EP-4535841-B1 - SELECTIVE COMMUNICATION SCHEME UTILIZATION FOR REDUCING POWER CONSUMPTION FOR A BATTERY-POWERED DEVICE

Inventors

• GARNER, GREGORY M.
• CURTIS, ROBERT C.
• SAKSENA, Manas C.
• DE HAAS, Scott E.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241002

Claims (3)

1. A computer-implemented method (500, 700) for establishing a communication link between a battery-powered device and a wireless access point, WAP, (308) the battery-powered device and the WAP (308) being configurable for communication therebetween utilizing one of a plurality of different communication schemes each of which imposes a different power consumption burden on the battery-powered device, wherein the plurality of different communication schemes comprises one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates directly with the WAP (308) and one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates indirectly with the WAP (308) through at least one intermediate device having a wired power source, the method comprising: determining (502) a communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP (308), wherein determining the communication context comprises at least determining whether there is at least one intermediate device having the wired power source via which the battery-powered device can communicate with the WAP (308); selecting (504) a communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes, wherein the selecting comprises selecting the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes that imposes the lowest power consumption burden on the battery-powered device and is also supported by the communication context; and configuring (506) at least one of the battery-powered device or the WAP (308) for communication therebetween using the selected communication scheme; wherein: determining (502) the communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP (308) comprises determining (702) that there is at least one intermediate device having the wired power source via which the battery-powered device can communicate with the WAP (308), wherein the at least one intermediate device and the battery-powered device communicate via a mesh network; and selecting (504) the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes comprises selecting (704) a communication scheme in which one or more parameters of the mesh network are updated to reduce the power consumption burden on the battery-powered device, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a delivery traffic indication map, DTIM, interval setting associated with at least one of the battery-powered device or the at least one intermediate device.
2. A system (1000) for establishing a communication link between a battery-powered device and a wireless access point, WAP, (308) the battery-powered device and the WAP (308) being configurable for communication therebetween utilizing one of a plurality of different communication schemes each of which imposes a different power consumption burden on the battery-powered device, wherein the plurality of different communication schemes comprises one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates directly with the WAP (308) and one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates indirectly with the WAP (308) through at least one intermediate device having a wired power source, comprising: one or more memories (1008, 1010); and at least one processor (1004) each coupled to at least one of the one or more memories and configured to perform the method of claim 1.
3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

Description

BACKGROUND FIELD This disclosure is generally directed to techniques for reducing power consumption. US2018/352514 discloses dynamic baseband management.CN115150812 discloses a communication system.US2021/007104 discloses methods for power savings with millimeter wave relays. US2012/026895 discloses power management in wireless networks. SUMMARY The invention is defined in the appended independent claims. Provided herein are system, apparatus, device, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for establishing a communication link between a battery-powered device and a wireless access point (WAP). The battery-powered device and the WAP may be configurable for communication therebetween utilizing one of a plurality of different communication schemes, each of which imposes a different power consumption burden on the battery-powered device. The plurality of different communication schemes comprises one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates directly with the WAP and one or more schemes in which the battery-powered device communicates indirectly with the WAP through at least one intermediate device having a wired power source. In an embodiment, a communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP is determined, for example, by determining whether there is at least one intermediate device having a wired power source via which the battery-powered device can communicate with the WAP. A communication scheme of a plurality of different communication schemes is selected, for example, by selecting the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes that imposes the lowest power consumption burden on the battery-powered device and is also supported by the communication context. At least one of the battery-powered device or the WAP is configured for communication therebetween using the selected communication scheme In an embodiment, determining the communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP comprises determining that there is at least one intermediate device having the wired power source via which the battery-powered device can communicate with the WAP, wherein the at least one intermediate device and the battery-powered device communicate via a first wireless communication protocol, and determining that the at least one intermediate device and the battery-powered device support a second wireless communication protocol that imposes a relatively lower power consumption burden on the battery-powered device than compared to the first wireless communication protocol, wherein selecting the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes comprises selecting the communication scheme in which the at least one intermediate device and the battery-powered device communicate via the second wireless communication protocol. In another embodiment, the first wireless communication protocol comprises a Wi-Fi-based communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) long range-based communication protocol. In yet another embodiment, determining the communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP comprises determining that there is at least one intermediate device having the wired power source via which the battery-powered device can communicate with the WAP, wherein the at least one intermediate device and the battery-powered device communicate via a mesh network, and selecting the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes comprises selecting a communication scheme in which one or more parameters of the mesh network are updated to reduce the power consumption burden on the battery-powered device. In still another embodiment, the one or more parameters comprise a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) interval setting associated with at least one of the battery-powered device or the at least one intermediate device. In a further embodiment, determining the communication context of the battery-powered device and the WAP comprises determining that there is no intermediate device and that the battery-powered device communicates directly with the WAP, wherein the WAP and the battery-powered device communicate via a first wireless communication protocol, and determining that both the battery-powered device and the WAP support a second wireless communication protocol that imposes a relatively lower power consumption burden on the battery-powered device than compared to the first wireless communication protocol, and wherein selecting the communication scheme of the plurality of different communication schemes comprises selecting the communication scheme in which the WAP and the battery-powered device communicate via the second wireless communication protocol. In yet a further embodiment, the first wireless communication protocol comprises a Wi-Fi 5-based communication protocol