Method for power saving in soft AP mode and related system and apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments herein include a method for selectively operating a software-enabled access point (soft AP) in a low power listening mode. In some embodiments, a soft AP may monitor a wireless medium using a low power listening mode with limited or no transmission capability while not actively participating in transmission or reception of a frame. The soft AP may activate a full-capability mode when there is an upcoming frame transmission from a station.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Wireless communication technologies use various standards and protocols to send data between an access point and a wireless communication device. For example, wireless communication system standards and protocols can include, for example, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) (e.g., 4G), 3GPP New Radio (NR) (e.g., 5G), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN) (commonly referred to within the industry organization as ).

[0002] In the 802.11 standard for WLAN, an access point (AP) is a device that creates a wireless local area network (WLAN) or network. The AP can be connected to a wired network (such as Ethernet) and provide wireless access to the network for other devices. A station is a device that can wirelessly connect to the AP to join the WLAN network. A station can be a laptop, smartphone, tablet, or any other device with a WLAN adapter.

[0003] The AP and the station use protocols to communicate with each other. Various protocols have been established to enhance security on wireless communication networks. For example, peer entity simultaneous authentication is the core authentication protocol of WPA3-Personal, and all alliance-certified devices (including both access points (APs) and non-AP stations (STAs)) must support this protocol. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or action, one or more of the most significant digits in the reference numerals refer to the drawing number in which the element was first introduced.

[0005] Figure 1 An example timeline illustrating the conventional operation of a soft AP according to some embodiments is shown.

[0006] Figure 2 An example timeline illustrating the operation of a soft AP using a low power listening mode according to some embodiments is shown.

[0007] Figure 3 An example transmission timeline of a STA using MU-RTS as a wake-up indication when the low power listening mode has limited transmission capabilities according to some embodiments is shown.

[0008] Figure 4 An example scenario in which MU-RTS is used as a wake-up indication and the low power listening mode of the soft AP is unable to transmit according to some embodiments is shown.

[0009] Figure 5Illustrates an example Soft AP IE according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 6 Illustrates an example frame exchange sequence of a non-associated STA in which a Soft AP can transmit ACK frames in a low power listening mode according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 7 Illustrates an example frame exchange sequence of a non-associated STA in which the low power listening mode of a Soft AP does not have a transmission capability according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 8 Illustrates an example format of a MU-RTS frame according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 9 Illustrates an example frame exchange sequence using a wake-up frame according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 10 Illustrates an example wake-up frame format according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 11 Illustrates an example Soft AP IE for wake-up frame configuration according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 12 Illustrates an example scenario in which a STA is in a pre-associated state according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 13 Illustrates an example of a system for performing signaling between a wireless device and a network device according to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0018] Figure 14 Illustrates an example method for a Soft AP according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 15 Illustrates an example method for a STA according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Wireless communication technologies use various standards and protocols to send data between an access point and a wireless communication device. One standard for wireless communication is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard for wireless local area networks (WLANs) (commonly referred to within the industry as ). Provides a convenient way to establish a network between devices. Devices (e.g., stations) can connect to an access point to join the network and wirelessly connect to the Internet. Security is important for protecting data and devices from unauthorized access.

[0021] Various embodiments are described with respect to a Station (STA) and an Access Point (AP). However, the references to the STA and AP are provided for illustrative purposes only. Example embodiments may be used with any electronic component that can establish a connection to a network and is configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware for exchanging information and data with the network. Thus, the STA and AP as described herein are used to represent any suitable electronic component.

[0022] In some cases, a device that is not built as a dedicated AP can be configured to act as a soft AP. A soft AP refers to a software-enabled access point. For example, a device that is not built as a wireless access point (e.g., a phone, a tablet, a laptop, etc.) can be configured to act as an access point through software. This can also be referred to as a mobile hotspot.

[0023] However, since these devices are not built as dedicated APs, competing design principles are at play. Two competing principles for soft AP operation include: 1) Wi-Fi Station devices (STAs) expect the soft AP to always be available at maximum advertised channel bandwidth and data rate; and 2) soft AP devices are typically battery-operated. It is desirable to minimize the Wi-Fi power consumption in soft AP mode to mitigate the impact on the device battery life, but Wi-Fi Station devices expect large channel bandwidths. These two goals conflict with each other. Additionally, the soft AP device may be providing network connectivity to devices from different vendors and capabilities.

[0024] Accordingly, the embodiments herein provide solutions for achieving power savings in a soft AP while interoperating with various STA devices. In some embodiments, a new baseline operation mode for the soft AP device is defined. In some embodiments, new methods for supporting the operation of a soft AP with various Wi-Fi STA devices are defined. For example, the system can use Multi-User Request To Send (MU-RTS) frames and / or newly defined "wake-up" frames.

[0025] Reducing the power consumption of a soft AP can bring several benefits in terms of energy efficiency and overall performance. For example, by reducing power consumption, the soft AP becomes more energy-efficient, which helps to reduce the overall operating cost and minimize the environmental impact. Additionally, in cases where the soft AP is running on a battery-powered device, reducing power consumption can significantly extend the battery life. This is crucial in applications such as wireless routers, mobile hotspots, or portable devices, where long battery life is desired for enhanced user convenience and uninterrupted connectivity. Moreover, lower power consumption means less heat is generated by the soft AP. This can improve heat dissipation, thereby reducing the risk of overheating and potential degradation of hardware components. This also improves the overall reliability and lifespan of the device.

[0026] Some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a Soft AP that uses a low - power listening mode and a full - capability mode. In the low - power listening mode, the Soft AP may have limited or no transmission capabilities. Additionally, in the low - power listening mode, the Soft AP may also have limited reception capabilities. For example, for reception, the Soft AP may have limited channel bandwidth, data rate, frame format, etc. In the full - capability mode, the Soft AP may have full radio frequency (RF) capabilities. In some embodiments, the Soft AP may include one radio component for the full - capability mode and another radio component for the low - power listening mode. In some embodiments, the Soft AP may include a single radio component that switches between the full - capability mode and the low - power listening mode.

[0027] In some embodiments, a new baseline operation mode of the Soft AP device can be used to reduce power consumption while maintaining the functionality of the Soft AP device. The baseline operation mode may employ the use of the low - power listening mode in the baseline operation principle of the Soft AP. For example, if the Soft AP is not actively participating in the transmission or reception of Wi - Fi frames, the Soft AP can use the low - power listening mode to monitor the wireless medium. The low - power listening mode is limited in its ability to transmit and receive Wi - Fi frames, support for channel bandwidth, and data rate. For example, the data rate may be affected by the limited support of the low - power listening mode for modulation and coding schemes (MCS) and the number of spatial streams (NSS).

[0028] The low - power listening mode can be used to monitor the wireless medium during certain time periods. The Soft AP can switch to the full - capability mode with full RF capabilities (e.g., channel bandwidth, data rate, number of spatial streams, etc.) during the active transmission or reception of Wi - Fi frames. Thus, the use of the low - power listening mode can reduce the amount of time the Soft AP uses the full radio component and thereby reduce the overall power consumption. The Soft AP can benefit from using the low - power listening mode. The low - power listening mode can be lower in power consumption compared to the full - capability mode.

[0029] Figure 1 An example timeline 102 of the normal operation of a Soft AP 106 according to some embodiments is illustrated. As shown, a STA 104 may communicate with the Soft AP 106. The STA 104 may transmit a data frame 108 to the Soft AP 106. The Soft AP 108 may receive the data frame 108 and transmit an acknowledgment (ACK) message 110 to the STA 104.

[0030] In the normal operation of the soft AP 106, the soft AP 106 is always active 112 in the full-capability mode with full RF capabilities. In other words, the maximum supported channel bandwidth, all RF chains, and antennas of the soft AP 106 are always kept active. During periods outside of transmission and reception (e.g., the first period 114 and the second period 116), the soft AP 106 remains active for no reason. This results in a wasteful consumption of power resources. In the case where the traffic from the STA 104 is sporadic and light, the amount of wasted energy can be quite significant because the soft AP 106 remains fully active even when there is very little data exchange.

[0031] Figure 2 An example timeline 202 illustrating the operation of a soft AP 206 using a low-power listening mode according to some embodiments is shown. As shown, the STA 204 can communicate with the soft AP 206. The STA 204 can transmit a data frame 208 to the soft AP 206. The soft AP 206 can receive the data frame 208 and transmit an ACK message 210 to the STA 204.

[0032] During active transmission and reception, the soft AP 206 can be active in the full-capability mode. That is, the soft AP can support full RF capabilities during the time period (e.g., the active period 212) in which transmission and reception are expected. Additionally, if not actively participating in the transmission or reception of Wi-Fi frames, the soft AP 206 can switch to operating in the low-power listening mode. This switch to the low-power listening mode can result in significant savings in Wi-Fi power / energy consumption.

[0033] For example, in the illustrated example, the soft AP 206 can be in the low-power listening mode during the first time period 214. In the low-power listening mode, the soft AP 206 can activate the low-power listening mode and deactivate the full-capability mode. The low-power listening mode can have limited transmission / reception capabilities but can also have lower energy consumption compared to operation in the full-capability mode.

[0034] When the STA 204 has an upcoming frame transmission (e.g., the data frame 208), the soft AP 206 can determine an activation point 216. When the soft AP 206 determines that the STA 204 has an upcoming frame transmission, the soft AP 206 can initiate the full-capability mode so that the soft AP 206 is active and ready to receive frames with full RF capabilities. Although the low-power listening mode may not have the ability to receive the data frame 208, the full-capability mode does have that ability. Thus, by switching from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode, the soft AP 206 is able to receive frames from the STA 204 and respond to them.

[0035] After receiving data frame 208 and transmitting ACK message 210, soft AP 206 may return to the low-power listening mode for a subsequent period 218. Again, the low-power listening mode may use less power than the full-capability mode, thus reducing the energy consumption. This may increase the battery life of soft AP 206.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the baseline operation of soft AP 206 will be active in the low-power listening mode. When soft AP 206 determines that there will be a frame transmitted from STA 204, soft AP 206 timely switches to the full-capability mode operation. Outside of the active transmission and reception periods, soft AP 206 is active in the low-power listening mode. Compared with the conventional operation of the soft AP as Figure 1 shown, this may result in significantly lower energy consumption.

[0037] To achieve the switch between the low-power listening mode and the full-capability mode, soft AP 206 determines that there is an upcoming frame transmission. The Figure 2 key requirement of the proposed operation shown by soft AP 206 is to be aware of the upcoming transmission from the STA. This awareness enables the soft AP to be ready in the full-capability mode (with full RF capabilities) to receive a frame from STA 204. The low-power listening mode is limited in its receiving capabilities, and thus the transition to the full-capability mode is crucial to ensure that soft AP 206 can receive a frame from STA 204. Soft AP 206 may use the awareness of the upcoming frame transmission to switch to the full-capability mode to be ready to properly decode the frame.

[0038] Soft AP 206's awareness of the upcoming frame can be collected in various ways. In some embodiments, two methods by which STA204 indicates to soft AP 206 about the upcoming frame transmission may include: 1) using the MU-RTS frame; and 2) using a newly defined "wake-up" frame. The embodiments herein describe the use of the MU-RTS frame or the wake-up frame for two phases, along with the necessary standard changes. Some embodiments describe the use of the MU-RTS frame or the wake-up frame in the case where the uplink data transmission is from an associated STA to the soft AP (e.g., the post-association phase). Some embodiments describe the use of the MU-RTS frame or the wake-up frame in the case where the STA is interested in associating with the soft AP (e.g., the pre-association phase).

[0039] In some embodiments, the STA may use the MU-RTS frame as a wake-up indication for the soft AP for an uplink data transmission from the STA. The MU-RTS frame is a control frame defined in IEEE 802.11ax for enabling a Wi-Fi AP to reserve the medium for transmissions to multiple STAs (uplink or downlink multi-user frames). In some embodiments herein, the STA may transmit the MU-RTS frame to notify the soft AP about an upcoming uplink frame transmission from the STA to the soft AP.

[0040] Currently, only the AP is allowed to perform MU-RTS transmissions. However, the embodiments herein allow the STA to transmit the MU-RTS frame as a wake-up indication. Some modifications to the MU-RTS frame may facilitate using the MU-RTS frame as a wake-up indication. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Two scenarios are illustrated based on whether the low power listening mode has the ability to predict transmission. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The illustrated cases may be implemented by the soft AP based on the capabilities of the soft AP's low power listening mode.

[0041] For example, Figure 3 An example transmission timeline 302 of the STA 304 using the MU-RTS 308 as a wake-up indication when the low power listening mode has limited transmission capabilities is illustrated according to some embodiments. As shown, the soft AP 306 may be active in the low power listening mode during a first time period 310. The STA 304 may transmit the MU-RTS 308 during the first time period 310. The soft AP 306 may receive the MU-RTS 308 using the low power listening mode.

[0042] The soft AP 306 may respond using the low power listening mode. For example, the soft AP 306 operating in the low power listening mode may transmit a clear to send (CTS) message 312 in response to the MU-RTS 308. In parallel with transmitting the CTS message 312 in the low power listening mode, the soft AP 306 may initiate the full-capability mode. The transition in parallel with transmitting the CTS message 312 may allow the soft AP 306 to activate the full-capability mode with full RF capabilities when the STA 304 transmits the data packet of interest. As shown in the second time period 314, the soft AP 306 is active in the full-capability mode and ready to receive frames from the STA 304.

[0043] In response to receiving the CTS message 312, the STA 304 may transmit a data physical protocol data unit (PPDU) 316 to the soft AP 306. The soft AP 306 may use the full-capability mode to receive and decode the data PPDU 316. The soft AP 306 may transmit a block ACK (BA) 318 to the STA 304. The BA 318 may indicate to the STA 304 the successful reception of the data PPDU 316. After the transmit / receive period during which the soft AP 306 uses the full-capability mode, the soft AP 306 may transition back to the low-power listening mode.

[0044] Between consecutive transmit / receive periods, there may be a short inter-frame space (SIFS). The SIFS defines the minimum duration between two consecutive frames (e.g., 16 microseconds). Using the low-power listening mode to transmit the CTS message 312 may allow for shortening the time period between the initial transmission of the MU-RTS 308 and the data PPDU 316.

[0045] Execute Figure 3 The ability to perform the illustrated transmit procedure may depend on the capabilities of the soft AP. For example, when the time for the soft AP 306 to initiate the full-capability mode is less than the CTS transmission duration plus 2 times the SIFS duration, the transmit procedure may be applicable.

[0046] However, the complexity, cost, and power consumption of the low-power listening mode with limited transmit capabilities may not be desirable for all devices. Thus, there may be devices that act as soft APs with a low-power listening mode that does not support transmission. Figure 4 An example scenario is illustrated in which the MU-RTS 408 is used as a wake-up indication and the low-power listening mode of the soft AP is not capable of transmission, according to some embodiments.

[0047] As shown in the illustrated transmit timeline 402, the soft AP 406 may be active in the low-power listening mode during a first time period 410. The STA 404 may transmit the MU-RTS 408 during the first time period 410. The soft AP 406 may receive the MU-RTS 408 using the low-power listening mode. Since the low-power listening mode is not capable of transmitting a response frame, the MU-RTS 408 from the STA 404 may be padded (e.g., padding 412) to allow the soft AP 406 time to initiate the full-capability mode in the soft AP during a second time period 414.

[0048] The purpose of padding 412 can be to provide a certain time period for the soft AP 406 to switch from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode. In some embodiments, when the padding expires, the soft AP 406 may have completed the transition from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode. The soft AP 406 can respond using the full-capability mode. The full-capability mode can be used to transmit a CTS message 416 in response to the MU-RTS 408. For example, as shown in the third time period 418, the soft AP 406 operates in the full-capability mode with full RF capabilities. The soft AP 406 transmits the CTS message 416 in response to the MU-RTS 408 received in the low-power listening mode.

[0049] In response to receiving the CTS message 416, the STA 404 can transmit a data PPDU 420 to the soft AP 406. The soft AP 406 can use the full-capability mode to receive and decode the data PPDU 420. The soft AP 406 can transmit a BA 422 to the STA 404. The BA 422 can indicate to the STA 404 the successful reception of the data PPDU 420. After the transmit / receive period during which the soft AP 406 uses the full-capability mode, the soft AP 406 can transition back to the low-power listening mode.

[0050] The embodiments herein implement changes to the MU-RTS. The current standard only allows Wi-Fi APs to transmit MU-RTS frames. The embodiments herein allow non-AP STAs to transmit MU-RTS frames. Additionally, the AP / soft AP can indicate additional information in a new information element. The new information element can be named the soft AP information element (IE). For example, Figure 5 An example soft AP IE 502 according to some embodiments is illustrated. The soft AP IE 502 can be included in beacons and / or probe responses. The soft AP IE 502 can include an element ID 504, a length field 506, and operation parameters 508.

[0051] The element ID 504 can be used to uniquely identify the soft AP IE 502. The element ID 504 can be a numerical value assigned by the protocol specification. It can serve as a reference point for the transmitter and receiver to identify and interpret the specific information carried by the corresponding IE. The length field 506 can be used to specify the size or length of the data carried by the soft AP IE 502.

[0052] The operation parameter 508 may include configuration information of parameters associated with the MU-RTS transmitted by the STA. For example, the operation parameter 508 may include the required MU-RTS field 510, the MU-RTS padding duration field 512, and the maximum MCS field 514. The required MU-RTS field 510 may be used by the soft AP to indicate whether the soft AP requires the STA to always send an MU-RTS frame before its data transmission. The MU-RTS padding duration field 512 may be used by the soft AP to specify the padding duration of the MU-RTS frame. The padding duration may be based on the time required for the soft AP to initiate the full-capability mode (e.g., the time period for switching from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode). The maximum MCS field 514 may indicate the maximum MCS used for MU-RTS transmission.

[0053] In some embodiments, to indicate that the soft AP has a low-power listening mode capable of transmitting (e.g., Figure 3 ), the soft AP may set the MU-RTS padding duration field 512 to zero. The parameters (B1 to B7) may depend on the specific implementation. For example, the soft AP may support a higher MCS and thus may indicate that the STA can use up to MCS11. In some embodiments, the STA may send a data PPDU only after it receives a CTS from the soft AP in response to its initially transmitted MU-RTS frame.

[0054] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The illustrated transmission flowchart relates to the case where the STA and the soft AP have an initial association. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Illustrates two cases where the STA wants to associate with the soft AP (e.g., pre-associate). Using the MU-RTS frame to facilitate the association with the soft AP may be based on the capabilities of the soft AP's low-power listening mode. The baseline operating mode of the soft AP may be to operate in the low-power listening mode with limited radio capabilities. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Illustrates two scenarios based on whether the low-power listening mode has the ability to predict transmission.

[0055] Figure 6 Illustrates an example scenario according to some embodiments where the STA 602 wants to associate with the soft AP 604 and the soft AP 604 can transmit an ACK frame 606 in the low-power listening mode. As shown, the STA 602 may transmit an association request 610 to the soft AP 604. If the association request is received during the time period 608 when the low-power listening mode is active and the full-capability mode is deactivated, the soft AP 604 may still respond using the limited transmission capabilities of the low-power listening mode.

[0056] Since the association request 610 is typically transmitted by the STA 602 at a basic data rate, the association request 610 can be decoded using a low-power listening mode. Additionally, the soft AP 604 can send an ACK frame 606 in the low-power listening mode in response to the association request 610. The soft AP 604 can initiate a full-capability mode (e.g., an active full-capability mode period 614) to send back a more complex association response frame 612 to the STA 602.

[0057] Figure 7 An example scenario is illustrated according to some embodiments where the STA 702 wants to associate with the soft AP 704 and the low-power listening mode of the soft AP 704 does not have a transmission capability. Therefore, the low-power listening mode cannot be used to transmit an ACK frame because the low-power listening mode does not have a transmission capability. This can result in a failure.

[0058] For example, in the illustrated embodiment, when the STA 702 transmits an association request 706 without first transmitting an MU-RTS, the soft AP can receive the association request 706 in an active low-power listening mode. However, the active low-power listening mode does not have a transmission capability and thus cannot transmit an ACK frame 708. Since the soft AP 704 cannot confirm the association request 706 received from the STA 702, there is a risk that the STA 702 will blacklist the soft AP 706 due to an association failure. Therefore, the embodiments herein provide measures to avoid the problems of association failure and subsequent blacklisting of the soft AP 704 by the STA 702.

[0059] As previously discussed, the soft AP can indicate in a beacon or a probe response a requirement for the STA to send an MU-RTS 710 before a frame exchange. Therefore, the STA 702 will be aware that the soft AP 704 is a special AP that requires all frame exchanges to be initiated with an MU-RTS. Therefore, the STA 702 will comply with the requirements of the beacon or probe response by transmitting an MU-RTS 710 even for the association request 712.

[0060] The MU-RTS 710 can include padding to allow the soft AP 704 sufficient time to activate the full-capability mode. When the soft AP 704 switches from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode, the soft AP 704 can use the full-capability mode to send a CTS message 714 to the STA 702. In response to receiving the CTS message 714, the STA 702 can transmit an association request 712 to the soft AP 704. The soft AP 704 can receive and decode the association request 712. The STA 702 and the soft AP can continue with the association procedure, which includes the soft AP 704 transmitting an ACK message 716 and an association response 718 to the STA 702.

[0061] Figure 8 Illustrates an example format of the MU-RTS frame 802 according to some embodiments. The MU-RTS frame 802 can be used to facilitate association with a soft AP. The MU-RTS frame 802 can include a Frame Control field 804, a Duration field 806, a Receiver Address (RA) field 808, a Transmitter Address (TA) field 810, a Common Information field 812, a User Information List field 814, a Padding field 816, and a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field 818. These fields can be used to convey information from the STA to the soft AP.

[0062] The Frame Control field 804 can carry control information related to the frame, such as the frame type and subtype. The Duration field 806 specifies the duration for which the transmitter intends to reserve the wireless medium. This helps other devices understand how long the medium will be occupied for transmission. The RA field 808 can indicate the MAC address(es) of one or more intended recipients of the MU-RTS frame. This address specifies the destination to which the transmission is directed. The TA field 810 can contain the MAC address of the device that initiated the MU-RTS frame. It identifies the transmitter of the frame. The Common Information field 812 can carry more configuration details, including common information related to all intended recipients of the MU-RTS frame. The User Information List field 814 can be used to include a list of individual user-specific information.

[0063] The Padding field 816 provides additional bits (if needed), which the STA can use to give the soft AP enough time to transition from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode. The padding size can be set based on the transition duration specified in the soft AP IE.

[0064] The FCS field 818 can provide error detection for the frame. It can contain a checksum or hash value calculated over the entire frame, including the header and payload. The FCS can ensure the integrity of the frame during transmission and can help detect any potential transmission errors. These fields together provide control, addressing, timing, and error detection information within the MU-RTS frame, thus facilitating efficient communication in a wireless network.

[0065] To prevent association failures and ultimately the problem of the STA blacklisting the soft AP, embodiments can incorporate the following additions into the standard. The MU-RTS frame can be classified as a Class 1 frame. That is, the MU-RTS can be transmitted by the STA to a non-associated AP. The Require MU-RTS bit in the soft AP IE can apply to any frame transmission from the STA. Thus, the STA can send a MU-RTS frame with padding as specified in the soft AP IE before sending any frame (data or management) to the soft AP.

[0066] In some embodiments, the MU-RTS frame 802 may include an Association ID (AID) field 820. In some cases, the STA has not been associated with the soft AP. In those cases, the STA does not have an AID assigned by the soft AP. In some embodiments, the AID is a required field in the MU-RTS frame 802. Thus, a new AID can be defined to be used by the STA when transmitting the MU-RTS frame to the non-associated soft AP. The new AID can be any value that is not currently in use. For example, the new AID field 820 can be set to a currently reserved value (e.g., 2047).

[0067] In some embodiments, a new wake-up frame may be introduced. The wake-up frame can be transmitted by the STA to the soft AP before uplink data transmission to indicate an upcoming data frame. There are several benefits to using the wake-up frame. For example, MU-RTS is a hardware-generated control frame and thus cannot be supported by existing Wi-Fi STA devices without hardware changes. This means that traditional STA devices will not be able to support MU-RTS. The aim of some embodiments herein is to define a new management frame that can be utilized by any STA device without hardware changes to wake up the full-capability mode of the soft AP.

[0068] The wake-up frame can provide several advantages. For example, it can be a management frame and thus can be protected (integrity protection / MAC header protection), which is different from a control frame like MU-RTS. Additionally, the device can transmit an acknowledgement of the management frame regardless of the current Network Allocation Vector (NAV) setting or medium activity. This can result in a very reliable ACK response. Based on the reception capabilities of the low-power listening mode in the soft AP, the wake-up frame can be in a non-High Throughput (HT) duplicate format. The soft AP can indicate this requirement in the soft AP IE.

[0069] Figure 9 An example frame exchange sequence 902 using the wake-up frame 904 according to some embodiments is illustrated. The soft AP 914 may have a baseline operation 910 where the low-power listening mode is active 914. The low-power listening mode may have limited transmission capabilities or no transmission capabilities.

[0070] STA 912 can contend for the 906 channel to transmit to the soft AP 914. When STA 912 wins the channel, STA 912 can transmit a wake-up frame 904 to the soft AP 914. The wake-up frame 904 can have a minimum data rate that can be understood using the low-power listening mode of the soft AP 914. For example, in some embodiments, the wake-up frame 904 can be in a non-HT duplicate format of 6 megabits per second (Mbps) on one spatial stream. The wake-up frame 904 can have a sufficient payload length to allow the soft AP 914 to transition from operating using the low-power listening mode to operating using a full-capability mode with full capabilities.

[0071] By the end of the wake-up frame 904, the soft AP 914 can have switched to full-capability mode operation 916. The soft AP 914 can use the full-capability mode to transmit an ACK message 918. The ACK message 918 can serve as a configuration that the soft AP 914 has full RF capabilities. Once STA 912 receives the ACK message 918, the STA can continue data transmission (e.g., data frame 920). The soft AP 914 can transmit a BA 922 to STA 912. The BA 922 can indicate to STA 912 the successful reception of the data frame 920. After the transmit / receive period using the full-capability mode, the soft AP 914 can transition back to the low-power listening mode.

[0072] One benefit of the frame exchange sequence 902 using the wake-up frame 904 is that it occurs within a single transmission opportunity 908. Thus, STA 912 may not have to contend for the channel multiple times.

[0073] Figure 10 Illustrates an example wake-up frame format according to some embodiments. As shown, the wake-up frame 1002 can include a Frame Control field 1004, a Duration field 1006, a Destination Address (DA) field 1008, a Source Address (SA) field 1010, a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) field 1012, a Sequence Control field 1014, a Category field 1016, an Action field 1018, a Payload field 1020, and an FCS field 1022. The Frame Control field 1004 can include control and management information related to the frame. The Duration field 1006 can indicate the duration for which the wireless medium is reserved during the transmission of the frame.

[0074] The DA field 1008 can identify one or more intended destination devices of the wake-up frame 1002. For example, the DA field 1008 can include the MAC address of the target soft AP. The SA field 1010 can indicate the MAC address of the device that sends the management frame (e.g., the STA address). The BSSID field 1012 can represent a unique identifier associated with the basic service set (BSS) to which the Wi-Fi device transmitting the frame belongs. The sequence control field 1014 can provide information related to the sequence number of the frame.

[0075] The category field 1016 can identify the frame as the wake-up frame 1002. The action field 1018 can be set to zero. The payload field 1020 can be a dummy element having a length based on the transition time specified by the soft AP in the soft AP IE. The length of the payload field 1020 can provide a transition time for the soft AP to switch from using the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode. The FCS field 1022 can provide error detection for the frame.

[0076] Figure 11 An example soft AP IE 1102 for wake-up frame configuration according to some embodiments is illustrated. The soft AP IE 1102 can be included in beacons and / or probe responses. The soft AP IE 1102 can include an element ID 1104, a length field 1106, and operation parameters 1108.

[0077] The element ID 1104 can be used to uniquely identify the soft AP IE 1102. The element ID 1104 can be a numerical value assigned by the protocol specification. It can serve as a reference point for the transmitter and receiver to identify and interpret the specific information carried by the corresponding IE. The length field 1106 can be used to specify the size or length of the data carried by the soft AP IE 1102.

[0078] The operation parameters 1108 can include configuration information of parameters associated with the wake-up frame transmitted by the STA. For example, the operation parameters 1108 can include a required wake-up frame field 1110, a wake-up frame payload duration field 1112, a maximum MCS field 1114 for wake-up frame transmission, and a use non-HT replication format field 1116. The required wake-up frame field 1110 can be used by the soft AP to indicate whether the soft AP requires the STA to always send a wake-up frame before its data transmission. The wake-up frame payload duration field 1112 can be used by the soft AP to specify the payload duration of the wake-up frame. The payload duration can be based on the time it takes for the soft AP to start the full-capability mode (e.g., the time period for switching from the low-power listening mode to the full-capability mode). The maximum MCS field 1114 for wake-up frame transmission can indicate the maximum MCS used for wake-up frame transmission. The use non-HT replication format field 1116 can indicate that the STA can use the non-HT replication format to transmit the wake-up frame to the soft AP operating in the low-power listening mode.

[0079] Figure 12 Illustrates an example scenario in which STA 1202 is in a pre - associated state and wants to associate with soft AP 1204. Wake - up frame 1206 can be utilized to enable the association of STA 1202 with soft AP 1204 operating in low - power listening mode 1208. In low - power listening mode 1208, soft AP 1204 may have limited transmission capabilities or no transmission capabilities, and the full - capability mode of soft AP 1204 with full RF capabilities can be deactivated.

[0080] The low - power listening mode may not have the ability to transmit ACK frames, which may lead to failures. For example, if STA1202 transmits an association request without first transmitting wake - up frame 1206, soft AP 1204 can receive the association request in the active low - power listening mode, but soft AP 1204 may not be able to reply with an ACK frame in the low - power listening mode. Since soft AP 704 may not be able to confirm the successful receipt of the association request from STA 702, there is a risk that STA 1202 will blacklist soft AP 1204 due to an association failure. Therefore, the embodiments herein can use wake - up frame 1206 to avoid association failures and the subsequent blacklisting of soft AP 1204 by STA 1202.

[0081] As previously discussed, soft AP 1204 can use the soft AP IE to indicate in a beacon or a probe response the requirement for STA 1202 to send wake - up frame 1206 before frame exchange. Therefore, STA 1202 will be aware that soft AP 1204 requires all frame exchanges to be initiated with wake - up frame 1206. Thus, STA 1202 can comply with the soft AP IE requirement by transmitting wake - up frame 1206 even for association request 1210.

[0082] Wake - up frame 1206 can include a payload duration (e.g., wake - up frame payload duration field) set to the transition time set in the soft AP IE. The payload duration can provide soft AP 1204 with enough time to enter the full - capability mode 1212 with full RF capabilities. When soft AP 1204 switches from the low - power listening mode to the full - capability mode, soft AP 1204 can use the full - capability mode to send an ACK message 1214 to STA 1202. ACK message 1214 can provide STA1202 with the confirmation that soft AP has successfully transitioned from the low - power listening mode to the full - capability mode and that the full - capability mode of the soft AP with full RF capabilities is active.

[0083] In response to receiving ACK message 1214, STA 1202 may transmit an association request 1210 to soft AP 1204. Soft AP 1204 may use the full-capability mode to receive and decode the association request 1210. STA 1202 and soft AP 1204 may continue with the association procedure, which includes soft AP 1204 transmitting an ACK message 1216 to indicate successful receipt of the association request 1210, and transmitting an association response 1218 to STA 1202.

[0084] To prevent association failures and the eventual blacklisting of soft AP 1204 by STA 1202, embodiments may incorporate the following additions into the standard. Wake-up frames may be classified as type 1 frames. That is, wake-up frames may be transmitted by the STA to a non-associated AP. The wake-up frame bit in the soft AP IE may be applied to any frame transmission from STA 1202. Thus, STA 1202 may send a wake-up frame with a payload duration specified in the soft AP IE before sending any frame (data or management) to soft AP 1204. In some embodiments, STA 1202 may continue with the frame exchange sequence only after it receives an ACK in response to the wake-up frame from soft AP 1204.

[0085] Figure 13 System 1300 is illustrated for performing signaling 1334 between STA 1302 and soft AP 1318 in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein. System 1300 may be part of a wireless communication system as described herein. STA 1302 may be, for example, a UE of a wireless communication system. Soft AP 1318 may be, for example, an access point of a wireless communication system.

[0086] STA 1302 may include one or more processors 1304. The processor 1304 may execute instructions to cause various operations of STA 1302 to be performed as described herein. The processor 1304 may include one or more baseband processors implemented using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a controller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device, another hardware device, a firmware device, or any combination thereof configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0087] STA 1302 may include a memory 1306. The memory 1306 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions 1308 (which may include, for example, instructions executed by the processor 1304). The instructions 1308 may also be referred to as program code or a computer program. The memory 1306 may also store data used by the processor 1304 and results computed by the processor.

[0088] STA 1302 may include one or more transceivers 1310, which may include radio frequency (RF) transmitter circuitry and / or receiver circuitry that uses the antenna 1312 of STA 1302 to facilitate signaling (e.g., signaling 1334) to and / or from STA 1302 with other devices (e.g., soft AP 1318).

[0089] STA 1302 may include one or more antennas 1312 (e.g., one, two, four, or more). For embodiments with multiple antennas 1312, STA 1302 may take advantage of the spatial diversity of such multiple antennas 1312 to transmit and / or receive multiple different data streams on the same time-frequency resource. This behavior may be referred to as, for example, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) behavior (referring to the multiple antennas used at each of the transmitting and receiving devices to achieve this aspect). MIMO transmission by STA 1302 may be achieved according to precoding (or digital beamforming) applied at STA 1302, which multiplexes data streams among the antennas 1312 based on known or assumed channel characteristics such that each data stream is received at an appropriate signal strength and at a desired location in the spatial domain (e.g., the location of the receiver associated with that data stream) relative to the other streams. Certain embodiments may use single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) methods (where the data streams are all directed to a single receiver) and / or multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) methods (where individual data streams may be directed to separate (different) receivers at different locations in the spatial domain).

[0090] In certain embodiments with multiple antennas, STA 1302 may implement analog beamforming techniques, whereby the phases of the signals transmitted by the antennas 1312 are adjusted relative to each other such that the (combined) transmission of the antennas 1312 can be directed (which is sometimes referred to as beam steering).

[0091] STA 1302 may include one or more interfaces 1314. The interfaces 1314 may be used to provide input to STA 1302 or output from the STA. For example, STA 1302 as a UE may include interfaces 1314 such as a microphone, speaker, touch screen, buttons, etc. to allow a user of the UE to provide input to and / or output from the UE. Other interfaces of such UEs may consist of transmitters, receivers, and other circuitry that allow communication between the UE and other devices (e.g., in addition to the transceivers 1310 / antennas 1312 already described) and may operate according to known protocols (e.g., etc.).

[0092] STA 1302 may include a frame transmission module 1316. The frame transmission module 1316 may be implemented via hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the frame transmission module 1316 may be implemented as a processor, circuitry, and / or instructions 1308 stored in a memory 1306 and executed by a processor 1304. In some examples, the frame transmission module 1316 may be integrated within the processor 1304 and / or transceiver 1310. For example, the frame transmission module 1316 may be implemented by a combination of software components (e.g., executed by a DSP or a general-purpose processor) and hardware components (e.g., logic gates and circuitry) within the processor 1304 or transceiver 1310.

[0093] The frame transmission module 1316 may be used in various aspects of the present disclosure, for example, Figures 2 to 12 and Figure 15 aspects of.

[0094] The soft AP 1318 may include one or more processors 1320. The processors 1320 may execute instructions to cause various operations of the soft AP 1318 to be performed as described herein. The processors 1320 may include one or more baseband processors, which are implemented using, for example, a CPU, a DSP, an ASIC, a controller, an FPGA device, another hardware device, a firmware device, or any combination thereof configured to perform the operations described herein.

[0095] The soft AP 1318 may include a memory 1322. The memory 1322 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions 1324 (which may include, for example, instructions executed by the processors 1320). The instructions 1324 may also be referred to as program code or a computer program. The memory 1322 may also store data used by the processors 1320 and results calculated by the processors.

[0096] The soft AP 1318 may include one or more transceivers 1326, which may include RF transmitter circuitry and / or receiver circuitry that uses an antenna 1328 of the AP 1318 to facilitate signaling (e.g., signaling 1334) to and / or from the soft AP 1318 with other devices (e.g., STA 1302).

[0097] The soft AP 1318 may include one or more antennas 1328 (e.g., one, two, four, or more). In embodiments having multiple antennas 1328, the soft AP 1318 may perform MIMO, digital beamforming, analog beamforming, beam control, etc., as already described.

[0098] The soft AP 1318 may include one or more interfaces 1330. The interfaces 1330 may be used to provide input to the soft AP 1318 or output from the soft AP. For example, the soft AP 1318 acting as a base station may include interfaces 1330 composed of a transmitter, a receiver, and other circuits (e.g., in addition to the transceiver 1326 / antenna 1328 already described), which enable the base station to communicate with other equipment in the core network and / or enable the base station to communicate with an external network, a computer, a database, etc., for the purpose of operating, managing, and maintaining the base station or other equipment operably connected to the base station.

[0099] The soft AP 1318 may include a mode switching module 1332. The mode switching module 1332 may be implemented via hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the mode switching module 1332 may be implemented as a processor, a circuit, and / or instructions 1324 stored in the memory 1322 and executed by the processor 1320. In some examples, the mode switching module 1332 may be integrated within the processor 1320 and / or the transceiver 1326. For example, the mode switching module 1332 may be implemented by a combination of software components (e.g., executed by a DSP or a general-purpose processor) and hardware components (e.g., logic gates and circuits) within the processor 1320 or the transceiver 1326.

[0100] The mode switching module 1332 may be used in various aspects of the present disclosure, for example, Figures 2 to 12 and Figure 14 aspects of. For example, the mode switching module 1332 may switch between a low-power listening mode and a full-capability mode.

[0101] Figure 14 Illustrates an example method 1400 for a soft AP according to some embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, the method 1400 includes: monitoring 1402 the wireless medium using a low-power listening mode with limited or no transmission capability when not actively participating in the transmission or reception of frames. The method 1400 further includes: receiving 1404 from the STA an indication of an upcoming frame transmission when in the low-power listening mode. The method 1400 further includes: in response to receiving the indication, activating 1406 a full-capability mode with full RF capabilities and switching from using the low-power mode to using the full-capability mode to monitor the wireless medium. The method 1400 further includes: transmitting 1408 to the STA a reply in response to the indication. The method 1400 further includes: receiving 1410 frame transmissions from the STA using the full-capability mode.

[0102] In some embodiments of the method 1400, the indication from the STA includes a multi-user request to send (MU-RTS) frame.

[0103] In some embodiments of method 1400, the response to the indication includes a CTS message transmitted in a low-power listening mode in parallel with the activation of the full-capability mode.

[0104] In some embodiments of method 1400, the MU-RTS frame includes sufficient padding to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the MU-RTS frame, and wherein the response to the indication includes a CTS message transmitted using the full-capability mode.

[0105] In some embodiments, method 1400 further includes: transmitting a soft AP information element to the STA, the soft AP information element including a first field, a second field, and a third field, the first field requiring the STA to transmit a MU-RTS frame before data transmission, the second field indicating the padding duration of the MU-RTS frame, and the third field indicating the maximum MCS for the transmission of the MU-RTS frame.

[0106] In some embodiments, method 1400 further includes: using a low-power listening mode to receive an association request, and using a low-power listening mode to transmit an acknowledgement message.

[0107] In some embodiments, method 1400 further includes: receiving a MU-RTS frame before receiving the association request.

[0108] In some embodiments of method 1400, the indication from the STA includes a wake-up frame, and wherein the wake-up frame is a management frame.

[0109] In some embodiments of method 1400, the wake-up frame includes sufficient payload length to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the wake-up frame, and wherein the response to the indication includes an acknowledgement message transmitted using the full-capability mode.

[0110] In some embodiments, method 1400 further includes: transmitting a soft AP information element to the STA, the soft AP information element including a first field, a second field, a third field, and a fourth field, the first field requiring the STA to transmit a wake-up frame before data transmission, the second field indicating the payload duration of the wake-up frame, the third field indicating the maximum MCS for the transmission of the wake-up frame, and the fourth field indicating that the STA uses a non-HT replication format.

[0111] In some embodiments, method 1400 further includes: receiving a wake-up frame before receiving the association request.

[0112] Embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes means for performing one or more elements of method 1400. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus such as an AP (such as soft AP 1318, as described herein).

[0113] The embodiments contemplated herein include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of method 1400. The non-transitory computer-readable media can be, for example, the memory of a soft AP (such as the memory 1322 of soft AP 1318 as described herein).

[0114] The embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes logic components, modules, or circuits for performing one or more elements of method 1400. The apparatus can be, for example, the apparatus of an AP (such as soft AP 1318 as described herein).

[0115] The embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more elements of method 1400. The apparatus can be, for example, the apparatus of an AP (such as soft AP 1318 as described herein).

[0116] The embodiments contemplated herein include signals as described in or related to one or more elements of method 1400.

[0117] The embodiments contemplated herein include a computer program or computer program product that includes instructions, where execution of the program by a processing element will cause the processing element to perform one or more elements of method 1400. The processor can be the processor of an AP (such as the processor 1320 of soft AP 1318 as described herein). The instructions can be, for example, located in the processor and / or the memory of the AP (such as the memory 1322 of soft AP 1318 as described herein).

[0118] Figure 15 An example method 1500 for a STA according to some embodiments is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, method 1500 includes: receiving 1502 an information element from a soft AP, the information element including operation parameters for an upcoming frame transmission indication. Method 1500 further includes: preparing 1504 the upcoming frame transmission indication based on the operation parameters. Method 1500 further includes: transmitting 1506 the upcoming frame transmission indication to the soft AP when the soft AP is operating in a low power listening mode. Method 1500 further includes: receiving 1508 a reply in response to the indication from the soft AP. Method 1500 further includes: transmitting 1510 frame transmission to the soft AP when the soft AP is operating in a full-capability mode.

[0119] In some embodiments of method 1500, the upcoming frame transmission indication includes a MU-RTS frame.

[0120] In some embodiments of method 1500, the response to the upcoming frame transmission indication includes a CTS message transmitted by the soft AP using the low power listening mode in parallel with the soft AP activating the full-capability mode.

[0121] In some embodiments of method 1500, the MU-RTS frame includes sufficient padding to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the MU-RTS frame, and wherein the response to the indication includes a CTS message transmitted through the full-capability mode.

[0122] In some embodiments of method 1500, the information element includes a first field, a second field, and a third field. The first field requires the STA to transmit a MU-RTS frame before data transmission. The second field indicates the padding duration of the MU-RTS frame. The third field indicates the maximum MCS for the transmission of the MU-RTS frame.

[0123] In some embodiments, method 1500 further includes: transmitting an association request to a soft AP operating in the low power listening mode, and receiving an acknowledgement message from the soft AP operating in the low power listening mode.

[0124] In some embodiments, method 1500 further includes: transmitting a MU-RTS frame before transmitting the association request.

[0125] In some embodiments of method 1500, the upcoming frame transmission indication includes a wake-up frame, and wherein the wake-up frame is a management frame.

[0126] In some embodiments of method 1500, the wake-up frame includes a sufficient payload length to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the wake-up frame, and wherein the response to the indication includes an acknowledgement message transmitted using the full-capability mode of the soft AP.

[0127] In some embodiments of method 1500, the information element includes a first field, a second field, a third field, and a fourth field. The first field requires the STA to transmit a wake-up frame before data transmission. The second field indicates the payload duration of the wake-up frame. The third field indicates the maximum MCS for the transmission of the wake-up frame. The fourth field indicates that the STA uses a non-HT replication format.

[0128] In some embodiments, method 1500 further includes: transmitting a wake-up frame before transmitting the association request.

[0129] The embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes means for performing one or more elements of method 1500. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a STA (such as STA 1302 as described herein).

[0130] The embodiments contemplated herein include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform one or more elements of method 1500. The non-transitory computer-readable media can be, for example, the memory of a STA (such as memory 1306 of STA 1302 as described herein).

[0131] The embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes logic components, modules, or circuits for performing one or more elements of method 1500. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a STA (such as STA 1302 as described herein).

[0132] The embodiments contemplated herein include an apparatus that includes: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media that include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more elements of method 1500. The apparatus can be, for example, an apparatus of a STA (such as STA 1302 as described herein).

[0133] The embodiments contemplated herein include signals as described in or related to one or more elements of method 1500.

[0134] The embodiments contemplated herein include a computer program or a computer program product that includes instructions, where execution of the program by a processor will cause the processor to perform one or more elements of method 1500. The processor can be a processor of a STA (such as processor 1304 of STA 1302 as described herein). The instructions can be, for example, located in the processor and / or on the memory of the STA (such as memory 1306 of STA 1302 as described herein).

[0135] For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components stated in one or more of the foregoing figures can be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, and / or methods as described herein. For example, the processor described in connection with one or more of the foregoing figures can be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples shown herein. As another example, the circuitry associated with the STA or AP described above in connection with one or more of the foregoing figures can be configured to operate according to one or more of the examples shown herein.

[0136] Unless otherwise expressly stated, any one of the above embodiments may be combined with any other embodiment (or combination of embodiments). The foregoing description of one or more specific implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, or may be acquired from practice of various embodiments.

[0137] Embodiments and specific implementations of the systems and methods described herein may include various operations, which may be embodied in machine-executable instructions to be executed by a computer system. The computer system may include one or more general-purpose or special-purpose computers (or other electronic devices). The computer system may include hardware components that include specific logic components for performing the operations; or may include a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0138] It should be recognized that the systems described herein include a description of specific embodiments. These embodiments may be combined into a single system, partially combined into other systems, divided into multiple systems, or otherwise partitioned or combined. In addition, it is contemplated that the parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment. For clarity, these parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. are described in only one or more embodiments, and it should be recognized that, unless expressly stated herein, these parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. may be combined with or substituted for the parameters, attributes, aspects, etc. of another embodiment.

[0139] It is well known that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of inadvertent or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly explained to the user.

[0140] Although the foregoing has been described in considerable detail for purposes of clarity, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. It should be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing both the processes and apparatuses described herein. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and the specification is not limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for a software enabled access point (Soft AP), the method comprising: monitoring the wireless medium using a low power listening mode with limited or no transmit capability when not actively participating in the transmission or reception of frames; receiving an indication of an upcoming frame transmission from a station (STA) while in the low power listening mode; In response to receiving the indication, activating a full capability mode having full radio frequency (RF) capability and switching from using the low power mode to using the full capability mode to monitor the wireless medium; transmitting a reply in response to the indication to the STA; as well as The frame transmission is received from the STA using the full capability mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication from the STA comprises a multi-user request to transmit (MU-RTS) frame.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reply to the indication comprises a clear to send (CTS) message transmitted in the low power listening mode in parallel with activation of the full capability mode.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the MU-RTS frame includes sufficient padding to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the MU-RTS frame, and wherein the reply to the indication includes a clear to send (CTS) message transmitted using the full-capability mode.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: A soft AP information element is transmitted to the STA, wherein the soft AP information element includes a first field, a second field, and a third field, wherein the first field requires the STA to send the MU-RTS frame before sending data, the second field indicates a padding duration of the MU-RTS frame, and the third field indicates a maximum modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for sending the MU-RTS frame.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: An association request is received using the low power listening mode, and an acknowledgement message is sent using the low power listening mode.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: The MU-RTS frame is received before receiving the association request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication from the STA comprises a wake-up frame, and wherein the wake-up frame is a management frame.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wake-up frame includes a sufficient payload length to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the wake-up frame, and wherein the reply to the indication includes a confirmation message transmitted using the full-capability mode.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: A soft AP information element is transmitted to the STA, wherein the soft AP information element includes a first field, a second field, a third field, and a fourth field, wherein the first field requires the STA to send the wake-up frame before sending data, the second field indicates the payload duration of the wake-up frame, the third field indicates a maximum modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for sending the wake-up frame, and the fourth field indicates that the STA uses a non-high throughput (HT) replication format.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: The wake-up frame is received prior to receiving the association request.

12. A method for a station (STA), the method comprising: receiving an information element from a software-enabled access point (soft AP), the information element comprising operating parameters for an upcoming frame transmission indication; preparing the upcoming frame transmission indication based on the operating parameters; transmitting the upcoming frame transmission indication to the soft AP; receiving a reply in response to the indication from the soft AP when the soft AP is operating in a low power listening mode; as well as A frame transmission is transmitted to the soft AP when the soft AP operates in a full-capability mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upcoming frame transmission indication comprises a multi-user request to send (MU-RTS) frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reply to the upcoming frame transmission indication comprises a clear to send (CTS) message transmitted by the soft AP using the low power listening mode in parallel with the soft AP activating the full capability mode.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the MU-RTS frame includes sufficient padding to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the MU-RTS frame, and wherein the reply to the indication includes a clear to send (CTS) message transmitted via the full-capability mode.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information element includes a first field, a second field and a third field, the first field requiring the STA to send the MU-RTS frame before data transmission, the second field indicating a padding duration of the MU-RTS frame, and the third field indicating a maximum modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used for transmission of the MU-RTS frame.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: An association request is transmitted to the soft AP operating in the low power listening mode, and a confirmation message is received from the soft AP operating in the low power listening mode.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: The MU-RTS frame is transmitted before transmitting the association request.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the upcoming frame transmission indication comprises a wake-up frame, and wherein the wake-up frame is a management frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the wake-up frame includes a sufficient payload length to allow the soft AP to activate the full-capability mode before the end of the wake-up frame, and wherein the reply to the indication includes a confirmation message transmitted using the full-capability mode of the soft AP.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the information element includes a first field, a second field, a third field and a fourth field, the first field requiring the STA to send the wake-up frame before data transmission, the second field indicating the payload duration of the wake-up frame, the third field indicating the maximum modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used for the transmission of the wake-up frame, and the fourth field indicating that the STA uses a non-high throughput (HT) replication format.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: The wake-up frame is transmitted prior to transmitting an association request.

23. An apparatus comprising means for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

24. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

25. An apparatus comprising logic components, modules or circuits for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

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