Synchronization for extending battery life

• US 8,625,545 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldberg, Steven Jeffrey, Terry, Stephen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/183,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 370/337, 370/347, 370/350, 370/335, 455/458, 375/262
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for efficiently supporting data calls to WTRUs in systems that also support telephony. Various types of data is transmitted on a known schedule which is tightly synchronized to a predetermined time frame. The WTRUs synchronize their wake-up periods to search for data at times when data may or will actually be transmitted to them.

Claims

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive synchronization information indicating at least one time slot of a frame that contains data intended for the WTRU;

a plurality of signal processing components; and

a processor configured to control the plurality of signal processing components, to receive data during the at least one time slot of the frame that contains data intended for the WTRU, and to operate in a quiescent mode wherein at least one signal processing component is powered down during at least one time slot of the frame that does not contain data intended for the WTRU.

2. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the at least one time slot of the frame contains data for multiple WTRUs.

3. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the frame includes data intended for a plurality of WTRUs.

4. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information includes synchronization information for multiple WTRUs.

5. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information indicates at least one time slot that contains data for a plurality of WTRUs.

6. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information and the at least one time slot that contains data intended for the WTRU are in a same frame.

7. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information includes synchronization information for multiple frames.

8. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the frame is a unicast frame.

9. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the frame is a multicast frame.

10. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information is received in a first frame and the data intended for the WTRU is received in a second frame.

11. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the synchronization information is received from a base station.

12. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) receiver.

13. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising a plurality of signal processing components, the method comprising:

receiving synchronization information indicating at least one time slot of a frame that contains data intended for the WTRU; and

powering down one of the plurality of signal processing components during at least one time slot of the frame that does not contain data intended for the WTRU; and

receiving data during the at least one time slot of the frame that contains data intended for the WTRU.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one time slot of the frame contains data for multiple WTRUs.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the frame includes data intended for a plurality of WTRUs.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information includes synchronization information for multiple WTRUs.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information indicates at least one time slot that contains data for a plurality of WTRUs.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information and the at least one time slot that contains data intended for the WTRU are in a same frame.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information includes synchronization information for multiple frames.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the frame is a unicast frame.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the frame is a multicast frame.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information is received in a first frame and the data intended for the WTRU is received in a second frame.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization information is received from a base station.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the WTRU is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) WTRU.