System And Method For Access Point Power Save

1 . A method for saving power in a wireless access point (AP), the method comprising:

determining that there are no active connections related to the access point;

configuring the access point to be in a power-save mode wherein at least one area of the access point operates in a reduced power state; and

remaining in the power-save mode until the access point receives a triggering signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the active connections are determined by examining a list of previously associated wireless stations and determining that the list is empty.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the active connections are further determined by examining a list of media access control (MAC) addresses and determining that there are no MAC addresses on the MAC address list.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point does not transmit beacons in the power-save mode.

5 . The method of claim 3 , the method further comprising:

receiving the triggering signal; and

configuring the access point to leave the power-save mode in response to receiving the triggering signal.

6 . The method in claim 5 , wherein the trigging signal is a probe request from a wireless station.

7 . An access point comprising:

an association table configured to include a list of wireless stations that are associated with the access point;

an activity monitor configured to monitor the association table; and

a power configurator configured to reduce power to at least one area of the access point when the activity monitor determines that there are no wireless stations currently associated with the access point.

8 . The access point of claim 7 , wherein the power configurator is further configured to stop the access point from transmitting beacon signals when the activity monitor determines that there are no wireless stations currently associated with the access point.

9 . The access point of claim 7 , further comprising:

a media access control (MAC) address table configured to include MAC addresses corresponding to wireless stations that have been associated with the access point;

a MAC address ager configured to remove MAC addresses from the MAC address table after a predetermined time period has passed if no activity has been determined from a particular MAC address;

a MAC address table monitor configured to determine the number of the MAC addresses included in the MAC address table;

wherein the power configurator is further configured to reduce power to at least one area of the access point when the MAC address table monitor determines that the MAC address table is empty.

10 . The access point of claim 9 , wherein the power configurator is further configured to stop the access point from transmitting beacon signals when MAC address table monitor determines that the MAC address table is empty.

11 . The access point of claim 10 , wherein the wireless station is further configured to receive a trigger signal.

12 . The access point of claim 11 , wherein the trigger signal is a probe request.

13 . The access point of claim 11 , wherein the power configurator is further configured to restore power to at least one area of the access point.

14 . The access point of claim 13 , wherein the power configurator allows the access point to transmit beacon signals.

15 . A method for saving power in an access point, the method comprising:

allowing at least one wireless station to connect to the access point;

waiting for the connections to the access point to become inactive;

entering a power-save mode wherein the access point stops transmitting beacons; and

leaving the power-save mode when the access point receives a trigger signal.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the trigger signal is a probe request.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the power-save mode also comprises reducing the power to at least one area of the access point.