System and method for monitoring for wake events in a wireless local area network

• US 20050213524A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Walrath, Craig, Doragh, Philip H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises transmitting, from a wireless local area network (LAN) device of a host device to an access point of a wireless network, a request to disassociate from the access point, the request to disassociate further comprising a request to monitor for wake events for the host device and switching off a transceiver of the wireless LAN device after transmission of the disassociate request.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a wireless local area network (LAN) device of a host device to an access point of a wireless network, a request to disassociate from said access point, said request to disassociate further comprising a request to monitor for wake events for said host device; and

switching off a transceiver of said wireless LAN device after transmission of said disassociate request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless network comprises a wireless LAN.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to occurrence of an event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device after a predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a request inquiring whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said transmitting said request comprises transmitting said request to said access point monitoring for wake events for said host device.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising switching said host device to an operating mode in response to receiving an indication that at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising switching off said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to receiving an indication that no wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a second access point of said wireless network in response to said wireless LAN device not being within range of said first access point.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting, to a second access point, a request inquiring whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising switching off said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to receiving a response from said second access point.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising switching said host device to an operating mode in response to receiving a response from said second access point.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a wireless local area network (LAN) device of a host device, a request to disassociate from an access point, said request to disassociate further comprising a request to monitor for at least one wake event for said host device; and

transmitting, in response to receiving a request for a wake event status, a wake event status indicating whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring for at least one wake event for said host device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving said request for said wake event status from said wireless LAN device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining whether said wireless LAN device from which said request for said wake event status is received is a known wireless LAN device.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving said request for said wake event status from another access point; and

transmitting said wake event status to said another access point.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising updating a status of said wireless LAN device in an association table of said access point in response to determining that at least one wake event for said host device has occurred.

20. A system, comprising:

application logic operable to;

transmit, from a wireless local area network (LAN) device of a host device to an access point of a wireless network, a request to disassociate from said access point, said request to disassociate further comprising a request to monitor for wake events for said host device; and

switch off a transceiver of said wireless LAN device after transmission of said disassociate request.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said wireless network comprises a wireless LAN.

22. The system of claim 20, said application logic further operable to switch on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device.

23. The system of claim 20, said application logic further operable to switch on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to occurrence of an event.

24. The system of claim 20, said application logic further operable to switch on said transceiver of said wireless LAN device after a predetermined time period.

25. The system of claim 22, said application logic further operable to transmit a request inquiring whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

26. The system of claim 25, said application logic further operable to transmit said request to said access point monitoring for wake events for said host device.

27. The system of claim 22, said application logic further operable to switch said host device to an operating mode in response to an indication that at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

28. The system of claim 22, said application logic further operable to switch off said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to an indication that no wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

29. The system of claim 22, said application logic further operable to determine a second access point of said wireless network in response to said wireless LAN device not being within range of said first access point.

30. The system of claim 22, said application logic further operable to transmit, to a second access point, a request inquiring whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred while said transceiver was switched off.

31. The system of claim 30, said application logic further operable to switch off said transceiver of said wireless LAN device in response to receipt of a response from said second access point.

32. The system of claim 30, said application logic further operable to switch said host device to an operating mode in response to receipt of a response from said second access point.

33. A system, comprising:

application logic operable to;

receive, from a wireless local area network (LAN) device of a host device, a request to disassociate from an access point, said request to disassociate further comprising a request to monitor for at least one wake event for said host device; and

transmit, in response to receipt of a request for a wake event status, a wake event status indicating whether at least one wake event for said host device occurred.

34. The system of claim 33, said application logic further operable to monitor for at least one wake event for said host device.

35. The system of claim 33, said application logic further operable to receive said request for said wake event status from said wireless LAN device.

36. The system of claim 35, said application logic further operable to determine whether said wireless LAN device from which said request for said wake event status is received is a known wireless LAN device.

37. The system of claim 33, said application logic further operable to:

receive said request for said wake event status from another access point; and

transmit said wake event status to said another access point.

38. The system of claim 33, said application logic further operable to update a status of said wireless LAN device in an association table of said access point in response to a determination that at least one wake event for said host device has occurred.