Patent ID: 9560614
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W,Y02D

Claim:
1. A method implemented by a first wireless communication device in a first one of multiple groups of wireless communication devices in a wireless communication system, where devices in any given group are synchronized to the same timing reference and devices in different groups are not synchronized to the same timing reference, the method comprising: receiving a message that indicates, for each of one or more of the groups, a range of possible values for misalignment between the timing reference of that group and a common timing reference, the range accounting for uncertainty in that misalignment; determining, based on the one or more ranges indicated by the message, intervals of times during which direct control signaling is expected to be received at the first device from one or more devices in one or more other groups; and adjusting intervals of times during which the first device is configured to operate in an awake state to narrowly encompass the intervals of times during which the direct control signaling is expected to be received; wherein the first device operates in either the awake state or a sleep state, and wherein in the awake state and the sleep state the first device respectively does and does not monitor for direct control signaling from other devices.