Sleep mode adjustment for fast communication response

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for adaptively adjusting a sleep mode of a first device such that the first device may have a fast communication response with low energy consumption. The method includes operating in a first sleep mode, checking beacon signals broadcasted by a second device at a first periodic interval, receiving a sleep mode change trigger from a third device, changing from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode, a beacon signal broadcasted by the second device is continued to be checked at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval while operating in the first sleep mode, the presence of a communication request in the beacon signal is detected while operating in the second sleep mode, and a communication session with a user equipment is established based on the communication request.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communication systems. In particular, example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for adjusting a wireless device to different sleep modes to reduce latency in responding to communication requests. Background Art

[0002] Wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi provide connectivity for various battery-powered products, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices and household appliances designed for plugless operation. The main design consideration for these devices is to balance performance and power consumption. To reduce power consumption, IoT devices and household appliances typically enter a sleep mode and only wake up periodically to check for pending communications.

[0003] When a communication request is received while the device is in the sleep mode, an access point (AP) can buffer the communication request. Then, the AP periodically broadcasts a beacon signal indicating that the communication request is buffered. For IoT devices and household appliances, a lower wake-up frequency can save power, but some beacon signals may be lost, thus delaying the detection of pending communication requests. Conversely, waking up more frequently can provide a quick response but will greatly increase power consumption. Therefore, there is a need for a system that has both a quick response and low power consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, a method at a first device is provided. The method includes operating in a first sleep mode, while operating in the first sleep mode, checking for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval, while operating in the first sleep mode, receiving a sleep mode change trigger from a third device, once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, changing from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode, while operating in the second sleep mode, continuing to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval, while operating in the second sleep mode, detecting whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal, and once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establishing a communication session corresponding to the communication request.

[0005] In one aspect, a first device is provided. The first device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the first device to operate in a first sleep mode. While operating in the first sleep mode, check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval. While operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device. Once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode. While operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval that is shorter than the first periodic interval. While operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal, and once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request.

[0006] In one aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by a first device, cause the first device to operate in a first sleep mode. While operating in the first sleep mode, check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval. While operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device. Once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode. While operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval that is shorter than the first periodic interval. While operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal, and once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] To facilitate identification of the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit in the reference numeral refers to the number at which that element or act was first introduced.

[0008] Figure 1 A block diagram of a wireless communication environment is shown in accordance with some example embodiments.

[0009] Figure 2A A schematic diagram of a periodic beacon signal broadcast by an access point is shown in accordance with some example embodiments.

[0010] Figure 2B and 2C A schematic diagram of a delay response time with different sleep modes is shown in accordance with some example embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2D A schematic diagram showing the response time when receiving a beacon signal when awakened according to some example embodiments.

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a comparison between receiving a beacon signal with a communication request and receiving a beacon signal without a communication request according to some example embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing mode adjustment based on a mode change trigger and a communication request according to some example embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5 A sequence diagram showing the process of obtaining video data from a video provider according to some example embodiments.

[0015] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the data stored in a beacon signal according to some example embodiments.

[0016] Figure 7 A flowchart showing the operation of a first device when adjusting its mode based on a mode change trigger and a communication request according to some example embodiments. Detailed Description

[0017] The following description includes systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computer program products embodying illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the various embodiments of the inventive subject matter. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. Generally, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques are not necessarily shown in detail.

[0018] As described above, to reduce power consumption, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and household appliances typically enter a sleep mode and are only periodically awakened to check for pending communications. For IoT devices and household appliances, a lower wake-up frequency can save power, but some beacon signals may be lost, thereby delaying the detection of pending communication requests. Conversely, waking up more frequently can provide a quick response but will significantly increase power consumption.

[0019] The present disclosure provides systems and methods for adaptively adjusting the sleep modes of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and household appliances based on sleep mode change triggers, such that these devices can have fast communication responses with low energy consumption. First, the IoT devices and household appliances (the first devices) can operate in a first sleep mode (deep sleep mode). While operating in the first sleep mode, the first devices wake up for a short wake-up duration and check for beacon signals broadcast by an access point (AP, the second device) at a first periodic interval. The first periodic interval can be a multiple of the beacon interval. For example, the beacon interval can be 102.4 ms, and the first periodic interval can be three times, ten times, twenty times, or thirty times the beacon interval, such as 307.2 ms, 1024 ms, 2048 ms, 3072 ms, etc. Thus, some beacon signals are skipped in the first sleep mode. Since not all beacon signals are received and processed, the energy consumption of the first devices is reduced. The wake-up duration can be preset during the manufacture of the first devices and is typically much shorter than the beacon interval. For example, the wake-up duration can be 1 ms, 2 ms, 5 ms, etc.

[0020] While operating in the first sleep mode, the first devices can receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device. The third device can be a physical component associated with the first devices. For example, the first device is a camera sensor of a home monitoring system, and the third device is a doorknob, doorbell, switch, or card reader. The sleep mode change trigger can be generated based on a physical interaction of a user with the third device (such as touch, hold, press, turn, tap, etc.). Once the sleep mode change trigger is received, the first devices can switch to a second sleep mode (light sleep mode). While operating in the second sleep mode, the first devices wake up for a short wake-up duration and check for beacon signals at a second periodic interval. The second periodic interval can be shorter than the first periodic interval. For example, the second periodic interval is the same as the beacon interval (102.4 ms). In other words, while operating in the second sleep mode, the first devices receive each beacon signal to minimize the latency of the response to any buffered data packet or communication request. Details on how the latency of the response is affected by the wake-up interval can be found in Figure 2B and 2C and their descriptions.

[0021] A third device can send a signal to the user equipment directly or through a second device (AP) to notify that a sleep mode change trigger has been detected (e.g., someone presses the doorbell). The user equipment can send a communication request (e.g., a request to watch a live video) to the first device. If the first device is awakened at the moment when the communication request is sent (assuming the air transmission time can be ignored), it may be directly received by the first device. This is unlikely because the wake-up duration only occupies a small part of the wake-up interval. In most cases, when the first device is in a sleep state, the communication request can be buffered at the second device. The beacon signal broadcast by the second device can indicate the existence of the buffered communication request. When awakened, the first device can check the Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element in the beacon signal to determine whether data packets are buffered. After determining that data packets are buffered, the first device can change from the first sleep mode or the second sleep mode to the working mode to receive the buffered data packets. If the buffered data packet is a communication request, the first device can further establish communication with the corresponding user equipment. If the buffered data packet is not a communication request, the first device can perform the corresponding task. After detecting that there is no communication request in the beacon signal for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes), the first device can change back from the working mode to the first sleep mode. When the first device is operating in the second sleep mode, if all the beacon signals in the predetermined period do not contain an indication of data packets, the first device can change from the second sleep mode to the first sleep mode.

[0022] The present disclosure potentially has at least the following advantages:

[0023] 1. By temporarily switching to a light sleep mode, the delay in responding to an emergency communication request is reduced.

[0024] 2. By maintaining a deep sleep mode, the power consumption during daily operation is reduced.

[0025] 3. The adaptive sleep scheduling is well coordinated with the usage pattern and physical interaction.

[0026] Figure 1 A block diagram of a wireless communication environment 100 according to some example embodiments is shown. The wireless communication environment 100 includes a home monitoring system 102, a user equipment 104, a wireless interface 126, and an access point (AP) 128.

[0027] The home monitoring system 102 may include a first device 106, a third device 108, a processor 110, a transceiver 112, and a memory 114. It should be noted that the processor 110, the transceiver 112, and the memory 114 may be embedded in the first device 106 and / or the third device 108, or controlled and used by the first device 106 or the third device 108. Alternatively or additionally, the first device 106 and the third device 108 may each have their own processors, transceivers, or memories. When the first device 106 and the third device 108 are mentioned elsewhere in this disclosure, it should be understood that their internal processors, transceivers, and memories, or the processor 110, the transceiver 112, and the memory 114, are also mentioned.

[0028] The first device 106 may be an Internet of Things device, a household appliance, or a mobile device. The first device 106 may be a device capable of capturing and providing audio or video information, such as a camera sensor, a video recorder, an audio recorder, or other multimedia capture devices.

[0029] The third device 108 may be a physical component associated with the first device 106. For example, the third device 108 includes a door handle, a doorbell, a switch, a card reader, etc. A sleep mode change trigger may be generated based on a physical interaction of a user with the third device (such as touching, holding, pressing, turning, tapping, etc.). For example, a visitor may ring the doorbell, and such a physical interaction may generate a sleep mode change trigger.

[0030] The processor 110 controls the overall operation and functions of the home monitoring system 102, including the operation and functions of the first device 106 and / or the third device 108. The processor 110 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 114 to perform tasks such as adjusting the sleep mode, detecting communication requests, establishing communication sessions, processing sensor data, encoding / decoding multimedia, controlling peripheral devices, managing network connections, and performing operating system and application program tasks.

[0031] For example, to implement Figure 7 the operations in, the processor 110 may execute instructions to monitor the current sleep mode, set a periodic wake-up interval, analyze incoming beacon signals, extract traffic indication map (TIM) information, identify pending communication requests, initiate a mode change, and establish a communication connection. The processor 110 may be implemented as a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a system on a chip (SoC), a multi-core central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or other integrated circuits. The processor 110 provides computing intelligence and programmability to enable the home monitoring system 102 to operate autonomously.

[0032] The transceiver 112 enables the first device 106 and the third device 108 to communicate with internal devices (e.g., the second device (AP) 128, the user device 104, and the wireless interface 126) or external devices in the wireless communication environment 100. The transceiver 112 may include components such as radio frequency (RF) amplifiers, oscillators, filters, mixers, and / or antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. In particular, the transceiver 112 may facilitate the reception of beacon signals broadcast by the second device (AP) 128. The transceiver 112 allows the first device 106 to check for beacon signals at different periodic intervals according to the current sleep mode. The transceiver 112 also enables the first device 106 to detect communication requests embedded in the beacon signals, such as requests from the user device 104. Once an outstanding communication request is detected, the transceiver 112 may initiate a communication session to exchange video data packets and other wireless signals to complete a video call or data transfer.

[0033] The memory 114 may store program instructions and data required for operation. The memory 114 may include non-volatile memory such as flash memory or a hard disk, and volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM). The non-volatile memory provides persistent storage for the core operating system, device drivers, application software, communication protocols, sleep mode algorithms, and other firmware executed by the processor 110. The volatile memory provides a fast-access staging area for buffering data such as video frames, temporary calculation results, network data packets in transit, and other dynamic information. In particular, the memory 114 may store instructions for execution by the processor 110 to implement Figure 7 the operations disclosed in. This includes code for the sleep mode timer, beacon signal analysis, mode change logic, communication request detection, session establishment, etc.

[0034] The user device 104 represents a personal intelligent device, such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a smart watch, etc., with which the user can interact to control the home monitoring system 102. The user device 104 may include a transceiver 116, a processor 118, a memory 120, a battery 122, and a display 124.

[0035] The transceiver 116 enables the user device 104 to communicate with other devices in the wireless communication environment 100, such as the home monitoring system 102, the second device (AP) 128, and the wireless interface 126. The transceiver 116 may include components such as radio frequency (RF) amplifiers, oscillators, filters, mixers, and antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals.

[0036] Processor 118 provides the computing power for running user device 104. Similar to processor 110, processor 118 may include one or more CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, microcontrollers, or other processing units. Processor 118 may execute the core operating system, device drivers, network stack, and application software from memory 120. This enables user device 104 to boot up, connect to a network, run applications, play media, render graphics, and perform other functions. In particular, processor 118 may run software to pair with, control, and monitor home monitoring system 102. This includes establishing a secure connection, sending command and control signals, processing status updates, etc.

[0037] Memory 120 stores the software and data for running user device 104. The memory may include non-volatile memory such as flash memory to store the operating system, application programs, and control software of home monitoring system 102, as well as volatile RAM to temporarily buffer data such as video frames before display.

[0038] Battery 122 provides portable power to user device 104 when not connected to wired charging. Battery 122 may be a rechargeable lithium-ion type battery.

[0039] Display 124 provides a touchscreen interface that allows the user to view live or recorded video from first device 106 and control the functions of home monitoring system 102, such as arming / disarming the security mode. User device 104 may provide notifications of system events and allow access from anywhere with a network connection.

[0040] Wireless interface 126 refers to the radio spectrum for wireless communication between AP 128 and home monitoring system 102, between home monitoring system 102 and user device 104, and between AP 128 and user device 104. Wireless interface 126 may consist of standards, protocols, and technologies that define how to format and transmit data wirelessly. For example, wireless interface 126 may employ Wi-Fi networks under the IEEE 802.11 standard, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, 802.11be, etc. Alternatively or additionally, wireless interface 128 may employ Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave, LPWAN, RFID, NFC, etc. In some examples, user device 104 may communicate directly with AP 128 via the Internet.

[0041] Figure 2AA schematic diagram of a periodic beacon signal broadcast by an AP according to some example embodiments is shown. Peak 202 represents a beacon signal (or beacon frame) transmitted by the AP (e.g., AP 128). In some examples, the beacon signal is broadcast at a standard interval of 102.4 ms. However, this is not restrictive. For example, the beacon signal can be broadcast at other fixed intervals or at variable intervals.

[0042] The AP can schedule each beacon transmission at the Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT). The TBTT specifies when to send the next beacon signal. In some examples, the AP broadcasts the beacon signal at the start of each beacon interval. At each TBTT, the AP broadcasts a beacon signal containing network information and traffic transmission indications. The client device can wake up at the TBTT to receive the corresponding beacon signal.

[0043] Figure 2B-2C A schematic diagram of response times with different wake-up intervals according to some example embodiments is shown. Peaks 204 and 206 represent short wake-up durations during which a device (e.g., the first device 106) can wake up and check for beacon signals. The wake-up duration can be preset during the manufacture of the device and is typically much shorter than the beacon interval. As Figure 2B shown, a communication request (indicated by the downward arrow) can be sent to the device while it is in the sleep state. Since the device cannot directly receive communication requests while in the sleep state, the communication request can be buffered at the AP, and the device can check for beacon signals when it wakes up later. Therefore, the device can only respond to the communication request after a long response time. See Figure 2C , a similar communication request is sent to the device and buffered at the AP while the device is in the sleep state. Since the device wakes up more frequently (about twice as often), it may have the opportunity to wake up soon after the beacon signal is buffered, and the response time is shorter. The wake-up time can be synchronized with the TBTT of the beacon signal, thereby further reducing the response time. Depending on when the communication request is sent to the device and / or buffered at the AP, the performance difference between the two sleep modes (or wake-up intervals) may vary. However, it should be understood that a shorter wake-up interval generally reduces the response time at the cost of increased energy consumption.

[0044] Figure 2DA schematic diagram showing the response time when receiving a communication request when awakened, according to some example embodiments. The peak 208 represents the wake-up duration during which the device can wake up and check for beacon signals. Generally, the wake-up duration only constitutes a small portion (e.g., 1%) of the beacon interval. However, the wake-up duration can be increased, and the wake-up interval can be configured to be even shorter than the beacon interval. In such a scenario, the likelihood of the device being awakened while sending a communication request may be higher, and a shorter response time can be achieved at the cost of a significantly increased energy consumption.

[0045] It should be noted that the drawings in this disclosure are not necessarily one-to-one corresponding. The first sleep mode described elsewhere in this disclosure is similar to the sleep mode shown in Figure 2B and the second sleep mode described elsewhere in this disclosure is similar to the sleep mode shown in Figure 2C and Figure 2D However, all the figures and examples are for illustrative purposes. Variations, modifications, and combinations are possible, and they are all within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0046] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a comparison between receiving a beacon signal with a communication request and receiving a beacon signal without a communication request, according to some example embodiments. As shown in Figure 3 the peak 302 represents the device waking up to check for beacon signals. In this case, the device determines that the beacon signal indicates that the AP has buffered a data packet (e.g., a communication request) for the device. Therefore, the device stays awake to receive the buffered data packet and / or establish a communication session based on the communication request before returning to sleep at 304. After a preset wake-up interval, the device can wake up at 306 to check for beacon signals. When the device determines that the beacon signal does not indicate a buffered data packet, the device can switch back to sleep until the next scheduled wake-up time. It should be noted that different from Figure 2B-2D the downward arrow in Figure 3 refers to the beacon signal or data packet from the AP, rather than a direct communication request from the communication requester. However, these numbers are only for illustration and should not constitute a limitation.

[0047] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the mode adjustment in response to a mode change trigger and a communication request, according to some example embodiments.

[0048] As shown in Figure 4As shown, a first device (e.g., first device 106) wakes up periodically at a first interval in a first sleep mode to check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device such as an AP. The first device determines whether the beacon signal indicates that data packets are buffered at the second device. The first interval can be longer than the beacon interval. For example, if the beacon interval is 102.4 ms, the first interval can be 1024 ms, etc. Since the wake-up frequency is low, the first device can skip checking some of the beacon signals 402 from the second device while in the sleep state. This allows the first device to reduce power consumption.

[0049] While operating in the first sleep mode, the first device can receive a sleep mode change trigger 404 from a third device. The third device can be a physical component associated with the first device. For example, the first device is a camera sensor of a home monitoring system, and the third device is a door handle, doorbell, switch, or card reader. The sleep mode change trigger 404 can be generated based on a physical interaction of a user with the third device (e.g., touch, hold, press, turn, tap, etc.). It should be noted that although the sleep mode change trigger is mainly described as a physical interaction in this disclosure, the sleep mode change trigger can also be an electrical signal or instruction.

[0050] Upon receiving the sleep mode change trigger 404, the first device can change to a second sleep mode. In the second sleep mode, the second periodic wake-up interval can be shorter. For example, the second periodic interval can be 102.4 ms, the same as the beacon interval. In other words, the first device wakes up for each beacon signal 406 broadcast by the second device to check for buffered data packets (e.g., communication requests). This allows the first device to check for buffered communication requests with each beacon signal, enabling it to respond to any request more quickly. It should be noted that the second periodic interval can also be a multiple of the beacon signal, such as 204.8 ms, etc., but the general principle is that while operating in the second sleep mode, the first device wakes up more frequently than in the first sleep mode.

[0051] As described above, when waking up in the first or second sleep mode, the first device can check the beacon signal, particularly the Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element, to determine whether any data packets or communication requests are buffered at the second device. If a buffered request is detected, the first device can enter a working mode in which the first device stays fully awake to receive and process the buffered data 408. If the buffered data 408 includes a communication request, the first device can establish a communication session such as a video call with the user device specified in the communication request.

[0052] After the communication session ends and no new communication requests are detected in the beacon signal within a preset time period (e.g., 30 seconds), the first device can return to the first deep sleep mode.

[0053] Figure 5 A sequence diagram showing process 500 for obtaining video data from a video provider according to some example embodiments is shown.

[0054] In step 502, a video requester (e.g., a user device) may send a communication request to a router (e.g., an AP). The communication request may indicate that the video requester wants to initiate a video call session with a video provider (e.g., a camera sensor, a first device).

[0055] In step 504, the router may determine whether the video provider is in a dormant state. In some examples, the router may check whether the video provider is in a dormant state based on previous communication and dormant cycle (or wake interval) patterns. The router may also directly send a signal to inquire whether the video provider is in a dormant state.

[0056] If the router determines that the video provider is not dormant, then in step 506, the router may directly send a communication request to the video provider. If the router determines that the video provider is in a dormant state, the router may temporarily cache and buffer the communication request. When the video provider is dormant during its wake cycle, the router may broadcast a beacon signal in step 508, which includes a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) information indicating that the router has buffered data waiting to be retrieved by the video provider.

[0057] Finally, the video provider will wake up during one of its periodic wake cycles (from a first dormant mode or a second dormant mode), receive the beacon signal from the router, and detect the TIM information indicating that buffered data is waiting to be received. Once this is detected, the video provider will send a request to the router to retrieve the buffered data. Then in step 510, the router will send the cached communication request to the video provider. After receiving the request, the video provider may send the video data to the router in step 512. The router may further forward the video data to the video requester in step 514, such that the requested video call communication session can be established between the video requester and the video provider.

[0058] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the data stored in beacon signal 600 according to some example embodiments is shown. As Figure 6 shown, beacon signal 600 may include a MAC header 602, a Timing Synchronization Function (TSF) 604, a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element 606, a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) 608, and other parts not labeled in the figure.

[0059] The MAC header 602 may include a 2-byte frame control field, a 2-byte duration / ID field, three 6-byte address fields, and a 2-byte sequence control field. Optionally, the MAC header 602 may include a 4-byte high throughput (HT) control field. Depending on whether the HT control field is present, the MAC header 602 may be 24 bytes or 28 bytes long.

[0060] The TSF 604 is an 8-byte field that represents the number of microseconds that have elapsed since the AP (e.g., AP 128) started operating. This field corresponds to the value of the AP's TSF timer at the time the first bit of the beacon signal is transmitted.

[0061] The TIM element 606 may include an element ID field, a length field, a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) count field, a DTIM period field, a bitmap control field, and a partial virtual bitmap field.

[0062] The DTIM count is a counter that counts down to the next DTIM period. It starts at the DTIM period value and counts down to 0. When it reaches 0, the beacon sets the DTIM bit to 1 to signal the transmission of buffered data. Then, the counter is reset to the DTIM period.

[0063] The DTIM period field specifies the frequency at which the AP sends beacon frames with the DTIM bit set to 1. This indicates to the client that broadcast and multicast data buffered at the AP will be delivered shortly after those beacon signals. By default, the DTIM period is set to 1. For example, whenever a data packet is buffered, the next beacon signal will indicate such information. However, it may be changed according to different application scenarios. For example, if the DTIM period is 3, the DTIM count on the first beacon will be 3. The DTIM count on the second beacon will be 2, and the DTIM count on the third beacon will be 1. The DTIM count on the fourth beacon will first be set to 0 and then return to 3 after the DTIM bit is set to 1. It should be noted that setting the DTIM period to different numbers can be a way to control the device to enter different sleep modes and can be used in conjunction with or instead of the method of the present disclosure.

[0064] The bitmap control field is 1 byte (8 bits) in length. The first bit of the bitmap control field is the DTIM bit, which indicates whether there are broadcast data packets or multicast data packets buffered at the AP. If the DTIM bit is set to 1, it indicates that the AP has buffered broadcast data packets or multicast data packets. If the bit is set to 0, it indicates that there are no buffered broadcast data packets or multicast data packets at the AP.

[0065] The last 7 bits of the bitmap control field indicate the starting offset of the partial virtual bitmap. These 7 bits inform the first device about the starting position in the partial virtual bitmap to look for the status of the AP. In some examples, the access point assigns an association ID (AID) to each station. The partial virtual bitmap field can be a bit sequence indicating whether the associated station has data buffered at the access point. Specifically, each bit in the partial virtual bitmap field corresponds to the AID of the associated station. If the bit is set to 1, it indicates that the AP has buffered the unicast data packet of the station with the corresponding AID. If the bit is set to 0, it indicates that there is no buffered unicast data packet at the AP for that station. Thus, when the first device receives a beacon signal and detects that the DTIM bit in the bitmap control field of the received beacon signal is 0, it can further check the partial virtual bitmap field of the received beacon signal to see if a data packet is buffered for that device. If the bit in the partial virtual bitmap field corresponding to the AID of the first device is 1, the station knows that it has data waiting at the AP and stays awake to receive it. If the bit is 0, the first device can return to the current sleep mode to go to sleep.

[0066] FCS 608 is a 4-byte field at the end of the frame. It is calculated based on all the other bits in the frame (including the MAC header and body, but not including the physical layer preamble and header). When a device sends a frame, it calculates the FCS and includes it in the frame. When the receiving device gets the frame, it performs the same calculation on the received bits and compares the result with the received FCS. If the two values match, the receiver assumes that the frame was sent correctly. If they do not match, the receiver assumes that an error occurred during transmission and discards the frame.

[0067] Figure 7 A flowchart showing the operation of a first device when adjusting its mode based on a mode change trigger and a communication request according to some example embodiments is shown. Method 700 can be embodied in computer-readable instructions executed by one or more processors such that the operations of method 700 can be performed in part or in whole by the functional components of the first device (e.g., first device 106); accordingly, method 700 is described hereinafter by way of example with reference thereto. However, it should be understood that at least some of the operations of method 700 can be deployed on various other hardware configurations in addition to the first device. Moreover, the operations of method 700 can be partially omitted or performed in any order.

[0068] In operation 702, the first device operates in a first sleep mode. As previously described, when operating in the first sleep mode, the first device wakes up periodically at a first interval greater than the beacon interval to check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device (e.g., an AP). This operation allows the first device to skip checking some beacon signals from the second device while in sleep. Skipping beacon signals allows the first device to save power but results in higher latency for receiving and responding to buffered communication requests. If the first periodic interval is 30 times the beacon interval, the latency can be up to 3 seconds. In time-sensitive scenarios, such latency is unacceptable.

[0069] In operation 704, while operating in the first sleep mode, the first device receives a sleep mode change trigger from a third device (e.g., a doorbell). For example, the trigger can come from a physical interaction, such as a user pressing the third device.

[0070] In operation 706, once the sleep mode change trigger is received, the first device changes from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode. The second sleep mode can have a shorter periodic wake-up interval. For example, in the second sleep mode, the first device wakes up for each beacon signal broadcast by the second device to check for buffered data packets. Waking up for each beacon signal can reduce the latency to about 100 ms or less than 100 ms.

[0071] In operation 708, during the second sleep mode, the first device determines that the beacon signal indicates the presence of buffered data packets (e.g., communication requests) waiting to be received from the AP. Details regarding which bits in the beacon signal of the first device can be checked for the determination can be found in Figure 6 and its description.

[0072] In operation 710, upon detecting that buffered data packets are waiting to be received, the first device can establish a communication session with the user device specified in the communication request. The communication session can be a one-way or two-way audio or video call. Alternatively or additionally, the communication session can include an over-the-air (OTA) update. During the duration of the communication session, the first device can change from the second sleep mode to a working mode (non-sleep mode).

[0073] In operation 712, the first device can determine that the communication session has ended, for example, by detecting the absence of communication data or new communication requests in the beacon signal within a preset duration. If the ended communication session involves an audio or video call, the preset duration can be 30 seconds, or if the ended communication session involves OTA, the preset time can be 2 minutes.

[0074] In operation 714, once it is determined that the communication session has ended, the first device can re-enter the first sleep mode.

[0075] In some examples, the transition between the first sleep mode and the second sleep mode in the present disclosure can occur immediately or gradually upon receiving a sleep mode change trigger. The mode adjustment is not necessarily an immediate switch and may require a transition period.

[0076] In some examples, to prevent accidental or incorrect sleep mode changes, the system can implement a debounce mechanism. Specifically, multiple sleep mode change triggers within a short time window (such as a few seconds) will only count as one trigger.

[0077] In some examples, pressing a physical button can trigger the first device to wake up from the first sleep mode and check for pending OTA updates buffered at the AP. This allows the user to manually check and install updates as needed. Alternatively, the first device can be configured to automatically check for and download OTA updates whenever the device wakes up from the first sleep mode. Thus, the physical interaction of waking up the device can indirectly enable OTA updates. Physical interactions, such as pressing a button, can also be used to confirm and authorize the installation of downloaded OTA updates.

[0078] In some examples, the user can adjust the wake-up intervals of the first sleep mode and the second sleep mode through an application installed on the user device 104.

[0079] It should be noted that although the present disclosure is mainly described with respect to a first device and a second device connected to the same network environment, the present disclosure can also be applicable to work across different networks.

[0080] It should also be noted that although the physical interaction with the third device is mainly described as pressing a doorbell in the present disclosure, other types of physical interactions with other types of third devices are also protected, including but not limited to turning a doorknob, tapping a card on a card reader, scanning a smart wristband, pressing a switch, etc. The sleep model change trigger is not necessarily limited to the physical interaction with the third device. Instead, it can also include standing in front of a face recognition camera, receiving instructions from internal or external devices, etc. Example 1. A method at a first device, comprising: Operating in a first sleep mode; While operating in the first sleep mode, checking for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; While operating in the first sleep mode, receiving a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; Once receiving the sleep mode change trigger from the third device, changing from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; While operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval that is shorter than the first periodic interval; While operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal; and Once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request. 2. The method according to embodiment 1, further comprising: Change from the second sleep mode to the working mode during the communication session. 3. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-2, further comprising: While operating in the first sleep mode, skip checking at least one of the beacon signals during each first periodic interval. 4. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-3, further comprising: While operating in the second sleep mode, check each beacon signal during each second periodic interval. 5. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-4, wherein detecting whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal comprises: Identify the Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element in the beacon signal; Extract the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value from the TIM element; and Determine whether there is a communication request based on the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value. 6. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-5, further comprising: Determine that the communication session has ended; and Once it is determined that the communication session has ended, resume operating in the first sleep mode. 7. The method according to embodiment 6, wherein detecting that the communication session has ended comprises: Detect that there is no communication request in the beacon signal within a predetermined time period. 8. The method according to any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein: The third device is a physical component associated with the first device; and The sleep mode change trigger includes user interaction with the third device. 9. The method according to embodiment 8, wherein the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, wherein: When the user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode, enabling the camera sensor to be ready to provide real-time video when receiving a communication request in a beacon signal broadcast by the second device. 10. The method according to any one of Examples 1-9, wherein the established communication session includes an over-the-air (OTA) update. 11. A first device, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the first device to: operate in a first sleep mode; while operating in the first sleep mode, check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; while operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; once receiving the sleep mode change trigger from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; while operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval; while operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal; and once detecting that there is a communication request in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request. 12. The first device according to Embodiment 11, wherein the instructions further configure the first device to: change from the second sleep mode to a working mode during the communication session. 13. The first device according to any one of Embodiments 11-12, wherein the instructions further configure the first device to: while operating in the first sleep mode, skip checking at least one of the beacon signals during each first periodic interval. 14. The first device according to any one of Embodiments 11-13, wherein the instructions further configure the first device to: while operating in the second sleep mode, check each beacon signal during each second periodic interval. 15. The first device according to any one of Embodiments 11-14, wherein in order to detect that there is a communication request in the beacon signal, the instructions configure the first device to: identify a traffic indication map (TIM) element in the beacon signal; Extract a bitmap control field value and a partial virtual bitmap value from the TIM element; and Determine whether a communication request exists based on the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value. 16. The first device according to any one of embodiments 11-15, wherein the instructions further configure the first device to: Determine that the communication session has ended; and Once it is determined that the communication session has ended, resume operation in the first sleep mode 17. The first device according to embodiment 16, wherein, in order to detect that the communication session has ended, the instructions configure the first device to: Detect that there is no communication request in the beacon signal within a predetermined time period. 18. The first device according to any one of embodiments 11-17, wherein: The third device is a physical component associated with the first device; and The sleep mode change trigger includes user interaction with the third device. 19. The first device according to embodiment 18, wherein the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, and wherein: When the user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode, such that the camera sensor is ready to provide real-time video when receiving a communication request in the beacon signal broadcast by the second device. 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a first device, cause the first device to: Operate in a first sleep mode; While operating in the first sleep mode, check for a beacon signal broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; While operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; Once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; While operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for the beacon signal broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval that is shorter than the first periodic interval; While operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether a communication request exists in the beacon signal; and Once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request. Conclusion

[0081] The present disclosure provides systems and methods for adaptively adjusting between a first sleep mode and a second sleep mode to achieve a balance between low power consumption and fast response time. A first device operates in the first sleep mode during daily operation, skipping beacon signals from a second device to save power. Once a sleep mode trigger is received from an associated third device, the first device switches to the second sleep mode where it checks each beacon signal. This allows for faster detection of any pending communication requests buffered at the second device, thus reducing the latency of the response. Specifically, the second sleep mode minimizes latency by quickly identifying any buffered data packets or requests using a traffic indication map in the beacon signals from the second device. If a request is found, the first device can quickly establish a communication session with a user device. After a period of inactivity, the first device can revert to the first sleep mode to continue saving energy. The present disclosure potentially has at least the following advantages: 1. By temporarily switching to a light sleep mode, the latency for responding to emergency communication requests is reduced. 2. By maintaining a deep sleep mode, the power consumption during daily operation is reduced. 3. The adaptive sleep schedule is well coordinated with usage patterns and physical interactions.

Claims

1. A method at a first device, characterized in that, comprising: operating in a first sleep mode; while operating in the first sleep mode, checking for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; while operating in the first sleep mode, receiving a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, changing from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; while operating in the second sleep mode, continuing to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval; while operating in the second sleep mode, detecting whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal; and once it is detected that there is a communication request in the beacon signal, establishing a communication session corresponding to the communication request.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising: changing from the second sleep mode to a working mode during the communication session.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising: while operating in the first sleep mode, skipping the check for at least one of the beacon signals during each first periodic interval.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising: while operating in the second sleep mode, checking each beacon signal during each second periodic interval.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, detecting whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal comprises: identifying a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element in the beacon signal; extracting a bitmap control field value and a partial virtual bitmap value from the TIM element; and determining whether there is a communication request based on the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising: determining that the communication session has ended; and once it is determined that the communication session has ended, operating again in the first sleep mode.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, detecting that the communication session has ended comprises: detecting that there is no communication request in the beacon signal within a predetermined time period.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the third device is a physical component associated with the first device; and the sleep mode change trigger includes a user interaction with the third device.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, wherein: when the user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode, so that the camera sensor is ready to provide real-time video when receiving a communication request in the beacon signal broadcast by the second device.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the established communication session includes an Over-the-Air (OTA) update.

11. A first device, characterized in that, comprising: a processor; and A memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the first device to: operate in a first sleep mode; while operating in the first sleep mode, check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; while operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; once the sleep mode change trigger is received from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; while operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval that is shorter than the first periodic interval; while operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal; and once a communication request is detected in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request.

12. The first device according to claim 11, wherein, the instructions further configure the first device to: change from the second sleep mode to a working mode during the communication session.

13. The first device according to claim 11, wherein, the instructions further configure the first device to: while operating in the first sleep mode, skip checking at least one of the beacon signals during each first periodic interval.

14. The first device according to claim 11, wherein, the instructions further configure the first device to: while operating in the second sleep mode, check each beacon signal during each second periodic interval.

15. The first device according to claim 11, wherein, to detect a communication request in the beacon signal, the instructions configure the first device to: identify a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element in the beacon signal; extract a bitmap control field value and a partial virtual bitmap value from the TIM element; and determine whether there is a communication request based on the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value.

16. The first device according to claim 11, wherein, the instructions further configure the first device to: determine that the communication session has ended; and once it is determined that the communication session has ended, resume operating in the first sleep mode.

17. The first device according to claim 16, wherein, to detect that the communication session has ended, the instructions configure the first device to: detect that there is no communication request in the beacon signal within a predetermined time period.

18. The first device according to claim 11, wherein: the third device is a physical component associated with the first device; and the sleep mode change trigger includes a user interaction with the third device.

19. The first device according to claim 18, wherein, the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, where: When the user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode, enabling the camera sensor to be ready to provide real-time video when receiving a communication request in a beacon signal broadcast by the second device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by a first device, cause the first device to: operate in a first sleep mode; while operating in the first sleep mode, check for beacon signals broadcast by a second device at a first periodic interval; while operating in the first sleep mode, receive a sleep mode change trigger from a third device; once receiving the sleep mode change trigger from the third device, change from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode; while operating in the second sleep mode, continue to check for beacon signals broadcast by the second device at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval; while operating in the second sleep mode, detect whether there is a communication request in the beacon signal; and once detecting that there is a communication request in the beacon signal, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request.

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