Power save improvement during a network allocation vector period

• US 8,358,612 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 197 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), TP-Link USA Corporation (TP-Link Technologies Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wentink, Menzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/686,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 455/422.1, 455/450, 455/452.2
• US Class Current: 370/328
• 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

Included are embodiments for operating in a wireless environment. At least one embodiment of a method includes setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to a second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, wherein setting the first data frame includes determining a time period of communicative inactivity.

Claims

1. A method for operating in a wireless environment, comprising:

sending a trigger frame to a second device;

receiving an acknowledgement of the trigger frame from the second device;

receiving a second data frame from the second device;

determining, using a processor, a time period of communicative inactivity that corresponds to a turnaround time of the second device, wherein the turnaround time of the second device comprises a time between sending the acknowledgement and the second data frame, and wherein the turnaround time is based at least in part on the received second data frame;

setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to the second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, and wherein the first data frame includes the time period of communicative inactivity; and

sending the first data frame to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating utilization of a power save mode on the first device during the determined time period of communicative inactivity, wherein facilitating utilization of the power save mode includes shutting down at least one of the active components.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resuming normal power mode associated with the first device, after expiration of the determined time period of communicative inactivity; and

receiving a fourth data frame from the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data frame is a trigger frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the first data frame includes setting a Net Allocation Vector (NAV).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data frame is a Clear To Send (CTS) data frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a communications device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device includes an access point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data frame includes the turnaround time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a third data frame, wherein the second data frame is received in response to the third data frame;

measuring a time between the sending of the third data frame and the receiving of the second data frame, wherein the measured time is the turnaround time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending multiple trigger frames to the second device;

receiving multiple acknowledgements in response to the sending of the multiple trigger frames;

receiving multiple data frames corresponding to the sending of multiple trigger frames; and

calculating multiple times, wherein each of the multiple times comprises a time between sending of an acknowledgement and a data frame corresponding to one of the multiple trigger frames, wherein the time period of communicative inactivity is based upon the multiple times.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating an average of the multiple of times, wherein the average is the time period of communicative inactivity.

23. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating a maximum of the multiple of times, wherein the maximum is the time period of communicative inactivity.

12. A system for operating in a wireless environment, comprising:

means for sending a trigger frame to a second device;

means for receiving an acknowledgement of the trigger frame from the second device;

means for receiving a second data frame from the second device;

means for determining a time period of communicative inactivity that corresponds to a turnaround time of the second device, wherein the turnaround time of the second device comprises a time between sending the acknowledgement and the second data frame, and wherein the turnaround time is based at least in part on the received second data frame;

means for setting a first data frame for transmission from a first device to the second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, and wherein the first data frame includes the time period of communicative inactivity; and

means for sending the first data frame to the second device.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for facilitating utilization of a power save mode on the first device during the determined time period of communicative inactivity, wherein facilitating utilization of the power save mode includes shutting down at least one of the active components.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for resuming normal power mode associated with the first device, after expiration of the determined time period of communicative inactivity; and

means for receiving a fourth data frame from the second device.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first data frame includes a trigger frame.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein means for setting the first data frame includes means for setting a Net Allocation Vector (NAV).

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first data frame includes a Clear To Send (CTS) data frame.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the first device includes a communications device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the second device includes an access point.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to send a trigger frame to a second device;

a receiver configured to;

receive an acknowledgement of the trigger frame from the second device; and

receive a second data frame from the second device;

a processor configured to;

determine a time period of communicative inactivity that corresponds to a turnaround time of the second device, wherein the turnaround time of the second device comprises a time between sending the acknowledgement and the second data frame, and wherein the turnaround time is based at least in part on the received second data frame;

set a first data frame for transmission from a first device to the second device, wherein the first device is configured to operate in a normal power mode that includes utilization of a plurality of active components, and wherein setting the first data frame includes determining a time period of communicative inactivity; and

the transmitter further configured to send the first data frame to the second device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to facilitate utilization of a power save mode on the first device during the determined time period of communicative inactivity,

wherein facilitating utilization of the power save mode includes shutting down at least one of the active components.