Intermittent operation communication device and communication system using beacon and sleep mode

• US 8,305,946 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Kubo, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haliyur, Venkatesh
• Application Number:
  US12/230,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20090059828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 370228-463, 455/16, 455/574
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An intermittent operation communication device periodically repeats beacon transmission, data reception or data reception wait, and sleep to transmit data to any of reception side communication devices. The intermittent operation communication device includes a data transmitter for performing transmission when receiving a beacon from any of the reception side communication devices and having data traffic generated meant for a reception side communication device, a transmission announcer for intermittently transmitting a transmission announcement beacon while waiting for reception when having the data traffic generated, and an adjuster for monitoring a transmission announcement beacon from any other of the intermittent operation communication devices to adjust the transmission of the data traffic.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising a plurality of intermittent operation communication devices for transmitting data to a receiving communication device, which periodically repeats an intermittent operation including sleep, transmission of a reception timing announcement beacon, and either of data reception and data reception wait, each of said plurality of intermittent operation communication devices as a first communication device comprising:

a data transmitter for performing transmission when data traffic designating as a destination thereof the receiving communication device is generated in the first communication device and the first communication device receives the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device;

a transmission announcer for intermittently transmitting a first transmission announcement beacon while waiting for reception of the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device when the data traffic is generated; and

an adjuster for monitoring, when the data traffic is generated, reception of a second transmission announcement beacon from another intermittent operation communication device as a second communication device, and permitting the data transmitter to perform transmission,

wherein said adjuster, when the second transmission announcement beacon is received, places the first communication device into a sleep mode for a predetermined period of time to cause said data transmitter to delay the transmission,

said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon a first number of repetitions of transmitting the first transmission announcement beacon in connection with the generated data traffic, and

the second transmission announcement beacon includes a second number of repetitions of transmitting the second transmission announcement beacon.

2. An intermittent operation communication device for transmitting data to a receiving communication device that periodically repeats an intermittent operation including sleep, transmission of a reception timing announcement beacon, and either of data reception and data reception wait, the intermittent operation communication device as a first communication device comprising:

a data transmitter for performing transmission when data traffic designating as a destination thereof the receiving communication device is generated in the first communication device and the first communication device receives the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device;

a transmission announcer for intermittently transmitting a first transmission announcement beacon while waiting for reception of the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device when the data traffic is generated; and

an adjuster for monitoring, when the data traffic is generated, reception of a second transmission announcement beacon from another sending communication device as a second communication device, and permitting the data transmitter to perform the transmission,

wherein the adjuster places, when the second transmission announcement beacon is received, the first communication device into a sleep mode for a predetermined period of time to cause said data transmitter to delay the transmission,

said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon a first number of repetitions of transmitting the first transmission announcement beacon in connection with the generated data traffic, and

the second transmission announcement beacon includes a second number of repetitions of transmitting the second transmission announcement beacon.

3. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said transmission announcer sets first information specific to a first destination included in the first transmission announcement beacon.

4. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 3, wherein,

the second transmission announcement beacon includes second information specific to a second destination,

when the second transmission announcement beacon including the second information is received from the second communication device and the second information matches a destination of the generated data traffic, said adjuster places the first communication device into the sleep mode for the predetermined period to cause said data transmitter to delay the transmission.

5. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein

the first communication device records a history of previous communication operation, and

said intermittent operation communication device further comprising an announcement transmission determiner operative in association with the recorded history for determining whether or not said transmission announcer transmits the first transmission announcement beacon.

6. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein

the first communication device records a history of previous communication operation, and

said intermittent operation communication device further comprising an announcement content determiner operative in association with the recorded history for determining which information said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon.

7. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first and second transmission announcement beacons are beacons for informing that the receiving communication device is ready to receive data.

8. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein

the adjuster determines based on priority information carried by the second transmission announcement beacon, when the data traffic is generated and the adjuster receives the second transmission announcement beacon from the second communication device, whether or not transmission of the second communication device should be performed ahead of transmission of the first communication device, and

when the adjuster determines that transmission of the second communication device should be performed ahead, the adjuster places the first communication device into a sleep mode for a predetermined period of time.

9. An intermittent operation communication device for transmitting data to a receiving communication device which periodically repeats an intermittent operation including sleep, transmission of a reception timing announcement beacon, and either of data reception and data reception wait and sleep, the intermittent operation communication device comprising:

a data transmitter for performing transmission when data traffic designating as a destination thereof the receiving communication device is generated in the intermittent operation communication device and the intermittent operation communication device receives the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device;

a transmission announcer for intermittently transmitting a first transmission announcement beacon while waiting for reception of the reception timing announcement beacon from the receiving communication device when the data traffic is generated; and

an adjuster for monitoring reception of a second transmission announcement beacon from other communication device when the data traffic is generated, wherein

said transmission announcer starts to transmit the first transmission announcement beacon when a random period of time lapses after the data traffic is generated,

said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon a first number of repetitions of transmitting the first transmission announcement beacon in connection with the generated data traffic, and

the second transmission announcement beacon includes a second number of repetitions of transmitting the second transmission announcement beacon.

10. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said transmission announcer sets first information specific to a first destination included in the first transmission announcement beacon.

11. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 10, wherein,

the second transmission announcement beacon includes second information specific to a second destination,

when the second transmission announcement beacon is received from the other communication device and the second information matches a destination of the generated data traffic, said adjuster places the intermittent operation communication device into a sleep mode for a random period to cause said data transmitter to delay the transmission.

12. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon a first number of repetitions of transmitting the first transmission announcement beacon in connection with the generated data traffic.

13. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 12, wherein,

the second transmission announcement beacon includes a second number of repetitions of transmitting the second transmission announcement beacon,

when the second transmission announcement beacon including the second number is received from the other communication device and the second number exceeds the first number, said adjuster places the intermittent operation communication device into the sleep mode for a random period to cause said data transmitter to delay the transmission.

14. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein

said intermittent operation communication device records a history of previous communication operation, and

said intermittent operation communication device further comprising an announcement transmission determiner operative in association with the recorded history for determining whether or not said transmission announcer transmits the first transmission announcement beacon.

15. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein

said intermittent operation communication device records a history of previous communication operation, and

said intermittent operation communication device further comprising an announcement content determiner operative in association with the recorded history for determining which information said transmission announcer records in the first transmission announcement beacon.

16. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein

the adjuster determines based on priority information carried by the second transmission announcement beacon, when the data traffic is generated and the adjuster receives the second transmission announcement beacon from the other communication device, whether or not transmission of the other communication device should be performed ahead of transmission of the intermittent communication device, and

when the adjuster determines that transmission of the other communication device should be performed ahead, the adjuster places the intermittent operation communication device into a sleep mode for a random period of time.

17. The intermittent operation communication device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first and second transmission announcement beacons are beacons for informing that the receiving communication device is ready to receive data.