# US 10,321,400 B2 · Method and apparatus for power saving in personal area networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,400 B2 - Document ID: US10321400B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/595,764 - Filed: 2017-05-15 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2008-09-26 - Assignees: III Holdings 6, LLC - Applicants: III Holdings 6, LLC - Inventors: Scott Christopher Nicols; Adrian Ward; Robert Cragie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321400B2 ## CPC - H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal} - H04W 52/0216: {using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame} - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of reducing power consumption in a wireless network device, comprising determining a duration prior to a beacon being received by the device; comparing the duration against a predetermined value; and adjusting a duration of a sleep period in response to the comparison. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of reducing power consumption in a wireless network device, comprising: determining, by a processor, a sleep duration based at least in part on a beacon periodically broadcast at a beacon broadcast interval in a wireless network such that the wireless network device selectively receives the beacon broadcast; and adjusting the sleep duration, in response to receiving an external interrupt, by subtracting a time for which the wireless network device has slept during a most recent sleep period from the beacon broadcast interval. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sleep duration is longer than the beacon broadcast interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sleep duration is determined such that the wireless network device does not receive every beacon broadcast. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sleep duration is determined such that the wireless network device has a beacon receive ratio of n:1, wherein n>1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: waking from a sleep state to an operational state in response to an indication of an external event; determining the sleep duration such that the wireless network device is configured to receive a next broadcast beacon; sleeping for the determined sleep duration; and waking from the sleep state to receive the next broadcast beacon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: varying the sleep duration for every beacon on a beacon to beacon basis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: varying the sleep duration for a group comprising a predetermined number of sleep beacons. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the external interrupt by a security sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating the external interrupt by a user operated device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the user operated device is a push-button. ### Claim 11 A wireless communication apparatus, comprising: a receiver configured to receive a beacon periodically broadcast in a wireless network; and a processor configured to: determine a sleep duration of the wireless communication apparatus based at least in part on the beacon periodically broadcast at a beacon broadcast interval in the wireless network such that the receiver selectively receives the beacon broadcast in the wireless network, and adjust the sleep duration, in response to receiving an external interrupt, by subtracting a time for which the wireless communication apparatus has slept during a most recent sleep period from the beacon broadcast interval. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine the sleep duration such that the wireless communication apparatus sleeps while at least one beacon is broadcast in the wireless network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: an activator configured to wake the wireless communication apparatus from a sleep state, wherein in response to the wireless communication apparatus being woken from the sleep state, the processor is configured to determine the sleep duration such that the receiver is configured to receive a beacon next broadcast in the wireless network and to enter the sleep state for the determined duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sleep duration is determined such that the receiver is configured to receive selected beacons from among those broadcast in the wireless network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sleep duration is varied for every beacon on a beacon to beacon basis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sleep duration is varied for a group comprising a predetermined number of sleep beacons. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a security sensor generates the external interrupt. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a user operated device generates the external interrupt. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the user operated device is a push-button. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions embodied thereon for reducing power consumption in a wireless network device, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the wireless network device, cause the wireless network device to at least: determine a sleep duration based at least in part on a beacon periodically broadcast at a beacon broadcast interval in a wireless network such that the wireless network device selectively receives the beacon broadcast; and adjust the sleep duration, in response to receiving an external interrupt, by subtracting a time for which the wireless network device has slept during a most recent sleep period from the beacon broadcast interval. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sleep duration is longer than the beacon broadcast interval. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sleep duration is determined such that the wireless network device does not receive every beacon broadcast. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sleep duration is determined such that the wireless network device has a beacon receive ratio of n:1, wherein n>1. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the wireless network device, further cause the wireless network device to at least: wake from a sleep state to an operational state in response to an indication of an external event; determine the sleep duration such that the wireless network device is configured to receive a next broadcast beacon; sleep for the determined sleep duration; and wake from the sleep state to receive the next broadcast beacon. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sleep duration is varied for every beacon on a beacon to beacon basis. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sleep duration is varied for a group comprising a predetermined number of sleep beacons. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein a security sensor generates the external interrupt. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein a user operated device generates the external interrupt. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the user operated device is a push-button.