Power management of communication devices
First Claim
1. A method for reducing power consumption in a communication device, the method comprising:
- determining, by the communication device, that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device;
determining a length of the packet based on a length field in a preamble of the packet;
estimating a time to process the packet based at least in part on the length;
if the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, selecting a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the first group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device;
if the length is greater than the second threshold, selecting a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the second group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit, a synthesizer and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; and
reducing power to the selected group of components,wherein the first threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a first length, the second threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a second length and the second length is greater than the first length.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for reducing power consumption in a communication device. The method includes determining, by the communication device, that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device and estimating a length of the packet. If the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, selecting a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power. If the length is greater than the second threshold, selecting a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power. The second group of components includes the first group of components. The method includes reducing power to the selected group of components.
15 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for reducing power consumption in a communication device, the method comprising:
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determining, by the communication device, that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device; determining a length of the packet based on a length field in a preamble of the packet; estimating a time to process the packet based at least in part on the length; if the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, selecting a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the first group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; if the length is greater than the second threshold, selecting a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the second group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit, a synthesizer and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; and reducing power to the selected group of components, wherein the first threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a first length, the second threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a second length and the second length is greater than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A communication device capable of reducing power consumption, the communication device comprising:
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a network interface having components including a radio receiver unit, a radio transmission unit, and a synthesizer; and a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface, the processor configured to execute instructions to cause the communication device to; determine that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device; determine a length of the packet based on a length field in a preamble of the packet; estimate a time to process the packet based at least in part on the length; if the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, select a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the first group of components includes the radio transmission unit, the radio receiver unit and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; if the length is greater than the second threshold, select a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the second group of components includes the radio transmission unit, the radio receiver unit, the synthesizer and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; and reduce power to the selected group of components, wherein the first threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a first length, the second threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a second length and the second length is greater than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the communication device to:
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determine that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device; determine a length of the packet based on a length field in a preamble of the packet; estimate a time to process the packet based at least in part on the length; if the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, select a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the first group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; if the length is greater than the second threshold, select a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the second group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit, a synthesizer and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; and reduce power to the selected group of components, wherein the first threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a first length, the second threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a second length and the second length is greater than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for reducing power consumption in a communication device, the system comprising:
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means for determining that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device; means for determining a length of the packet based on a length field in a preamble of the packet; estimate a time to process the packet based at least in part on the length; if the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, selecting a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the first group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; if the length is greater than the second threshold, selecting a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power, wherein the second group of components includes a radio transmission unit, a radio receiver unit, a synthesizer and a clock in the physical layer of the communication device; and means for reducing power to the selected group of components, wherein the first threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a first length, the second threshold is related to a time to process a packet of a second length and the second length is greater than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification