SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR A SHORT BEACON IN LOW RATE WI-FI COMMUNICATIONS
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for a short beacon in low rate Wi-Fi communications. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for generating a short beacon. The method can include generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval. The short beacon frame includes: a beacon timestamp field, a service set identifier (SSID) field, and one or more capability fields; and generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval. The TIM frame includes a TIM timestamp field, a check beacon field, and a TIM; and converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission over a hardware transmission medium.
1 - 30 . (canceled)
31 . A method comprising executing computer-executable instructions by one or more processors for generating a short beacon, the method further comprising:
generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval, the short beacon frame comprising:
a beacon timestamp field;
a service set identifier (SSID) field; and
one or more capability fields;
generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:
a TIM timestamp field;
a check beacon field; and
a TIM; and
converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission over a hardware transmission medium.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is set within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the TIM interval is set according to a delay tolerance of downlink traffic delivery.
34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame comprises signaling a short beacon mode by setting one or more medium access control (MAC) header frames.
35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating an 8 byte beacon timestamp field, a 2 byte beacon interval, a 2 to 34 byte SSID field, and a 2 byte capability field.
36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating a 2 byte extended capability field.
37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM.
38 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising transmitting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame by the transmission medium.
39 . A system comprising;
at least one access point device comprising:
at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions;
one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:
generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval by the at least one access point device, the short beacon frame comprising:
a beacon timestamp field;
a service set identifier (SSID) field; and
one or more capability fields;
generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:
a TIM timestamp field;
a check beacon field; and
a TIM; and
converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission by the at least one access point device.
40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is set within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1.
41 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the TIM interval is set according to a delay tolerance of downlink traffic delivery.
42 . The system of claim 39 , wherein converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame comprises signaling a short beacon mode by setting one or more medium access control (MAC) header frames.
43 . The system of claim 39 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating an 8 byte beacon timestamp field, a 2 byte beacon interval, a 2 to 34 byte SSID field, and a 2 byte capability field.
44 . The system of claim 39 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating a 2 byte extended capability field.
45 . The system of claim 39 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM.
46 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the short beacon frame and the TIM frame are transmitted by the at least one access point device.
47 . A system comprising;
at least one station comprising:
at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions;
one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:
receiving a short beacon frame at a selectable beacon interval from an access point device, the short beacon frame comprising:
a beacon timestamp field;
a service set identifier (SSID) field; and
one or more capability fields;
receiving a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for reception at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:
a TIM timestamp field;
a check beacon field; and
a TIM.
48 . The system of claim 47 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured for processing the received short beacon frame and the received TIM frame.
49 . The system of claim 47 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1.
50 . The system of claim 47 , wherein the TIM interval corresponds to a delay tolerance of traffic delivery.
30 . The computer program product of claim 25 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM.