WLAN Frame Group Addressing for STA Power Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frame aggregation and bursting mechanisms in WLAN systems consume excessive power due to the lack of upfront knowledge about intended recipients, leading to unnecessary energy consumption by STAs that are not the intended receivers.
Innovation Solution
Implement a method for efficient group addressing of STAs using group identifiers and timing information within the frame headers, allowing STAs to enter power-saving modes based on their group assignments and frame content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If frame aggregation and bursting mechanisms are implemented to enhance WLAN throughput, then system productivity and data transmission efficiency are improved, but power consumption by STAs increases due to lack of upfront knowledge about intended recipients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by including group address information and timing indicators in the frame header before the actual data payload. This allows STAs to perform preliminary checks on frame headers to determine if they are intended recipients, and to identify when their data appears in aggregated frames, enabling them to enter power-saving modes during non-intended portions without missing their data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frame structure into distinct portions with identifiable group address information and timing indicators. By dividing the aggregated frame into segments associated with different recipient groups and time slots, STAs can efficiently identify and process only their relevant portions while skipping other segments, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
2Reliability
If STAs continuously monitor all transmitted frames to ensure they receive their data, then data reception reliability is maintained, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables STAs to perform preliminary actions by checking group address information and timing indicators in frame headers before fully processing the frame. This preliminary verification allows STAs to reliably determine whether they are intended recipients or when their data appears in aggregated frames, maintaining data reception reliability while avoiding unnecessary continuous monitoring of all frame portions.
3Productivity
If aggregated frames contain data for multiple STAs without upfront addressing information, then frame aggregation efficiency is achieved, but STAs must decode entire frames consuming excessive power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by incorporating preliminary group address information and timing indicators in frame headers. This allows non-intended STAs to perform preliminary checks and identify that they are not recipients or when their data appears, enabling them to skip decoding entire aggregated frames and thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining aggregation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments aggregated frames into identifiable portions associated with different recipient groups through group address information and timing indicators. This segmentation enables STAs to efficiently locate and process only their relevant data segments within aggregated frames, preventing unnecessary energy consumption from decoding entire frames while preserving the benefits of frame aggregation.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless station comprises a receiver that is configured to receive a frame from an access point (AP). The frame comprises a physical layer header. The physical layer header includes an indication of a color associated with the AP. A processor in the STA is configured to enter a power save state based on the color associated with the AP not matching a stored AP color of an AP that the STA is associated with. An AP that performs a similar function is also disclosed.