Apparatus and method of reducing power consumption using power-save polling list

• US 20040141490A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Seong-seol
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method of reducing power consumption in a station on a wireless LAN is provided. Included is a cumulative lead time frame receiver, a self lead time frame production transmission unit, an inactive state cumulative lead time count unit, and an active state converter. When a predetermined station is in an active state, the cumulative lead time frame receiver receives a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value from a coordinator. If the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame received by the cumulative lead time frame receiver is effective, the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit converts the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state, in which less power is consumed. If the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit completes counting, the active state converter converts the inactive state into the active state.

Claims

1. A power-save polling list producing device comprising:

a cumulative lead time frame transmitter producing a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value and transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to a first station, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the first station, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station;

a self lead time frame receiver receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the first station, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the first station; and

a power-save polling list producer adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame received by the self lead time frame receiver to the cumulative lead time value to generate an added cumulative lead time value and to produce a power-save polling list, which includes the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value.

2. The power-save polling list producing device of claim 1, wherein if there are no higher priority stations, the cumulative lead time frame transmitter sets the cumulative lead time value to be ineffective as an ineffective cumulative lead time value, produces the cumulative lead time frame including the ineffective cumulative lead time value, and transmits the cumulative lead time frame to the first station.

3. The power-save polling list producing device of claim 1, further comprising a beacon frame transmitter which produces a beacon frame including a predetermined interval value and transmits the beacon frame, in a transmission, to the first station at intervals corresponding to the predetermined interval value.

4. The power-save polling list producing device of claim 3, further comprising:

an association request frame receiver receiving an association request frame or a reassociation request frame from each of the at least one higher priority station and the first station; and

a polling list producer producing a polling list from at least one of field values included in one of the association request frame and the reassociation request frame received by the association request frame receiver.

5. The power-save polling list producing device of claim 4, wherein after a lapse of a predetermined period of time after the transmission of a beacon frame by the beacon frame transmitter, the cumulative lead time frame transmitter produces the cumulative lead time frame including the cumulative lead time value, which represents the time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station, wherein each of the at least one higher priority station has a respective Identity (ID) of a predetermined priority on the polling list produced by the polling list producer, and transmits the cumulative lead time frame to the first station with a station ID of a priority lower than the all of the respective IDs of each of the at least one higher priority station on the polling list.

6. The power-save polling list producing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a poll frame transmitter producing and transmitting a poll frame to the at least one higher priority station and the first station according to a polling sequence defined on the power-save polling list produced by the power-save polling list producer; and

a data frame reception storage unit receiving a data frame from the first station and storing the data frame.

7. A station power consumption reducing device comprising:

a cumulative lead time frame receiver receiving a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value from a coordinator, when a predetermined station is in an active state, wherein the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the predetermined station;

a self lead time frame production transmission unit producing a self lead time frame including a self lead time value and transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in the active state, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station;

an inactive state cumulative lead time count unit converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state, in which less power is consumed than in the active state, if the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame received by the cumulative lead time frame receiver is effective, and counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state; and

an active state converter converting the inactive state into the active state if the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit completes the counting.

8. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, wherein the active state denotes a state in which a full power is supplied, and the inactive state denotes a state in which a minimum power necessary for conversion into the active sate is supplied.

9. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, wherein the self lead time frame production transmission unit comprises:

a self lead time frame producer calculating the self lead time value, which represents the time required by the predetermined station to transmit a data frame to the coordinator, and producing the self lead time frame including the self lead time value; and

a self lead time frame transmitter transmitting the self lead time frame produced by the self lead time value producer to the coordinator.

10. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, wherein if the cumulative lead time value is ineffective, the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit converts the active state of the predetermined station into the inactive state.

11. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, wherein the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit counts by reducing a predetermined unit value from the cumulative lead time value at counting intervals.

12. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, wherein the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit comprises:

an inactive state converter converting the active state of the predetermined station into the inactive state, when the self lead time frame production transmission unit has transmitted the self lead time frame to the coordinator and the cumulative lead time value is effective; and

a cumulative lead time counter counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state.

13. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, further comprising:

a periodic active state converter converting the inactive state obtained by the inactive state cumulative lead time count unit into the active state at intervals; and

a beacon frame receiver receiving a beacon frame including a value of one of the intervals from the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in the active state.

14. The station power consumption reducing device of claim 7, further comprising:

a poll frame receiver receiving a poll frame when the predetermined station is in the active state; and

a data frame transmitter producing and transmitting a data frame to the coordinator, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time after a reception of the poll frame received by the poll frame receiver.

15. A power consumption reducing apparatus comprising:

a power-save polling list producing unit producing a cumulative lead time frame for a predetermined station including a cumulative lead time value, which represents a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher priority than the predetermined station, transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to the predetermined station, receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the predetermined station, the self lead time value representing a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station, adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame to the cumulative lead time value to generate an added cumulative lead time value, and producing a power-save polling list including both the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value; and

a station power consumption reducing unit receiving the cumulative lead time frame from a coordinator, producing the self lead time frame, transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in an active state, and converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state if the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame is effective, counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state, and converting the inactive state of the predetermined station into the active state if the counting is completed.

16. A power-save polling list producing method comprising:

producing a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value and transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to a predetermined station, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the predetermined station, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station;

receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the predetermined station, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station; and

adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame to the cumulative lead time value to generate an added cumulative lead time value and to produce a power-save polling list which includes the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value.

17. The power-save polling list producing method of claim 16, wherein in the producing the cumulative lead time frame, if there are no higher priority stations having higher polling priorities than the predetermined station, the cumulative lead time value is set to be ineffective as an ineffective cumulative lead time value, and the cumulative lead time frame including the ineffective cumulative lead time value is produced and transmitted to the predetermined station.

18. The power-save polling list producing method of claim 16, further comprising producing a beacon frame including a predetermined interval value and transmitting the beacon frame to the predetermined station at intervals corresponding to the predetermined interval value.

19. The power-save polling list producing method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an association request frame or a reassociation request frame from the at least one higher priority station and the predetermined station; and

producing a polling list from at least one of field values included in the association request frame or the reassociation request frame.

20. The power-save polling list producing method of claim 19, wherein a predetermined period of time after the producing the beacon frame, in the producing the cumulative lead time frame, the cumulative lead time frame including the cumulative lead time value, which represents the time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station, wherein each of the at least one higher priority station has a respective Identity (ID) of a predetermined priority on the polling list produced in the producing the polling list, is produced and transmitted to the predetermined station with a station ID of a priority lower than the all of the respective IDs of each of the at least one higher priority station on the polling list.

21. The power-save polling list producing method of claim 16, further comprising:

producing and transmitting a poll frame to the at least one higher priority station and the predetermined station according to a polling sequence defined on the power-save polling list produced in the adding the self lead time value; and

receiving a data frame from the predetermined station and storing the data frame.

22. A station power consumption reducing method comprising:

receiving a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value from a coordinator, when a predetermined station is in an active state, wherein the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the predetermined station;

producing a self lead time frame including a self lead time value and transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in the active state, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station;

converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state, in which less power is consumed than in the active state, if the cumulative lead time value included in the received cumulative lead time frame is effective, and counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state; and

converting the inactive state into the active state if the counting is completed.

23. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, wherein the active state denotes a state in which a full power is supplied, and the inactive state denotes a state in which minimum power necessary for conversion into the active sate is supplied.

24. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, wherein the producing the self lead time frame comprises:

calculating the self lead time value, which represents the time required by the predetermined station to transmit a data frame to the coordinator, and producing the self lead time frame including the self lead time value; and

transmitting the self lead time frame produced in the calculating the self lead time value to the coordinator.

25. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, wherein in the converting the active state of the predetermined station, if the cumulative lead time value is ineffective, the active state of the predetermined station is converted into the inactive state.

26. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, wherein in the converting the active state of the predetermined station, the counting is performed by reducing a predetermined unit value from the cumulative lead time value at counting intervals.

27. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, wherein the converting the active state of the predetermined station comprises:

converting the active state of the predetermined station into the inactive state, when the self lead time frame has been transmitted to the coordinator in the producing the self lead time frame and the cumulative lead time value is effective; and

counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state.

28. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, further comprising:

converting the inactive state obtained in the converting the active state of the predetermined station into the active state at intervals; and

receiving a beacon frame including a value of one of the intervals from the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in the active state.

29. The station power consumption reducing method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a poll frame when the predetermined station is in the active state; and

producing and transmitting a data frame to the coordinator, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time after a reception of the poll frame received in the receiving the poll frame.

30. A power consumption reducing method comprising:

producing a cumulative lead time frame for a predetermined station including a cumulative lead time value, which represents a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher priority than the predetermined station, transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to the predetermined station, receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the predetermined station, the self lead time value representing a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station, adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame to the cumulative lead time value to generate an added cumulative lead time value, and producing a power-save polling list including both the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value; and

receiving the cumulative lead time frame from a coordinator, producing the self lead time frame, transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in an active state, and converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state if the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame is effective, counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state, and converting the inactive state of the predetermined station into the active state if the counting is completed.

31. A computer readable recording medium which records a computer program that executes a power-save polling list producing method, the method comprising:

producing a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value and transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to a predetermined station, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the predetermined station, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station;

receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the predetermined station, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station; and

adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame to the cumulative lead time value and generating an added cumulative lead time value to produce a power-save polling list, which includes the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value.

32. A computer readable recording medium which records a computer program that executes a station power consumption reducing method, the method comprising:

receiving a cumulative lead time frame including a cumulative lead time value from a coordinator, when a predetermined station is in an active state, wherein the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than the predetermined station;

producing a self lead time frame including a self lead time value and transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in an active state, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station;

converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state, in which less power is consumed than in the active state, if the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame is effective, and counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state; and

converting the inactive state into the active state if the counting in the converting the active state is completed.

33. A computer readable recording medium which records a computer program that executes a power consumption reducing method, the method comprising:

producing a cumulative lead time frame for a predetermined station including a cumulative lead time value, the cumulative lead time value representing a time required for data transmission by at least one higher priority station having a higher priority than the predetermined station, transmitting the cumulative lead time frame to the predetermined station, receiving a self lead time frame including a self lead time value from the predetermined station, the self lead time value representing a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station, adding the self lead time value included in the self lead time frame to the cumulative lead time value to generate an added cumulative lead time value, and producing a power-save polling list including both the self lead time value and the added cumulative lead time value; and

receiving the cumulative lead time frame from a coordinator, producing the self lead time frame, transmitting the self lead time frame to the coordinator, when the predetermined station is in an active state, and converting the active state of the predetermined station into an inactive state if the cumulative lead time value included in the cumulative lead time frame is effective, counting the cumulative lead time value while the predetermined station is in the inactive state, and converting the inactive state of the predetermined station into the active state if the counting is completed.

34. A cumulative lead time frame comprising a cumulative lead time field in which a cumulative lead time value is recorded, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than a predetermined station, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station.

35. A self lead time frame comprising a self lead time field in which a self lead time value is recorded, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than a predetermined station, the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station.

36. A power-save polling list comprising:

a cumulative lead time field in which a cumulative lead time value is recorded, wherein if there is at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority over a predetermined station, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the higher priority stations; and

a self lead time field in which a self lead time value is recorded, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station.

37. A computer readable recording medium which records a data structure including a data field of a cumulative lead time frame, the cumulative lead time frame comprising a cumulative lead time field in which a cumulative lead time value is recorded, wherein if at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than a predetermined station exists, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the at least one higher priority station.

38. A computer readable recording medium which records a data structure including a data field of a self lead time frame, the self lead time frame comprising a self lead time field in which a self lead time value is recorded, wherein if at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than a predetermined station exists, the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station.

39. A computer readable recording medium which records a data structure including a data field of power-save polling list, the power-save polling list comprising:

a cumulative lead time field in which a cumulative lead time value is recorded, wherein if at least one higher priority station having a higher polling priority than a predetermined station exists, the cumulative lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the higher priority stations; and

a self lead time field in which a self lead time value is recorded, wherein the self lead time value represents a time required for data transmission by the predetermined station.