Method and system for reducing power consumption in wireless communications by adjusting communication intervals

• US 8,902,877 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hulvey, Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLINSKY, PETER G
• Application Number:
  US13/243,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 710/2, 710/8
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

According to one disclosed embodiment, a method for reducing power consumption in wireless communications is described. This method may include transmitting a data transmission from a peripheral device to a primary device during a receiving interval of the primary device, receiving a correction offset by the peripheral device from the primary device after the transmitting of the data transmission, and transmitting a subsequent data transmission from the peripheral device to the primary device using the correction offset to ensure that the subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device occurs within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption in a wireless communication utilizing a slotted communication format, the method comprising:

initiating a receiving interval by a primary device;

receiving a data transmission from a peripheral device during the receiving interval, wherein the data transmission occurs in a middle of a time slot providing an interval before and after data transmission within the time slot to adjust for clock drift;

determining, by the primary device, a correction offset according to a receive timing of the data transmission of the peripheral device, the correction offset determined so as to enable a subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device to occur within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device;

transmitting the correction offset by the primary device to the peripheral device; and

reducing the subsequent receiving interval of the primary device according to the correction offset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second data transmission by the primary device from the peripheral device according to the correction offset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a standard format.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a timing of the data transmission to allow the primary device to handle other traffic.

6. A system for reducing power consumption in wireless communications utilizing a slotted communication format, the system comprising:

a primary device including a processor, a transmitter and a receiver, the processor configured to;

initiate a receiving interval;

receive using the receiver, a data transmission from a peripheral device during the receiving interval of the primary device, wherein the data transmission occurs in a middle of a time slot providing an interval before and after data transmission within the time slot to adjust for clock drift;

determine a correction offset according to a receive timing of the data transmission of the peripheral device, the correction offset determined so as to enable a subsequent data transmission by the peripheral device to occur within a subsequent receiving interval of the primary device;

transmit, using the transmitter, the correction offset to the peripheral device; and

reduce the subsequent receiving interval of the primary device according to the correction offset.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, using the receiver, a second data transmission from the peripheral device according to the correction offset.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a standard format.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to adjust a timing of the data transmission to allow the primary device to handle other traffic.

11. An electronic device configured to operate utilizing a slotted communication format, the electronic device comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive a data transmission from a peripheral device in a middle of a receiving time slot having an interval before and after data transmission within the receiving time slot to adjust for clock drift;

determine a correction offset according to a receive timing of the data transmission of the peripheral device;

transmit the correction offset to the peripheral device; and

reduce a subsequent receiving time slot according to the correction offset.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive a second data transmission from the peripheral device according to the correction offset.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the correction offset is substantially equal to an interval between an expected receive time of the data transmission and an actual receive time of the data transmission.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication utilizes a standard format.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the circuitry is configured to adjust a timing of the data transmission to allow the primary device to handle other traffic.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein

the electronic device is configured to communicate with a plurality of peripheral devices, and

the circuitry is configured to control a transmission timing of each of the plurality of peripheral devices to not overlap in time.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is configured to control communications with the peripheral device to be constrained to time slots at fixed intervals so as not to encroach on communications occurring in adjacent slots.