UNIFORM POWER SAVE METHOD FOR WIRELESS STATIONS

• US 20070259700A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Bilstad, Robert Meier
• Original Assignee: Mark Bilstad, Robert Meier
• Inventors: MEIER, Robert, Bilstad, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1664 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with payload signals; piggybacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• 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 Proxy ARP Server in an AP maintains IP/MAC bindings for associated clients. In an example embodiment, when the AP receives a proxy ARP request for a client, the AP may respond for the client. In another example embodiment, when the AP receives a proxy ARP request for the client, the AP buffers the request until the client is in an awake state. Optionally, the AP may convert the broadcast destination MAC address in the ARP request to a unicast address that corresponds to the target IP address.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request on a wired port;

searching at least one of Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address by matching a target Internet Protocol address contained in the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request;

sending a reply to the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request, the reply comprising a Media Access Control address that corresponds to the target Internet Protocol address.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a registration message from the client, the registration message comprising an Internet Protocol address for the client.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising snooping packets sent from the client and determining the client'"'"'s Internet Protocol address.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wired port is an Ethernet port.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point receives an Internet Protocol address for the client on the wired port.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising advertising the access point provides the proxy address resolution protocol service in one of a group consisting of an association response and a reassociation response.

7. An access point, comprising:

a proxy Address Resolution Protocol server;

a memory associated with the Address Resolution Protocol server comprising Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address; and

an Ethernet port in data communication with the Address Resolution Protocol server;

wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is responsive to a broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request received on the Ethernet port, the request comprising a target Internet Protocol address, to search the memory for at least one of Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address by matching the target Internet Protocol address contained in the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request; and

wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured to send a reply to the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request, the reply comprising a Media Access Control address that corresponds to the target Internet Protocol address.

8. The access point of claim 7, further comprising the access point indicates to client stations that it is providing an Address Resolution Protocol service so that power-save stations do not have to stay awake to receive all broadcast and multicast downlink transmissions from the access point.

9. The access point of claim 8, further comprising the access point is configured to advertise that it is providing the proxy Address Resolution Protocol service by including data indicative of the proxy Address Resolution Protocol service in one of a group consisting of an association response and a reassociation response.

10. The access point of claim 7, further comprising the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured to receive a registration message from the client, the registration message comprising an Internet Protocol address for the client.

11. The access point of claim 7, further comprising the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured for snooping packets sent from the client and determining the client'"'"'s Internet Protocol address.

12. The access point of claim 7, further comprising the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured to acquire the Internet Protocol address for the client from the Ethernet Port.

19. The access point of claim 11, further comprising:

a controller; and

a memory associated with the controller;

wherein the controller is responsive to determining the target station is an automatic power save delivery station to buffer the request in the memory until the target station is in an awake state.

20. The access point of claim 19, wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured to translate a destination broadcast media access control address in the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request to a unicast media access control address that corresponds to the target station'"'"'s internet protocol address.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request on a Ethernet port for a target station in wireless data communication, the request comprising a destination broadcast Media Access Control address and a target Internet Protocol address;

searching at least one of Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address matching a target Internet Protocol address contained in the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request;

translating the destination broadcast Media Access Control address to a unicast Media Access Control address corresponding to the target Internet Protocol address; and

forwarding the request to the target station;

wherein the Access Point indicates to target stations that it is providing an proxy is Address Resolution Protocol service to inform a power-save target station that it does not have to stay awake to receive all broadcast and multicast downlink transmissions from the access point.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a response to the request from the target station; and

forwarding the response on the Ethernet port.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the target station is a automatic power save delivery station, the steps further comprising buffering the request until the target station is in an awake state.

16. An access point, comprising

a proxy Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) server;

a memory associated with the Address Resolution Protocol server comprising Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address;

an Ethernet transceiver in data communication with the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server; and

a wireless transceiver in data communication with the proxy Address Resolution Protocol;

wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is responsive to a broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request for a target station in data communication with the wireless transceiver, the request comprising a destination broadcast Media Access Control address and a target Internet Protocol address, to search the memory for at least one of Internet Protocol bindings and Media Access Control bindings for an Internet Protocol address matching a target Internet Protocol address contained in the broadcast Address Resolution Protocol request;

wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol server is configured to translate the destination broadcast Media Access Control address to a unicast Media Access Control address corresponding to the target Internet Protocol address; and

wherein the proxy Address Resolution Protocol is configured to forward the request to the target station through the wireless transceiver.

17. The access point of claim 16, wherein the access point is configured to indicate to a client station that it is providing a proxy Address Resolution Protocol service.

18. The access point of claim 16 further comprising a controller that is responsive to receiving a response to the request from the target station to forward the response to the Ethernet transceiver.