Method for packet polling in a WLAN

• US 7,590,100 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Subramanian, Srinath, Ramprasad, Satish, Smith, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHUONG, DAI
• Application Number:
  US11/318,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 370346-354
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method (500) is provided for dynamic packet polling during a power save mode. The method can include polling (504) an access point (104) for packets at a first rate on at least one access category, determining (506) a polling time-out as a function of a packet priority, and possibly changing the rate to a second rate in view of a second packet priority. The polling time-out can correspond to a duration interval of the polling for increasing an efficiency of the power save mode. The method can include establishing a poll timeout and an overall poll timeout as a function of each access category. The function can include mapping a packet priority to a response time for setting a timeout. In one aspect, the polling can be combined into a single polling stream for multiple access categories.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic packet polling during a power save mode, comprising the steps of:

polling an access point for packets at a first rate on at least one access category;

determining a polling time-out as a function of a first packet priority; and

changing said first rate to a second rate in view of a second packet priority if said second packet priority is higher than said first packet priority, wherein changing said rate further comprises the steps of;

determining if a packet has been transmitted or received on an access category;

updating a packet time array for said access category;

determining an overall poll time-out based on an access category with the longest time-out for starting an overall poll-timer; and

determining a poll time-out based on an access category with highest priority for starting a poll-timer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said polling is combined into a single polling stream for multiple access categories.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an overall time-out as a function of each access category.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said polling further comprises the steps of:

starting a poll timer for at least one access category;

transmitting at least one packet to an access point when said poll timer expires;

receiving at least one packet in response to said transmitting; and

stopping said transmitting when an overall poll timer expires,

wherein each access category has a poll timer and an overall poll timer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said polling time-out is set to a poll time-out of the access category with the highest priority packet.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein an overall poll time-out is set to an access category with the longest poll timeout.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said transmitting corresponds to a user action.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the packet time array includes the step of identifying a time stamp.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the overall poll time-out further comprises the steps of:

determining if a packet polling is enabled;

comparing said overall poll time-out to a remaining time in an overall poll timer; and

setting said overall poll timer in view of said comparing.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein setting said overall polling timer extends a time for transmitting power-save poll frames to an access point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the poll time-out further comprises the steps of:

determining a highest priority packet on active access categories;

setting a poll time-out corresponding to said highest priority packet;

comparing said poll time-out to a remaining time in a poll timer; and

setting said poll timer in view of said comparing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein setting said poll timer provides polling at a rate corresponding to the highest priority access category.

13. A method for dynamic packet rolling during a power save mode, comprising the steps of:

rolling an access point for packets at a first rate on at least one access category;

determining a rolling time-out as a function of a first packet priority;

changing said first rate to a second rate in view of a second packet priority if said second packet priority is higher than said first packet priority; and

wherein determining the polling time-out further includes the steps of;

expiring a poll time-out;

upon said expiring, transmitting a power-save poll frame to an access point;

upon receiving a packet, identifying an access category with highest priority; and

setting said poll time-out in view of said highest priority packet, wherein said overall poll timeout has not expired.