Idle state management

• US 20060133304A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tanach, Moshe
• Granted Patent: US 8,441,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to enter an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication.

Claims

1. An apparatus, including:

an idle indication module to initiate entry into an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a filter to remove glitches of greater than a selected time period from the combined clear channel assessment indication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a first node to receive a first physical layer protocol status and a second node to receive a second physical layer protocol status to combine with the first physical layer protocol status to provide the combined clear channel assessment indication.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first physical layer protocol status comprises a first Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, and wherein the second physical layer protocol status comprises a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises an OR operation of a clear channel assessment status of a first physical layer protocol and a clear channel assessment status of a second physical layer protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a combination of a first physical layer protocol status, a second physical layer protocol status, and a third physical layer protocol status.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

an awake module to determine an awake time to refrain from entering the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a sleep module to determine a sleep time to remain in the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

9. A system, including:

a modem to provide a first clear channel assessment status;

an idle indication module to initiate entry into an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication based on the first clear channel assessment status and a second clear channel assessment status; and

a display to couple to the idle indication module.

10. The system of claim 9, further including:

a receiver to couple to the idle indication module.

11. The system of claim 9, further including:

an awake module to determine an awake time to refrain from entering the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

12. The system of claim 9, further including:

a sleep module to determine a sleep time to remain in the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first clear channel assessment status comprises a first Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, and wherein the second clear channel assessment status comprises a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

14. A method, including:

entering an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

filtering the combined clear channel assessment indication to remove glitches of greater than a selected time period.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a function of a status of a first physical layer protocol and a status of a second physical layer protocol.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the function includes:

an OR operation of a clear channel assessment status of the first physical layer protocol and a clear channel assessment status of the second physical layer protocol.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the status of the first physical layer protocol is selected from a first Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, wherein the status of the second physical layer protocol is selected from a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

19. The method of claim 14, further including:

combining a first physical layer protocol status, a second physical layer protocol status, and a third physical layer protocol status to provide the combined clear channel assessment indication.

20. The method of claim 14, further including:

determining an awake time to refrain from entering the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

21. The method of claim 14, further including:

determining a sleep time to remain in the idle state comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.

22. An article including a machine-accessible medium having associated information, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

entering an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a function of a first physical layer protocol status and a second physical layer protocol status.

24. The article of claim 22, wherein the first physical layer protocol status comprises an Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b protocol status, and wherein the second physical layer protocol status comprises one of an IEEE 802.11g protocol status and an IEEE 802.11a protocol status.

25. The article of claim 22, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

receiving the first physical layer protocol status and the second physical layer protocol status from at least one modem.

26. The article of claim 22, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

determining one of an awake time to refrain from entering the idle state and a sleep time to remain in the idle state, comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, and a portion of a frame length.