Method and apparatus for efficient addressing and power savings in wireless communications
A wireless station comprises a receiver that is configured to receive a frame from an access point (AP). The frame comprises a physical layer header. The physical layer header includes an indication of a color associated with the AP. A processor in the STA is configured to enter a power save state based on the color associated with the AP not matching a stored AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with. An AP that performs a similar function is also disclosed.
1. A station (STA) comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a frame from an access point (AP), wherein the frame comprises a physical layer (PHY) header including an indication of a color associated with the AP; and
a processor configured to enter a power save state based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble not matching an AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
2. The STA of claim 1 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is at least two bits.
3. The STA of claim 1 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is included in a SIGNAL field of the PHY header.
4. The STA of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to decode the frame based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble matching the AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
5. The STA of claim 1 , wherein the STA is operating on a wireless channel that neighbor APs are also operating on.
6. The STA of claim 1 , wherein the frame is a data frame.
7. A method for use in a station (STA), the method comprising:
receiving a frame from an access point (AP), wherein the frame comprises a physical layer (PHY) header including an indication of a color associated with the AP; and
entering a power save state based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble not matching an AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is at least two bits.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is included in a SIGNAL field of the PHY header.
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
decoding the frame based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble matching the AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the STA is operating on a wireless channel that neighbor APs are also operating on.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the frame is a data frame.
13. An access point (AP) comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit a frame to a station (STA), wherein the frame comprises a physical layer (PHY) header including an indication of a color associated with the AP;
whereby the indication of a color associated with the AP enables the STA to enter a power save state based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble not matching an AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
14. The AP of claim 13 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is at least two bits.
15. The AP of claim 13 , wherein the indication of a color associated with the AP is included in a SIGNAL field of the PHY header.
16. The AP of claim 13 , whereby the indication of a color associated with the AP enables the STA to decode the frame based on the indication of a color associated with the AP included in the PHY preamble matching the AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with.
17. The AP of claim 13 , wherein the AP is operating on a wireless channel that neighbor APs are also operating on.
18. The AP of claim 13 , wherein the frame is a data frame.