Systems and methods for low power operations on wireless networks

• US 9,191,890 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jafarian, Amin, Merlin, Simone
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUO, ANTHONY L
• Application Number:
  US13/789,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20140112224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/365 Power headroom reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/58 Format of the TPC bits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

IEEE 802.11 power saving mode (PSM) defines two different power modes under which stations operate: active mode and power save (PS) mode. This disclosure introduces devices, methods, and systems to implement an additional power save with ultra low power (PS-ULP) mode that further reduces power consumption. In one aspect, a method of communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network is disclosed. The method includes transmitting by a station a first message on the wireless network, the first message indicating one of at least three power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header. The power management portion comprises more than one bit; and operating the station in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode.

Claims

1. A method of communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

transmitting by the station a first message on the wireless network, the first message indicating one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, and wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit;

operating the station in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode,

wherein operating the station in accordance with the active power management mode comprises;

configuring a first receiver to continuously receive one or more frames from the wireless network, and

wherein operating the station in accordance with the power-save power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in two different receiver states,

wherein in a first state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to receive at least one frame during a time interval when an access point may transmit at least one frame to the station, and

in a second state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to not receive frames, wherein the first receiver is configured to consume less power when operating in the second receiver state than when operating in the first receiver state,

wherein operating the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in the second receiver state, wherein the station transitions to operate in accordance with the active power management mode in response to a second receiver receiving a message from the wireless network,

determining one or more time intervals when the second receiver may receive a message,

configuring the second receiver to not receive messages during times outside the one or more time intervals, and

wherein the second receiver consumes less power when configured not to receive messages than when configured to receive messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message received by the second receiver reserves the wireless network for a time period, and wherein the first receiver operates in the first receiver state during the reserved time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of shorter duration than frames received by the first receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of lower energy than any frame received by the first receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more time intervals correspond to beacon intervals.

6. A method of communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

receiving by an access point a first message, the first message indicating that the station is operating in one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

communicating with the station in accordance with the indicated mode, wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the active power management mode comprises transmitting data to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the power save power management mode comprises transmitting an indication to the station that data is available during a periodic interval in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises transmitting a wake up signal to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wake up signal is configured to be received by a low power receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wake up signal is a short duration paging message.

9. An apparatus for communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a first message on the wireless network, the first message indicating one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

a processor configured to operate the apparatus in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode,

wherein operating the apparatus in accordance with the active power management mode comprises;

configuring a first receiver to continuously receive one or more frames from the wireless network, and

wherein operating the apparatus in accordance with the power-save power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in two different receiver states,

wherein in a first state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to receive at least one frame during a time interval when an access point may transmit at least one frame to the station, and

in a second state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to not receive frames, wherein the first receiver is configured to consume less power when operating in the second receiver state than when operating in the first receiver state,

wherein operating the apparatus in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in the second receiver state, wherein the apparatus transitions to operate in accordance with the active power management mode in response to a second receiver receiving a message from the wireless network,

determining one or more time intervals when the second receiver may receive a message,

configuring the second receiver to not receive messages during times outside the one or more time intervals, and

wherein the second receiver consumes less power when configured not to receive messages than when configured to receive messages.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the message received by the second receiver reserves the wireless network for a time period, and wherein the processor is configured to operate the first receiver in the first receiver state during the reserved time period.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of shorter duration than frames received by the first receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of lower energy than any frame received by the first receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to operate the apparatus in the power management state in accordance with the first of the at least three power management modes by:

determining one or more time intervals when the second receiver may receive a message, and

configuring the second receiver to not receive messages during times outside the one or more time intervals,

wherein the second receiver consumes less power when configured not to receive messages than when configured to receive messages.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more time intervals correspond to beacon intervals.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the time interval is a beacon interval.

16. An apparatus for communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first message; and

a processor configured to interpret the first message, the first message indicating that the station is operating in one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit, the processor configured to communicate with the station in accordance with the indicated mode, wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the active power management mode comprises transmitting data to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the power save power management mode comprises transmitting an indication to the station that data is available during a periodic interval in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises transmitting a wake up signal to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the wake up signal is configured to be received by a low power receiver.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wake up signal is a short duration paging message.

19. An apparatus for communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

means for transmitting by a station a first message on the wireless network, the first message indicating one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

means for operating the station in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode wherein the means for operating is configured to operate the apparatus in accordance with the active power management mode by;

configuring a first receiver to continuously receive one or more frames from the wireless network, and

wherein the means for operating is configured to operate the apparatus in accordance with the power-save power management mode by;

operating the first receiver in two different receiver states,

wherein in a first state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to receive at least one frame during a time interval when an access point may transmit at least one frame to the station, and

in a second state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to not receive frames, wherein the first receiver is configured to consume less power when operating in the second receiver state than when operating in the first receiver state,

wherein the means for operating is configured to operate the apparatus in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode by;

operating the first receiver in the second receiver state, wherein the apparatus transitions to operate in accordance with the active power management mode in response to a second receiver receiving a message from the wireless network,

determining one or more time intervals when the second receiver may receive a message,

configuring the second receiver to not receive messages during times outside the one or more time intervals, and

wherein the second receiver consumes less power when configured not to receive messages than when configured to receive messages.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the message received by the second receiver reserves the wireless network for a time period, and wherein the means for operating the station in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode is further configured to operate the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode by operating the first receiver in the second receiver state during the reserved time period.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of shorter duration than frames received by the first receiver.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of lower energy than any frame received by the first receiver.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the one or more time intervals correspond to beacon intervals.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the time interval is a beacon interval.

25. An access point for communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving a first message, the first message indicating that a station is operating in one of at least an active, power-save, or ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

means for communicating with the station in accordance with the indicated mode, wherein the means for communicating with the station is configured to communicate in accordance with the active power management mode by transmitting data to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein the means for communicating with the station is configured to communicate in accordance with the power save power management mode by transmitting to the station an indication that data is available during a periodic interval in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station, and

wherein the means for communicating with the station is configured to communicate in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode by transmitting a wake up signal to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the wake up signal is configured to be received by a low power receiver.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the wake up signal is a short duration paging message.

28. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform a method of communicating a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, the method comprising:

transmitting by a station a first message on the wireless network, the first message indicating one of at least an active, power save, and ultra-low power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

operating the station in a power management state in accordance with the indicated power management mode,

wherein operating the station in accordance with the active power management mode comprises;

configuring a first receiver to continuously receive one or more frames from the wireless network, and

wherein operating the station in accordance with the power-save power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in two different receiver states,

wherein in a first state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to receive at least one frame during a time interval when an access point may transmit at least one frame to the station, and

in a second state of the two receiver states, the first receiver is configured to not receive frames, wherein the first receiver is configured to consume less power when operating in the second receiver state than when operating in the first receiver state,

wherein operating the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises;

operating the first receiver in the second receiver state, wherein the station transitions to operate in accordance with the active power management mode in response to a second receiver receiving a message from the wireless network,

determining one or more time intervals when the second receiver may receive a message,

configuring the second receiver to not receive messages during times outside the one or more time intervals, and

wherein the second receiver consumes less power when configured not to receive messages than when configured to receive messages.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the message received by the second receiver reserves the wireless network for a time period, and wherein the first receiver operates in the first receiver state during the reserved time period.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of shorter duration than frames received by the first receiver.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the message received by the second receiver is of lower energy than any frame received by the first receiver.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more time intervals correspond to beacon intervals.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the time interval is a beacon interval.

34. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform a method of receiving a power management mode of a station on a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving a first message, the first message indicating that a station is operating in one of at least an active, power-save, and ultra-low power power management modes, wherein the indication is communicated in a power management portion of a frame control field of a media access control header, wherein the power management portion comprises more than one bit; and

communicating with the station in accordance with the indicated mode, wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the active power management mode comprises transmitting data to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station,

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the power save power management mode comprises transmitting to the station an indication that data is available during a periodic interval in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station, and

wherein communicating with the station in accordance with the ultra-low power management mode comprises transmitting a wake up signal to the station in response to receiving data to be downlinked to the station.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the wake up signal is configured to be received by a low power receiver.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the wake up signal is a short duration paging message.