Power saving via variable listen intervals in a WLAN

• US 8,363,596 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wang, James, Nagy, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/538,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20090296618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,270 Days
• Field of Search: 370/413, 370/328, 370/277, 370/496, 370/337, 370/248, 370/474, 370/329, 370/331, 370/352, 370/343, 370/311, 370/252, 370/389, 370/310, 370/254, 370/338, 370/401, 455/161.1, 455/574, 455/420, 455/450, 455/426, 455/432.2, 455/562.1, 715/751, 715/737, 715/273, 713/300, 713/320, 713/322, 709/229, 709/217, 709/220, 709/224
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• 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

A wireless client device is associated with an access point in an association having a value for a listen interval parameter. The wireless client device determines, according to predefined considerations, a different value for the listen interval parameter, and declares the different value for the listen interval parameter in a wireless transmission to the access point. The listen interval parameter specifies a number of beacon intervals that can pass from a time the wireless client device listens for a beacon frame from the access point before the wireless client device listens for a next beacon frame from the access point.

Claims

1. A method of increasing a power saving potential of a wireless client device that is associated with an access point in an association having a value for a listen interval parameter, the method comprising:

determining, according to predefined considerations, a different value for said listen interval parameter; and

declaring said different value for said listen interval parameter in a wireless transmission to said access point,

wherein said listen interval parameter specifies a number of beacon intervals that can pass from a time said wireless client device listens for a beacon frame from said access point before said wireless client device listens for a next beacon frame from said access point, and

wherein said predefined considerations comprise an expected usage model for said wireless client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein declaring said different value comprises:

initiating a reassociation request to declare said different value for said listen interval parameter to said access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined considerations comprise a charge level of a battery to power said wireless client device.

4. A wireless client device comprising:

a memory to store a value of a listen interval parameter that specifies a number of beacon intervals that can pass from a time said wireless client device listens for a beacon frame from an access point before said wireless client device listens for a next beacon frame from said access point;

a radio through which said device is associated with said access point in an association having said value for said listen interval parameter; and

a processor to determine, according to predefined considerations, a different value for said listen interval parameter and to declare said different value for said listen interval parameter to said access point via said radio, wherein said predefined considerations comprise an expected usage model for said wireless client device.

5. The wireless client device of claim 4, wherein the processor is arranged to initiate a reassociation request to declare said different value for said listen interval parameter to said access point.

6. The wireless client device of claim 4, wherein said predefined considerations comprise a charge level of a battery to power said wireless client device.

7. The wireless client device of claim 4, wherein said access point uses an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network standard.

8. A wireless communications system comprising:

an access point; and

a wireless client device comprising;

a memory to store a value of a listen interval parameter that specifies a number of beacon intervals that can pass from a time said wireless client device listens for a beacon frame from said access point before said wireless client device listens for a next beacon frame from said access point;

a radio through which said device is associated with said access point in an association having said value for said listen interval parameter; and

a processor to determine, according to predefined considerations, a different value for said listen interval parameter and to declare said different value for said listen interval parameter to said access point via said radio,

wherein said predefined considerations comprise an expected usage model for said wireless client device.

9. The wireless communications system of claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to initiate a re-association request to declare said different value for said listen interval parameter to said access point.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 8, wherein said predefined considerations comprise a charge level of a battery to power said wireless client device.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 8, wherein said access point uses an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network standard.

12. A non-transitory memory comprising computer code, which when executed by a processor of a wireless client device that is associated with an access point in an association having a value for a listen interval parameter, results in the wireless client device:

determining, according to predefined considerations, a different value for said listen interval parameter; and

declaring said different value for said listen interval parameter in a wireless transmission to said access point,

wherein said listen interval parameter specifies a number of beacon intervals that can pass from a time said wireless client device listens for a beacon frame from said access point before said wireless client device listens for a next beacon frame from said access point,

wherein said predefined considerations comprise an expected usage model for said wireless client device.

13. The memory of claim 12, wherein said predefined considerations comprise a charge level of a battery to power said wireless client device.