METHOD AND APPARATUS USING AN ULTRA LOW POWER SIGNAL WITH SCHEDULED POWER SAVE MODES

• US 20140112229A1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Merlin, Simone, Jafarian, Amin, Asterjadhi, Alfred, Barriac, Gwendolyn Denise
• Granted Patent: US 9,241,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and stations for wireless communication are described herein. In some aspects, the station may include a processing circuit configured to process a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received. The station may further include a wake-up circuit configured to transition a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time. The first receiver is configured to receive the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time. The station may further include a second receiver configured to transition to an awake state based on the first receiver receiving the activation signal and receive a second signal while in the awake state.

Claims

1. A wireless station for wireless communication, comprising:

a processing circuit configured to process a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received;

a wake-up circuit configured to transition a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time, the first receiver configured to receive the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time;

a second receiver configured to;

transition to an awake state based on the first receiver receiving the activation signal; and

receive a second signal while in the awake state.

2. The station of claim 1, wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to transition the second receiver to the awake state at a specified time.

3. The station of claim 2, wherein the specified time corresponds to a next target beacon transit time to receive a beacon.

4. The station of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement that the activation signal has been received.

5. The station of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a power save poll frame for notifying a sender of the activation signal that the station is awake and ready for receiving downlink data.

6. The station of claim 3, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a power save poll frame for notifying a sender of the activation signal that the station is awake and ready for receiving downlink data at the specified time.

7. The station of claim 1, wherein the first receiver consumes less power in the awake state as compared to the second receiver in the awake state.

8. The station of claim 1, wherein the first receiver is further configured to receive a deactivate signal and the second receiver is configured to deactivate in response to the deactivate signal.

9. A method for wireless communication by a wireless station, the method comprising:

processing a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received;

transitioning a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time;

receiving the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time by the first receiver;

transitioning a second receiver to an awake state based on the activation signal; and

receiving a second signal by the second receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transitioning the second receiver to the awake state occurs at a specified time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the specified time corresponds to a next target beacon transit time to receive a beacon.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting an acknowledgement that the activation signal has been received.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a power save poll frame to a sender of the activation signal.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting a power save poll frame to a sender of the activation signal at the specified time.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first receiver consumes less power in the awake state as compared to the second receiver in the awake state.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a deactivate signal by the first receiver; and

deactivating the second receiver.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes a wireless station to:

process a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received;

activate a first receiver based on the indicated target wake up time;

receive the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time by the first receiver;

transition a second receiver to an awake state based on the activation signal; and

receive a second signal by the second receiver.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein transitioning the second receiver to the awake state occurs at a specified time.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the specified time corresponds to a next target beacon transit time to receive a beacon.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, causes the station to transmit an acknowledgement that the activation signal has been received.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, causes the station to transmit a power save poll frame to a sender of the activation signal.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, causes the station to transmitting a power save poll frame to a sender of the activation signal at the specified time.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first receiver consumes less power in the awake state as compared to the second receiver in the awake state.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code, when executed, causes the first receiver to receive a deactivate signal and the second receiver to deactivate in response to the deactivate signal.

25. A wireless station for wireless communication, comprising:

means for processing a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received;

means for transitioning a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time;

means for receiving the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time;

means for transitioning a second receiver to an awake state based on the activation signal; and

means for receiving a second signal while the second receiver is in the awake state.

26. The station of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving the activation signal comprises a first receiver, the means for receiving the second signal comprises a second receiver, and the means for processing the first signal comprises a processor.

27. The station of claim 26, wherein the first receiver consumes less power in the awake state as compared to the second receiver in the awake state.

28. The station of claim 25, wherein the means for transitioning the second receiver to the awake state is configured to transition the second receiver to the awake state at a specified time.

29. The station of claim 28, wherein the specified time corresponds to a next target beacon transit time to receive a beacon.

30. The station of claim 25, further comprising means for transmitting an acknowledgement that the activation signal has been received.