Low duty cycle device protocol

• US 9,226,236 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Chong U., Aryan, Babak, Holcman, Alejandro R., Burroughs, Kirk Allan, Keidar, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US14/169,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/414.1, 455/458, 455/466
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for establishing communication between a low duty cycle device and other devices through a wireless communication network. In one particular implementation, the low duty cycle device may awaken from a hibernating state in synchronization with transmission of messages.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

means for processing signals received at a receiver; and

means for intermittently awakening a device at a wake up time from a hibernating state in synchronization with said apparatus to exchange information with said apparatus over a wireless communication network, said information including location information which is based, at least in part, on said processed signals,

wherein the hibernating state is based on a hibernation duty cycle that indicates a time interval at which said device is to awaken from the hibernating state, wherein said time interval is defined based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between initiating transmission of said information and receipt at said device from a downlink, and

wherein the wake up time is determined based at least in part on a hash function of the hibernation duty cycle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for intermittently awakening said device further comprises means for intermittently awakening said device from said hibernating state according to a predetermined schedule.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising means for initiating exchange of said information with said apparatus using a short message service (SMS).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said location information comprises pseudorange measurements determined based, at least in part, on said received signals.

5. A method comprising:

receiving messages addressed to a device at a server; and

scheduling transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened at a wake up time from a hibernating state, wherein said intervals are defined based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink,

wherein the hibernating state is based on a hibernation duty cycle that indicates a time interval at which said device is to awaken from the hibernating state, in synchronization with said server to exchange information with said server over said wireless communication link, and

wherein the wake up time is determined based at least in part on a hash function of the hibernation duty cycle.

6. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

receiving information from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle; and

scheduling said transmission based, at least in part, on said information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said information is transmitted from said device during a procedure to register said device with a wireless communication network.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said messages are transmitted according to a short message service (SMS) protocol.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said scheduling said transmission of messages comprises scheduling said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages in said downlink portion.

10. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

defining an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

scheduling transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said defining said interval comprises changing said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

12. An article comprising:

a storage medium having machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to

store messages addressed to a device in a data structure of a server; and

schedule transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened at a wake up time from a hibernating state, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to define said interval based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink,

wherein the hibernating state is based on a hibernation duty cycle that indicates a time interval at which said device is to awaken from the hibernating state, in synchronization with said server to exchange information with said server over said wireless communication link, and

wherein the wake up time is determined based at least in part on a hash function of the hibernation duty cycle.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein said machine-readable instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

schedule said transmission based, at least in part, on information received from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to schedule said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages in said downlink portion.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to change said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

16. The article of claim 12, wherein said instructions, if executed, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

define an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

schedule transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform, said computing platform being adapted to;

store messages addressed to a device in a data structure of said apparatus; and

schedule transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened at a wake up time from a hibernating state, wherein said intervals are defined based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between initiating transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink,

wherein the hibernating state is based on a hibernation duty cycle that indicates a time interval at which said device is to awaken from the hibernating state, in synchronization with said apparatus to exchange information with said apparatus over said wireless communication link, and

wherein the wake up time is determined based at least in part on a hash function of the hibernation duty cycle.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is further adapted to:

schedule said transmission based, at least in part, on said information indicating the hibernation duty cycle.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is further adapted to:

schedule transmission of said messages independently of the timing of transmission of said messages in said downlink portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising:

define an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

schedule transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said define said interval comprises change said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving messages addressed to a device at said apparatus; and

means for scheduling transmission of said messages to said device through a downlink portion of a wireless communication link during intervals in which said device is awakened at a wake up time from a hibernating state, wherein said intervals are defined based, at least in part, on an uncertainty associated with a delay between initiating transmission of said messages and receipt at said device from said downlink,

wherein the hibernating state is based on a hibernation duty cycle that indicates a time interval at which said device is to awaken from the hibernating state, in synchronization with said apparatus to exchange information with said apparatus over said wireless communication link, and

wherein the wake up time is determined based at least in part on a hash function of the hibernation duty cycle.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, and further comprising:

means for receiving information from said device indicating a hibernation duty cycle; and

means for scheduling said transmission based, at least in part, on said information.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for scheduling said transmission of messages comprises means for scheduling said messages independently of the timing of transmission of messages.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, and further comprising:

means for defining an interval for periods in which said device in an awakened state; and

means for scheduling transmission of a message to indicate such defined interval.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for defining said interval comprises means for changing said interval based, at least in part, on a battery level associated with the device.