802.11 Sleep Signaling with EOSP for Lower Power Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current power saving techniques in 802.11 wireless nodes, such as target wake time (TWT), are inefficient as they require significant signaling overhead and power consumption due to the need for pause and resume frames when entering sleep mode for multiple service periods.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a modified control field in the last data frame to indicate a sleep duration, allowing wireless nodes to enter and exit sleep mode without separate pause and resume frames, thereby reducing signaling overhead and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If pause and resume frames are transmitted to enter sleep mode for multiple service periods, then power saving is achieved, but signaling overhead and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the sleep mode indication with the existing QoS null frame by setting the EOSP bit, eliminating the need for separate pause and resume frames. This merging approach reduces signaling overhead while maintaining power saving functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the sleep duration indication from separate control frames and integrates it into the data frame's EOSP bit field, removing the need for additional pause and resume signaling while preserving the power management capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of energy

If QoS null is transmitted to indicate sleep mode for current service period, then power saving is achieved for single SP, but it is not effective for multiple contiguous service periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower savingVSAvoideffectiveness for multiple service periods

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enhances the QoS null frame's EOSP bit to serve multiple functions: indicating both current and future service period sleep states. This universal approach allows a single frame to manage sleep across multiple contiguous service periods, improving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the EOSP bit in the QoS null frame to pre-indicate sleep duration spanning multiple service periods in advance. This preliminary action allows the receiving device to prepare for extended sleep mode without requiring additional pause and resume signaling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Duration of action of moving object

If pause and resume frames are used for multi-SP sleep mode, then extended power saving is achieved, but transmission time and power increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesleep mode durationVSAvoidtransmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the sleep mode indication for multiple service periods into a single QoS null frame with the EOSP bit set, eliminating the need for separate pause and resume frame transmissions. This reduces the total transmission time while maintaining extended sleep duration capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250234287A1Power saving in 802.11 devices

Publication Date: 2025.07.17 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

This disclosure provides methods, components, devices and systems for reducing power consumption of 802.11 wireless nodes. Some aspects more specifically relate to a wireless node configured to transmit a control field in a last data frame, where the control field provides information about a sleep mode plan of the wireless node to a receiving device. In some examples, the control field may include an indication of a sleep duration of the wireless node so that the receiving device can determine its own sleep duration.