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US 8,275,261 B2Granted
Power saving in IEEE 802-style networks
AssigneePMC-Sierra, Inc.
InventorsJeff Mandin, Lior Khermosh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for power saving in IEEE 802-style and ITU-T G.984-style networks overcomes the limitations of conventional techniques using information from user and network devices for initiating power savings by the user or network device, enabling power savings on links such as optical networks. This innovative technique provides a system and method for communications between user and network devices, facilitating either the user or network device initiating a sleep mode for the user device. The implementation of a sleep mode in a device allows powering down of the device's transmitter and receiver for a specified length of time, during which the transmitter and receiver (also referred to as the physical interface of the device) consume diminished power.
Claims24
A method for power saving in a communications network comprising the steps of:
- (a) initiating sleep control message flow between a user device and a network device;
- (b) transitioning said user device to cyclic sleep mode;
- (c) determining a sleep time for said user device to be in a sleep mode wherein said user device consumes diminished power for communicating with said network device;
- (d) while said user device is in said cyclic sleep mode, if said network device needs to send data to said user device:
- (i) sending from said network device a data message;
- and
- (ii) said user device upon receiving said data message transitioning to a normal mode;
- and
- (e) while said user device is in said cyclic sleep mode, if said network device lacks data to send to said user device:
- (i) sending from said network device a sleep message to said user device;
- (ii) said network device suspending keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (iii) upon receiving at said user device said sleep message, said user device transitions to a sleep mode for said sleep time.
10 more elements
A system for power saving in a communications network comprising:
- (a) a user device including:
- (i) a communications module for communicating over a network;
- and
- (ii) a processing system operationally connected to said communications module, containing at least one processor configured with:
- (A) a sleep control module for initiating sleep control message flow;
- and
- (B) a mode control module configured for transitioning said user device to cyclic sleep mode upon said initiating sleep control message flow;
- (b) a network device operationally connected to said user device, including:
- (i) a communications module for communicating over a network;
- and (ii) a processing system operationally connected to said communications module, containing at least one processor configured with:
- (A) a sleep time determination module for determining a sleep time for said user device to be in a sleep mode wherein said user device consumes diminished power for communicating with said network device;
- and
- (B) a sleep decision module configured for determining:
- (I) if said network device needs to send data to said user device, actuating sending from said network device a data message;
- and
- (II) if said network device lacks data to send to said user device:
- (a) actuating sending from said network device a sleep message to said user device;
- and
- (b) actuating said network device suspending keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (c) a user device sleep decision module in said user device processing system, configured that when said user device is in cyclic sleep mode:
- (i) upon said user device receiving from said network device said data message, actuating transitioning said user device to a normal mode;
- and
- (ii) upon said user device receiving from said network device said sleep message, actuating said user device transitioning to a sleep mode for said sleep time.
21 more elements
A method for power saving in a communications network comprising the steps of:
- (a) initiating sleep control message flow between a user device and a network device;
- (b) transitioning said user device to cyclic sleep mode;
- (c) determining a sleep time for said user device to be in a sleep mode wherein said user device consumes diminished power for communicating with said network device;
- (d) if said network device needs to send data to said user device:
- (i) sending from said network device a data message;
- and
- (ii) said user device upon receiving said data message transitioning to a normal mode;
- (e) if said network device lacks data to send to said user device:
- (i) sending from said network device a sleep message to said user device;
- (ii) said network device suspending keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (iii) upon receiving at said user device said sleep message, said user device transitions to a sleep mode for said sleep time;
- (f) transitioning, based on said sleep time, said user device from said sleep mode to said cyclic sleep mode;
- (g) sending, based on said sleep time, a first grant message from said network device to said user device;
- (h) upon receiving said first grant message, said user device sending a first report message to said network device signaling that said user device has data to send;
- (i) upon receiving said first report message, said network device:
- (i) enabling said keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (ii) sending a second grant message from said network device to said user device;
- and
- (j) upon receiving at said user device said second grant message, said user device:
- (i) transitioning from said cyclic sleep mode to a normal mode;
- and
- (ii) sending a second change sleep mode message to said network device.
21 more elements
A system for power saving in a communications network comprising:
- (a) a user device including:
- (i) a communications module for communicating over a network;
- and
- (ii) a processing system operationally connected to said communications module, containing at least one processor configured with:
- (A) a sleep control module for initiating sleep control message flow;
- and
- (B) a mode control module configured for transitioning said user device to cyclic sleep mode upon said initiating sleep control message flow;
- (b) a network device operationally connected to said user device, including:
- (i) a communications module for communicating over a network;
- and
- (ii) a processing system operationally connected to said communications module, containing at least one processor configured with:
- (A) a sleep time determination module for determining a sleep time for said user device to be in a sleep mode wherein said user device consumes diminished power for communicating with said network device;
- and
- (B) a sleep decision module configured for determining:
- (I) if said network device needs to send data to said user device, actuating sending from said network device a data message;
- and
- (II) if said network device lacks data to send to said user device:
- (a) actuating sending from said network device a sleep message to said user device;
- and
- (b) actuating said network device suspending keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (c) a user device sleep decision module in said user device processing system, configured that when said user device is in cyclic sleep mode:
- (i) upon said user device receiving from said network device said data message, actuating transitioning said user device to a normal mode;
- and
- (ii) upon said user device receiving from said network device said sleep message, actuating said user device transitioning to a sleep mode for said sleep time;
- wherein said user device is further configured to transition, based on said sleep time, from said sleep mode to said cyclic sleep mode;
- said network device is further configured to send, based on said sleep time, a first grant message to said user device;
- said user device is further configured that upon receiving said first grant message, sending a first report message to said network device signaling that said user device has data to send;
- said network device is further configured that upon receiving said first report message:
- (i) enabling said keepalive processes associated with said user device;
- and
- (ii) sending a second grant message from said network device to said user device;
- and
- said user device is further configured that upon receiving said second grant message:
- (i) transitioning from said cyclic sleep mode to a normal mode;
- and
- (ii) sending a second change sleep mode message to said network device.
34 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.