Voice signaling traffic apparatus, systems, and methods

• US 20070238439A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ginzburg, Boris, Alon, Ayelet
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of voice signaling latency reduction mechanisms are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, including:

a wireless communication module (WCM) to communicatively couple to a wireless access point; and

an automatic power-save delivery (APSD) state logic module to dynamically control an APSD state associated with the WCM in response to an indication that a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) voice packet stream is pending transmission from the WCM.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a power saving logic module coupled to the APSD state logic to disable at least one portion of the WCM for a sleep period if no traffic is pending transmission from at least one of the WCM or the wireless access point.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further including:

a WCM transmitter coupled to the power saving logic module to communicatively couple to a receiver in the wireless access point to create an uplink; and

a WCM receiver coupled to the power saving logic module to communicatively couple to a transmitter in the wireless access point to create a downlink.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a VoIP application startup sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense an initialization of a VoIP application and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD disabled mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a VoIP voice packet stream start sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense that a VoIP voice packet stream is ready for transmission from the WCM and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD enabled mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including:

a VoIP voice packet stream end sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense a termination of the transmission of the VoIP voice packet stream and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD disabled mode.

7. A system, including:

a wireless communication module (WCM) to communicatively couple to a wireless access point;

an automatic power-save delivery (APSD) state logic module to dynamically control an APSD state associated with the WCM in response to an indication that a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) voice packet stream is pending transmission from the WCM; and

an omnidirectional antenna coupled to the WCM to communicatively couple the WCM to the wireless access point.

8. The system of claim 7, further including:

a VoIP application startup sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense an initialization of a VoIP application and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD disabled mode.

9. The system of claim 7, further including:

a VoIP voice packet stream start sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense that a VoIP voice packet stream is ready for transmission from the WCM and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD enabled mode.

10. The system of claim 7, further including:

a VoIP voice packet stream end sense module coupled to the APSD state logic to sense a termination of the transmission of the VoIP voice packet stream and to signal the APSD state logic to initiate an operation of the WCM in an APSD disabled mode.

11. A method, including:

operating a wireless communication module (WCM) associated with a wireless portable electronic device (WPED) in an automatic power-save delivery (APSD) disabled mode, wherein the WCM is wirelessly associated with a wireless access point;

upon sensing that a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) voice packet stream is ready for transmission from the WCM, operating the WCM in an APSD enabled mode; and

upon terminating the transmission of the VoIP voice packet stream, operating the WCM in the APSD disabled mode.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

commencing operations in the APSD disabled mode upon initializing a VoIP application executing in the WPED.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the WCM operates according to Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers standard 802.11E.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the APSD disabled mode comprises operating the WCM using a power saving mode that includes:

not delivering downlink voice signaling traffic in response to either uplink voice traffic or uplink voice signaling traffic;

not using the uplink voice signaling traffic to trigger a delivery of either downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic;

not delivering the downlink voice traffic in response to either the uplink voice traffic or the uplink voice signaling traffic; and

not using the uplink voice traffic to trigger a delivery of either the downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic.

15. The method of claim 11, further including:

sending at least one traffic stream specification (TSPEC) control packet from the WCM to the wireless access point to advise the wireless access point to operate in the APSD disabled mode, wherein an APSD bit associated with the TSPEC control packet is reset.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the APSD enabled mode comprises:

delivering downlink voice signaling traffic in response to uplink voice traffic;

not using uplink voice signaling traffic to trigger a delivery of either downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic;

delivering the downlink voice traffic in response to the uplink voice traffic; and

using the uplink voice traffic to trigger a delivery of at least one of the downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic.

17. The method of claim 11, further including:

sending at least one traffic stream specification (TSPEC) control packet from the WCM to the wireless access point to advise the wireless access point to operate in the APSD enabled mode, wherein an APSD bit associated with the TSPEC control packet is set.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the APSD enabled mode comprises an unscheduled APSD mode of operation.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the APSD enabled mode comprises disabling at least one of transmitter operation or receiver operation at the WCM for a sleep period if no traffic is pending transmission from either the WPED or from the wireless access point.

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

operating a wireless communication module (WCM) associated with a wireless portable electronic device (WPED) in an automatic power-save delivery (APSD) disabled mode, wherein the WCM is wirelessly associated with a wireless access point;

upon sensing that a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) voice packet stream is ready for transmission from the WCM, operating the WCM in an APSD enabled mode; and

upon terminating the transmission of the VoIP voice packet stream, operating the WCM in the APSD disabled mode.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the APSD disabled mode comprises operating the WCM using a power saving mode that includes:

not delivering downlink voice signaling traffic in response to either uplink voice traffic or uplink voice signaling traffic;

not using the uplink voice signaling traffic to trigger a delivery of either downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic;

not delivering the downlink voice traffic in response to either the uplink voice traffic or the uplink voice signaling traffic; and

not using the uplink voice traffic to trigger a delivery of either the downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein the APSD enabled mode comprises:

delivering downlink voice signaling traffic in response to uplink voice traffic;

not using uplink voice signaling traffic to trigger a delivery of either downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic;

delivering the downlink voice traffic in response to the uplink voice traffic; and

using the uplink voice traffic to trigger a delivery of at least one of the downlink voice traffic or the downlink voice signaling traffic.