Wake-up in class-based networking

• US 8,326,226 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US12/370,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/574, 455/127.5, 4553431-3435, 340/428, 340/447, 340/442, 340/445, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.42, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 340 732- 737
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/20 using a distributed architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for communicating to a recipient transceiver from a plurality of transceivers located within the broadcast range of the recipient transceiver includes: transmitting a communication at a first power level such that only a first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, the communication including a command causing each of the first group of transceivers not to respond to a subsequent broadcast; and subsequent thereto, transmitting a communication at a second power level greater than the first power level such that a second group of transceivers greater than and including the first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, but such that only a limited number of transceivers of the second group respond to the broadcast, the limited number of transceivers excluding the first group of transceivers. Each of the plurality of transceivers is associated with a respective sensor for acquiring data and transmitting the data to the recipient transceiver.

Claims

1. A wireless reader tag (WRT) comprising:

a reader component for transmitting a wake-up message using a reader component to initiate communication in an ad hoc network with a gateway having a WT component for wake-up;

a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component for transmitting data packets to the gateway having a LPRF communications component subsequent to initiating communications by transmitting the wake-up message; and

a digital processor in communication with the reader component and the LPRF communications component;

wherein the WRT includes a profile identifying a class of the WRT and is synchronized to allow scheduled communications at regular intervals based on a duty cycle for the identified class of the WRT, at which times the gateway will be accepting data communications from WRTs having such identified class, the WRT being configured for

determining a time at which the gateway will be accepting data communications from WRTs having the identified class based on the received profile information;

causing the reader component to power up and transmit the wake-up message to the gateway at the determined time;

causing the LPRF communications component to power up and transmit at least one data packet to the gateway subsequent to transmitting the wake-up message;

receiving, by the WRT, updated profile information including a new class of the WRT, the new class of the WRT corresponding to a different duty cycle, thereby resulting in a changed availability of the gateway for class-based communications with the WRT.

2. A method of transmitting data from a wireless reader tag (WRT) to a gateway in an ad hoc network comprising:

determining, by the WRT, a time at which the gateway of the ad hoc network will be accepting data packets based on a duty cycle for a class of the WRT, the class being a class included in profile information received by the WRT from the gateway;

powering up a reader component of the WRT at the determined time;

transmitting, by the WRT, a wake-up message to the gateway at the determined time using the powered-up reader component;

transmitting, by the WRT, after the transmission of the wake-up message, a data packet to the gateway using a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component of the WRT; and

receiving, by the WRT, updated profile information including an updated class of the WRT, the new class of the WRT corresponding to a different duty cycle, thereby resulting in a changed availability of the gateway for class-based communications with the WRT.

3. A wireless reader tag (WRT) comprising:

a reader component for transmitting a wake-up message using a reader component to initiate communication in an ad hoc network with a gateway having a WT component for wake-up;

a low-power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component for transmitting data packets to the gateway having a LPRF communications component subsequent to initiating communications by transmitting the wake-up message; and

a digital processor in communication with the reader component and the LPRF communications component;

wherein the WRT includes a profile identifying a class of the WRT and is synchronized to allow scheduled communications for the identified class of the WRT, at which times the gateway will be accepting data communications from WRTs having such identified class, the WRT being configured for

determining a time at which the gateway will be accepting data communications from WRTs having the identified class based on the received profile information;

causing the reader component to power up and transmit the wake-up message to the gateway at the determined time;

causing the LPRF communications component to power up and transmit at least one data packet to the gateway subsequent to transmitting the wake-up message;

receiving, by the WRT, updated profile information including a new class of the WRT, thereby resulting in a changed availability of the gateway for class-based communications with the WRT.