Communicating over a Wireless Network
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.