Base station, method of operating a base station and wireless communication system

• US 8,447,368 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lantiq Deutschland GMBH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Zettler, Thomas, Bry, Charles, Kassel, Pidder, Bjarnason, Elias
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US12/270,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/572, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/522, 455/127.1, 370/311, 370/347, 375/316
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A base station for wireless communication comprises a receiver and a processor. The receiver has a first operating state and a second operating state with different power consumption levels. In the first operating state, the receiver is configured to receive a signal. The processor is coupled to the receiver to switch the receiver between the first and second operating states.

Claims

1. A base station for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver having a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein said receiver in said first operating state is configured to receive signals, and wherein said receiver in said second operating state has a power consumption lower than in said first operating state; and

a processor coupled to said receiver and configured to control said receiver based on at least one parameter so that said receiver periodically switches from said first operating state to said second operating state and back to said first operating state while no signal is received by said receiver, said processor being configured to adjust said at least one parameter to variably adjust a timing of said switching from said second operating state to said first operating state of said receiver.

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to control said receiver to switch to said first operating state for a time interval determined based on said at least one parameter.

3. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to adjust said at least one parameter based on signal characteristics of a request transmitted by a client device to establish a connection with said base station.

4. The base station according to claim 3, wherein said at least one parameter comprises a duration of said request transmitted by said client device.

5. The base station according to claim 4, wherein said at least one parameter further comprises a repetition count of said request transmitted by said client device.

6. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said base station is configured for communication in a wide area network or a wired telephone network.

7. The base station according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to periodically switch said receiver from said first operating state to said second operating state and back to said first operating state while no client device is associated with the base station.

8. A wireless communication system, comprising

a communication device comprising a receiver;

and

a client device configured to transmit a request to said communication device to establish a connection with said communication device;

wherein said receiver of said communication device has a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein said receiver in said first operating state is configured to receive said request from said client device, and wherein said receiver in said second operating state has a power consumption lower than in said first operating state,

wherein said receiver is configured to periodically switch from said first operating state to said second operating state and back to said first operating state while no signal is received by said receiver based on signal characteristics of said request transmitted by said client device, and to variably adjust a timing of said switching from said second operating state to said first operating state.

9. The wireless communication system according to claim 8,

wherein said communication device is a base station configured to detect said signal characteristics of said request.

10. The wireless communication system according to claim 8,

wherein said communication device is a base station configured to identify said client device and to establish said signal characteristics of said request based on said identified client device.

11. The wireless communication system according to claim 8, wherein said receiver is configured to periodically switch from said first operating state to said second operating state and back to said first operating state while no client device is associated with the base station.

12. A base station for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver; and

a processor coupled to said receiver and configured to process signals received by said receiver;

wherein said base station has a learning mode,

wherein, when said learning mode is activated, said receiver is configured to receive an association request and said processor is configured to determine signal characteristics of said association request,

wherein said processor is configured to control said receiver based on said determined signal characteristics in a low power mode so that said receiver periodically switches from a higher power consumption operating state to a lower power consumption operating state and back to said higher power consumption operating state while no signal is received by said receiver, said processor being configured to variably adjust a timing of said switching from said lower power consumption operating state to said higher power consumption operating state in said low power mode.

13. The base station according to claim 12, wherein said association request comprises a plurality of association request signals, and said determined signal characteristics comprise at least one of a duration of an association request signal, a time delay between successive association request signals and a repetition count of said plurality of association request signals.

14. The base station according to claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to control said receiver based on said determined signal characteristics so that said receiver periodically switches from said higher power consumption operating state to said lower power consumption operating state and back to said higher power consumption operating state.

15. The base station according to claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to respectively determine said signal characteristics for a plurality of client devices and to control said receiver based on said signal characteristics determined for said plurality of client devices.

16. The base station according to claim 15, comprising

a memory;

wherein said processor is coupled to said memory to store said signal characteristics determined for said plurality of client devices in said memory.

17. The base station according to claim 12, wherein said base station is a WLAN access point.

18. A method of operating a base station for wireless communication, comprising:

providing a base station;

receiving an association request from a client device at said base station;

determining signal characteristics of said received association request; and

controlling said base station based on said determined signal characteristics so that said base station periodically switches between a plurality of operating states with different power consumption levels in a low power mode and so that a timing of said switching between said plurality of operating states in said low power mode is variably adjusted.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said association request transmitted by said client device comprises a plurality of association request signals, and said determined signal characteristics comprise at least one of a duration of an association request signal, a time delay between successive association request signals and a repetition count of said plurality of association request signals.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said base station is controlled such that said base station is configured to receive at least one association request signal of said plurality of association request signals in said low power mode.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said receiving and said determining are performed for a plurality of client devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said base station is controlled such that, when any one client device of said plurality of client devices transmits an association request comprising a plurality of association request signals, said base station is configured to receive at least one association request signal of said association request in said low power mode.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein said base station periodically switches between said plurality of operating states while no client device is associated with the base station.

24. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a communication device having a low power mode; and

a client device configured to transmit a wake-up signal to said communication device to initiate a wake-up of said communication device from said low power mode, wherein said client device is configured to generate said wake-up signal based on a parameter;

wherein said communication device is configured to set said parameter and to notify said client device of said set parameter, and to switch between different operation states in said low power mode at variably adjusted intervals.

25. The wireless communication system according to claim 24, wherein said communication device is a base station configured to periodically listen in said low power mode for said wake-up signal with a periodicity, wherein said periodicity is adjusted based on said set parameter.

26. The wireless communication system according to claim 25,

wherein said client device has a low power mode in which said client device periodically listens for a signal from said base station with a further periodicity,

wherein said base station is configured to set said further periodicity and to notify said client device of said set further periodicity.

27. The wireless communication system according to claim 24, further comprising:

at least one additional client device,

wherein said communication device is configured to set said parameter such that said client device and said at least one additional client device respectively are configured to transmit a wake-up signal generated based on said set parameter.

28. The wireless communication system according to claim 24, wherein said wireless communication system is a DECT telephone system.