Wake-up broadcast including network information in common designation ad hoc wireless networking

Abstract

A data communication device includes both a two-way communications component having a first receiver and transmitter, and a second receiver. The second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device. A method of providing information via the second receiver—which information is auxiliary to the wake-up of the two-way communications component—includes transmitting a wake-up broadcast capable of being received by the second receiver. The wake-up broadcast includes a data construct including a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information. The wake-up identifier may or may not be a wake-up identifier of the data communication device. Nevertheless, the auxiliary information is received and recorded by the data communication device via the second receiver with the two-way communications component remaining in the dormant state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In the operation of an ad hoc wireless network utilizing a data communication device as a node of the network, wherein the data communication device includes a two-way communications component and a wake-up transceiver that receives a wake-up broadcast while the two-way communications component remains in a dormant state, a method comprising:
 transmitting the wake-up broadcast comprising a data construct to one or more additional nodes of the network, wherein the data construct comprises:
 a wake-up identifier of the data communication device; 
 a node identification; and 
 an encryption key, 
   wherein the encryption key is configured to encrypt at least the wake-up identifier and the node identification.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encryption key follows the wake-up identifier and the node identification in the data construct. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data construct comprises 40 bits, wherein a first 32 bits of the data construct include the wake-up identifier and the node identification, and wherein a last 8 bits of the data construct include the encryption key. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encryption key is a symmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encryption key is an asymmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data construct further comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data construct further comprises application specific data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data construct further comprises an indication of the status of a sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network. 
     
     
         11 . A data communication device as a node of an ad hoc wireless network, the data communication device comprising:
 a two-way communications component;   a wake-up transceiver, wherein the transceiver receives a wake-up broadcast while the two-way communications component remains in a dormant state;   a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to:
 transmit the wake-up broadcast comprising a data construct to one or more additional nodes of the network, wherein the data construct comprises:
 a wake-up identifier of the data communication device; 
 a node identification; and 
 an encryption key, 
 
 wherein the encryption key is configured to encrypt at least the wake-up identifier and the node identification. 
   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the encryption key follows the wake-up identifier and the node identification in the data construct. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the data construct comprises 40 bits, wherein a first 32 bits of the data construct include the wake-up identifier and the node identification, and wherein a last 8 bits of the data construct include the encryption key. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the encryption key is a symmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the encryption key is an asymmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the data construct further comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the data construct further comprises application specific data. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the data construct further comprises an indication of the status of a sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network. 
     
     
         21 . A data communication device as a node of an ad hoc wireless network, the data communication device comprising:
 a two-way communications component;   a wake-up transceiver, wherein the wake-up transceiver receives a wake-up broadcast while the two-way communications component remains in a dormant state;   a processor; and   a non-transitory processor readable medium, coupled to the processor, including instructions to:
 transmit the wake-up broadcast comprising a data construct to one or more additional nodes of the network, wherein the data construct comprises:
 a wake-up identifier of the data communication device; 
 a node identification; and 
 an encryption key, 
 
 wherein the encryption key is configured to encrypt at least the wake-up identifier and the node identification. 
   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the encryption key follows the wake-up identifier and the node identification in the data construct. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the data construct comprises 40 bits, wherein a first 32 bits of the data construct include the wake-up identifier and the node identification, and wherein a last 8 bits of the data construct include the encryption key. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the encryption key is a symmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the encryption key is an asymmetric encryption key. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the data construct further comprises a transmission count regarding wake-up broadcasts transmitted by a node. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the data construct further comprises application specific data. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the data construct further comprises an indication of the status of a sensor. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a common designation wireless ad hoc sensor network. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the data communication device is a node in a class based wireless ad hoc network.