Method of Operating a Communication Device Operable in an Active Mode and in an Idle Mode, a Computer Program Product for Executing the Method, and the Communication Device Operable in an Active Mode and in an Idle Mode

Abstract

A method of operating a communication device comprises providing the communication device (T, T 1 -T 5 ) with a first interface (I 1 ) to connect to a first network (N 1 ), which provides a first bandwidth and a first network idle power consumption at the communication device (T, T 1 -T 5 ), when being connected to the first network (N 1 ) and providing the communication device (T, T 1 -T 5 ) with a second interface (I 2 ) to connect to a second wireless network (N 2 ), which provides a second bandwidth, which is smaller than the first bandwidth, and a second network idle power consumption, which is smaller than the first idle power consumption, at the communication device (T, T 1 -T 5 ), when being connected to the second wireless network (N 2 ).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a communication device, comprising:
 providing a communication device with a first interface to connect to a first network, the first network providing a first bandwidth and a first network idle power consumption at the communication device, when the communication device is connected to the first network,   providing the communication device with a second interface to connect to a second wireless network, the second network providing a second bandwidth, which is smaller than the first bandwidth, and a second network idle power consumption, which is smaller than the first idle power consumption, at the communication device, when the communication device is connected to the second wireless network,   establishing, when in an active mode of the communication device an established physical layer and an established data link layer of the first network for data transmission, and establishing by a controller unit a first communication link between the communication device and the first network over the first interface, and,   when in an idle mode of the communication device wherein the established physical layer and the established data link layer of the first network are dispensable for data transmission, disconnecting by the controller unit the first communication link and establishing a second communication link between the communication device and the second wireless network over the second interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the communication device is operated in the active mode, operating the communication device to route information from the first network over the second interface to another communication device which has been disconnected from the first network and which is connected to the second wireless network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the communication device is operated in the active mode, operating the communication device to discover a second communication device that has been disconnected from the first network and is connected to the second wireless network and to inform the first network about the other communication device over the first interface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, operating the communication device to exchange a keep-alive message with and to receive a power control instruction from a second communication device connected to the second wireless network.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, switching the communication device to the active mode if the communication device is requested to operate in the active mode by a routed instruction received over the second interface.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising switching the communication device to the active mode if the communication device is requested to by a server of the first network or an algorithm for power management distributed over the first network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, switching the communication device to the active mode if the communication device is disconnected from second wireless network over the second interface.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, switching the communication device to the active mode if a power supply of the communication device indicates a dysfunction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein
 the power supply of the communication device comprises a rechargeable battery and the rechargeable battery is only charged when the communication device is operated in the active mode.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein,
 when the communication device is operated in the active mode, switching the communication device to the idle mode if the rechargeable battery is fully charged.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, switching the communication device to the active mode by user input of a user of the communication device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 when the communication device is operated in the idle mode, operating the communication device to transmit a message to another communication device connected to the second wireless network if the communication device cannot be connected to the first network and the communication device cannot be charged.   
     
     
         13 . A computer program that executes the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A machine readable medium comprising the computer program of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . A communication device comprising:
 a first interface for connecting a communication device to a first network, the first network providing a first bandwidth and a first network idle power consumption at the communication device, when being connected to the first network,   a second interface for connecting the communication device to a second wireless network, the second network providing a second bandwidth, which is smaller than the first bandwidth, and a second network idle power consumption, which is smaller than the first idle power consumption, at the communication device at the communication device, when being connected to the second wireless network; and   a controller unit configured to control the first interface and the second interface such that,   when in an active mode of the communication device an established physical layer and an established data link layer of the first network are required for data transmission, establishing a first communication link between the communication device and the first network over the first interface, and,   when in an idle mode of the communication device the established physical layer and the established data link layer of the first network are dispensable for data transmission, disconnecting the first communication link and establishing a second communication link between the communication device and the second wireless network over the second interface.   
     
     
         16 . A communication system comprising the communication device of  claim 15 , the first network and the second wireless network. 
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein the first network is selected from the group consisting of a Local Area Network and a Global Area Network. 
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein
 the second wireless network is a IEEE 802.15.4 Low Rate Wireless Personal Area Network.