Wireless LAN power savings

• US 8,559,361 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Mishra, Partho, Goel, Sandesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, KHOA B
• Application Number:
  US13/019,110
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/318
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system, comprising: a first receiver of a baseband processor (BBP) configured to determine whether a signal includes a frame; a second receiver of a media access controller (MAC) configured to identify a destination address in the frame; a processor configured to selectively process the frame; and a power management module configured to transition each of the first receiver of the BBP, the second receiver of the MAC, and the processor to the active mode based on predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first receiver of a baseband processor (BBP) configured to determine whether a signal includes a frame;

a second receiver of a media access controller (MAC) configured to identify a destination address in the frame;

a processor configured to selectively process the frame; and

a power management module configured to

transition the first receiver of the BBP to an active mode (i) based on an energy level of the signal and (ii) before transitioning the second receiver of the MAC and the processor to the active mode,

transition the second receiver of the MAC to the active mode (i) in response to determining that the signal includes the frame, (ii) after transitioning the first receiver of the BBP to the active mode, and (iii) before transitioning the processor to the active mode, and

transition the processor to the active mode (i) based on the destination address and (ii) after transitioning first receiver of the BBP and the second receiver of the MAC to the active mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is configured to transition the first receiver of the BBP to the active mode in response to determining that the energy level of the signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is configured to transition the processor to the active mode in response to determining that the destination address in the frame matches a predetermined address.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third receiver of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to estimate the energy level of the signal,

wherein the power management module is configured to transition the third receiver of the RF transceiver to the active mode (i) based on a target beacon transmission time and (ii) before transitioning the first receiver of the BBP, the second receiver of the MAC, and the processor to the active mode.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the power management module is configured to transition the third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the energy level of the signal is less than a predetermined threshold.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the power management module is configured to transition the first receiver of the BBP and third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the signal does not include the frame.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the power management module is configured to transition the second receiver of the MAC, the first receiver of the BBP, and the third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the destination address in the frame does not match a predetermined address.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a first transmitter of the MAC configured to communicate with the processor;

a second transmitter of the BBP configured to communicate with the first transmitter of the MAC; and

a third transmitter of the RF transceiver configured to (i) communicate with the second transmitter of the BBP and (ii) transmit an RF signal,

wherein the power management module is configured to

transition the first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode after determining that a response to the frame is to be transmitted,

transition the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode after transitioning the first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode, and

transition the third transmitter of the RF transceiver to the active mode after transitioning the first transmitter of the MAC and the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a first transmitter of a media access controller (MAC) configured to communicate with the processor;

a second transmitter of a baseband processor (BBP) configured to communicate with the first transmitter of the MAC; and

a power management module configured to

transition the processor to an active mode (i) in response to determining that a frame is to be transmitted and (ii) before transitioning the first transmitter of the MAC and the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode,

transition the first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode (i) after transitioning the processor to the active mode and (ii) before transitioning the second transmitter of the BBP to an active mode, and

transition the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode after transitioning the processor and the first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a third transmitter of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to (i) communicate with the second transmitter of the BBP and (ii) transmit the frame,

wherein the power management module is configured to transition the third transmitter of the RF transceiver to the active mode after transitioning the processor, the first transmitter of the MAC, and the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode.

11. A method, comprising:

selectively determining an energy level of a signal prior to transitioning (i) a first receiver of a baseband processor (BBP), (ii) a second receiver of a media access controller (MAC), and (iii) a processor to an active mode;

transitioning the first receiver of the BBP to the active mode (i) based on the energy level of the signal and (ii) before transitioning the second receiver of the MAC and the processor to the active mode;

determining whether the signal includes a frame;

transitioning the second receiver of the MAC to the active mode (i) in response to determining that the signal includes the frame, (ii) after transitioning the first receiver of the BBP to the active mode, and (iii) before transitioning the processor to the active mode;

identifying a destination address in the frame; and

transitioning a processor to the active mode (i) based on the destination address and (ii) after transitioning the first receiver of the BBP and the second receiver of the MAC to the active mode.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transitioning the first receiver of the BBP to the active mode in response to determining that the energy level of the signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising transitioning the processor to the active mode in response to determining that the destination address in the frame matches a predetermined address.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transitioning a third receiver of a radio frequency (RF) transceiver to the active mode (i) based on a target beacon transmission time and (ii) before transitioning the first receiver of the BBP, the second receiver of the MAC, and the processor to the active mode; and

estimating the energy level of the signal using the third receiver of the RF transceiver.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transitioning the third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the energy level of the signal is less than a predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising transitioning the first receiver of the BBP and the third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the signal does not include the frame.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising transitioning the second receiver of the MAC, the first receiver of the BBP, and the third receiver of the RF transceiver to an inactive mode in response to determining that the destination address in the frame does not match a predetermined address.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transitioning a first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode after determining that a response to the frame is to be transmitted;

transitioning a second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode after transitioning the first transmitter of the MAC to the active mode; and

transitioning a third transmitter of the RF transceiver to the active mode after transitioning the first transmitter of the MAC and the second transmitter of the BBP to the active mode.