System and method for saving power in a wireless network by reducing power to a wireless station for a time interval if a received packet fails an integrity check

• US 7,231,530 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Donald J., Goodall, David S., Myles, Andrew F., Lam, Alex C. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/819,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 713/24, 714/777, 714/781, 714/799, 709/230
• US Class Current: 713/320
• 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, an apparatus and a carrier medium storing instructions to implement the method. The method is in a first wireless station of a wireless network, and includes wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station. The packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence. The method further includes verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence. The method further includes, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a time interval.

Claims

1. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the verifying comprises;

ascertaining whether the check sequence is in the packet, the ascertaining at least using at least one bit of the packet; and

in the case that it is ascertained that the check sequence is in the packet, continuing to verify the integrity of the subpacket.

2. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket.

3. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

5. A method as recited in claim 4,

wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the verifying includes a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

6. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

the method further comprising;

determining a destination of the packet, the determining at least using at least one bit of the packet; and

in the case that the destination does not correspond to the first wireless station, reducing the power consumption of at least one component of the wireless station for a second time interval.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof,

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header,

wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the verifying includes a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

9. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

generating a check sequence to protect the integrity of a subpacket of a packet, wherein the packet is to be wirelessly transmitted;

embedding the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet; and

wirelessly transmitting the packet;

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the method further comprises setting at least one bit of the packet such that the second wireless station can ascertain whether the check sequence is in the packet.

10. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

generating a check sequence to protect the integrity of a subpacket of a packet wherein the packet is to be wirelessly transmitted;

embedding the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet; and

wirelessly transmitting the packet;

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the embedding field is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the generating comprises computing the check sequence to protect the subpacket such that the second wireless station can sequentially process the subpacket to verify the integrity of the subpacket as if the check sequence were appended at the end of the subpacket being protected.

11. A method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

generating a check sequence to protect the integrity of a subpacket of a packet, wherein the packet is to be wirelessly transmitted;

embedding the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet; and

wirelessly transmitting the packet;

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the embedding field includes at least one bit of the SERVICE field, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the embedding field is located prior to the end of the subpacket,

wherein the generating comprises computing the check sequence to protect the subpacket such that the second wireless station can sequentially process the subpacket to verify the integrity of the subpacket as if the check sequence were appended at the end of the subpacket being protected, and

wherein the generating includes a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

14. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly receive a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

a subpacket verifier coupled to the processing unit arranged to verify the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

a power saver coupled to the subpacket verifier arranged, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a MAC processor coupled to the processing unit, the subpacket verifier and the power saver.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the subpacket verifier is located inside the MAC processor.

16. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly receive a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

a subpacket verifier coupled to the processing unit arranged to verify the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

a power saver coupled to the subpacket verifier arranged, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a check sequence detector coupled to the subpacket verifier, the check sequence detector arranged to ascertain whether the check sequence is in the packet, the ascertaining at least using at least one bit of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket verifier verifies in the case that the check sequence detector ascertains that the check sequence is in the packet.

17. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly receive a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

a subpacket verifier coupled to the processing unit arranged to verify the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

a power saver coupled to the subpacket verifier arranged, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket.

18. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly receive a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

a subpacket verifier coupled to the processing unit arranged to verify the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

a power saver coupled to the subpacket verifier arranged, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the subpacket verifier is further arranged to include a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

21. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly receive a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

a subpacket verifier coupled to the processing unit arranged to verify the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

a power saver coupled to the subpacket verifier arranged, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the apparatus further comprises a destination determiner coupled to the power saver, the destination determiner arranged to determine a destination of the packet, the determining at least using at least one bit of the packet; and

wherein the power saver is further arranged, in the case that the destination does not correspond to the first wireless station, to reduce the power consumption of at least one component of the wireless station for a second time interval.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof,

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header,

wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the subpacket verifier is further arranged to include a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

24. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly transmit a packet wherein the packet includes a subpacket; and

a check sequence generator coupled to the processing unit, the check sequence generator arranged to generate a check sequence to protect the integrity of the subpacket and to embed the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet,

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the apparatus further comprises an indicator unit coupled to the processing unit, the indicator unit arranged to set at least one bit of the packet such that the second wireless station can ascertain whether the check sequence is in the packet.

25. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly transmit a packet, wherein the packet includes a subpacket; and

a check sequence generator coupled to the processing unit, the check sequence generator arranged to generate a check sequence to protect the integrity of the subpacket and to embed the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet,

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the apparatus further comprises an indicator unit coupled to the check sequence generator, the indicator unit arranged to set at least one bit of the packet such that the second wireless station can ascertain whether the check sequence is in the packet.

26. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly transmit a packet, wherein the packet includes a subpacket; and

a check sequence generator coupled to the processing unit, the check sequence generator arranged to generate a check sequence to protect the integrity of the subpacket and to embed the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet,

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the embedding field is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the generating in the check sequence generator comprises computing the check sequence to protect the subpacket such that the second wireless station can sequentially process the subpacket to verify the integrity of the subpacket as if the check sequence were appended at the end of the subpacket being protected.

27. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit including a wireless transceiver coupled to an antenna, the processing unit arranged to wirelessly transmit a packet, wherein the packet includes a subpacket; and

a check sequence generator coupled to the processing unit, the check sequence generator arranged to generate a check sequence to protect the integrity of the subpacket and to embed the check sequence in an embedding field within the packet,

such that a second wireless station wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to the packet can verify the integrity of the subpacket at least using the check sequence and, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, can reduce power consumption of at least one component in the second wireless station for a time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the embedding field includes at least one bit of the SERVICE field, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the embedding field is located prior to the end of the subpacket,

wherein the generating in the check sequence generator comprises computing the check sequence to protect the subpacket such that the second wireless station can sequentially process the subpacket to verify the integrity of the subpacket as if the check sequence were appended at the end of the subpacket being protected, and

wherein the check sequence generator is further arranged to include a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

30. A computer-readable carrier medium including one or more computer readable code segments to instruct one or more processors of a processing system to implement a method in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

31. A carrier medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

32. A carrier medium as recited in claim 31, wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the verifying includes a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.

33. An apparatus in a first wireless station of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving a signal corresponding to a packet wirelessly transmitted by a second wireless station, wherein the packet includes a subpacket and a check sequence;

means for verifying the integrity of the subpacket, the verifying at least using the check sequence; and

means for, in the case that the subpacket fails the verifying, reducing the power consumption of at least one component in the first wireless station for a first time interval,

wherein the packet substantially conforms to one of the OFDM variants of the IEEE 802.11 standard or a derivative thereof, and

wherein the packet includes a SERVICE field, a PLCP header and a MAC header.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the check sequence includes at least one bit of a SERVICE field of the packet, and

wherein the subpacket includes at least one bit of a PLCP header and at least one bit of the MAC header.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the check sequence is located prior to the end of the subpacket, and

wherein the means for verifying includes a calculation substantially conforming to a polynomial code checksum calculation.