Power saving Wi-Fi tethering
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- monitoring, during a normal operational mode, communications by a Wi-Fi network interface of a Wi-Fi tethering device to identify an idle interval where no data packets are exchanged between the Wi-Fi tethering device and a Wi-Fi client device using the Wi-Fi network interface;
determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, that the idle interval has reached or exceeded a pre-defined amount of time;
determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, whether the Wi-Fi client device is in a content fetching phase or a content consuming phase;
determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, a sleep duration interval based on whether the Wi-Fi client device is determined to be in the content fetching phase or the content consuming phase; and
switching the Wi-Fi network interface of the Wi-Fi tethering device from the normal operational mode to a sleep mode for the sleep duration interval, the Wi-Fi tethering device using less power while operating in the sleep mode than while operating in the normal operational mode.
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Abstract
The techniques discussed herein reduce the power consumption of a Wi-Fi tethering device by switching the Wi-Fi functionality of the Wi-Fi tethering device from a normal operational mode to a sleep mode during idle intervals. The techniques implement a sleep protocol where a Wi-Fi tethering device and the Wi-Fi client device coordinate and establish a sleep schedule. Moreover, the techniques describe a sleep interval adaptation algorithm to establish sleep duration intervals based on data packet exchange patterns associated with different applications executing on the Wi-Fi client device and/or different operations being performed by the Wi-Fi client device.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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monitoring, during a normal operational mode, communications by a Wi-Fi network interface of a Wi-Fi tethering device to identify an idle interval where no data packets are exchanged between the Wi-Fi tethering device and a Wi-Fi client device using the Wi-Fi network interface; determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, that the idle interval has reached or exceeded a pre-defined amount of time; determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, whether the Wi-Fi client device is in a content fetching phase or a content consuming phase; determining, at the Wi-Fi tethering device, a sleep duration interval based on whether the Wi-Fi client device is determined to be in the content fetching phase or the content consuming phase; and switching the Wi-Fi network interface of the Wi-Fi tethering device from the normal operational mode to a sleep mode for the sleep duration interval, the Wi-Fi tethering device using less power while operating in the sleep mode than while operating in the normal operational mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform operations comprising:
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identifying, during a normal mode of operation, a current idle time for a Wi-Fi network interface of a Wi-Fi tethering device, wherein no data packets have been exchanged during the current idle time between the Wi-Fi tethering device and a Wi-Fi client device using the Wi-Fi network interface; determining a previous sleep cycle duration of a previous sleep cycle during which the Wi-Fi network interface of the Wi-Fi tethering device was placed into a sleep mode; based on the previous sleep cycle duration, determining an initial sleep duration interval for a current sleep cycle; coordinating a sleep schedule for the Wi-Fi network interface during the current idle time, the coordinating including an agreement between the Wi-Fi tethering device and the Wi-Fi client device to switch the Wi-Fi network interface from the normal mode of operation to a sleep mode for at least the initial sleep duration interval for the current sleep cycle; and switching the Wi-Fi network interface to the sleep mode for at least the initial sleep duration interval for the current sleep cycle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A mobile device comprising:
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one or more processors; a Wi-Fi network interface; a mobile telephone network interface; and one or more computer memories, coupled to the one or more processors and storing; a sleep interval determination module, operable by the one or more processors, to determine one or more sleep duration intervals for the Wi-Fi network interface of the mobile device during an idle time of the Wi-Fi network interface where data is not exchanged between the mobile device and a Wi-Fi client device using the Wi-Fi network interface; and a sleep scheduling module, operable by the one or more processors, to; send one or more sleep requests to the Wi-Fi client device, the one or more sleep requests respectively communicating the one or more sleep duration intervals; receive one or more sleep responses from the Wi-Fi client device that indicate an agreement for the Wi-Fi network interface to sleep for a period of time based at least in part on the one or more sleep duration intervals; and switch the Wi-Fi network interface of the mobile device from a normal mode of Wi-Fi communication to a sleep mode for the period of time while continuing to operate the mobile telephone network interface of the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification