, wherein during the low activity polling mode the polled device refrains from accessing a data transfer channel for a time interval in accordance with the set of low activity polling mode parameters.