Network server having an information and scheduling controller to support one or more low duty cycle wireless devices

• US 9,185,654 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Holcman, Alejandro R., Aryan, Babak, Burroughs, Kirk Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/463,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20100015916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/432.1, 455/39, 370/331, 370/350, 370/503, 340/7.32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A network server, such as, for example, a mobile positioning center, having an information or schedule controller or having access to an information or schedule controller is provided. The information or schedule controller is provided with a schedule for a low duty cycle wireless device to provide the network server with the ability to store messages for transmission to the low duty cycle wireless device when the low duty cycle wireless device is in a low power mode of operation and transmit the messages during scheduled awake times.

Claims

1. A network server comprising:

at least one network interface coupled to a base station;

a processor coupled to the at least one network interface to receive and transmit signals to at least one low duty cycle wireless device through the base station, wherein the signals comprise location information and a scheduling message for adjusting hibernation and awake schedules based on the at least one low duty cycle wireless device being stationary for a predetermined amount of time; and

an information or schedule controller to provide information to the processor indicating when the at least one low duty cycle wireless device is scheduled to be awake, wherein

the network server transmits information over a wireless network via the base station to the at least one low duty cycle wireless device when the at least one low duty cycle wireless device is scheduled to awaken from a hibernation mode.

2. The network server of claim 1 wherein the network server is a mobile positioning center.

3. The network server of claim 1 wherein the information or schedule controller is integrated with the processor.

4. The network server of claim 1 wherein the information or schedule controller is remote from the network server.

5. The network server of claim 1 wherein the location information comprises pseudorange measurements.

6. The network server of claim 1 wherein the location information comprises information associated with a satellite positioning system.

7. The network server of claim 2 wherein the mobile positioning center is coupled to position determining equipment.

8. The network server of claim 1 wherein the network server transmits and receives information from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device according to a code division multiple access protocol.

9. The network server of claim 1 wherein the network server transmits and receives information from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device according to a global system for mobile communication protocol.

10. The network server of claim 1, wherein the network server receives unscheduled signals from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device indicating that the at least one low duty cycle wireless device is awake at an unscheduled time.

11. The network server of claim 1 comprising a memory to store information regarding a hibernation and awake schedule for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

12. The network server of claim 1 wherein the information or schedule controller determines a begin time and an end time for an awake mode for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

13. The network server of claim 12 wherein the information or schedule controller determines an offset defining a time between the begin time and a hashed wake up time for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device such that the awake mode for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device starts at the hashed wake up time.

14. The network server of claim 12 wherein the network server extends the duration of the awake mode beyond the end time to transmit a pending transmission message.

15. The network server of claim 1 wherein the information or schedule controller receives a begin time and an end time for an awake mode from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

16. The network server of claim 15 wherein the information or schedule controller receives an offset defining a time between the begin time and a hashed wake up time from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device such that the awake mode for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device starts at the hashed wake up time.

17. The network server of claim 12 wherein the begin time and the end time for the awake mode is based on information from the wireless device.

18. The network server of claim 15 wherein the begin time and the end time for the awake mode is based on information from the wireless device.

19. The network server of claim 1, wherein the scheduling message for adjusting hibernation and awake schedules is further based on a battery charge.

20. A method of transmitting and receiving messages at a network server from and to at least one low duty cycle wireless device, the method comprising:

scheduling an awake time for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device using a scheduling message, wherein the awake time is scheduled based on the at least one low duty cycle wireless device being stationary for a predetermined amount of time;

storing a transmission message for transmission to the at least one low duty cycle wireless device during the awake time; and

transmitting the stored transmission message for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device during the scheduled awake time.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the network server is a mobile positioning center.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the scheduling an awake time for at least one low duty cycle wireless device comprises operating an information or schedule controller to synchronize the awake time of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device and a mobile positioning center.

23. The method of claim 20 comprising receiving a reception message from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

24. The method of claim 20 comprising scheduling a hibernation time for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

25. The method of claim 24 comprising extending the awake time of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device beyond the scheduled hibernation time.

26. The method of claim 20 comprising receiving an unscheduled transmission from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

27. The method of claim 20 comprising storing the information or schedule of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the information or schedule of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device comprises at least one of an awake begin time, an awake end time, or an offset defining a time between a begin time and a hashed wake up time.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the information or schedule of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device is based on information from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

30. The method of claim 20 further comprising determining an offset defining a time between a begin time and a hashed wake up time wherein the at least one low duty cycle wireless device will receive transmissions at the hashed wake up time.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the awake time is scheduled further based on a battery charge.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable code stored on a computer readable storage medium that cause a computer to:

schedule an awake time for at least one low duty cycle wireless device using a scheduling message, wherein the scheduling message adjusts hibernation and awake schedules based on the at least one low duty cycle wireless device being stationary for a predetermined amount of time;

store a transmission message for transmission to the at least one low duty cycle wireless device during the awake time; and

transmit the stored transmission message for the at least one low duty cycle wireless device during the scheduled awake time such that the at least one low duty cycle wireless device may have an extended hibernation mode.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising executable code to synchronize the awake time of a mobile positioning center and the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising executable code to receive a reception message from the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising executable code to extend a duration of the awake time of the at least one low duty cycle wireless device.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34 wherein the code to receive a reception message further comprises code to receive a reception message during unscheduled awake times.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising executable code to determine at least one of an awake begin time, an awake end time, and an offset defining a time between a begin time and a hashed wake up time.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the scheduling message for adjusting hibernation and awake schedules is further based on a battery charge.

39. A network server comprising:

means for connecting a mobile positioning center to a base station;

means for transmitting signal to and receiving signals from a low duty cycle wireless device through the base station;

means for scheduling the transmission to the low duty cycle wireless device to synchronize the transmission of signals with a time when the low duty cycle wireless device is awake, wherein the mobile positioning center transmits information over a wireless network via the base station to the low duty cycle wireless device when the low duty cycle wireless device awakes from a hibernation mode and further wherein scheduling is performed with a scheduling message that adjusts hibernation and awake schedules based on the low duty cycle wireless device being stationary for a predetermined amount of time.

40. The network server of claim 39, wherein the scheduling message for adjusting hibernation and awake schedules is further based on a battery charge.