Wakeup beacons for mesh networks

• US 8,767,771 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Shukla, Ashish Kumar, Goel, Sandesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMUEL, DEWANDA A
• Application Number:
  US13/099,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 370/258, 370/236, 370/235, 370/373, 370/384, 370/396, 370/238, 370/406, 370/256, 370/255
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0222 in packet switched networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This disclosure describes techniques and apparatuses for wakeup beacons for mesh networks, which often permits nodes of a mesh network to save power when operating in a power-save mode. These wakeup beacons can be sent at high transmission rates and/or be small in size, thereby reducing the time a node must be awake to transmit and receive communications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a wakeup beacon schedule for a node of a mesh network, the determining including;

transmitting a request from the node to one or more peer nodes of the mesh network, the request to establish wakeup beacon broadcasts according to the wakeup beacon schedule; and

receiving, from the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network, a response;

i) accepting the request and accepting the wakeup beacon schedule;

or

ii) accepting the request but overriding the wakeup beacon schedule;

having the node enter a power-saving state, wherein during the power-saving state, the node has insufficient power to permit communications with the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network;

in accordance with the wakeup beacon schedule, having the node i) exit the power-saving state and ii) enter into a communication state, wherein during the communication state, the node is permitted to communicate with the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network;

receiving, at the node, one or more wakeup beacons from the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network, each of the one or more wakeup beacons indicating whether or not data is waiting to be received by the node;

if at least one of the one or more wakeup beacons indicates data is waiting to be received by the node, maintaining the node in the communication state to permit the node to receive the data indicated by the one or more wakeup beacons; and

if none of the one or more wakeup beacons indicates data is waiting to be received by the node, having the node re-enter the power-saving state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the wakeup beacon schedule for the node includes:

receiving the response accepting the request and accepting the wakeup beacon schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the wakeup beacon schedule for the node includes:

receiving the response accepting the request but overriding the wakeup beacon schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the wakeup beacons includes an indication that data is waiting to be received by the node, wherein the indication is located in a check-beacon field or a traffic information map (TIM) element of the wakeup beacon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakeup beacon includes a timestamp, the timestamp enabling synchronization of the node and the one or more peer nodes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakeup beacon is transmitted at data rates higher than 1 Mbps and is 35 or fewer bytes in size.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the node remains in the communication state for an awake period, wherein the awake period is sufficient in duration to i) receive the wakeup beacons from the one or more peer nodes, ii) transmit an outgoing wakeup beacon, iii) process the wakeup beacons, and iv) determine the outgoing wakeup beacon.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to determining the wakeup beacon schedule for the node, determining that the one or more peer nodes is capable of broadcasting wakeup beacons.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the one or more peer nodes is capable includes receiving, within an extended capability element of a management beacon received from the one or more peer nodes, an indication of the capability.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after exiting the power-saving state and prior to re-entering the power-saving state, transmitting an outgoing wakeup beacon from the node to the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network, the outgoing wakeup beacon indicating whether or not one of the peer nodes has data waiting to be received.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakeup beacon schedule includes a start time offset from non-wakeup beacon broadcasts.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at an intermediate node and from a transmitting node of a mesh network, data intended for a receiving node currently in a power-save mode, the intermediate node receiving the data intended for the receiving node during an awake period of the intermediate node and following an exit from a power-saving state of the intermediate node;

transmitting, in accordance with a previously determined wakeup beacon schedule and by the intermediate node between the transmitting node and the receiving node, a wakeup beacon to the receiving node, the wakeup beacon indicating that the data is available but not including the data within the wakeup beacon;

receiving, at the intermediate node and from the receiving node, an indication that the receiving node is able to receive the data or has exited the power-save mode; and

transmitting, in response to the indication from the receiving node, the data to the receiving node through a management beacon.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising re-entering, at the intermediate node, the power-saving state after transmitting the data to the receiving node.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wakeup beacon indicates that the data is waiting, the indication in a check beacon field or traffic information map (TIM) element of the wakeup beacon.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wakeup beacon is 35 or fewer bytes in size and transmitting the wakeup beacon transmits the wakeup beacon at a data rate higher than 1 Mbps.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the wakeup beacon schedule includes a start time and a wakeup beacon broadcast interval, the start time offset from non-wakeup beacon broadcasts and the wakeup beacon broadcast interval about equal to or about a multiple of a non-wakeup beacon broadcast interval.

16. A System-on-Chip (SoC) capable of operating within a node of a mesh network, the SoC having:

a manager configured to;

determine a wakeup beacon schedule for the node of the mesh network, the wakeup beacon schedule including a start time and a wakeup beacon broadcast interval, the start time offset from non-wakeup beacon broadcasts and the wakeup beacon broadcast interval about equal to or about a multiple of a non-wakeup beacon broadcast interval;

have the node enter a power-saving state, wherein during the power-saving state the node has insufficient power to permit communications with one or more peer nodes of the mesh network;

in accordance with the wakeup beacon schedule, have the node i) exit the power-saving state and ii) enter into a communication state, wherein during the communication state, the node is permitted to communicate with the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network;

a wireless receiver or transceiver configured to;

receive, at the node, one or more wakeup beacons from the one or more peer nodes of the mesh network, each of the one or more wakeup beacons indicating whether or not data is waiting to be received by the node;

the manager further configured to;

determine whether at least one of the one or more wakeup beacons indicates data is waiting to be received by the node, and;

maintain the node in the communication state responsive to determining that at least one of the one or more wakeup beacons indicates that data is waiting to be received by the node, the maintaining of the node to permit the node to receive the data indicated by the one or more wakeup beacons;

or

have the node re-enter the power-saving state responsive to determining that none of the one or more wakeup beacons indicates data is waiting to be received by the node.

17. The SoC of claim 16, wherein the manager, through the transceiver or a transmitter of the SoC, is configured to transmit an outgoing wakeup beacon in accordance with the wakeup beacon schedule and intended for the one or more peers nodes of the mesh network, the outgoing wakeup beacon transmitted at a data rate higher than 1 Mbps, being 35 bytes or less in size, and indicating whether or not data is waiting for at least one of the one or more peer nodes.

18. The SoC of claim 16, wherein the manager, through the transceiver or the receiver of the SoC, is configured to receive the one or more wakeup beacons indicating whether or not data is waiting to be received by the intermediate node in a check beacon field or traffic information map (TIM) element of each of the one or more wakeup beacons.

19. The SoC of claim 16, wherein the mesh network is a wireless local area network in which communications are made compliant with IEEE standard 802.11s.