Methods and apparatuses for transmitting energy-saving indicator in frames
First Claim
1. A method for sending wireless transmissions, the method comprising:
- transmitting payload data from a first device to a second device in response to the payload data being available;
determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable;
transmitting a first value of an indicator from the first device to the second device in response to determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable, wherein the first value of the indicator indicates that the first device will not transmit to the second device for a first period of time;
transmitting a first time reference value from the first device to the second device, the first time reference value replacing the first period of time, and the first time reference value being transmitted in response to determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable, wherein the first time reference value defines a second period of time that is less than the first period of time, and wherein the first device will not transmit to the second device during the second period of time;
transmitting a second value of the indicator from the first device to the second device in response to the payload data being available, the step of transmitting the second value of the indicator being performed before the steps of transmitting the first value of the indicator and transmitting the first time reference value, wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the first device will transmit the payload data to the second device;
wherein;
the first device is configured to transmit to the second device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the transmitting the first value of the indicator comprises transmitting a MORE FRAMES bit set to zero, and the transmitting the second value of the indicator comprises transmitting the MORE FRAMES bit set to one; and
the transmitting the payload data is performed in a superframe, and the transmitting the first time reference value is performed in the superframe.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In embodiments, a transmitting device sends a time reference field to a receiving device when indicating that no more frames will be sent to the receiving device. The time reference informs the receiving device of the length of time that the transmitting device has committed not to transmit to the receiving device. When operating in conformance with the ECMA-368 standard, the time reference allows the transmitting device to control the length of the commitment period after the MORE FRAMES bit is set to zero. In this way, the commitment not to transmit may be made for a shorter time than the time until the beginning of the following Distributed Reservation Protocol (DRP) reservation block or the time to the beginning of the following superframe. The time reference may be added in the Medium Access Control header or included in a vendor-specific message, for example.
17 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method for sending wireless transmissions, the method comprising:
-
transmitting payload data from a first device to a second device in response to the payload data being available; determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable; transmitting a first value of an indicator from the first device to the second device in response to determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable, wherein the first value of the indicator indicates that the first device will not transmit to the second device for a first period of time; transmitting a first time reference value from the first device to the second device, the first time reference value replacing the first period of time, and the first time reference value being transmitted in response to determining that the payload data for transmitting from the first device to the second device is unavailable, wherein the first time reference value defines a second period of time that is less than the first period of time, and wherein the first device will not transmit to the second device during the second period of time; transmitting a second value of the indicator from the first device to the second device in response to the payload data being available, the step of transmitting the second value of the indicator being performed before the steps of transmitting the first value of the indicator and transmitting the first time reference value, wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the first device will transmit the payload data to the second device; wherein;
the first device is configured to transmit to the second device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the transmitting the first value of the indicator comprises transmitting a MORE FRAMES bit set to zero, and the transmitting the second value of the indicator comprises transmitting the MORE FRAMES bit set to one; andthe transmitting the payload data is performed in a superframe, and the transmitting the first time reference value is performed in the superframe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A wireless apparatus comprising:
-
a memory; a receiver; a transmitter; a controller coupled to the receiver, the transmitter, and the memory, and wherein the controller is configured to; transmit payload data from a first device to a second device in response to the payload data being available; determine that the payload data for transmitting from the wireless apparatus to a wireless device is unavailable, transmit a first value of an indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device when the payload data is determined to be unavailable, wherein the first value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device for a first period of time, transmit a first time reference value from the wireless apparatus to said wireless device, the first time reference value replacing the first period of time, and the first time reference value being transmitted when the payload data is determined to be unavailable, wherein the first time reference value defines a second period of time that is less than the first period of time, and wherein the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device during the second period of time; wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a second value of the indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device if the payload data is available, before transmitting the first value of the indicator and the first time reference value, and wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will transmit the payload data to the wireless device; and
,wherein;
the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit to the wireless device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the indicator is a MORE FRAMES bit, the first value of the indicator is zero, and the second value of the indicator is one; and
the controller is configured to transmit the payload data and the first time reference value in a superframe. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by at least one controller of a wireless apparatus, the instructions cause the wireless apparatus to perform:
-
transmiting payload data from a first device to a second device in response to the payload data being available; determining that the payload data for transmitting from the wireless apparatus to a wireless device is unavailable, transmiting a first value of an indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device when the payload data is determined to be unavailable, wherein the first value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device for a first period of time, and transmiting a first time reference value from the wireless apparatus to said wireless device, the first time reference value replacing the first period of time, and the first time reference value being transmitted when the payload data is determined to be unavailable, wherein the first time reference value defines a second period of time that is less than the first period of time, and wherein the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device during the second period of time; transmitting a second value of the indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device in response to the payload data being available, the transmitting the second value of the indicator being performed before the transmitting the first value of the indicator and transmitting the first time reference value, and wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will transmit the payload data to the wireless device; transmiting to the wireless device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the transmitting the first value of the indicator comprises transmitting a MORE FRAMES bit set to zero, and the transmitting the second value of the indicator comprises transmitting the MORE FRAMES bit set to one; and the transmitting the payload data is performed in a superframe, and the transmitting the first time reference value is performed in the superframe. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A method of operating a wireless device, the method comprising:
-
receiving payload data from a wireless apparatus; receiving an indicator from the wireless apparatus; determining that the indicator has a first value that indicates that the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device for a first length of time; receiving a time reference value from the wireless apparatus, the time reference value replacing the first length of time, and the time reference value being transmitted in response to the indicator having the first value, wherein the time reference value defines a second length of time that is less than the first length of time, and wherein the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device during the second length of time; selecting the second length of time corresponding to the time reference value; turning at least part of a receiver of the wireless device to an off state for the second length of time; and turning said at least part of the receiver to an on state upon expiration of the second length of time; transmitting a second value of the indicator from the first device to the second device in response to the payload data being available, the step of transmitting the second value of the indicator being performed before the steps of transmitting the first value of the indicator and transmitting the first time reference value, wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the first device will transmit the payload data to the second device; wherein;
the first device is configured to transmit to the second device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the transmitting the first value of the indicator comprises transmitting a MORE FRAMES bit set to zero, and the transmitting the second value of the indicator comprises transmitting the MORE FRAMES bit set to one; andthe transmitting the payload data is performed in a superframe, and the transmitting the first time reference value is performed in the superframe.
-
-
37. A wireless device comprising:
-
a memory; a receiver; a transmitter; and a controller coupled to the receiver, the transmitter, and the memory, the controller is configured to; receive payload data from a wireless apparatus; receive an indicator from the wireless apparatus; determine that the indicator has a first value that indicates that the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device for a first length of time; receive a time reference value from the wireless apparatus, the time reference value replacing the first length of time, and the time reference value being transmitted in response to the indicator having the first value, wherein the time reference value defines a second length of time that is less than the first length of time, and wherein the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device during the second length of time; select the second length of time corresponding to the time reference value; turn at least part of a receiver of the wireless device to an off state for the second length of time; and turn said at least part of the receiver to an on state upon expiration of the second length of time; wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a second value of the indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device if the payload data is available, before transmitting the first value of the indicator and the first time reference value, and wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will transmit the payload data to the wireless device; and
,wherein;
the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit to the wireless device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the indicator is a MORE FRAMES bit, the first value of the indicator is zero, and the second value of the indicator is one; and
the controller is configured to transmit the payload data and the first time reference value in a superframe.
-
-
38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by at least one controller of a wireless device, the instructions cause the wireless device to perform:
-
receiving payload data from a wireless apparatus; receiving an indicator from the wireless apparatus; determining that the indicator has a first value that indicates that the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device for a first length of time; receiving a time reference value from the wireless apparatus, the time reference value replacing the first length of time, and the time reference value being transmitted in response to the indicator having the first value, wherein the time reference value defines a second length of time that is less than the first length of time, and wherein the wireless apparatus will not transmit to the wireless device during the second length of time; selecting the second length of time corresponding to the time reference value; turning at least part of a receiver of the wireless device to an off state for the second length of time; and turning said at least part of the receiver to an on state upon expiration of the second length of time; transmitting a second value of the indicator from the wireless apparatus to the wireless device in response to the payload data being available, the transmitting the second value of the indicator being performed before the transmitting the first value of the indicator and transmitting the first time reference value, and wherein the second value of the indicator indicates that the wireless apparatus will transmit the payload data to the wireless device; transmiting to the wireless device in accordance with ECMA-368 standard, the transmitting the first value of the indicator comprises transmitting a MORE FRAMES bit set to zero, and the transmitting the second value of the indicator comprises transmitting the MORE FRAMES bit set to one; and the transmitting the payload data is performed in a superframe, and the transmitting the first time reference value is performed in the superframe.
-
Specification