Wireless network synchronization of cells and client devices on a network
A system and method for wireless synchronization on a network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the wireless device includes a wireless transceiver and processing circuitry. The wireless transceiver wirelessly receives synchronization information including a superframe from a first wireless, reader device, and wirelessly transmits the synchronization information to a second wireless, reader device and a portable wireless device, and to wirelessly detect a presence of a portable wireless device. The processing circuitry communicates synchronization information to the second wireless, reader device and portable wireless device. The superframe is used to synchronize a wireless data exchange between the third wireless, reader device and the portable wireless device.
1. A system comprising:
a first wireless device having a radio frequency transceiver for exchange of data with a second wireless device, the first wireless device configured to wake the radio frequency transceiver from a sleep mode to receive data during predetermined time periods from the second wireless device, and to maintain the radio frequency transceiver in the sleep mode at times other than the predetermined time periods; and
wherein the predetermined time periods are determined responsive to a beacon transmitted either by the first wireless device to the second wireless device or by the second wireless device to the first wireless device, the predetermined time periods occur periodically subsequent to the beacon transmission absent a transmission of another one of the beacons that are interleaved between periodic occurrences of the predetermined time periods, and a link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device is considered lost after a predefined period in which no communications are exchanged during the periodic occurrences of the predetermined time periods, information corresponding to the predefined period being transmitted by the first wireless device to the second wireless device.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to:
(a) wake the radio frequency transceiver from the sleep mode, to receive data;
(b) upon termination of one of the predetermined time periods, transition the radio frequency transceiver back to the sleep mode;
(c) maintain the radio frequency transceiver in the sleep mode until a next one of the predetermined time periods; and
repeat (a), (b), and (c) in order for each of the predetermined time periods.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to transmit a request for data to the second wireless device.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to dynamically adjust a duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to increase the duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode if no beacon is received.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device stores a mask, and wherein the first wireless device is further configured to apply the mask to a received bit field to generate a masked bit field, the periodic occurrences of the predetermined time periods being based at least in part on the masked bit field.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is further configured to apply a mask to a bit field to determine when to wake the radio frequency transceiver.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is a portable wireless electronic device.
9. A method comprising:
transmitting a beacon to a wireless device, the beacon comprising information corresponding to periodic occurrences of time periods for exchange of data-, wherein the periodic occurrences of the time periods are subsequent to the beacon transmission absent a transmission of another one of the beacons that are interleaved between the periodic occurrences of the time periods;
upon the periodic occurrences of the time periods, waking a radio frequency transceiver from a sleep mode to receive data from the wireless device during the time periods, a link with the wireless device being considered lost after a predefined period in which no communications are exchanged during the periodic occurrences of the time periods and information corresponding to the predefined period being received from the wireless device;
upon termination of each of the time periods, transitioning the radio frequency transceiver back to the sleep mode; and
after each transitioning, maintaining the radio frequency transceiver in the sleep mode until a next one of the time periods.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising repeating the waking, the transitioning, and the maintaining for each of the time periods, the time periods being regularly repeating intervals of time.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising dynamically adjusting a duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising increasing the duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode if no beacon is received.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
storing a mask; and
applying the mask to a received bit field to generate a masked bit field, the periodic occurrences of the time periods being based at least in part on the masked bit field.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying a mask to a bit field to determine when to wake the radio frequency transceiver.
15. A method comprising:
receiving a beacon from a wireless device, the beacon comprising information corresponding to periodic occurrences of time periods for exchange of data, wherein the periodic occurrences of the time periods are subsequent to the beacon reception absent a reception of another one of the beacons that are interleaved between the periodic occurrences of the time periods;
upon the periodic occurrences of the time periods, waking a radio frequency transceiver from a sleep mode to receive data from the wireless device during the time periods, a link with the wireless device being considered lost after a predefined period in which no communications are exchanged during the periodic occurrences of the time periods and information corresponding to the predefined period being transmitted to the wireless device;
upon termination of each of the time periods, transitioning the radio frequency transceiver back to the sleep mode; and
after each transitioning, maintaining the radio frequency transceiver in the sleep mode until a next one of the time periods.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising repeating the waking, the transitioning, and the maintaining for each of the time periods, the time periods being regularly repeating intervals of time.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising dynamically adjusting a duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising increasing the duration of time that the radio frequency transceiver is maintained in the sleep mode if no beacon is received.
19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
storing a mask; and
applying the mask to a received bit field to generate a masked bit field, the periodic occurrences of the time periods being based at least in part on the masked bit field.
20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying a mask to a bit field to determine when to wake the radio frequency transceiver.