Wake-Up Receiver Timer Mechanism for WLAN Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless LAN systems face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption and maintaining connectivity through low-power wake-up receivers, particularly in identifying the presence of an access point without continuous channel scanning, which leads to inefficient power usage and potential disconnection.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) with a timer-based mechanism that turns on the WLAN transceiver upon expiration or detection of a wake-up signal, allowing the station to remain in a wake-up receiver mode until a predetermined signal is received, which includes a BSSID, MAC address, or BSS color, thereby reducing power consumption and preventing disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the STA continuously scans channels to confirm AP presence, then connectivity reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the radio frequency monitoring function into two distinct components: a low-power wake-up receiver that continuously monitors for wake-up signals, and a high-power main transceiver that performs comprehensive channel scanning only when activated. This segmentation allows the STA to maintain AP presence detection capability through the wake-up receiver while avoiding continuous high power consumption from the main transceiver.
Solution Approach 2:
The main transceiver operates periodically rather than continuously - it remains in sleep mode and only activates when the wake-up receiver detects a valid wake-up signal or when the timer expires. This periodic operation pattern significantly reduces average power consumption while ensuring the STA can detect AP presence at regular intervals.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the STA remains in WUR mode for extended periods, then power consumption is reduced, but risk of disconnection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the wake-up receiver continuously monitor for AP presence signals in advance. When the receiver detects a wake-up signal indicating AP presence, it triggers the main transceiver to activate before actual data communication begins, ensuring connectivity is established proactively rather than reactively.
Solution Approach 2:
The timer mechanism provides feedback control for the WUR mode duration. The timer is configured with a maximum duration, and when it expires, the STA automatically wakes up the main transceiver to reconfirm AP presence. This feedback loop prevents indefinite WUR mode operation, ensuring the STA periodically verifies connectivity status and can reconnect if necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A method by which a station (STA) operates in a wake up receiver (WUR) mode in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: entering into the WUR mode by turning off a WLAN transceiver of the STA and turning on a WUR receiver of the STA; starting a timer by entering into the WUR mode; and turning on the WLAN transceiver of the STA when the timer is completed or a wake-up signal for waking up the STA is detected through the WUR receiver, wherein the timer can indicate the remaining time for which the STA can maintain the WUR mode until the STA receives a predetermined WUR signal for confirming the presence of an associated access point (AP).