ADAPTIVE POWER CONTROL IN A WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20110069649A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tai, Tsung-Yuan C., Gobriel, Sameh, Tsai, Jr-Shian (James)
• Granted Patent: US 8,599,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of power control in a wireless device include adjusting a snooze interval as a function of communication traffic characteristics. In some embodiments, the power control considers data rate, jitter, and throughput.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless communication device, comprising:

determining a mode of the communications based on traffic characteristics;

setting a snooze interval based on the determined mode; and

placing the wireless communication device in a reduced power state for the snooze interval,

adjusting the snooze interval as a function of a communication data rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting the snooze interval to zero for a high data rate mode of communications when a number of received data packets exceeds a first threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

setting the snooze interval to a best effort value as a default value when a throughput for the communications is below a second threshold value;

processing further data communications; and

adjusting the snooze interval based on the number of packets received in the further data communications

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the snooze interval further comprises:

reducing the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is greater than the second threshold value; and

increasing the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is equal to zero.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting the snooze interval to a constant bit rate value when a number of transmitted data packets exceeds a first threshold value

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when communications are bi-directional communications, placing the device in the reduced power state until transmission of a data packet;

when the communications are uni-directional communications, setting a maximum snooze interval value;

processing further data communications; and

adjusting the snooze interval based on a number of packets received in the further data communications.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

reducing the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is greater than a second threshold value; and

increasing the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is equal to zero.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a network interface controller configured to communicate in accordance with one of the IEEE 802.11n standards.

9. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to:

process communications of packets of data;

determine a mode of the communications based on traffic characteristics;

set a snooze interval based on the determined mode;

place the wireless communication device in a reduced power state for the snooze interval; and

adjust the snooze interval as a function of a communication data rate.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions to:

set the snooze interval to zero for a high data rate mode of communications when a number of received data packets exceeds a first threshold value.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

set the snooze interval to a best effort value as a default value when a throughput for the communications is below a second threshold value;

processing further data communications; and

adjust the snooze interval based on the number of packets received in the further data communications.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a communication module to send and receive data packet communications in a wireless communication network;

a processor to set a snooze interval based on traffic characteristics of the communications, and to adjust the snooze interval based on a communication data rate; and

a power module to place the apparatus in a low power mode for the snooze interval.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further to:

set the snooze interval to zero for a high data rate mode of communications when a number of received data packets exceeds a first threshold value.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further to:

set the snooze interval to a best effort value as a default value when a throughput for the communications is below a second threshold value;

process further data communications; and

adjust the snooze interval based on the number of packets received in the further data communications.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further to:

reduce the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is greater than the second threshold value; and

increase the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is equal to zero

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

set the snooze interval to a constant bit rate value when a number of transmitted data packets exceeds a first threshold value.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor comprises:

a snoozing interval determiner to;

determine whether the communications are bi-directional communications;

place the device in a reduced power state until transmission of a data packet when communications are bi-directional communications; and

set a maximum snooze interval value when the communications are uni-directional communications;

wherein the apparatus is further to;

process further data communications; and

adjust the snooze interval based on a number of packets received in the further data communications.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the snoozing interval determiner is further to:

reduce the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is greater than a second threshold value; and

increase the snooze interval when the number of packets received in the further data communications is equal to zero.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the snoozing interval determiner is to adjust the snooze interval such that the snooze interval does not exceed the maximum snooze interval value.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a wireless network interface controller.