Network supporting roaming, sleeping terminals
First Claim
1. A node for use in a wireless network comprising:
- a control to operate the node in an active state and a low power state, the node in a low power state waking at a timed interval to receive a particular type of packet that is broadcast periodically in a broadcast packet time slot, the node being responsive to the particular type of packet to switch to the active state, where;
if the node does not receive a message within a second timed interval, the node switches from the active state to the low power state; and
if the node receives a message within the second timed interval, the node remains in the active state for at least a third timed interval different from the second timed interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved apparatus for a radio communication system having a multiplicity of mobile transceiver units selectively in communication with a plurality of base transceiver units which, in turn, communicate with one or more host computers for storage and manipulation of data collected by bar code scanners or other collection means associated with the mobile transceiver units. A network controller and an adapter which has a simulcast and sequential mode provide selective interface between host computers and base transceivers. A scheme for routing data through the communication system is also disclosed wherein the intermediate base stations are organized into an optimal spanning-tree network to control the routing of data to and from the RF terminals and the host computer efficiently and dynamically. Additionally, redundant network and communication protocol is disclosed wherein the network utilizes a polling communication protocol which, under heavy loaded conditions, requires that a roaming terminal wishing to initiate communication must first determine that the channel is truly clear by listing for an entire interpoll gap time. In a further embodiment, a criterion used by the roaming terminals for attaching to a given base station reduces conflicts in the overlapping RF regions of adjacent base stations.
165 Citations
87 Claims
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1. A node for use in a wireless network comprising:
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a control to operate the node in an active state and a low power state, the node in a low power state waking at a timed interval to receive a particular type of packet that is broadcast periodically in a broadcast packet time slot, the node being responsive to the particular type of packet to switch to the active state, where; if the node does not receive a message within a second timed interval, the node switches from the active state to the low power state; and if the node receives a message within the second timed interval, the node remains in the active state for at least a third timed interval different from the second timed interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for operating a node in a wireless network comprising:
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waking a node in a low power state at regular intervals, where the regular interval is a multiple of a period at which a polling message is broadcast; receiving at a waken node a message of a particular type that is broadcast periodically in a broadcast message time slot; synchronizing the node to the received broadcast message; and switching the node to an active state in response to the received broadcast message. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A node for use in a wireless network comprising:
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a control to operate the node in an active state and a low power state, the node in a low power state waking at a timed interval to receive a particular type of packet that is broadcast periodically in a broadcast packet time slot, the node being responsive to the particular type of packet to switch to the active state, where; if the node does not receive a message within a second timed interval, the node switches from the active state to the low power state; and if the node receives a message that is not addressed to the node within the second timed interval, the node remains in the active state for at least a third timed interval different from the second timed interval.
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10. A system for utilization in a node of a wireless communication network, the system comprising:
at least one circuit that is operable to, at least; wake a node in a low-power state at regular intervals; receive at the waken node a message of a particular type that is transmitted periodically; synchronize the node to the received message; and switch operation of the node to an active state in response to the received message, where the regular interval is a multiple of the period at which the particular type of message is transmitted periodically. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for operating a node in a wireless network comprising:
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waking a node in a low power state at regular intervals; receiving at the waken node a message of a particular type that is transmitted periodically; synchronizing the node to the received message; and switching operation of the node to an active state in response to the received message, where the regular interval is a multiple of the period at which the particular type of message is transmitted periodically. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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Specification