Communication methods, master devices, and slave devices for extending battery life and ensuring reliable communication.

Abstract

The objective is to provide a communication method that extends battery life and ensures reliable communication. [Solution] A communication method employed by a Bluetooth system is provided. The Bluetooth system includes a master device and a slave device. The communication method includes the steps of: the master device and the slave device establishing a connection; the master device sending a power saving command to the slave device; the slave device sending a power saving confirmation command to the master device in response to the power saving command, then terminating the connection and entering slave power saving mode; and the master device entering master power saving mode in response to the power saving confirmation command.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a Bluetooth system, and particularly to a communication method, a master device, and a slave device in a Bluetooth system, effectively reducing power consumption during standby, extending battery life, ensuring timely and reliable communication, and enhancing the stability of the entire system.

Background Art

[0002] With the popularization of Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth devices such as wireless earphones, fitness trackers, and computer mice have become indispensable in users' daily activities and professional environments. Due to its low power consumption characteristics, Bluetooth is increasingly being used as a preferred solution for wireless communication between electronic devices.

[0003] However, in actual applications, Bluetooth devices often consume a significant amount of power during standby or idle states, which has an adverse impact on battery life. Additionally, when a Bluetooth connection is interrupted or disconnected, in conventional Bluetooth systems, it is not permitted for the master device to directly wake up the slave device to resume data transmission. These limitations have revealed the shortcomings of the existing Bluetooth technology in terms of energy efficiency and connection stability, thereby necessitating improvements to enhance the user experience, optimize power management, and improve overall device performance.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a communication method employed by a Bluetooth system including a master device and a slave device includes the steps of: establishing a connection between the master device and the slave device; the master device sending a power saving command to the slave device via the connection; the slave device sending a power saving confirmation command to the master device via the connection in response to the power saving command, then terminating the connection and entering slave device power saving mode; and the master device entering master device power saving mode in response to the power saving confirmation command.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a master device in a Bluetooth system includes a controller used to control the power saving mode of the master device, and a Bluetooth transceiver coupled to the controller and used to transmit and receive Bluetooth packets. The master device establishes a connection with a slave device. The Bluetooth transceiver transmits a power saving command to the slave device via the connection. After transmitting the power saving command, the Bluetooth transceiver receives a power saving acknowledgment command from the slave device via the connection. In response to the power saving acknowledgment command, the controller configures the master device to enter power saving mode.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a slave device in a Bluetooth system includes a controller used to control the power saving mode of the slave device, and a Bluetooth transceiver coupled to the controller and used to transmit and receive Bluetooth packets. The slave device establishes a connection with a master device. The Bluetooth transceiver receives a power saving command over the connection. In response to the power saving command, the slave device sends a power saving acknowledgment command to the master device over the connection, and then terminates the connection. The controller configures the slave device to enter power saving mode.

[0007] These and other objectives of the present invention will become undoubtedly apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments shown in various figures and drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an architectural diagram of a Bluetooth system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a flowchart of the communication method used by the Bluetooth system. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a message sequence chart of the communication method. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a message sequence chart of the Bluetooth connection process. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a flowchart of another communication method used by the Bluetooth system. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a message sequence chart of the communication method. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a message sequence chart of the Bluetooth reconnection process. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is a flowchart of another communication method used by the Bluetooth system. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a message sequence chart of the communication method. [Figure 10] Figure 5 shows another message sequence chart for the communication method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] As used herein, the terms “packet,” “command,” “advertisement,” and “data” are defined as follows:

[0010] A "packet" is the basic unit of data transmission in Bluetooth communication, and includes a header, payload, and checksum for transmitting a message between Bluetooth devices. The packet payload may contain data and control information.

[0011] A "command" is a Bluetooth protocol instruction that controls and manages the operation of a Bluetooth device for device pairing, connection management, and data transmission control.

[0012] "Advertisement" is a periodic transmission by a Bluetooth device that announces its presence and ability to connect with other Bluetooth devices.

[0013] "Data" refers to informational content transmitted via Bluetooth communication, including text, audio, video, images, and other digital information.

[0014] Packets function as transmitting carriers for Bluetooth communication. Commands, advertisements, and data must be encapsulated within packets for transmission between devices. Commands are control instructions embedded within packets to manage the operation of a Bluetooth device. Advertisement packets announce the presence and capabilities of a Bluetooth device, enabling discovery and connection establishment by other Bluetooth devices. Data represents the actual informational content transmitted within a packet and may be contained in either an advertisement packet or a data packet that is forwarded after connection establishment.

[0015] Figure 1 is an architectural diagram of a Bluetooth system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The Bluetooth system 1 may include a master device 10 and a slave device 12 that communicate using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. The master device 10 may be coupled to the slave device 12 via a Bluetooth connection 14. The master device 10 may be a smartphone, tablet computer, or laptop computer having data processing capabilities and multiple communication interfaces. The slave device 12 may be a small Bluetooth headset, smartwatch, Bluetooth mouse, or Bluetooth keyboard adapted to perform a specific function.

[0016] The master device 10 may include a controller 102 and a Bluetooth transceiver 104, with the controller 102 coupled to the Bluetooth transceiver 104. The controller 102 may include, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU) configured to perform power management, package and parse data according to the Bluetooth communication protocol, control Bluetooth scanning, pairing, and data transmission, run operating systems and application programs, and perform other Bluetooth functions. The Bluetooth transceiver 104 may be a Bluetooth module configured to receive and transmit Bluetooth packets. Furthermore, the Bluetooth transceiver 104 may support multiple Bluetooth protocols to facilitate communication with the slave device 12.

[0017] Similarly, the slave device 12 may include a controller 122 and a Bluetooth transceiver 124, with the controller 122 coupled to the Bluetooth transceiver 124. The controller 122 may include, but is not limited to, a microcontroller unit (MCU) configured to perform power management operations, package and parse data according to the Bluetooth communication protocol, control Bluetooth operations including scanning, pairing, and data transmission, and perform other Bluetooth-related functions. The Bluetooth transceiver 124 may be configured to exchange Bluetooth packets with the Bluetooth transceiver 104 via the Bluetooth connection 14.

[0018] The master device 10 and slave device 12 implement power-saving mechanisms to reduce power consumption during standby and extend battery life. Additionally, the master device 10 and slave device 12 support bidirectional wake-up functionality, thereby preventing command loss and ensuring timely and reliable communication. The power-saving mechanisms of the Bluetooth system 1 facilitate reliable command transmission and enhance overall system stability. When the Bluetooth system 1 is idle, both the master device 10 and slave device 12 enter power-saving mode, suspending the Bluetooth connection 14, thereby reducing standby power consumption. During communication initialization, the Bluetooth system 1 provides two flexible wake-up methods.

[0019] Power saving mode A: The slave device 12 can re-establish a connection with the master device 10 via a standard Bluetooth reconnection mechanism and wake up the master device 10.

[0020] Power-saving mode B: The master device 10 and the slave device 12 can actively wake up each other via a wireless wake-up technology. The master device 10 can actively wake up the slave device 12, and the slave device 12 can also actively wake up the master device 10.

[0021] Upon waking up, the master device 10 and the slave device 12 re-establish the Bluetooth connection 14, send one or more commands to trigger the master device 10 and the slave device 12 to end their respective power-saving modes, and can start data transmission after both the master device 10 and the slave device confirm a normal end of the power-saving mode.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a communication method 2 used by the Bluetooth system 1. The method 2 includes steps S200 to S206 to enable the master device 10 and the slave device 12 to enter the power-saving mode. Reasonable technical modifications or step adjustments are within the scope of the present invention. Steps S200 to S206 are described as follows.

[0023] Step S200: The master device establishes a connection with the slave device.

[0024] Step S202: The master device sends a power-saving command to the slave device via the connection.

[0025] Step S204: In response to the power-saving command, the slave device sends a power-saving confirmation command to the master device via the connection, then ends the connection, and enters the slave device power-saving mode.

[0026] Step S206: In response to the power-saving confirmation command, the master device enters the master device power-saving mode.

[0027] Figure 3 is a message sequence chart for communication method 2. From here, we will explain communication method 2 with reference to Figure 3.

[0028] First, the master device 10 and the slave device 12 perform a Bluetooth connection process 300 to establish a Bluetooth connection 14 (step S200). The Bluetooth connection process 300 may include a scan advertisement phase, a connection phase, and a pairing phase. Figure 4 shows a message sequence chart of the Bluetooth connection process 300, which will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 4.

[0029] During the scan advertisement phase, the master device 10 initiates the Bluetooth scan process 400 and continuously monitors advertisement packets sent from the slave device 12. Subsequently, the slave device 12 sends an omnidirectional, scannable, and connectable advertisement packet 401. Upon receiving the advertisement packet 401, the master device 10 sends a scan request command 405 to the slave device 12, and the slave device 12 immediately responds with a scan response command 410.

[0030] During the connection phase, the master device 10 sends a connection request command 415 to the slave device 12, thereby initiating a Bluetooth connection process 420 to establish a Bluetooth connection 14 between the master device 10 and the slave device 12.

[0031] After the Bluetooth connection 14 is established, the master device 10 and the slave device 12 enter the pairing phase. The master device 10 sends a pairing request command 425 to the selected slave device 12, and the slave device 12 responds with a pairing response command 430. Subsequently, the master device 10 and the slave device 12 start their respective key generation processes 435 and 440. Once the key command 445 is successfully exchanged, an encrypted connection 450 is established within the Bluetooth connection 14, thereby ensuring secure communication.

[0032] At this stage, the Bluetooth connection process 300 is completed. The master device 10 and the slave device 12 may store each other's pairing information to facilitate automatic reconnection without requiring re-pairing when within effective communication range. The master device 10 and the slave device 12 may perform data transmission via an encrypted connection 450 in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol, and the transmitted data may include, for example, audio streams, files, or Bluetooth management data. Through structured message exchange and encryption mechanisms, the Bluetooth system 1 maintains communication security while reducing power consumption.

[0033] Referring to Figure 3, after the master device 10 and the slave device 12 have stopped data transmission for a predetermined duration, the master device 10 transitions to an idle state 305 and then sends a power saving command 310 to the slave device 12 (step S202). The power saving command 310 may include power saving mode information configured to prompt the slave device 12 to enter a slave device power saving mode. Specifically, the power saving mode information may indicate either power saving mode A or power saving mode B.

[0034] Power saving mode A may correspond to the standard Bluetooth power saving mode, while power saving mode B may correspond to a power saving mode that supports wireless wake-up functionality. In power saving mode A, the master device 10 cannot actively initiate the wake-up of the slave device 12 and can only be initiated by the slave device 12. In contrast, power saving mode B enables bidirectional wake-up functionality, allowing the master device 10 to actively initiate the wake-up of the slave device 12, and similarly, allowing the slave device 12 to actively initiate the wake-up of the master device 10.

[0035] In response to the power saving command 310, the slave device 12 sends a power saving confirmation command 315 to the master device 10, then disconnects the Bluetooth connection 14 and enters slave device power saving mode 325 (step S204). The power saving confirmation command 315 functions to confirm that the slave device 12 has successfully received the power saving command 310. Slave device power saving mode 325 may correspond to either power saving mode A or power saving mode B.

[0036] In power-saving mode A, the slave device 12 enters a standard Bluetooth power-saving mode in which both the controller 122 and the Bluetooth transceiver 124 are disabled. In power-saving mode B, the slave device 12 enters a power-saving mode configured to support a wireless wake-up function. In power-saving mode B, both the controller 122 and the Bluetooth transceiver 124 are disabled and periodically activated to send advertisement packets. These advertisement packets may be omnidirectional, scannable, and non-connectable advertisement packets that can be received and processed by any Bluetooth-enabled device within transmission range, but do not allow the active establishment of a Bluetooth connection with the slave device 12.

[0037] In response to the power saving confirmation command 315, the master device 10 enters master device power saving mode 320 (step S206). In master device power saving mode 320, the master device 10 enters standard Bluetooth power saving mode in which both the controller 102 and the Bluetooth transceiver 104 are disabled.

[0038] Once communication method 2 is complete, both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 enter their respective power-saving modes, thereby reducing overall power consumption and extending battery life.

[0039] Figure 5 is a flowchart of another communication method 5 used by the Bluetooth system 1. Communication method 5 includes steps S500-S514 for a slave device 12 to wake up the master device 10 while operating in power-saving mode A or B. Reasonable technical modifications or adjustments to the steps are within the scope of the present invention. Steps S500-S514 are described below.

[0040] Step S500: The slave device determines that data transmission is required and initiates the wake-up procedure for the master device.

[0041] Step S502: The master device and the slave device re-establish a connection.

[0042] Step S504: The slave device sends a remote wake-up command to the master device via reconnection.

[0043] Step S506: In response to the remote wake-up command, the master device exits the master device power saving mode.

[0044] Step S508: The master device sends a power recovery command to the slave device via reconnection.

[0045] Step S510: In response to the power recovery command, the slave device exits the slave device power saving mode.

[0046] Step S512: The slave device sends a power recovery confirmation command to the master device.

[0047] Step S514: The master device and the slave device exchange data packets.

[0048] Figure 6 is a message sequence chart of communication method 5 applicable to power saving mode A, where the slave device 12 initiates the wake-up of the master device 10. Communication method 5 will now be described with reference to Figure 6.

[0049] First, the master device 10 enters master device power saving mode, and the slave device 12 enters slave device power saving mode 600, which corresponds to power saving mode A. After entering slave device power saving mode 600, the slave device 12 determines that data transmission procedure 605 is required and therefore needs to wake up the master device 10 (step S500).

[0050] Subsequently, the slave device 12 initiates the Bluetooth reconnection process 620. The Bluetooth reconnection process 620 is different from the Bluetooth connection process 300. Figure 7 is a message sequence chart of the Bluetooth reconnection process 620.

[0051] Referring to Figure 7, the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 begins when the master device 10 starts the Bluetooth scan process 700. During the Bluetooth scan process 700, the master device 10 periodically transitions from power-saving mode to an active state to detect advertisement packets. Specifically, even when operating in power-saving mode, the master device 10 intermittently activates with a reduced scan frequency to detect advertisement packets. This scanning behavior contributes to reduced energy consumption and extended battery life.

[0052] At the start of the scan process 700, the slave device 12 enters advertisement mode and sends an omnidirectional, scannable, and connectable advertisement packet 715. Upon receiving the advertisement packet 715, the master device 10 sends a scan request command 720 to the slave device 12. In response, the slave device 12 sends a scan response command 725 back to the master device 10.

[0053] Following the exchange of scan commands, the master device 10 sends a connection request command 730 to the slave device 12 and executes the Bluetooth connection process 735 to re-establish the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S502). If the re-establishment of the Bluetooth connection 14 is successful, the master device 10 immediately sends an encryption start request command 740. The slave device 12 responds with an encryption start response command 745.

[0054] Subsequently, both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 utilize the previously established encryption key generated during the previous pairing procedure to perform encryption, thereby establishing an encrypted connection 750 within the Bluetooth connection 14. Once the encryption procedure is complete, the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 is completed.

[0055] The Bluetooth reconnection process 620 enhances reconnection efficiency and ensures communication security by employing a two-step procedure that includes an advertisement mechanism and a high-speed encryption mechanism. In contrast to the initial Bluetooth connection process 300, the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 omits the pairing and key generation stages and instead utilizes stored pairing information to accelerate the establishment of an encrypted connection 750. As a result, the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 does not require re-pairing and avoids reliance on manual input mechanisms such as button activation.

[0056] Referring to Figure 6, once the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 is complete, the slave device 12 sends a remote wake-up command 625 to the master device 10 via the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S504), thereby activating the wake-up operation for the master device 10. In response to the remote wake-up command 625, the master device 10 exits the master device power saving mode 630 (step S506), and both the controller 102 and the Bluetooth transceiver 104 of the master device 10 are enabled.

[0057] Following the activation of the master device 10, the master device 10 sends a power recovery command 635 to the slave device 12 via the Bluetooth connection 14 to initiate the corresponding wake-up operation for the slave device 12 (step S508). In response to the power recovery command 635, the slave device 12 exits the slave device power saving mode 640 (step S510), and both the controller 122 and the Bluetooth transceiver 124 of the slave device 12 are enabled.

[0058] Subsequently, the slave device 12 sends a power recovery confirmation command 645 to the master device 10 (step S512), thereby confirming the receipt and execution of the power recovery command 635. Once the mutual wake-up operation is complete, both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 transition to normal operation mode, and data packets 650 and 655 are exchanged via the Bluetooth connection 14.

[0059] Figure 8 is a flowchart of another communication method 8 used by the Bluetooth system 1. Communication method 8 includes steps S800-S820 for the master device 10 to wake up the slave device 12 while operating in power-saving mode B. Reasonable technical modifications or adjustments to the steps are within the scope of the present invention. Steps S800-S820 are described below.

[0060] Step S800: The master device decides to wake up the slave device for data transmission.

[0061] Step S802: The slave device sends an advertisement packet.

[0062] Step S804: In response to the advertisement packet, the master device sends a Bluetooth scan request packet to the slave device.

[0063] Step S806: The slave device determines whether a scan request command has been received. If so, proceed to step S810; otherwise, proceed to step S808.

[0064] Step S808: The slave device maintains the slave device power saving mode and returns to step S802.

[0065] Step S810: In response to the scan request command, the slave device sends a scan response command to the master device.

[0066] Step S812: The master device and slave device perform the Bluetooth reconnection process to establish a new connection.

[0067] Step S814: The master device sends a power recovery command to the slave device via reconnection.

[0068] Step S816: In response to the power recovery command, the slave device exits the slave device power saving mode.

[0069] Step S818: The slave device sends a power recovery confirmation command to the master device.

[0070] Step S820: The master device and the slave device exchange data packets.

[0071] In step S802, the slave device 12 periodically transitions from power-saving mode to an active state, and the controller 122 and Bluetooth transceiver 124 are temporarily enabled. During each active interval, the slave device 12 transmits a scannable, non-connectable, and omnidirectional advertisement packet. Immediately after transmitting the advertisement packet, the slave device 12 opens a receive window of a predetermined duration to monitor for a response from the master device 10.

[0072] In step S806, the slave device 12 determines whether or not it has received a scan request command from the master device 10 within the receive window. If it has not received a scan request command, the slave device 12 returns to power-saving mode (step S808) and resumes the periodic wake-up operation (returns to step S802) only if the transmission of the next advertisement packet is scheduled.

[0073] In the Bluetooth reconnection process of step S812, the slave device 12 periodically wakes up from power-saving mode and sends scannable, connectable, and omnidirectional advertisement packets. These packets facilitate the re-establishment of the encrypted Bluetooth connection with the master device 10.

[0074] The actual operation of steps S800 to S820 can be shown in Figure 9.

[0075] Figure 9 is a message sequence chart illustrating communication method 8. Communication method 8 will now be explained with reference to Figure 9.

[0076] First, the master device 10 enters master device power saving mode, and the slave device 12 enters slave device power saving mode 900 (power saving mode B). Even while operating in power saving mode B, the slave device 12 periodically transitions to an active state to transmit scannable, non-connectable, and omnidirectional advertisement packets 905.

[0077] Following the transmission of each advertisement packet 905, the slave device 12 opens a receive window for a predetermined duration to monitor for a response from the master device 10. If no response is detected within the receive window, the slave device 12 re-enters power-saving mode B and remains in a low-power state until the next scheduled advertisement transmission cycle.

[0078] Following the transmission of the advertisement, the master device 10 determines that a data transmission operation 910 is required and therefore begins activating the slave device 12 (step S800). In response, the master device 10 transitions from power-saving mode to an active state, and the controller 102 and Bluetooth transceiver 104 are enabled. Subsequently, the master device 10 begins the Bluetooth scan process 915. During the Bluetooth scan process 915, the master device 10 continuously monitors the omnidirectional, scannable, and unconnectable advertisement packets transmitted by the slave device 12 (step S802).

[0079] When the master device 10 receives the advertisement packet 916, the master device 10 sends a scan request command 917 to the slave device 12 to initiate the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 (step S804). Upon receiving the scan request command 917 (step S806), the slave device 12 accesses the paired whitelist stored in its internal memory and identifies the master device 10 that issued the scan request command 917. Based on the identification result, the slave device 12 generates a corresponding scan response command 918 (step S810).

[0080] If the master device 10 is identified as a paired device listed in the whitelist, the slave device 12 includes pairing information in the scan response command 918 and proceeds to activate the Bluetooth reconnection process 620, thereby transitioning to a connectable state. On the other hand, if the master device 10 is determined to be an unpaired device not listed in the whitelist, the slave device 12 includes unpaired information in the scan response command 918 and maintains operation in power-saving mode B without starting the Bluetooth reconnection process 620, thereby saving power.

[0081] Therefore, the slave device 12 selectively activates the Bluetooth reconnection process 620, which consumes more power, only for authorized master devices 10, thereby effectively extending the battery life of the slave device 12. Referring to Figure 9, the master device 10 is identified as a paired device in the whitelist, and therefore the scan response command 918 includes pairing information, resulting in the activation of the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 (step S812).

[0082] The Bluetooth reconnection process 620 is shown in Figure 7. The Bluetooth reconnection process 620 includes the following steps: The slave device 12 sends an omnidirectional, scannable, and connectable advertisement packet 715, and when the master device 10 receives the advertisement packet 715, it sends a scan request command 720 to the slave device 12, and the slave device 12 responds with a scan response command 725.

[0083] Subsequently, the master device 10 sends a connection request command 730 and initiates the Bluetooth connection process 735 with the slave device 12 to re-establish the Bluetooth connection 14. Upon successful re-establishment of the Bluetooth connection 14, the master device 10 immediately sends an encryption start request command 740, to which the slave device 12 responds with an encryption start response command 745. Thereafter, both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 encrypt the connection using the previously established pairing key, thereby forming an encrypted connection 750 within the Bluetooth connection 14.

[0084] This completes the Bluetooth reconnection process 620. By using the Bluetooth reconnection process 620, the system enables the rapid restoration of the Bluetooth connection 14 with the master device 10 without requiring a re-pairing operation or manual button interaction, thereby improving user convenience and operational efficiency.

[0085] Upon startup, the master device 10 sends a power recovery command 950 to the slave device 12 via the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S814), thereby initiating the wake-up process of the slave device 12. In response to the power recovery command 950, the slave device 12 exits power saving mode 955 (step S816), at which point both the controller 122 and the Bluetooth transceiver 124 are enabled. Following this transition, the slave device 12 sends a power recovery confirmation command 960 to the master device 10 to acknowledge receipt of the power recovery command 950 (step S818).

[0086] At this stage, both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 have entered normal operating mode and proceed to exchange data packets 965 and 970 via the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S820).

[0087] Figures 8 and 9 show an embodiment in which the master device 10 initiates the wake-up of the slave device 12 under power-saving mode B, but those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative implementations can be employed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the slave device 12 may be configured to initiate the wake-up of the master device 10 under power-saving mode B using wireless wake-up technology.

[0088] Figure 10 shows an alternative message sequence chart for communication method 5, applicable to power saving mode B, where the slave device 12 initiates the wake-up of the master device 10. Communication method 5 will now be described with reference to Figure 10.

[0089] First, the master device 10 enters master device power saving mode, and the slave device 12 enters slave device power saving mode 900 (i.e., power saving mode B). During power saving mode B, the slave device 12 periodically transmits scannable, unconnectable, and omnidirectional advertisement packets 905. If no response is detected from the master device 10 within the receive window, the slave device 12 re-enters power saving mode and waits for the next scheduled advertisement transmission.

[0090] Following the advertisement transmission, the slave device 12 determines that a data transmission operation 1005 is required and initiates the wake-up of the master device 10 (step S500). In response, the slave device 12 initiates the Bluetooth reconnection process 620 to re-establish the encrypted Bluetooth connection 14 (step S502). Once the Bluetooth connection 14 is re-established, the slave device 12 sends a remote wake-up command 625 to the master device 10 via the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S504), thereby actively initiating the wake-up of the master device 10. Upon receiving the remote wake-up command 625, the master device 10 exits the master device power saving mode 630 (step S506).

[0091] Upon startup, the master device 10 sends a power recovery command 635 to the slave device 12 via the Bluetooth connection 14 (step S508), thereby initiating the wake-up process of the slave device 12. In response to the power recovery command 635, the slave device 12 exits the slave device power saving mode 640 (step S510). Subsequently, the slave device 12 sends a power recovery confirmation command 645 to the master device 10 to confirm receipt of the power recovery command 635 (step S512).

[0092] When both the master device 10 and the slave device 12 enter normal operating mode, data packets 650 and 655 are exchanged between the devices via the Bluetooth connection 14.

[0093] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to implementation within a Bluetooth communication system. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the power management techniques disclosed herein can be adapted for use with other suitable communication protocols. Communication devices may be configured in accordance with the principles and scope of the present invention to enter a power-saving mode during idle periods and be activated when data transmission is required, thereby optimizing power consumption and improving system efficiency.

[0094] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a Bluetooth power-saving mechanism that effectively addresses the problem of excessive power consumption in idle Bluetooth devices, as well as the technical limitation that a master device cannot actively wake up a slave device. By enabling a slave device to continue transmitting advertisement packets even after entering power-saving mode, and by incorporating wireless wake-up technology, the disclosed mechanism enables master and slave devices to maintain connectivity even while in power-saving mode without relying on manual button operation. These embodiments leverage existing data packet formats defined by the Bluetooth protocol to facilitate communication without the need to maintain connectivity on a fixed frequency channel, thereby demonstrating both technical feasibility and practical applicability. In contrast to conventional Bluetooth devices that typically cease advertisement transmission following pairing, the proposed technique extends battery life while maintaining user convenience.

[0095] Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and changes to the device and method can be made while retaining the teachings of the present invention. Therefore, the above disclosure should be construed as being limited only by the boundaries of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication method employed by a Bluetooth system comprising a master device and a slave device, The steps include establishing a connection between the master device and the slave device, The steps include: the master device sending a power saving command to the slave device via the connection; In response to the power saving command, the slave device sends a power saving confirmation command to the master device via the connection, then terminates the connection and enters slave device power saving mode. The steps include: In response to the power saving confirmation command, the master device enters master device power saving mode; A communication method that includes this.

2. The steps include establishing a reconnection between the master device and the slave device, The steps include: the slave device triggering the master device to terminate the master device power saving mode via the reconnection; The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. The step of the slave device triggering the master device to terminate the master device power saving mode via the reconnection is: The steps include: the slave device sending a remote wake-up command to the master device via the reconnection; The steps include: In response to the remote wake-up command, the master device exits the master device power saving mode; The method according to claim 2, including the method described in claim 2.

4. The steps include: the master device sending a power recovery command to the slave device via the reconnection; The steps include: In response to the power recovery command, the slave device exits the slave device power saving mode; The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

5. The steps include: the slave device sending a broadcast packet, In response to the broadcast packet, the slave device monitors for scan request commands within a receive window. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

6. The steps include: the master device exiting the master device power saving mode, The steps include: in response to the broadcast packet, the master device sends the scan request command to the slave device within the receive window; The steps include: in response to the scan request command, the slave device sends a scan response command to the master device; After the master device receives the scan response command, the steps include establishing a reconnection between the master device and the slave device. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

7. The steps include: the master device sending a power recovery command to the slave device via the reconnection; The steps include: In response to the power recovery command, the slave device exits the slave device power saving mode; The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

8. If the scan request command is not received, the slave device continues to maintain the slave device power saving mode. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

9. The step of the slave device transmitting the broadcast packet is: The slave device periodically transmits the broadcast packets. The method according to claim 5, including the method described in claim 5.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the receiving window follows immediately after the broadcast packet.

11. A master device in a Bluetooth system, A controller configured to control the power saving mode of the master device, A Bluetooth transceiver coupled to the controller and configured to transmit and receive Bluetooth packets, Equipped with, The master device establishes a connection with the slave device, The Bluetooth transceiver transmits a power saving command to the slave device via the connection. After sending the power saving command, the Bluetooth transceiver receives a power saving confirmation command from the slave device via the connection. In response to the power saving confirmation command, the controller configures the master device to enter the power saving mode. Master device.

12. The master device further establishes a reconnection with the slave device, The Bluetooth transceiver further receives a remote wake-up command from the slave device via the reconnection. In response to the remote wake-up command, the master device further terminates the power saving mode. The master device according to claim 11.

13. The Bluetooth transceiver further transmits a power recovery command to the slave device via the reconnection. The master device according to claim 12.

14. The master device further terminates the power saving mode, The Bluetooth transceiver further receives a broadcast packet from the slave device, In response to the broadcast packet, the Bluetooth transceiver further sends a scan request command to the slave device within the receive window. The master device according to claim 11.

15. After sending the scan request command, the Bluetooth transceiver further receives a scan response command from the slave device. After the master device receives the scan response command, the master device further establishes a reconnection with the slave device. The master device according to claim 14.

16. The Bluetooth transceiver further sends a power recovery command to the slave device via the reconnection. The master device according to claim 15.

17. A slave device in a Bluetooth system, A controller configured to control the power saving mode of the slave device, A Bluetooth transceiver coupled to the controller and configured to transmit and receive Bluetooth packets, Equipped with, The slave device establishes a connection with the master device, The Bluetooth transceiver receives a power saving command via the connection, In response to the power saving command, the slave device sends a power saving confirmation command to the master device via the connection, and then terminates the connection. The controller configures the slave device to enter the power saving mode. Slave device.

18. The master device and the slave device further re-establish a connection, The Bluetooth transceiver further transmits a remote wake-up command to the master device via the reconnection. After transmitting the remote wake-up command, the Bluetooth transceiver further receives a power recovery command from the master device via the reconnection, and In response to the power recovery command, the controller further configures the slave device to terminate the power saving mode. The slave device according to claim 17.

19. The Bluetooth transceiver further transmits a broadcast packet, In response to the aforementioned broadcast packet, the controller further monitors for scan request commands within the receive window, If the aforementioned scan request command is detected, the Bluetooth transceiver further transmits a scan response command to the master device. After sending the scan response command, the master device and the slave device further re-establish a connection. The slave device according to claim 17.

20. The Bluetooth transceiver further receives a power recovery command from the master device via the reconnection, In response to the power recovery command, the controller further configures the slave device to terminate the power saving mode. The slave device according to claim 19.

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