Access Point Power Conservation via Periodic Beacon Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless local area networks (WLANs) face significant power consumption challenges due to government regulations requiring client stations to passively scan for radar transmissions, leading to inefficient power usage during mandated periods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing power conservation methods at access points, including reduced-power-usage periods and increased power reception periods, using System-on-Chip technology to manage power consumption effectively during government-mandated passive-reception periods, and determining the presence of radar transmissions to optimize communication establishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access points maintain full power usage during government-mandated passive-reception periods, then communication establishment can be ensured, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The access point implements periodic power usage cycles, alternating between reduced-power periods (during mandatory radar scans) and full-power reception periods. The beacon indicates reception periods when the access point is active and reduced-power-usage periods when it is inactive, creating a periodic operation pattern that balances communication reliability with power conservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point transmits beacons in advance that pre-indicate upcoming reception periods and reduced-power-usage periods. This allows client stations to prepare for communication establishment during appropriate time windows, ensuring that communication attempts are made when the access point is actually receiving, thus maintaining reliability while enabling power savings.
2Use of energy by moving object
If access points reduce power usage during passive-reception periods, then power consumption decreases, but communication establishment may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic cycles of reduced-power-usage periods followed by guaranteed reception periods, the system ensures that communication establishment is not permanently delayed. The periodic nature guarantees that client stations will eventually be able to establish communication when the access point is active, balancing time loss with power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point uses beacons as feedback signals to inform client stations about the current power state and upcoming reception periods. This feedback mechanism allows client stations to adjust their communication attempts accordingly, reducing unnecessary delays by only attempting communication when the access point is in a receptive state.
3Reliability
If access points continuously monitor for radar transmissions, then regulatory compliance is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access point performs radar monitoring periodically during reduced-power-usage periods rather than continuously. The beacon indicates when the access point is conducting radar scans and when it is in reception mode, allowing the system to maintain regulatory compliance through periodic monitoring while significantly reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
The present specification describes techniques and apparatuses that enable power conservation in a wireless network. In some cases these techniques and apparatuses enable power conservation during a discover phase and for a wireless network subject to a government mandate requiring a device of the network to passively search for radar transmission prior to establishing communication with another device of the network.