# US 2014/0192912 A1 · Device triggered wake up of powerline communication devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192912 A1 - Document ID: US20140192912A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/735,966 - Filed: 2013-01-07 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: Qualcomm Incorporated - Inventors: John Fraser CHAPPEL; Ehab TAHIR; Richard David ROZE; Brian James LANGLAIS; Joubin KARIMI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192912A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/3206: Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality - G06F 1/3209: Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections - H04L 27/2605: {Symbol extensions, e.g. Zero Tail, Unique Word [UW]} - H04L 27/2655: {Synchronisation arrangements} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A first network device detects at least a first orthogonal code included in a preamble of a network packet received at the first network device from a second network device in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication network. The first network device determines whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with an assigned orthogonal code for the first network device. The assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is orthogonal to other assigned orthogonal codes for other network devices in the OFDM communication network. An operational mode of the first network device is changed from a sleep mode to an awake mode in response to determining the first orthogonal code is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: detecting at least a first orthogonal code included in a preamble of a network packet received at a first network device from a second network device in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication network, wherein the first network device is in a sleep mode; determining whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with an assigned orthogonal code for the first network device, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is orthogonal to other assigned orthogonal codes for other network devices; and changing an operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to an awake mode in response to determining the first orthogonal code is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises computing a correlation function of the first orthogonal code with the assigned orthogonal code; and said changing the operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to the awake mode comprises changing the operational mode of the first network device based on the correlation function. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said changing the operational mode of the first network device based on the correlation function comprises: changing the operational mode of the first network device when the value of correlation function is greater than a correlation threshold; and not changing the operational mode of the first network device when the value of correlation function is less than the correlation threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said changing the operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to the awake mode comprises turning on one or more components in the first network device, wherein the one or more components are in an off state when the first network device is in the sleep mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a second orthogonal code included in a preamble of a network packet received at the first network device from the second network device; determining whether the second orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with a second assigned orthogonal code for the first network device, wherein the second assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is associated with an intermediate power state; and changing the operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to the intermediate power state in response to determining the second orthogonal code is associated with the second assigned orthogonal code for the first network device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises a single orthogonal code, wherein the single orthogonal code is unique to the first network device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device is associated with a first group of network devices, and wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is the same as the orthogonal code assigned to the first group of network devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises an orthogonal code sequence, wherein the orthogonal code sequence is a sequence of two or more orthogonal codes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said changing the operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to the awake mode comprises entering the awake mode irrespective of a predefined sleep schedule. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the OFDM communication network is a powerline communication network, and the first and second network devices are powerline communication devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is received from a central coordinator of the powerline communication network. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: determining a plurality of orthogonal codes for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication network, wherein each orthogonal code is orthogonal to other orthogonal codes of the plurality of orthogonal codes; determining a number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; determining a number of network devices in the OFDM communication network; and assigning one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices based on the number of orthogonal codes and the number of network devices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said assigning one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices comprises: determining the number of network devices in the OFDM communication network is less than the number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; and assigning a unique orthogonal code to each of the network devices in response to determining the number of network devices is less than the number of orthogonal codes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: determining whether the OFDM communication network has a predefined group of network devices; assigning a single orthogonal code to the group of network devices; and assigning a unique orthogonal code to each of the network devices in the OFDM communication network which are not in the group of network devices. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said assigning one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices comprises: determining the number of network devices in the OFDM communication network is greater than the number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; assigning a unique orthogonal code to each network device in a subset of the network devices in the OFDM communication network in response to determining the number of network devices is greater than the number of orthogonal codes; and assigning a unique orthogonal code sequence to each network device in the OFDM communication network which is not in the subset of the network devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein assigning an orthogonal code to each of the network devices based on the number of orthogonal codes and the number of network devices further comprises dynamically assigning orthogonal codes to the network devices based on the number of network devices in the OFDM communication network at any time instance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining to wake up a first network device in the OFDM communication network; determining the orthogonal code assigned to the first network device; configuring the preamble of a network packet with the orthogonal code assigned to the first network device; and transmitting the network packet in the OFDM communication network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said configuring the preamble of the network packet with the orthogonal code comprises inserting the orthogonal code in a phase table of the preamble. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the OFDM communication network is a powerline communication network, and the first and second network devices are powerline communication devices. ### Claim 20 A first network device comprising: a network interface; a packet management unit configured to: detect at least a first orthogonal code included in a preamble of a network packet received at the first network device from a second network device in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication network; determine whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with an assigned orthogonal code for the first network device, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is orthogonal to other assigned orthogonal codes for other network devices; and a power management unit configured to: change an operational mode of the first network device from a sleep mode to an awake mode in response to determining the first orthogonal code is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The first network device of claim 20, wherein: the packet management unit configured to determine whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises the packet management unit configured to compute a correlation function of the first orthogonal code with the assigned orthogonal code; and the power management unit configured to change the operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to the awake mode comprises the power management unit configured to change the operational mode of the first network device based on the correlation function. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The first network device of claim 21, wherein the power management unit configured to the operational mode of the first network device based on the correlation function comprises the power management unit configured to: change the operational mode of the first network device when the value of correlation function is greater than a correlation threshold; and not change the operational mode of the first network device when the value of correlation function is smaller than the correlation threshold. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The first network device of claim 20, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises a single orthogonal code, wherein the single orthogonal code is unique to the first network device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The first network device of claim 20, wherein the first network device is associated with a first group of network devices, and wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is the same as the orthogonal code assigned to the first group of network devices. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The first network device of claim 20, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device comprises an orthogonal code sequence, wherein the orthogonal code sequence is a sequence of two or more orthogonal codes. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The first network device of claim 20, wherein the OFDM communication network is a powerline communication network, and the first and second network devices are powerline communication devices. ### Claim 27 A central coordinator device comprising: a network interface; a packet management unit configured to: determine a plurality of orthogonal codes for a powerline communication (PLC) network, wherein each orthogonal code is orthogonal to other orthogonal codes of the plurality of orthogonal codes; determine a number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; determine a number of network devices in the PLC network; and assigning one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices based on the number of orthogonal codes and the number of network devices; ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The central coordinator device of claim 27, wherein the packet management unit configured to assign one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices comprises the packet management unit configured to: determine the number of network devices in the PLC network is less than the number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; and assign a unique orthogonal code to each of the network devices in response to determining the number of network devices is less than the number of orthogonal codes. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The central coordinator device of claim 28, wherein the packet management unit is further configured to: determine whether the PLC network has a predefined group of network devices; assign a single orthogonal code to the group of network devices; and assign a unique orthogonal code to each of the network devices in the PLC network which are not in the group of network devices. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The central coordinator device of claim 27, wherein the packet management unit configured to assign one or more orthogonal codes to each of the network devices comprises the packet management unit configured to: determine the number of network devices in the PLC network is greater than the number of orthogonal codes in the plurality of orthogonal codes; assign a unique orthogonal code to each of the network devices in a subset of network devices in response to determining the number of network devices is greater than the number of orthogonal codes; and assign a unique orthogonal code sequence to each of the network devices in the PLC network which are not in the subset of network devices. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The central coordinator device of claim 27, wherein the first and second network devices are PLC devices. ### Claim 32 One or more machine-readable storage media having stored therein instructions, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise: detecting at least a first orthogonal code included in a preamble of a network packet received at a first network device from a second network device in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication network, wherein the first network device is in a sleep mode; determining whether the first orthogonal code included in the preamble is associated with an assigned orthogonal code for the first network device, wherein the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device is orthogonal to other assigned orthogonal codes for other network devices; and changing an operational mode of the first network device from the sleep mode to an awake mode in response to determining the first orthogonal code is associated with the assigned orthogonal code for the first network device.