SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOW POWER WAKE-UP SIGNAL IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONS FOR WLAN

• US 20140126442A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jafarian, Amin, Merlin, Simone
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for wireless communication are disclosed. In one implementation an apparatus for wireless communications is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a wake-up message that is a portion of a wake-up sequence. In certain implementations, the apparatus further includes a processing system operably coupled to the receiver and configured to wake the receiver for a period of time. The period of time can exceed at least a transmission period of the wake-up sequence plus a transmission period of the wake-up message. The apparatus can further include a transmitter configured to transmit a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a receiver;

a processing system configured to activate the receiver for a period of time, the period of time exceeding or equaling at least a transmission period of a wake-up sequence that includes a wake-up message plus a transmission period of the wake-up message, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the wake-up message during the period of time; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises an activation circuit, the activation circuit being configured to activate the receiver at a defined time, the defined time being at a start of the period of time.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiver is configured to cycle between an awake state and a sleep state according to a duty cycle prior to receiving the wake-up message, and wherein the defined time corresponds to a beginning of the awake state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising another receiver, wherein the processing system is further configured to decode at least the wake-up message using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation, the processing system being further configured to activate the other receiver based at least in part on the decoded wake-up message.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, and wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether the device class identifier matches a stored identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, and wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether the message type identifier matches a stored message type identifier.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system receives the wake-up message from a device that is not synchronized with the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system receives the wake-up message from a device that is not associated with the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wake-up message comprises a station identifier, and wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether the station identifier matches a stored identifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the wake-up sequence during the period of time, and wherein in response to receiving the wake-up sequence, the processing system is further configured to determine whether a confirmation identifier in the wake-up sequence matches both a station identifier in the wake-up message and an identifier stored in the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the station identifier in the wake-up message and the confirmation identifier indicates that information is to be transmitted to the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the confirmation identifier is received subsequent to the wake-up message in the wake-up sequence.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the wake-up message identifies a sequence number in a plurality of wake-up sequences, the plurality of wake-up sequences comprising the wake-up sequence,

the processing system is further configured to determine an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences based on the identified sequence number, and

the transmitter is configured to transmit the message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message at the end of the transmission.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sequence number indicates a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered number, the reverse-ordered number indicating a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising another receiver, wherein the processing system is further configured to activate the other receiver based on the wake-up message.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the other receiver consumes more power when activated than the receiver consumes when activated.

20. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to generate a plurality of wake-up sequences, each wake-up sequence comprising at least one wake-up message; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the plurality of wake-up sequences to wake-up at least one station.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the wake-up message using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the wake-up message comprises a station identifier, the station identifier identifying the at least one station.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying the at least one station.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the at least one wake-up message during a transmission period of one of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a sequence number, and wherein the sequence number indicates a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the transmission of the at least one wake-up message.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered sequence number, the reverse-order sequence number identifying a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the transmission of the at least one wake-up message.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the at least one wake-up message to the at least one station identified by the device class identifier.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the at least one wake-up message to the at least one station identified by the message type identifier.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of wake-up sequences comprises at least one confirmation message that includes a confirmation identifier, and wherein the confirmation identifier identifies the at least one of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the confirmation message is a page message that includes a page identifier, and wherein the confirmation identifier is the page identifier.

32. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a receiver configured to receive a message acknowledging an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

33. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a receiver configured to receive a power-save poll message, the power-save poll message associated with the at least one wake-up message from the plurality of wake-up sequences.

34. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the plurality of wake-up sequences to activate more than one receiver.

35. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

activating a receiver for a period of time, the period of time exceeding or equaling at least a transmission period of a wake-up sequence that includes a wake-up message plus a transmission period of the wake-up message, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the wake-up message during the period of time; and

transmitting a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising activating the receiver at a defined time, the defined time being at a start of the period of time.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

decoding at least the wake-up message using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation; and

activating a second receiver based at least in part on the decoded wake-up message.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up message comprises a station identifier, the method further comprising determining whether the station identifier matches a stored identifier.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying a station.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, the method further comprising determining whether the device class identifier matches a stored identifier.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, the method further comprising determining whether the message type identifier matches a stored message type identifier.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up sequence comprises a confirmation identifier;

and wherein the method further comprises receiving the wake-up sequence during the period of time; and

determining whether the confirmation identifier in the wake-up sequence matches both a station identifier in the wake-up message and an identifier stored in a station.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein each of the station identifier in the wake-up message and the confirmation identifier indicates that information is to be transmitted to the apparatus.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the confirmation identifier is received subsequent to the wake-up message in the wake-up sequence.

46. The method of claim 35, wherein the wake-up message identifies a sequence number in a plurality of wake-up sequences, the plurality of wake-up sequences comprising the wake-up sequence, the method further comprising:

determining an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences based on the identified sequence number, and

transmitting the message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message at the end of the transmission.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the sequence number indicates a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered number, the reverse-ordered number indicating a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

49. The method of claim 35 further comprising activating another receiver based on the wake-up message.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the other receiver consumes more power when activated than the receiver consumes when activated.

51. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving the wake-up message from a device that is not synchronized with the receiver.

52. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving the wake-up from a device that is not associated with the receiver.

53. The method of claim 36, further comprising cycling the receiver between an awake state and a sleep state according to a duty cycle prior to receiving the wake-up message, and wherein the defined time corresponds to a beginning of the awake state.

54. A method for wirelessly activating a wireless station, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of wake-up sequences; and

transmitting the plurality of wake-up sequences, each of the plurality of wake-up sequences including at least one wake-up message.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message is transmitted using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a station identifier, the method further comprising transmitting the at least one wake-up message to at least one station identified by the station identifier.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying the at least one station.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein transmitting the plurality of wake-up sequences further comprises transmitting the at least one wake-up message during a transmission period of one of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a sequence number, the method further comprising transmitting the at least one wake-up message during a predetermined wake-up sequence transmission period associated with the sequence number.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered sequence number.

62. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, the method further comprising transmitting the at least one wake-up message to at least one station identified by the device class identifier.

63. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, the method further comprises transmitting the at least one wake-up message to at least one station corresponding to the message type identifier.

64. The method of claim 54, wherein the plurality of wake-up sequences comprises at least one confirmation message that includes a confirmation identifier, the method further comprising transmitting the at least confirmation message.

65. The method of claim 54, wherein the plurality of wake-up sequences comprises at least one paging message that includes a page identifier, the method further comprising transmitting the at least one paging message.

66. The method of claim 54 further comprising receiving an acknowledgement to an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

67. The method of claim 54 further comprising receiving an acknowledgement to the at least one wake-up message, wherein the acknowledgement is a power-save poll message.

68. The method of claim 54, wherein at least one of the wake-up messages includes instructions for activating at least another receiver, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the at least one wake-up message.

69. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for activating a receiver for a period of time, the period of time exceeding or equaling at least a transmission period of a wake-up sequence that includes a wake-up message plus a transmission period of the wake-up message, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the wake-up message during the period of time; and

means for transmitting a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the means for activating the receiver activates the receiver at a defined time, the defined time being at a start of the period of time.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the means for activating is further configured to cycle the receiver between an awake state and a sleep state according to a duty cycle prior to receiving the wake-up message, and wherein the defined time corresponds to a beginning of the awake state.

72. The apparatus of claim 69 further comprising means for decoding at least the wake-up message using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation, wherein the means for activating is further configured to activate a second receiver based at least in part on the decoded wake-up message.

73. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

74. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up message comprises a station identifier, the apparatus further comprising means for determining whether the station identifier matches a stored identifier.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying a station.

76. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, the apparatus further comprising means for determining whether the device class identifier matches a stored identifier.

77. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, the apparatus further comprising means for determining whether the message type identifier matches a stored message type identifier.

78. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up sequence comprises a confirmation identifier, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for receiving the wake-up sequence during the period of time;

and means for determining whether the confirmation identifier in the wake-up sequence matches both a station identifier in the wake-up message and an identifier stored in a station.

79. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein each of the station identifier in the wake-up message and the confirmation identifier indicates that information is to be transmitted to the apparatus.

80. The apparatus of claim 79 wherein the confirmation identifier is received subsequent to the wake-up message in the wake-up sequence.

81. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the wake-up message identifies a sequence number in a plurality of wake-up sequences, the plurality of wake-up sequences comprising the wake-up sequence, the apparatus further comprising:

means for determining an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences based on the identified sequence number, and

means for transmitting the message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message at the end of the transmission.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the sequence number indicates a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

83. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered number, the reverse-ordered number indicating a number of the plurality of wake-up sequences to be sent after the wake-up message.

84. The apparatus of claim 69 further comprising means for activating another receiver based on the wake-up message.

85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the other receiver consumes more power when activated than the receiver consumes when activated.

86. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising means for receiving the wake-up message from a device that is not synchronized with the receiver.

87. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising means for receiving the wake-up from a device that is not associated with the receiver.

88. An apparatus for wireless communications, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a plurality of wake-up sequences; and

means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences, each of the plurality of wake-up sequences including at least one wake-up message.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences further comprises transmitting the at least one wake-up message using at least one of an on-off keying modulation or a frequency-shift keying modulation.

90. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up message is a paging message configured in a null data packet (NDP) format.

91. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a station identifier, and wherein means for transmitting the at least one wake-up sequences further comprises means for transmitting the generated wake-up message to at least one station identified by the station identifier.

92. The apparatus of claim 91, wherein the station identifier comprises a plurality of bits, one of the plurality of bits identifying the at least one station.

93. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a sequence number, wherein means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences further comprises means for transmitting the at least one wake-up message during a predetermined wake-up sequence transmission period associated with the sequence number.

94. The apparatus of claim 93, wherein the sequence number is a reverse-ordered sequence number.

95. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a device class identifier, and wherein means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences further comprises means for transmitting the generated wake-up message to at least one station identified by the device class identifier.

96. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up message comprises a message type identifier, and wherein means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences further comprises means for transmitting the at least one wake-up message to at least one station corresponding to the message type identifier.

97. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the plurality of wake-up sequences comprises at least one confirmation message that includes a confirmation identifier, the method further comprising transmitting the at least one confirmation message.

98. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the plurality of wake-up sequences comprises at least one paging message that includes a page identifier, the apparatus further comprising means for transmitting the at least one paging message.

99. The apparatus of claim 88 further comprising means for receiving an acknowledgement to an end of a transmission of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

100. The apparatus of claim 88 further comprising means for receiving an acknowledgement to the at least one wake-up message, wherein the acknowledgement is a power-save poll message.

101. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the at least one wake-up messages includes instructions for activating at least another receiver, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for transmitting the at least one wake-up message.

102. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the means for transmitting the generated wake-up sequences further comprises transmitting the at least one wake-up message during a transmission period of one of the plurality of wake-up sequences.

103. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium encoded thereon with instructions that when executed cause an apparatus to perform a method comprising:

activating a receiver for a period of time, the period of time exceeding or equaling at least a transmission period of a wake-up sequence that includes a wake-up message plus a transmission period of the wake-up message, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the wake-up message during the period of time; and

transmitting a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

104. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium encoded thereon with instructions that when executed cause an apparatus to perform a method comprising:

generating a plurality of wake-up sequences, each wake-up sequence comprising at least one wake-up message; and

transmitting the plurality of wake-up sequences to wake-up at least one station.

105. A mobile station, comprising:

at least one antenna;

a receiver;

a processing system configured to activate the receiver for a period of time, the period of time exceeding or equaling at least a transmission period of a wake-up sequence that includes a wake-up message plus a transmission period of the wake-up message, wherein the receiver is configured to receive, via the at least one antenna, the wake-up message during the period of time; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, via the at least one antenna, a message acknowledging receipt of the wake-up message.

106. A wireless node for wireless communications, the apparatus comprising:

at least one antenna;

a processing system configured to generate a plurality of wake-up sequences, each wake-up sequence comprising at least one wake-up message; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, via the at least one antenna, the plurality of wake-up sequences to wake-up at least one station.