Delivering data to a wireless station
Disclosed are methods for delivering data ( 212 ) to a wireless station ( 102 ). An access point ( 104 ), or any other suitable device or system, receives a plurality of association requests ( 204 ) from a plurality of wireless stations ( 102 ) and transmits a different association identifier ( 208 ) to each of the plurality of wireless stations ( 102 ). The access point ( 104 ) buffers data ( 212 ) for a subset of the wireless stations ( 102 ). If the number of wireless stations ( 102 ) with buffered data ( 212 ) at the access point ( 104 ) is less than a threshold, then the access point ( 104 ) transmits a list of association identifiers indicating that buffered data ( 212 ) are held for each wireless station ( 102 ) identified by the list. If the number of wireless stations ( 102 ) with buffered data ( 212 ) at the access point ( 104 ) is not less than the threshold, then the access point ( 104 ) transmits data indicative of a range of association identifiers indicating that buffered data ( 212 ) are held for at least one wireless station ( 102 ) identified by the range.
1. A method of delivering data to wireless stations, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of association requests from a plurality of wireless stations wherein the plurality of association requests include low-power association requests and non-low-power association requests;
transmitting a different association identifier to each of the plurality of wireless stations;
transmitting a skip rate indicative of a wake-up frequency associated with at least one of the plurality of wireless stations;
transmitting a delivery interval time indicative of a time between a transmission of first buffered data associated with a first wireless station and a transmission of second buffered data associated with a second wireless station;
buffering data for a subset of the plurality of wireless stations, the subset including a number of wireless stations;
if the number of wireless stations is less than a threshold, then transmitting a list of association identifiers indicating that each wireless station identified by the list is to poll for an associated portion of the buffered data;
if the number of wireless stations is greater than the threshold, then transmitting data indicative of a range of association identifiers indicating that each wireless station identified by the range is to wake up at a scheduled time to receive an associated portion of the buffered data; and
transmitting an indication that at least one wireless station in the range need not wake up at the scheduled time to receive buffered data.