Dealing with lost acknowledgements when power-saving

• US 8,009,600 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Krishnakumar, Anjur Sundaresan, Kocherla, Srinivasa Rao, Benveniste, Mathilde
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US10/769,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,769 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343, 455/574, 455/434, 370/338, 370/318, 370/311, 370/310
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A novel method and apparatus for coping with lost acknowledgements from power-saving stations in local-area networks are disclosed. In particular, the illustrative embodiment modifies the access point'"'"'s and power-saving stations'"'"' protocols to prevent repeated lost acknowledgements from occurring. An access point, after transmitting the final downlink frame of a sequence to a station and receiving an acknowledgement from the station, transmits a “double acknowledgement” to the station. A power-saving station, after receiving the final downlink frame of a sequence and transmitting an acknowledgement to the access point, stays awake until one of the following occur: (i) the station receives a double acknowledgement, (ii) the station observes a frame transmitted from the access point to another station, or (iii) the station observes that the shared-communications channel of the local-area network is idle for a particular time interval.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving, from a sender in a network, a final frame of a sequence of multiple frames;

(b) transmitting, to the sender of said final frame, a first acknowledgement that acknowledges receipt of said final frame from the sender;

(c) receiving from the sender of said final frame a second acknowledgement, the second acknowledgement indicating receipt of the first acknowledgement by the sender; and

(d) entering, after receiving the second acknowledgment in (c), a reduced-power state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (a), (b), and (c) are via a shared-communications channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first acknowledgement that acknowledges said final frame is in a first protocol and wherein said second acknowledgement that acknowledges said first acknowledgement is in a second protocol.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

between step (b) and step (c);

storing a value indicative a current time value;

monitoring an amount of time passing since storing the value; and

comparing the amount of time to a threshold value.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

between step (b) and step (c);

receiving an additional frame from the sender after receiving the final frame;

checking whether the additional frame is directed to a different station than a station receiving the final frame; and

detecting that the additional frame from the sender includes the second acknowledgement.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

between step (b) and step (c);

receiving an additional frame from the sender on a shared communication channel after receiving the final frame; and

in response to detecting that the additional frame from the sender is a regular down link frame from the sender and not the second acknowledgement, monitoring the shared communication channel for more frames in lieu of entering the reduced-power state.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first acknowledgement that acknowledges said final frame is transmitted in accordance with a first protocol and wherein said second acknowledgement is referenced in accordance with a second protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the reduced-power state occurs in response to receiving the second acknowledgement from the sender.

9. A method comprising:

(a) transmitting to a station a frame f in a sequence of one or more frames;

(b) receiving from said station a first acknowledgement that acknowledges said frame f;

(c) transmitting to said station, after (b), a second acknowledgement that acknowledges said first acknowledgement when (i) said frame f is the final frame of said sequence, and (ii) said station is the last polled station during a contention-free period; and

(d) transmitting to said station, after (b), the frame following said frame f in said sequence when said frame f precedes the final frame of said sequence.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first acknowledgement that acknowledges said final frame is in a first protocol and wherein said second acknowledgement that acknowledges said first acknowledgement is in a second protocol.

11. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a final frame of a sequence of one or more frames via a shared-communications channel;

(b) transmitting via said shared-communications channel a first acknowledgement to the sender of said final frame, wherein said first acknowledgement acknowledges said final frame;

(c) listening, after (b), to said shared-communications channel for a second acknowledgement; and

(d) entering a reduced-power state when said second acknowledgement acknowledges said first acknowledgement.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

(e) entering said reduced-power state when said second acknowledgement is directed to another party.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

(f) entering said reduced-power state when, during (c), said shared-communications channel is idle for a time interval.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said first acknowledgement that acknowledges said final frame is in a first protocol and wherein said second acknowledgement that acknowledges said first acknowledgement is in a second protocol.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver for;

receiving a final frame of a sequence of one or more frames,

transmitting to the sender of said final frame a first acknowledgement that acknowledges receipt of said final frame, and

receiving, from the sender of said final frame, a second acknowledgement that acknowledges receipt of said first acknowledgement by the sender; and

a logic circuit for outputting, after said transceiver receives said second acknowledgement, a signal that causes said transceiver to enter a reduced-power state.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said transceiver transmits and receives via a shared-communications channel.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting to a station a frame f of a sequence of one or more frames;

a receiver for receiving from said station a first acknowledgement that acknowledges said frame f; and

a logic circuit for;

outputting, when said frame f is the final frame of said sequence and said station is the last polled station during a contention-free period, a signal that causes said transmitter to transmit a second acknowledgement that acknowledges said first acknowledgement, and

outputting, when said frame f precedes the final frame of said sequence, a signal that causes said transmitter to transmit the second acknowledgement following said frame f in said sequence.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver for;

receiving a final frame of a sequence of one or more frames via a shared-communications channel,

transmitting to the sender of said final frame, via said shared-communications channel, a first acknowledgement that acknowledges said final frame, and

listening, after transmitting said first acknowledgement, to said shared-communications channel for a second acknowledgement; and

a logic circuit for outputting, when said second acknowledgement acknowledges said first acknowledgement, a signal that causes said transceiver to enter a reduced-power state.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said logic circuit is also for outputting said signal when said second acknowledgement is directed to another party.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said logic circuit is also for outputting said signal when, after said transceiver transmits said first acknowledgement, said shared-communications channel is idle for a time interval.