SLEEP OPTIMIZATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20080233905A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatachalam, Muthaiah, Mohanty, Shantidev
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a subscriber station in sleep mode is capable of sending and/or receiving traffic during sleep mode without violating the delay requirements of best effort traffic. Moreover, a subscriber station is capable of remaining in sleep and may optionally only be awaken in the event there is data to be transmitted from the base station to the subscriber station and/or from the subscriber station to the base station. By implementing an always sleep and need based wake up arrangement, the power consumption of the subscriber station can be reduced.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message in the event data is available to be transmitted; and

transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via a pseudo unavailability interval.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a length of the next unavailability interval and transmitting the length of the next unavailability interval as part of the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, said transmitting a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message occurring during an availability interval of a sleep mode operation.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, in the event there is additional data to be transmitted:

transmitting one or more additional pseudo unavailability interval indicator messages and transmitting the additional data via one or more additional pseudo unavailability intervals until there is no additional data to be transmitted.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a length of the next unavailability interval; and

if the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval to transmit the data is greater than the length of the next unavailability interval,

determining a number of sleep cycles to accommodate the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval; and

executing said transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via the pseudo unavailability interval for the determined number of sleep cycles.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message comprising an indicator whether a duration of the next pseudo unavailability interval is based at least in part on a duration of a previous pseudo unavailability interval for the data to be transmitted.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising returning to a normal sleep mode operation after the data has been transmitted.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising otherwise remaining in a sleep mode for a predetermined duration.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message is transmitted as part of a traffic indicator message, as a sub-header to a media access control message, as a separate media access control message, as a portion of a generic media access control header, or combinations thereof.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message specifies a calculation method for calculating a length of the next unavailability interval, the calculation method comprising:

setting the length of the next unavailability interval to a length of the current unavailability interval;

calculating the length of the next unavailability interval based at least in part on a formula that successively increases length of the unavailability interval in the absence of further traffic;

setting the length of the next unavailability interval to a fraction of a length of the current unavailability interval;

setting the length of the next unavailability interval based at least in part on existing traffic class or expected traffic class, or combinations thereof, or setting the length of the next unavailability interval independent of the length of the current unavailability interval;

or combinations thereof.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in:

transmitting a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message in the event data is available to be transmitted; and

transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via a pseudo unavailability interval.

12. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in determining a length of the next unavailability interval and transmitting the length of the next unavailability interval as part of the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message.

13. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, said transmitting a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message occurring during an availability interval of a sleep mode operation.

14. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in, in the event there is additional data to be transmitted:

transmitting one or more additional pseudo unavailability interval indicator messages and transmitting the additional data via one or more additional pseudo unavailability intervals until there is no additional data to be transmitted.

15. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in:

determining a length of the next unavailability interval; and

if the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval to transmit the data is greater than the length of the next unavailability interval,

determining a number of sleep cycles to accommodate the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval; and

executing said transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via the pseudo unavailability interval for the determined number of sleep cycles.

16. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message comprising an indicator whether a duration of the next pseudo unavailability interval is based at least in part on a duration of a previous pseudo unavailability interval for the data to be transmitted.

17. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in returning to a normal sleep mode operation after the data has been transmitted.

18. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in otherwise remaining in a sleep mode for a predetermined duration.

19. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message is transmitted as part of a traffic indicator message, as a sub-header to a media access control message, as a separate media access control message, as a portion of a generic media access control header, or combinations thereof.

20. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message specifies a calculation method for calculating a length of the next unavailability interval, the calculation method comprising:

setting the length of the next unavailability interval to a length of the current unavailability interval;

calculating the length of the next unavailability interval based at least in part on a formula that successively increases length of the unavailability interval in the absence of further traffic;

setting the length of the next unavailability interval to a fraction of a length of the current unavailability interval;

setting the length of the next unavailability interval based at least in part on existing traffic class or expected traffic class, or combinations thereof;

or

setting the length of the next unavailability interval independent of the length of the current unavailability interval;

or combinations thereof.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, are capable of configuring said processor to;

transmit a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message in the event data is available to be transmitted; and

transmit the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via a pseudo unavailability interval.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, the instructions, if executed, being further capable of configuring the processor to determine a length of the next unavailability interval and transmit the length of the next unavailability interval as part of the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, the instructions, if executed, being further capable of configuring the processor to, in the event there is additional data to be transmitted:

transmit one or more additional pseudo unavailability interval indicator messages and transmit the additional data via one or more additional pseudo unavailability intervals until there is no additional data to be transmitted.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, the instructions, if executed, being further capable of configuring the processor to:

determine a length of the next unavailability interval; and

if the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval to transmit the data is greater than the length of the next unavailability interval,

determine a number of sleep cycles to accommodate the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval; and

transmit the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via the pseudo unavailability interval for the determined number of sleep cycles.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message is transmitted as part of a traffic indicator message, as a sub-header to a media access control message, as a separate media access control message, as a portion of a generic media access control header, or combinations thereof.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

means for transmitting a pseudo unavailability interval indicator message in the event data is available to be transmitted; and

means for transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via a pseudo unavailability interval.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining a length of the next unavailability interval; and

means for transmitting the length of the next unavailability interval as part of the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

means for transmitting one or more additional pseudo unavailability interval indicator messages in the event there is additional data to be transmitted; and

means for transmitting the additional data via one or more additional pseudo unavailability intervals until there is no additional data to be transmitted.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining a length of the next unavailability interval;

means for determining a number of sleep cycles to accommodate the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval if the needed length of the pseudo unavailability interval to transmit the data is greater than the length of the next unavailability interval; and

means for executing said transmitting the data during a next unavailability interval of a sleep mode operation via the pseudo unavailability interval for the determined number of sleep cycles.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising means for transmitting the pseudo unavailability interval indicator message as part of a traffic indicator message, as a sub-header to a media access control message, as a separate media access control message, as a portion of a generic media access control header, or combinations thereof.