Channel-occupancy efficient, low power wireless networking
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method are provided for efficiently sharing a single wireless channel and for providing improved power saving. Automatic beacon “sliding” establishes a round-robin contention-free channel schedule among multiple IBSSs. Entering an idle state immediately following communication after a beacon saves power. Further power savings occur when presumptions of pending traffic may be made.
1. A method of saving power in a station, the station forming part of an ad-hoc wireless network including a plurality of stations, the method comprising:
waking to receive a beacon;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next beacon;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.
2. A method of saving power in a station, the station forming part of an ad-hoc wireless network including a plurality of stations, the method comprising:
waking to receive a coordination transmission;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next coordination transmission;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.
3. A station of an ad-hoc wireless network, the ad-hoc wireless network including a plurality of stations, the station being configured to perform steps comprising:
waking to receive a beacon;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next beacon;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.
4. A station of an ad-hoc wireless network, the ad-hoc wireless network including a plurality of stations, the station being configured to perform steps comprising:
waking to receive a coordination transmission;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next coordination transmission;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.
5. An ad-hoc wireless network system including a plurality of stations, at least one station being configured to perform steps comprising:
waking to receive a beacon;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next beacon;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.
6. An ad-hoc wireless network system including a plurality of stations, at least one station being configured to perform steps comprising:
waking to receive a coordination transmission;
transmitting any announcement traffic indication message (ATIM);
if a broadcast/multicast (BC/MC) ATIM indicating pending BC/MC packets is received, then receiving the BC/MC packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to a first predetermined value;
if a unicast ATIM indicating pending unicast packets is received, then receiving the unicast packets until a packet with its MORE DATA bit is set to the first predetermined value;
if an ATIM was transmitted and at least one packet for another station is pending, then transmitting the at least one packet with its MORE DATA bit set to a second predetermined value;
if no unicast ATIM is received and no ATIM was transmitted, then entering an idle state before a next coordination transmission;
setting a NULL timer to a predetermined delay value as long as packets are being received or transmitted with the MORE DATA bit being set to the second predetermined value, the predetermined delay value being based on an internal queuing delay; and
after a NULL timer timeout, sending a NULL packet with its MORE DATA bit set to the first predetermined value if the station sent any data and then entering the idle state.