Audio-visual system energy savings using a mesh network

• US 8,626,251 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sigma Designs Incorporated
• Inventors: Johansen, Niels Thybo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/198,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 455/151.4, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/574, 455 411- 413, 370/311, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention, improved capabilities are described for powering, controlling, and operating a home audio visual system using a mesh network that includes an energy savings mode based at least in part on intermittently powered mesh network nodes that are associated with the home audio-visual system. In embodiments, the intermittently powered mesh network nodes may periodically wake up, listen for wake up calls and/or initiate a full power mode in the home audio visual system when a intermittently power mesh network node is awakened and receives a subsequent full power instruction. Intermittently powered mesh network nodes may be further associated with instruction routing that utilizes silent acknowledgement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a home audio-visual system that includes an energy savings mode;

providing an intermittently powered mesh network node in association with the home audio-visual system, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node comprises a plurality of receive demodulators, and further comprising allowing a first demodulator that detects a valid signal to take control of receiving a subsequent transmission;

adapting the intermittently powered mesh network node to periodically wake up, listen for a wake up call and initiate a full power mode in the home audio-visual system when the intermittently powered mesh network node is awakened and receives a subsequent full power instruction; and

further comprising acknowledging the wake up call with a silent acknowledgement, in which the wake up call from a source node is sent to a node of the home audio-visual system by an intermediate node, and the source node detects transmission of the wake up call by the intermediate node to the home audio visual system without a specific acknowledgement message to the source node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy savings mode of the home audio-visual system draws a low amount of external power.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the low amount of external power is in the range of 0-1 mA.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy savings mode of the home audio-visual system draws no external power.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the full power instruction is used to close a power relay.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the full power instruction is used to provide power to an integrated circuit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the full power instruction is used to provide a power supply to a control circuit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is used to perform quality surveillance of a mesh network power supply.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node requests configuration information when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node transmits a command when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node acknowledges a command when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node responds to a node request when the intermittently powered mesh network node powers up.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node is powered at least in part using a battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell, an alternative energy source, an AC power source, or DC power source.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the home audio-visual system includes at least one of a television, a satellite receiver, a cable converter, a VCR, a digital video disc player, a laser disc player, a video accessory, an audio amplifier, an audio tuner, an audio amplifier-tuner combination, a CD player, a DVD player, a high definition DVD player, an audio cassette player, a digital audio tape player, an audio equipment, an equalizer, a phonograph player, a video component, a streaming media player, an mp3 player, a light, a lamp, a gateway, a modem, or ISDN.

15. A method comprising:

providing a home audio-visual system that includes an energy savings mode;

providing an intermittently powered mesh network node in association with the home audio-visual system, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node comprises a plurality of receive demodulators, and further comprising allowing a first demodulator that detects a valid signal to take control of receiving a subsequent transmission; and

adapting the intermittently powered mesh network node to periodically wake up, listen for a wake up call and initiate a full power mode in the home audio-visual system when the intermittently powered mesh network node is awakened and receives a subsequent full power instruction;

wherein the wake up call is routed to the intermittently powered mesh network node using silent acknowledgement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the energy savings mode of the home audio-visual system draws a low amount of external power.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the low amount of external power is in the range of 0-1 mA.

18. A method comprising:

providing a home audio-visual system that includes an energy savings mode;

providing an intermittently powered mesh network node in association with the home audio-visual system, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node is a battery-powered node, wherein the intermittently powered mesh network node comprises a plurality of receive demodulators, and further comprising allowing a first demodulator that detects a valid signal to take control of receiving a subsequent transmission; and

adapting the intermittently powered mesh network node to periodically wake up, listen for a wake up call and initiate a full power mode in the home audio-visual system when the intermittently power mesh network node is awakened and receives a subsequent full power instruction; and

further comprising acknowledging the wake up call with a silent acknowledgement, in which the wake up call from a source node is sent to a node of the home audio-visual system by an intermediate node, and the source node detects transmission of the wake up call by the intermediate node to the home audio visual system without a specific acknowledgement message to the source node.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the energy savings mode of the home audio-visual system draws a low amount of external power.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the low amount of external power is in the range of 0-1 mA.