Scheduled peer power save mode
View Patent ↗Embodiments of scheduled peer power save systems, devices, and methods are disclosed. For example, methods of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link are provided. Embodiments of scheduled peer power save systems, devices and methods are disclosed. For example, methods of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link are provided. In one embodiment, among others, a method comprises waking up, at a station and peer station, before a scheduled wakeup interval. The scheduled wakeup interval is defined relative to common timing reference at the station and the peer station. Further, in the absence of a service period between the station and the peer station, the station and the peer station stay awake until at least a predefined time period has elapsed or a predefined number of idle slots have elapsed.
1. A method of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link, the method comprising:
communicating a wakeup schedule between the stations either via an access point (AP) or the direct link, the stations comprising a station and a peer station;
waking up, at the station and the peer station, after a first scheduled wakeup interval and before a second scheduled wakeup interval, wherein the first and second scheduled wakeup intervals are defined by the wakeup schedule, the first and second scheduled wakeup intervals defined relative to a common timing reference received by the station and the peer station from the AP, and wherein the second scheduled wakeup interval successively follows the first scheduled wakeup interval; and
after the start of the second scheduled wakeup interval, remaining awake at the station and the peer station according to the wakeup schedule in the absence of a service period between the station and the peer station, the station and the peer station remaining awake until at least a predefined time period has elapsed or a predefined number of idle slots have elapsed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common timing reference is a timing synchronization function (TSF) associated with a beacon, wherein the beacon is delivered by the AP.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second scheduled wakeup intervals are two of a plurality of scheduled wakeup intervals included in the wakeup schedule, wherein the wakeup schedule comprises a periodic wakeup schedule.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in case of a service period occurring between the station and the peer station after the start of the second scheduled wakeup interval and before the predefined time period has elapsed or the predefined number of idle slots have elapsed, staying awake, at the station and the peer station, until the service period has ended.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising entering a doze state, at the station and the peer station, when at least the predefined time period has elapsed during which no service period has occurred between the station and the peer station.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising entering a doze state, at the station and the peer station, when at least the predefined number of idle slots have elapsed and no service period has occurred between the station and the peer station during the duration of the predefined number of idle slots that elapsed.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the idle time slots are determined according to a distributed channel access protocol.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating the wakeup schedule when a predefined number of scheduled wakeup intervals have elapsed during which no service period has occurred between the station and the peer station.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising terminating the wakeup schedule by transmitting a termination frame by the station or the peer station.
10. A method of saving power for stations configured to communicate via a direct link, the method comprising:
receiving, at a station, a frame destined for a peer station; and
sending, from the station, an indication frame that causes a wakeup schedule to be set up and activated at the station and the peer station, the wakeup schedule comprising one or more scheduled wakeup intervals during which the station and the peer station are awake and able to exchange the frame over the direct link,
wherein the indication frame comprises information that defines a timing of the one or more scheduled wakeup intervals relative to a timing reference received by the station and the peer station from an access point (AP),
wherein the indication frame is sent via the AP to the peer station.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the indication frame is sent only when no wakeup schedule is active between the station and the peer station.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the indication frame is sent when an access category (AC) becomes non-empty.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising routing traffic for an AC over the direct link while traffic for another AC is routed through the AP.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the traffic routed over the direct link has a high duty cycle relative to the traffic routed through the AP.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending traffic from the station to the peer station, the traffic comprising the frame.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sending a trigger frame from the station to the peer station during the one or more scheduled wakeup intervals when the station has traffic for the peer station.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the trigger frame begins a service period between the station and the peer station, and the method further comprises remaining awake, at the station and the peer station, until the service period is terminated.
18. A device configured to communicate with a peer station via a direct link, the device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory component that stores executable instructions that are executable by the processor, the processor being configured by the executable instructions to cause an indication frame to be sent that causes a wakeup schedule to be set up and activated at the device and the peer station, the wakeup schedule comprising one or more scheduled wakeup intervals during which the device and the peer station are awake and able to exchange frames over the direct link, wherein the indication frame comprises information that defines a timing of the one or more scheduled wakeup intervals relative to a timing reference received by the device and the peer station from an access point (AP),
wherein the processor is further configured by the executable instructions to cause the indication frame to be sent via the AP to the peer station, and
wherein the processor is further configured by the executable instructions to cause the indication frame to be sent when no scheduled wakeup has occurred for at least a duration equal to an indication window or when no wakeup schedule is currently active between the device and the peer station.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured by the executable instructions to cause the indication frame to be sent when a traffic stream will be transmitted via the direct link, the traffic stream comprising the frames to be exchanged.