Power management in wireless communication systems

• US 8,498,230 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kasslin, Mika, Tirronen, Mikko, Virtanen, Sami, Leppnen, Kari
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAHMAND, ASHIL S
• Application Number:
  US12/396,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/462, 340 732- 738, 4553431-3436
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the invocation of active states and power conservation states in accordance with the standard or diluted beacon periods defined in beacon frames. Active periods, or “awake windows,” may be defined by additional information (e.g., information elements) that is included in the beacon. Awake windows may establish periods of time during which apparatuses may contend for access to a wireless communication medium. A methodology may further be employed to help determine which apparatuses will have priority when accessing the communication medium. This criteria may be used alone or in combination with the corresponding standard channel access rules (e.g., contention) that govern operation of the particular wireless communication medium in order to control how apparatuses communicate and interact in the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining at an apparatus that is awake during a beacon interval, whether frames are queued for transmission;

contending, at the apparatus, for a first transmit opportunity to gain access to a wireless communication medium;

if the apparatus gains access to the wireless communication medium and has no frames queued for transmission, contending for additional transmit opportunities during the beacon interval until gaining a predetermined number of transmit opportunities or until a predetermined awake period has expired; and

transitioning the apparatus to a doze state when gaining the predetermined number of transmit opportunities or determining that the predetermined awake period has expired.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on a timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication whether to wake up the apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication are determined based on a timing synchronization function that is synchronized to a beacon period of a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contending for an additional transmit opportunity is based on a determined network configuration and channel access state;

and

wherein network configuration comprises whether or not the network is operating in a beacon prioritized configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the channel access state is non-empty queue contention when it is determined that frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus, and is empty queue contention when no frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity after a beacon is transmitted when the apparatus is determined to be in a beacon prioritized configuration and in a non-empty queue contention state.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein after a beacon is received, transmitting one or more frames over the wireless communication medium when the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity and is determined to be in a non-empty queue contention state.

8. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer program code configured to determine whether to wake up at an apparatus that is awake during a beacon interval, whether frames are queued for transmission;

computer program code configured to, contend, at the apparatus, for a first transmit opportunity to gain access to a wireless communication medium;

computer program code configured to, if the apparatus gains access to the wireless communication medium and has no frames queued for transmission, contend for additional transmit opportunities during the beacon interval until gaining a predetermined number of transmit opportunities or until a predetermined awake period has expired; and

computer program code configured to transition the apparatus to a doze state when gaining the predetermined number of transmit opportunities or determining that the predetermined awake period has expired.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer program code configured to determine, based on a timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication whether to wake up the apparatus.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication are determined based on a timing synchronization function that is synchronized to a beacon period of a wireless network.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the contending for an additional transmit opportunity is based on a determined network configuration and channel access state;

and

wherein network configuration comprises whether or not the network is operating in a beacon prioritized configuration.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the channel access state is non-empty queue contention when it is determined that frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus, and is empty queue contention when no frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity after a beacon is transmitted when the apparatus is determined to be in a beacon prioritized configuration and in a non-empty queue contention state.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein after a beacon is received, transmitting one or more frames over the wireless communication medium when the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity and is determined to be in a non-empty queue contention state.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory including computer program code;

the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine, when the apparatus is awake during a beacon interval, whether frames are queued for transmission

contend, at the apparatus, for a first transmit opportunity to gain access to a wireless communication medium;

if the apparatus gains access to the wireless communication medium and has no frames queued for transmission, contend for additional transmit opportunities during the beacon interval until gaining a predetermined number of transmit opportunities or until a predetermined awake period has expired; and

transition the apparatus to a doze state when gaining the predetermined number of transmit opportunities or determining that the predetermined awake period has expired.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

determine, based on a timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication whether to wake up the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the timing signal and at least one of an associated beacon period indication or a diluted beacon period indication are determined based on a timing synchronization function that is synchronized to a beacon period of a wireless network.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contending for an additional transmit opportunity is based on a determined network configuration and channel access state;

and

wherein network configuration comprises whether or not the network is operating in a beacon prioritized configuration.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the channel access state is non-empty queue contention when it is determined that frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus, and is empty queue contention when no frames are queued for transmission in the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity after a beacon is transmitted when the apparatus is determined to be in a beacon prioritized configuration and in a non-empty queue contention state.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein after a beacon is received, transmitting one or more frames over the wireless communication medium when the apparatus is granted a transmit opportunity and is determined to be in a non-empty queue contention state.