Using Deployed Wi-Fi Access Points to Enhance Asynchronous Wake Up Protocols

Asynchronous wake up protocols determine when a mobile device needs to be awake or sleeping in order to minimize the time needed to discover other devices in range, while operating with a given duty cycle that limits energy consumption. In this letter we introduce a technique that allows asynchronous wake up protocols implemented on devices with a Wi-Fi radio, to use available Wi-Fi APs as external reference in order to improve performance. We present a simulative performance evaluation that demonstrates how, with a minimal impact on power consumption, our technique boosts the contact opportunities delivered by existent protocols.