System and method for adjusting power used in reception in a wireless packet network

• US 8,175,073 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hui, Jonathan W, Culler, David E
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Application Number:
  US12/004,125
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/345, 370/310
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method allows devices to send and receive packets while using power to do so in a manner that responds to events, such as receipt or other identification of different parameters that control how packets are sent and received.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in response to an event, determining one or more parameters that are selected from a group including a sleep period and a chirp period, the sleep period and the chirp period each being a length of time;

based on parameters resolved by determining the one or more parameters, determining a signal to be provided to cause a radio to draw power, for an amount of time that is based on the sleep period, at a first power level that is below a power level which is used to receive at least one data packet and that is greater than or equal to zero;

upon determining that an amount of time that is based on the sleep period is expired, providing a signal for causing the radio to draw power at a second power level that is higher than the first power level and enabling the radio to identify an energy on a channel;

upon identifying on the channel an energy that is higher than a predefined threshold, providing a signal for causing the radio to draw power at a third power level, the third power level being higher in level than the second power level and enabling the radio to receive a set of data from the channel;

upon determining that the set of data received from the channel corresponds to a chirp packet, identifying a third amount of time that is indicated in the chirp packet and providing a signal for causing the radio to draw power, during the third amount of time, at a fourth power level below a power level which is used to receive at least one data packet that is identified by the chirp packet, the fourth power level being greater than or equal to zero, the chirp packet being a packet indicating a time of transmission of the at least one data packet; and

upon determining that the third amount of time is expired, providing a signal for causing the radio to draw power at the third power level and enabling the radio to receive the at least one data packet, the radio continuing to draw power at the third power level for a period of time greater than a back-off period following the receipt of the at least one data packet, in order to transmit over the channel one or more data packets without associated chirp packets and to receive one or more data packets without corresponding chirp packets from another device or the same device that sent the at least one data packet, the back-off period being an amount of time during which the radio does not attempt to transmit on the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises wireless receipt of at least one command to change at least one amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises wireless receipt of a type indication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises detection of a characteristic.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristic comprises operation using a portable power source.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristic comprises at least a potential for an interruption in power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises receipt of a message regarding a device from which messages may be received.

8. A system comprising non-transitory instructions that include:

an administration manager having an input for receiving an indication of an event, the administration manager for determining in response to the event, and for providing at an output, one or more parameters, where the one or more parameters are selected from a group including a sleep period and a chirp period, the sleep period and the chirp period each being a length of time;

an initialization manager having an input coupled to the administration manager for receiving the one or more parameters, and an output coupled to an input of a radio and to an input of a sleep manager for;

providing at a sleep manager output, a first signal for causing the radio to draw power, for an amount of time that is based on the sleep period, at a first power level, below a power level which is used to receive at least one data packet and that is greater or equal to zero; and

at an end of the sleep period, providing at the sleep manager output a second signal for causing the radio to draw power at a second power level, higher than the first power level, and for causing the radio to attempt to receive and provide at an output, at a third power level that is higher in level than the second power level, a set of data for an amount of time that is based on the chirp period;

a chirp packet identification manager having an input coupled to a radio output, the chirp packet identification manager for determining whether the set of data corresponds to a chirp packet; and

responsive to the set of data corresponding to the chirp packet, providing the set of data at an output, the chirp packet being a packet indicating a time of transmission of a subsequent data packet;

a time to data packet manager having an input coupled to the chirp packet identification manager output for receiving the set of data, the time to data packet manager for identifying a third amount of time, responsive to the set of data, and providing at an output the third amount of time;

a sleep manager having an input coupled to the time to data packet manager output for receiving the third amount of time, the sleep manager for providing at an output a signal for causing the radio to draw power, during the third amount of time, at a fourth power level below that which is used to receive at least one data packet that is identified by the chirp packet, the fourth power level being greater than or equal to zero and after an amount of time corresponding to the third amount of time passes, providing at the sleep manager output a signal for causing the radio to draw power at the third power level, enabling the radio to receive the at least one data packet; and

a piggyback manager having an input coupled to a packet queue storage output and an input coupled to a packet receiver output, the piggyback manager for providing at an output a signal for causing the radio to draw power at the third power level for a period of time greater than a back-off period following receipt of the at least one data packet, in order to transmit over a channel one or more data packets without associated chirp packets received from the packet queue storage, and to receive data packets without corresponding chirp packets using the packet receiver from another device or a same device that sent the at least one data packet, the back-off period being an amount of time during which the radio does not attempt to transmit on the channel.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the administration manager input is coupled to the radio output; and

the event comprises receipt by administration manager via the radio, of at least one command to change at least one amount of time.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the administration manager input is coupled to the radio output; and

the event comprises receipt by administration manager via the radio of a type indication.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the event comprises detection of a characteristic via the administration manager input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the characteristic comprises operation using a portable power source.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the characteristic comprises at least a potential for an interruption in power.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the event comprises receipt of a message regarding a device from which messages may be received.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer useable non-transitory medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for receiving at least one data packet, the computer program product comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer system to:

in response to an event, determine one or more parameters, where the one or more parameters are selected from a group including a sleep period and a chirp period, the sleep period and the chirp period each being a length of time;

based on parameters resolved by determining the one or more parameters, determine a signal for to be provided to cause a radio to draw power, for an amount of time that is based on the sleep period, at a first power level that is below a power level which is used to receive at least one data packet and that is greater or equal to zero;

upon determining that an amount of time that is based on the sleep period is expired, provide a signal for causing the radio to draw power at a second power level that is higher than the first power level and enabling the radio to identify energy on the channel;

upon identifying on the channel an energy that is higher than a predefined threshold, provide a signal for causing the radio to draw power at a third power level, the third power level being higher in level than the second power level and enabling the radio to receive a set of data from the channel;

upon determining that the set of data received from the channel corresponds to a chirp packet, identify a third amount of time that is indicated in the chirp packet and providing a signal for causing the radio to draw power, during the third amount of time, at a fourth power level below a power level which is used to receive at least one data packet that is identified in the chirp packet, the fourth power level being greater than or equal to zero, the chirp packet being a packet indicating a time of transmission of the at least one data packet; and

upon determining that the third amount of time is expired, provide a signal for causing the radio to draw power at the third power level and enabling the radio to receive the at least one data packet, the radio continuing to draw power at the third power level for a period of time greater than a back-off period following the receipt of the at least one data packet, in order to transmit over the channel one or more data packets without associated chirp packets and to receive one or more data packets without corresponding chirp packets from another device or the same device that sent the at least one data packet, the back-off period being an amount of time during which the radio does not attempt to transmit on the channel.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the event comprises wireless receipt of at least one command to change at least one amount of time.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the event comprises wireless receipt of a type indication.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the event comprises detection of a characteristic.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises operation using a portable power source.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the characteristic comprises at least a potential for an interruption in power.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the event comprises receipt of a message regarding a device from which messages may be received.