System for Low Power Operation of Wireless LAN Interfaces

• US 20080046547A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Rosu, Marcel-Catalin, Clark, Jeffrey, Olsen, Claus
• Application Number:
  US11/926,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless client unit for communicating with at least one apparatus for buffering network information destined for the wireless client unit includes: a wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client unit; a module for determining whether at least one of the apparatus is available for use by the wireless client unit; and a module for configuring the wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client in a manner which promotes energy savings.

Claims

1. A wireless client unit for communicating with at least one apparatus for buffering network information destined for the wireless client unit, the wireless client unit comprising:

a wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client unit;

a module for determining whether at least one of the apparatus is available for use by the wireless client unit;

a module for configuring the wireless client unit to use the apparatus; and

a module for configuring the wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client unit in a manner which promotes energy savings.

2. The wireless client unit of claim 1 further comprising a module for programming the apparatus to release said data on at least one occurrence of a specified condition that promotes energy savings.

3. The wireless client unit of claim 2 wherein the specified condition comprises exceeding a buffer threshold.

4. The wireless client unit of claim 2 wherein the specified condition comprises ending of an application data stream.

5. The wireless client unit of claim 2 wherein the specified condition comprises receipt of at least one object.

6. The wireless client unit of claim 2 wherein the specified condition comprises expiration of a specified period of time.

7. The wireless client unit of claim 1 further comprising software configured to infer information about a session context;

and wherein said software is further configured to use said session context for the purpose of configuring the wireless interface to promote energy savings.

8. The wireless client unit of claim 7 further comprising software configured to extend a beacon listen interval upon failure to detect active sessions.

9. The wireless client unit of claim 1 further comprising software configured to exploit advanced power management settings of the wireless interface upon failure to detect active sessions.

10. The wireless client unit of claim 1 further comprising software configured to disable the wireless interface upon failure to detect an active session.

11. The wireless client unit of claim 7 further comprising software configured to use said session context for reducing a beacon listen interval upon detection of an active session.

12. The wireless client unit of claim 7 further comprising software to use said session context to enable the wireless interface.

13. The wireless client of claim 1 further comprising a module for configuring the apparatus such that said client does not use said apparatus for buffering network information.