Power supply-based transmission control

Abstract

Aspects relate to transmission control. In some examples, a first apparatus (e.g., a wireless communication device) may output a first packet for transmission to a second apparatus. The first device may then suspend outputting the second packet from sending to the second device. In some examples, the pause of the second packet may be based on a first voltage level of a power supply (e.g., due to the transmission of the first packet) being less than or equal to a first threshold.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This patent application claims priority to pending U.S. non-provisional application No. 17 / 894,950, filed on August 24, 2022, and which is assigned to the assignee of this application and is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth below and for all applicable purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The technology discussed below relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to controlling transmissions based on the voltage level of a power supply. Background Art

[0004] Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide a variety of communication services. Some of these networks may be multiple access networks that support communications for multiple users by sharing available network resources. For example, a wireless communication device (e.g., a station) may communicate with another wireless communication device (e.g., an access point or station) of a network to obtain access to the communication services provided by the network. Summary of the invention

[0005] An overview of one or more aspects of the present disclosure is presented below to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not an extensive review of all expected features of the present disclosure, and is neither intended to identify key or important elements of all aspects of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to describe the scope of any or all aspects of the present disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the present disclosure in a form as a preface to a more detailed description presented later.

[0006] In some examples, a first device for wireless communication may include a processing system. The processing system may be configured to output a first packet for transmission to a second device. The processing system may also be configured to suspend outputting a second packet so as not to transmit to the second device, the suspending being based on a first voltage level of a power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the transmission of the first packet.

[0007] In some examples, a method for wireless communication at a first device is disclosed. The method may include: outputting a first packet for transmission to a second device. The method may also include: pausing outputting a second packet so as not to transmit to the second device, the pausing being based on a first voltage level of a power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the transmission of the first packet.

[0008] In some examples, a first device for wireless communication may include a component for outputting a first packet for transmission to a second device. The first device may also include a component for suspending output of a second packet from being transmitted to the second device, the suspension being based on a first voltage level of a power supply caused by the transmission of the first packet being less than or equal to a first threshold.

[0009] In some examples, a non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored therein instructions executable by a processing system of a first device to output a first packet for transmission to a second device. The computer-readable medium may also have stored therein instructions executable by the processing system of the first device to suspend outputting a second packet from being transmitted to the second device, the suspension being based on a first voltage level of a power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the transmission of the first packet.

[0010] In some examples, a station may include a power supply, a transceiver, and a processing system. The transceiver may be configured to send a first packet to a device. The processing system may be configured to suspend a second packet from being sent to the device, the suspending being based on a first voltage level of the power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the sending of the first packet.

[0011] After studying the specific embodiments below, these and other aspects of the present disclosure will become more fully understood. After studying the description of the specific example aspects of the present disclosure below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other aspects, features and examples of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Although the features of the present disclosure may be discussed below with respect to certain examples and drawings, all examples of the present disclosure may include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, although one or more examples may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used according to the various examples of the present disclosure discussed herein. In a similar manner, although the example aspects may be discussed below as device, system or method examples, it should be understood that such example aspects may be implemented in various devices, systems and methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a conceptual illustration of an example of a wireless communication system in accordance with some aspects.

[0013] Figure 2 is a conceptual illustration of another example of a wireless communication system in accordance with some aspects.

[0014] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example of an apparatus (eg, a wireless communication device) in accordance with some aspects.

[0015] Figure 4According to some aspects, a method for transmitting wireless communication signals is provided. Figure 3 A block diagram of example components of an apparatus.

[0016] Figure 5 According to some aspects, a method for receiving wireless communication signals is provided. Figure 3 A block diagram of example components of an apparatus.

[0017] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an example of an apparatus (eg, an integrated circuit) in accordance with some aspects.

[0018] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of signaling between an access point and stations in accordance with some aspects.

[0019] Figure 8 is a conceptual illustration of an example of a frame format in accordance with some aspects.

[0020] Fig. 9 is a conceptual illustration of an example of voltage levels of a power supply during a transmit opportunity in accordance with some aspects.

[0021] Fig.10 is a conceptual illustration of an example of pausing transmission in accordance with some aspects.

[0022] Fig.11 is a conceptual illustration of another example of pausing transmission in accordance with some aspects.

[0023] Fig.12 is a block diagram of an example of a power-based transmit control circuit in accordance with some aspects.

[0024] Fig.13 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a hardware implementation for an apparatus (eg, a wireless node such as a wireless communication device) employing a processing system in accordance with some aspects.

[0025] Fig.14 is a flow chart illustrating an example communication method involving pausing packets according to some aspects.

[0026] Fig.15 is a flow chart illustrating an example communication method involving outputting packets for transmission in accordance with some aspects.

[0027] Fig.16 is a flow chart illustrating an example communication method involving outputting packets for transmission in accordance with some aspects. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The specific embodiments described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings are intended as descriptions of various configurations and are not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. In order to provide a thorough understanding of the various concepts, the specific embodiments include specific details. However, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring these concepts.

[0029] Although various aspects and examples are described in this application by illustrating some examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that additional specific implementations and use cases can be generated in many different arrangements and scenarios. The innovation described herein can be implemented across many different platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, and packaging arrangements. For example, various aspects and / or use can be generated via integrated chip examples and other devices based on non-module components (e.g., end-user devices, vehicles, communication equipment, computing equipment, industrial equipment, retail / shopping equipment, medical equipment, artificial intelligence (AI) enabled devices, etc.). Although some examples may or may not specifically point to use cases or applications, the applicability of a wide range of described innovations may occur. Specific implementations can range from chip-level or modular components to non-modular, non-chip-level specific implementations, and further to the range of aggregated, distributed, or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices or systems in conjunction with one or more aspects of the described innovations. In some actual settings, the device incorporating the described aspects and features may also necessarily include additional components and features for the implementation and practice of the claimed and described examples. For example, the transmission and reception of wireless signals necessarily include several components for analog and digital purposes (e.g., hardware components including antennas, radio frequency (RF) chains, power amplifiers, modulators, buffers, processors, interleavers, adders / summers, etc.). It is intended that the innovations described herein may be practiced in a variety of devices, chip-level components, systems, distributed arrangements, end-user devices, etc., having various sizes, shapes, and configurations.

[0030] Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to transmission control.For example, transmissions by a wireless communication device may be suspended if the output of a power supply of the wireless communication device temporarily drops below a threshold level.

[0031] In some examples, a wireless communication device (e.g., a low power device) may determine whether an output voltage of a battery of the wireless communication device has dropped below a first threshold level after the wireless communication device performs a first transmission. If the output voltage of the battery has dropped below the first threshold level, the wireless communication device may suspend the second transmission.

[0032] In some examples, the wireless communication device suspends the second transmission until the output voltage of the battery has recovered to a higher level. For example, the wireless communication device may start the second transmission upon determining that the output voltage of the battery subsequently exceeds the second threshold level.

[0033] In some examples, the wireless communication device suspends the second transmission for a certain period of time. For example, the wireless communication device may start the second transmission once a defined period of time has passed after determining that the output voltage of the battery has dropped below the first threshold level.

[0034] Figure 1 An example of a wireless communication system 100 is illustrated in which an access point (AP) 102 communicates with a first station (STA) 104 and a second STA 106. In some examples, the AP 102 may correspond to Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 In some examples, STAs 104 and 106 may correspond to any of the APs or other devices described in any one or more of . Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 Any of the STAs or other devices described in any one or more of .

[0035] The AP 102 may transmit downlink (DL) transmissions 108 and 110, respectively, to the first STA 104 and the second STA 106 via one or more links. In addition, the first STA 104 may transmit uplink (UL) transmissions 112 to the AP 102 via one or more links, and the second STA 106 may transmit UL transmissions 114 to the AP 102 via one or more links.

[0036] The first STA 104 includes a transmission control component 116 that controls transmissions performed by the first STA 104. In some examples, the transmission control component 116 determines whether an output of a power supply of the first STA 104 has dropped below a first threshold level after a first transmission of the UL transmission 112. If so, the transmission control component 116 can temporarily suspend a second transmission of the UL transmission 112 (e.g., until the power supply is restored).

[0037] The various concepts presented throughout this disclosure may be implemented across a wide variety of telecommunication systems, network architectures, and communication standards. Figure 2, various aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated with reference to a wireless communication system 200 including various wireless communication nodes, by way of illustrative example and not limitation. For convenience, the wireless communication nodes may be referred to herein as wireless nodes. In some examples, the wireless communication system 200 may operate in accordance with a wireless communication standard, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard.

[0038] In some examples, a wireless node is a node (e.g., a device, an entity, etc.) that communicates with another node using a wireless spectrum (e.g., a radio frequency (RF) spectrum). In some examples, a wireless node may be a mobile device. A mobile device may be referred to as a STA in IEEE 802.11, but may also be referred to as a user equipment (UE), a mobile station (MS), a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an access terminal (AT), a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a mobile phone, a terminal, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology by those skilled in the art.

[0039] A mobile device does not necessarily have the ability to move, and may be stationary. The term "mobile device" or "mobile device" refers broadly to a wide variety of devices and technologies. A mobile device may include a plurality of hardware structural components whose size, shape, and arrangement facilitate communication. Such components may include antennas, antenna arrays, RF chains, amplifiers, one or more processors, etc. that are electrically coupled to each other. For example, some non-limiting examples of mobile devices include mobile devices, cellular (cell) phones, smart phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal computers (PCs), notebooks, netbooks, smart books, tablet devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and a wide variety of embedded systems, for example, corresponding to the Internet of Things (IoT).

[0040] The mobile device may be a car or other transportation vehicle, a remote sensor or actuator, a robot or robotic device, a satellite radio, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a target tracking device, a drone, a multicopter, a quadcopter, a remote control device, a consumer and / or wearable device such as glasses, a wearable camera, a virtual reality device, a smart watch, a health or fitness tracker, a digital audio player (e.g., an MP3 player), a camera, a game console, an asset tracking device, a positioning device, a smart controller (e.g., for home, office, etc.), an automation device (e.g., for home, office, etc.), etc. The mobile device may be a digital home or smart home device (such as home audio, video, and / or multimedia device), an appliance, a vending machine, a smart lighting device, a home security system, a smart meter, etc. The mobile device may be a smart energy device, a security device, a solar panel or solar array, a municipal infrastructure device that controls electrical power (e.g., a smart grid), lighting, water supply, etc., an industrial automation and enterprise device, a logistics controller, agricultural equipment, etc. In addition, the mobile device may provide connected medical or telemedicine support, i.e., health care at a distance. Telehealth devices may include telehealth monitoring devices and telehealth supervisory devices, whose communication information may be given priority or prioritized access over other types of information, for example in the form of prioritized access for critical service data transmission and / or associated quality of service (QoS) for critical service data transmission.

[0041] In some examples, the wireless node may be an access point. In 802.11, an access point may be a network element in a radio access network that is responsible for radio transmission and reception in one or more service sets. In different technologies, standards, or contexts, an access point may be referred to differently by those skilled in the art as a base station, a base transceiver station (BTS), a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a basic service set (BSS), an extended service set (ESS), a node B (NB), an evolved node B (eNB), a next generation node B (gNB), a transmission and reception point (TRP), or some other suitable term.

[0042] exist Figure 2In the example of , an access point (AP) 204 is deployed in a network to provide access (e.g., network connectivity) to one or more services for one or more stations (STAs), such as STAs 206a, 206b, 206c, 206d, 206e, and 206f (which may be collectively referred to herein as STAs 206 or individually as STAs 206), which may be installed within a coverage area of ​​the network or may roam throughout the coverage area. Thus, at various points in time, STAs 206 may be connected to AP 204 or some other access point (not shown) in the network. In some examples, AP 204 may be referred to as an AP STA. In some examples, STAs 206 may be referred to as non-AP STAs.

[0043] Various processes and methods may be used for transmission between AP 204 and STA 206 in wireless communication system 200. For example, signals may be transmitted and received between AP 204 and STA 206 according to orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology. In this case, wireless communication system 200 may be referred to as an OFDM / OFDMA system. However, within the scope of the present disclosure, multiplexing and multiple access are not limited to the above schemes, and may be provided using time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), space division multiple access (SDMA), sparse code multiple access (SCMA), resource extension multiple access (RSMA) or other suitable multiple access schemes.

[0044] A communication link that facilitates transmissions from AP 204 to one or more of STAs 206 may be referred to as a downlink (DL) (e.g., downlink 208), and a communication link that facilitates transmissions from one or more of STAs 206 to AP 204 may be referred to as an uplink (UL) (e.g., uplink 210). Alternatively, downlink 208 may be referred to as a forward link or forward channel, and uplink 210 may be referred to as a reverse link or reverse channel. In other examples, other terms may be used for these links.

[0045] The AP 204 may act as a base station and provide wireless communication coverage in a basic service area (BSA) 202. The AP 204 and the STAs 206 associated with and using the AP 204 for communication may be referred to as a basic service set (BSS).

[0046] AP 204 and each STA 206 may exchange data units that may include control information and / or data. At the physical (PHY) layer, such data units may be referred to as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs). In some aspects, PPDUs may be referred to as packets or physical layer packets. Each PPDU may include a preamble and a payload. The preamble may include at least one training field (e.g., for synchronization) and at least one signaling (SIG) field (e.g., for control signaling). The payload may include, for example, a media access control (MAC) header or data of other layers, and / or user data. One or more data symbols may be used to send the payload. The systems, methods, and devices herein may utilize data units having training fields whose peak power ratio has been minimized.

[0047] The wireless communication system 200 may adopt a method for allowing efficient access to the wireless communication medium while avoiding conflicts based on unpredictable data transmission. For example, in order to obtain access to the channel, the device in the wireless communication system 200 may support a medium access control (MAC) distributed coordination function (DCF) using a carrier sense multiple access / collision avoidance (CSMA / CA) procedure. In other examples, other types of access schemes may be used. More generally, a device (e.g., an AP or STA) with data for transmission listens to the wireless communication medium to determine whether the channel is occupied. If the device senses that the channel is idle, the device may send its data. Otherwise, the device may postpone for a period of time before determining again whether the wireless communication medium is idle for transmission. The method for performing the CSMA / CA procedure may adopt various gaps between consecutive transmissions to avoid conflicts. In one aspect, the transmission may be referred to as a frame, and the gap between frames is referred to as an interframe space (IFS). The frame may be any one of user data, control frames, management frames, etc.

[0048] The IFS duration may vary depending on the type of time gap provided. Some examples of IFS include Short Interframe Space (SIFS), Point Interframe Space (PIFS), and DCF Interframe Space (DIFS), where SIFS is shorter than PIFS, which is shorter than DIFS. Transmissions after a shorter duration will have a higher priority than transmissions that must wait a longer time before attempting to access the channel.

[0049] Some wireless communication systems (e.g., based on IEEE 802.11ax) adopt a target waiting time (TWT) mechanism that schedules STAs to transmit or receive on a wireless communication medium at a specific time. This allows the STA to switch to a low power mode when the STA is not actively sending or receiving information. As a result, the STA can save power (outside of its scheduled transmission time or reception time). In addition, the use of TWT scheduling enables the BSS (e.g., AP) to manage traffic more efficiently (e.g., by preventing communication conflicts between STAs, by prioritizing traffic, etc.).

[0050] In some examples (e.g., if one or more of STAs 206e and 206f are out of range of AP 204 or otherwise have difficulty communicating with AP 204), STA 206d may be configured as a relay device. For example, STA 206d may be configured (e.g., with STA and AP functionality) to relay communications between AP 204 and STA 206e and to relay communications between AP 204 and STA 206f.

[0051] In some implementations, the wireless communication network may not have a central AP 204, but instead may function as a peer-to-peer network between STAs 206. Thus, in some examples, the functionality of the AP 204 described herein may be performed by one or more of the STAs 206. Additionally, in some examples, a STA may connect to a network served by an AP and also establish a peer-to-peer network with another STA.

[0052] For example, STA 206b may communicate with STA 206c via signaling 214 to form a peer-to-peer network. In this case, STA 206b and 206c may be referred to as peer STAs. In some examples, the communication between STA 206b and 206c may operate according to a wireless communication standard (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 standard or some other standard). For example, a first peer STA having data to send to a second peer STA may perform a CSMA / CA procedure to gain access to a channel. In addition, the peer STA may send a data unit that complies with the 802.11 standard (e.g., the data unit includes a header and a payload that complies with a specific version of the standard).

[0053] An access point in a network may communicate with one or more network entities (for convenience, referred to as Figure 2212 in the network entities 212 represent) communicating (including with each other) to facilitate wide area network connectivity. The network entities may take various forms, such as, for example, one or more radio and / or core network entities. Thus, in various specific implementations, the network entity 212 may represent functionality such as at least one of: network management (e.g., via an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server), session management, mobility management, gateway functionality, interworking functionality, database functionality, or some other suitable network functionality. Two or more of such network entities may be co-located and / or two or more of such network entities may be distributed throughout the network.

[0054] Figure 3 Several components of an apparatus (e.g., a wireless node) 302 that may be deployed within the wireless communication system 200 are illustrated. The apparatus 302 is an example of a device that may be configured to implement the various methods described herein. For example, the apparatus 302 may be implemented as an AP 204, a repeater (e.g., a STA 206d), or Figure 2 In some examples, the device 302 may correspond to a STA in the other STA 206. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 Any of the apparatus, AP, AT, STA, transmitting device, or receiving device shown in any of them.

[0055] The apparatus 302 may include a processing system 304 that controls the operation of the apparatus 302. The processing system 304 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU). A memory component 306 (e.g., including at least one memory device), which may include both read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), provides instructions and data to the processing system 304. A portion of the memory component 306 may also include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM). The processing system 304 typically performs logical and arithmetic operations based on program instructions stored in the memory component 306. The instructions in the memory component 306 may be executable to implement the methods described herein. In some aspects, Figure 6 The processing system 304 and the memory component 306 may correspond to Fig.13 Processing system 1314.

[0056] When the apparatus 302 is implemented or used as a transmitting node, the processing system 304 may be configured to select one of a plurality of media access control (MAC) header types and generate a packet having the MAC header type. For example, the processing system 304 may be configured to generate a packet including a MAC header and a payload and determine what type of MAC header to use.

[0057] When the apparatus 302 is implemented or used as a receiving node, the processing system 304 can be configured to process packets of a plurality of different MAC header types. For example, the processing system 304 can be configured to determine the type of MAC header used in a packet and process the packet and / or fields of the MAC header.

[0058] The processing system 304 may include or may be a component of a larger processing system implemented using one or more processors. The one or more processors may be implemented using any combination of general purpose microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gated logic units, discrete hardware components, dedicated hardware finite state machines, or any other suitable entity that can perform computations or other manipulations of information.

[0059] The processing system may also include a machine-readable medium for storing software. Software should be broadly understood to mean any type of instructions, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or other terms. Instructions may include code (e.g., in source code format, binary code format, executable code format, or any other suitable code format). The instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processing system 304 to perform the various functions described herein.

[0060] The apparatus 302 may also include a housing that may include a transmitter 310 and a receiver 312 to allow data to be sent and received between the apparatus 302 and a remote location. The transmitter 310 and the receiver 312 may be combined into a single communication device (e.g., a transceiver 314). In some implementations (e.g., where the transceiver 314 is an RF transceiver), an antenna 316 may be attached to the housing and electrically coupled to the transceiver 314. The apparatus 302 may also include (not shown) multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, multiple transceivers, and / or multiple antennas. The transmitter 310 and the receiver 312 may be implemented as an integrated device (e.g., embodied as a transmitter circuit and a receiver circuit of a single communication device) in some implementations, may be implemented as separate transmitter devices and separate receiver devices in some implementations, or may be embodied in other ways in other implementations.

[0061] Transmitter 310 may be configured to wirelessly transmit packets according to one or more MAC header types (e.g., corresponding to different versions of the 802.11 standard). For example, transmitter 310 may be configured to transmit packets having a header type generated by processing system 304, as discussed above.

[0062] The receiver 312 may be configured to wirelessly receive packets having one or more MAC header types. In some aspects, the receiver 312 is configured to detect a particular type of MAC header and process the packet accordingly.

[0063] The receiver 312 may be used to detect and quantify the level of the signal received by the transceiver 314. The receiver 312 may detect signals such as total energy, energy per subcarrier per symbol, power spectral density, or detect the signal in some other way. The device 302 may also include a digital signal processor (DSP) 320 for use in processing the signal. In some examples, the DSP 320 may be configured to generate a data unit for transmission. In some aspects, the data unit may include (e.g., may be) a physical layer data unit (PPDU). In some aspects, the PPDU may be referred to as a packet.

[0064] Device 302 may also include an interface 322. In examples where interface 322 is a user interface, interface 322 may include (e.g., may be) a keypad, a microphone, a speaker, a display, etc. Such a user interface may include any element or component that conveys information to a user of device 302 and / or receives input from the user.

[0065] The various components of the device 302 may be coupled together by a bus system 326. The bus system 326 may include, for example, a data bus, as well as a power bus, a control signal bus, and a status signal bus in addition to the data bus. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the components of the device 302 may be coupled together or accept or provide input to each other using some other mechanism.

[0066] In some examples, apparatus 302 may be an integrated circuit. In some examples, apparatus 302 may be configured to operate in a wireless node (eg, an AP or a STA) and perform one or more of the operations described herein.

[0067] In some implementations, the device 302 communicates with at least one other device (not shown) via an interface 322. To this end, in some implementations, an interface 322 (e.g., a transmit / receive interface) may be coupled to the processing system 304 for outputting and / or obtaining (e.g., transmitting and / or receiving) information (e.g., received information, generated information, decoded information, messages, etc.) between the processing system 304 and the other device. In some implementations, the interface 322 may include an interface bus, a bus driver, a bus receiver, other suitable circuits, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the interface 322 may include a radio frequency (RF) circuit (e.g., an RF transmitter and / or an RF receiver).

[0068] Device 302 can communicate with other devices in various ways. In some examples, the device can send and receive information (e.g., frames, messages, bits, etc.) via RF signaling. In some cases, instead of sending information via RF signaling, device 302 can use interface 322 to provide (e.g., output, transmit, send, etc.) information for RF transmission. For example, processing system 304 can output information to RF front end via bus interface for RF transmission. Similarly, instead of receiving information via RF signaling, device 302 can use interface 322 to obtain information received by another device. For example, processing system 304 can obtain (e.g., receive) information from an RF receiver that receives information via RF signaling via a bus interface. In some specific implementations, the interface may include multiple interfaces. For example, a bidirectional interface may include a first interface for obtaining and a second interface for outputting.

[0069] although Figure 3 A number of individual components are illustrated in FIG. 3 , but one or more of these components may be combined or implemented together. For example, processing system 304 may be used to implement not only the functionality described above with respect to processing system 304, but also the functionality described above with respect to transceiver 314 and / or DSP 320. Figure 3 Each of the components illustrated in the example may be implemented using multiple separate elements. In addition, the processing system 304 may be used to implement any of the components, modules, circuits, etc. described below, or each may be implemented using multiple separate elements.

[0070] Figure 3 The components of can be implemented in various ways. In some specific implementations, Figure 3 The components of may be implemented in one or more circuits, such as, for example, one or more processors and / or one or more ASICs (which may include one or more processors). Here, each circuit may use and / or incorporate at least one memory component for storing information or executable code used by the circuit to provide the functionality. For example, Figure 3Some or all of the functionalities represented by the blocks may be implemented by the processor and memory components of the device (e.g., by executing appropriate code and / or by appropriate configuration of the processor components). It should be understood that these components may be implemented in different types of devices (e.g., in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), in a system on a chip (SoC), etc.) in different specific implementations.

[0071] An apparatus (e.g., device 302) operating in the wireless communication system 200 may implement only the functionality of a transmitting node, only the functionality of a receiving node, or both the functionality of a transmitting node and a receiving node. For ease of reference, when discussing device 302 operating as a transmitting node, the device may be referred to as device 302t hereinafter. Similarly, when discussing device 302 operating as a receiving node, the device may be referred to as device 302r hereinafter.

[0072] Figure 4 Various components that may be used in device 302t to transmit wireless communications are illustrated. Figure 4 The components illustrated in can be used, for example, to send OFDM communications. In some examples, Figure 4 The components illustrated in are used to generate and send packets to be transmitted over a bandwidth less than or equal to 1 MHz. In some examples, Figure 4 The components illustrated in are used to generate and send packets to be transmitted over a bandwidth greater than or equal to 1 MHz.

[0073] Figure 4 The device 302t may include a modulator 402 configured to modulate bits for transmission. For example, the modulator 402 may be configured to modulate bits according to the processing system 304 ( Figure 3 ) or interface 322( Figure 3 ) received bits, for example, by determining a plurality of symbols by mapping the bits to a plurality of symbols according to a constellation. The bits may correspond to user data or control information. In some aspects, the bits are received in codewords. In one example, modulator 402 may include (e.g., may be) a QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) modulator, such as a 16-QAM modulator or a 64-QAM modulator. In other examples, modulator 402 may include (e.g., may be) a binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulator, a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulator, or an 8-PSK modulator. In other examples, other types of modulators may be used.

[0074] The apparatus 302t may also include a transform module 404 configured to convert symbols or otherwise modulated bits from the modulator 402 into the time domain. Figure 4In the example, the transform module 404 is illustrated as being implemented by an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) module. Other types of transform modules may be used in other examples. In some implementations, there may be multiple transform modules (not shown) that transform data units of different sizes. In some implementations, the transform module 404 itself may be configured to transform data units of different sizes. For example, the transform module 404 may be configured to have multiple modes, and different numbers of points may be used in each mode to convert symbols. For example, the IFFT may have a mode in which 32 points are used to convert symbols sent on 32 tones (i.e., subcarriers) into a mode in the time domain, and a mode in which 24 points are used to convert symbols sent on 24 tones into a mode in the time domain. The number of points used by the transform module 404 may be referred to as the size of the transform module 404.

[0075] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment, the modulator 402 and the transform module 404 are illustrated as being implemented in the DSP 420. However, in some examples, one or both of the modulator 402 and the transform module 404 may be implemented in a DSP 420. Figure 3 The method is implemented in the processing system 304 or in another element of the device 302t.

[0076] As discussed above, the DSP 420 may be configured to generate a data unit for transmission.In some aspects, the modulator 402 and the transform module 404 may be configured to generate a data unit including a plurality of fields and a plurality of data symbols, the plurality of fields including control information.

[0077] The device 302t may also include a digital-to-analog converter (D / A) 406 configured to convert the output of the transform module into an analog signal. For example, the time domain output of the transform module 404 may be converted into a baseband OFDM signal by the digital-to-analog converter 406. The digital-to-analog converter 406 may be in the processing system 304 or in a Figure 3 In some aspects, the digital-to-analog converter 406 is implemented in another element of the device 302. Figure 3 is implemented in the transceiver 314 or in the data sending processor.

[0078] The analog signal may be transmitted wirelessly by transmitter 410. The analog signal may be further processed before being transmitted by transmitter 410, such as by being filtered or by being up-converted to an intermediate frequency or carrier frequency. Figure 4 In the example illustrated in , transmitter 410 includes a transmit amplifier 408. Before being transmitted, the analog signal may be amplified by the transmit amplifier 408. In some examples, amplifier 408 may include a low noise amplifier (LNA).

[0079] The transmitter 410 is configured to transmit one or more packets or data units in a wireless signal based on the analog input signal. The data units may be transmitted using Figure 3 The processing system 304 and / or DSP 420 of the embodiment of the present invention may generate, for example, the modulator 402 and the transform module 404 as discussed above. The data units that may be generated and sent as discussed above are described in more detail herein.

[0080] Figure 5 Various components that may be used in device 302r to receive wireless communications are illustrated. Figure 5 The components illustrated in can be used, for example, to receive OFDM communications. For example, Figure 5 The components illustrated in Figure 4 A unit of data sent by those components in question.

[0081] The receiver 512 of the device 302r is configured to receive one or more packets or data units in the wireless signal. These data units may be received and decoded or otherwise processed as discussed below.

[0082] exist Figure 5 In the example illustrated in , the receiver 512 includes a receive amplifier 501. The receive amplifier 501 can be configured to amplify the wireless signal received by the receiver 512. In some examples, the receiver 512 is configured to use an automatic gain control (AGC) function to adjust the gain of the receive amplifier 501. For example, in some aspects, the automatic gain control uses information in one or more training fields (such as a short training field (STF)) of the received data unit to adjust the gain. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand methods for performing AGC. In some aspects, the amplifier 501 may include an LNA.

[0083] The device 302r includes an analog-to-digital converter (A / D) 510 configured to convert the amplified wireless signal from the receiver 512 into a digital representation thereof. In addition to being amplified, the wireless signal may also be processed (e.g., by the receiver 512) before being converted by the analog-to-digital converter 510, such as by being filtered or by being downconverted to an intermediate frequency or baseband frequency. The analog-to-digital converter 510 may be implemented in Figure 3 In some examples, the analog-to-digital converter 510 is Figure 3 The method is implemented in the transceiver 314 or in the data receiving processor.

[0084] The apparatus 302r may further include a transform module 504 configured to transform the representation of the wireless signal into a frequency spectrum. Figure 5In the example, the transform module 504 is illustrated as being implemented by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) module. In some aspects, the transform module 504 may identify a symbol for each point it uses. Figure 4 As described, the transform module 504 may be configured to have multiple modes and may use different numbers of points to transform the signal in each mode. The number of points used by the transform module 504 may be referred to as the size of the transform module 504. In some aspects, the transform module 504 may identify a symbol for each point it uses. Other types of transform modules may be used in other examples.

[0085] The apparatus 302r may also include a channel estimator and equalizer 505 configured to form an estimate of the channel over which the data unit is received and to remove certain effects of the channel based on the channel estimate. For example, the channel estimator and equalizer 505 may be configured to approximate a function of the channel, and the channel equalizer may be configured to apply an inverse function of the function to the data in the frequency spectrum.

[0086] The apparatus 302r may further include a demodulator 506 configured to demodulate the equalized data. For example, the demodulator 506 may determine a plurality of bits based on the symbols output by the transform module 504 and the channel estimator and equalizer 505, for example by reversing the mapping of bits to symbols in the constellation. The bits may be Figure 3 The processing system 304 processes or evaluates, or is used to Figure 3 Interface 322 of display or otherwise output information. In this way, data and / or information can be decoded. In some aspects, a bit corresponds to a codeword. In one example, demodulator 506 may include a QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) demodulator, such as an 8-QAM demodulator or a 64-QAM demodulator. In other aspects, demodulator 506 may include a binary phase shift keying (BPSK) demodulator or a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) demodulator. In other examples, other types of demodulators may be used.

[0087] exist Figure 5 In the embodiment, the transform module 504, the channel estimator and equalizer 505, and the demodulator 506 are illustrated as being implemented in the DSP 520. However, in some examples, one or more of the transform module 504, the channel estimator and equalizer 505, and the demodulator 506 may be implemented in a DSP 520. Figure 3 or in the processing system 304 of Figure 3 is implemented in another element of the device 302.

[0088] As discussed above, the wireless signal received at the receiver 312 may include one or more data units. Using the functions or components described above, the data units or data symbols therein may be decoded, evaluated, or otherwise evaluated or processed. For example, Figure 3 The processing system 304 and / or the DSP 520 may be used to decode data symbols in a data unit using the transform module 504, the channel estimator and equalizer 505, and the demodulator 506.

[0089] Figure 4 The apparatus 302t shown in FIG. 3 is an example of a single transmit chain for transmitting via an antenna. Figure 5 The device 302r shown in FIG. 3 is an example of a single receive chain for receiving via an antenna. In some implementations, the device 302t or 302r can implement a portion of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system that uses multiple antennas to simultaneously transmit data via multiple streams and / or simultaneously receive transmitted data via multiple streams.

[0090] Figure 6 An example apparatus 600 is illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, apparatus 600 may be an AP, an AT, or some other type of wireless node (e.g., a node that utilizes a wireless spectrum (e.g., an RF spectrum) to communicate with another node or entity). In some examples, apparatus 600 may correspond to a Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 Any of the apparatus, AP, AT, STA, transmitting device, or receiving device shown in any of them.

[0091] The apparatus 600 includes an apparatus 602 (e.g., an integrated circuit) and optionally at least one other component 608. In some examples, the apparatus 602 may be configured to operate in a wireless node (e.g., an AP, an AT, a STA, etc.) and perform one or more of the operations described herein. The apparatus 602 includes a processing system 604 and a memory 606 coupled to the processing system 604. Example implementations of the processing system 604 are provided herein. In some aspects, Figure 6 The processing system 604 and the memory 606 may correspond to Fig.13 Processing system 1314.

[0092] The processing system 604 is generally adapted for processing, including executing such programming stored on the memory 606. For example, the memory 606 may store instructions that, when executed by the processing system 604, cause the processing system 604 to perform one or more of the operations described herein. As used herein, the terms "programming" or "instructions" or "code" should be interpreted broadly to include, without limitation, instruction sets, instructions, data, code, code segments, program code, programs, programming, subroutines, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable programs, execution threads, procedures, functions, and the like, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or otherwise.

[0093] In some implementations, the device 602 communicates with at least one other component of the device 600 (e.g., a component 608 external to the device 602). To this end, in some implementations, the device 602 may include at least one interface 610 (e.g., a transmit and / or receive interface) coupled to the processing system 604 for outputting and / or obtaining (e.g., transmitting and / or receiving) information (e.g., received information, generated information, decoded information, messages, etc.) between the processing system 604 and the other component 608. In some implementations, the interface 610 may include an interface bus, a bus driver, a bus receiver, a buffer, other suitable circuits, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the interface 610 may include a radio frequency (RF) circuit (e.g., an RF transmitter and / or an RF receiver). In some implementations, the interface 610 may be configured to connect the device 602 to one or more other components of the device 600 (e.g., an RF transmitter and / or an RF receiver). Figure 6 For example, interface 610 may be configured to connect processing system 604 to a radio frequency (RF) front end (eg, an RF transmitter and / or an RF receiver).

[0094] Device 602 can communicate with other devices in various ways. Figure 6In some cases, instead of sending information via RF signaling, the device 602 may have an interface to provide (e.g., output, transmit, send, etc.) information for RF transmission. For example, the processing system 604 may output information to the RF front end for RF transmission via a bus interface of the processing system 604. Similarly, instead of receiving information via RF signaling, the device 602 may have an interface to obtain information received by another device. For example, the processing system 604 may obtain (e.g., receive) information from an RF receiver that receives information via RF signaling via a bus interface of the processing system 604. In some implementations, the interface may include multiple interfaces. For example, a bidirectional interface may include a first interface for obtaining and a second interface for outputting.

[0095] In a network based on IEEE 802.11, a STA can obtain network access through authentication and association procedures. Figure 7 An example of authentication / association signaling in a wireless communication system 700 including an access point (AP) 702 and a station (STA) 704 is illustrated. In some examples, the AP 702 may correspond to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 In some examples, STA 704 may correspond to any of the APs or other devices described in any one or more of . Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 Any of the STAs or other devices described in any one or more of .

[0096] exist Figure 7 At #706, AP 702 transmits a management frame including a beacon on a specified RF band. In some examples, these so-called beacon frames may be transmitted at intervals referred to as target beacon transmit times (TBTT). In some examples, the beacon frame may include information such as a service set identifier (SSID), a basic SSID (BSSID), security capabilities, TBTT, RF channel (band), a traffic indication map (TIM), a delivery TIM (DTIM), and a connection speed supported or used by AP 702.

[0097] In some examples, the beacon frame may include timing information related to timing synchronization (TSF). The AP may use TSF to maintain timing synchronization between the AP and any STA communicating with the AP. For example, the AP and each STA may operate a timer (e.g., incrementing every microsecond). In addition, the AP may repeatedly (e.g., periodically) broadcast TSF information (e.g., TSF value), which enables the STA's timer to be synchronized with the AP's timer.

[0098] After receiving the beacon from AP 702, STA 704 may attempt to access the basic service set (BSS) of AP 702. Therefore, at #708, STA 704 transmits a management frame including an authentication request to AP 702 on one of the RF channels supported by AP 702. In some examples, the authentication request includes an identifier (e.g., a MAC address) of STA 704.

[0099] At #710, AP 702 responds to the authentication request by transmitting a management frame including an authentication response to STA 704. In some examples, the authentication response indicates the success or failure of the authentication (eg, whether STA 704 has the ability to access the BSS).

[0100] If STA 704 is authenticated at #710, then at #712, STA 704 transmits a management frame including an association request to AP 702 to establish an association with the BSS. In some examples, the association request may include one or more capabilities of STA 704.

[0101] At #714, AP 702 responds to the association request by transmitting a management frame including an association response to STA 704. In some examples, the association response includes an association identifier (AID) assigned by AP 702 to STA 704.

[0102] Once STA 704 successfully completes the authentication and association operations, AP 702 and STA 704 may begin communicating user traffic. For example, at #716, AP 702 may send a downlink (DL) transmission including various frames (e.g., management frames, control frames, data frames, etc.) to STA 704 on one or more of the RF channels supported by AP 702. Similarly, at #718, STA 704 may send an uplink (UL) transmission including various frames (e.g., management frames, control frames, data frames, etc.) to AP 702 on one or more of the RF channels supported by AP 702.

[0103] In some scenarios, devices transmitting on an RF spectrum (e.g., an unlicensed RF spectrum and / or a shared RF spectrum) may use a collision avoidance scheme to reduce the likelihood that multiple devices will transmit on the same RF spectrum at the same time. An example of such a collision avoidance scheme is a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure. Generally speaking, before a first device transmits on a particular RF spectrum, the first device may perform a clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure that involves listening for any transmissions made by any other device on the RF spectrum. If the RF spectrum is currently being used, the first device may back off for a certain period of time and then retry the transmission (e.g., by listening again for other transmissions). Carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) with random backoff is an example of an LBT procedure. Other types of LBT procedures may also be used.

[0104] As described above, devices such as AP 702 and STA 704 may use data units to communicate information. In different specific implementations, the data unit may take different forms. In some examples, the data unit may be a frame for wireless communication. In some examples, the data unit may be a physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) for Wi-Fi communication. In some examples, the data unit may be an IEEE 802.11 frame (e.g., an IEEE 802.11ac frame, an IEEE 802.11ax frame, etc.). Other examples of data units for wireless communication are possible.

[0105] Figure 8 An example of a MAC frame 800 that can be transmitted via a PPDU is illustrated. In some examples, the MAC frame 800 can be a management frame (e.g., a frame for managing a basic service set). In some examples, the management frame can be an action frame (e.g., a frame that triggers an action).

[0106] MAC frame 800 includes a frame control field 802, a duration / ID field 804, a first address field 806, a second address field 808, a third address field 810, a sequence control field 812, a high throughput (HT) control field 814, a frame body field 816 (e.g., for data payload), and a frame check sequence (FCS) field 818. Other types of MAC frames and / or other types of fields may be used in other examples.

[0107] In some examples, the frame control field 802 carries an indication of the associated frame type. For example, the indication may specify whether the frame is a management frame, a control frame, or a data frame.

[0108] In some examples, the duration / ID field 804 carries the AID of the associated STA. For example, for a frame transmitted by a STA, the AID may be the AID of the STA. Similarly, for a frame transmitted to a STA, the AID may be the AID of the STA.

[0109] In some examples, the address field includes a MAC address corresponding to the source address (SA), destination address (DA), transmitting STA address (TA), and receiving STA address (RA) of the frame. Here, the STA for TA and RA may refer to an AP STA or a non-AP STA.

[0110] In some examples, the sequence control field 812 carries a sequence number (SN). The SN may be incremented with each subsequent frame sent in a given session. Thus, the SN may be used, for example, to reorder a sequence of frames that may have been received out of order (e.g., one frame has sequence number 1, the next frame has sequence number 2, and so on).

[0111] In some examples, an IEEE 802.11-based network or some other type of network (e.g., a local area network, a personal area network, etc.) may incorporate a low-power device. For example, the low-power device may be powered by a power source having a relatively low capacity. In some examples, such a power source may take the form of a relatively small battery (e.g., a coin cell battery, etc.) or some other type of power-limited power source (e.g., a solar-based power source, an inertia-based power source, etc.).

[0112] In some examples, a power limited power source may have an internal resistance that negatively affects the power source's ability to maintain a consistent output level when power drain occurs for a period of time. For example, when a certain amount of power is drawn from a battery for a period of time, the battery may experience a drop in output voltage level.

[0113] In some cases, once the power consumption stops or decreases to a certain extent, the output level of such a power supply can be restored (e.g., rebounded). In some examples, the output level of the power supply may take a certain period of time to recover back to its original level or a level below the original level.

[0114] In some examples of low-power devices, the transceiver and associated components of the device may consume the majority of the power of all components of the device. For example, a transmit power amplifier of the device may consume more power than a processing system of the device. In such a case, transmission by the device may result in a drop in the output level of a power supply for the device.

[0115] For example, during a power intensive Wi-Fi transmission by a Wi-Fi device, the voltage level of the coin cell battery voltage may drop to a very low level and take an insignificant amount of time to recover. Attempting multiple transmissions in the presence of a significant voltage drop may result in a situation where the battery voltage level is too low, negatively affecting the operation of the Wi-Fi device.

[0116] Fig. 9 An example 900 illustrating a drop in battery voltage level due to transmissions by a device (not shown) is shown. In this example, the device has acquired a channel (e.g., via an LBT procedure) for a period of time, referred to as a transmit opportunity (TXOP) 902. In this case, the device has scheduled a first packet transmission 904, a second packet transmission 906, and a third packet transmission 908 during the TXOP 902. The packet transmissions are separated in time by defined time intervals (e.g., interframe spaces).

[0117] Fig. 9 Further illustrating that the output voltage level 910 of the battery of the device drops due to each of the first packet transmission 904, the second packet transmission 906, and the third packet transmission 908. As shown, when there is no transmission (e.g., during the interframe interval), the output voltage level 910 can recover slightly. However, the relatively short amount of time between transmissions is not enough to stop the gradual decrease of the output voltage level 910.

[0118] In this example, at time point T1, the output voltage level 910 drops below a threshold level 912 due to continuous transmission. In some examples, the threshold level 912 may represent a safe operating level below which the functionality of the device may be compromised due to low voltage supplied to components of the device. For example, when the output voltage level 910 is below the threshold level 912, the transceiver of the device may not operate properly. Fig. 9 In the example, the third packet sending 908 may fail.

[0119] In some aspects, the present disclosure relates to detecting a battery voltage level of a device and suspending transmission if the battery voltage level drops below a threshold level. For example, a Wi-Fi device may detect the battery voltage level during an active Wi-Fi TXOP and abort the TXOP if the battery voltage level drops below a configurable level. By aborting the TXOP, the battery voltage level can recover before subsequent transmission in another TXOP.

[0120] Fig.10An example 1000 of TXOP suspension due to a drop in battery voltage level is illustrated. In this example, the device has acquired a channel (e.g., via an LBT procedure) for a first TXOP 1002. The device has scheduled multiple packet transmissions during the first TXOP 1002, including a first packet transmission 1004 and a second packet transmission 1006.

[0121] like Fig.10 As shown, the output voltage level 1010 of the battery of the device decreases due to each of the first packet transmission 1004 and the second packet transmission 1006. At time point T1 (e.g., at or near the end of the first packet transmission 1004), the device may determine that the output voltage level 1010 is above the threshold level 1012 and proceed with the second packet transmission 1006. At time point T2 (e.g., at or near the end of the second packet transmission 1006), the device may determine that the output voltage level 1010 is equal to or below the threshold level 1012. In some examples, the threshold level 1012 may be defined as slightly above a level that causes unsafe operation of the device (e.g., the threshold level 1012 may include a safety margin).

[0122] Upon determining that the output voltage level 1010 is equal to or lower than the threshold level 1012, the device aborts the first TXOP 1002. The device may then wait for a certain period of time 1014 before acquiring a channel for a second TXOP 1016 at time point T3. For example, the device may determine whether the channel is available for the second TXOP 1016 by performing an LBT procedure such as a CSMA / random backoff procedure (e.g., backing off of the channel for a random period of time and then performing a CCA procedure). If the channel is available (e.g., the LBT procedure is successful), the device sends a third transmission 1018 during the second TXOP 1016.

[0123] Fig.11 An example 1100 is illustrated in which a device verifies that a battery voltage level satisfies a threshold level before starting a suspended transmission. In this example, the device has acquired a channel (e.g., via an LBT procedure) for a first TXOP 1102. The device has scheduled multiple packet transmissions during the first TXOP 1102, including a first packet transmission 1104 and a second packet transmission 1106.

[0124] like Fig.11As shown, the output voltage level 1110 of the battery of the device decreases due to each of the first packet transmission 1104 and the second packet transmission 1106. At time point T1 (e.g., at or near the end of the first packet transmission 1104), the device may determine that the output voltage level 1110 is above the first threshold level 1112 and proceed with the second packet transmission 1106. At time point T2 (e.g., at or near the end of the second packet transmission 1106), the device may determine that the output voltage level 1110 is equal to or lower than the first threshold level 1112.

[0125] Upon determining that the output voltage level 1110 is equal to or lower than the first threshold level 1112, the device aborts the first TXOP 1102. The device may then wait until the output voltage level 1110 is equal to or higher than the second threshold level 1114 before acquiring a channel for the second TXOP 1116 at time point T3. Once the device determines that the output voltage level 1110 is equal to or higher than the second threshold level 1114, the device may perform a CCA procedure to determine whether to reacquire the channel for the second TXOP 1116. If the channel is idle (e.g., the LBT procedure is successful), the device sends a third transmission 1118 during the second TXOP 1116.

[0126] The thresholds discussed above may take different forms in different examples. In some examples, the thresholds may correspond to specific voltage levels. In some examples, the thresholds may depend on the type of battery used to power the device (e.g., the nominal voltage level of the battery, such as 3 volts, etc.).

[0127] In some examples, the threshold value may depend on the life cycle of the battery. For example, a coin cell specification may specify that a battery such as a CR 2032 battery will die at 2 volts. Therefore, the threshold value may be based on this value. However, in some cases, the device may still function normally even when such a battery provides a lower voltage (e.g., 1.6 volts), depending on the specific implementation and capabilities of the power management unit (PMU). Therefore, the threshold value may be based on this lower value. In addition, relatively new batteries may be reduced to a lower voltage, while older batteries may not provide the same level of performance. For example, the operating range of a new battery may be 1.6 volts-3.3 volts, while the operating range of an older battery may be 2.0 volts-3.3 volts. Therefore, in some examples, threshold programming may be used, whereby the threshold value may vary over time and per battery. For example, for a battery with a current operating range of 1.6 volts-3.3 volts, a first threshold value (e.g., Fig.12 The first threshold level 1112 may be defined as being in the range of 1.8 volts to 2.5 volts, while the second threshold level (eg, Fig.12 The second threshold level 1114) can be defined as being in the range of 2.0 volts to 2.5 volts.

[0128] Fig.12 An example of a component 1200 of a device that can provide at least some of the functionality described herein is illustrated. A power source 1202 (e.g., a battery) supplies power to a transceiver 1206 and other components of the device via a power bus 1204 (e.g., including signal traces, power planes, wiring, etc.). A sensor 1208 is connected to the power bus 1204 to monitor the power level output by the power source 1202. For example, the sensor 1208 can measure the voltage level provided by the power source 1202. The sensor 1208 provides sensing-based information 1210 to a transmit controller 1212. For example, the sensor 1208 can provide an indication of the voltage level, or the sensor 1208 can provide an indication of whether the voltage level is above or below a threshold level. The transmit controller 1212 generates a signaling 1214 that controls whether the scheduled transmission is suspended or transmitted by the transceiver 1206.

[0129] Fig.13 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of an apparatus 1300 employing a processing system 1314. In some implementations, the apparatus 1300 (eg, a STA) may correspond to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Fig.12 In some examples, device 1300 (e.g., AP) may correspond to any STA or other device illustrated in any one or more of Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Fig.12 Any one or more of the APs or other devices illustrated in any one or more of the.

[0130] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, an element, or any portion of an element, or any combination of elements may be implemented with a processing system 1314 (e.g., including one or more processors 1304). Examples of processors 1304 include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform various functionalities described throughout the present disclosure. In various examples, the device 1300 may be configured to perform any one or more of the functions described herein. That is, the processor 1304 as utilized in the device 1300 may be used to implement any one or more of the processes and procedures described below.

[0131] The processing system 1314 may be implemented with a bus architecture, generally represented by bus 1302. The bus 1302 may include any number of interconnecting buses and bridges, depending on the specific application of the processing system 1314 and the overall design constraints. The bus 1302 communicatively couples together various circuits including one or more processors (generally represented by processor 1304), memory 1305, and computer readable media (generally represented by computer readable media 1306). The bus 1302 may also link various other circuits such as timing sources, peripherals, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, which are well known in the art and therefore will not be described further. The bus interface 1308 provides an interface between the bus 1302 and the transceiver 1310 and between the bus 1302 and the interface 1330. The transceiver 1310 provides a communication interface or component for communicating with various other devices over a wireless transmission medium. The interface 1330 provides a communication interface or component for communicating with various other devices and equipment (e.g., other devices contained in the same device as the device 1300 or other external devices) through an internal bus or an external transmission medium (such as an Ethernet cable). Depending on the nature of the device, the interface 1330 may include a user interface (e.g., a keypad, a display, a speaker, a microphone, a joystick). Of course, such a user interface is optional and may be omitted in some examples (such as IoT devices).

[0132] The processor 1304 is responsible for managing the bus 1302 and general processing, including executing software stored on a computer-readable medium 1306. The software, when executed by the processor 1304, causes the processing system 1314 to perform various functions described below for any particular device. The computer-readable medium 1306 and the memory 1305 may also be used to store data manipulated by the processor 1304 when executing the software. For example, the memory 1305 may store power information 1315 (e.g., voltage thresholds, pause durations, etc.) used by the processor 1304 for communication operations as described herein.

[0133] One or more processors 1304 in the processing system may execute software. Software should be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, codes, code segments, program codes, programs, subroutines, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise. The software may reside on a computer readable medium 1306.

[0134] Computer readable medium 1306 may be a non-transitory computer readable medium. Non-transitory computer readable media include, for example, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic strips), optical disks (e.g., compact disks (CDs) or digital versatile disks (DVDs)), smart cards, flash memory devices (e.g., cards, sticks, or key drives), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), registers, removable disks, and any other suitable medium for storing software and / or instructions that can be accessed and read by a computer. Computer readable medium 1306 may reside in processing system 1314, be located outside processing system 1314, or be distributed across multiple entities including processing system 1314. Computer readable medium 1306 may be embodied in a computer program product. For example, a computer program product may include a computer readable medium in a packaging material. Those skilled in the art will recognize how to best implement the described functionality presented throughout this disclosure, depending on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0135] The apparatus 1300 may be configured to perform the operations described herein (e.g., as described above in conjunction with Figures 1 to 12 Described and combined as follows Figures 14 to 16 In some aspects of the present disclosure, the processor 1304, as utilized in the apparatus 1300, may include circuits configured for various functions.

[0136] In a specific implementation where the apparatus 1300 is a station, the processing system 1314 may be configured to monitor the RF band for management frames (e.g., including beacons) from access points, identify access points to associate with, perform carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) operations to determine whether at least one RF band is available for use (e.g., relatively free of traffic), and perform association operations with the identified access point by sending an association request to the identified access point on at least one RF band and receiving an association response from the identified access point on at least one RF band. The processing system 1314 may also be configured to perform authentication, security, and other operations with respect to the access point via signaling on at least one RF band. The processing system 1314 may be configured to monitor at least one RF band for transmissions (e.g., management frames, control frames, and data frames) from the identified access point. The processing system may be configured to perform CSMA operations on the at least one RF band to send transmissions (e.g., control frames, data frames, etc.) to the identified access point.

[0137] In a specific implementation in which the device 1300 is an access point, the processing system 1314 may be configured to send management frames (e.g., including beacons) on a designated RF band. The processing system 1314 may also be configured to monitor the RF band for transmissions (e.g., association requests) from STAs on at least one RF band. The processing system 1314 may also be configured to associate the STA with the device 1300 by sending an association response to the STA on the at least one RF band. The processing system 1314 may also be configured to perform authentication, security, and other operations on the STA via signaling on at least one RF band. The processing system 1314 may be configured to monitor at least one RF band for transmissions (e.g., management frames, control frames, and data frames) from the STA. The processing system may be configured to perform CSMA operations on the at least one RF band to send transmissions (e.g., management frames, control frames, data frames, etc.) to the STA.

[0138] The processor 1304 may include a communication and processing circuit 1341. The communication and processing circuit 1341 may include one or more hardware components that provide a physical structure that performs various processes related to wireless communication (e.g., signal reception and / or signal transmission) as described herein. The communication and processing circuit 1341 may also include one or more hardware components that provide a physical structure that performs various processes related to signal processing (e.g., processing received signals and / or processing signals for transmission) as described herein. In some examples, the communication and processing circuit 1341 may include two or more transmit / receive chains, each configured to process signals of different RAT (or RAN) types. The communication and processing circuit 1341 may be further configured to execute communication and processing software 1351 included on the computer-readable medium 1306 to implement one or more functions described herein.

[0139] In some implementations where communication involves obtaining (e.g., receiving) information, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may obtain information from a component of the device 1300 (e.g., from a transceiver 1310 that receives information via radio frequency signaling or some other type of signaling suitable for an applicable communication medium), process (e.g., decode) the information, and output the processed information. For example, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may output the information to another component of the processor 1304, to the memory 1305, or to the bus interface 1308. In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may receive one or more of a signal, a message, other information, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may receive information via one or more channels. In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may include functionality for components for obtaining (e.g., obtaining a message from another device). In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 may include functionality for components for receiving (e.g., receiving a message via RF signaling). In some examples, communications and processing circuitry 1341 may include functionality for components for decoding.

[0140] In some implementations where communication involves outputting (e.g., transmitting) information, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may obtain information (e.g., from another component of the processor 1304, the memory 1305, or the bus interface 1308), process (e.g., encode) the information, and output the processed information. For example, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may output information to the transceiver 1310 (e.g., which sends the information via radio frequency signaling or some other type of signaling suitable for the applicable communication medium). In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may transmit one or more of a signal, a message, other information, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may transmit information via one or more channels. In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may include functionality for components for outputting (e.g., outputting a message to another device). In some examples, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 may include functionality for components for sending (e.g., sending a message via RF signaling). In some examples, communications and processing circuitry 1341 may include functionality for components used for encoding.

[0141] The communication and processing circuitry 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 may include functionality for components for outputting packets for transmission. For example, the communication and processing circuitry 1341 may be configured to generate a frame and output the frame for transmission on one or more designated RF bands (e.g., on one or more channels associated with a BSS). In some examples, the frame may carry information such as a MAC address, a payload, and the like.

[0142] Processor 1304 may include power monitoring circuitry 1342 configured to perform power monitoring related operations as discussed herein. Power monitoring circuitry 1342 may be configured to execute power monitoring software 1352 included on computer readable medium 1306 to implement one or more functions described herein.

[0143] The power monitoring circuit 1342 may include functionality for components for determining whether a voltage level meets a threshold. For example, the power monitoring circuit 1342 may be configured to obtain a measurement of the voltage level and compare the measurement to a threshold. The power monitoring circuit 1342 may then generate an indication of whether the voltage level is greater than or equal to the threshold (or less than or equal to the threshold).

[0144] Processor 1304 may include transmit pause circuitry 1343 configured to perform transmit pause related operations as discussed herein. Transmit pause circuitry 1343 may be configured to execute transmit pause software 1353 included on computer readable medium 1306 to implement one or more functions described herein.

[0145] The transmit suspend circuit 1343 may include functionality for components for suspending output packets from being transmitted. For example, the transmit suspend circuit 1343 may be configured to terminate the TXOP if the voltage level of the battery is below a threshold level.

[0146] Transmit suspend circuit 1343 may include functionality for components for performing clear channel assessment.For example, transmit suspend circuit 1343 may be configured to cooperate with communication and processing circuit 1341 and / or transceiver 1310 to monitor a channel for transmissions by other devices.

[0147] The transmit pause circuit 1343 may include functionality for components for resuming transmission of packets. For example, the transmit pause circuit 1343 may be configured to schedule a new TXOP for transmission.

[0148] Fig.14 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1400 for communication according to some aspects of the present disclosure. As described below, some or all of the illustrated features may be omitted in certain implementations within the scope of the present disclosure, and some of the illustrated features may not be required for all example implementations. In some examples, method 1400 (e.g., a method for wireless communication at a first device) may be performed by Fig.13 The method 1400 may be performed by the device 1300 (e.g., a first device for wireless communication) illustrated in FIG. Figure 6The method 1400 may be performed by the device 602 illustrated in FIG. In some examples, the method 1400 may be performed by an access point or a STA. In some examples, the method 1400 may be performed by any suitable device or component for performing the functions or algorithms described below.

[0149] At block 1402, a first device may output a first packet for transmission to a second device. Fig.13 The communication and processing circuitry 1341 and / or transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide means for outputting a first packet for transmission to a second device.

[0150] At block 1404, the first device may suspend outputting the second packet so as not to send it to the second device, the suspension being based on the first voltage level of the power supply being less than or equal to the first threshold value due to the sending of the first packet. Fig.13 The transmission pause circuit 1343 and / or the communication and processing circuit 1341 and the transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide components for pausing the output of the second packet from being sent to the second device, the pause being based on the first voltage level of the power supply being less than or equal to the first threshold due to the transmission of the first packet.

[0151] Fig.15 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1500 for communication according to some aspects of the present disclosure. As described below, some or all of the illustrated features may be omitted in certain implementations within the scope of the present disclosure, and some of the illustrated features may not be required for all example implementations. In some examples, the method 1500 may be Fig.13 In some examples, the method 1500 may be performed by the device 1300 illustrated in FIG. Figure 6 Executed by the device 602 illustrated in . In some examples, the method 1500 may be executed by an access point or a STA. In some examples, the method 1500 may be executed by any suitable device or component for performing the functions or algorithms described below.

[0152] At block 1502, the first device may determine that a second voltage level of the power source is greater than or equal to a second threshold. Fig.13 The power monitoring circuit 1342 shown and described may provide means for determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0153] At block 1504, the first device may output a second packet for transmission to the second device after determining that the second voltage level of the power source is greater than or equal to the second threshold. Fig.13The transmit pause circuit 1343 and / or the communication and processing circuit 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide means for outputting a second packet for transmission to a second device after determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to the second threshold.

[0154] Fig.16 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 1600 for communication according to some aspects of the present disclosure. As described below, some or all of the illustrated features may be omitted in certain implementations within the scope of the present disclosure, and some of the illustrated features may not be required for all example implementations. In some examples, the method 1600 may be Fig.13 In some examples, the method 1600 may be performed by the device 1300 illustrated in FIG. Figure 6 Executed by the device 602 illustrated in . In some examples, the method 1600 may be executed by an access point or a STA. In some examples, the method 1600 may be executed by any suitable device or component for performing the functions or algorithms described below.

[0155] At block 1602, the first device may wait for a certain period of time after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold. Fig.13 The transmit pause circuit 1343 and / or the communication and processing circuit 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide components for waiting for a period of time after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0156] At block 1604, the first device may perform a clear channel assessment for the transmission of the second packet after waiting for the time period. Fig.13 The transmission pause circuit 1343 and / or the communication and processing circuit 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide means for performing a clear channel assessment for the transmission of the second packet after waiting the time period.

[0157] At block 1606, the first device may output a second packet for transmission to the second device after performing a clear channel assessment. Fig.13 The transmit pause circuit 1343 and / or the communication and processing circuit 1341 and / or the transceiver 1310 shown and described may provide means for outputting a second packet for transmission to a second device after performing a clear channel assessment.

[0158] In some examples, the first threshold corresponds to a voltage level in the range of 1.8 volts to 2.5 volts.

[0159] In some examples, the first device may output a second packet for transmission to the second device after determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to a second threshold. In some examples, the second threshold is different from the first threshold. In some examples, the first packet is output during the first transmission opportunity for transmission to the second device. In some examples, the second packet is output during the second transmission opportunity for transmission to the second device. In some examples, the second threshold corresponds to a voltage level in the range of 2.0 volts to 2.5 volts.

[0160] In some examples, pausing may include waiting for a certain period of time after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold. In some examples, the first device may perform a clear channel assessment after waiting for the period of time. In some examples, the first device may output a second packet for transmission to the second device after performing the clear channel assessment.

[0161] In some examples, the power source may include (eg, may be) a battery. In some examples, the power source may include (eg, may be) a coin cell battery.

[0162] In some examples, the power source has a capacity of less than 500 milliamp hours.In some examples, a first maximum power consumption of a transceiver associated with the first device is greater than a second maximum power consumption of a processing system associated with the first device.

[0163] Reference again Fig.13 In one configuration, the device 1300 includes a component for outputting a first packet for transmission to a second device, and a component for suspending outputting a second packet so as not to transmit to the second device, the suspension being based on a first voltage level of a power supply caused by transmission of the first packet being less than or equal to a first threshold. In one aspect, the aforementioned components may be Fig.13 The processor 1304 is shown, which is configured to perform the functions recited by the aforementioned means (eg, as discussed above). In another aspect, the aforementioned means may be a circuit or any device configured to perform the functions recited by the aforementioned means.

[0164] Of course, in the above examples, the circuits included in the processor 1304 are provided only as examples, and other components for performing the described functions may be included in various aspects of the present disclosure, including but not limited to instructions stored in the computer-readable medium 1306, or in Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Fig.13 Any one or more of which are described and utilized as described herein with respect to Figures 14 to 16 Any other suitable means or components of the described methods and / or algorithms.

[0165] Aspect 1: A method for performing wireless communication at a first device (e.g., a station), the method comprising: outputting a first packet for sending to a second device; and pausing outputting a second packet so as not to send it to the second device, the pausing being based on a first voltage level of a power supply caused by the sending of the first packet being less than or equal to a first threshold.

[0166] Aspect 2: The method according to aspect 1, wherein the first threshold corresponds to a voltage level in the range of 1.8 volts to 2.5 volts.

[0167] Aspect 3: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 2, further comprising: after determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to a second threshold, outputting the second packet for transmission to the second device.

[0168] Aspect 4: The method according to aspect 3, wherein the second threshold is different from the first threshold.

[0169] Aspect 5: The method according to any one of aspects 3 to 4, wherein the second threshold corresponds to a voltage level in the range of 2.0 volts to 2.5 volts.

[0170] Aspect 6: A method according to any one of aspects 3 to 5, wherein: the first packet is output during a first transmission opportunity for transmission to the second device; and the second packet is output during a second transmission opportunity for transmission to the second device.

[0171] Aspect 7: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein a certain period of time is waited after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0172] Aspect 8: The method according to aspect 7 further includes: performing a clear channel assessment after waiting for the time period; and outputting the second packet for sending to the second device after performing the clear channel assessment.

[0173] Aspect 9: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

[0174] Aspect 10: The method of any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the power source comprises a coin cell battery.

[0175] Aspect 11: The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 10, wherein the power source has a capacity of less than 500 mAh.

[0176] Aspect 12: A station comprising: a power supply, at least one transceiver; a memory comprising instructions; and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions and cause the station to perform the method according to any one or more of Aspects 1 to 11, wherein the at least one transceiver is configured to send the fourth signal.

[0177] Aspect 13: A first apparatus configured for communication, comprising at least one component for performing any one or more of aspects 1 to 11.

[0178] Aspect 14: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a first device to perform any one or more of aspects 1 to 11.

[0179] Aspect 15: A first device comprising: a memory comprising instructions; and one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to execute the instructions and cause the first device to perform the method according to any one or more of Aspects 1 to 11.

[0180] Several aspects of wireless communication networks have been presented with reference to example implementations. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, various aspects described throughout this disclosure may be extended to other telecommunication systems, network architectures, and communication standards.

[0181] For example, various aspects may be implemented within a system defined by IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11be, etc. Various aspects may also be extended to systems defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as 5G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolved Packet System (EPS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and / or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) CDMA2000 and / or Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO). Other examples may be implemented within a system employing IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Ultra Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth, and / or other suitable systems. The actual telecommunication standard, network architecture, and / or communication standard employed will depend on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the system.

[0182] Within the present disclosure, the word "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any specific implementation or aspect described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior or superior to other aspects of the present disclosure. Likewise, the term "aspect" does not require that all aspects of the present disclosure include the discussed features, advantages, or modes of operation. The term "coupled" is used herein to refer to a direct or indirect coupling between two objects. For example, if object A physically contacts object B, and object B contacts object C, objects A and C may still be considered to be coupled to each other, even if they are not in direct physical contact with each other. For example, a first object may be coupled to a second object, even if the first object has never been in direct physical contact with the second object. The terms "circuit" and "circuitry" are used broadly, and are intended to include both hardware implementations of electronic devices and conductors (where these electronic devices and conductors, when connected and configured, implement the execution of the functions described in the present disclosure, without limitation as to the type of electronic circuits) and software implementations of information and instructions (where these information and instructions, when executed by a processor, implement the execution of the functions described in the present disclosure). As used herein, the term "determining" may include, for example, ascertaining, solving, selecting, choosing, establishing, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, searching (e.g., searching in a table, database or other data structure), etc. In addition, "determining" may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory), etc.

[0183] Figures 1 to 16 One or more of the components, steps, features, and / or functions illustrated in the present invention may be rearranged and / or combined into a single component, step, feature, or function, or may be embodied in several components, steps, or functions. Additional elements, components, steps, and / or functions may also be added without departing from the novel features disclosed herein. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.13 The apparatus, device and / or components illustrated in the examples may be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features or steps described herein. The novel algorithms described herein may also be effectively implemented in software and / or embedded in hardware.

[0184] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein is illustrative of example processes. It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in these methods may be rearranged based on design preferences. The attached method claims present elements of various steps in an example order, but are not intended to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented unless explicitly stated herein.

[0185] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the various aspects shown herein, but to conform to the full scope consistent with the text of the claims, wherein unless explicitly stated otherwise, reference to an element in the singular form is not intended to mean "one and only one", but "one or more". Unless otherwise specified, the term "some" refers to one or more. The phrase "at least one" referring to a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including a single member. As an example, "at least one of a, b, or c" is intended to cover: a; b; c; a and b; a and c; b and c; and a, b, and c. All structural and functional equivalents currently or hereafter known to those of ordinary skill in the art throughout the various aspects of the elements described in this disclosure are expressly incorporated herein by reference, and are intended to be covered by the claims. In addition, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public, regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recorded in the claims.

Claims

1. A first device for wireless communication, the first device comprising: A processing system, the processing system being configured to: outputting the first packet for transmission to a second device; as well as Outputting a second packet is suspended from being sent to the second device, the suspension being based on a first voltage level of a power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the sending of the first packet. 2 . The first device of claim 2 , wherein the first threshold corresponds to a voltage level within a range of 1.8 volts to 2.5 volts.

3. The first device according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to: The second packet is output for transmission to the second device after determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to a second threshold. The first device of claim 3 , wherein the second threshold is different from the first threshold. 5 . The first device of claim 3 , wherein the second threshold corresponds to a voltage level within a range of 2.0 volts to 2.5 volts.

6. The first device according to claim 3, wherein: outputting the first packet for transmission to the second device during a first transmission opportunity; and The second packet is output during a second transmit opportunity for transmission to the second device.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the pausing comprises: Waiting for a period of time after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold.

8. The first device of claim 7, wherein the processing system is further configured to: performing a clear channel assessment after waiting for the time period; and The second packet is outputted for transmission to the second device after performing the clear channel assessment.

9. A station comprising: power supply; a transceiver configured to transmit a first packet to the device; and A processing system is configured to pause a second packet from being sent to the device, the pause based on a first voltage level of the power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the sending of the first packet.

10. The first device of claim 9, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

11. The first device of claim 9, wherein the power source comprises a coin cell battery.

12. The first device of claim 9, wherein the power source has a capacity of less than 500 mAh.

13. A method for wireless communication at a first device, the method comprising: outputting the first packet for transmission to a second device; as well as Outputting a second packet is suspended from being sent to the second device, the suspension being based on a first voltage level of a power supply being less than or equal to a first threshold value due to the sending of the first packet.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: The second packet is output for transmission to the second device after determining that the second voltage level of the power supply is greater than or equal to a second threshold. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second threshold is different from the first threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein: outputting the first packet for transmission to the second device during a first transmission opportunity; and The second packet is output during a second transmit opportunity for transmission to the second device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the pausing comprises: Waiting for a period of time after determining that the first voltage level of the power supply is less than or equal to the first threshold.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: performing a clear channel assessment after waiting for the time period; as well as The second packet is outputted for transmission to the second device after performing the clear channel assessment.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the power source comprises a coin cell battery.

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