Method and apparatus using an ultra low power signal with scheduled power save modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9241307-B2
Application number	US-201314061550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2013
Priority date	Oct 24, 2012
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

Methods and stations for wireless communication are described herein. In some aspects, the station may include a processing circuit configured to process a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received. The station may further include a wake-up circuit configured to transition a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time. The first receiver is configured to receive the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time. The station may further include a second receiver configured to transition to an awake state based on the first receiver receiving the activation signal and receive a second signal while in the awake state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless station for wireless communication, comprising:
a primary receiver;
a low-power receiver;
a processing circuit in communication with the primary receiver and the low-power receiver; and
a wake-up circuit in communication with the primary receiver, the low-power receiver, and the processing circuit,
wherein:
the primary receiver is configured to receive a target-ultra-low-power-beacon-transmission (TUBT) message from an access point while the primary receiver is in an awake state;
the processing circuit is configured to process the TUBT message transmitted to the wireless station from the access point, the TUBT message indicating a target wake up time when an ultra-low-power (ULP) message is expected to be received from the access point;
the wake-up circuit is configured to;
transition the primary receiver to a doze state subsequent to reception of the TUBT message by the primary receiver, and
transition the low-power receiver to the awake state from the doze state based on the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message,

the low-power receiver is configured to receive the ULP message from the access point at the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message;
the wake-up circuit is further configured to, in response to reception of the ULP message by the low-power receiver:
transition the primary receiver to the awake state from the doze state, and
transition the low-power receiver to the doze state from the awake state,

the primary receiver is further configured to
receive at least one of a beacon or a buffer unit from the access point while in the awake state.

2. The wireless station of claim 1 , wherein the wake-up circuit is configured to transition the primary receiver to the awake state at a specified time subsequent to reception of the ULP message by the low-power receiver and prior to receiving at least one of the beacon or the buffer unit from the access point.

3. The wireless station of claim 2 , wherein the time corresponds to a predetermined next target beacon transit time at which the access point will transmit a beacon to the wireless station.

4. The wireless station of claim 3 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a power save poll frame to the access point at the time, wherein the power save poll frame indicates that the wireless station is awake and ready to receive downlink data.

5. The wireless station of claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement that the low-power receiver has received the ULP message.

6. The wireless station of claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a power save poll frame to the access point, wherein the power save poll frame indicates that the wireless station is awake and ready to receive downlink data.

7. The wireless station of claim 1 , wherein the low-power receiver consumes less power in the awake state than the power consumed by the primary receiver in the awake state.

8. The wireless station of claim 1 , wherein:
the low-power receiver is further configured to receive a deactivate signal from the access point; and
the wake-up circuit is further configured to deactivate the primary receiver in response to reception of the deactivate signal with the low-power receiver.

9. A method for wireless communication by a wireless station, the method comprising:
receiving a target-ultra-low-power-beacon-transmission (TUBT) message from an access point by a primary receiver;
processing the TUBT message, the TUBT message indicating a target wake up time when an ultra-low-power (ULP) message is expected to be received from the access point;
transitioning the primary receiver to a doze state subsequent to reception of the TUBT message by the primary receiver;
transitioning a low-power receiver to an awake state from the doze state based on the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message;
receiving the ULP message from the access point at the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message by the low-power receiver;
in response to receiving the ULP message by the low-power receiver:
transitioning the primary receiver to the awake state from the doze state, and
transitioning the low-power receiver to the doze state from the awake state, and

receiving at least one of a beacon or a buffer unit from the access point by the primary receiver.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein transitioning the primary receiver to the awake state in response to reception of the ULP message by the low-power receiver comprises transitioning the primary receiver to the awake state at a time subsequent to receiving the ULP message by the low-power receiver and prior to receiving at least one of the beacon or the buffer unit by the primary receiver.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the time corresponds to a predetermined next target beacon transit time at which the access point will transmit a beacon to the wireless station.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting a power save poll frame to the access point at the time, wherein the power save poll frame indicates that the wireless station is available to receive downlink data.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting an acknowledgement that the low-power receiver has received the ULP message.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting a power save poll frame to the access point, wherein the power save poll frame indicates that the wireless station is available to receive downlink data.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the low-power receiver consumes less power in the awake state than power consumed by the primary receiver in the awake state.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a deactivate signal by the low-power receiver; and
deactivating the primary receiver.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes a wireless station to:
receive a target-ultra-low-power-beacon-transmission (TUBT) message from an access point by a primary receiver;
process the TUBT message, the TUBT message indicating a target wake up time when an ultra-low-power (ULP) message is expected to be received from the access point;
transition the primary receiver to a doze state subsequent to reception of the TUBT message by the primary receiver;
transition a low-power receiver to an awake state from the doze state based on the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message;
receive the ULP message from the access point at the target wake up time indicated in the TUBT message by the low-power receiver;
in response to receiving the ULP message by the low-power receiver:
transition the primary receiver to the awake state from the doze state, and
transition the low-power receiver to the doze state from the awake state, and

receive at least one of a beacon or a buffer unit from the access point by the primary receiver.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein transitioning the primary receiver to the awake state in response to reception of the ULP message by the low-power receiver comprises transitioning the primary receiver to the awake state at a time subsequent to receiving the ULP message by the low-power receiver and prior to receiving at least one of the beacon or the buffer unit by the primary receiver.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the time corresponds to a predetermined next target beacon transit time at which the acc

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Merlin Simone
• Jafarian Amin
• Asterjadhi Alfred
• Barriac Gwendolyn Denise

Classifications

• H04W52/0216

  using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame · CPC title

• Y02B60/50

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H04B1/3805

  with built-in auxiliary receivers · CPC title

• H04W52/0209 Primary

  in terminal devices · CPC title

• H04W52/0229 Primary

  where the received signal is a wanted signal · CPC title