Standby time improvements for stations in a wireless network

• US 8,880,104 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Meylan, Arnaud, Deshpande, Manoj M., Nanda, Sanjiv
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/680,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20070297438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,806 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.5, 455/458, 455/522, 455572-574, 455/13.4, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/525, 455/418, 340 732- 738, 370/311, 370/318, 370/338, 370/329, 370/445, 370/431, 370/312, 381/123, 381/80, 381/77
• US Class Current: 455/457
• 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 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques to improve the standby time of a station in a wireless network are described. An access point may advertise or convey a maximum listen interval and/or an association timeout supported by that access point. A station may operate in a power-save mode and may wake up every listen interval to receive a beacon and any potential traffic for the station. The station may select a suitable listen interval based on the maximum listen interval. The station may be dormant for a longer duration than the listen interval and may become active at least once in every association timeout in order to keep the association with the access point alive. The access point may also send broadcast and multicast traffic that might be of interest to stations in the power-save mode less frequently and using a special indication message.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to send a plurality of requests for a plurality of listen interval values, to receive a response accepting one of the plurality of requests, to receive another response denying another one of the plurality of requests, and to determine a listen interval for use based on the received responses; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the listen interval is not determined until both the response accepting one of the plurality of requests and the response denying another one of the plurality of requests are received.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send one request for one listen interval value at a time until the response accepting one of the plurality of requests and the response denying another one of the plurality of requests are both received.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send one request for one listen interval value at a time, starting with a request for a largest listen interval value and concluding with a request for a smallest listen interval value, until the response accepting one of the plurality of requests is received.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send one request for one listen interval value at a time, starting with a request for a smallest listen interval value and concluding with a request for a largest listen interval value, until the response denying another one of the plurality of requests is received.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to establish an association with an access point, to receive data based on a first listen interval negotiated with the access point during establishment of the association, to renegotiate with the access point for a modified listen interval without disassociating with the access point, and to receive data based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein renegotiating with the access point for the modified listen interval comprises sending a request for a second listen interval to the access point, receiving a denial of the second listen interval from the access point, and continuing negotiation with the access point after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to establish states during the establishment of the association and to retain the states during the renegotiation for the modified listen interval.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to send a control frame with the second listen interval to the access point.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to wake up for beacon frames determined by the first listen interval or the modified listen interval and to sleep between the beacon frames when no data is sent to the apparatus.

9. A method comprising:

establishing an association with an access point;

receiving data based on a first listen interval negotiated with the access point during establishment of the association;

renegotiating with the access point for a modified listen interval without disassociating with the access point, wherein renegotiating with the access point for the modified listen interval comprises sending a request for a second listen interval to the access point, receiving a denial of the second listen interval from the access point, and continuing negotiation with the access point after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

receiving data based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

establishing states during establishment of the association; and

retaining the states during the renegotiation for the modified listen interval.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for establishing an association with an access point;

means for receiving data based on a first listen interval negotiated with the access point during establishment of the association;

means for renegotiating with the access point for a modified listen interval without disassociating with the access point, wherein the means for renegotiating with the access point for the modified listen interval comprises means for sending a request for a second listen interval to the access point, means for receiving a denial of the second listen interval from the access point, and means for continuing negotiation with the access point after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

means for receiving data based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

12. A non-transitory processor-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first instruction set for establishing an association with an access point;

a second instruction set for receiving data based on a first listen interval negotiated with the access point during establishment of the association;

a third instruction set for renegotiating with the access point for a modified listen interval without disassociating with the access point, wherein renegotiating with the access point for the modified listen interval comprises sending a request for a second listen interval to the access point, receiving a denial of the second listen interval from the access point, and continuing negotiation with the access point after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

a fourth instruction set for receiving data based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to establish an association for a station, to send data to the station based on a first listen interval negotiated with the station during establishment of the association, to renegotiate with the station for a modified listen interval without disassociating the station, and to send data to the station based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein renegotiating with the station for the modified listen interval comprises receiving a request for a second listen interval from the station, denying the request for the second listen interval, and continuing negotiation with the station after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to establish states for the station during the establishment of the association and to retain the states for the station during the renegotiation for the modified listen interval.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to establish an association with an access point, to receive a communication from the access point that identifies an association timeout for the access point, and to become active at least once in every association timeout to keep the association with the access point alive; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the association timeout is a defined period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame, wherein the access point disassociates a station if the access point does not detect any activity from the station for the defined period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communication is a beacon sent by the access point, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the association timeout from the beacon.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communication is a frame sent by the access point, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the association timeout from the received frame.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to negotiate with the access point for a listen interval during the establishment of the association and to sleep for a period longer than the listen interval.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to negotiate with the access point for a listen interval during the establishment of the association and to sleep for a period longer than the listen interval without informing the access point.

20. A method comprising:

establishing an association with an access point;

receiving a communication from the access point that identifies an association timeout for the access point; and

becoming active at least once in every association timeout to keep the association with the access point alive;

wherein the association timeout is a defined period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame, wherein the access point

disassociates a station if the access point does not detect any activity from the station for the defined period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the communication is a beacon sent by the access point, and further comprising obtaining the association timeout from the beacon.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

negotiating with the access point for a listen interval during the establishment of the association; and

sleeping for a period longer than the listen interval.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for establishing an association with an access point;

means for receiving a communication from the access point that identifies an association timeout for the access point; and

means for becoming active at least once in every association timeout to keep the association with the access point alive;

wherein the association timeout is a defined period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame, wherein the access point

disassociates a station if the access point does not detect any activity from the station for the defined period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

24. A non-transitory processor-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first instruction set for establishing an association with an access point;

a second instruction set for receiving a communication from the access point that identifies an association timeout for the access point; and

a third instruction set for becoming active at least once in every association timeout to keep the association with the access point alive;

wherein the association timeout is a defined period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame, wherein the access point

disassociates a station if the access point does not detect any activity from the station for the defined period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

25. An access point comprising:

a processor configured to establish an association for a station, to send a communication to the station that indicates an association timeout supported by the access point, and to receive from the station at least one transmission in every association timeout to keep the association alive; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the association timeout is a defined period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame, wherein the access point

disassociates the station if the access point does not detect any activity from the station for the defined period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to send the association timeout in a beacon or a frame to the station.

27. A method, comprising:

establishing an association for a station;

sending data to the station based on a first listen interval negotiated with the station during establishment of the association;

renegotiating with the station for a modified listen interval without disassociating the station, wherein renegotiating with the station for the modified listen interval comprises;

receiving a request for a second listen interval from the station;

denying the request for the second listen interval; and

continuing negotiation with the station after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

sending data to the station based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

establishing states for the station during the establishment of the association; and

retaining the states for the station during the renegotiation for the modified listen interval.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the suitable listen interval is the modified listen interval.

30. An apparatus comprising:

means for establishing an association for a station;

means for sending data to the station based on a first listen interval negotiated with the station during establishment of the association;

means for renegotiating with the station for a modified listen interval without disassociating the station, wherein the means for renegotiating with the station for the modified listen interval includes;

means for receiving a request for a second listen interval from the station;

means for denying the request for the second listen interval; and

means for continuing negotiation with the station after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

means for sending data to the station based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the suitable listen interval is the modified listen interval.

32. A non-transitory processor-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first instruction set for establishing an association for a station;

a second instruction set for sending data to the station based on a first listen interval negotiated with the station during establishment of the association;

a third instruction set for renegotiating with the station for a modified listen interval without disassociating the station, wherein renegotiating with the station for the modified listen interval comprises;

receiving a request for a second listen interval from the station;

denying the request for the second listen interval; and

continuing negotiation with the station after the denial until a suitable listen interval is selected and accepted; and

a fourth instruction set for sending data to the station based on the modified listen interval after the renegotiation.

33. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the suitable listen interval is the modified listen interval.

34. A method comprising:

establishing an association between an access point and a station;

sending a communication from the access point to the station, wherein the communication identifies an association timeout supported by the access point, and wherein the association timeout is a period of time;

maintaining the association when at least one transmission is received at the access point from the station during the period of time; and

disassociating the station when the access point does not detect any activity from the station during the period of time.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the communication is a beacon signal, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the beacon signal.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the communication includes a frame, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the frame.

37. An apparatus comprising:

means for establishing an association between an access point and a station;

means for sending a communication from the access point to the station, wherein the communication identifies an association timeout supported by the access point, and wherein the association timeout is a period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame;

means for maintaining the association when at least one transmission is received at the access point from the station during the period of time; and

means for disassociating the station when the access point does not detect any activity from the station during the period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the communication is a beacon signal, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the beacon signal.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the communication includes a frame, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the frame.

40. A non-transitory processor-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first instruction set for establishing an association between an access point and a station;

a second instruction set for sending a communication from the access point to the station, wherein the communication identifies an association timeout supported by the access point, and wherein the association timeout is a period of time transmitted in a beacon or unicast frame;

a third instruction set for maintaining the association when at least one transmission is received at the access point from the station during the period of time; and

a fourth instruction set for disassociating the station when the access point does not detect any activity from the station during the period of time, and further wherein the station is reassociated after disassociation.

41. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the communication is a beacon signal, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the beacon signal.

42. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the communication includes a frame, and wherein the station obtains the association timeout from the frame.