Flexible multicast and/or broadcast listening intervals

• US 8,345,647 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kneckt, Jarkko, Jokela, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/592,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,251 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/238, 709/233, 709/245, 370/338, 370/331, 370/329, 370/395.3, 370/389, 370/401, 370/310, 370/474, 370/254, 370/252, 370/462, 370/332, 370/348, 370/341, 370/346, 370/360, 370/311, 370/312, 370/432, 455/411, 455/552.1, 455/422.1, 455/41.2, 455/432.1, 455/569.2, 455/502, 455/518, 455/574, 455/127.5, 455/420
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a new and unique method and apparatus for communicating information between two nodes, points or terminals in a wireless local area network (WLAN), where a variable multicast and/or broadcast listening interval and associated signalling is allowed between the two nodes, points or terminals in the wireless LAN network. The two nodes, points or terminals include an access point (AP) or other suitable network node or terminal and a station (STA) or other suitable network node or terminal in the WLAN. The AP and the STA can indicate its capability to support a flexible multicast and broadcast listening interval by using new fields in Beacon and Probe Response frames and in (Re)Association Request Frames. The multicast and broadcast service is setup by using Multicast and Broadcast Service Setup signalling.

Claims

1. A method for power saving comprising:

receiving in an access point in a wireless local area network a signal comprising information about a proposed first multicast listening interval for a first multicast group from a terminal in the wireless local area network;

determining in the access point a first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group based at least partly on the information contained in the signal; and

determining in the access point a second multicast listening interval for a second multicast group;

wherein the first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group is different from the second multicast listening interval for the second multicast group;

and wherein the access point can either accept the proposed first multicast listen interval or define a new multicast listen interval.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the access point and the terminal indicate their capability to support a multicast listening interval by using new fields in Beacon and Probe Response frames and in (Re)Association Request Frames.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises setting up multicast service by using Multicast Service Setup signalling.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein during this signalling phase, the multicast listening interval is agreed between the access point and the terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the signal from the terminal contains information about a proposed multicast listen interval based on a multicast service characteristic.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the access point also advertises active multicast listening intervals by sending a Multicast Service Info information element in each Beacon and Probe Response frame.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the access point also indicates whether there are buffered broadcast data and/or buffered multicast traffic belonging to a certain multicast group.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises implementing the method via a computer program running in a processor, controller or other suitable module in the access point.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises transmitting multicast traffic using a ‘

More Data’

bit to indicate the access point has buffered data from the same multicast address.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises providing a communication signal to the terminal based at least partly on a variable multicast listening interval.

11. A method for power saving comprising:

sending from a terminal in a wireless local area network a signal comprising information about a proposed first multicast listening interval for a first multicast group to an access point in the wireless local area network; and

receiving in the terminal a first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group;

wherein the first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group is different from a second multicast listening interval for a second multicast group related to the access point such that the access point can either accept the proposed first multicast listen interval or define a new multicast listen interval.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the access point and the terminal indicate their capability to support a multicast listening interval by using new fields in Beacon and Probe Response frames and in (Re)Association Request Frames.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises setting up multicast service by using Multicast Service Setup signalling.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein during this signalling phase, the multicast listen interval is agreed between the first and second nodes, points or terminals in the wireless local area network.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the signal from the terminal contains information about a proposed multicast listening interval based on a multicast service characteristic.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the access point also advertises active listen intervals by sending a Multicast Service Info information element is each Beacon and Probe Response frame.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the access point also indicates whether there are buffered broadcast data and/or buffered multicast traffic belonging to a certain multicast group.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to receive a signal comprising information about a proposed first multicast listening interval for a first multicast group from a second apparatus in the wireless local area network, to determine a multicast listening interval for the first multicast group based at least partly on the information contained in the signal; and

to determine a second multicast listening interval for a second multicast group;

wherein the first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group is different from the second multicast listening interval for the second multicast group;

and wherein the apparatus can either accept the proposed first multicast listen interval or define a new multicast listen interval.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the apparatus and second apparatus include an access point or other suitable network node or terminal and a station or other suitable network node or terminal in the wireless local area network.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the access point and the station indicate their capability to support multicast listening interval by using new fields in Beacon and Probe Response frames and in (Re)Association Request Frames.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the signal from the station contains information about a proposed multicast listening interval based on the multicast service characteristic.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the access point also advertises active multicast listening intervals by sending a Multicast Service Info information element in each Beacon and Probe Response frame.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the access point also indicates whether there are buffered broadcast data and/or buffered multicast traffic belonging to a certain multicast group.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to set up a multicast service by using Multicast Service Setup signalling.

25. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein during this signalling phase the multicast listening interval for the multicast service is agreed between the first apparatus and the second apparatus in the wireless local area network.

26. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein multicast traffic is transmitted using a ‘

More Data’

bit to indicate the first apparatus has buffered data from the same multicast or broadcast address.

27. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to provide a communication signal to the second apparatus based at least partly on the variable multicast listening interval.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium stored with code, which when executed by a processor in a first apparatus, causes the first apparatus to perform a method comprising

receiving in a first apparatus in a wireless local area network a signal comprising information about a proposed first multicast interval for a first multicast group from a second apparatus in the wireless local area network;

determining in the first apparatus a first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group based at least partly on the information contained in the signal,

determining in the first apparatus a second multicast listening interval for a second multicast group;

wherein the first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group is different from the second multicast listening interval for the second multicast group;

and wherein the first apparatus can either accept the proposed first multicast listen interval or define a new multicast listen interval.

29. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to send in a wireless local area network a signal comprising information about a proposed first multicast listening interval for a first multicast group to a second apparatus in the wireless local area network, and to receive in the apparatus in the wireless local area network a first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group;

wherein the first multicast listening interval for the first multicast group is different from a second multicast listening interval for a second multicast group related to the second apparatus such that the second apparatus can either accept the proposed first multicast listen interval or define a new multicast listen interval.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the apparatus and second apparatus include an access point or other suitable network node or terminal and a station or other suitable network node or terminal in the wireless local area.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the access point and the station indicate their capability to support a flexible multicast listening interval by using new fields in Beacon and Probe Response frames and in (Re)Association Request Frames.

32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the signal from the station contains information about a proposed listen interval based on a multicast service characteristic.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the access point also advertises active listening intervals by sending a Multicast Service Info information element is each Beacon and Probe Response frame.

34. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein during this signalling phase, the listening interval for the multicast service is agreed between the apparatus and second apparatus in the wireless local area network.

35. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to set up multicast service by using Multicast Service Setup signalling.