Power management for wireless direct link

• US 20050122927A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ozmo Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Conexant Incorporated (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wentink, Menzo
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2126 using a reference station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/48 during retransmission after error or non-acknowledgment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary techniques for managing power in a direct wireless link between two wireless devices. The present invention provides at least three direct link power management techniques: Fast Resumption Mode (FRM) wherein the direct link is resumed automatically at a specified timing synchronization function (TSF); Slow Resumption Mode (SRM) wherein the direct link may be resumed by sending a Resume-Request via the access point; and Reverse Polling (RP), wherein one peer station of the direct link is continually awake and the other peer station uses reverse polling to start a service period. Thus, a method for power management of a direct wireless link between two wireless devices is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device; transmitting, from a first wireless device, a frame having a time value; receiving, at the second wireless device, the frame from the first wireless device; suspending the direct wireless link a duration determined based on the time value; and resuming the direct wireless link at a time determined based on the time value.

Claims

1. A method for power management of a direct wireless link between two wireless devices, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

transmitting, from a first wireless device, a frame having a time value;

receiving, at the second wireless device, the frame from the first wireless device;

suspending the direct wireless link a duration determined based on the time value; and

resuming the direct wireless link at a time determined based on the time value.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the time value is a time stamp indicating a time when the direct wireless link should be resumed.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the time value is a suspend period based on an end of the frame.

4. A system, wherein a first wireless device is adapted to manage the power of a direct wireless link with a second wireless device, the first wireless device comprises:

a processor adapted to establish a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

a transceiver adapted to transmit a frame having a time value, wherein the direct wireless link is suspended for a duration determined based on the time value and the direct wireless link is resumed at a time determined based on the time value.

5. The system as in claim 4, wherein the time value is a time stamp indicating a time when the direct wireless link should be resumed.

6. The system as in claim 4, wherein the time value is a suspend period based on an end of the frame.

7. A system, wherein a first wireless device is adapted to manage the power of a direct wireless link with a second wireless device, the first wireless device comprises:

a processor adapted to establish a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

a transceiver adapted to transmit from a first wireless device, a first frame having a power management bit set;

wherein the direct wireless link is suspended based on the time value power management bit set

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the direct wireless link is resumed at a time determined based a second frame wherein the second frame is sent from the first wireless device to the second wireless device via an access point.

9. The system as in claim 7, wherein the direct wireless link is resumed based on a second frame wherein the second frame is sent from the first wireless device directly to the second wireless device.

10. The system as in claim 7, wherein the second frame has a power management bit not set.

11. The system as in claim 7, wherein the first frame further comprises a time value and wherein the direct wireless link is resumed at a time determined based on the time value.

12. A method for power management of a direct wireless link between two wireless devices, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

transmitting, from a first wireless device, a first frame having a power management bit set;

receiving, at the second wireless device, the first frame from the first wireless device;

suspending the direct wireless link based on the time value power management bit set

13. The system as in claim 12, further comprising the step of resuming the direct wireless link at a time determined based a second frame wherein the second frame is sent from the first wireless device to the second wireless device via an access point.

14. The system as in claim 12, further comprising the step of resuming the direct wireless link based on a second frame wherein the second frame is sent from the first wireless device directly to the second wireless device.

15. The system as in claim 12, wherein the second frame has a power management bit not set.

16. The system as in claim 12, wherein the first frame further comprises a time value and further comprising the step of resuming the direct wireless link resuming the direct wireless link at a time determined based on the time value.

17. A method for power management of a direct wireless link between two wireless devices, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a direct wireless link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, wherein the first wireless device is a continuously awake node and wherein the first wireless device accepts QoS frames and wherein the second wireless device is a power save node;

transmitting buffered traffic to the first wireless device only during a plurality of service periods;

sending a QoS-Null frame to the first wireless device periodically whereby a service period is initiated periodically.