Multicast address signaling for power save delivery in a wireless network

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a wireless node in a wireless network, a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame to identify one or more parameters relating to a multicast transmission to be transmitted, the PSMP frame comprising a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for the multicast transmisson comprising:

a first field set to a value indicating a multicast transmission;

a second field identifying a multicast address;

a third field identifying a time for the multicast transmission; and

a fourth field identifying a duration for the multicast transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises:

transmitting in the wireless network the PSMP frame to identify one or more parameters relating to a scheduled multicast transmission to be transmitted in a PSMP sequence, the PSMP frame comprising:

the third field identifying the time for the multicast transmission during the PSMP sequence, the third field comprising a downlink transmission (DLT) start offset field; and

the fourth field identifying the duration for the multicast transmission, the fourth field comprising a downlink transmission (DLT) duration field.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting in the wireless network the PSMP frame comprises transmitting in a wireless network an IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

4. An apparatus provided in a wireless node of a wireless network, the apparatus being configured to:

transmit a broadcast Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame to identify a scheduled multicast data transmission time, the broadcast PSMP frame comprising a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for the multicast transmisson comprising a first field set to a value indicating multicast, a second field identifying a selected one of a plurality of possible multicast addresses, a downlink transmission start offset indicating a time for the multicast data transmission, and a downlink transmission duration indicating a duration for the multicast data transmission.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , the apparatus being further configured to:

transmit one or more multicast data frames to the multicast address at approximately the time indicated by the downlink transmission start offset.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the broadcast PSMP frame comprises a IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

7. An apparatus provided for wireless communicate via a wireless network comprising:

a computing device; and

instructions that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to:

establish a data transmission schedule with one or more receiver nodes in a wireless network; and

transmit a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame to the one or more receiver nodes to identify a data transmission sub-schedule, the PSMP frame comprising:

a unicast information field for each of one or more unicast transmissions, the unicast information field comprising at least a station ID, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the unicast transmission, and a downlink transmission duration for the unicast transmission; and

a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for a multicast transmisson comprising a field indicating multicast, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the multicast transmission, a downlink transmission duration for the multicast transmission, and a multicast address.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the unicast information field comprises a STA Info field for unicast data transmission, the STA Info field for unicast data transmission being provided within an IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 the STA Info field for multicast data transmission being provided within an IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

10. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a wireless node, a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame via a wireless network to indicate a data transmission schedule for one or more wireless receiver nodes or stations, the PSMP frame comprising:

a unicast information field for each of one or more unicast transmissions, the unicast information field comprising at least a station ID, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the unicast transmission, and a downlink transmission duration for the unicast transmission; and

a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for a multicast transmisson comprising a field indicating multicast, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the multicast transmission, a downlink transmission duration for the multicast transmission, and a multicast address.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the unicast information field includes a STA Info field for unicast data transmission.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting an IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

13. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, result in:

transmitting a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame via a wireless network to indicate a data transmission schedule for one or more wireless receiver nodes or stations, the PSMP frame comprising:

a unicast information field for each of one or more unicast transmissions, the unicast information field comprising at least a station ID, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the unicast transmission, and a downlink transmission duration for the unicast transmission; and

a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for a multicast transmisson comprising a field indicating multicast, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the multicast transmission, a downlink transmission duration for the multicast transmission, and a multicast address.

14. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a controller, the controller configured to:

transmit a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame via a wireless network to indicate a data transmission schedule for one or more wireless receiver nodes or stations, the PSMP frame comprising:

a unicast information field for each of one or more unicast transmissions, the unicast information field comprising at least a station ID, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the unicast transmission, and a downlink transmission duration for the unicast transmission; and

a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for a multicast transmission comprising a field indicating multicast, a downlink transmission time or start offset for the multicast transmission, a downlink transmission duration for the multicast transmission, and a multicast address.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the PSMP frame comprises an IEEE 802.11n PSMP frame.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless node in a wireless network, a Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame that identifies one or more parameters relating to a multicast transmission to be transmitted, the PSMP frame comprising a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for the multicast transmission comprising:

a first field set to a value indicating a multicast transmission;

a second field identifying a multicast address;

a third field identifying a time for the multicast transmission; and

a fourth field identifying a duration for the multicast transmission.

17. An apparatus provided in a wireless node of a wireless network, the apparatus being configured to:

receive a broadcast Power save multi poll (PSMP) frame that identifies a scheduled multicast data transmission time, the broadcast PSMP frame comprising a plurality of station info fields, a station info field for a multicast transmission comprising a first field set to a value indicating multicast, a second field identifying a selected one of a plurality of possible multicast addresses, a downlink transmission start offset indicating a time for the multicast data transmission, and a downlink transmission duration indicating a duration for the multicast data transmission.