Wireless access point methods and apparatus for reduced power consumption and cost
First Claim
1. A method of reducing power consumption in a wireless access point, the method comprising the acts of:
- causing a contention-free period indication to be communicated to a plurality of mobile communication devices, the contention-free period indication identifying a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile communication devices must refrain from communicating through the wireless access point;
causing information to be communicated to and/or from the mobile communication devices through a wireless transceiver of the wireless access point during a contention period subframe of a superframe; and
causing the wireless transceiver to be placed into a power conservation mode during a power conservation subframe of the superframe, the power conservation subframe being at least part of the contention-free period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one illustrative technique, a contention-free period indication is communicated by a wireless access point (AP) (e.g. a battery-powered AP) to a plurality of mobile communication devices within a beacon of a superframe. The contention-free period indication identifies a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile devices must refrain from communicating through the AP. During each contention period subframe of each superframe, information is communicated to and/or from the mobile devices through a wireless transceiver of the AP. During each power conservation subframe of each superframe, the wireless transceiver is placed into a power conservation mode which is at least part of the contention-free period. Alternatively, or in combination with the wireless transceiver being placed in the power conservation mode, information for the mobile devices may be communicated to and/or from another AP within each relay subframe of each superframe which is at least part of the contention-free period. Advantageously, power consumption may be reduced in the AP and/or a single radio interface may be utilized in the AP for communications. The durations of the power conservation subframe and the other subframes may be variably adjusted to tradeoff power savings with a real-time capacity requirement of the AP.
87 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of reducing power consumption in a wireless access point, the method comprising the acts of:
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causing a contention-free period indication to be communicated to a plurality of mobile communication devices, the contention-free period indication identifying a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile communication devices must refrain from communicating through the wireless access point;
causing information to be communicated to and/or from the mobile communication devices through a wireless transceiver of the wireless access point during a contention period subframe of a superframe; and
causing the wireless transceiver to be placed into a power conservation mode during a power conservation subframe of the superframe, the power conservation subframe being at least part of the contention-free period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A wireless access point, comprising:
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electrical components;
a battery or solar power interface adapted for coupling to a battery or solar power source for supplying electrical power to the electrical components;
the electrical components including;
at least one wireless transceiver;
an antenna coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
one or more processors coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
the one or more processors being operative to;
cause a contention-free period indication to be communicated to a plurality of mobile communication devices, the contention-free period indication identifying a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile communication devices must refrain from communicating through the wireless access point;
cause information to be communicated to and/or from the mobile communication devices through the wireless transceiver during a contention period subframe of a superframe; and
cause the wireless transceiver to be placed into a power conservation mode during a power conservation subframe of the superframe, the power conservation subframe being at least part of the contention-free period. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a wireless access point comprising the acts of:
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causing a contention-free period indication to be communicated to a plurality of mobile communication devices, the contention-free period indication identifying a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile communication devices must refrain from communicating through the wireless access point;
causing information to be communicated to and/or from the mobile communication devices through a wireless transceiver of the wireless access point during a contention period subframe of a superframe; and
causing information to be communicated to and/or from at least one other access point through the wireless transceiver during a relay subframe of the superframe, the relay subframe being at least part of the contention-free period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A wireless access point, comprising:
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at least one wireless transceiver;
an antenna coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
one or more processors coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
the one or more processors being operative to;
cause a contention-free period indication to be communicated to a plurality of mobile communication devices, the contention-free period indication identifying a duration of a contention-free period within which the mobile communication devices must refrain from communicating through the battery-operated wireless access point;
cause information to be communicated to and/or from the mobile communication devices through a wireless transceiver of the wireless access point during a contention period subframe of a superframe; and
cause information to be communicated to and/or from at least one other access point through the wireless transceiver during a relay subframe of the superframe, the relay subframe being at least part of the contention-free period. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of operating a wireless access point comprising the acts of:
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selecting an offered capacity for communications for a plurality of mobile communication devices through the wireless access point;
determining a communication duration and a power conservation duration of the wireless access point based on the selected capacity, the selected capacity having a relationship with the communication and power conservation durations such that, as the selected capacity increases, the communication duration increases and the power conservation duration decreases;
causing information to be communicated for the mobile communication devices through the wireless access point with use of a wireless transceiver within each communication subframe of each superframe for a plurality of superframes, each communication subframe having the communication duration; and
causing the wireless transceiver to be placed into a power conservation mode within each power conservation subframe of each superframe of the plurality of superframes, each power conservation subframe having the power conservation duration. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A wireless access point, comprising:
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electrical components;
a battery or solar power interface adapted for coupling to a battery or solar power source for supplying electrical power to the electrical components;
the electrical components including;
at least one wireless transceiver;
an antenna coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
one or more processors coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver;
the one or more processors being operative to;
cause information to be communicated for a plurality of mobile communication devices through the wireless transceiver within each communication subframe of each superframe for a plurality of superframes, each communication subframe having a communication duration determined based on an offered capacity for facilitating communications for the mobile communication device, the communication duration having a relationship with the offered capacity such that as the offered capacity increases, the communication duration increases; and
cause the wireless transceiver to be placed into a power conservation mode within each power conservation subframe of each superframe of the plurality of superframes, each power conservation subframe having a power conservation duration determined based on the offered capacity for facilitating communications for the mobile communication devices, the power conservation duration having a relationship with the offered capacity such that as the offered capacity increases, the power conservation duration decreases. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification