Power save with end of data indication

• US 9,781,671 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo, Sampath, Hemanth
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US14/286,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• 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 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A particular method includes receiving a first frame from a station at an access point indicating that the station is to enter a power save mode. The method also includes transmitting one or more data frames from the access point to the station. The one or more data frames were buffered for transmission prior to receipt of the first frame. The method further includes transmitting an end of data frame to the station. Another particular method includes transmitting a first frame from the station to the access point indicating that the station is to enter the power save mode. The method also includes refraining from entering the power save mode until an end of data frame is received from the access point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

buffering, by an access point, data for a first station;

receiving, by the access point, a first frame from the first station after buffering the data, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the first station is to enter and exit a power save mode;

transmitting, by the access point, one or both of an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first frame and an indication of a fetch time period to the first station, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of exiting the power save mode and starting a service period of the access point; and

transmitting, by the access point, one or more frames to one or more other stations but not to the first station during the fetch time period after receiving the first frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the indication includes sending, from the access point to the first station, information indicating the fetch time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after expiration of the fetch time period, transmitting one or more data frames from the access point to the first station, at least one of the one or more data frames indicating an end of the service period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the buffered data includes data for one or more data frames buffered at the access point while the first station is in the power save mode, the method further comprising fetching the buffered data corresponding to the one or more data frames during the fetch time period and transmitting the one or more data frames to the first station after the fetch time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame includes information indicating the fetch time period.

7. A method comprising:

after transitioning from a power save mode, transmitting, by a station, a first frame to an access point, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the station is to enter and exit the power save mode;

receiving at the station from the access point one or both of an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first frame and an indication of a fetch time period, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of exiting the power save mode and starting a service period of the access point; and

receiving at the station one or more data frames from the access point after the first frame during the service period but not during the fetch time period.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving, at the station from the access point, information indicating the fetch time period.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the one or more data frames indicates an end of the service period.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame, and wherein the one or more data frames include data buffered at the access point while the station is in the power save mode.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first frame includes information indicating the fetch time period.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

buffering, by an access point, data for a first station;

receiving, by the access point, a first frame from the first station after buffering the data, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the first station is to enter and exit a power save mode;

transmitting one or both of an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first frame and an indication of a fetch time period to the first station, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of the exit from the power save mode and a start time of a service period of the access point; and

transmitting, by the access point, one or more frames to one or more other stations but not to the first station during the fetch time period after receipt of the first frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending, from the access point to the first station, information indicating the fetch time period; and

after expiration of the fetch time period, transmitting one or more data frames from the access point to the first station, at least one of the one or more data frames indicating an end of the service period.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the buffered data includes data for one or more data frames buffered at the access point while the first station is in the power save mode, and wherein the operations further comprise fetching data corresponding to the one or more data frames during the fetch time period.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

buffering, by an access point, data for a first station;

receiving a first frame from the first station after buffering the data, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the first station is to enter and exit a power save mode;

transmitting one or both of an acknowledgment and an indication of a fetch time period to the first station, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of exiting the power save mode and starting a service period of the access point; and

transmitting, by the access point, one or more frames to one or more other stations but not to the first station during the fetch time period after receiving the first frame.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise sending, from the access point to the first station, information indicating the fetch time period.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first frame from a first station at an access point after buffering data for the first station at the access point, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the first station is to enter and exit a power save mode; and

means for transmitting one or both of an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first frame and an indication of a fetch time period to the first station, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of the exit from the power save mode and a start time of a service period of the access point, and for transmitting one or more frames to one or more other stations but not to the first station during the fetch time period after receipt of the first frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for transmitting is configured to send, from the access point to the first station, information indicating the fetch time period.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

after a transition of a station from a power save mode, transmitting, by the station, a first frame to an access point, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the station is to enter and exit the power save mode;

receiving at the station from the access point one or both of an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the first frame and an indication of a fetch time period, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of the exit from the power save mode and a start time of a service period of the access point; and

receiving at the station one or more data frames from the access point after the first frame during the service period but not during the fetch time period.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, at the station from the access point, information indicating the fetch time period.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first frame comprises a fetch trigger frame or a power save poll (PS-poll) frame.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

after transitioning from a power save mode, transmitting, by a station, a first frame from the station to an access point, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the station is to enter and exit the power save mode;

in response to transmitting the first frame, receiving at the station from the access point one or both of an acknowledgment and an indication of a fetch time period, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of exiting the power save mode and starting a service period of the access point; and

receiving at the station one or more data frames from the access point after the first frame during the service period but not during the fetch time period.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, at the station from the access point, information indicating the fetch time period.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first frame comprises a power save poll (PS-poll) frame or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.

28. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a first frame from a station to an access point after a transition of the station from a power save mode, the first frame including a trigger frame indicating that the station is to enter and exit the power save mode; and

means for receiving at the station from the access point one or both of an acknowledgment and an indication of a fetch time period in response to transmitting the first frame, an end of the fetch time period indicating one or both of the exit from the power save mode and a start time of a service period of the access point; and

means for receiving at the station one or more data frames from the access point after the first frame during the service period but not during the fetch time period.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein means for receiving is configured to receive, from the access point, information indicating the fetch time period.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first frame comprises a fetch trigger frame, a power save poll (PS-poll) frame, or an unscheduled asynchronous power save delivery (U-APSD) frame.