Scheduling communications in a wireless network

• US 10,588,139 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Original Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum, Pearson, David Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez, Julio R
• Application Number:
  US15/409,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/16 in which the time allocation to individual channels within a transmission cycle is variable, e.g. to accommodate varying complexity of signals, to vary number of channels transmitted H04J3/17, H04J3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless device may directly transmit and receive data using carrier sense multiple access and receive an indication of an operating mode of the at least one other wireless device for power saving. The wireless device may transmit a message with scheduling information indicating times that the wireless device is awake, wherein the message includes a duration field and a count field.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a processor, operatively coupled to a transceiver, configured to transmit and receive data, directly with other wireless devices, using carrier sense multiple access, and to receive, from at least one other wireless device of the other wireless devices, an indication of an operating mode of the at least one other wireless device for power saving, wherein the operating mode indicates times that the at least one other wireless device is available to communicate; and

the processor configured to transmit, via the transceiver directly to at least one of the other wireless devices, a message with scheduling information indicating times that the wireless device is awake, wherein the message includes variable duration information, and configured to determine sleep times based on the operating mode and the variable duration information.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted in a beacon.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device controls the at least one other wireless device.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to directly transmit and receive data with a network node.

5. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein timing information is transmitted so that the at least one other wireless device synchronizes its timing to the wireless device.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the determined sleep times are determined to not conflict based on the operating mode.

7. A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, by the wireless device directly with other wireless devices, data using carrier sense multiple access;

receiving, by the wireless device from at least one other wireless device of the other wireless devices, an indication of an operating mode of the at least one other wireless device for power saving, wherein the operating mode indicates times that the at least one other wireless device is available to communicate;

transmitting, by the wireless device directly to at least one of the other wireless devices, a message with scheduling information indicating times that the wireless device is awake, wherein the message includes variable duration information; and

determining, by the wireless device, sleep times based on the operating mode and the variable duration information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message is transmitted in a beacon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless device controls the at least one other wireless device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless device directly transmits and receives data with a network node.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

transmitting, by the wireless device, timing information so that the at least one other wireless device synchronizes its timing to the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the determined sleep times are determined to not conflict based on the received operating mode indication.