Apparatus and method for operating a wireless local area network having power conservation
First Claim
1. A method of operating a wireless local area network system having a mobile station, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring transmission activity of the mobile station;
if no transmission activity of the mobile station is detected for a predetermined first time period, transmitting to the mobile station an inquiry message requesting a response message from the mobile station;
operating the mobile station in a low power mode for a second time period commencing after transmission activity occurs at the mobile station; and
operating the mobile station in a high power mode for a third time period commencing prior to transmission of the inquiry message so as to enable receipt of the inquiry message by the mobile station.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a wireless local area network system including a server and a plurality of mobile wireless stations, the server maintains a table of stations active in the network system and monitors the transmission activity of the stations. If no activity is detected from a station for a predetermined time, a series of watchdog messages is sent requesting a response from that station. The stations are battery powered and operate in an "AWAKE" state to receive or transmit messages or in a SLEEP state of low power consumption. The stations return from the SLEEP state to the AWAKE state in time to receive at least one watchdog message, thereby avoiding the stations being undesirably logged out from the table of active stations.
91 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of operating a wireless local area network system having a mobile station, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring transmission activity of the mobile station; if no transmission activity of the mobile station is detected for a predetermined first time period, transmitting to the mobile station an inquiry message requesting a response message from the mobile station; operating the mobile station in a low power mode for a second time period commencing after transmission activity occurs at the mobile station; and operating the mobile station in a high power mode for a third time period commencing prior to transmission of the inquiry message so as to enable receipt of the inquiry message by the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A local area network system, comprising:
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a mobile station; means for monitoring transmission activity of the mobile station; means for transmitting an inquiry message requesting a response message from the mobile station if no transmission activity of the mobile station is detected for a predetermined first time period; means for operating the mobile station in a low power mode for a second time period commencing after transmission activity occurs at the mobile station; and means for operating the mobile station in a high power mode for a third time period commencing prior to transmission of the inquiry message so as to enable receipt of the inquiry message by the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification