Systems and methods for scanning for a wake up packet addressed to a wireless device

• US 8,812,888 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Paljug, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US13/901,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/323
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof

Abstract

A system and method for wireless waking computing devices over a computer network is provided. A signal is broadcast over the network that includes one or more device specific wake-up data sequences. Each device specific wake-up data sequence includes multiple iterations of the hardware address of the wireless network card associated with that device. While in a reduced power or “sleep mode”, the wireless network card monitors wireless channels for packets containing a wake-up data sequence. If a wake-up data sequence is received, the sequence is matched against the hardware address information for that network card. If a match is determined, the network card sends a signal to the computing device causing full system power to be restored. A signal is sent to the network confirming that the device has been successfully woken from the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a switch from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the scanning is performed for a predetermined period of time; and

ceasing to scan for the wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device in response to not receiving the wake-up packet after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising resuming scanning for the wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device comprises sequentially monitoring individual wireless channels of a plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the predetermined period of time until either the predetermined period of time has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received by the wireless device, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating the transmission of a confirmation packet in response to the wireless device completing the switch from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the power required for operating the wireless device in the first power mode is less than the power required for operating the wireless device in the second power mode.

7. A computer comprising:

a controller configured to scan for a wake-up packet addressed to the computer for a predetermined period of time, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to switch from operating the computer in a first power mode to operating the computer in a second power mode, and wherein the controller is configured to cease to scan in response to the wireless device not receiving the wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device after the predetermined period of time lapses.

8. The computer of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to switch from operating the computer in the first power mode to operating the computer in the second power mode in response to receiving a wake-up packet addressed to the computer before the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The computer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to resume scanning for a wake-up packet addressed to the computer after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

10. The computer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially monitor individual wireless channels of a plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the predetermined period of time until either the predetermined period of time has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

11. The computer of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the transmission of a confirmation packet when the computer has transitioned from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.

12. The computer of claim 7, wherein the computer has a wireless hardware address, and wherein the wake-up packet comprises multiple consecutive iterations of the hardware address of the computer.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

scanning for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device, wherein the wake-up packet is configured to cause the wireless device to initiate a transition from operating in a first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the scanning is performed for a predetermined period of time; and

ceasing to scan for the wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device in response to not receiving the wake-up packet after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

resuming scanning of a plurality of wireless channels for a wake-up packet addressed to the wireless device after an inactivity timeframe has elapsed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein scanning for a wake-up packet addressed to a wireless device comprises sequentially monitoring individual wireless channels of the plurality of wireless channels for a corresponding subdivision of the predetermined period of time until either the predetermined period of time has elapsed, until a wake-up packet has been received by the wireless device, or until each wireless channel of the plurality of wireless channels has been monitored.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:

initiating the transmission of a confirmation packet when the wireless device has switched from operating in the first power mode to operating in the second power mode.