# US 10,484,941 B2 · Wake-up radio assisted WLAN power saving technologies

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- Number: US 10,484,941 B2
- Document ID: US10484941B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/631,351
- Filed: 2017-06-23
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Yong Liu; Christiaan A. Hartman; Siegfried Lehmann; Su Khiong Yong; Guoqing Li
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484941B2

## CPC

- H04W 52/02: Power saving arrangements
- G08C 17/02: using a radio link
- H04B 7/18532: {Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message}
- H04L 69/18: Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
- H04W 52/0206: {in access points, e.g. base stations}
- H04W 52/0216: {using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame}
- H04W 52/0229: {where the received signal is a wanted signal}
- H04W 68/02: Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
- H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
- H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
- H04W 84/045: {using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B}
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- H04W 48/12: using downlink control channel
- H04W 68/12: Inter-network notification
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04W 88/10: adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
- 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)
- G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- 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

A dual-radio AP including both a high-power (e.g., Wi-Fi) radio and a low-power (e.g., BLE) radio may support an assisted wakeup service for a power-limited dual-radio mobile device (STA). The power-limited STA may register with the AP for the assisted wakeup service, and may then disable its Wi-Fi radio (or otherwise initiate a lower-power mode). The power-limited STA may receive a BLE communication indicating the AP has pending Wi-Fi transmissions or updates applicable to the power-limited STA. In response, the power-limited STA may turn on its Wi-Fi radio and receive the pending transmissions or updates from the AP. If an AP does not include a low-power radio, then a high-power/low-power dual-radio STA that is not power-limited may serve as an assisted wakeup service proxy. The proxy may scan and trace the Wi-Fi beacons from the AP, and generate the BLE communication to the power-limited STA on behalf of the AP.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wireless communication device, comprising:
a high-power communication module configured to communicate according to a first communication protocol;
a low-power communication module configured to communicate according to a second, different communication protocol; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the high-power communication module and the low-power communication module, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute software instructions to cause the wireless communication device to:
receive from an access point a first beacon according to the first communication protocol, wherein the first beacon indicates that the access point is capable of including in a low-power update (LPU) message, according to the second communication protocol, an indication that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the first communication protocol;
after receiving the first beacon, transition the high-power communication module to an inactive state;
receive the LPU message via the low-power communication module, according to the second communication protocol, while the high-power communication module is in an inactive state;
determine that the LPU message comprises a traffic indication map (TIM) indicating that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the first communication protocol;
in response to the determining, transition the high-power communication module from the inactive state to an active state; and
receive a data message including the data via the high-power communication module while the high-power communication module is in the active state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a Wi-Fi protocol, and the second communication protocol is a Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the LPU message is received from the access point.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the LPU message is received from a proxy device that is not the access point.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the low-power communication module is configured to periodically transition from an inactive state to an active state to scan for the LPU message.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the low-power communication module is configured to transmit an advertisement message, wherein the LPU message is responsive to the advertisement message.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute software instructions to further cause the wireless communication device to:
transition the low-power communication module from an inactive state to an active state, while the high-power communication module is in the inactive state;
responsive to the transitioning, transmit an advertisement message via the low-power communication module, according to the second communication protocol;
determine whether a scan request message was received via the low-power communication module, responsive to the advertisement message, within a predetermined amount of time following the transmitting the advertisement message;
in response to determining that the scan request message was not received within the predetermined amount of time:
transition the low-power communication module from the active state to the inactive state; and
in response to determining that the scan request message was received within the predetermined amount of time:
transmit a scan response message via the low-power communication module, indicating that the wireless communication device will scan for further communication according to the second communication protocol, wherein the LPU message is responsive to the scan response message.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute software instructions to further cause the wireless communication device to:
instruct the access point to include in the LPU message according to the second communication protocol, an indication that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the first communication protocol; and
cause the high-power communication module to enter the inactive state after the instructing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute software instructions to further cause the wireless communication device to:
receive from the access point a beacon according to the first communication protocol, wherein the beacon indicates that the access point is capable of including in the LPU message, according to the second communication protocol, an indication that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the first communication protocol.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software instructions executable by a processor of a wireless communication device to cause the wireless communication device to:
receive from an access point, via a high-power communication module of the wireless communication device, a first beacon according to a high-power communication protocol, wherein the first beacon indicates that the access point is capable of including in a low-power update (LPU) message, according to a low-power communication protocol, an indication that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the high-power communication protocol;
after receiving the first beacon, transition the high-power communication module to an inactive state;
receive the LPU message via the low-power communication module of the wireless communication device, according to the low-power communication protocol, while the high-power communication module of the wireless communication device is in the inactive state;
determine that the LPU message comprises a traffic indication map (TIM) indicating that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the high-power communication protocol;
in response to the determining, transition the high-power communication module from the inactive state to an active state; and
receive a data message including the data via the high-power communication module while the high-power communication module is in the active state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the LPU message is received from the access point.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the LPU message is received from a proxy device that is not the access point.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the software instructions are further executable to cause the wireless communication device to:
transition the low-power communication module from an inactive state to an active state, while the high-power communication module is in the inactive state;
responsive to the transitioning, transmit an advertisement message via the low-power communication module, according to the low-power communication protocol;
determine whether a scan request message was received via the low-power communication module, responsive to the advertisement message, within a predetermined amount of time following the transmitting the advertisement message;
in response to determining that the scan request message was not received within the predetermined amount of time:
transition the low-power communication module from the active state to the inactive state; and
in response to determining that the scan request message was received within the predetermined amount of time:
transmit a scan response message via the low-power communication module, indicating that the wireless communication device will scan for further communication according to the low-power communication protocol, wherein the LPU message is responsive to the scan response message.

### Claim 14

A method for performing an assisted wakeup service, the method comprising:
by a wireless communication device:
receiving from an access point, via a high-power communication module of the wireless communication device, a first beacon according to a high-power communication protocol, wherein the first beacon indicates that the access point is capable of including in a low-power update (LPU) message, according to a low-power communication protocol, an indication that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the high-power communication protocol;
after receiving the first beacon, transitioning the high-power communication module to an inactive state;
receiving the LPU message via the low-power communication module of the wireless communication device, according to the low-power communication protocol, while the high-power communication module of the wireless communication device is in the inactive state;
determining that the LPU message comprises a traffic indication map (TIM) indicating that the access point has data available to send to the wireless communication device according to the high-power communication protocol;
in response to the determining, transitioning the high-power communication module from the inactive state to an active state; and
receiving a data message including the data via the high-power communication module while the high-power communication module is in the active state.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the LPU message is received from the access point.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the LPU message is received from a proxy device that is not the access point.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the software instructions are further executable to cause the wireless communication device to:
transmit, via the low-power communication module, an advertisement message, wherein the LPU message is responsive to the advertisement message.