Security system device power management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for power management. The methods include detecting a triggering event at a sensor device of a security system; activating a wireless transmitter/receiver from a low power mode; detecting a broadcast beacon frame from an access point device; transmitting a probe request frame that includes triggering event data; and returning the wireless transmitter/receiver to a low power mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting a triggering event at a sensor device of a security system;   in response to detecting the triggering event, activating a wireless transmitter/receiver from a low power mode;   detecting a broadcast beacon frame transmitted from an access point device;   in response to detecting the beacon frame, transmitting a probe request frame for establishing communication with the access point device, wherein the probe request frame has been modified to incorporate data associated with the triggering event; and   following transmission of the probe request frame, returning the wireless transmitter/receiver to a low power mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is in response to motion detection by a motion sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is a displacement event detected by a window or door displacement sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event includes embedding data associated with the detected triggering event in a field of the probe request frame along with an identifier of the sensor device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access point device is associated with a security management device of the security system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probe request frame is part of an 802.11 handshake protocol for establishing wireless communication. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the handshake protocol is not completed after transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event. 
     
     
         8 . A security system comprising:
 a sensor device and a security management device, wherein the sensor device is configured to perform operations including:
 detecting a triggering event at the sensor device; 
 in response to detecting the triggering event, activating a wireless transmitter/receiver from a low power mode; 
 detecting a broadcast beacon frame transmitted from the security management device; 
 in response to detecting the beacon frame, transmitting a probe request frame for establishing communication with the access point device, wherein the probe request frame has been modified to incorporate data associated with the triggering event; and 
 following transmission of the probe request frame, returning the wireless transmitter/receiver to a low power mode following transmission of the probe request frame. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor device is a motion sensor and the triggering event is in response to motion detection by the motion sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor device is a window or door displacement sensor and the triggering event is a displacement event detected by the window or door displacement sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event includes embedding data associated with the detected triggering event in a field of the probe request frame along with an identifier of the sensor device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the probe request frame is part of an 802.11 handshake protocol for establishing wireless communication. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the handshake protocol is not completed after transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event. 
     
     
         14 . One or more computer-readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 detecting a triggering event at a sensor device of a security system;   in response to detecting the triggering event, activating a wireless transmitter/receiver from a low power mode;   detecting a broadcast beacon frame transmitted from an access point device;   in response to detecting the beacon frame, transmitting a probe request frame for establishing communication with the access point device, wherein the probe request frame has been modified to incorporate data associated with the triggering event; and   following transmission of the probe request frame, returning the wireless transmitter/receiver to a low power mode.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the triggering event is in response to motion detection by a motion sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the triggering event is a displacement event detected by a window or door displacement sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event includes embedding data associated with the detected triggering event in a field of the probe request frame along with an identifier of the sensor device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the access point device is associated with a security management device of the security system. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the probe request frame is part of an 802.11 handshake protocol for establishing wireless communication. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 19 , wherein the handshake protocol is not completed after transmitting the probe request frame that includes the data associated with the triggering event.