Wake-Up Frame MAC Header Design for Low-Power WLAN

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless local area network (WLAN) devices, especially those in IoT applications, face power exhaustion due to the lack of an appropriate sleep mode and wake-up mechanism for their WLAN receiver circuits, as they often operate on limited power supplies and require efficient power management.

Innovation Solution

A low-power wake-up frame format is designed, including a simplified MAC header and frame body, to communicate wake-up signals to a separate wake-up receiver circuit, which wakes up the main WLAN receiver circuit using a simplified internal signal, and includes features like a message type field, sequence number, receiver identifier, and information elements for channel switching, with failure recovery mechanisms to ensure reliable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the main WLAN receiver circuit is kept always on to ensure reliable communication, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver circuit is segmented into two separate circuits: a low-power wake-up receiver circuit that remains always on for detecting wake-up frames, and a main WLAN receiver circuit that operates only when needed. This segmentation allows the system to maintain communication reliability through the main circuit while conserving power through the wake-up circuit's low-power operation during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wake-up receiver circuit performs preliminary detection of wake-up frames before activating the main WLAN receiver circuit. By detecting the presence of a wake-up frame in advance, the system can prepare for upcoming communication tasks, ensuring the main circuit is ready when needed while avoiding unnecessary activation during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the main WLAN receiver circuit is put into sleep mode to conserve power, then power consumption decreases and battery life extends, but communication responsiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The wake-up receiver circuit continuously monitors for wake-up frames even when the main WLAN receiver circuit is in sleep mode. When a wake-up frame is detected, the main circuit is activated in advance of the actual data transmission, ensuring rapid responsiveness without requiring the main circuit to remain continuously active.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The wake-up receiver circuit acts as an intermediary between the external wireless environment and the main WLAN receiver circuit. It filters incoming signals and selectively activates the main circuit only when relevant wake-up frames are detected, enabling the main circuit to sleep during idle periods while maintaining quick responsiveness when communication is needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a standard MAC header format is used in wake-up frames, then compatibility with existing WLAN protocols is improved, but frame size increases and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wake-up frame uses an extracted and simplified version of the MAC header format, containing only the essential fields (Frame Control, Duration/ID, and Receiver Address) required for wake-up functionality. Non-essential fields are omitted, reducing the frame size and associated power consumption while maintaining compatibility with existing WLAN protocols through the preservation of core header structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If the wake-up receiver circuit operates continuously to detect wake-up frames, then wake-up reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake-up reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wake-up receiver circuit is designed with local quality optimized for its specific function of detecting wake-up frames. It uses a simplified reception mechanism tailored for wake-up frame detection rather than full WLAN protocol processing, enabling continuous operation at low power consumption while maintaining high wake-up reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10524304B2MAC frame design of wake-up frame for wake-up receiver

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Methods and systems for waking up an electronic device having a wake-up receiver circuit. A low-power wake-up signal is transmitted, including a wake-up frame including a simplified MAC header. The wake-up frame may also include a simplified frame body. Methods for recovering from failure of a wake-up receiver circuit are also described.