System and method for managing growing beacon size in a wireless network
A system and method for managing beacon size. In some embodiments, the method includes: transmitting, by an Access Point Station (AP STA) a first beacon; transmitting, by the AP STA, a second beacon indicating feature information; and transmitting, by the AP STA, a first follow-on beacon, the first follow-on beacon supplementing the feature information indicated in the second beacon.
1. A method, comprising:
transmitting, by an Access Point Station (AP STA), a first beacon comprising first feature information;
transmitting, by the AP STA, a second beacon different from the first beacon indicating second feature information different from the first feature information; and
transmitting, by the AP STA, a first follow-on beacon,
the first follow-on beacon supplementing the second feature information indicated in the second beacon.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first beacon comprises information specifying a time of transmission of the first follow-on beacon, and
the transmitting of the first follow-on beacon comprises transmitting the first follow-on beacon at the time specified by the first beacon.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a gap between an end of the first follow-on beacon and a beginning of the second beacon has a length of one Short Interframe Space.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the AP STA, a third beacon indicating third feature information, there not being a follow-on beacon comprising feature information supplementing the third feature information indicated in the third beacon.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving, by the AP STA, an action frame requesting a follow-on beacon; and
sending, by the AP STA, in response to the receiving of the action frame, a follow-on beacon.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the AP STA, a third beacon;
transmitting, by the AP STA, a second follow-on beacon; and
transmitting, by the AP STA, a fourth beacon,
wherein:
the second follow-on beacon comprises feature information supplementing fourth feature information indicated in the fourth beacon; and
the transmitting of the second follow-on beacon comprises transmitting the second follow-on beacon at a time specified by:
the second beacon, and
the third beacon.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting, by the AP STA, of the first follow-on beacon comprises transmitting the first follow-on beacon during a Broadcast Transmit Wait Time Service Period.
8. An Access Point Station (AP STA) comprising:
a radio; and
a processing circuit,
the processing circuit being configured to:
transmit a first beacon comprising first feature information;
transmit a second beacon different from the first beacon indicating second feature information different from the first feature information; and
transmit a first follow-on beacon,
the first follow-on beacon comprising feature information supplementing the second feature information indicated in the second beacon.
9. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the first follow-on beacon at a time specified by the first beacon.
10. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein a gap between an end of the first follow-on beacon and a beginning of the second beacon has a length of one Short Interframe Space.
11. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein:
the processing circuit is further configured to transmit a third beacon indicating third feature information,
there not being a follow-on beacon comprising feature information supplementing the third feature information indicated in the third beacon.
12. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
transmit a third beacon;
transmit a second follow-on beacon; and
transmit a fourth beacon,
wherein:
the second follow-on beacon comprises feature information supplementing fourth feature information indicated in the fourth beacon; and
the transmitting of the second follow-on beacon comprises transmitting the second follow-on beacon at a time specified by:
the second beacon, and
the third beacon.
13. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein a gap between an end of the first beacon and a beginning of the first follow-on beacon has a length of one Short Interframe Space.
14. The AP STA of claim 8 , wherein the transmitting, by the AP STA, of the first follow-on beacon, comprises transmitting the first follow-on beacon during a Broadcast Transmit Wait Time Service Period.
15. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a non-Access Point Station (non-AP STA), a first beacon comprising first feature information;
receiving, by the non-AP STA, a second beacon different from the first beacon indicating second feature information different from the first feature information;
listening, by the non-AP STA, for a first follow-on beacon; and
receiving, by the non-AP STA, the first follow-on beacon,
the first follow-on beacon comprising feature information supplementing the second feature information indicated in the second beacon.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the first beacon comprises information specifying a time of transmission of the first follow-on beacon;
the listening for the first follow-on beacon comprises listening for the first follow-on beacon at the time specified by the first beacon; and
the receiving of the first follow-on beacon comprises receiving the first follow-on beacon at the time specified by the first beacon.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a gap between an end of the first follow-on beacon and a beginning of the second beacon has a length of one Short Interframe Space.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, by the non-AP STA, a third beacon
receiving, by the non-AP STA, a second follow-on beacon; and
receiving, by the non-AP STA, a fourth beacon,
wherein:
the second follow-on beacon comprises feature information supplementing fourth feature information indicated in the fourth beacon; and
the receiving of the second follow-on beacon comprises receiving second first follow-on beacon at a time specified by:
the second beacon, and
the third beacon.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein a gap between an end of the first beacon and a beginning of the first follow-on beacon has a length of one Short Interframe Space.