Power saving in Wi-Fi devices utilizing bluetooth

• US 9,538,468 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Inventors: Radhakrishnan, Suryanarayanan, Bhargava, Saurabh, Gandotra, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Warner
• Application Number:
  US14/581,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20160183185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 40/005 Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• 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: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present description provides methods, computer program products, and systems for saving power in Wi-Fi devices utilizing Bluetooth. A Wi-Fi radio transitions to deep sleep mode from active mode while a Bluetooth radio remains active. An active Wi-Fi connection to the access point can be maintained by the station while in deep sleep mode as needed to prevent being disassociated. Responsive to the indication of data packets waiting at the access point, sent over the Bluetooth radio, the Wi-Fi radio at the station can be transitioned from the deep sleep mode to the active mode. A notification of active mode is sent to the access point currently associated with the Wi-Fi radio so that packets can be forwarded.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for power saving in a Wi-Fi device of a wireless network utilizing Bluetooth, comprising the steps of:

sending a notification of deep sleep mode to an access point currently associated with a Wi-Fi radio;

transitioning the Wi-Fi radio to deep sleep mode from active mode while a Bluetooth radio remains active;

maintaining an active connection to the access point while in deep sleep mode, comprising transmitting at least one packet concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection to the access point using the Bluetooth radio;

receiving an indication, over the Bluetooth radio, of data packets addressed to the Wi-Fi radio;

responsive to the indication of data packets, transitioning the Wi-Fi radio from the deep sleep mode to the active mode; and

sending a notification of active mode to the access point currently associated with the Wi-Fi radio.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi radio transitions to deep sleep mode responsive to at least one of:

a number or rate of packets received, a duration of inactivity, a station entering sleep mode, a policy, or user input.

3. The method of claim 1, further wherein the Wi-Fi radio transitions to deep sleep mode responsive to receiving an acknowledgment from the access point of the deep sleep notification sent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the active connection comprises at least one of:

maintaining active state information in a non-volatile internal data structure; and

periodically transmitting a packet to the access point using the Bluetooth radio concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection, using active state information stored in the non-volatile internal data structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the active connection comprises:

temporarily waking up the Wi-Fi radio to periodically transmit a packet to the access point using the Wi-Fi radio concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to transitioning to deep sleep mode, storing connection information concerning a connection to the access point;

responsive to transitioning back to active mode, retrieving connection information concerning the access point from a memory, the connection information including a BSSID for the access point.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a request to turn on the Wi-Fi radio in a payload of a packet received by the Bluetooth radio, the packet having the access point as a source address and the Bluetooth radio as a destination address; and

responsive to identifying the request, generating a command within an operating system of the device to turn on the Wi-Fi radio.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

retrieving connection information concerning the access point from a memory, the connection information including a BSSID for the access point; and

sending packets from the Bluetooth radio, the packets using a MAC address of the Wi-Fi radio as the source address and the BSSID of the access point a destination address.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the Bluetooth radio with the access point associated with the Wi-Fi radio.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

registering the Bluetooth radio with the access point associated with the Wi-Fi radio.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing source code that, when executed, performs a method for power saving in a Wi-Fi device of a wireless network utilizing Bluetooth, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a notification of deep sleep mode to an access point currently associated with a Wi-Fi radio;

transitioning the Wi-Fi radio to deep sleep mode from active mode while a Bluetooth radio remains active;

maintaining an active connection to the access point while in deep sleep mode, comprising transmitting at least one packet concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection to the access point using the Bluetooth radio;

receiving an indication, over the Bluetooth radio, of data packets addressed to the Wi-Fi radio;

responsive to the indication of data packets, transitioning the Wi-Fi radio from the deep sleep mode to the active mode; and

sending a notification of active mode to the access point currently associated with the Wi-Fi radio.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein in the method, the Wi-Fi radio transitions to deep sleep mode responsive to at least one of:

a number or rate of packets received, a duration of inactivity, a station entering sleep mode, a policy, or user input.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein in the method the Wi-Fi radio transitions to deep sleep mode responsive to receiving an acknowledgment from the access point of the deep sleep notification sent.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein in the method maintaining the active connection comprises at least one of:

maintaining active state information in a non-volatile internal data structure; and

periodically transmitting a packet to the access point using the Bluetooth radio concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection, using active state information stored in the non-volatile internal data structure.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein in the method maintaining the active connection comprises:

temporarily waking up the Wi-Fi radio to periodically transmit a packet to the access point using the Wi-Fi radio concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a request to turn on the Wi-Fi radio in a payload of a packet received by the Bluetooth radio, the packet having the access point as a source address and the Bluetooth radio as a destination address; and

responsive to identifying the request, generating a command within an operating system of the device to turn on the Wi-Fi radio.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving connection information concerning the access point from a memory, the connection information including a BSSID for the access point; and

sending packets from the Bluetooth radio, the packets using a MAC address of the Wi-Fi radio as the source address and the BSSID of the access point a destination address.

18. A Wi-Fi device in a wireless network to power save utilizing Bluetooth, the Wi-Fi device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, comprising;

a deep sleep controller to send a notification of deep sleep mode to an access point currently associated with a Wi-Fi radio,

transition the Wi-Fi radio to deep sleep mode from active mode while a Bluetooth radio remains active,

transmit at least one packet concerning the Wi-Fi radio connection to the access point using the Bluetooth radio,

receive an indication, over the Bluetooth radio, of data packets addressed to the Wi-Fi radio,

responsive to the indication of data packets, transition the Wi-Fi radio from the deep sleep mode to the active mode, and

send a notification of active mode to the access point currently associated with the Wi-Fi radio.