IP Library Granted Patent US 11,675,733
Granted Patent B2
US 11,675,733 · App. 17/348,618 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Techniques for release assistance indication assertion

Inventors: Richard Donald Maes, II (Liberty Lake, WA); Robert Vernon Dusenberry (Newman Lake, WA); Eric S. Benson (Spokane Valley, WA)
Assignee: ITRON, INC.
G06F13/4295G06F13/385G06F13/4022G06F13/4059G06F13/4063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,675,733
App. No.
17/348,618
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for transmitting data include identifying data to be transmitted, adding the data to a queue, and in response to a data session window being open: extracting the data from the queue; transmitting the extracted data to a transceiver via a transmitter; monitoring an amount of data in the queue and determining that the transmitter has transmitted the extracted data to the transceiver; and in response, instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early and transition to a lower power state.

Claims (44)

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors of a computing device included in a network device, data to be transmitted;

adding, by the one or more processors, the data to a queue included in the computing device; and

in response to a data session window being open:

extracting, by the one or more processors, the data from the queue;

transmitting, via a transmitter of the computing device, the extracted data to a transceiver that is included in the network device and is separate from the computing device, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the data outside of the network device; and

in response to (a) monitoring an amount of data in the queue and (b) determining that the transmitter of the computing device has transmitted the extracted data to the transceiver, instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early and transition to a lower power state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the transmitter has transmitted the extracted data to the transceiver comprises delaying for a configurable period of time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises instructing the transceiver to initiate a release assistance indication (RAI) with a base station.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises sending a command signal on an input/output pin coupled to the transceiver.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises sending a command to the transceiver.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein sending the command to the transceiver comprises placing the command in the queue.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises transmitting a bit or flag with the data transmitted to the transceiver.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the amount of data in the queue comprises determining whether the queue is empty.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is a wireless transceiver, a cellular modem, or a cellular radio.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device included in a network device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying data to be transmitted;

adding the data to a queue included in the computing device; and

in response to a data session window being open:

extracting the data from the queue;

transmitting, via a transmitter of the computing device, the extracted data to a transceiver that is included in the network device and is separate from the computing device, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the data outside of the network device; and

in response to (a) monitoring an amount of data in the queue and (b) determining that the transmitter of the computing device has transmitted the extracted data to the transceiver, instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early and transition to a lower power state.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the transmitter is a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART).

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises instructing the transceiver to initiate a release assistance indication (RAI) with a base station.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises sending a command signal on an input/output pin coupled to the transceiver.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein the input/output pin is coupled to a programmable pin on the transceiver.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early comprises placing a command to be sent to the transceiver in the queue or transmitting a bit or flag with the data transmitted to the transceiver.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the amount of data in the queue comprises determining whether the queue is empty.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the queue is a hardware queue.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the transceiver is a wireless transceiver, a cellular modem, or a cellular radio.

20. A network device comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit data outside of the network device; and

a computing device separate from the transceiver, the computing device comprising:

a queue;

a transmitter coupled to the transceiver;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

identifying data to be transmitted;

adding the data to the queue; and

in response to a data session window being open:

extracting the data from the queue;

transmitting, via the transmitter, the extracted data to the transceiver; and

in response to (a) monitoring an amount of data in the queue and (b) determining that the transmitter has transmitted the extracted data to the transceiver, instructing the transceiver to end the data session window early and transition to a lower power state.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2025
From: ITRON, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 072870/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2022
From: MAES, RICHARD DONALD, II; DUSENBERRY, ROBERT VERNON; BENSON, ERIC S.
To: ITRON, INC.
Reel/Frame 059937/0221 →