System and methods for low power consumption by a wireless sensor device

Abstract

An example system and method operate a wireless device in a first mode with power to operate a communication resource of the wireless device at a first level. While operating the wireless device in the first mode, the system and method evaluates an attribute in a first portion of sensor data. Responsive to the evaluation of the attribute, the system and method transitions to the wireless device to operate in a second mode with power to operate the communication resource at a second level. The system and method use the communication resource to communicate packets via a wireless connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 operating a wireless device in a first mode with power to operate a communication resource of the wireless device at a first level;   while operating the wireless device in the first mode, evaluating an attribute of a first portion of sensor data;   responsive to evaluating the attribute of the first portion of sensor data, transitioning to operating the wireless device in a second mode;   operating the wireless device in the second mode with power to operate the communication resource at a second level; and   using the communication resource, using communicating packets comprising a second portion of the sensor data via a wireless connection for pattern recognition processing of the second portion of the sensor data.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the evaluating of the attribute of the first portion of sensor data comprises evaluating at least one of transducer data, image sensor data, temperature sensor data, humidity sensor data, and biometric sensor data. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the evaluating of the attribute comprises detecting a phrase in the first portion of the sensor data or detecting speech onset in the first portion of the sensor data. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transitioning to operating the wireless device in the second mode comprises powering up circuitry configured to operate the communication resource, wherein the operating of the wireless device in the first mode with the power at the first level consumes less power than the operating of the wireless device in the second mode with the power at the second level. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the communication resource comprises a transceiver. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the communication resource comprises code configured to implement a portion of at least one of a controller and a host of a Bluetooth (BT) architecture, wherein the transitioning to operating the wireless device in the second mode comprises starting a processing of the code. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the using of the communication resource comprises establishing the wireless connection, the establishing of the wireless connection comprising establishing a first wireless connection and the communicating of the packets comprises transmitting first packets including the second portion of the sensor data via the first wireless connection for pattern recognition processing of the second portion of the sensor data. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the establishing of the first wireless connection comprises establishing the first wireless connection with another wireless device while the wireless device is maintaining a second wireless connection with the other wireless device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the communicating of the packets comprises receiving second packets via the first wireless connection, wherein the second packets are responsive to the pattern recognition processing of the second portion of the sensor data. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the communicating of the packets via the first wireless connection includes communicating the packets via a low energy connection. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the evaluating the attribute of the first portion of sensor data comprises comparing an attribute value to a predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         32 . An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
 a processor configured to operate an evaluator;   a power manager coupled to the evaluator; and   communication circuitry coupled to the power manager, wherein responsive to an evaluation by the evaluator of an attribute value in a first portion of sensor data, the power manager is configured to transition the IC from operation in a first mode, with power to operate the communication circuitry at a first level, to operation in a second mode, with power to operate the communication circuitry at a second level, wherein the operation in the second mode includes use of the communication circuitry to communicate packets comprising a second portion of the sensor data via a wireless connection for pattern recognition processing of the second portion of the sensor data, wherein the communication of the packets is responsive to the evaluation of the attribute value.   
     
     
         33 . The IC of  claim 32 , wherein the evaluator comprises at least one of a speech onset detector (SOD) to detect speech onset and a phrase detector to detect one or more predetermined phrases. 
     
     
         34 . The IC of  claim 32 , wherein the communication circuitry comprises at least one of a transceiver and protocol logic, wherein operation of the IC in the first mode with the power at the first level consumes less power than operation of the IC in the second mode with the power at the second level. 
     
     
         35 . The IC of  claim 32 , wherein the operation in the second mode includes use of the communication circuitry to process code configured to implement a portion of at least one of a controller and a host of a Bluetooth (BT) architecture. 
     
     
         36 . The IC of  claim 32 , wherein the communication circuitry is used to establish the wireless connection. 
     
     
         37 . The IC of  claim 32 , wherein the communication of the packets via the wireless connection includes communication of the packets via a low energy connection. 
     
     
         38 . The IC of  claim 35 , wherein the evaluation of the attribute value comprises comparing the attribute value to a predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         39 . A wireless sensor device, comprising:
 a sensor to provide sensor signals;   a power source interface configured to couple with a battery; and   an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising:
 sensing circuitry to generate sensor data based on the sensor signals; 
 a processor configured to operate a sensor data evaluator; 
 a power manager coupled to the sensor data evaluator; and 
 communication circuitry coupled to the power manager, wherein responsive to a determination by the sensor data evaluator that an attribute of a first portion of the sensor data meets or exceeds a reference value, the power manager is configured to transition the wireless sensor device from operation in a first mode, with power to operate the communication circuitry at a first level, to operation in a second mode, with power to operate the communication circuitry at a second level, wherein the operation in the second mode includes use of the communication circuitry to transmit packets including a second portion of the sensor data via a wireless connection for pattern recognition. 
   
     
     
         40 . The wireless sensor device of  claim 39 , wherein the operation in the second mode includes use of the communication circuitry to process code to implement a communication protocol and transmit the packets including the second portion of the sensor data via the wireless connection.