Method of controlling operation of at least one transmitter and/or one receiver, communication system and use of such a method or such a system

• US 8,139,623 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Original Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Martin Sandal, Sørensen, Henning
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khanh C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUGHES, EBONI N
• Application Number:
  US10/526,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20060099980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,098 Days
• Field of Search: 370/317, 370/336, 370/338, 370/311, 370/312, 370/328, 370/345, 370/350, 375/219, 455/458, 455/507, 455/522
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0079 Receiver details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/04 Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals H04L7/0075 takes 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 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method of and communication system for controlling operation of at least one transmitter and/or one receiver in a communication system, e.g. a system for transmission of control signals, request signals, interrogation signals etc. wherein a signal comprising a message frame transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver comprises a message part indicative of the time of transmission for a later signal.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of at least one transmitter and/or one receiver in at least one node of a communication system for transmission of signals, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a signal from a transmitter to a receiver on a non-periodical basis at a time indicated by a previous signal transmitted from the transmitter and received by the receiver, the transmitter signal including a message frame having a message part indicative of a time of transmission for a later signal;

registering by the at least one receiver the message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal; and

facilitating a transition of one of the at least one transmitter, the at least one receiver or both the transmitter and the receiver from and into a power saving state when no signal is being conveyed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal relates to the time of transmission for a following dataframe to be transmitted to the receiver.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message part indicative of the time of transmission relates to a period of time following the transmitter signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message part indicative of the time of transmission relates to a point of time relating to a timing reference established at least one of the nodes.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of bringing the transmitter into a power conserving mode after transmission of the transmitter signal.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of controlling the transmitter to wait a predetermined time for a response from the receiver, and, if no response is received, retransmitting the transmitter signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of controlling the transmitter to retransmit the transmitter signal a predetermined number of times if no response is received.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the transmitter is configured to be brought into normal operating mode at or before the time of transmission indicated by the message part.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of bringing the receiver into a power conserving mode after having received the transmitter signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of transmitting a confirmation signal from the receiver after having received the signal from the transmitter, and waiting in a receive mode for a retransmission from the transmitter.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to wait in the receive mode for a period of time corresponding to at least a transmission slot for the transmitter before entering the power conserving mode.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the receiver is configured to be brought into normal operating mode at or before the time of transmission indicated by the message part.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of resuming synchronization when the receiver has not received the time indicative message part or when the transmitter has not received confirmation from the receiver of receipt of the time indicative message part.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of altering the operating mode of the transmitter until a communication has been established with the receiver, and resuming normal operating mode thereafter.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of altering the operating mode of the transmitter unit to a long preamble mode.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of altering the operating mode of the receiver until a communication has been established with the transmitter, and resuming normal operating mode thereafter.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of altering the operating mode of the receiver unit to a long preamble mode.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power conserving mode defines a low power consumption mode of a radio frequency operating part.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter, the at least one receiver or combinations thereof may form part of a node comprising a transceiver arrangement.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication system includes at least two nodes, each comprising at least a transmitter, a receiver or combinations thereof configured for wireless transmission.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting the time of transmission for a later signal randomly.

31. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of receiving a confirmation signal from the receiver before bringing the transmitter into the power conserving mode.

32. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting a confirmation signal before bringing the receiver into the power conserving mode.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of waiting for a retransmission time before the power conserving mode.

34. The method according to claim 21, wherein the time of transmission is selected from a predetermined interval.

22. A communication system for transmission of signals, the communication system comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to be able to include a message part indicative of a time of transmission for a later signal when transmitting a transmitter signal on a non-periodical basis at a time indicated by a previous signal transmitted from the transmitter and received by the receiver;

at least one receiver including control means for performing a time control in dependence on the message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal; and

means for facilitating a transition of one of the at least one transmitter, the at least one receiver or both the transmitter and the receiver from a power saving state, into the power saving state, or from and into the power saving state in dependence on the message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal, said means being configured to facilitate when no signal is being received.

23. The communication system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one transmitter and at least one receiver include means for timing.

24. The communication system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one receiver includes control means for switching between at least two modes of operation in dependence on a received message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal.

25. The communication system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one transmitter includes control means for switching between at least two modes of operation in dependence on a transmitted message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal.

26. The communication system according to claim 24, wherein the at least two modes of operation define a normal operating mode and a power conserving mode.

27. The communication system according to claim 26, wherein the power conserving mode defines a low power consumption mode of a radio frequency operating part.

28. The communication system according to claim 22, further comprising a battery power supply.

29. The communication system according to claim 22, further comprising control means for determining a lack of synchronicity and means for initiating a synchronization resumption process.

30. The communication system according to claim 22, characterized in that said system is designed to control operation of at least one transmitter and/or one receiver in at least one node of a communication system for transmission of signals, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a signal from a transmitter to a receiver at a time indicated by a previous signal transmitted from the transmitter and received by the receiver, the transmitter signal including a message frame having a message part indicative of a time of transmission for a later signal;

registering by the at least one receiver the message part indicative of the time of transmission for the later signal; and

facilitating a transition of one of the at least one transmitter, the at least one receiver or both the transmitter and the receiver from and into a power saving state when no signal is being conveyed.

35. The communication system according to claim 25, wherein the at least two modes of operation define a normal operating mode and a power conserving mode.