Idle state management

• US 8,441,971 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tanach, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US11/018,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20060133304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,066 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/345, 370/445, 370/461, 370/316, 370/346, 455/63.1, 455/343.1
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0232 according to average transmission signal activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to enter an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication.

Claims

1. An apparatus, including:

an idle indication module to initiate entry into an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication;

a filter to remove glitches of less than a selected time period from the combined clear channel assessment indication;

a first node to receive a first physical layer protocol status and a second node to receive a second physical layer protocol status to combine with the first physical layer protocol status in an OR operation to provide the combined clear channel assessment indication; and

a module to determine a particular time period to refrain from entering the idle state subsequent to receiving the combined clear channel assessment indication, the particular time period comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, or a portion of a frame length.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first physical layer protocol status comprises a first Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, and wherein the second physical layer protocol status comprises a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises an OR operation of a clear channel assessment status of the first physical layer protocol and a clear channel assessment status of the second physical layer protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a combination of the first physical layer protocol status, the second physical layer protocol status, and a third physical layer protocol status.

5. A system, including:

a modem to provide a first clear channel assessment status;

an idle indication module to initiate entry into an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication based on an OR operation between the first clear channel assessment status and a second clear channel assessment status;

a filter to remove glitches of less than a selected time period from the combined clear channel assessment indication;

a timer with a selectable threshold to determine a time to refrain from entering the idle state subsequent to receiving the combined clear channel assessment, the time comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, or a portion of a frame length; and

a display to couple to the idle indication module.

6. The system of claim 5, further including:

a receiver to couple to the idle indication module.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first clear channel assessment status comprises a first Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, and wherein the second clear channel assessment status comprises a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

8. A method, including:

entering an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication;

filtering the combined clear channel assessment indication to remove glitches of less than a selected time period; and

determining a time to wait before entering the idle state subsequent to receiving the combined clear channel assessment indication, the time comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, or a portion of a frame length;

wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a function of an OR operation between a status of a first physical layer protocol and a status of a second physical layer protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the function includes:

an OR operation of a clear channel assessment status of the first physical layer protocol and a clear channel assessment status of the second physical layer protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the status of the first physical layer protocol is selected from a first Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status, wherein the status of the second physical layer protocol is selected from a second IEEE 802.11 protocol clear channel assessment status.

11. The method of claim 8, further including:

combining the status of the first physical layer protocol, the status of the second physical layer protocol, and a third physical layer protocol status to provide the combined clear channel assessment indication.

12. An article including a machine-accessible medium having associated information, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

entering an idle state of a wireless device for a selected amount of time responsive to a combined clear channel assessment indication;

filtering the combined clear channel assessment indication to remove glitches of less than a selected time period, wherein the combined clear channel assessment indication comprises a function of an OR operation between a first physical layer protocol status and a second physical layer protocol status; and

determining a time to wait before entering the idle state subsequent to detecting the combined clear channel assessment indication, the time comprising a function of at least one of a short inter-frame space (SIFS) time, a distributed inter-frame space (DIFS) time, an acknowledge (ACK) time, a slot time, or a portion of a frame length.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the first physical layer protocol status comprises an Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b protocol status, and wherein the second physical layer protocol status comprises one of an IEEE 802.11g protocol status and an IEEE 802.11a protocol status.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

receiving the first physical layer protocol status and the second physical layer protocol status from at least one modem.