Ultra wide band power save

• US 7,689,843 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Coberly, Jenelle R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US11/012,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• 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 network node selects a “sleep” level based on its current or projected battery capacity. In an embodiment of the invention, sleep levels define the physical radius within which the wireless network node will engage other devices. The node in question communicates its selected sleep level to the rest of the network so that the other network nodes can communicate accordingly with the node.

Claims

1. A method of conserving power in a first wireless network node on a wireless network having a plurality of network nodes, the first network node having a depletable power source having a remaining power capacity, the method comprising:

detecting at the first wireless network node the remaining power capacity of the depletable power source;

comparing the remaining power capacity of the depletable power source to a plurality of sleep level thresholds, the sleep level thresholds each being associated with a different respective remaining power capacity level and being associated with a respective sleep level, the sleep levels comprising;

a first sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below a first sleep level threshold and above a second sleep level threshold, the first sleep level requiring the first wireless network node not to be used as a mesh node except for communicating control messages;

a second sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the second sleep level threshold and above a third sleep level threshold, the second sleep level requiring the first wireless network node not to be used as a mesh node; and

a third sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the third sleep level threshold and above a fourth sleep level threshold, the third sleep level requiring the first wireless network node to be in a deep sleep mode for a predetermined number of flames and to selectively transmit data after the predetermined number of frames;

selecting, based on the step of comparing, a sleep level for the first wireless network node to enter; and

transmitting, to the one or more of the plurality of network nodes, an identification of the selected sleep level, whereby subsequent communications to and from the first wireless network node are consistent with at least one requirement of the selected sleep level.

2. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein each of the sleep levels further having at least one requirement defining a radius within which the first wireless network node will engage other devices, the physical radii associated with successive sleep levels change monotonically.

3. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless desktop device cluster and the method further comprises engaging in the subsequent communications consistent with the at least one requirement of the selected sleep level, wherein the plurality of network nodes cooperate to save power by restricting data communications from the one or more of the nodes to the first node based on the selected sleep level of the first node while allowing control communications.

4. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless consumer electronics network and the method further comprises engaging in the subsequent communications consistent with the at least one requirement of the selected sleep level, wherein the first wireless network node selectively responds to a communication from a second wireless network node of the plurality of network nodes based on a distance between the first wireless network node and the second wireless network node relative to at least one requirement of a sleep level of the first node defining a physical radius.

5. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless home entertainment network and the method further comprises engaging in the subsequent communications consistent with the at least one requirement of the selected sleep level, wherein the plurality of network nodes cooperate to save power by restricting communications from the first node to the one or more of the nodes based on a distance between the one or more of the nodes to the first node relative to at least one requirement of a sleep level of the first node defining a physical radius.

6. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises an ad hoc network and the method further comprises engaging in the subsequent communications consistent with the at least one requirement of the selected sleep level wherein the response of the second wireless network node selectively avoids the first node as a mesh node based on the at least one requirement of the sleep level of the first node.

7. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein a Ultra Wide Band (UWB) transmission is divided into temporal slots and wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification in a selected temporal slot.

8. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 7, wherein the selected temporal slot is selected from the group consisting of a beacon slot and a management data slot.

9. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein a Ultra Wide Band (UWR) transmission is divided into spectral divisions and wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification in a selected spectral division.

10. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification during connection of the first wireless network node to the network.

11. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 1, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification after connection of the first wireless network node to the network.

12. The method of conserving power in a first wireless network node according to claim 11, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification periodically.

13. A computer storage medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method of conserving power in a first wireless network node on a wireless network having a plurality of network nodes, the first network node having a depletable power source having a remaining power capacity, the instructions including instructions for:

detecting at the first wireless network node the remaining power capacity of the depletable power source;

comparing the remaining power capacity of the depletable power source to a plurality of sleep level thresholds, the sleep level thresholds each being associated with a different respective remaining power capacity level and being associated with a respective sleep level, the sleep levels comprising;

a first sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below a first sleep level threshold and above a second sleep level threshold, the first sleep level indicating that communications to the first wireless network node are restricted to communications from other devices situated within a first physical radius of the first wireless network node;

a second sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the second sleep level threshold and above a third sleep level threshold, the second sleep level indicating that communications to the first wireless network node are restricted to communications from other devices situated within a second physical radius of the first wireless network node, the second physical radius being different than the first physical radius; and

a third sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the third sleep level threshold and above a fourth sleep level threshold, the third sleep level indicating that communications to the first wireless network node are restricted to communications from other devices situated within a third physical radius of the first wireless network node, the third physical radius being different than the first and second physical radius;

selecting, based on the step of comparing, a sleep level for the first wireless network node to enter; and

transmitting, to one or more of the plurality of network nodes, an identification of the selected sleep level, and whereby communication is controlled such that the other devices restrict subsequent communications to the first wireless network mode consistent with at least one requirement defining the physical radius of the selected sleep level of the first wireless network node.

14. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the physical radii associated with successive sleep levels change monotonically.

15. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the wireless network comprises a network type selected from the group consisting of a wireless desktop device cluster, a wireless consumer electronics network, a wireless home entertainment network, and an ad hoc network and the method further comprises engaging in the subsequent communications consistent with the at least one requirement of the selected sleep level wherein a second wireless network node of the plurality of network nodes selectively avoids the first node as a mesh node based on the at least one requirement defining the physical radius of the selected sleep level.

16. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein a Ultra Wide Band (UWB) transmission is divided into temporal slots and wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification in a selected temporal slot.

17. The computer storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the selected temporal slot is selected from the group consisting of a beacon slot and a management data slot.

18. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein a Ultra Wide Band (UWB) transmission is divided into spectral divisions and wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification in a selected spectral division.

19. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification during connection of the first wireless network node to the network.

20. The computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification after connection of the first wireless network node to the network.

21. The computer storage medium according to claim 20, wherein transmitting an identification of the selected sleep level comprises transmitting the identification periodically.

22. A wireless network node having a depletable power source having a remaining capacity, the node comprising:

a connection module for detecting that one or more other wireless devices are within communication range of the wireless network node and for establishing respective connections with the one or more other wireless devices;

a power management module for;

evaluating the remaining capacity of the depletable power source;

determining a sleep level, from a plurality of available sleep levels, for the wireless network node based on the remaining capacity, the plurality of available sleep levels comprising;

a first sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below a first sleep level threshold and above a second sleep level threshold, the first sleep level restricting communications of the first wireless network node to other devices situated within a first physical radius of the first wireless network node;

a second sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the second sleep level threshold and above a third sleep level threshold, the second sleep level restricting communications of the first wireless network node to other devices situated within a second physical radius of the first wireless network node, the second physical radius being different than the first physical radius; and

a third sleep level representative of the first wireless network node having a power capacity level below the third sleep level threshold and above a fourth sleep level threshold, the third sleep level restricting communications of the first wireless network node to other devices situated within a third physical radius of the first wireless network node, the third physical radius being different than the first and second physical radius; and

transmitting an indication of the determined sleep level to the one or more other wireless devices, and wherein engaging other devices in accordance with at least one requirement defining the physical radius of the determined sleep level comprises suppressing communications to devices outside of the physical radius of the determined sleep level other than by setting a transmit power level.

23. The wireless network node according to claim 22, wherein communications to the wireless network node are consistent with the at least one requirement of the determined sleep level after the indication of the determined sleep level has been transmitted to the one or more other wireless devices by limiting the types of messages sent to the wireless network node in accordance with the determined sleep level.