Device synchronization on a communication network
First Claim
1. A method of scheduling communications activities for an electronic communication device configured to communicate across a communication network, the network temporally organized into communication windows for network activities, a communication window comprising a scheduling window and a plurality of media access slots for data transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
- a first electronic communication device scheduling a communication activity with second electronic communication device during a scheduling window by reserving a first media access slot;
the first electronic communication device entering a power-save mode after the scheduling step;
during a scheduled synchronization period prior to the scheduled communication activity, the first electronic communication device transitioning from the power-save mode into an active state, to perform synchronization with the second electronic communication device to synchronize with the network, wherein the scheduled synchronization period comprises a second media access slot reserved to occur prior to the first media access slot; and
the first electronic communication device remaining in the active state to conduct the scheduled communication activity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method to enable scheduling communications activities for an electronic communication device configured to communicate across a communication network is provided. The method comprises the steps of scheduling a communication activity during a scheduling window such that the communication activity is scheduled to occur toward the end of a communication window; entering a power-save mode after the scheduling step; and transitioning from the power-save mode prior to the scheduled communication activity. In one embodiment the method can further include a step of conducting the scheduled communication activity and transitioning back to the power-save mode after a next communication activity is scheduled or be implemented to allow the step of conducting the scheduled communication activity and transitioning back to the power-save mode at the end of the next communication window. In one embodiment the transitioning step comprises the steps of awakening from the power-save mode and synchronizing with the communication network, wherein synchronizing can comprise the step of synchronizing with electronic communication device associated with the communication network.
34 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of scheduling communications activities for an electronic communication device configured to communicate across a communication network, the network temporally organized into communication windows for network activities, a communication window comprising a scheduling window and a plurality of media access slots for data transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
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a first electronic communication device scheduling a communication activity with second electronic communication device during a scheduling window by reserving a first media access slot; the first electronic communication device entering a power-save mode after the scheduling step; during a scheduled synchronization period prior to the scheduled communication activity, the first electronic communication device transitioning from the power-save mode into an active state, to perform synchronization with the second electronic communication device to synchronize with the network, wherein the scheduled synchronization period comprises a second media access slot reserved to occur prior to the first media access slot; and the first electronic communication device remaining in the active state to conduct the scheduled communication activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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6. The method of claim wherein the step of scheduling includes a step of scheduling the synchronization period with the second electronic communication device for synchronization with the communication network by reserving the second media access slot, and the method further comprises the steps of:
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the first electronic communication device requesting assistance in synchronization from the second electronic communication device, and the first electronic communication device relinquishing the reservation of the scheduled synchronization period to the second electronic communication device to enable the second electronic communication device to communicate information used for resynchronization to the first electronic communication device during the synchronization period. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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14. An electronic communication device configured for communication across a communication network, the network temporally organized into communication windows for network activities, a communication window comprising a scheduling window and a plurality of media access slots for data transmission, comprising a non-transitory medium having control logic embodied thereon, the control logic configured to cause the electronic communication device to perform the steps of:
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performing a communication activity with a second electronic communication device; scheduling the communication activity during a scheduling window by reserving a first, media access slot; entering a power-save mode after the communication activity is scheduled; during a scheduled synchronization period prior to the scheduled communication activity, transitioning from the power-save mode into an active state, to perform synchronization with the second electronic communication device to synchronize with the network, wherein the scheduled synchronization period comprises a second media access slot reserved to occur prior to the first media access slot; and remaining in the active state to conduct the scheduled communication activity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In a distributed wireless communication network, a method of scheduling a communication activity for an electronic communication device associated with the network, the network temporally organized into communication windows for network activities, a communication window comprising a scheduling window and a plurality of media access slots, the method comprising the steps of:
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a first electronic communication device scheduling a network communication activity for a communication window, the scheduling occurring during the scheduling window associated with that communication window, wherein, media access slots are available for reservation, the communication activity is scheduled to occur in one or more media access slots in temporal proximity to a second scheduling window associated with a second communications window; the first electronic communication device entering a power-save mode after the communication activity and the second scheduling window; and the first electronic communication device remaining in the power-save mode until prior to a next scheduled network activity. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a distributed wireless communication network, a method of scheduling a communication activity for an electronic communication device associated with the network, the network temporally organized into superframes for network activities, a superframe comprising a scheduling window and a plurality of media access slots, the method comprising the steps of:
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a first electronic communication device reserving a network communication activity time slot comprising one or more media access slots during a superframe, the reservation made on behalf of a second electronic communication device, the first electronic communication device communicating information regarding the reservation to the second electronic communication device; and the reservation including a reservation of one or more additional media access slots for the second electronic communication device to transmit information for device synchronization to the first electronic communication device. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification