Reducing receiver power dissipation

• US 8,411,798 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Sahai, Aakash, Meyer, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYNALEM, NATHNAEL B
• Application Number:
  US12/265,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20100112974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 37524001-24029, 375/136, 375316-352, 375/147, 375/358, 370/210, 714/781, 455/334, 725/37, 725/49, 725 62- 72, 725/85, 725/89, 725/100, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151
• US Class Current: 375/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of controlling a receiver. A group identifier or modulation and coding scheme is sent in a physical layer header. This group identifier or modulation and coding scheme, or both, determine whether the corresponding physical layer frame should be fully demodulated and decoded. If it is not necessary to fully demodulate and decode the physical layer frame, the receiver may disable its demodulator, decoder, or both. This results in a power savings. A hub device sends the group identifier or modulation and coding scheme in the physical layer header. This allows receivers that are not addressed by the group identifier, or modulation and coding scheme, to disable at least a portion of their circuitry. Disabling at least a portion of circuitry saves power consumption and dissipation. The hub device may also send control messages to tell the receiver which group identifiers, or modulation and coding schemes, they should respond to.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a receiver, comprising:

receiving a first frame header comprising a first indicator and a first group identifier, said first indicator corresponding to a first modulation and coding scheme;

based on determining that said first indicator and said first group identifier are both within a control grouping for said receiver, demodulating and decoding a first frame according to said first modulation and coding scheme;

receiving a second frame header comprising a second indicator and a second group identifier, said second indicator corresponding to a second modulation and coding scheme; and

,

based on determining that said second indicator is outside of said control grouping for said receiver, preventing at least a portion of a second frame from being demodulated and decoded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group identifier is a member of a set of group identifiers associated with said receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message including a set of group identifiers that determines which group identifiers will result in demodulating and decoding said first frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said control grouping comprises a plurarity of group identifiers and a plurality of indicators of modulation and coding schemes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiver powers down when said demodulating and decoding on said second frame is prevented.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said preventing at least a portion of a second frame from being demodulated and decoded is further based on said second group identifier received as part of said second frame header.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that said second group identifier is within said control grouping for said receiver.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said preventing said at least a portion of said second frame from being demodulated and decoded comprises:

disabling a demodulator at said receiver.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said preventing said at least a portion of said second frame from being demodulated and decoded comprises:

disabling a decoder at said receiver.

7. A method of controlling a receiver, comprising:

receiving a first frame header comprising a first indicator, said first indicator corresponding to a first modulation and coding scheme;

based on said first indicator, demodulating and decoding a first frame according to said first modulation and coding scheme;

receiving a second frame header comprising a second indicator, said second indicator corresponding to a second modulation and coding scheme; and

,

based on said second indicator, deactivating at least a portion of said receiver such that at least a portion of a second frame is not demodulated and decoded.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an indicator of a set of modulation and coding schemes that determines which modulation and coding schemes will result in demodulating and decoding said first frame.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said first indicator corresponding to a modulation and coding scheme of a control group results in demodulating and decoding said first frame.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first frame header further comprises a first group identifier and the second frame header further comprises a second group identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said deactivating is further based on said second group identifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said first group identifier is a member of a set of group identifiers associated with said receiver.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a message including a set of group identifiers that determines which group identifiers will result in demodulating and decoding said first frame.

17. A device comprising:

a demodulator configured to demodulate received frames;

a decoder, communicatively coupled with said demodulator, configured to decode said demodulated frames; and

a group control, communicatively coupled with said demodulator and said decoder, and configured to;

receive a first indicator and a first group identifier associated with a received frame, said first indicator corresponding to a first modulation and coding scheme;

determine whether said first group identifier and said first indicator are within a control grouping for said device; and

disable said demodulator when said determination is that said first indicator is outside of said control grouping.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein,

said group control determines said first group identifier is within a control grouping for said device before disabling said demodulator.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein,

the group control disables said decoder when said determination is that said first indicator is outside of said control grouping.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein said frame comprises a physical layer frame.