Access Point Power Save Mode Beacon Interval Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile network devices operating as access points face high power consumption when continuously transmitting beacons and probe responses, leading to reduced battery life, as they typically remain powered on without an effective power save mode.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power save mode for access points that divides the beacon interval into awake and sleep times, transitioning to power save mode when no communication is detected, allowing partial shutdown and reducing power consumption by adjusting the duration of awake and sleep times based on client station scan times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the access point continuously transmits beacons and probe responses, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon interval is segmented into a first portion (awake time) and a second portion (sleep time). During the first portion, the access point operates in normal mode to transmit beacons and probe responses, ensuring communication reliability. During the second portion, the access point transitions to power save mode to reduce power consumption. This temporal segmentation allows the system to balance between communication reliability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point dynamically adjusts its operational state based on communication needs. The control module monitors whether a client station communicates with the access point during the first portion of the beacon interval and transitions between normal mode and power save mode accordingly. This dynamic adaptation ensures the access point maintains communication reliability when needed while optimizing power consumption during idle periods.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the access point operates in power save mode for the entire beacon interval, then power consumption is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon interval is divided into two functional segments: the first portion dedicated to normal operation for communication, and the second portion dedicated to power saving. This segmentation ensures that communication reliability is maintained during the necessary time window while power consumption is reduced during the remaining interval.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point transmits beacons during the first portion of the beacon interval before transitioning to power save mode. This preliminary action ensures that client stations have received necessary communication information before the access point enters power save mode, maintaining communication reliability without requiring continuous operation throughout the entire beacon interval.
3Productivity
If the awake time is extended to ensure client station communication, then communication efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module dynamically determines the duration of the first portion (awake time) based on actual communication needs. When client stations are present and communicating, the awake time is extended to maintain communication efficiency. When no client stations are detected, the awake time is reduced or eliminated, allowing the access point to enter power save mode sooner, thus optimizing the balance between communication efficiency and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module monitors communication activity during the beacon interval and uses this feedback to adjust the awake time duration. If communication is detected during the first portion, the system extends awake time to ensure efficient communication. If no communication occurs, the system reduces awake time to minimize power consumption. This feedback mechanism optimizes the trade-off between communication efficiency and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An access point including a beacon module that determines a beacon interval and that defines a first portion and a second portion of the beacon interval during which the access point operates in a normal mode and a power save mode, respectively. On receiving a communication from a client station during the first portion, a control module does not transition the access point from the normal mode to the power save mode at an end of the first portion. If the communication is not received during the first portion, the control module transitions the access point from the normal mode to the power save mode at the end of the first portion and from the power save mode to the normal mode at an end of the second portion. A duration of the second portion is less than a scan time of the client station.