Methods and systems for power savings using a message indication header

• US 9,066,297 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Jong Ro, Lee, Chun Woo, Oh, Kyoung Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/920,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 4553431-3432, 455/574, 370/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• 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 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques for signaling a mobile communications device in a special operating state that data bursts contain messages relevant to the special operating state. The signaling may be implemented using one or more bits in a frame control header (FCH). As a result, the mobile communication device may be decode the FCH first and decode data bursts only if there is an indication the data bursts contain a relevant message. Power savings may be achieved at the mobile communications device by avoiding decoding data bursts with no relevant messages.

Claims

1. A method for signaling a wireless communication device in a special operating state that a frame of data contains a message relevant to the special operating state, comprising:

generating a frame control header for a frame with a message indication field having one or more bits for indicating a message relevant to the special operating state of the wireless communications device is contained in corresponding data bursts of the frame,

wherein the message indication field comprises a set of message indications bits which indicate a presence of a power save related message,

wherein a first configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a channel message identifying physical characteristics of the channel,

wherein a second configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a traffic message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device, and

wherein a third configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a update message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station; and

transmitting the frame control header.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting one or more bits in the message indication field as a positive indication of the presence of a relevant message; and

transmitting the relevant message in a data burst.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst comprises:

setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain at least one of an uplink channel description (UCD) and a downlink channel description (DCD).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst comprises:

setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst comprises:

setting a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a paging message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a first bit, wherein the second configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a second bit, and wherein the third configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a third bit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration is indicated by a first combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the second configuration is indicated by a second combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the third configuration is indicated by a third combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits.

9. An apparatus for signaling a frame of data contains a message relevant to a special operating state of a wireless device, comprising:

logic for generating a frame control header for a frame with a message indication field having one or more bits for indicating a message relevant to the special operating state of the wireless communications device is contained in corresponding data bursts of the frame,

wherein the message indication field comprises a set of message indications bits which indicate a presence of a power save related message,

wherein a first configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a channel message identifying physical characteristics of the channel,

wherein a second configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a traffic message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device, and

wherein a third configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a update message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station; and

logic for transmitting the frame control header.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic for generating a frame control header is configured to set one or more bits in the message indication field as a positive indication of the presence of a relevant message.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain at least one of an uplink channel description (UCD) and a downlink channel description (DCD).

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the logic for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a paging message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station.

15. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein:

the special operating state comprises a idle mode; and

the means for decoding the data bursts if one or more bits in the message indication field indicate the data bursts contain a message relevant to the special operating state is configured to decode the data bursts if one or more bits in the message indication field indicate the data bursts contain a paging message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a first bit, wherein the second configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a second bit, and wherein the third configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a third bit.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first configuration is indicated by a first combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the second configuration is indicated by a second combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the third configuration is indicated by a third combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits.

18. An apparatus for signaling a frame of data contains a message relevant to a special operating state of a wireless device, comprising:

means for generating a frame control header for a frame with a message indication field having one or more bits for indicating a message relevant to the special operating state of the wireless communications device is contained in corresponding data bursts of the frame,

wherein the message indication field comprises a set of message indications bits which indicate a presence of a power save related message,

wherein a first configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a channel message identifying physical characteristics of the channel,

wherein a second configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a traffic message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device, and

wherein a third configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a update message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station; and

means for transmitting the frame control header.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for generating a frame control header is configured to set one or more bits in the message indication field as a positive indication of the presence of a relevant message.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate a particular type of relevant message is contained in the data burst.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain at least one of an uplink channel description (UCD) and a downlink channel description (DCD).

22. The apparatus of claim 20, the means for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for generating a frame control header is configured to set a particular bit of the message indication field to indicate the data bursts contain a paging message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a first bit, wherein the second configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a second bit, and wherein the third configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a third bit.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first configuration is indicated by a first combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the second configuration is indicated by a second combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the third configuration is indicated by a third combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits.

26. A computer-program product for processing data for signaling a wireless communication device in a special operating state that a frame of data contains a message relevant to the special operating state comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored thereon, the set of instructions being executable by one or more processors and the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for generating a frame control header for a frame with a message indication field having one or more bits for indicating a message relevant to the special operating state of the wireless communications device is contained in corresponding data bursts of the frame,

wherein the message indication field comprises a set of message indications bits which indicate a presence of a power save related message,

wherein a first configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a channel message identifying physical characteristics of the channel,

wherein a second configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a traffic message signifying the arrival of traffic destined for the device, and

wherein a third configuration of the set of message indication bits indicates the presence of a update message signifying a need for the device to provide a location update to a base station; and

instructions for transmitting the frame control header.

27. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the first configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a first bit, wherein the second configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a second bit, and wherein the third configuration of the set of message indication bits is indicated by a third bit.

28. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the first configuration is indicated by a first combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the second configuration is indicated by a second combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits, wherein the third configuration is indicated by a third combination of bit values for the set of message indication bits.