Beacon Frame Partial Reception for Power Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) devices face challenges in optimizing power consumption, particularly in high-density scenarios, as they struggle to efficiently determine when to enter and exit sleep states to minimize battery drain while ensuring timely reception of important frames like Beacon frames.
Innovation Solution
A method where a wireless device receives a frame and determines if it is of interest by analyzing the frame control field, Basic Service Set Identifier, and address, allowing it to enter a sleep state without receiving the entire frame if it is not intended for the device, using information like Traffic Information Maps and timestamps to optimize wake-up times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the wireless device receives and processes the entire Beacon frame to ensure accurate wake-up timing, then the wake-up timing accuracy is improved, but the power consumption increases due to extended receiver activation
Solution Approach 1:
The Beacon frame is divided into multiple parts: a first part containing frame control field and basic identification information, a second part containing Traffic Information Maps and timestamps, and a third part containing optional elements. The device selectively receives only the necessary parts based on its power saving mode and traffic requirements, rather than receiving the entire frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs partial reception of the Beacon frame by stopping after receiving the second part when in power saving mode with no buffered traffic, or receives only the first part for basic timing information. This partial action provides sufficient information for wake-up timing while avoiding the energy cost of receiving the complete frame.
2Loss of information
If the wireless device remains awake to receive the complete Beacon frame, then all frame information is captured, but the time spent in active state increases reducing sleep state benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The device receives the first part of the Beacon frame which contains frame control field and basic identification information before deciding whether to continue receiving. This preliminary action allows the device to determine relevance and make an informed decision about whether to invest time in receiving the complete frame or transition to sleep state.
Solution Approach 2:
The device receives only the necessary portion of the Beacon frame (first part or first two parts) depending on its power saving mode and traffic requirements. This partial reception captures sufficient information for wake-up timing and traffic indication while minimizing active state duration.
3Loss of information
If the wireless device processes all Beacon frame data, then complete network information is obtained, but the processing complexity and energy cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The Beacon frame processing is segmented into staged decisions: first determining frame type and relevance from the frame control field, then determining power saving mode and traffic requirements, and finally deciding the reception extent. This segmentation reduces processing complexity by breaking down the decision-making into manageable stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs partial processing of the Beacon frame by stopping after extracting necessary information from the first part or first two parts, avoiding the need to process the entire frame including optional elements. This reduces both processing complexity and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless device comprises receives, using a receiver of the wireless device, a first part of a frame and determines, using the first part of the frame, whether the frame is a frame of interest. When the frame is a frame of interest, the device receives a second part of the frame that occurs after the first part and includes a first information, and determines whether the first information indicates a first state. In response to determining that the first information indicates the first state, the wireless device enters a sleep state without receiving a third part of the frame that occurs after the second part. Determining whether a frame is a frame of interest may include determining that the frame is, for example, a Beacon frame intended for the wireless device and transmitted by another device in the same Basic Service Set as the wireless device.