Reducing power consumption in a device operating as an access point of a wireless local area network

摘要

An access point communicates with a wireless station based on a point-to-point channel, to determine time instances of future communication to be received from the wireless station. In intervals between such future communications, the access point powers down at least some portions of a circuit contained within the access point for at least a partial duration between such future communications. In an embodiment, the powered-down portions include the receiver portions of the access point. The access point may be battery-powered, and the powering-down of the receiver portions enables reduction of power consumption in the access point.

主权项

1. A method performed in an access point (AP) of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), said method comprising:
communicating by a local application executing on said access point, with a peer application executing on a wireless station based on a point-to-point channel to determine at a first time instance, a future time instance at or after which a subsequent communication is expected to be received from said wireless station at said access point; receiving at a second time instance said subsequent communication destined to said access point, wherein said second time instance is at or after said future time instance; powering down, by said local application, at least a portion of a circuit contained in said access point in at least a partial duration between said first time instance and said future time instance, to thereby reduce power consumption in said access point; creating a data value in said access point; receiving, by said local application, said data value; and transmitting, by said local application, said data value to said wireless station in a duration in which said portion of said circuit is powered on, wherein said local application communicates with said peer application using a communication module provided in said access point, said communication module being enabled to provide communication capabilities according to protocols defined for said WLAN, for applications executing in said access point; wherein said creating creates a plurality of data values including said data value, wherein said subsequent communication specifies a rate at which said access point is to transmit said plurality of data values to said wireless station, wherein said local application communicates with said peer application to determine said future time instance at or after which update to said rate is expected to be received from said wireless station, wherein said transmitting transmits said plurality of data values according to a new value received for said rate at or after said future time instance, wherein said portion of said circuit comprises a receive block of said access point such that said receive block is powered down in at least said partial duration.