System, apparatus and method for managing message communications in systems employing frequency hopping

• US 8,861,566 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Nichols, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SIU M
• Application Number:
  US13/570,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/132, 375/135, 375/136, 375/138
• US Class Current: 375/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for managing message communications in systems employing frequency hopping. One method according to the invention involves transmitting a message via a frequency of a frequency hopping sequence, and determining when the same frequency will reoccur in the frequency hopping sequence. Relevant portions of the device enter a sleep mode, and the device emerges from the sleep mode when the frequency at which the message was transmitted reoccurs in the frequency hopping sequence. The device monitors for a response to the message via the frequency at which the message was transmitted when the frequency reoccurs in the frequency hopping sequence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

determining a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

entering a sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode to monitor for the response to the message at the second time slot; and

wherein a same frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots, the method further comprising:

recognizing that the response was not received during the second time slot;

determining a third time slot when the first frequency will again reoccur in the frequency hopping sequence;

reentering the sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode at the third time slot; and

monitoring for the response at the third time slot via a second frequency immediately following the first frequency in the frequency hopping sequence.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second time slot comprises determining when a target frequency associated with the second time slot will occur in the frequency hopping sequence based on at least a quantity of frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, an order of the frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, and a time slot duration in which each of the frequencies is active, until the target frequency arises.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots, and wherein determining the second time slot comprises determining when the first frequency will reoccur in the frequency hopping sequence based on at least a quantity of frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, an order of the frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, and a time slot duration in which each of the frequencies is active, until the same frequency arises.

5. A method comprising:

transmitting a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

determining a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

entering a sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode to monitor for the response to the message at the second time slot; and

wherein different first and second frequencies are associated with the respective first and second time slots.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second frequency follows the first frequency in the frequency hopping sequence.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second time slot is associated with the first frequency but monitored at the second frequency.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter configured to transmit a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

a timer module configured to determine a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

a sleep control module configured to cause at least the receiver to enter a sleep mode, and to cause the receiver to emerge from the sleep mode when the timer module indicates that the second time slot has arrived;

wherein the receiver is configured to monitor for a response to the message when the receiver has emerged from the sleep mode; and

wherein a same frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots, the method further comprising:

recognizing that the response was not received during the second time slot;

determining a third time slot when the first frequency will again reoccur in the frequency hopping sequence;

reentering the sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode at the third time slot; and

monitoring for the response at the third time slot via a second frequency immediately following the first frequency in the frequency hopping sequence.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots, and wherein determining the second time slot comprises determining when the first frequency will reoccur in the frequency hopping sequence based on at least a quantity of frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, an order of the frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, and a time slot duration in which each of the frequencies is active, until the same frequency arises.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter configured to transmit a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

a timer module configured to determine a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

a sleep control module configured to cause at least the receiver to enter a sleep mode, and to cause the receiver to emerge from the sleep mode when the timer module indicates that the second time slot has arrived;

wherein the receiver is configured to monitor for a response to the message when the receiver has emerged from the sleep mode; and

wherein different first and second frequencies are associated with the respective first and second time slots.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second frequency follows the first frequency in the frequency hopping sequence.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second time slot is associated with the first frequency but monitored at the second frequency.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining the second time slot comprises determining when a target frequency associated with the second time slot will occur in the frequency hopping sequence based on at least a quantity of frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, an order of the frequencies in the frequency hopping sequence, and a time slot duration in which each of the frequencies is active, until the target frequency arises.

15. A non-transitory, computer-usable storage medium comprising a processor-executable program that causes an apparatus to perform:

transmitting a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

determining a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

entering a sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode to monitor for the response to the message at the second time slot; and

wherein a same frequency is associated with the both the first and second time slots.

16. A non-transitory, computer-usable storage medium comprising a processor-executable program that causes an apparatus to perform:

transmitting a message at a first time slot of a frequency hopping sequence;

determining a second time slot in the frequency hopping sequence at which a response to the message is expected;

entering a sleep mode;

emerging from the sleep mode to monitor for the response to the message at the second time slot; and

wherein different first and second frequencies are associated with the respective first and second time slots.

17. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the second frequency follows the first frequency in the frequency hopping sequence.

18. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the second time slot is associated with the first frequency but monitored at the second frequency.