Communication network having a plurality of bridging nodes which transmit a beacon to terminal nodes in power saving state that it has messages awaiting delivery

• US 7,552,246 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovatio IP Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luse, Ronald E., Mahany, Ronald L., Meier, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US10/657,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 710/18, 710/46, 709/227, 709/304, 713/320, 713/321, 713/323, 713/324, 370/329, 370/351, 455/342, 455/517, 455/524, 375/132, 375/202, 375/220
• US Class Current: 710/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0014 by adapting the source coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0071 Use of interleaving interleaving per se H03M13/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 : Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 : Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 : Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 : Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/488 : using root node determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6225 : Fixed service order, e.g. Round Robin
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 : Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9057 : Arrangements for supporting packet reassembly or resequencing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 : Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 : Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 : in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 : in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 : based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 : based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 : Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/26 : for hybrid routing by combining proactive and reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 : for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 : due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 : using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/029 : reducing the clock frequency of the controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• 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 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for routing data in a radio data communication system having one or more host computers, one or more intermediate base stations, and one or more RF terminals organizes the intermediate base stations into an optimal spanning-tree network to control the routing of data to and from the RF terminals and the host computer efficiently and dynamically. Communication between the host computer and the RF terminals is achieved by using the network of intermediate base stations to transmit the data.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a node having a low power state in a wireless network, the method comprising:

calculating, based at least in part on a pseudo-random number, a time to wake a node in a low power state to receive an expected broadcast message;

waking the node in a low power state at the calculated time;

receiving at the waken node the expected broadcast message;

synchronizing the node to receive a message subsequent to the received broadcast message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated time is periodic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated time is periodic with a pseudo-random time shift.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said calculating comprises calculating the time to wake the node based, at least in part, on node identification information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said calculating comprises calculating the calculated wake time based, at least in part, on information received in a previously received broadcast message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message is a polling message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent message is a different type of message than the received broadcast message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message comprises one or more values to allow a node to determine a time that a subsequent broadcast message is expected to be received.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at the waken node the subsequent message immediately following receiving the expected broadcast message.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the previously received broadcast message is the same type of message as the expected broadcast message.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the expected broadcast message comprises receiving the expected broadcast message consecutively after the previously received broadcast message.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message and the subsequent message are both the same particular type of message, and synchronizing the node to receive the subsequent message comprises synchronizing the node to skip at least one of the particular type of message transmitted between the received broadcast message and the subsequent message.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the information received in a previously received broadcast message comprises seed information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information identifying that another message awaits delivery to the node.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message comprises a pending message list.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information identifying nodes that have a message awaiting delivery.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message is broadcast to a plurality of recipients.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information directed to a plurality of nodes.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the waken node the expected broadcast message comprises receiving the expected broadcast message from a node of the wireless network that provides mobile terminals access to the wireless network.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is a mobile terminal.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is a handheld battery-operated mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the waken node the expected broadcast message comprises receiving the expected broadcast message utilizing spread spectrum technology.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to receiving the subsequent message, transmitting a signal to the wireless network to cause the wireless network to transmit the subsequent message to the node.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the received broadcast message does not indicate that a message is awaiting delivery to the node, then re-entering the node into the low power state.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message indicating that the node is operating in a power save mode.

2. A component for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

a node comprising a network interface for receiving and transmitting messages; and

a software control for;

calculating, based at least in part on a pseudo-random number, a time to wake the node from a low power state to receive an expected broadcast message;

waking the node from the low power state at the calculated time to receive the expected broadcast message, and

synchronizing the node to receive a message subsequent to the received broadcast message.

3. A system for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

a first node operable to broadcast at periodic intervals a message to which a second node can awake to receive delivery; and

a second node operable to, at least;

calculate, based at least in part on a pseudo-random number, a time to wake from a low power state to receive the broadcast message;

waking from the low power state at the calculated time to receive the broadcast message; and

synchronize to receive a message subsequent to the received broadcast message.

12. A node for communicating in a wireless network, the node comprising at least one component that is operable to, at least:

calculate, based at least in part on a pseudo-random number, a time to wake a node in a low power state to receive an expected broadcast message;

wake the node in a low power state at the calculated time;

receive at the waken node the expected broadcast message;

synchronize the node to receive a message subsequent to the received broadcast message.

29. The node of claim 12, wherein the calculated time is periodic.

30. The node of claim 12, wherein the calculated time is periodic with a pseudo-random time shift.

31. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is operable to calculate the time to wake the node based, at least in part, on node identification information.

32. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is operable to, calculate the time to wake the node based, at least in part, on information received in a previously received broadcast message.

33. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message is a polling message.

34. The node of claim 12, wherein the subsequent message is a different type of message than the received broadcast message.

35. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message comprises one or more values to allow a node to determine a time that a subsequent broadcast message is expected to be received.

36. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is further operable to receive at the waken node the subsequent message immediately following receiving the expected broadcast message.

37. The node of claim 32, wherein the previously received broadcast message is the same type of message as the expected broadcast message.

38. The node of claim 32, wherein the at least one component is operable to receive the expected broadcast message by, at least in part, operating to receive the expected broadcast message consecutively after the previously received broadcast message.

39. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message and the subsequent message are both the same particular type of message, and the at least one component is operable to synchronize the node to receive the subsequent message by, at least in part, operating to synchronize the node to skip at least one of the particular type of message transmitted between the received broadcast message and the subsequent message.

40. The node of claim 32, wherein the information received in a previously received broadcast message comprises seed information.

41. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information identifying that another message awaits delivery to the node.

42. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message comprises a pending message list.

43. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information identifying nodes that have a message awaiting delivery.

44. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message is broadcast to a plurality of recipients.

45. The node of claim 12, wherein the received broadcast message comprises information directed to a plurality of nodes.

46. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is operable to receive at the waken node the expected broadcast message by, at least in part, operating to receive the expected broadcast message from a node of the wireless network that provides mobile terminals access to the wireless network.

47. The node of claim 12, wherein the node is a mobile terminal.

48. The node of claim 12, wherein the node is a handheld battery-operated mobile terminal.

49. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is operable to receive at the waken node the expected broadcast message by, at least in part, operating to receive the expected broadcast message utilizing spread spectrum technology.

50. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is further operable to, prior to receiving the subsequent message, transmit a signal to the wireless network to cause the wireless network to transmit the subsequent message to the node.

51. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is further operable to, if the received broadcast message does not indicate that a message is awaiting delivery to the node, cause the node to re-enter the low power state.

52. The node of claim 12, wherein the at least one component is further operable to transmit a message indicating that the node is operating in a power save mode.