Systems and methods for waking wireless LAN devices

• US 8,156,360 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Paljug, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US12/168,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 713/323, 713/320
• 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 comprising:

monitoring a plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during a monitor timeframe, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a transition from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode;

transitioning from operating the wireless device in the first power mode to operating the wireless device in the second power mode when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has been received before the monitor timeframe has elapsed; and

ceasing to monitor the plurality of wireless channels when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has not been received after the monitor timeframe has elapsed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resuming monitoring of the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device during the monitor timeframe after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during the monitor timeframe comprises sequentially monitoring individual wireless channels of the plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the monitor timeframe until either the monitor timeframe has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received by the wireless device, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating the transmission of a confirmation packet when the wireless device has completed the transition from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake-up packet is a broadcast packet addressed to a plurality of wireless devices on a wireless local area network, and wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices on the wireless local area network currently operating in the first power mode to initiate the transition from the first power mode to the second power mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the power required for operating the wireless device in the first power mode is less than the power required for operating the wireless device in the second power mode.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to monitor a plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during a monitor timeframe, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a transition from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the transition from operating the wireless device in the first power mode to operating the wireless device in the second power mode when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has been received before the monitor timeframe has elapsed, and wherein the controller is configured to cease to monitor the plurality of wireless channels when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has not been received after the monitor timeframe has elapsed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to resume monitoring the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device during the monitor timeframe after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially monitor individual wireless channels of the plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the monitor timeframe until either the monitor timeframe has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wireless device is configured to initiate the transmission of a confirmation packet when the wireless device has transitioned from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wireless device has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the wireless device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wake-up packet is a broadcast packet addressed to plurality of wireless devices on a wireless local area network, and wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices on the wireless local area network currently operating in the first power mode to initiate the transition from the first power mode to the second power mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power required for operating the wireless device in the first power mode is less than the power required for operating the wireless device in the second power mode.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring a plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during a monitor timeframe, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a transition from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode;

means for transitioning from operating the wireless device in the first power mode to operating the wireless device in the second power mode when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has been received before the monitor timeframe has elapsed; and

means for ceasing to monitor the plurality of wireless channels when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has not been received after the monitor timeframe has elapsed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for resuming monitoring of the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device during the monitor timeframe after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for monitoring the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during the monitor timeframe comprises means for sequentially monitoring individual wireless channels of the plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the monitor timeframe until either the monitor timeframe has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received by the wireless device, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for initiating the transmission of a confirmation packet when the wireless device has completed the transition from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wireless device has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the wireless device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wake-up packet is a broadcast packet addressed to plurality of wireless devices on a wireless local area network, and wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices on the wireless local area network currently operating in the first power mode to initiate the transition from the first power mode to the second power mode.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power required for operating the wireless device in the first power mode is less than the power required for operating the wireless device in the second power mode.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during a monitor timeframe, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a transition from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode;

transitioning from operating the wireless device in the first power mode to operating the wireless device in the second power mode when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has been received before the monitor timeframe has elapsed; and

ceasing to monitor the plurality of wireless channels when a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device has not been received after the monitor timeframe has elapsed.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

resuming monitoring of the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device during the monitor timeframe after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein monitoring the plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device during the monitor timeframe comprises sequentially monitoring individual wireless channels of the plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the monitor timeframe until either the monitor timeframe has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received by the wireless device, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

initiating the transmission of a confirmation packet when the wireless device has completed the transition from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the wireless device has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the wireless device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the wakeup packet is a broadcast packet addressed to a plurality of wireless devices on a wireless local area network, and wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices on the wireless local area network currently operating in the first power mode to initiate the transition from the first power mode to the second power mode.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the power required for operating the wireless device in the first power mode is less than the power required for operating the wireless device in the second power mode.