POWER SAVE WITH END OF DATA INDICATION

• US 20140254450A1
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alcom
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo, Sampath, Hemanth
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A particular method includes receiving a first frame from a station at an access point indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode. The method also includes transmitting one or more data frames from the access point to the station. The one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame. The method further includes transmitting an end of data frame to the station. Another particular method includes transmitting a first frame from the station to the access point indicating that the station is to enter the power save mode. The method also includes refraining from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first frame from a station at an access point indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

transmitting one or more data frames from the access point to the station, wherein the one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame; and

transmitting an end of data frame to the station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the end of data frame is represented by a particular data frame of the one or more data frames.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more data frames includes an updated beacon version number.

6. A method comprising:

transmitting a first frame from a station to an access point indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

refraining from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point; and

in response to receiving the end of data frame from the access point, entering the power save mode at the station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the end of data frame comprises a data frame that indicates an end of service period.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving one or more data frames and the end of data frame from the access point responsive to the first frame.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more data frames includes an updated beacon version number.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the first frame comprises an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive a first frame from a station at an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

transmit one or more data frames from the access point to the station, wherein the one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame; and

transmit an end of data frame to the station.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the end of data frame is represented by a particular data frame of the one or more data frames.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more data frames includes an updated beacon version number.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a first frame from a station at an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

transmit one or more data frames from the access point to the station, wherein the one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame; and

transmit an end of data frame to the station.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the end of data frame is represented by a particular data frame of the one or more data frames.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first frame from a station at an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode; and

means for transmitting one or more data frames and an end of data frame from the access point to the station, wherein the one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the end of data frame is represented by a particular data frame of the one or more data frames.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

transmit a first frame from a station to an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

refrain from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point; and

in response to receiving the end of data frame from the access point, enter the power save mode at the station.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the end of data frame comprises a data frame that indicates an end of service period.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

transmit a first frame from a station to an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

refrain from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point; and

in response to receiving the end of data frame from the access point, enter the power save mode at the station.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the end of data frame comprises a data frame that indicates an end of service period.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

28. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a first frame from a station to an access point, the first frame indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode;

means for refraining from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point; and

means for entering the power save mode at the station in response to receiving the end of data frame from the access point.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the end of data frame comprises a data frame that indicates an end of service period.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.