Device power management in a wireless network
View Patent ↗In various embodiments of the invention, a device in a wireless communications network may negotiate with a network controller to determine when the device may enter a power save mode. The power save mode may include period(s) in which the device is in a low power state in which it cannot transmit or receive, and period(s) in which it is in an operational state in which it can transmit and/or receive.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first wireless communications device comprising a radio configured to establish wireless communications in a wireless communications network by negotiating, with a second wireless communications device, a time period for the first wireless communications device to operate in a power save mode, the negotiation comprising:
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a request for the first wireless communications device to enter the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a request for acceptance of the recommended time period; and
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, the acceptance of the recommended time period.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the request for acceptance comprises a first information element and the acceptance comprises a second information element.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first information element comprises a field to indicate a duration of the power save mode.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communications device is configured to be in an awake state during at least a portion of the power save mode during:
at least one beacon time;
at least one announcement time;
times scheduled during the beacon time for communications involving the first wireless communications device; and
during at least part of a contention based access time if the first wireless communications device has data queued up for transmission.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless communications device refrains from scheduling any communications for the first wireless communications device during the recommended time period.
6. An apparatus, comprising:
a first wireless communications device comprising a radio configured to establish wireless communications in a wireless communications network by negotiating, with a second wireless communications device, a time period for the second wireless communications device to operate in a power save mode, the negotiation comprising:
receiving a request to enter the power save mode from the second wireless communications device;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a request for the second wireless communications device to operate in the power save mode during the recommended time period; and
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, an acceptance of the request for the recommended time period.
7. A method, comprising:
negotiating a time period for a first wireless communications device to operate in a power save mode, wherein the power save mode comprises:
an awake state in which sufficient power is provided to permit transmitting and receiving; and
a doze state in which less power is consumed than in the awake state, wherein the negotiation comprises:
transmitting, to a second wireless communications device, a request for the first wireless communications device to enter the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a request for acceptance of the recommended time period; and
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, the acceptance of the recommended time period.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting and receiving are not permitted during the doze state.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second wireless communications device refrains from scheduling any communications for the first wireless communications device during the recommended time period.
10. A method, comprising:
negotiating a time period between a first wireless communications device comprising a radio configured to establish wireless communications with a second wireless communications device for the second wireless communication device to operate in a power save mode, wherein the power save mode comprises:
an awake state in which sufficient power is provided to permit transmitting and receiving; and
a doze state in which less power is consumed than in the awake state, wherein the negotiation comprises:
receiving a request to enter the power save mode from the second wireless communications device;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a request for the second wireless communications device to operate in the power save mode during the recommended time period; and
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, an acceptance of the request for the recommended time period.
11. An article comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:
negotiating a time period for a first wireless communications device to operate in a power save mode, wherein the power save mode comprises:
an awake state in which sufficient power is provided to permit transmitting and receiving; and
a doze state in which less power is consumed than in the awake state, wherein the negotiation comprises:
transmitting, to a second wireless communications device, a request for the first wireless communications device to enter the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a request for acceptance of the recommended time period; and
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, the acceptance of the recommended time period.
12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the second wireless communications device refrains from scheduling any communications for the first wireless communications device during the recommended time period.
13. The article of claim 11 , the negotiating further comprising the first wireless communications device, the second wireless communications device, or both being in the awake state during the power save mode during:
at least one beacon time;
at least one announcement time;
times scheduled during the beacon time for communications involving the first wireless communications device; and
during at least part of a contention based access time if the first wireless communications device has data queued up for transmission.
14. An article comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:
negotiating a time period between a first wireless communications device comprising a radio configured to establish wireless communications with a second wireless communications device for the second wireless communication device to operate in a power save mode, wherein the power save mode comprises:
an awake state in which transmitting and receiving is permitted; and
a doze state in which less power is consumed than in the awake state, wherein the negotiating comprises:
receiving a request to enter the power save mode from the second wireless communications device;
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, a recommended time period for the power save mode;
receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a request for the second wireless communications device to operate in the power save mode during the recommended time period; and
transmitting, to the second wireless communications device, an acceptance of the request for the recommended time period.