DYNAMIC POWER SAVE MODES

• US 20070160027A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Communication Technology of America, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Communication Technology of America, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Heidari-Bateni, Ghobad, Muqattash, Alaa
• Application Number:
  US11/615,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20070160027A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mechanism that enables power sensitive communication devices to utilize the hibernation power saving mechanism offered by existing protocols is provided. In circumstances where there is no data buffered for transmission for a network device, that device can be permitted to hibernate. Alternatively, where there is data buffered for transmission for a network device, that device can be permitted to remain active. A device that receives a traffic indication that contains its identification can be configured to remain in the active mode for as long as traffic indications included in received beacons contain its identification.

Claims

1. A method of determining when a network device can hibernate, comprising:

waking from a hibernation state at a predetermined time;

determining if a traffic indicator is received from another network device;

if a traffic indicator is received, remaining awake for a predetermined awake time period, wherein the predetermined awake time period is at least one superframe.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to determine if a traffic indicator is present and remaining awake as long as the traffic indicator is present.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises a single superframe.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises multiple superframes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a traffic indicator is not present and hibernating for a predetermined hibernation time period based on the determination.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a recommended hibernation time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises a single superframe.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises multiple superframes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic indicator comprises the occurrence of a beacon containing an identification.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic indicator indicates that data is available.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises a WiMedia-MBOA compliant device.

12. A network device comprising:

a memory, the memory configured to store instructions;

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform the following steps;

causing the electronic device to wake from a hibernation state at a predetermined time;

determining if a traffic indicator is received from another network device;

if a traffic indicator is received, causing the electronic device to remain awake for a predetermined awake time period, wherein the predetermined awake time period is at least one superframe.

13. The network device of claim 12, further comprising continuing to determine if a traffic indicator is present and remaining awake as long as the traffic indicator is present.

14. The network device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises a single superframe.

15. The network device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises multiple superframes.

16. The network device of claim 12, further comprising determining that a traffic indicator is not present and hibernating for a predetermined hibernation time period based on the determination.

17. The network device of claim 16, further comprising receiving a recommended hibernation time period.

18. The network device of claim 17, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises a single superframe.

19. The network device of claim 17, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises multiple superframes.

20. The network device of claim 12, wherein the traffic indicator comprises the occurrence of a beacon containing an identification.

21. The network device of claim 12, wherein the traffic indicator indicates that data is available.

22. The network device of claim 12, wherein the network device comprises a WiMedia-MBOA compliant device.

23. An apparatus for determining when a network device can hibernate, comprising:

means for waking from a hibernation state at a predetermined time;

means for determining if a traffic indicator is received from another network device; and

means for remaining awake for a predetermined awake time period if a traffic indicator is received, wherein the predetermined awake time period is at least one superframe.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for continuing to determine if a traffic indicator is present and remaining awake as long as the traffic indicator is present.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises a single superframe.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises multiple superframes.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for determining that a traffic indicator is not present and hibernating for a predetermined hibernation time period based on the determination.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for receiving a recommended hibernation time period.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises a single superframe.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises multiple superframes.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the traffic indicator comprises the occurrence of a beacon containing an identification.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the traffic indicator indicates that data is available.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus comprises a WiMedia-MBOA compliant device.

34. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a processing device to perform a method of determining when a network device can hibernate, the method comprising:

waking from a hibernation state at a predetermined time;

determining if a traffic indicator is received from another network device;

if a traffic indicator is received, remaining awake for a predetermined awake time period, wherein the predetermined awake time period is at least one superframe.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises continuing to determine if a traffic indicator is present and remaining awake as long as the traffic indicator is present.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises a single superframe.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the predetermined awake time period comprises multiple superframes.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises determining that a traffic indicator is not present and hibernating for a predetermined hibernation time period based on the determination.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, further comprising receiving a recommended hibernation time period.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises a single superframe.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the predetermined hibernation time period comprises multiple superframes.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the traffic indicator comprises the occurrence of a beacon containing an identification.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the traffic indicator indicates that data is available.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the network device comprises a WiMedia-MBOA compliant device.