Access point power save mechanism for wireless communication systems
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- switching from an active power mode to a power save mode at an access point, in response to not detecting communication activity associated with the access point for a predetermined idle time interval threshold;
initiating a sleep sub-state and an awake sub-state during the power save mode of the access point;
determining whether the awake sub-state coincides with a beacon transmission time instant associated with the access point;
broadcasting a probe response message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state does not coincide with the beacon transmission time instant; and
broadcasting a beacon message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state coincides with the beacon transmission time instant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Power saving mechanisms can be implemented in an access point to improve power consumption. The access point can be configured to switch from an active power mode to a power save mode in response to not detecting communication activity for at least a predetermined idle time interval. In the power save mode, one or more sleep sub-states and one or more awake sub-states are initiated at the access point. During each awake sub-state, it is determined whether the awake sub-state coincides with a beacon transmission time instant. The access point broadcasts a probe response message if the awake sub-state does not coincide with the beacon transmission time instant. The access point broadcasts a beacon message if the awake sub-state coincides with the beacon transmission time instant.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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switching from an active power mode to a power save mode at an access point, in response to not detecting communication activity associated with the access point for a predetermined idle time interval threshold; initiating a sleep sub-state and an awake sub-state during the power save mode of the access point; determining whether the awake sub-state coincides with a beacon transmission time instant associated with the access point; broadcasting a probe response message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state does not coincide with the beacon transmission time instant; and broadcasting a beacon message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state coincides with the beacon transmission time instant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A network device comprising:
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a processor; a network interface coupled with the processor; and a power save unit coupled with the processor and with the network interface, the power save unit operable to; switch from an active power mode to a power save mode, in response to not detecting communication activity associated with the network device for a predetermined idle time interval threshold; initiate a sleep sub-state and an awake sub-state during the power save mode of the network device; determine whether the awake sub-state coincides with a beacon transmission time instant associated with the network device; broadcast a probe response message associated with the network device during the awake sub-state, in response to the power save unit determining that the awake sub-state does not coincide with the beacon transmission time instant; and broadcast a beacon message associated with the network device during the awake sub-state, in response to the power save unit determining that the awake sub-state coincides with the beacon transmission time instant. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations that comprise:
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switching from an active power mode to a power save mode, in response to not detecting communication activity associated with an access point for a predetermined idle time interval threshold; initiating a sleep sub-state and an awake sub-state during the power save mode, wherein the sleep sub-state and the awake sub-state are consecutive and periodically repeating time intervals during the power save mode; determining whether the awake sub-state coincides with a beacon transmission time instant associated with the access point; broadcasting a probe response message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state does not coincide with the beacon transmission time instant; and broadcasting a beacon message associated with the access point during the awake sub-state, in response to determining that the awake sub-state coincides with the beacon transmission time instant. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification