METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER SAVING IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20100112960A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Shao, Huai-Rong, Ngo, Chiu
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• 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

A method and system for power saving communication in a wireless network is provided. One implementation involves establishing a wireless bus between two electronic wireless stations, and at a receiving wireless station receiving an incoming wireless signal from a wireless transmitting station via a wireless communication medium, initiating processing the signal for detecting if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal, and if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal, then ceasing further processing of the signal to conserve power.

Claims

1. A power saving method for communication in a wireless network, comprising:

establishing a wireless bus between two electronic wireless stations;

at a receiving wireless station;

receiving an incoming wireless signal from a wireless transmitting station via a wireless communication medium;

initiating processing the signal for detecting if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal; and

if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal, then ceasing further processing of the signal to conserve power.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the receiving wireless station ceasing receiving a remainder of the wireless bus tracking signal and entering a power saving state.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, at a transmitting wireless station:

periodically generating a wireless bus tracking signal to maintain the wireless bus connected, the wireless bus tracking signal having a specified pattern; and

transmitting each wireless bus tracking signal over a wireless communication medium.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

at the transmitting wireless station, generating a wireless bus tracking signal comprises generating an information frame without a data payload, the information frame including said specified signal pattern having a format distinguishable from data payload format; and

at the receiving wireless station detecting if an incoming signal is a wireless bus tracking signal further comprises detecting if the incoming information frame includes said specified signal pattern.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said specified signal pattern comprises a signal pattern in a preamble portion of said information frame.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless personal area network.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless network comprises a mmWave wireless network.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless network implements a IEEE 802.15.3c type protocol in which said specified pattern for wireless bus signal tracking signal comprises a “

low-latency mode”

bit set to “

1” and

an “

aggregation”

bit set to “

0”

in a physical (PHY) header for an IDLE-MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) in said information frame, indicating a wireless bus signal tracking packet.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the transmitting wireless station PHY layer reduces power consumption in generating a wireless bus tracking IDLE-MPDU by skipping channel coding and other functions normally performed for payload of a non-bus tracking IDLE-MPDU; and

the receiving wireless station PHY layer reduces power consumption in receiving a wireless bus tracking IDLE-MPDU by skipping the wireless medium channel de-coding and other functions for payload of a non-bus tracking IDLE-MPDU.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless network implements a IEEE 802.15.3c type protocol in which said specified pattern for wireless bus signal tracking signal comprises an extra bit added to the PHY header of an IDLE-MPDU in said information frame, indicating a wireless bus tracking signal.

11. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a transmitting wireless station configured for generating a wireless bus tracking signal to maintain a wireless bus connected, the wireless bus tracking signal having a specified pattern, and transmitting each wireless bus tracking signal over a wireless communication medium;

a receiving wireless station configured for;

receiving an incoming wireless signal from a wireless transmitting station via a wireless communication medium;

initiating processing the signal for detecting if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal; and

if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal, then ceasing further processing of the signal to conserve power.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the receiving stations are further configured for ceasing receiving a remainder of the wireless bus tracking signal and entering a power saving state.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the transmitting wireless station is further configured for generating a wireless bus tracking signal by generating an information frame without a data payload, the information frame including said specified signal pattern having a format distinguishable from data payload format; and

the receiving wireless station is further configured for detecting if an incoming signal is a wireless bus tracking signal further comprises detecting if the incoming information frame includes said specified signal pattern.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said specified signal pattern comprises a signal pattern in a PHY preamble portion of said information frame.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless network comprises a wireless personal area network.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless network comprises a mmWave wireless network.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless network implements a IEEE 802.15.3c type protocol in which said specified pattern for wireless bus signal tracking signal comprises a “

low-latency mode”

bit set to “

1” and

an “

aggregation”

bit set to “

0”

in a physical (PHY) header for an IDLE-MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) in said information frame, indicating a wireless bus signal tracking packet.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the transmitting wireless station includes a PHY layer configured for reducing power consumption in generating a wireless bus tracking IDLE-MPDU by skipping channel coding and other functions normally performed for payload of a non-bus tracking IDLE-MPDU; and

the receiving wireless station includes a PHY layer configured for reducing power consumption in receiving a wireless bus tracking IDLE-MPDU by skipping the wireless medium channel de-coding and other functions for payload of a non-bus tracking IDLE-MPDU.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless network implements a IEEE 802.15.3c type protocol in which said specified pattern for wireless bus signal tracking signal comprises an extra bit added to the PHY header of an IDLE-MPDU in said information frame, indicating a wireless bus tracking signal.

20. A wireless station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor;

a computer usable medium having a processor readable program code embodied therewith, wherein the processor readable program code when executed on the processor causes the processor to;

periodically generate a wireless bus tracking signal to maintain the wireless bus connected, the wireless bus tracking signal having a specified pattern, the wireless bus tracking signal comprising an information frame without a data payload, the information frame including said specified signal pattern having a format distinguishable from data payload format; and

transmit each wireless bus tracking signal over a wireless communication medium via the transceiver by skipping channel coding and other functions normally performed for payload of a non-bus tracking information frame.

21. A wireless station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor;

a computer usable medium having a processor readable program code embodied therewith, wherein the processor readable program code when executed on the processor causes the processor to;

receive an incoming wireless signal from a wireless transmitting station over a wireless communication medium via the transceiver;

initiate processing the signal for detecting if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal; and

if the signal comprises a wireless bus tracking signal, then cease receiving and further processing of the signal, and entering a power saving state.