POWER SAVE IMPROVEMENT

• US 20070218860A1
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 197 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), TP-Link USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Conexant Systems Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wentink, Menzo
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Included are embodiments for operating in a wireless environment. At least one embodiment of a method includes setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to a second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, wherein setting the first data frame includes determining a time period of communicative inactivity.

Claims

1. A method for operating in a wireless environment, comprising:

setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to a second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, wherein setting the first data frame includes determining a time period of communicative inactivity; and

sending the first data frame to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating utilization of a power save mode on the first device during the determined time period of communicative inactivity, wherein facilitating utilization of the power save mode includes shutting down at least one of the active components.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resuming normal power mode associated with the first device, after expiration of the determined time period of communicative inactivity; and

receiving a second data frame from the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data frame is a trigger frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the first data frame includes setting a Net Allocation Vector (NAV).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data frame is a Clear To Send (CTS) data frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a communications device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device includes an access point.

9. A system for operating in a wireless environment, comprising:

means for setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to a second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, wherein setting the first data frame includes determining a time period of communicative inactivity; and

means for sending the first data frame to the second device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for facilitating utilization of a power save mode on the first device during the determined time period of communicative inactivity, wherein facilitating utilization of the power save mode includes shutting down at least one of the active components.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for resuming normal power mode associated with the first device, after expiration of the determined time period of communicative inactivity; and

means for receiving a second data frame from the second device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first data frame includes a trigger frame.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein means for setting the first data frame includes means for setting a Net Allocation Vector (NAV).

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first data frame includes a Clear To Send (CTS) data frame.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first device includes a communications device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the second device includes an access point.

17. A method for operating in a wireless environment, comprising:

receiving a first data frame from a communications device; and

setting an acknowledgement frame indicating receipt of the first data frame, the acknowledgement frame further defining a time period of communicative inactivity.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising sending the acknowledgement frame to the communications device, wherein the acknowledgement frame is configured to facilitate utilization of a power save mode in a communications device during the time period of communicative inactivity.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first data frame includes a trigger frame.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising sending second data to the communications device after the defined time period of communicative inactivity.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the acknowledgement is configured to define a Network Allocation Vector (NAV).

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the communications device includes at least one of the following:

a mobile telephone, a personal computer, a laptop computer, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the acknowledgement frame is sent via an 802.11 protocol.