Low power wireless network for logistics and transportation applications

• US 8,416,726 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation, RSAE Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Berenberg, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US13/096,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for reducing power of network devices in a low-power wireless network. Embodiments generally include, for a network device that periodically toggles between high-power and low-power modes, increasing the relative amount of time the network device operates in a low-power mode under certain conditions that may otherwise cause the network device to consume more power. Such conditions include when the network device fails to join the low-power wireless network and/or when the network device fails to communicate with the low-power wireless network with an accuracy above a certain threshold level.

Claims

1. A network device for communicating with a low-power wireless network, the network device comprising:

a battery;

a wireless interface; and

a processing unit coupled with the battery and the wireless interface, wherein the processing unit configured to cause the network device to;

periodically switch between operating in a first mode and operating in a second mode, wherein the network device uses less power while operating in the second mode than while operating in the first mode;

detect, using the wireless interface, a packet of information from the low-power wireless network, wherein the detection occurs while the network device is operating in the first mode;

operate in the second mode for a certain amount of time, wherein the certain amount of time is based, at least in part, on information of the packet of information;

send data toward the low-power wireless network;

determine that a condition has occurred with respect to the sending of the data; and

increase the time in which the network device operates in the second mode, wherein the increase is based, at least in part, on the determination that the condition has occurred.

2. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein the condition includes either or both of:

a failure of the network device to join the low-power wireless network; and

a failure of the network device to communicate the data to the low-power wireless network with an accuracy above a threshold level.

3. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode includes reducing a length of one or more time periods in which the network device operates in the first mode.

4. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 3, further including reducing a number of radio frequency (RF) channels scanned during each of the one or more time periods in which the network device operates in the first mode.

5. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode includes increasing a length of each time period in a set of time periods in which the network device operates in the second mode.

6. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 5, wherein the length of each time period in the set of time periods is successively reduced.

7. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein the time in which the network device operates in the second mode is increased by operating in the second mode during one or more time periods in which the network device would otherwise operate in the first mode.

8. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor communicatively coupled with the processing unit.

9. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the network device to include a request to join the low-power wireless network in the data the network device is configured to send toward the low-power wireless network.

10. The network device for communicating with the low-power wireless network recited in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine that the condition has occurred using at least one factor selected from the group of factors consisting of:

a failure of an error control check,

receipt of a packet of information indicating the network device has not joined the low-power wireless network,

an inability of the network device to decrypt a packet,

an inability of the network device to authenticate a packet, and

a failure to receive a packet of information from the low-power wireless network.

11. A method of communication in a low-power wireless network, the method comprising:

detecting, with a wireless network device, a packet of information from the low-power wireless network, wherein the detection occurs while the network device is operating in a first mode;

operating the network device in a second mode for a certain amount of time, wherein;

the network device uses less power while operating in the second mode than while operating in the first mode; and

the certain amount of time is based, at least in part, on information of the packet of information;

sending data toward the low-power wireless network;

determining that a condition has occurred has occurred with respect to the sending of the data; and

increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode, wherein the increase is based, at least in part, on the determination that the condition has occurred.

12. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, wherein the condition includes either or both of:

a failure of the network device to join the low-power wireless network; and

a failure of the network device to communicate the data with the low-power wireless network with an accuracy above a threshold level.

13. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, wherein increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode includes reducing a length of one or more time periods in which the network device operates in the first mode.

14. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 13, further including reducing a number of radio frequency (RF) channels scanned during each of the one or more time periods in which the network device operates in the first mode.

15. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, wherein increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode includes increasing a length of each time period in a set of time periods in which the network device operates in the second mode.

16. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 15, wherein the length of each time period in the set of time periods is successively reduced.

17. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, wherein increasing the time in which the network device operates in the second mode includes operating the network device in the second mode during one or more time periods in which the network device would otherwise operate in the first mode.

18. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, further comprising including a request to join the low-power network in the data sent toward the low-power wireless network.

19. The method of communication in a low-power wireless network recited in claim 11, further comprising determining that the condition has occurred using at least one factor selected from the group of factors consisting of:

a failure of an error control check,

receipt of a packet of information indicating the network device has not joined the low-power wireless network,

an inability of the network device to decrypt a packet,

an inability of the network device to authenticate a packet, and

a failure to receive a packet of information from the low-power wireless network.

20. A network device configured to wirelessly communicate with a network, the network device comprising:

a wireless interface;

a power source; and

a processing unit coupled with the wireless interface and the power source, wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the network device to;

periodically power on the wireless interface;

send data toward the network;

determine a condition has occurred with respect to sending the data toward the network, wherein the condition includes either or both of;

a failure of the network device to join the network; and

a failure of the network device to communicate the data to the network with an accuracy above a threshold level; and

reduce, for a certain period of time after determining the condition has occurred, an amount of time the wireless interface is powered on.