Data resume indicator for mobile device power conservation
First Claim
1. A client terminal comprising:
- a wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with an access point; and
a processing circuit coupled to the wireless communication interface and adapted to receive data messages via the wireless communication interface during a communication session, the wireless communication interface configured tooperate in a connected mode using a data channel during the communication session, where the operating mode of the client terminal is known to the access point;
switch to a lowered power mode after a period of inactivity in the data channel while the communication session remains active;
monitor a control channel for a data resume indicator from the access point, where the data resume indicator is sent by the access point prior to transmission of data for the communication session; and
receive data from the access point in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise switch to the connected mode prior to receiving the data from the access point over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel power conservation scheme is provided for conserving power in a wireless client terminal with an established communication session. While in a connected mode, the client terminal may receive data for the communication session via a data channel from an access point. During periods of inactivity over the data channel, the client terminal may switch to a lowered power mode, where the client terminal discontinuously monitors a control channel and does not monitor the data channel. The access point is informed of the operating mode of the client terminal. If a data resume indicator is received over the control channel, the client terminal switches back to the connected mode and resumes the communication session by receiving additional data over the data channel.
28 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A client terminal comprising:
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a wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with an access point; and a processing circuit coupled to the wireless communication interface and adapted to receive data messages via the wireless communication interface during a communication session, the wireless communication interface configured to operate in a connected mode using a data channel during the communication session, where the operating mode of the client terminal is known to the access point; switch to a lowered power mode after a period of inactivity in the data channel while the communication session remains active; monitor a control channel for a data resume indicator from the access point, where the data resume indicator is sent by the access point prior to transmission of data for the communication session; and receive data from the access point in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise switch to the connected mode prior to receiving the data from the access point over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method operational on a client terminal comprising:
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establishing a communication session with an access point; operating the client terminal in a connected mode using a data channel during the communication session, where the operating mode of the client terminal is known to the access point; switching the client terminal to a lowered power mode after a period of inactivity in the data channel while the communication session remains active; and monitoring a control channel for a data resume indicator from the access point, where the data resume indicator is sent by the access point prior to transmission of data for the communication session; and receiving data from the access point in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise switching to the connected mode prior to receiving the data from the access point over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A client terminal comprising:
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means for establishing a communication session with an access point; means for operating the client terminal in a connected mode using a data channel during the communication session, where the operating mode of the client terminal is known to the access point; means for switching the client terminal to a lowered power mode after a period of inactivity in the data channel while the communication session remains active; and means for monitoring a control channel for a data resume indicator from the access point, where the data resume indicator is sent by the access point prior to transmission of data for the communication session; and means for receiving data from the access point in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise means for switching to the connected mode prior to receiving the data from the access point over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having one or more instructions operational on a client terminal for conserving power at the client terminal, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:
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establish a communication session with an access point; operate the client terminal in a connected mode using a data channel during the communication session, where the operating mode of the client terminal is known to the access point; switch the client terminal to a lowered power mode after a period of inactivity in the data channel while the communication session remains active; monitor a control channel for a data resume indicator from the access point, where the data resume indicator is sent by the access point prior to transmission of data for the communication session; and receive data from the access point in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise switch to the connected mode prior to receiving the data from the access point over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.
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33. An access point, comprising:
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a wireless communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a client terminal in a connected mode; and a processing circuit coupled to the wireless communication interface and adapted to send data messages to the client terminal over a data channel via the wireless communication interface during a communication session, the processing circuit configured to determine that the client terminal has switched to a lowered power mode, while the communication session remains active, due to inactivity over the data channel, and send a data resume indicator to the client terminal over a control channel prior to transmission of additional data for the communication session; and transmit data to the client terminal in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmit the data to the client terminal in the connected mode over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method operational in an access point, comprising:
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establishing a connected mode communication session with a client terminal; wirelessly sending data messages to the client terminal over a data channel during the communication session; determining that the client terminal has switched to a lowered power mode, while the communication session remains active, due to inactivity over the data channel; sending a data resume indicator to the client terminal over a control channel prior to transmission of additional data for the communication session; and transmitting data to the client terminal in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmitting the data to the client terminal in the connected mode over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An access point, comprising:
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means for establishing a communication session with a client terminal in a connected mode; means for wirelessly sending data messages to the client terminal over a data channel during the communication session; means for determining that the client terminal has switched to a lowered power mode, while the communication session remains active, due to inactivity over the data channel; means for sending a data resume indicator to the client terminal over a control channel prior to transmission of additional data for the communication session; and means for transmitting data to the client terminal in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise means for transmitting the data to the client terminal in the connected mode over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having one or more instructions operational in an access point for conserving power at a client terminal, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:
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establish a connected mode communication session with a client terminal; wirelessly send data messages to the client terminal over a data channel during the communication session; determine that the client terminal has switched to a lowered power mode due, while the communication session remains active, to inactivity over the data channel; send a data resume indicator to the client terminal over a control channel prior to transmission of additional data for the communication session; and transmitting data to the client terminal in the lowered power mode over the control channel when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmitting the data to the client terminal in the connected mode over the data channel when the data is of a second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.
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58. A proxy device, comprising:
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a first communication interface for wirelessly communicating with an access point; a second communication interface for wirelessly communicating with a client terminal; and a processing circuit coupled to the first and second communication interfaces and adapted to; receive a request from a client terminal to operate as a proxy for the client terminal; monitor for at least one of either; data on a data channel from the client terminal via the first communication interface for a previously established communication session between the client terminal and the access point; and a data resume indicator on a control channel for the client terminal via the first communication interface, where the data resume indicator precedes the transmission of additional data for the previously established communication session between the client terminal and the access point; send the data resume indicator to the client terminal via the second communication interface for resumption of the previously established communication session; and transmitting data to the client terminal via the second communication interface when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmitting the data to the client terminal via the first communication interface when the data is of second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method operational on a proxy device, comprising:
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receiving a request from a client terminal to operate as a proxy for the client terminal; monitoring for at least one of either; data on a data channel from the client terminal via the first communication interface for a previously established communication session between the client terminal and an access point; and a data resume indicator on a control channel for the client terminal via a first communication interface of the proxy device, where the data resume indicator precedes the transmission of additional data for the previously established communication session between the client terminal and an access point; sending the data resume indicator to the client terminal via a second communication interface of the proxy device for resumption of the previously established communication session; and transmitting data to the client terminal via the second communication interface when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmitting the data to the client terminal via the first communication interface when the data is of second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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67. A proxy device, comprising:
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means for receiving a request from a client terminal to operate as a proxy for the client terminal; means for monitoring for at least one of either; data on a data channel from the client terminal via the first communication interface for a previously established communication session between the client terminal and the access point; and a data resume indicator on a control channel for the client terminal via a first communication interface of the proxy device, where the data resume indicator precedes the transmission of additional data for the previously established communication session between the client terminal and an access point; means for sending the data resume indicator to the client terminal via a second communication interface of the proxy device for resumption of the previously established communication session; and means for transmitting data to the client terminal via the second communication interface when the data is of a first size, otherwise means for transmitting the data to the client terminal via the first communication interface when the data is of second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.
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68. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having one or more instructions operational in a proxy device for facilitating power conservation in client terminals, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:
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receive a request from a client terminal to operate as a proxy for the client terminal; monitor for at least one of either; data on a data channel from the client terminal via the first communication interface for a previously established communication session between the client terminal and the access point; and a data resume indicator on a control channel for the client terminal via a first communication interface of the proxy device, where the data resume indicator precedes the transmission of additional data for the previously established communication session between the client terminal and an access point; send the data resume indicator to the client terminal via a second communication interface of the proxy device for resumption of the previously established communication session; and transmit data to the client terminal via the second communication interface when the data is of a first size, otherwise transmit the data to the client terminal via the first communication interface when the data is of second size, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.
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Specification