Signaling over cellular networks to reduce the Wi-Fi energy consumption of mobile devices

• US 8,358,975 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir, Wolman, Alastair, Chandra, Ranveer, Chin, Kevin, Agarwal, Yuvraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US11/964,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080248749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/90.2, 4551271-1275, 4553431-3436, 455/522, 455/415, 455518-520, 455419-4221, 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/442, 455/500, 455/552.1, 455571-574, 4551271-1275, 370/311, 370/318, 370216-266, 370/310, 370/313, 370/348, 370/332, 370/338, 370/389
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques for increasing the battery life on a mobile device by decreasing the energy consumption of the mobile device'"'"'s wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface are described. In one embodiment, the mobile device'"'"'s Wi-Fi interface is automatically disabled when the device is not engaged. When the device receives a wake up call from a server via its Cellular interface, the Wi-Fi interface is enabled if the device answers the wake up call and the Wi-Fi interface is available. Using its Wi-Fi interface, the mobile device then connects to an IP-based network via a Wi-Fi access point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server device, data sent by a first mobile device directed to a second mobile device;

sending, by the server device, a wake-up signal to the second mobile device, wherein the wake-up signal is sent by way of a cellular network;

receiving, by the server device, an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the second mobile device from the second mobile device in response to sending the wake-up signal; and

initiating, by the server device, direct communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device via a wireless IP-based network by sending credentials of the second mobile device to the first mobile device in conjunction with receiving the data from the first mobile device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second mobile device receives the data by way of a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising sending at least a portion of the data to the second mobile device if the second mobile device does not answer the wake-up signal.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the second mobile device receives the data by way of a cellular interface.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least a portion of data is less than the whole.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a user can define one or more preferences to receive the data when the second mobile device does or does not respond to the wake-up signal.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a system can define one or more preferences to receive the data when the second mobile device does or does not respond to the wake-up signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data directed to the second mobile device is a teleconference call or data associated with an email.

9. A method for real time communication status updates comprising:

sending over a cellular network of a first client, a status of a second client;

receiving the status of the second client on a mobile device in the form of a ring signal over the cellular network to which a cellular interface connects, the status of the second client being encoded in a caller ID of the ring signal, the caller ID comprising;

a first digit set to zero;

a set of one or more digits wherein the set of one or more digits is specific to an identification of a contact as established by the first client; and

at least one digit determining a presence state of the contact.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the real time communication comprises instant messaging and the first and second clients comprise instant messaging clients.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising enabling the first client to interact with second client when the first client requests communication.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising communicating with the second client over an IP-based network by way of the cellular interface.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising communicating with the second client over an IP-based network by way of a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the Wi-Fi interface is disabled at the conclusion of the communication with the second client.

15. A server device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more server applications executable by the one or more processors to;

receive data sent by a first mobile device directed to a second mobile device;

generate a caller identification that is unique with respect to the server device and the second mobile device;

send a wake-up signal to the second mobile device, wherein the wake-up signal is sent by way of a network other than an IP-based network and the wake-up signal includes the caller identification;

send a portion of the data over a switch-based network to the second mobile device when the second mobile device does not answer the wake-up signal; and

initiate direct communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device by which to send the data over the IP-based network to the second mobile device when the second mobile device does answer the wake-up signal.

16. The service device of claim 15, wherein the data is associated with a particular type of communication and the caller identification is distinguishable from caller identifications associated with types of communication that are different from the particular type of communication.