Apparatus and method for a dynamic scan interval for a wireless device

• US 9,503,969 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afero, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Afero, Inc.
• Inventors: Zakaria, Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/835,414
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method are described for adjusting a scan interval or scan width of a BTLE device. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: placing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) device of an IoT device into a low power or sleep state; waking the BTLE device from the low power or sleep state in response to a specified schedule or set of conditions; attempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device and a BTLE device of an IoT hub using a first scan width and/or scan interval; dynamically adjusting the first scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval, respectively, based on a randomly-selected value if a connection is not established after a specified time period; and reattempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device of the IoT device and the BTLE device of the IoT hub using the second scan width and/or scan interval.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

placing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) device of an Internet of Things (IoT) device into a low power or sleep state;

waking the BTLE device from the low power or sleep state in response to a specified schedule or set of conditions;

attempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device and a BTLE device of an IoT hub using a first scan width and/or scan interval;

dynamically adjusting the first scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval, respectively, based on a randomly-selected value if a connection is not established after a specified time period, wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width or scan interval to a second scan width or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and adding or subtracting the random value from the first scan width or scan interval, wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values; and

reattempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device of the IoT device and the BTLE device of the IoT hub using the second scan width and/or scan interval.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting data from the IoT device to the IoT hub once a BTLE connection is formed therebetween.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and using the random value for a new scan width and/or scan interval.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the BTLE device of the IoT hub implements a first set of time slots within which to communicate over BTLE communication channels, the first scan width and/or scan interval selected to establish communication with the BTLE device of the IoT hub within one of the time slots.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the IoT hub includes a WiFi device to establish a WiFi connection with a WiFi router or access point, the WiFi device to be assigned a second set of time slots within which to communicate over WiFi communication channels to avoid interference with the BTLE communication channels.

7. An apparatus comprising:

power management logic to place a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) device into a low power or sleep state;

the power management logic waking the BTLE device from the low power or sleep state in response to a specified schedule or set of conditions;

the BTLE device to attempt to establish a connection with a BTLE device of an Internet of Things (IoT) hub using a first scan width and/or scan interval;

dynamic scan interval selection logic to dynamically adjust the first scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval, respectively, based on a randomly-selected value if a connection is not established after a specified time period, wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width or scan interval to a second scan width or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and adding or subtracting the random value from the first scan width or scan interval, wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values; and

the BTLE device reattempting to establish a connection with the BTLE device of the IoT hub using the second scan width and/or scan interval.

8. The apparatus as in claim 7 further comprising:

the IoT device transmitting data to the IoT hub once a BTLE connection is formed therebetween.

9. The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and using the random value for a new scan width and/or scan interval.

10. The apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values.

11. The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the BTLE device of the IoT hub implements a first set of time slots within which to communicate over BTLE communication channels, the first scan width and/or scan interval selected to establish communication with the BTLE device of the IoT hub within one of the time slots.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the IoT hub includes a WiFi device to establish a WiFi connection with a WiFi router or access point, the WiFi device to be assigned a second set of time slots within which to communicate over WiFi communication channels to avoid interference with the BTLE communication channels.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

placing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) device of an Internet of Things (IoT) device into a low power or sleep state;

waking the BTLE device from the low power or sleep state in response to a specified schedule or set of conditions;

attempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device and a BTLE device of an IoT hub using a first scan width and/or scan interval;

dynamically adjusting the first scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval, respectively, based on a randomly-selected value if a connection is not established after a specified time period, wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and adding or subtracting the random value from the first scan width or scan interval, wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values; and

reattempting to establish a connection between the BTLE device of the IoT device and the BTLE device of the IoT hub using the second scan width and/or scan interval.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

transmitting data from the IoT device to the IoT hub once a BTLE connection is formed therebetween.

15. The method as in claim 13 wherein the BTLE device of the IoT hub implements a first set of time slots within which to communicate over BTLE communication channels, the first scan width and/or scan interval selected to establish communication with the BTLE device of the IoT hub within one of the time slots.

16. The method as in claim 15 wherein the IoT hub includes a WiFi device to establish a WiFi connection with a WiFi router or access point, the WiFi device to be assigned a second set of time slots within which to communicate over WiFi communication channels to avoid interference with the BTLE communication channels.

17. The method as in claim 13 wherein dynamically adjusting the scan width and/or scan interval to a second scan width and/or scan interval based on a randomly-selected value comprises selecting a random value and using the random value for a new scan width and/or scan interval.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein the random value is selected from within a specified range of acceptable values.