Communicating over a Wireless Network

Abstract

A first device communicates with a wireless network that includes nodes that are active for predefined activation times and that are at least partially dormant when not active. The communication method includes identifying a start of communication via a message that exceeds a maximum activation time of nodes on the wireless network by a factor N, where N is equal to at least a maximum number of frequencies on the wireless network, and exchanging information with a second device comprising a node on the wireless network that is within a transmission range of the first device, where the information is exchanged following the message and includes frequency hopping data for the second device.

1 . A method for low power listening on a node, the method comprising:
 waking up and listening for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time;   sleeping for a second amount of time if no signal is sensed in the incoming traffic;   waking up and listening for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time;   detecting a preamble in the second signal;   capturing a third amount of time from the preamble, the third time indicative of how much time before a start of a preamble tail end;   resuming normal operations until an end of the third amount of time; and   waking up and listening for a packet associated with the incoming traffic after the third amount of time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received packet includes the preamble tail end. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received packet includes a second packet and the second packet is not the preamble tail end. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein after waking up and listening for a packet associated with the incoming traffic after the third amount of time, the method further comprising:
 waking up and listening for a third signal associated with the incoming traffic for the first amount of time; and   sleeping for the second amount of time if no signal is sensed in the incoming traffic.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein waking up and listening for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time comprising waking up and listening for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time in a first channel, and   wherein waking up and listening for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time further comprising waking up and listening for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time in a second channel.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein waking up and listening for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time comprising waking up and listening for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time in a first channel, and   wherein waking up and listening for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time further comprising waking up and listening for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time in the first channel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resuming normal operations until an end of the third amount of time comprising at least one of:
 sleeping for part or all of the third amount of time;   sending packets for part or all of the third amount of time; or   listening for a fourth signal associated with the incoming traffic for part or all of the third amount of time.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resuming normal operations until an end of the third amount of time comprising:
 determining a channel number for transmission to a second node, a time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof; and   sending a second packet to the second node based on the channel number for transmission to the second node, the time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a channel number for transmission to a second node, a time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof based on the packet associated with the incoming traffic; and   sending a second packet to the second node based on the channel number for transmission to the second node, the time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a response to the received packet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the second node and from the node, the response to the received packet;   determining, by the second node, a channel number for transmission to the node, a time for transmission to the node, or any combination thereof based on the response to the received packet; and   sending, by the second node, a third packet to the node based on the channel number for transmission to the node, the time for transmission to the node, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preamble comprising time data corresponding to a start of the preamble tail end, a duration of the preamble, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting a preamble in the second signal comprising:
 detecting an energy signal associated with the preamble; and   determining if the energy signal is above a signal level.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a second packet after the third amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preamble is transmitted from a second node and the method further comprising sending a second packet to the second node after the third amount of time. 
     
     
         16 . A node comprising:
 memory configured to store executable instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 wake up and listen for a first signal associated with incoming traffic for a first amount of time; 
 sleep for a second amount of time if no signal is sensed in the incoming traffic; 
 wake up and listen for a second signal associated with the incoming traffic after the second amount of time; 
 detect a preamble in the second signal; 
 capture a third amount of time from the preamble, the third time indicative of how much time before a start of a preamble tail end; 
 resume normal operations until an end of the third amount of time; and 
 wake up and listen for a packet associated with the incoming traffic after the third amount of time. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method for low power listening on a node, the method comprising:
 entering a first low power mode for a first amount of time, the first low power mode enabling the node to use less power than needed to receive a packet;   entering a first high power mode after the first amount of time, the first high power mode enabling the node to receive a first packet and the first packet comprising a preamble;   identifying a second amount of time from the preamble, the second amount of time is an amount of time until a second packet;   entering a second low power mode until an end of the second amount of time, the second low power mode enabling the node to use less power than needed to receive a packet; and   entering a second high power mode after the second amount of time, the second high power mode enabling the node to receive a packet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining whether the first packet comprising the preamble by checking information in the preamble. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first high power mode is in a first channel and the second high power mode is in a second channel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 sending, by a second node, the second packet to the node during the second high power mode;   receiving, by the second node and from the node, a response to the second packet;   determining, by the second node, a channel number for transmission to the node, a time for transmission to the node, or any combination thereof based on the response to the second packet; and   sending, by the second node, a third packet to the node based on the channel number for transmission to the node, the time for transmission to the node, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the preamble comprising time data corresponding to a start of the preamble tail end, a duration of the preamble, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein entering a first high power mode after the first amount of time comprising:
 detecting an energy signal associated with the preamble; and   determining if the energy signal is above a signal level.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving the second packet during the second high power mode;   determining a channel number for transmission to a second node, a time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof based on the received second packet; and   sending a third packet to the second node based on the channel number for transmission to the second node, the time for transmission to the second node, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         24 . A node comprising:
 memory configured to store executable instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 enter a first low power mode for a first amount of time, the first low power mode enabling the node to use less power than needed to receive a packet; 
 enter a first high power mode after the first amount of time, the first high power mode enabling the node to receive a first packet and the first packet comprising a preamble; 
 identify a second amount of time from the preamble, the second amount of time is an amount of time until a second packet; 
 enter a second low power mode until an end of the second amount of time, the second low power mode enabling the node to use less power than needed to receive a packet; and 
 enter a second high power mode after the second amount of time, the second high power mode enabling the node to receive a packet.