| Good points. The skipping of beacon intervals is called PS-POLL and is why I said 2mA otherwise it is closer to 100mA -- which for example is what TI's CC3000 module burns since it doesn't have PS-POLL. I agree that there are alternative ways to wake up WiFi. They said at one point in HN that they were thinking of having WiFi wake up when you knock. The problem with this is that the experience is markedly different from what they're advertising to users. You'd pull out your phone, bring up the app, hit unlock, then knock on the door, wait for WiFi to turn on, associate with access point, get to cloud, "see" the unlock command and then unlock the door. That's easily 7-10 seconds at best. Screw that. I'll just take out my key. Giving WiFi long life by keeping it off is relatively easy. Making it instantly responsive, which is what anyone using the lock would expect, is impossible at the quoted battery life. It is kind of like selling a car saying it'll get 500mpg but not telling the buyers that you only get that if you go say 10mph. |
As well, their software learns your habits over time and can be awake when it expects you to arrive.
These tricks and others will improve over time. Enough to where it's more than an acceptable experience for many, if not for you.