USING WAKE-UP RECEIVERS FOR SOFT HAND-OFF IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20060274698A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: TWITCHELL, Robert W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• 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

Multiple standards based radio (“SBR”) devices, each having a high-gain directional antenna, are utilized in a remote sensor interface (“RSI”) unit to optimize detection and reception by the RSI of radio signals from gateway controllers, hopping radios, and other wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a soft hand-off in wireless communications, comprising:

(a) providing a first wireless component and a second wireless component, the second wireless component including a controller and first and second low power radio systems;

(b) receiving, at a wake-up receiver of the first low power radio system in the second wireless component, a first wake-up signal;

(c) in response to receiving the first wake-up signal, sending a first electronic signal to the controller;

(d) in response to receiving the first electronic signal at the controller, activating a two-way wireless communication device of the first low power radio system, thereby facilitating two-way wireless communication with the first wireless component;

(e) receiving, at a wake-up receiver of the second low power radio system in the second wireless component, a second wake-up signal;

(f) in response to receiving the second wake-up signal, sending a second electronic signal to the controller; and

(g) in response to receiving the second electronic signal at the controller, activating a two-way wireless communication device of the second low power radio system and deactivating the two-way wireless communication device of the first low power radio system, thereby facilitating two-way wireless communication with the first wireless component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending the first electronic signal to the controller is conditioned on the first wake-up signal including a class designation corresponding to the second wireless component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each two-way wireless communication device is a standards based radio.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each standards based radio is a Bluetooth radio.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing a second wireless component includes providing a second wireless component having a first directional antenna connected to the first low power radio system and a second directional antenna connected to the second low power radio system.

6. A remote sensor interface, comprising:

(a) a sensor input adapted to receive data from a sensor device;

(b) a plurality of low power radio systems, each including;

(i) a two-way wireless communication device, and

(ii) a wake-up receiver; and

(c) a controller, connected to each wake-up receiver to receive signals therefrom and further connected to each two-way wireless communications device to effect two-way communication therethrough, wherein the controller is adapted to select one of the plurality of two-way wireless communication devices for external two-way wireless communications, the selection being made on the basis of an electronic signal received from at least one of the plurality of wake-up receivers;

(d) wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit data, received from the sensor device connected to the sensor input, via the selected two-way wireless communications device.

7. The remote sensor interface of claim 6, wherein the wake-up receiver is adapted to transmit the electronic signal only upon receiving a wake-up signal that includes a class designation corresponding to the remote sensor interface.

8. The remote sensor interface of claim 7, wherein the two-way wireless communication device is a standards based radio.

9. The remote sensor interface of claim 8, wherein the standards based radio is a Bluetooth radio.

10. The remote sensor interface of claim 7, wherein each low power radio system further includes a directional antenna, the directional antennas being arranged in an array to provide disparate, overlapping coverage zones.

11. A remote sensor interface link, comprising:

(a) a plurality of low power radio systems, each including;

(i) a two-way wireless communication device, and

(ii) a wake-up receiver; and

(b) a controller, connected to each wake-up receiver to receive signals therefrom and further connected to each two-way wireless communications device to effect two-way communication therethrough, wherein the controller is adapted to select one of the plurality of two-way wireless communication devices for external two-way wireless communications, the selection being made on the basis of an electronic signal received from at least one of the plurality of wake-up receivers;

(c) wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit sensor data, received from a remote sensor interface, via the selected two-way wireless communications device.

12. The remote sensor interface of claim 11, wherein the wake-up receiver is adapted to transmit the electronic signal only upon receiving a wake-up signal that includes a class designation corresponding to the remote sensor interface.

13. The remote sensor interface of claim 12, wherein the two-way wireless communication device is a standards based radio.

14. The remote sensor interface of claim 13, wherein the standards based radio is a Bluetooth radio.

15. The remote sensor interface of claim 12, wherein each low power radio system further includes a directional antenna, the directional antennas being arranged in an array to provide disparate, overlapping coverage zones.

16. A wireless communication system, comprising:

(a) a first wireless communication component;

(b) a sensor device; and

(c) a second wireless communication component, adapted to receive sensor data from at least one sensor device, including;

(i) a plurality of low power radio systems, each having a two-way wireless communication device and a wake-up receiver, and

(ii) a controller, connected to each wake-up receiver to receive signals therefrom and further connected to each two-way wireless communications device to effect two-way communication therethrough, wherein the controller is adapted to select one of the plurality of two-way wireless communication devices for two-way wireless communications with the first wireless communication component, the selection being made on the basis of an electronic signal received from at least one of the plurality of wake-up receivers,

(iii) wherein the controller is adapted to wirelessly transmit sensor data, received from the sensor device, to the first wireless communication component via the selected two-way wireless communications device.

17. The remote sensor interface of claim 16, wherein the wake-up receiver is adapted to transmit the electronic signal only upon receiving a wake-up signal that includes a class designation corresponding to the remote sensor interface.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the first wireless communication component is a gateway controller.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the second wireless communication component is a remote sensor interface, and the sensor device communicates directly with the remote sensor interface.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19, wherein the second wireless communication component is a remote sensor interface link, the wireless communication system further comprising a third wireless communication component, wherein the sensor device communicates indirectly with the remote sensor interface link via the third wireless communication component.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 20, wherein the third wireless communication component is a remote sensor interface, and wherein the sensor device communicates directly with the remote sensor interface.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the first wireless communication component is a remote sensor interface link.

23. The wireless communication system of claim 22, wherein the second wireless communication component is a remote sensor interface, and the sensor device communicates indirectly with the remote sensor interface link via the remote sensor interface.

24. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the two-way wireless communication device is a standards based radio.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 24, wherein the standards based radio is a Bluetooth radio.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein each low power radio system further includes a directional antenna, the directional antennas being arranged in an array to provide disparate, overlapping coverage zones.