Access Point TXOP Sleep Signaling for Legacy STA Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing AP power-saving methods are ineffective when STAs do not support the power-saving function, leading to disrupted communication between the AP and these STAs.
Innovation Solution
An AP transmits a first frame indicating its intention to enter a power save state within a TXOP, allowing STAs to adjust their states accordingly, ensuring uninterrupted communication regardless of their power-saving capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the AP enters a power save state outside scheduled awake SPs, then power consumption is reduced, but communication with STAs that do not support the power-saving method is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The AP sends a first frame before entering the power save state to preliminarily notify STAs of the upcoming power save period. This advance notification allows STAs to prepare accordingly - supporting STAs can enter power save mode while non-supporting STAs remain active, preventing communication disruptions and ensuring reliable data transmission during and after the power save state
Solution Approach 2:
The first frame acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the AP's power-saving needs and the communication requirements of all STAs. By carrying power save indication information, this frame enables coordinating the state transitions of different STAs based on their capabilities, ensuring seamless communication while achieving power savings
2Device complexity
If the AP uses traditional power-saving methods requiring all STAs to support the function, then power management is simplified, but compatibility with STAs that do not support the method is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The notification mechanism segments STAs into two groups based on their power-saving capability: supporting STAs that can respond to the first frame and enter power save mode, and non-supporting STAs that ignore the frame and remain active. This segmentation allows the AP to manage power efficiently while maintaining compatibility with diverse STA types without increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The first frame serves multiple functions simultaneously: it notifies all STAs of the upcoming power save state, enables supporting STAs to transition to power save mode, and allows non-supporting STAs to continue normal operation. This multi-functionality achieves both power management efficiency and broad STA compatibility without requiring separate mechanisms for different device types
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the field of wireless communications, and relates to a power saving method and apparatus for an access point, and a device and a storage medium. The method comprises: sending a first frame, which is used for indicating that an access point has acquired a TXOP and has entered a power save state in the TXOP. With regard to a station which does not support a power-saving function, the station determines, on the basis of the first frame, that the access point has acquired the TXOP, and thus the station enters a silent state, such that communication between the station and the access point is prevented from being abnormal even if the station does not support the power-saving function. With regard to a station which supports the power-saving function, the station determines, on the basis of the first frame, that the access point has acquired the TXOP and has entered the power save state in the TXOP, and the station then supports related subsequent operation in the power save state.