Time synchronization in wireless networks
Implementations disclosed describe numerous techniques and systems facilitating synchronous actions in wireless networks that have a central device (CD) and multiple peripheral devices (PDs) communicating wirelessly with the CD. The CD communicates one or more messages to the PDs and various PDs determine, using communicated messages, a time of a synchronous action to be performed by the PDs. The synchronous action includes an interaction of a respective PD with one or more associated devices communicatively coupled with the PD. Upon completion of the synchronous action, the PDs may transmit data generated by the PDs, or by the one or more associated devices, in connection with the synchronous action.
1. A method to perform a synchronous multi-device action, the method comprising:
assigning, by a first device of a wireless network, a respective connection interval of a plurality of connection intervals to each second device of a plurality of second devices of the wireless network, wherein each connection interval is different from other connection intervals of the plurality of connection intervals;
transmitting, by a first device of a wireless network, one or more messages to each second device of the plurality of second devices of the wireless network, wherein the one or more messages define a time of the synchronous multi-device action relative to the connection interval of a corresponding second device of the plurality of second devices; and
receiving, by the first device, a plurality of data, wherein each data of the plurality of data is transmitted by a respective second device of the plurality of second devices and generated in connection with the synchronous multi-device action performed in association with the plurality of second devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more messages to at least one second device of the plurality of second devices is in response to receiving a time synchronization request from a requesting second device of the plurality of second devices, and wherein the one or more messages comprise a time stamp associated with a reference time, measured by a clock of the first device and associated with receiving, by the first device, of the time synchronization request from the requesting second device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more messages comprise a separate message transmitted to each second device of the plurality of second devices, the transmitted message comprising an indication of time of the synchronous multi-device action defined relative to a predefined communication time for the respective second device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more messages comprise an indication of time of the synchronous multi-device action, wherein the indication of time is generated by the first device for at least one second device of the plurality of second devices.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more messages comprise a first advertising message, and wherein the indication of time is common for the plurality of second devices.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more messages further comprise a second advertising message having an additional indication of time common for the plurality of second devices, wherein the second advertising message is transmitted responsive to a passage of a predetermined time since transmission of the first advertising message, and wherein at least one of the first advertising message or the second advertising message comprises a periodic advertising packet.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronous multi-device action comprises an interaction of a respective second device of the plurality of second devices with a respective associated device of a plurality of associated devices, and wherein the interaction of the respective second device with the respective associated device comprises a measurement of a state of the respective associated device.
8. A method to perform a synchronous multi-device action, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a first action-facilitating device (AFD) of a plurality of AFDs of a wireless network, a time synchronization request to a messaging device (MD) of the wireless network;
receiving, by the first AFD from the MD, one or more messages comprising:
a reference time associated with receiving, by the MD device, the time synchronization request, and
a first time, associated with a clock of the MD, of the synchronous multi-device action associated with the plurality of AFDs;
determining, by the first AFD and in view of the reference time and the first time, a second time, associated with a clock of the first AFD, of the synchronous multi-device action associated with the plurality of AFDs; and
causing, by the first AFD, a portion of the synchronous multi-device action to be performed at the second time.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more messages comprise a time stamp associated with a reference time measured by the clock of the MD.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the first AFD, a first data generated in connection with the performed portion of the synchronous multi-device action.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first AFD, a request for a replacement data for the first data, the received request indicative of the MD not receiving the first data; and
transmitting, by the first AFD, a second data, wherein the second data is the replacement data for the first data.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more messages are directed by the MD to a second AFD of the plurality of AFDs, the second AFD being different from the first AFD.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more messages are transmitted to each of the plurality of AFDs, and wherein the one or more messages comprise a first advertising message, the first advertising message comprising a first indication of time of the synchronous multi-device action.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the portion of the synchronous multi-device action to be performed at the second time comprises causing a measurement of a state of one or more devices communicatively coupled to the first AFD to be performed.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the portion of the synchronous multi-device action to be performed at the second time comprises setting up an interrupt that initiates the portion of the synchronous multi-device action, wherein the interrupt comprises at least one of:
a programmable software interrupt, a firmware interrupt, or
a hardware interrupt.
16. A system comprising:
a plurality of first devices of a wireless network; and
a second device of the wireless network, the second device to:
assign a respective connection interval of a plurality of connection intervals to each of a plurality of second devices, wherein each connection interval is different from other connection intervals of the plurality of connection intervals;
communicate one or more messages to each of the plurality of first devices, wherein the one or more messages define a time of a synchronous multi-device action relative to the connection interval of a corresponding device of the plurality of first devices; and
wherein each of the plurality of first devices is to:
determine, using the one or more messages communicated by the second device, the time of the synchronous multi-device action;
cause a corresponding portion of the synchronous multi-device action to be performed at the determined time; and
transmit, to the second device, a data generated in connection with the corresponding portion of the synchronous multi-device action.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second device is to communicate the one or more messages to each of the plurality of first devices in response to receiving a time synchronization request from the respective first device, and wherein the one or more messages comprise a time stamp associated with a reference time measured by a clock of the second device, the reference time being a time associated with receiving, by the second device, of the time synchronization request from the respective first device.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more messages comprise a separate message transmitted to each of the plurality of first devices.