System and method for maintaining low power connections in multi-link network

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems and methods for maintaining low power connections in a multi-link network. An access point can include a plurality of radios, each operating on a different frequency band. The access point can establish a connection with a client. The access point can receive a frame indicating that the connected client is entering a sleep mode. In response, the access point can bring a radio operating over a longer distance and a lower power band into a sleep mode while maintaining a low power connection with the client. The access point can turn off other radios operating on a higher frequency band. During a wake-up period, the access point can transmit a beacon via the low power radio, indicating to the client that the access point has broadcast and multicast BCMC data. The access point is capable of transmitting the BCMC data to the client via the low power radio.

Description

Systems and methods for maintaining low-power connections in multi-link networks Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for wireless communication between an access point and a wireless communication device, including but not limited to maintaining a low-power connection in a multi-link network. Background Technology

[0002] The market for wireless communication devices has been growing due to the increasing use of portable devices, connectivity between various devices, and data transmission. Digital switching technology has facilitated the large-scale deployment of affordable and easy-to-use wireless communication networks. Wireless communication can operate according to various standards, such as IEEE 802.11x (e.g., Wi-Fi technology), Bluetooth, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Using such technologies, wireless communication devices can connect to local area networks and the Internet without physical cables, enabling communication across various spaces and ranges via radio frequency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical solution disclosed herein relates to maintaining low-power connectivity in multi-link network operation (MLO) by managing the use of multiple radios operating across different frequency bands. In MLO-enabled systems, access points and / or client devices can be configured to support multiple simultaneous links using radios operating on different frequency bands (e.g., 2G, 5G, or 6G). While MLO provides flexibility and performance benefits by allowing devices to use multiple radios on different frequency bands, configuration can also present challenges in managing power consumption, particularly during idle states where devices are not actively transmitting or receiving data. Devices typically prioritize throughput and performance, which may lead to the continued use of high-power or high-capacity frequency bands even when the network is idle. For example, a device may maintain a connection on a high-capacity 5G frequency band even without active data traffic, consuming unnecessary power. Furthermore, when a device enters an idle state, all active links or operational / primary links are used to maintain the connection. However, links selected for their data efficiency are often unsuitable for idle or standby states where power consumption is prioritized. Therefore, maintaining a connection on a high-capacity link (e.g., 5G or 6G) even when no active data is being transmitted results in inefficient power usage.

[0004] The technical solution disclosed herein overcomes the challenges of managing power consumption in MLO by dynamically switching between high-capacity and low-power bands. During active data transmission, the high-capacity 6G / 5G band can be used to manage a large volume of traffic, while the low-capacity 2G band may not participate in data traffic. As data traffic slows down and Wi-Fi connectivity approaches idle, the 2G band can transition from sleep mode to dormancy, while the 6G / 5G band can move from active to sleep after the power management (PM) state is communicated to the access point. Since the 2G band is already in the PM state of the access point, client devices may not need to transmit NULL frames for power management purposes, but can listen for Delivery Service Indication Messages (DTIM) to receive beacons and broadcast and multicast (BCMC) packet transmissions from the access point. The 2G band can manage keep-alive operations to avoid prematurely switching from the low-power band to the high-capacity band, as keep-alive switching is the minimum service required to maintain the connection between the client device and the access point.

[0005] Once the access point notifies the client device of buffered data, the client device can switch from the 2G band to the 6G / 5G band. The client device can decide whether to switch bands immediately or wait until data traffic exceeds a certain threshold or for low-latency applications. By using the 2G band for beacon reception, MLO client devices can avoid missing unicast data traffic and experience no delay when retrieving buffered data. During the client device's sleep state, the access point may not deliver data via any band until the client device wakes up one or more bands, allowing high-power radios to remain dormant. Once the client detects bufferable data via 2G beacon reception, the client device can activate one or more radios for data reception. For BCMC data, the access point buffers packets and delivers them after DTIM-0 beacon delivery. For example, the DTIM-0 beacon signals the access point that any buffered multicast or broadcast data will be transmitted after this beacon. In some cases, when a legacy or single-link client is connected to the access point, the access point can deliver BCMC packets across all bands to facilitate correct reception. Lower-rate BCMC packets can also be received by the 2G band.

[0006] The technical solution disclosed herein reduces sleep current consumption of MLO client devices to a level comparable to traditional 2G clients. Furthermore, robust long-range 2G bands minimize connection loss and premature roaming. Both the access point and client devices can save power by shutting down radios operating on high-power bands when not in use, freeing up 6G / 5G slices for roaming when desired. Unlike Multi-Link Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (ML STR), data traffic is not mixed across links unless the links have similar capabilities. Therefore, client devices can achieve peak 6G throughput without interference or performance degradation from other links.

[0007] At least one aspect of the technical solution relates to a system for maintaining low-power connections in a multi-link network. The system may include an access point configured with multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band in a plurality of frequency bands. A first radio of the plurality of radios operates on a first frequency band having a longer range and lower power than the remaining radios of the plurality of radios. The access point may be configured to establish one or more connections with one or more clients using one or more of the plurality of radios. The access point may be configured to receive frames from the one or more clients connected to the access point. The frames may instruct the one or more clients to enter a sleep mode. In response to the frames, the access point may be configured to put the first radio into a sleep mode while maintaining a low-power connection to the one or more clients on the first frequency band and shutting down the remaining radios of the plurality of radios. The access point may be configured to transmit beacons to the one or more clients via the low-power connection on the first frequency band during a wake-up period. The beacon may indicate to the access point that it has broadcast and multicast (BCMC) data to transmit to one or more clients in the multiple frequency bands. The access point may be configured to transmit the BCMC data to the one or more clients via the low-power connection using only the first radio operating on the first frequency band.

[0008] In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to use the first radio to transmit data to the one or more clients until the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios and switch to the at least one or more of the remaining radios to transmit data to the one or more clients. In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to determine that the data to be transmitted to the one or more clients is for a low-latency application, and in response to the determination, activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios to transmit the data. In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to advertise support for Multi-Link Low-Power Persistence (ML-LPCR) capability to the one or more clients. In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to advertise support for the ML-LPCR capability in one of the following: one or more beacons, probe responses, and associated response frames.

[0009] In some embodiments, the access point may be further configured to generate a multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frame and transmit the ML power-saving notification frame to the one or more clients. The multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frame may identify either a power-saving state or a radio-on state for each of the plurality of different radios. In some embodiments, the one or more clients may comprise multiple radios operating on different frequency bands, and in response to entering a sleep mode, maintain the connection to the access point using a radio among the plurality of radios on the first frequency band while deactivating any remaining radios among the plurality of radios. In some embodiments, the first frequency band of the first radio may be 2G, while the remaining frequency bands among the plurality of frequency bands may include one or more of 5G or 6G.

[0010] Another aspect of the technical solution relates to a system for maintaining a low-power connection in a multi-link network. The system may include a Wi-Fi device configured with multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band within a plurality of frequency bands. A first radio of the plurality of radios operates on a first frequency band having a longer range and lower power than the remaining radios of the plurality of radios. The Wi-Fi device may be configured to establish a connection with an access point using the plurality of radios. In response to determining that it is entering a sleep mode, the Wi-Fi device may be configured to put the first radio into a sleep mode while maintaining a low-power connection to the access point on the first frequency band and shutting down the remaining radios of the plurality of radios. The Wi-Fi device may be configured to transmit a frame to the access point indicating that the Wi-Fi device is entering a sleep mode. The Wi-Fi device may be configured to receive a beacon from the access point via the low-power connection on the first frequency band during a wake-up period. The beacon indicates that the access point has broadcast and multicast (BCMC) data to transmit to the Wi-Fi devices on the plurality of frequency bands. The Wi-Fi device may be configured to receive the BCMC data from the access point via the low-power connection using only the first radio on the first frequency band.

[0011] In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device may be configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios in response to the beacon. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device may be further configured to communicate the activity status of at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios via one or more frames or beacons. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device may be further configured to use the first radio to communicate data with the access point until the amount of data to be communicated exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device may be further configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios to communicate the data in response to the amount of data to be communicated exceeding the threshold. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device may be further configured to determine that the data to be communicated with the Wi-Fi device is for a low-latency application, and in response to the determination, activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios to transmit the data. In some embodiments, the first frequency band of the first radio may be 2 GHz, while the remaining frequency bands among the plurality of frequency bands may include one or more of 5 GHz or 6 GHz.

[0012] Another aspect of the technical solution relates to an apparatus for maintaining low-power connections in a multi-link network. The apparatus may include multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band in a plurality of frequency bands. A first radio of the plurality of radios may operate on a first frequency band, which has a longer range and lower power than the frequency bands of the remaining radios. The apparatus may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to generate multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frames. The multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frames can identify the power-saving state and radio on state of each of the plurality of different radios. The one or more processors may be configured to transmit the multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frames to one or more clients connected to the access point.

[0013] In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be further configured to set a power management bit in a field of the multi-link (ML) power saving notification frame to a value indicating that the device is entering a power saving (PS) mode. In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be further configured to set a power management bit in a field of the multi-link (ML) power saving notification frame to a value indicating that the device is exiting a power saving (PS) mode. In some embodiments, the one or more processors may be further configured to generate the multi-link (ML) power saving notification frame as having a power saving link bitmap to identify whether a radio operating on the frequency band is in power management mode or is active. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The various objects, aspects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent and better understood through a detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, similar reference numerals generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and / or structurally similar elements.

[0015] Figure 1A illustrates a block diagram depicting a network environment comprising one or more access points communicating with one or more devices or stations, according to one or more embodiments.

[0016] Figures 1B and 1C illustrate block diagrams of computing devices that can be used in conjunction with the methods and systems described herein, according to one or more embodiments.

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example system for maintaining low-power connections in a multi-link network, according to one or more embodiments.

[0018] Figures 3 to 5 illustrate example flowcharts of a method for maintaining low-power connectivity in a multi-link network according to one or more embodiments.

[0019] Figure 6 illustrates an example implementation of multi-band communication between a station and an access point according to one or more embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following IEEE standards (including any draft versions of these standards) are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and are to be incorporated into this disclosure for all purposes: Wi-Fi Alliance standards and IEEE 802.11 standards, including but not limited to IEEE 802.11a™, IEEE 802.11b™, IEEE 802.11g™, IEEE P802.11n™; IEEE P802.11ac™; and IEEE P802.11be™ to IEEE P802.11bn™ standards. Although this disclosure may refer to aspects of these standards, it is in no way limited to these standards.

[0021] For the purpose of reading the descriptions of the various embodiments below, the following descriptions of the sections of the specification and their corresponding contents may be helpful:

[0022] Section A describes the network and computing environments that can be used to practice the embodiments described herein; and

[0023] Section B describes systems and methods for maintaining low-power connections in multi-link networks.

[0024] A. Computing and Networking Environment

[0025] Before discussing specific embodiments of this solution, it may be helpful to describe aspects of the operating environment and associated system components (e.g., hardware elements) in conjunction with the methods and systems described herein. Referring to Figure 1A, an embodiment of a network environment is depicted. In brief, the network environment includes a wireless communication system comprising one or more access points (APs) or network devices 106, one or more stations or wireless communication devices 102, and network hardware components or network hardware 192. Wireless communication devices 102 may, for example, include laptop computers, tablet computers, personal computers, and / or cellular phone devices. Details of embodiments of each station or wireless communication device 102 and AP or network device 106 are described in more detail with reference to Figures 1B and 1C. In one embodiment, the network environment may be an ad hoc network environment, an infrastructure wireless network environment, a subnet environment, etc. Network device 106 or AP may be operatively coupled to network hardware 192 via a local area network connection. In some embodiments, network device 106 is a 5G base station. Network hardware 192, which may include routers, gateways, switches, bridges, modems, system controllers, appliances, etc., provides local area network (LAN) connectivity for the communication system. Each of the network devices 106 or APs may have an associated antenna or antenna array to communicate with wireless communication devices in its area. Wireless communication devices 102 may register with a specific network device 106 or AP to receive services from the communication system (e.g., via SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration). For direct connections (e.g., point-to-point communication), some wireless communication devices may communicate directly via allocated channels and communication protocols. Some of the wireless communication devices 102 may be mobile or relatively stationary relative to the network device 106 or AP.

[0026] In some embodiments, network device 106 or AP includes means or modules (comprising a combination of hardware and software) that allow wireless communication device 102 to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi or other standards. Network device 106 or AP may sometimes be referred to as a wireless access point (WAP). Network device 106 or AP may be implemented (e.g., configured, designed, and / or built) for operation in a wireless local area network (WLAN). In some embodiments, network device 106 or AP may be connected as a standalone device to a router (e.g., via a wired network). In other embodiments, network device 106 or AP may be a component of a router. Network device 106 or AP may provide network access to multiple devices. Network device 106 or AP may, for example, connect to a wired Ethernet connection and use a radio frequency link to provide wireless connectivity for other communication devices 102 to utilize the wired connection. Network device 106 or AP may be implemented to support standards for transmitting and receiving data using one or more radio frequencies. Those standards and the frequencies they use may be defined by IEEE (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 standard). Network device 106 or AP may be configured and / or used to support public Internet hotspots and / or to extend the Wi-Fi signal range of a network.

[0027] In some embodiments, access point or network device 106 may be used for (e.g., in a home, vehicle, or building) wireless networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, ZigBee, any other type of radio frequency-based network protocol, and / or variations thereof). Each of the wireless communication devices 102 may include a built-in radio and / or be coupled to a radio. Such wireless communication devices 102 and / or access point or network device 106 may operate according to various aspects of the present disclosure presented herein to enhance performance, reduce cost and / or size, and / or enhance broadband applications. Each wireless communication device 102 may have the capability to act as a client node seeking access to resources (e.g., data and connections to networked nodes such as servers) via one or more access point or network devices 106.

[0028] The network connection may include any type and / or form of network, and may include any of the following: point-to-point network, broadcast network, telecommunications network, data communication network, computer network. The network topology may be a bus, star, or ring network topology. The network may be any such network topology known to those skilled in the art capable of supporting the operations described herein. In some embodiments, different types of data may be transmitted via different protocols. In other embodiments, the same type of data may be transmitted via different protocols.

[0029] Communication device 102 and access point or network device 106 can be deployed as or executed on any type and form of computing device, such as a computer, network device, or appliance capable of communicating and performing the operations described herein on any type and form of network. Figures 1B and 1C depict block diagrams of computing device 100 that can be used to implement embodiments of wireless communication device 102 or network device 106. As shown in Figures 1B and 1C, each computing device 100 includes a processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit) and a main memory unit 122. As shown in Figure 1B, computing device 100 may include a storage device 128, a mounting device 116, a network interface 118, an input / output (I / O) controller 123, display devices 124a to 124n, a keyboard 126, and a pointing device 127 (e.g., a mouse). Storage device 128 may include an operating system and / or software. As shown in Figure 1C, each computing device 100 may also include additional optional elements that communicate with the central processing unit or processor 121, such as memory port 103, bridge 170, one or more I / O devices 130a to 130n, and cache memory 140.

[0030] The central processing unit or processor 121 is any logic circuit system that responds to and processes instructions fetched from main memory unit 122. In many embodiments, the central processing unit or processor 121 is provided by a microprocessor unit, such as a microprocessor unit manufactured by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, California; a microprocessor unit manufactured by International Business Machines of White Plains, New York; or a microprocessor unit manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, California. The computing device 100 may be based on any of these processors, or any other processor capable of operating as described herein.

[0031] Main memory cell 122 may be one or more memory chips capable of storing data and allowing direct access to any storage location by the microprocessor or processor 121, such as any type or variant of static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, and solid-state drive (SSD). Main memory cell 122 may be based on any of the above-described memory chips, or any other available memory chip capable of operating as described herein. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, processor 121 communicates with main memory cell 122 via system bus 150 (described in more detail below). FIG. 1C depicts an embodiment of computing device 100 in which the processor communicates directly with main memory cell 122 via memory port 103. For example, in FIG. 1C, main memory cell 122 may be DRDRAM.

[0032] Figure 1C depicts an embodiment in which the main processor 121 communicates directly with the cache memory 140 via a secondary bus (sometimes referred to as the back-side bus). In other embodiments, the main processor 121 communicates with the cache memory 140 using a system bus 150. The cache memory 140 typically has a faster response time than the main memory unit 122 and is provided by, for example, SRAM, BSRAM, or EDRAM. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1C, the processor 121 communicates with various I / O devices 130 via a local system bus 150. Various buses can be used to connect the central processing unit or processor 121 to any of the I / O devices 130, such as the VESA VL bus, ISA bus, EISA bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, PCI bus, PCI-X bus, PCI-Express bus, or NuBus. For embodiments in which the I / O device is a video display 124, the processor 121 may use an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) to communicate with the display 124. Figure 1C depicts an embodiment of a computer or computer system 100, wherein a main processor 121 may communicate directly with I / O device 130b, for example, via HYPERTRANSPORT, RAPIDIO, or INFINIBAND communication technologies. Figure 1C also depicts an embodiment in which local bus and direct communication are combined: the processor 121 communicates with I / O device 130a using a local interconnect bus, while simultaneously communicating directly with I / O device 130b.

[0033] A variety of I / O devices 130a to 130n may be present in the computing device 100. Input devices include keyboards, mice, trackpads, trackballs, microphones, dial pads, touchpads, touchscreens, and drawing tablets. Output devices include video displays, speakers, inkjet printers, laser printers, projectors, and dye-sublimation printers. As shown in FIG1B, the I / O devices may be controlled by an I / O controller 123. The I / O controller may control one or more I / O devices, such as a keyboard 126 and pointing devices 127, such as a mouse or optical pen. In addition, the I / O devices may also provide storage and / or mounting media for the computing device 100. In yet another embodiment, the computing device 100 may provide a USB connection (not shown) to receive handheld USB storage devices, such as the USB flash drive series devices manufactured by Twintech Industry, Inc. of Los Alamitos, California.

[0034] Referring again to Figure 1B, computing device 100 may support any suitable mounting device 116, such as a disk drive, CD-ROM drive, CD-R / RW drive, DVD-ROM drive, flash drive, tape drive of various formats, USB device, hard disk drive, network interface, or any other device suitable for installing software and programs. Computing device 100 may further include storage devices for storing the operating system and other related software, and for storing application software programs (e.g., any program or software 120 for implementing (e.g., configured and / or designed for) the systems and methods described herein), such as one or more hard disk drives or redundant arrays of disks. Optionally, any of the mounting devices 116 may also be used as storage devices. Furthermore, the operating system and software may run from bootable media.

[0035] Furthermore, the computing device 100 may include a network interface 118 to interface with a network via various connections, including but not limited to standard telephone lines, LAN or WAN links (e.g., 802.11, T1, T3, 56kb, X.25, SNA, DECNET), broadband connections (e.g., ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet, SONET-based Ethernet), wireless connections, or any or all of the above connections. Connections can be established using various communication protocols (e.g., TCP / IP, IPX, SPX, NetBIOS, Ethernet, ARCNET, SONET, SDH, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), RS232, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, CDMA, GSM, WiMax, and Direct Asynchronous Connection). In one embodiment, computing device 100 communicates with other computing devices 100' via any type and / or form of gateway or tunneling protocol (e.g., Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS)). Network interface 118 may include a built-in network adapter, network interface card, PCMCIA network card, card bus network adapter, wireless network adapter, USB network adapter, modem, or any other device suitable for interfacing computing device 100 to any type of network capable of communicating and performing the operations described herein.

[0036] In some embodiments, computing device 100 may include or be connected to one or more display devices 124a to 124n. Therefore, any of the I / O devices 130a to 130n and / or the I / O controller 123 may include any type and / or form of suitable hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software to support, enable, or provide connectivity and use by computing device 100 to (a number of) display devices 124a to 124n. For example, computing device 100 may include any type and / or form of video adapter, video card, driver, and / or library to interface with, communicate with, connect to, or otherwise use (a number of) display devices 124a to 124n. In one embodiment, a video adapter may include multiple connectors to interface with (a number of) display devices 124a to 124n. In other embodiments, computing device 100 may include multiple video adapters, each of which is connected to (a number of) display devices 124a to 124n. In some embodiments, any portion of the operating system of the computing device 100 may be configured to use multiple display devices 124a to 124n. In another embodiment, the I / O device 130 may be a bridge between the system bus 150 and external communication buses (e.g., USB bus, Apple Desktop bus, RS-232 serial connection, SCSI bus, FireWire bus, FireWire 800 bus, Ethernet bus, AppleTalk bus, Gigabit Ethernet bus, Asynchronous Transfer Mode bus, Fibre Channel bus, Fibre bus, Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface bus, USB connection, or HDMI bus).

[0037] The computing device 100 of the types depicted in Figures 1B and 1C can operate under the control of an operating system that controls task scheduling and access to system resources. The computing device 100 can run any operating system, such as any version of Microsoft Windows, different versions of Unix and Linux, any version of macOS for Macintosh computers, any embedded operating system, any real-time operating system, any open-source operating system, any proprietary operating system, any operating system for mobile computing devices, or any other operating system capable of running on a computing device and performing the operations described herein. Typical operating systems include, but are not limited to: Android, produced by Google Inc.; Windows 7, 8, and 10, produced by Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington; MAC OS, produced by Apple Computer, Cupertino, California; WebOS, produced by Research In Motion (RIM); OS / 2, produced by International Business Machines, Armonk, New York; and Linux, a free operating system released by Caldera Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah, or any type and / or form of Unix operating system and other operating systems.

[0038] The computer system or computing device 100 may be any workstation, telephone, desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheld computer, mobile phone or other portable telecommunications device, media playback device, gaming system, mobile computing device, or any other type and / or form of computing, telecommunications, or media device capable of communication. In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may have a different processor, operating system, and input device consistent with the device. For example, in one embodiment, the computing device 100 is a smartphone, mobile device, tablet computer, or personal digital assistant. Furthermore, the computing device 100 may be any workstation, desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheld computer, mobile phone, any other computer, or other form of computing or telecommunications device capable of communication and having sufficient processor power and memory capacity to perform the operations described herein.

[0039] The aspects of the operating environment and components described above will become apparent in the context of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

[0040] B. Systems and methods for maintaining low-power connections in multi-link networks

[0041] The following describes in detail various concepts and embodiments related to techniques, methods, approaches, devices, and systems for maintaining low-power connections in multi-link networks. The various concepts introduced above and discussed in more detail below can be implemented in any of a variety of ways, as the described concepts are not limited to any particular implementation. Specific embodiments and examples of applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

[0042] The technical solutions disclosed herein manage power consumption in MLO networks by dynamically switching between high-capacity and low-power frequency bands. During active data transmission, the 6G / 5G band manages a large volume of traffic. As traffic decreases, 2G manages "keep-alive" operations, and the 6G / 5G band can enter sleep mode (e.g., enter a low-power state to conserve energy). When data thresholds are exceeded or low latency is desired, client devices or access points can switch back to 6G / 5G. By using 2G for beacon reception, client devices can avoid the latency of retrieving buffered data. Supporting the 2G band in Wi-Fi is useful for several reasons. The 2G band, operating in the lower spectrum, offers greater robustness and longer range than higher bands such as 5G, 6G, or 60G. Lower spectrum provides stronger noise immunity and facilitates extended range. Radio eavesdropping current is lower on the 2G band compared to higher bands. Low-power Wi-Fi Internet of Things (IoT) devices can rely on the 2G band due to its higher power efficiency compared to higher bands. High-frequency bands with wider channel widths (e.g., 80 MHz or 160 MHz) require frequent bandwidth switching between the actual channel size and the primary channel (e.g., a 20 MHz channel) to save power during idle periods. For example, using a 2G band with a 20 MHz channel eliminates the need for bandwidth switching operations. Therefore, access points and client devices can improve network efficiency by saving power during idle periods by deactivating radios operating on the high-frequency band.

[0043] Figure 2 illustrates an example system 200 for maintaining low-power connectivity in a multi-link network. Example system 200 may include one or more access points 205A to 205N (sometimes referred to herein as access point 205) communicatively coupled to one or more sites 215A to 215N (sometimes referred to herein as site 215) via one or more networks 210. Any of the systems described in conjunction with Figures 1A to 1C may be configured, constructed, or implemented to implement, operate, and / or use any of the options and technologies described in Figure 2.

[0044] Access point 205 may include means, systems, or modules (combining hardware and software) that allow wireless communication devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi or other standards. Access point 205 may sometimes be referred to as a wireless access point (WAP). Access point 205 may include components such as antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, radio devices for managing wireless communication, a CPU for processing data and control operations, and memory (DDR) for storing operational data and configurations. Access point 205 may be implemented (e.g., configured, designed, and / or constructed) for operation in a wireless local area network (WLAN). In some embodiments, access point 205 may be connected as a standalone device to a router (e.g., via a wired network). In some embodiments, access point 205 may be a component of a router. Access point 205 may provide network access for multiple devices. For example, access point 205 may connect to a wired Ethernet connection and provide wireless connectivity using a radio frequency link for other devices to utilize the wired connection. Access point 205 may be implemented to support standards for transmitting and receiving data using one or more radio frequencies. Those standards and the frequencies they use can be defined by IEEE (e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard). Access point 205 can be configured and / or used to support Internet hotspots and / or extend the Wi-Fi signal range of a network.

[0045] Network 210 may include computer networks such as the Internet, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs) or other regional networks, intranets, satellite networks, other computer networks (e.g., voice or data mobile phone communication networks), and combinations thereof. Network 210 may be any form of computer network that can relay information between access point 205, site 215, and one or more information sources (e.g., web servers or external databases). Network 210 may include the Internet and / or other types of data networks, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), cellular networks, satellite networks, or other types of data networks. Network 210 may include any number of computing devices (e.g., computers, servers, routers, network switches, etc.) configured to receive and / or transmit data within network 210. Network 210 may include any number of hardwired and / or wireless connections. Any or all of the computing devices described herein may wirelessly communicate (e.g., via Wi-Fi, cellular, radio, etc.) with transceivers hardwired to other computing devices in network 210. Any or all of the computing devices described herein can wirelessly communicate with the computing devices of network 210 via a proxy device (e.g., a router, network switch, or gateway).

[0046] Station 215 may be a wireless communication device configured for wireless communication in a wireless communication network (e.g., a LAN, WAN, or cellular network). Station 215 may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a network device (e.g., access point 205) using any of the IEEE standards (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 standard). Station 215 may be any of the user equipment described in conjunction with Figures 1A to 1C. In some embodiments, station 215 may include one or more wireless communication devices 102 configured to receive services from a communication system, as described in Figure 1A.

[0047] Access point 205 may include network interface 220. Network interface 220 may be or contain any script, file, program, application, instruction set, or computer-executable code configured to manage the transmission and reception of data packets, control signals, or communication frames over a wireless network. Network interface 220 may include a wireless radio capable of managing the transmission and reception of wireless signals, operating on various frequencies and supporting various Wi-Fi standards. In some embodiments, network interface 220 may include an Ethernet port providing a primary wired connection point, allowing access point 205 to connect to a router or switch within a wired network. Network interface 220 may further include an antenna to enhance wireless signal strength and coverage area. Network interface 220 may include an onboard processor and memory to manage data flow between wired and wireless networks, facilitate encryption and decryption, and run firmware that controls the access point's functions. Network interface 220 may include firmware and software interfaces that provide operating system and configuration settings that allow administrators to manage access point 205, set security protocols, and improve performance.

[0048] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of access point 205 may establish a connection with one or more stations 215. The connection between access point 205 and stations 215 may include the exchange of authentication and association frames. During authentication, station 215 may send an authentication request to the network interface 220 of access point 205, and the network interface 220 may verify the station's credentials, such as username and password. Upon successful authentication, station 215 may send an association request to the network interface 220, and the network interface 220 may evaluate the request to determine whether to allow station 215 to associate. If approved, the network interface 220 may send an association response, assigning parameters such as channel, service set identifier (SSID), and basic service set identifier (BSSID).

[0049] Network interface 220 of access point 205 may include multiple radios. A radio can refer to a hardware component responsible for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. Each radio may operate on a different frequency band. A frequency band can be a specific range of electromagnetic frequencies used for transmitting or receiving signals. Different generations of mobile networks (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G) ​​utilize various frequency bands to provide communication services. In some embodiments, the first radio of access point 205 may operate on a 2G frequency band, which offers longer range and lower power consumption compared to higher frequency bands. Other radios of access point 205 may operate on higher frequency bands. Network interface 220 may support simultaneous connections to multiple stations 215. Devices limited to 2G or 3G, and devices desiring to use 5G or 6G for higher speed data transmission, may use different radio frequency bands. Network interface 220 may use one or more radios from its multiple radios to establish one or more connections with station 215. Network interface 220 may use one or more radios based on factors such as client capabilities, signal strength, and interference. For example, network interface 220 can use long-range and low-power radio for remote station 215, and high-frequency radio for station 215 seeking high data rates.

[0050] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of access point 205 may receive a frame from connected station 215 indicating that connected station 215 is entering a sleep mode. A connected station may refer to any Wi-Fi device (e.g., a station) that has successfully established a connection with access point 205 within the network. Sleep mode may be an energy-saving state implemented by the device to conserve power while maintaining the ability to resume full operation. When connected station 215 enters sleep mode, it may temporarily disable certain functions, such as the display, radio, MAC / PHY, CPU, memory, and host bus (PCIe), while maintaining a low-frequency crystal to wake station 215 at specific intervals (e.g., during the delivery of a Service Indication Message (DTIM)). In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a physical media frame, which refers to a data frame transmitted through the physical layer of the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a protected action frame, which can be used for various control and management tasks within the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a power mode frame, which may indicate that the device transitions to a specific power-saving state (e.g., sleep or hibernation) to conserve energy.

[0051] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of access point 205 may transmit a beacon via low-power radio during a wake-up period to notify the connected station 215 that it is ready to transmit data. A wake-up period may refer to a specific interval during which the station 215, which is in sleep mode, temporarily activates its radio to check network activity or receive data. The wake-up period may be based on a timer, an external trigger, or other criteria. The beacon frame may notify the station 215 that data is available for transmission. For example, the beacon frame may indicate that the network interface 220 of access point 205 has broadcast and multicast (BCMC) data to be transmitted to the connected station 215. Broadcast data may refer to packets being transmitted to all devices within a network segment, where each connected device receives the broadcast data regardless of its relevance to the data. Multicast data may include packets being transmitted to a specific group of devices that have indicated interest in receiving data (typically for streaming media and online gaming). In some embodiments, the beacon frame may contain information about the frequency band on which the network interface 220 has already transmitted data.

[0052] In some embodiments, network interface 220 of access point 205 may transmit data to station 215 via a low-power radio. For example, network interface 220 may use a radio operating on the 2G band to transmit BCMC data. Network interface 220 may broadcast BCMC data to connected stations 215 within the network segment to reduce individual point-to-point transmissions. In some embodiments, when network interface 220 of access point 205 has BCMC data, network interface 220 may buffer packets and deliver packets after DTIM-0 beacon delivery. In some embodiments, such as in a multi-link configuration, network interface 220 may deliver BCMC packets on all available links because there may be legacy or single-link stations connected to different links. Legacy or single-link stations operate on a single channel at a time.

[0053] Access point 205 may include power manager 225. Power manager 225 may be or contain any script, file, program, application, instruction set, or computer-executable code configured to control the power state of radios operating across multiple frequency bands. Power manager 225 may assess network conditions, user demands, and power consumption across different radios to improve power utilization efficiency while maintaining connectivity within a multi-link network. In some embodiments, power manager 225 of access point 205 may put radios into a low-power state and shut down the remaining radios. For example, in response to receiving a power management frame from connection station 215, power manager 225 may put a radio operating on a 2G frequency band from a dormant state (e.g., not participating in data services) to a sleep state (e.g., partially active with reduced power consumption) while maintaining a lower-power connection on said frequency band. Lower-power connection may refer to maintaining a connection using reduced transmit power. Lower-power connection minimizes power consumption while maintaining a stable and reliable connection between devices. Configurations can reduce radio activity, such as lowering the transmission frequency of beacon frames to save energy, while still maintaining network synchronization and communication readiness upon wake-up by connection station 215. Power manager 225 can transition radios operating in high-frequency bands (e.g., 6G or 5G) from active to sleep mode, in which the radio does not participate in data services.

[0054] In some embodiments, the power manager 225 of access point 205 can determine whether the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold or whether it is for a low-latency application. A threshold may refer to a specific value or limit that triggers a specific action or event when it is reached or exceeded. A low-latency application is a type of software or service that expects minimal latency between the initiation of a request and the received response. The power manager 225 can monitor data traffic and compare the current data volume to a specific threshold (e.g., 1 Mbps). In some embodiments, the power manager 225 can assess whether the transmitted data is expected to have low latency based on various factors such as application type, packet characteristics, or quality of service (QoS). In some embodiments, the power manager 225 of access point 205 can activate one or more higher-power or higher-frequency radios. For example, when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a specific threshold (indicating that the current radio configuration is insufficient), the power manager 225 can activate one of the higher-power radios operating at a higher frequency band and switch data transmission to the activated higher-power radio to manage the increased traffic. Activating a radio can refer to initializing the radio functions in the device, thereby allowing the device to begin transmitting and receiving signals. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the data is for a low-latency application (such as video streaming or voice communication), the power manager 225 may activate one or more higher-capacity radios to maintain Quality of Service (QoS).

[0055] Access point 205 may include a Multi-Link Low-Power Connection Persistence (ML-LPCR) capability identifier 230. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may be or contain any script, file, program, application, instruction set, or computer-executable code configured to indicate the device's ability to operate in power-saving mode. The device's ML-LPCR capability may refer to its ability to manage power consumption while maintaining multiple simultaneous connections across different frequency bands. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may signal the power status of each radio within the device. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may facilitate communication between access point 205 and connected station 215 regarding power usage across multiple radios. In some embodiments, depending on the implementation, access point 205 may be ML-LPCR capable or not.

[0056] The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 can announce support for ML-LPCR capability to the connected station 215. ML-LPCR can be configured to operate within a framework involving multi-link operation (MLO), which allows devices (e.g., access points, clients) to establish simultaneous connections across multiple frequency bands. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 can include information about the access point's ML-LPCR capabilities in beacon, probe response, and association response frames. The announcement can notify station 215 that access point 205 can manage multiple low-power connections. Low-power aspect can refer to the ability of devices to maintain these multi-link connections without consuming excessive power.

[0057] In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 can generate an ML power-saving notification frame that identifies the power-saving state and radio on state of each radio. Access point 205 can use the ML power-saving notification frame to request via connection station 215 to exit its low-power mode and activate a higher-power radio, for example, when increased traffic is detected or to improve communication throughput. The ML power-saving notification frame can be a protected EHT (Extremely High Throughput) action frame. An EHT action frame can contain multiple components for managing and controlling specific actions within the network. For example, an EHT action frame can contain a preamble that supports wider bandwidth and higher-order modulation. An EHT action frame can contain an EHT-SIG field that carries information such as modulation and coding schemes, bandwidth, and spatial configuration. An EHT action frame can contain a data field that supports higher data rates and improves the efficiency of data transmission within the network.

[0058] In some embodiments, the format of the ML power saving notification frame may include multiple fields. For example, the ML power saving notification frame may include a category code for an EHT that is set to protected. The ML power saving notification frame may specify an action as ML-LPCR ML-Power Saving Notification in the Protected EHT Action field. The ML power saving notification frame may include a 1-byte session token for managing communication exchanges. The ML power saving notification frame may include a 2-byte power saving (PS) link bitmap, where each bit indicates the status of the radio. For example, the ML power saving notification frame may be used to convey the power saving or radio on status of each radio based on an identifier defined by the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230.

[0059] In some embodiments, ML power-saving notification frames can be used to assess the reachability of access point 205 or station 215, enabling devices to maintain efficient communication across active or power-saving radios. For example, access point 205 connected to multiple stations 215 may periodically transmit ML power-saving notification frames to manage multiple connections and power consumption. Each station 215 may receive ML power-saving notification frames, process a PS link bitmap, and determine the reachability of access point 205 based on the activity or power-saving state of the access point's radios. If access point 205 has multiple radios in power-saving mode, then station 215 may determine that the connection is limited or unreliable, causing station 215 to adjust its power consumption. For example, if one or more of the access point's radios are active, then station 215 may determine that the connection is stable but limited in terms of data throughput or bandwidth. In response, station 215 may prioritize data transmissions by using the active radio of access point 205, or assess connection quality to determine whether to activate additional radios on station 215 for reliable communication.

[0060] In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 may set a power management bit to a value indicating whether access point 205 is entering or exiting a power-saving mode. For example, when access point 205 decides to enter power-saving (PS) mode, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may set the power management (PM) bit in the frame control field to 1 and the link bitmap to 1. When access point 205 decides to exit PS mode for low traffic activity, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may set the PM bit in the frame control field to 0 and the link bitmap to 0. In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 may set the link bitmap corresponding to a 2G radio to 0, thereby indicating that this radio band will be used for communication. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame to station 215 to convey band details, such as whether the radio operating on the band is in power management mode or whether it is active.

[0061] Station 215 may include network interface 220, power manager 225, and ML-LPCR capability identifier 230. The network interface 220, power manager 225, and ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of station 215 may resemble and include any of the structures and functions of their corresponding parts (e.g., network interface 220, power manager 225, and ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205). Station 215 may also be referred to herein as a Wi-Fi device, client, or client device.

[0062] Network interface 220 of station 215 can establish a connection with access point 205. For example, network interface 220 can scan for available wireless networks and select access point 205. Network interface 220 can send an authentication request to access point 205, providing its credentials, such as username and password. Upon successful authentication, access point 205 can grant network interface 220 permission to associate with the network. Network interface 220 can configure its radio according to parameters associated with access point 205 (such as channel, SSID, and BSSID). Once the association is complete, network interface 220 can begin transmitting and receiving data. Network interface 220 of station 215 may include multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band. For example, the first radio may operate on the 2G band, which offers longer range and lower power consumption compared to higher frequency bands. Other radios may operate on higher frequency bands (such as 5G or 6G).

[0063] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of station 215 may transmit frames to access point 205 indicating a sleep mode. For example, network interface 220 may transmit frames to access point 205. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a physical media frame, which refers to a data frame transmitted through the physical layer of the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a protected action frame, which can be used for various control and management tasks within the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a power mode frame, which may indicate that the device transitions to a specific power-saving state (e.g., sleep or hibernation) to conserve energy. The transmission of the frame may allow access point 205 to adjust its power management strategy and maintain network synchronization with station 215 during low-power states. During wake-up periods, the network interface 220 of station 215 may receive beacons from access point 205 via a low-power radio. Beacon frames are a type of management frame used in wireless networks. Beacon frames are periodically broadcast by access point 205 to announce its presence and provide information about the network. A wake-up period may refer to a specific interval during which station 215, which is in sleep mode, temporarily activates its radio to check network activity or receive data. A beacon frame received via a 2G band radio may contain detailed information about access point 205, including its status, available services, and any data to be transmitted to station 215. The beacon frame may indicate whether access point 205 has BCMC data ready to be transmitted across multiple frequency bands to network interface 220 of station 215.

[0064] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of station 215 may receive data from access point 205 via a low-power or low-frequency radio. For example, using a radio operating on a 2G band, network interface 220 may receive BCMC data via a low-power connection. During the DTIM interval, the radio remains in listening mode to detect incoming beacon signals. When a beacon preamble is detected, the radio switches to receive mode to process the incoming frame. The MAC / PHY layer and the firmware running in the station's CPU process the beacon frame and initiate operation. Station 215 may return to sleep mode unless the beacon indicates the presence of buffered unicast data or an upcoming BCMC data delivery from access point 205, in which case station 215 remains active to receive pending data. In some embodiments, if the beacon indicates the presence of available data on a different frequency band, or if the current radio cannot handle the data load, network interface 220 may activate an additional radio.

[0065] In some embodiments, the network interface 220 of station 215 may communicate data to the access point via a low-power radio. The network interface 220 may use a radio operating in the 2G band to minimize power consumption during data transmission. In some embodiments, the network interface 220 may transmit and / or receive data via a low-power radio. In some embodiments, the network interface 220 may communicate the activity status of its radios by transmitting frames or beacons, for example, to indicate to the access point 205 which radios are active or in low-power mode.

[0066] The power manager 225 of station 215 controls the power state of a radio operating across multiple frequency bands. Power manager 225 can determine when to enter sleep mode. Power manager 225 can determine when to enter sleep mode based on several parameters. These parameters may include device inactivity, where station 215 transitions from a dormant state to sleep mode after a prolonged period without data transmission or reception. In some embodiments, power manager 225 can assess network conditions, such as signal strength and interference levels, to determine whether station 215 can enter sleep mode. In some embodiments, power manager 225 can calculate average sleep current based on how much time station 215 spends listening to and receiving beacons at each DTIM and how many DTIMs occur per second. Based on these metrics, power manager 225 can calculate the total power consumption during sleep mode. For example, if the average sleep current per second is 800 nanoamps, and station 215 remains idle (e.g., without data traffic) for one hour, then the total power consumption over one hour could be 2.88 milliamp-hours. Power manager 225 can use this to determine an estimated power consumption during sleep mode.

[0067] In some embodiments, the power manager 225 of base station 215 can put the radio into a low-power state and shut down the remaining radios. Upon determining to enter sleep mode, power manager 225 can put a first radio operating on a lower-power 2G band into sleep mode while maintaining a minimum power connection to access point 205. Power manager 225 can use the low-power connection to maintain communication with access point 205 while conserving energy. Power manager 225 can shut down the remaining radios operating on higher-power bands (e.g., 5G or 6G) to further conserve power. When station 215 enters sleep mode, power manager 225 can temporarily disable certain functions, such as the display, radio, MAC / PHY, CPU, memory, and host bus (PCIe), while maintaining a low-frequency crystal to wake station 215 at specific intervals (e.g., during DTIM).

[0068] In some embodiments, the power manager 225 of station 215 may determine whether the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold or whether it is for a low-latency application. The power manager 225 may monitor data traffic and compare the current data volume to a specific threshold (e.g., 1 Mbps) to assess whether additional resources are expected. In some embodiments, the power manager 225 may assess whether the data to be transmitted requires low latency based on various factors such as application type, packet characteristics, or Quality of Service (QoS). In some embodiments, the power manager 225 of station 215 may activate one or more high-power radios. For example, when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a specific threshold (indicating that the current low-power radio configuration is insufficient), the power manager 225 may activate additional high-power or high-capacity radios from multiple available radios to manage the data. In some embodiments, if the power manager 225 determines that the data to be transmitted is for a low-latency application (e.g., video streaming or voice communication), then the power manager 225 may activate one or more high-capacity radios to maintain Quality of Service (QoS).

[0069] The Multi-Link Low-Power Connectivity Persistence (ML-LPCR) capability identifier 230 of station 215 indicates the device's ability to operate in power-saving mode. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 can signal the power status of each radio. In some embodiments, depending on the implementation, station 215 may be ML-LPCR capable or not. The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 can generate ML power-saving notification frames that identify the power-saving state and radio on state of each radio. In some embodiments, the ML power-saving notification frames can be used to assess the reachability of station 215, enabling station 215 to maintain efficient communication across active or power-saving radios.

[0070] In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of station 215 may set the power management bit to a value indicating whether station 215 is entering or exiting a power-saving mode. For example, when station 215 decides to enter power-saving (PS) mode, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may set the power management (PM) bit in the frame control field to 1 and the link bitmap to 1. When station 215 decides to exit PS mode for low traffic activity (e.g., keep-alive packets) to prevent the connection from terminating due to inactivity, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may set the PM bit in the frame control field to 0 and the link bitmap to 0. In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may set the link bitmap corresponding to a 2G radio to 0, thereby indicating that this radio band will be used for communication.

[0071] In some embodiments, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame to access point 205. Station 215 may use the ML power-saving notification frame to indicate that station 215 is entering a low-power mode, or in some embodiments, to request access point 205 to exit a low-power mode. For example, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit a frame in which the power management (PM) bit in the frame control field is set to 1 and the link bitmap is set to 1, thereby indicating that all links are in power-saving mode. When station 215 sets its PM bit, access point 205 may not respond with its ML power-saving notification frame. In some embodiments, access point 205 may consider all links from that station 205 to be in a power-saving state or mode. For example, when station 215 determines that access point 205 is not in power-saving mode, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit this frame via either an operational link or an active link. In some embodiments, when access point 205 is in power-saving mode, the ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit the frame via a 2G radio. In some embodiments, when station 215 decides to exit power-saving mode, ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame with the PM bit set to 0 and the corresponding link bitmap of the 2G radio set to 0. Station 215 may deliver data via a radio operating on the 2G band. Regardless of whether access point 205 is in power-saving mode, it may respond to data via the 2G radio.

[0072] In some embodiments, when station 215 decides to exit power-saving mode to manage a larger volume of uplink data traffic, ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame via 2G radio with the PM bit set to 0 and the link bitmap corresponding to 2G and other desired frequency bands set to 0. If access point 205 is in power-saving mode, then access point 205 may exit power-saving mode and attempt to deliver the ML power-saving notification frame via high-frequency radio. Once station 215's ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 receives the ML power-saving notification frame from access point 205, station 215 may exit power-saving mode and use high-capacity radio.

[0073] In some embodiments, when access point 205 decides to exit power-saving mode to manage a large volume of downlink data traffic to station 215, access point 205 can wake up the 2G radio via a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) and transmit an ML power-saving notification frame via the 2G radio with the PM bit set to 0 and the link bitmap corresponding to 2G and other desired frequency bands set to 0. If station 215 is in power-saving mode, then station 215 can exit the mode and attempt to deliver the ML power-saving notification frame via the desired higher frequency band. If access point 205 is able to receive the ML power-saving notification frame from station 215, then access point 205 can also exit power-saving mode and switch to using a higher frequency radio.

[0074] The ML-LPCR capability identifier 230 of access point 205 or station 215 can manage power consumption when connected to access point 205 or station 215 without ML-LPCR capability, to maintain ML-LPCR-level power efficiency without affecting interoperability. In some embodiments, station 215 with ML-LPCR capability can use the 2G link to keep-alive data packets and exit ML-LPCR mode by transmitting a NULL frame via a high-frequency radio when a large amount of uplink data traffic is expected. If access point 205 without ML-LPCR capability is used to manage a large amount of downlink data traffic, access point 205 can wake up station 215 via a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) on the 2G radio. Station 215 can exit ML-LPCR mode based on the traffic mode. Similarly, when all stations 215 are idle, access point 205 with ML-LPCR capability can deactivate higher frequency band links to enforce ML-LPCR behavior. In some embodiments, when a station 215 without ML-LPCR capability expects a large amount of uplink data traffic, an access point 205 with ML-LPCR capability can reactivate a higher frequency band link based on the data traffic mode.

[0075] In some embodiments, when a station 215 with ML-LPCR capability connects to an access point 205 without ML-LPCR capability, station 215 can switch to ML-LPCR mode during inactive periods and exit ML-LPCR mode as desired. For example, station 215 may use a 2G radio for keep-alive switching, but once data traffic exceeds a predefined threshold, station 215 may switch to a higher frequency band radio for transmission. Since access point 205 without ML-LPCR capability may deactivate its higher frequency band radio during inactive periods, sufficient transition delay can be incorporated before station 215 switches to the higher frequency band.

[0076] In some embodiments, when a station 215 without ML-LPCR capability connects to an access point 205 with ML-LPCR capability, the access point 205 with ML-LPCR capability can deactivate the higher frequency band radio and maintain the 2G radio, for example, so that station 215 does not use the higher frequency band radio. Once, for example, a downlink on access point 205 or an uplink on station 215 expects high-capacity data traffic, the access point 205 with ML-LPCR capability can dynamically reactivate the higher frequency band radio based on the data traffic pattern. In some embodiments, even for deactivated links, access point 205 can maintain station-side information and, even when those links are deactivated, transmit higher frequency band details (e.g., sta_profiles in ML IE) to additional stations via the 2G link. Configuration allows station 215 to establish multi-link connections including the higher frequency band radio when desired.

[0077] Figure 3 illustrates an example method 300 for maintaining a low-power connection in a multi-link network. Method 300 can be implemented using systems 100, 200, or any other features discussed in Figures 1-2. Method 300 may include actions 302 through 314. At 302, the access point may establish a connection with one or more clients. At 304, the access point may receive a frame from a connected client indicating that the connected client is entering sleep mode. At 306, the access point may put a radio into a low-power state and shut down the remaining radios. At 308, the access point may transmit a beacon via the low-power radio during a wake-up period to notify the connected client that data is ready to be transmitted. At 310, the access point may transmit data to the connected client via the low-power radio. At 312, the access point may determine whether the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold or whether it is for a low-latency application. At 314, the access point may activate one or more of the higher-power radios.

[0078] At position 302, the access point establishes a connection with one or more clients. The connection between the access point and the clients may include the exchange of authentication and association frames. During authentication, the client may send an authentication request to the access point, and the access point may verify the client's credentials, such as username and password. Upon successful authentication, the client may send an association request to the access point, and the access point may evaluate the request to determine whether to allow the client to associate. If approved, the access point may send an association response, assigning parameters such as channel, SSID, and BSSID.

[0079] An access point may include multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band. For example, a first radio may operate on a 2G frequency band, which offers longer range and lower power consumption compared to higher frequency, higher power, or higher capacity bands. The access point can support simultaneous connections with multiple clients. Devices limited to 2G, and devices desiring to use 5G or 6G for high-speed data transmission, may use different radio frequency bands. The access point may use one or more radios from its multiple radios to establish one or more connections with clients. The access point may select one or more radios based on factors such as client capabilities, signal strength, and interference. For example, the access point may use long-range or low-power radios for remote clients and high-frequency radios for clients seeking high data rates.

[0080] In some embodiments, the access point may advertise support for Multi-Link Low-Power Connection Persistence (ML-LPCR) capability to connected clients. ML-LPCR can be configured to operate within a framework involving Multi-Link Operation (MLO), allowing devices (e.g., access point, clients) to establish simultaneous connections across multiple frequency bands. The access point may include information about its ML-LPCR capability in beacon, probe response, and association response frames. The advertisement informs clients that the access point can efficiently manage multiple low-power connections. Low-power aspect may refer to the device's ability to maintain these multi-link connections without consuming excessive power. In some embodiments, the access point may generate and transmit Multi-Link (ML) power-saving notification frames to inform connected clients of its current power management state and radio usage. The ML power-saving notification frame may contain information about whether the access point is in power-saving mode or operating normally and the status of each radio (active or in power-saving mode). The access point may transmit notification frames to all connected clients.

[0081] At 304, the access point may receive a frame from the connected client indicating that the connected client is entering sleep mode. Sleep mode can be a power-saving state used by the device to conserve energy while maintaining the ability to resume full operation. When the connected client enters sleep mode, the client may temporarily disable certain functions, such as the display, radio, MAC / PHY, CPU, memory, and host bus (PCIe), while maintaining a low-frequency crystal to wake the client at specific intervals (e.g., during the delivery of a Service Indication Message (DTIM)). In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a physical media frame, referring to a data frame transmitted through the physical layer of the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a protected action frame, which can be used for various control and management tasks within the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a power mode frame, which may indicate that the device transitions to a specific power-saving state, such as sleep or hibernation, to conserve energy.

[0082] At 306, the access point can put a radio into a low-power state and shut down the remaining radios. For example, in response to receiving a frame from a connected client that has entered low-power mode, the access point can put a first radio operating on the 2G band into sleep mode while maintaining a low-power connection to the connected client on that band. Configuration can reduce radio activity, such as lowering the transmission frequency of beacon frames to save energy, while still maintaining network synchronization and communication readiness upon client wake-up. The access point can deactivate other radios, such as those operating on higher frequency bands, to further reduce power consumption. In some embodiments, the access point can be limited to a listening mode on the 2G radio, for example, broadcasting a single beacon per DTIM interval. For example, when DTIM is set to 3, the access point can transmit nine beacons on a tri-band router, while with other radios deactivated, an access point with ML-LPCR capability can transmit one beacon on the 2G band.

[0083] At 308, the access point may transmit a beacon via low-power radio during a wake-up period to notify connected clients that they are ready to transmit data. A wake-up period may refer to a specific interval during which a client in sleep mode temporarily activates its radio to check network activity or receive data. The wake-up period may be based on a timer, an external trigger, or other criteria. The beacon frame may notify the client that data is available for transmission. For example, the beacon frame may indicate that the access point has broadcast and multicast (BCMC) data to transmit to the client. In some embodiments, the beacon frame may contain information about the frequency band on which the access point has already transmitted data.

[0084] At 310, the access point can transmit data to connected clients via a low-power radio. The access point can transmit BCMC data using a radio operating on the 2G band. The access point can broadcast BCMC data to one or more clients within the network segment to reduce individual point-to-point transmissions. In some embodiments, when the access point has BCMC data, it can buffer packets and deliver them after DTIM-0 beacon delivery. In some embodiments, such as in a multi-link configuration, the access point can deliver BCMC packets on all available links because there may be legacy or single-link clients connected to different links.

[0085] At point 312, the access point can determine whether the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold or whether it is intended for low-latency applications. The access point can monitor data traffic and compare the current data volume to a specific threshold (e.g., 1 Mbps). In some embodiments, the access point can assess whether low latency is desired for the transmitted data based on various factors such as application type, packet characteristics, or quality of service (QoS).

[0086] At point 314, the access point may activate one or more of the higher-power radios. For example, when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a certain threshold (indicating insufficient current radio configuration), the access point may activate one of the higher-power radios operating at a higher frequency band and switch data transmission to the activated higher-power radio to manage the increased traffic. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the data is for a low-latency application (e.g., video streaming or voice communication), the access point may activate one or more of the higher-power radios to maintain Quality of Service (QoS).

[0087] Figure 4 illustrates an example method 400 for maintaining low-power connectivity in a multi-link network. Method 400 can be implemented using systems 100, 200, or any other features discussed in Figures 1-2. Method 400 may include actions 402 through 418. At 402, the Wi-Fi device may establish a connection with an access point. At 404, the Wi-Fi device may determine when to enter sleep mode. At 406, the Wi-Fi device may put its radio into a low-power state and turn off the remaining radios. At 408, the Wi-Fi device may transmit a frame to the access point indicating sleep mode. At 410, during a wake-up period, the Wi-Fi device may receive a beacon from the access point via a low-power radio. At 412, the Wi-Fi device may receive data from the access point via a low-power radio. At 414, the Wi-Fi device may communicate data to the access point via a low-power radio. At 416, the Wi-Fi device may determine whether the amount of data to be communicated exceeds a threshold or whether it is for a low-latency application. At 418, a Wi-Fi device can activate one or more of the higher-power radios.

[0088] At position 402, the Wi-Fi device can establish a connection with an access point. For example, the Wi-Fi device can scan for available wireless networks and select an access point it wants to connect to. The Wi-Fi device can send an authentication request to the access point, providing its credentials, such as a username and password. Upon successful authentication, the access point can grant the Wi-Fi device permission to associate with the network. The Wi-Fi device can configure its radio based on parameters associated with the access point, such as channel, SSID, and BSSID. Once the association is complete, the Wi-Fi device can begin transmitting and receiving data. The Wi-Fi device can include multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band. For example, the first radio can operate on the 2GHz band, which offers longer range and lower power consumption compared to higher frequency bands. Other radios can operate on higher frequency bands (e.g., 5GHz or 6GHz). The Wi-Fi device can include multiple radios to transmit and receive data over different frequency bands. The Wi-Fi device can manage bandwidth by dedicating different radios to specific tasks.

[0089] At 404, the Wi-Fi device can determine when to enter sleep mode. The Wi-Fi device can determine when to enter sleep mode based on several parameters. These parameters may include device inactivity, where the Wi-Fi device transitions to sleep mode after an extended period of inactivity. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can assess network conditions, such as signal strength and interference levels, to determine whether the Wi-Fi device can enter sleep mode. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can calculate average sleep current based on how much time the Wi-Fi device spends listening to and receiving beacons at each DTIM and how many DTIMs occur per second. Based on these metrics, the Wi-Fi device can calculate the total power consumption during sleep mode. For example, if the average sleep current per second is 800 nanoamps and the Wi-Fi device remains idle for one hour, then the total power consumption over one hour could be 2.88 milliamp-hours. The Wi-Fi device can use this to determine an estimated power consumption during sleep mode.

[0090] At 406, the Wi-Fi device can put its radio into a low-power state and shut down the remaining radios. Once sleep mode is determined, the Wi-Fi device can put the first radio operating on the lower-power 2GHz band into sleep mode while maintaining a minimum power connection to the access point. The Wi-Fi device can use the low-power connection to maintain communication with the access point while conserving energy. The Wi-Fi device can deactivate the remaining radios among its multiple radios operating on higher frequency bands (such as 5GHz or 6GHz), further saving power usage. When the Wi-Fi device enters sleep mode, it can temporarily shut down certain functions, such as the display, radio, MAC / PHY, CPU, memory, and host bus (PCIe), while maintaining a low-frequency crystal to wake the Wi-Fi device at specific intervals (such as during DTIM).

[0091] At 408, the Wi-Fi device may transmit a frame to the access point indicating a sleep mode. For example, the Wi-Fi device may transmit a frame to the access point. The frame may indicate that the Wi-Fi device is entering sleep mode. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a physical media frame, which refers to a data frame transmitted through the physical layer of the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a protected action frame, which can be used for various control and management tasks within the network. In some embodiments, the frame may correspond to a power mode frame, which may indicate that the device transitions to a specific power-saving state, such as sleep or hibernation, to conserve energy.

[0092] At point 410, during wake-up periods, Wi-Fi devices can receive beacons from the access point via low-power radio. A wake-up period can refer to a specific interval during which a Wi-Fi device in sleep mode temporarily activates its radio to check network activity or receive data. Beacon frames received via 2G band radio can contain detailed information about the access point, including its status, available services, and any data to be transmitted to the Wi-Fi device. The beacon frame can indicate whether the access point has BCMC data ready to be transmitted to the Wi-Fi device across multiple frequency bands. By using the 2G band, which operates at lower power, Wi-Fi devices can maintain energy-efficient connections in sleep mode.

[0093] At 412, the Wi-Fi device can receive data from the access point via a low-power radio. For example, using a radio operating on the 2GHz band, the Wi-Fi device can receive BCMC data via a low-power connection. During the DTIM interval, the radio remains in listening mode to detect incoming beacon signals. When a beacon preamble is detected, the radio switches to receive mode to process the incoming frame. The MAC / PHY layer and the firmware running in the Wi-Fi device's CPU process the beacon frame and initiate operation. The Wi-Fi device can return to sleep mode unless the beacon indicates the presence of buffered unicast data from the access point or an upcoming BCMC data delivery, in which case the Wi-Fi device remains active to receive pending data. In some embodiments, if the beacon indicates the presence of available data on a different frequency band, or if the current radio cannot handle the data load, the Wi-Fi device can activate an additional radio.

[0094] At 414, the Wi-Fi device can communicate data to the access point via a low-power radio. The Wi-Fi device can use a radio operating in the 2GHz band to minimize power consumption during data transmission. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can transmit data via a low-power radio. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can receive data via a low-power radio. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can communicate the activity status of its radios by transmitting frames or beacons, for example, to indicate to the access point which radios are active or in low-power mode.

[0095] At point 416, the Wi-Fi device can determine whether the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold or whether it is for a low-latency application. The Wi-Fi device can monitor data traffic and compare the current data volume to a specific threshold (e.g., 1 Mbps) to assess whether additional resources are expected. In some embodiments, the Wi-Fi device can assess whether low latency is desired for the data to be transmitted based on various factors such as application type, packet characteristics, or quality of service (QoS).

[0096] At 418, the Wi-Fi device may activate one or more of the higher-power radios. For example, when the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a certain threshold (indicating that the current low-power radio configuration is insufficient), the Wi-Fi device may activate additional higher-capacity radios from multiple available radios to manage the data. In some embodiments, if the Wi-Fi device determines that the data to be transmitted is for low-latency applications (such as video streaming or voice communication), then the Wi-Fi device may activate one or more of the higher-capacity radios to maintain Quality of Service (QoS).

[0097] Figure 5 illustrates an example method 500 for maintaining low-power connectivity in a multi-link network. Method 500 can be implemented using systems 100, 200, or any other features discussed in Figures 1-2. Method 500 may include actions 502 through 506. At 502, the device may generate a multi-link (ML) power-saving notification frame that identifies the power-saving state and radio-on state of each radio. At 504, the device may set a power management bit to a value indicating that the device is entering or exiting a power-saving mode. At 506, the device may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame to a Wi-Fi device or access point.

[0098] At point 502, the device can generate an ML power-saving notification frame that identifies the power-saving state and on / off state of each radio. The device may include multiple radios. Each radio may operate on a different frequency band. For example, a first radio may operate on a low-power or low-frequency band, providing a longer range compared to the remaining radios operating on higher frequency bands. The ML power-saving notification frame may be a protected EHT (Extremely High Throughput) action frame. The EHT action frame may contain several components for managing and controlling specific actions within the network. For example, the EHT action frame may contain a preamble supporting wider bandwidth and higher-order modulation. The EHT action frame may contain an EHT-SIG field carrying information such as modulation and coding schemes, bandwidth, and spatial configuration. The EHT action frame may contain a data field supporting higher data rates and improving the efficiency of data transmission within the network.

[0099] In some embodiments, the format of the ML power-saving notification frame may include multiple fields. For example, the ML power-saving notification frame may include a category code for an EHT that is set to protected. The ML power-saving notification frame may specify an action as ML-LPCR ML-Power-Saving Notification in the protected EHT Action field. The ML power-saving notification frame may include a 1-byte session token for managing communication exchanges. The ML power-saving notification frame may include a 2-byte power-saving (PS) link bitmap, where each bit indicates the status of the radio. The ML power-saving notification frame can be used to communicate the power-saving or radio-on status of each radio based on an identifier. In some embodiments, the ML power-saving notification frame can be used to assess the reachability of a device, enabling the device to maintain efficient communication across active or power-saving radios.

[0100] At position 504, the device may set a power management bit to a value indicating whether the device is entering or exiting a power-saving mode. For example, when the device decides to enter power-saving (PS) mode, it may set the power management (PM) bit in the frame control field to 1 and the link bitmap to 1. When the device decides to exit PS mode for low-activity use (e.g., keep-alive), it may set the PM bit in the frame control field to 0 and the link bitmap to 0. In some embodiments, the device may set the link bitmap corresponding to a 2G radio to 0, thereby indicating that this radio band will be used for communication.

[0101] At 506, the device may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame to a Wi-Fi device or access point. For example, a client may transmit a frame with the power management (PM) bit in the frame control field set to 1 and the link bitmap set to 1, indicating that all links are in power-saving mode. In some embodiments, the access point may not respond with its ML power-saving notification frame when the client sets its PM bit. In some embodiments, the access point may consider all links from that client to be in a power-saving state or mode. For example, when the client determines that the access point is not in power-saving mode, the client may transmit this frame via either an operating link or an active link. In some embodiments, when the access point is in power-saving mode, the client may transmit the frame via a 2G radio. In some embodiments, when the client decides to exit power-saving mode, the client may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame with the PM bit set to 0 and the corresponding link bitmap for the 2G radio set to 0. The client may deliver data via a radio operating on the 2G band. The access point may respond to data via the 2G band regardless of whether it is in power-saving mode.

[0102] In some embodiments, a client may use an ML power-saving notification frame to indicate that it is entering low-power mode, or in some embodiments, to request the access point to exit low-power mode. For example, when a client decides to exit power-saving mode to manage a larger volume of uplink data traffic, the client may transmit an ML power-saving notification frame with the PM bit set to 0 and the link bitmap corresponding to 2G and other desired frequency bands set to 0. If the access point is in power-saving mode, the access point may exit power-saving mode and attempt to deliver the ML power-saving notification frame via a higher frequency band radio. Once the client receives the ML power-saving notification frame from the access point, the client may exit power-saving mode and use the higher frequency band radio.

[0103] In some embodiments, the access point may use an ML power-saving notification frame to request the client to exit low-power mode and resume full communication. For example, when the access point decides to exit power-saving mode to manage heavy downlink data traffic to the client, the access point may wake up the 2G radio via a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) and transmit an ML power-saving notification frame via the 2G radio with the PM bit set to 0 and the link bitmap corresponding to 2G and other desired frequency bands set to 0. If the client is in power-saving mode, the client may exit the mode and attempt to deliver the ML power-saving notification frame via the desired higher frequency band. If the access point is able to receive the ML power-saving notification frame from the client, the access point may also exit power-saving mode and switch to using the higher frequency band radio.

[0104] Referring now to Figure 6, an example implementation of multi-band communication between station 215 and access point 205 is depicted. Station 215 and access point 205 may comprise multiple radios operating on different frequency bands (e.g., 2G, 5G, and 6G). Station 215 may transmit discovery requests (PReq), and access point 205 may respond with discovery responses (PRes). The devices may exchange authentication and association requests and responses to establish a connection. Once the connection is established, the devices may transmit data packets across the frequency bands. As shown, access point 205 or station 215 may switch between different frequency bands based on factors such as data traffic or power consumption to achieve efficient resource allocation. For example, data traffic may occur on a wider frequency band (e.g., 6G) for high-capacity transmission. If the high-capacity frequency band becomes inefficient or unstable, the devices may switch to the 5G frequency band to continue data transmission. When station 215 enters an idle state (e.g., when station 215 is not transmitting or receiving data), station 215 may maintain a connection to the network via the 2G frequency band. For example, a radio operating on the 2G band can be used to receive periodic beacons from access point 205 to maintain synchronization with the network and sustain connectivity. Depending on the service mode, such as when entering sleep mode via a connection station, access point 205 can deactivate a radio operating on a higher frequency band (e.g., 5G or 6G) to minimize power consumption while maintaining connectivity via a low-power radio.

[0105] It should be noted that, for the purpose of identifying or distinguishing one another or others, certain paragraphs of this disclosure may refer to terms such as “first” and “second” that are associated with devices, modes of operation, transmission chains, roles, etc. These terms are not intended to relate entities (e.g., first device and second device) solely in time or according to sequence, but in some cases, these entities may imply such a relationship. These terms also do not limit the number of possible entities (e.g., devices) that can operate in the system or environment. The term coupling or connection (which may refer to electronic or communication coupling or connection, such as for the purpose of data transmission) includes both indirect and direct coupling and connection.

[0106] While this disclosure has described specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications are possible. For example, although specific examples of rules (including triggering conditions and / or resulting actions) and processes for generating recommended rules are described, other rules and processes may be implemented. Embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented using various computer systems and communication technologies, including but not limited to the specific examples described herein.

[0107] Embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented using any combination of components and / or programmable processors and / or other programmable devices. The various processes described herein may be implemented on the same processor or different processors in any combination. Where a component is described as being configured to perform certain operations, such configuration may be achieved, for example, by designing electronic circuitry to perform the operations, by programming programmable electronic circuitry (e.g., a microprocessor) to perform the operations, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, while the embodiments described above may refer to specific hardware and software components, those skilled in the art will understand that different combinations of hardware and / or software components may also be used, and specific operations described as being implemented in hardware may also be implemented in software, or vice versa.

[0108] Computer programs incorporating the various features of this disclosure can be encoded and stored on a variety of computer-readable storage media; suitable media include magnetic disks or magnetic tapes, optical storage media such as optical discs (CDs) or DVDs (Digital Versatile Optical Discs), flash memory, and other non-transitory media. Computer-readable media encoding program code can be packaged together with a compatible electronic device, or the program code can be provided separately from the electronic device (e.g., via Internet download or as a separately packaged computer-readable storage media).

[0109] Therefore, although this disclosure has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appended claims.

[0110] It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments do not represent all claimed innovations. Therefore, certain aspects of this disclosure have not yet been discussed herein. Alternative embodiments may not have been proposed for specific parts of the innovation, or further undescribed alternative embodiments that may be available in some respects should not be considered a waiver of claims to those alternative embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and functional, logical, operational, organizational, structural, and / or topological modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Thus, throughout this disclosure, all instances and / or embodiments are considered non-limiting.

[0111] Some embodiments described herein relate to methods. It should be understood that such methods can be computer-implemented methods (e.g., instructions stored in memory and executed on a processor). The order of certain events can be modified when the methods described above instruct certain events to occur in a certain order. Furthermore, certain events can be performed repeatedly, concurrently in parallel processes where possible, and sequentially as described above. Additionally, some embodiments may omit one or more of the described events.

[0112] Some embodiments described herein relate to computer storage products having non-transitory computer-readable media (also referred to as non-transitory processor-readable media) having instructions or computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. Computer-readable media (or processor-readable media) are non-transitory, meaning they themselves do not contain transient propagation signals (e.g., propagating electromagnetic waves carrying information on a transmission medium (e.g., space or cable)). The media and computer code (also referred to as code) can be those media and computer code designed and constructed for a particular purpose or several purposes. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical storage media such as optical discs / digital video discs (CD / DVD), optical disc read-only memories (CD-ROMs), and holographic devices; magneto-optical storage media such as optical discs; carrier signal processing modules; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), read-only memories (ROMs), and random access memories (RAMs). Other embodiments described herein relate to computer program products that may include, for example, instructions and / or computer code discussed herein.

[0113] Some of the embodiments and / or methods described herein can be implemented by software (executing on hardware), hardware, or a combination thereof. Hardware modules may include, for example, general-purpose processors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Software modules (executing on hardware) can be expressed in various software languages ​​(e.g., computer code), including C, C++, Java™, Ruby, Visual Basic™, and / or other object-oriented, procedural, or other programming languages ​​and development tools. Examples of computer code include, but are not limited to, microcode or microinstructions, machine instructions (e.g., instructions generated by a compiler), code for generating web page services, and files containing higher-level instructions that a computer executes using an interpreter. For example, embodiments may be implemented using Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, and / or other programming languages ​​and software development tools. For example, embodiments may be implemented using imperative programming languages ​​(e.g., C, Fortran, etc.), functional programming languages ​​(Haskell, Erlang, etc.), logic programming languages ​​(e.g., Prolog), object-oriented programming languages ​​(e.g., Java, C++, etc.), or other suitable programming languages ​​and / or development tools. Additional examples of computer code include, but are not limited to, control signals, encryption code, and compression code.

[0114] The accompanying drawings are primarily for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the subject matter described herein. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; in some instances, various aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein may be exaggerated or enlarged in the drawings to facilitate understanding of different features. In the drawings, similar reference characters generally refer to similar features (e.g., functionally similar and / or structurally similar elements).

[0115] Actions performed as part of the disclosed method can be ordered in any suitable manner. Therefore, embodiments can be constructed in which processes or steps are performed in a different order than described, which may include performing some steps or processes simultaneously, even if shown as sequential actions in the illustrative embodiments. In other words, it should be understood that such features may not necessarily be limited to a particular order of execution, but can be performed serially, asynchronously, concurrently, in parallel, simultaneously, synchronously, and / or similarly in a manner consistent with this disclosure. Consequently, some of these features may contradict each other, as they cannot coexist in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features may be applicable to one aspect of the innovation but not to others.

[0116] Where value ranges are provided, it should be understood that, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, every intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of the range (to one-tenth of the lower limit unit) and any other stated or intermediate value within the stated range is included in this disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included within the smaller ranges, subject to any expressly excluded limitations of the stated ranges. Where a stated range includes one or both of the limitations, the range excluding any or both of those included limitations is also included in this disclosure.

[0117] As used in this specification and embodiments, the phrase “and / or” should be understood as “any one or both” of the elements so combined, that is, elements that exist in combination in some cases and separately in others. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” should be interpreted in the same way, that is, “one or more” of the elements so combined. In addition to the elements explicitly identified in the “and / or” clause, other elements may optionally exist, whether related to or unrelated to those explicitly identified. Therefore, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “including,” a reference to “A and / or B” may in one embodiment refer only to A (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, only to B (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); and so on.

[0118] As used herein in the specification and embodiments, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when items are listed separately, “or” or “and / or” should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including multiple elements or at least one of the elements in the list, but also including more than one, and optionally including additional unlisted items. Terms that explicitly indicate the opposite uniqueness, such as “only one of” or “exact one of”, or, when used in embodiments, “consisting of”, will refer to including multiple elements or exactly one of the elements in the list. Generally, the term “or” as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating an exclusive alternative (i.e., “one or the other, but not both”) when preceded by an exclusive term (e.g., “either one or the other”, “only one of”, or “exact one of”). When used in embodiments, “consisting substantially of” should have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0119] As used herein in the specification and embodiments, the phrase "at least one" referring to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list, but not necessarily including at least one of every element expressly listed in the list, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list. This definition also allows for the optional presence of elements other than those expressly identified in the list referred to by the phrase "at least one," whether or not these elements are related to those expressly identified elements. Therefore, as a non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or equivalently, "at least one of A or B", or equivalently "at least one of A and / or B") may in one embodiment refer to at least one (optionally including more than one) A, without B (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, refer to at least one (optionally including more than one) B, without A (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, refer to at least one (optionally including more than one) A and refer to at least one (optionally including more than one) B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0120] In the embodiments and in the foregoing description, all transitional phrases (e.g., “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “consisting of,” etc.) should be understood as open-ended, that is, meaning including but not limited to. As set forth in Section 2111.03 of the U.S. Patent Examination Process Manual, only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “substantially consisting of” should be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

Claims

1. A system comprising: Access point, It is configured with multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band in multiple frequency bands. A first radio operates on a first frequency band, which has a longer range and lower power than the frequency bands of the remaining radios. The access point is configured to: establish one or more connections with one or more clients using one or more of the multiple radios; and receive frames from the one or more clients connected to the access point, the frames indicating that the one or more clients enter a sleep mode. In response to the frame, the first radio is put into sleep mode while maintaining a low-power connection to the one or more clients on the first frequency band, and the remaining radios among the multiple radios are turned off; During the wake-up period, the first radio transmits a beacon to one or more clients via the low-power connection on the first frequency band. The beacon indicates that the access point has broadcast and multicast BCMC data to transmit to one or more clients on the multiple frequency bands. And the BCMC data is transmitted to one or more clients via the low-power connection using only the first radio operating on the first frequency band.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to use the first radio to transmit data with the one or more clients until the amount of data to be transmitted exceeds a threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the access point is further configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios and switch to the at least one or more of the remaining radios to transmit data to the one or more clients.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to determine that data to be transmitted to the one or more clients is for a low-latency application, and in response to the determination, activates at least one or more of the remaining radios of the plurality of radios to transmit the data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to notify the one or more clients of support for multi-link low-power connection sustaining ML-LPCR capability.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the access point is further configured to announce support for the ML-LPCR capability in one of the following: one or more beacons, probe responses, and associated response frames.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to generate a multi-link ML power saving notification frame and transmit the multi-link ML power saving notification frame to the one or more clients, the multi-link ML power saving notification frame identifying a power saving state or a radio on state of each of the plurality of different radios.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more clients include a plurality of radios operating on different frequency bands, and in response to entering a sleep mode, maintains the connection to the access point using a radio among the plurality of radios on the first frequency band while deactivating any remaining radio among the plurality of radios.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band of the first radio is 2G, and the remaining frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands include one or more of the following: 5G or 6G.

10. A system comprising: A Wi-Fi device is configured with multiple radios, each operating on a different band in multiple frequency bands. A first radio operates on a first frequency band, which has a longer range and lower power than the frequency bands of the remaining radios. The Wi-Fi device is configured to establish a connection with an access point using the multiple radios. In response to determining that the device is entering sleep mode, the first radio enters sleep mode while maintaining a low-power connection to the access point on the first frequency band and shutting down the remaining radios among the plurality of radios; a frame is transmitted to the access point, the frame indicating to the access point that the Wi-Fi device is entering sleep mode; During the wake-up period, the first radio receives a beacon from the access point via the low-power connection on the first frequency band, the beacon indicating that the access point has broadcast and multicast BCMC data to transmit to the Wi-Fi devices in the multiple frequency bands; And receive the BCMC data from the access point using only the first radio on the first frequency band via the low-power connection.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi device is further configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios of the plurality of radios in response to the beacon.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi device is further configured to communicate the activity status of at least one or more of the remaining radios among the plurality of radios via one or more frames or beacons.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi device is further configured to use the first radio to communicate data with the access point until the amount of data to be communicated exceeds a threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the Wi-Fi device is further configured to activate at least one or more of the remaining radios of the plurality of radios to transmit the data in response to the amount of data to be transmitted exceeding the threshold.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi device is further configured to determine that the data to be communicated with the Wi-Fi device is for a low-latency application, and in response to the determination, activates at least one or more of the remaining radios of the plurality of radios to transmit the data.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first frequency band of the first radio is 2G, and the remaining frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands include one or more of the following: 5G or 6G.

17. An apparatus comprising: Multiple radios, each operating on a different frequency band in multiple frequency bands, wherein a first radio of the multiple radios operates on a first frequency band having a longer range and lower power than the frequency bands of the remaining radios of the multiple radios; One or more processors configured to: generate a multi-link ML power-saving notification frame, the multi-link ML power-saving notification frame identifying the power-saving state and radio on state of each of the plurality of different radios; and transmit the multi-link ML power-saving notification frame to one or more clients connected to the access point.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set a power management bit in a field of the multi-link ML power-saving notification frame to a value indicating that the apparatus is entering a power-saving PS mode.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set a power management bit in a field of the multi-link ML power-saving notification frame to a value indicating that the apparatus is exiting power-saving PS mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate the multi-link ML power-saving notification frame as having a power-saving link bitmap to identify whether a radio operating in the frequency band is in power management mode or is active.

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