CN102781077B

CN102781077B - Power saving method, access point equipment and station equipment

Info

Publication number: CN102781077B
Application number: CN201110162550.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 朱胡飞; 李云波
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-12
Filing date: 2011-06-16
Publication date: 2014-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-16
Also published as: CN102781077A

Abstract

The invention provides a power saving method, access point (AP) equipment and station (STA) equipment. The AP equipment respectively sets transmit opportunity (TXOP) power saving instruction of each frame according to whether the power saving is allowed to be performed at the current TXOP and the existence of a newly added STA in an operation object identification of the subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP; when the TXOP power saving instruction of the current frame is that the power saving is allowed, the STA equipment determines whether to enter a sleep state or not according to a judgment result of the sleep condition; or when the current frame comprises the subsequent STA instruction and the TXOP power saving instruction, and when the TXOP power saving instruction of the current frame is that the power saving is allowed and the operation object identification of the preset frame does not contain the instruction of the STA equipment and the subsequent STA instruction of the current frame is that the subsequent operation object identification does not have the newly added STA, the STA equipment enters the sleep state. By adopting the method and the equipment provided by the invention, the application range of the power saving can be enlarged, and a power saving effect can be enhanced.

Description

Power saving method, access point apparatus and end-station device

Technical field

The embodiment of the present invention relates to wireless communication technology, relates in particular to power saving method, access point (Access Point is called for short AP) equipment and point of termination station (Station is called for short STA) equipment.

Background technology

For multiple-input, multiple-output (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, be called for short MIMO) wireless communication system, at a transmission opportunity (Transmit Opportunity, be called for short TXOP) in, be not that all STA equipment in a basic service sets (Basic Service Set, be called for short BSS) all need to receive data.Therefore, in wireless communication system, adopt power saving method, allow and in current TXOP, do not have the STA of data receiver equipment to enter sleep state.In the receiver of dormant STA device shutdown self, thereby reduce power consumption.

At present, the power saving method of wireless communication system is: AP equipment is to STA equipment transmit operation object identity and forbid TXOP power saving indication (No TXOP Power Save indication is called for short No TXOP PS indication).This operated object mark is used to indicate one or more STA equipment that need to operate.This forbids that TXOP power is saved indication can be for being or no, wherein, if forbidding that TXOP power is saved is designated as noly, represents that the STA equipment in this BSS of permission carries out power save operation at current TXOP; If forbid that it is to represent to forbid that the STA equipment in this BSS carries out power save operation at current TXOP that TXOP power is saved to be designated as.This forbids that it is current TXOP that TXOP power is saved the indicated valid interval of indication, and therefore, if STA equipment enters sleep state, this STA equipment will keep sleep state until this TXOP finishes, and in the time that this TXOP finishes, STA equipment returns to waking state.In the power saving method of current communication standard, the No TXOP PS of all frames of same TXOP is set to identical value, has the STA equipment that enters sleep state function and only judges according to the No TXOP PS of the first frame of a TXOP.Be specially: in a TXOP, there is the STA equipment that enters sleep state function and receive after the first frame, judge in this TXOP, whether to allow to carry out power saving according to the No TXOP PS of the first frame.If do not allowed, above-mentioned STA equipment all keeps waking state in whole TXOP.If allowed, whether above-mentioned STA equipment, at the first frame of this TXOP to all frames of last frame, all enters sleep state according to sleep condition judgment.

Well-known, described in there is the STA that enters sleep state function, refer to that STA supports to enter dormant function and this function in opening.Support enters the STA of dormant function, can open this function in certain a period of time, and close this function in certain other a period of time; That is to say, this STA can have the sleep state of entering function in certain a period of time, and does not have the sleep state of entering function in certain other a period of time.Existing corresponding signaling in prior art, makes STA whether to have the information reporting that enters sleep state function to AP own current.Adopt existing power saving method, be designated as when no when TXOP power is saved forbidding of carrying of the first frame of TXOP, show that all STA equipment in the operated object mark that is not included in this frame in this BSS all can enter sleep state, in the case, conventionally all STA equipment that having in this BSS enters sleep state function, all according to sleep condition judgment, just enter sleep state if meet sleep condition.Therefore, for multiuser MIMO (Multi-User MIMO, be called for short MU-MIMO) pattern, adopt existing power saving method, the operated object mark being only applicable in the first frame of TXOP has comprised all situations with the STA equipment that enters sleep state function that this TXOP relates to, and for Single User MIMO (Single-User MIMO, be called for short SU-MIMO) pattern, the method is only applicable to the operated object mark of each frame of TXOP and only indicates no more than one have to enter the situation of the STA equipment of sleep state function, therefore only under less situation, can carry out power saving, range of application is little, therefore the poor effect that power is saved.

Summary of the invention

The embodiment of the present invention provides power saving method, AP equipment and STA equipment, in order to solve defect of the prior art, expands the range of application that power is saved, and strengthens power and saves effect.

The embodiment of the present invention provides a kind of power saving method, comprising:

In carrying out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP, current transmission opportunity TXOP has or not newly-increased point of termination station STA according to whether allowing, the TXOP power that each frame is set is respectively saved indication, and described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function;

Send the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment, so that described STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state, described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

Obtain the present frame of current TXOP, described present frame comprises that AP equipment is according to whether allowing to carry out at current TXOP the TXOP power saving indication that has or not newly-increased STA to arrange in the operated object mark of power saving and subsequent frame, and described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function;

In the time that the saving of the TXOP of described present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, STA equipment is according to determining whether to enter sleep state to the judged result of sleep condition, and described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

The embodiment of the present invention also provides a kind of AP equipment, comprising:

Module is set, whether allow the operated object mark of carrying out the subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP at current transmission opportunity TXOP to have or not newly-increased point of termination station STA for basis, the TXOP power that each frame is set is respectively saved indication, and described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function;

Sending module, for send the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment, so that described STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state, described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

The embodiment of the present invention also provides a kind of STA equipment,, described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function, comprising:

Acquisition module, for obtaining the present frame of current transmission opportunity TXOP, described present frame comprises that access point AP equipment is according to whether allowing to carry out at current TXOP the TXOP power saving indication that has or not newly-increased STA to arrange in the operated object mark of power saving and subsequent frame, and described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function;

Control module, while being designated as the saving of permission power, controls described STA equipment according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state for saving when the TXOP of described present frame power.

The embodiment of the present invention also provides a kind of power saving method, comprising:

Point of termination station STA equipment obtains respectively present frame and the default frame of current transmission opportunity TXOP, and described present frame comprises follow-up terminal STA indication and TXOP power saving indication, and described default frame comprises operated object mark;

Save and be designated as permission when the TXOP of described present frame power, and in the operated object mark of described default frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, and when the follow-up STA of described present frame is designated as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, described STA equipment enters sleep state, and described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function; Described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

The embodiment of the present invention also provides a kind of STA equipment, and described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function, comprising:

Acquisition module, for obtaining respectively present frame and the default frame of current transmission opportunity TXOP, described present frame comprises follow-up STA indication and TXOP power saving indication, described default frame comprises operated object mark;

Control module, save and be designated as permission for the TXOP power when described present frame, and in the operated object mark of described default frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, and when the follow-up STA of described present frame is designated as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, control described STA equipment and enter sleep state, described STA has the STA that enters sleep state function.

The method that power is saved, comprising:

The power that current data frame is set is saved indication, and described power is saved indication and is used to indicate the STA that receives described current data frame and can allows power to save;

In current transmission opportunity TXOP, send current data frame, so that the STA of described reception current data frame is according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state, and in described TXOP, sends power that at least one Frame of sending before current data frame comprises and save indication and be used to indicate STA and forbid that power saves;

Described STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

A kind of access point apparatus, has the sleep state of entering function, comprising:

Setting unit, saves indication for the power that current data frame is set, and described power is saved indication and is used to indicate the STA that receives described current data frame and can allows power to save;

Transmitting element, for send current data frame in current transmission opportunity TXOP, so that the STA of described reception current data frame basis determines whether to enter sleep state to the judged result of sleep condition,

Wherein, the power that described setting unit comprises at least one Frame that is arranged to send before sending current data frame in described TXOP of present frame is saved indication and is used to indicate STA and forbids that power saves.

As shown from the above technical solution, the TXOP power of embodiment of the present invention different frame in same TXOP is saved indication can be different, only have as the STA without newly-increased and allow to carry out power at current TXOP and save these two conditions while all meeting, the TXOP power of the subsequent frame of this frame or this frame is saved indication and is just designated as the saving of permission power, STA is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, just sleep condition is judged, determine whether to enter sleep state according to judged result.Or, send follow-up STA indication by AP equipment to STA equipment, save to be designated as when TXOP power and allow and follow-up STA is designated as while not comprising the mark of this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and default frame, this STA equipment enters sleep state.Therefore, the method does not require that the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP comprises all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to, thereby has expanded the range of application of power saving method, has strengthened power and has saved effect.

Accompanying drawing explanation

In order to be illustrated more clearly in the embodiment of the present invention or technical scheme of the prior art, to the accompanying drawing of required use in embodiment or description of the Prior Art be briefly described below, apparently, accompanying drawing in the following describes is some embodiments of the present invention, for those of ordinary skills, do not paying under the prerequisite of creative work, can also obtain according to these accompanying drawings other accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention one;

Fig. 2 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention two;

Fig. 3 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention three;

Fig. 4 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention four;

Fig. 5 is the structural representation of the AP equipment of the embodiment of the present invention five;

Fig. 6 is the structural representation of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention six;

Fig. 7 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention seven;

Fig. 8 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention eight;

Fig. 9 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention nine;

Figure 10 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention ten;

Figure 11 is the structural representation of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention 11.

Embodiment

For making object, technical scheme and the advantage of the embodiment of the present invention clearer, below in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in the embodiment of the present invention, technical scheme in the embodiment of the present invention is clearly and completely described, obviously, described embodiment is the present invention's part embodiment, rather than whole embodiment.Based on the embodiment in the present invention, those of ordinary skills, not making the every other embodiment obtaining under creative work prerequisite, belong to the scope of protection of the invention.

In the time that No TXOP PS indication allows to carry out power saving, can comprise one or more combination of three conditions for judging whether to enter dormant sleep condition, in the time that wherein a condition meets, be judged as and meet sleep condition, STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.

What need to further illustrate is, in the time that No TXOP PS indication allows to carry out power saving, can comprise one or more combination of three conditions for judging whether to enter dormant sleep condition, in the time that wherein a condition meets, be judged as and meet sleep condition, there is the STA equipment that enters sleep state function and enter sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet sleep condition, there is the STA equipment that enters sleep state function and keep waking state; If STA equipment can not support to enter sleep state, keep waking state always, do not need to judge above-mentioned sleep condition.Simple for what explain, STA hereinafter described in " STA equipment enters sleep state ", all refer to and there is the STA that enters sleep state function, that is to say " STA equipment enters sleep state " must imply explanation described STA there is the STA that enters sleep state function.

Particularly, under MU-MIMO pattern, these three conditions specifically comprise following content.Condition one: when in the operated object mark of default frame, do not comprise this STA equipment indication time, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA be designated as at 0 o'clock, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.Under SU-MIMO pattern, these three conditions specifically comprise following content.Condition one: in the time that the part AID of the partial association mark of indicating in the operated object mark of default frame (association identifier is called for short AID) and this STA equipment is different, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of frame is identical with the part AID of this STA equipment when presetting, but present frame is not that while issuing this STA, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

Adopt existing power saving method, the No TXOP PS of each frame in same TXOP is identical.For MU-MIMO pattern, in the time that the No of the first frame TXOP PS is designated as the saving of permission power, if relate to the STA equipment that the first frame does not comprise in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of this TXOP, because this STA equipment has entered sleep state receiving after the first frame, cannot respond the indication of subsequent frame.And for SU-MIMO pattern, in the time that the No of the first frame TXOP PS is designated as the saving of permission power, if the STA equipment of the subsequent frame of TXOP indication is different from the STA equipment of the first frame indication, because the STA equipment of subsequent frame indication has entered sleep state receiving after the first frame, cannot respond the indication of subsequent frame.

For above-mentioned defect, the embodiment of the present invention proposes a kind of power saving method, in same TXOP, can different No TXOP PS be set for different frames, particularly, whether AP allows to carry out having or not newly-increased STA in power saving and the subsequent frame at this TXOP at current TXOP according to the communication system at place, and the No TXOP PS of each frame is arranged, and STA judges whether to enter sleep state according to this No TXOP PS.Specifically referring to following examples one to embodiment six.

It should be noted that, the real following STA executing in example of the present invention has the STA that enters sleep state function; STA equipment in the embodiment of the present invention is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.And as previously mentioned, do not there is the STA equipment that enters sleep state function, keep waking state always, do not need can enter sleep state according to sleep condition judgment, do not need to adopt method of the present invention to strengthen accordingly and enter sleep state to save the effect of power.

Further, known according to the description of aforementioned background art:

Above-mentioned STA has the STA that enters sleep state function, is specially: above-mentioned STA has to enter sleep state and keep above-mentioned sleep state until the STA of above-mentioned current TXOP end functions;

Above-mentioned STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function, is specially: above-mentioned STA equipment is to have to enter sleep state and keep above-mentioned sleep state until the STA equipment of above-mentioned current TXOP end functions.

That is to say, in the time that above-mentioned STA equipment determines to enter sleep state, above-mentioned STA equipment enters sleep state, and keeps above-mentioned sleep state until current TXOP finishes.In following examples, enter all implications for this reason of sleep state about STA equipment.

Fig. 1 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention one.In the embodiment of the present invention one, as an example of the operating process of AP equipment example, this power saving method is described.As shown in Figure 1, the method comprises following process.

Step 101:AP equipment has or not newly-increased STA according to whether allowing in current TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP, and the TXOP power that each frame is set is respectively saved indication.

Step 102:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment, so that STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state.

In this step, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication.

On the basis of technique scheme, further the concrete grammar of step 101 is introduced.In same TXOP, whether the TXOP power of each frame is saved indication is in current TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP, to have or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively according to allowing by AP.Wherein, AP specifically can adopt in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of two kinds of methods to current TXOP and have or not newly-increased STA to judge.First method is: judge the STA equipment that needs to carry out data transmission in all frames that whether comprised in the operated object mark before present frame and present frame after the present frame in current TXOP, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not indicate new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing.Second method is: judge the STA equipment that needs carry out data transmission in all frames that whether comprised after the present frame in current TXOP in the operated object mark of present frame, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not indicate new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing.Adopt above-mentioned any one method to judge the follow-up newly-increased STA that has or not, the method to set up that TXOP power is saved indication is: as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and allow to carry out power while saving at current TXOP, the TXOP power of present frame that can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to allow power to save; Or the TXOP power of present frame that also can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves, and the TXOP power of the later arbitrary frame of present frame is saved indication and is set to allow power to save.When follow-up while having newly-increased STA, TXOP power that must present frame is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves, whether no matter allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP, have a newly-increased STA as long as follow-up, TXOP power that just must present frame is saved to indicate and is set to forbid power saving; And, when not allowing to carry out power while saving at current TXOP, no matter follow-uply having or not newly-increased STA, TXOP power that all must present frame is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves.

In the embodiment of the present invention one, AP equipment is saved indication to the TXOP power of different frame in same TXOP can take different settings, likely a part of frame in a TXOP is set to allow power to save, STA equipment may enter sleep state at this frame, and another part frame is set to forbid power saving in same TXOP, STA equipment must keep waking state at this frame.Only have as the STA without newly-increased and allow to carry out power and save these two conditions while all meeting, the TXOP power of the subsequent frame of AP equipment this frame of ability or this frame is saved indication and is set to allow power to save, so that STA equipment is saved and indicated the judgement that determines whether the condition of sleeping according to this TXOP power.Due to being set for different frame, different TXOP power saves indication, if do not comprise all STA equipment that this TXOP relates in the operated object mark of the first frame, AP equipment can the first frame TXOP power save indication and be set to forbid that power saves, until while having comprised all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to the operated object mark of the multiple frames from the first frame to present frame, just the TXOP power of this present frame is saved indication and is set to allow power saving, therefore the method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to is still applicable, thereby expand the range of application that power is saved.And, do not comprise the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP, existing power saving method cannot carry out from start to finish power saving in this TXOP, and the power saving method of the employing embodiment of the present invention one, the TXOP power of AP the first frame is saved indication and is set to forbid power saving, receiving that after the first frame, each STA equipment can not enter sleep state, save until receive TXOP power the frame that is designated as the saving of permission power, whether each STA equipment enters sleep state according to sleep condition judgment, thereby strengthen power and saved effect.

It should be noted that, above-mentioned follow-up having or not increases STA newly, all refers to have the STA that enters sleep state function; The present invention need to avoid the situation occurring to be: enter sleep state if having the STA that enters sleep state function at present frame, just cannot in TXOP, the subsequent frame reception of present frame issue the data of oneself, thereby cause the decline of communication performance.Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention need to indicate follow-up (being the subsequent frame of present frame in TXOP) to have or not the newly-increased STA that enters sleep state function that has at present frame, thereby guarantee that described follow-up increasing newly has the STA that enters sleep state function according to described indication, do not enter sleep state at present frame, thereby can receive the data of issuing oneself at subsequent frame.But, follow-uply have or not the newly-increased STA that enters sleep state function that do not have, can't cause above-mentioned the present invention need to avoid that situation occurring, thereby need to not indicate at present frame, also just can not affect the present invention's described and follow-up setting that has or not each bit that newly-increased STA indication is relevant above and below.

In step 102, AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment, so that STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state.Be fine understanding, here determine whether to enter sleep state, can be to determine whether to enter sleep state in one embodiment.

Fine understanding ground is, as described in when step 102, if STA equipment, in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined and entered sleep state, can enter sleep state at present frame for this STA equipment in one embodiment; This STA equipment also can not enter sleep state at present frame in another embodiment, but enters sleep state after waiting for default frame number again.

In addition, as previously mentioned, in the time that above-mentioned STA equipment determines to enter sleep state, above-mentioned STA equipment enters sleep state, and keeps above-mentioned sleep state until current TXOP finishes.In following examples, enter all implications for this reason of sleep state about STA equipment.

Fig. 2 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention two.In the embodiment of the present invention two, as an example of the operating process of STA equipment example, this power saving method is described.As shown in Figure 2, the method comprises following process.

Step 201:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises that AP equipment is according to whether allowing to carry out at current TXOP the TXOP power saving indication that has or not newly-increased STA to arrange in the operated object mark of power saving and subsequent frame.

Whether the TXOP power of each frame that in this step, STA equipment gets is saved indication is in current TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP, to have or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively according to allowing by AP.Wherein, AP specifically can adopt in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of two kinds of methods to current TXOP and have or not newly-increased STA to judge.First method is: judge the STA equipment that needs to carry out data transmission in all frames that whether comprised in the operated object mark before present frame and present frame after the present frame in current TXOP, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not indicate new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing.Second method is: judge the STA equipment that needs carry out data transmission in all frames that whether comprised after the present frame in current TXOP in the operated object mark of present frame, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not indicate new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing.Adopt above-mentioned any one method to judge the follow-up newly-increased STA that has or not, the method to set up that TXOP power is saved indication is: as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and allow to carry out power while saving at current TXOP, the TXOP power of present frame that can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to allow power to save; Or the TXOP power of present frame that also can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves, and the TXOP power of the later arbitrary frame of present frame is saved indication and is set to allow power to save.When follow-up while having newly-increased STA, TXOP power that must present frame is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves, whether no matter allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP, have a newly-increased STA as long as follow-up, TXOP power that just must present frame is saved to indicate and is set to forbid power saving; And, when not allowing to carry out power while saving at current TXOP, no matter follow-uply having or not newly-increased STA, TXOP power that all must present frame is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves.

Step 202: in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, STA equipment is according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state.

On the basis of technique scheme, further, to save and be designated as while forbidding that power is saved when the TXOP of present frame power, STA equipment is using next frame as present frame, returns to execution step 201.

In the embodiment of the present invention two, in same TXOP, the TXOP power of different frame saving indication can be different, only have as the STA without newly-increased and allow to carry out power and save these two conditions while all meeting, the TXOP power of the subsequent frame of this frame or this frame is saved indication and is just designated as the saving of permission power, STA is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, just sleep condition is judged, determine whether to enter sleep state according to judged result.Due to being set for different frame, different TXOP power saves indication, if do not comprise all STA equipment that this TXOP relates in the operated object mark of the first frame, TXOP power that can the first frame is saved indication and is set to forbid that power saves, until while having comprised all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to the operated object mark of the multiple frames from the first frame to present frame, the TXOP power of this present frame is saved indication and is set to allow power to save, therefore the method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to is still applicable, thereby expand the range of application that power is saved.And, do not comprise the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP, existing power saving method cannot carry out from start to finish power saving in this TXOP, and the power saving method of the employing embodiment of the present invention two, the TXOP power of the first frame is saved to be designated as and is forbidden power saving, receiving that after the first frame, each STA equipment can not enter sleep state, save until receive TXOP power the frame that is designated as the saving of permission power, whether each STA equipment enters sleep state according to sleep condition judgment, thereby strengthen power and saved effect.

Fig. 3 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention three.In the embodiment of the present invention three, this power saving method is described as example in conjunction with the operating process of STA equipment take AP equipment.In the embodiment of the present invention three, TXOP power is saved indication and is designated as example to forbid that TXOP power is saved, and, increase STA equipment newly and allow in the time that current TXOP carries out power saving with nothing in current TXOP, AP can arrange this at present frame and forbid that it is example that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no.In the embodiment of the present invention three, sleep condition comprises the first sleep condition.As shown in Figure 3, the method comprises following process.

Step 301:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.Wherein, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of forbidding of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication, and the TXOP power saving of forbidding of each frame is indicated by AP according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of current TXOP.

In this step, a TXOP comprises one or more frames, and the TXOP power of forbidding that AP equipment issues present frame to STA equipment in each frame is saved indication, and issues the mark of the corresponding STA equipment of operation of present frame indication.AP forbids that TXOP power is saved in the targeting sequencing that indication and operated object mark be carried at each frame and sends to STA equipment above-mentioned.Particularly, can be at the signaling A1 of the superelevation throughput pattern of the targeting sequencing of each frame (Very high throughput signal A1, be called for short VHT-SIG-A1) in field, adopt 1 bit to indicate as forbidding that TXOP power is saved, adopt more than 1 bit indication operated object mark.For example, for operated object mark, can adopt more than 1 or 1 bit in VHT-SIG-A1 field to indicate the operated object mark that this frame is corresponding.Indicate for forbidding that TXOP power is saved, can adopt the B22 bit of VHT-SIG-A1 field to indicate as forbidding that TXOP power is saved, this bit is called to No TXOP PS bit.If No TXOPPS bit is 0, represent to forbid that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no, allow the STA of this BSS to carry out power save operation, allow STA to switch between waking state and sleep state.If No TXOPPS bit is 1, represent to forbid that TXOP power is saved is designated as and is, forbid that the STA of this BSS carries out power save operation, STA must keep waking state.

In the time that the No TXOP PS bit to each frame arranges, AP not only saves and arranges according to whether allowing to carry out power at current TXOP, also needs according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange in the subsequent frame of present frame in this TXOP.Particularly, if subsequent frame without newly-increased STA, and allow carry out power saving at current TXOP, the No TXOP PS bit of present frame can be set is 0 to AP equipment, allow STA to carry out power saving, the No TXOP PS bit that present frame also can be set is 1, forbids that STA carries out power saving.If subsequent frame is without newly-increased STA, and do not allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP, the No TXOP PS bit of present frame is set is 1 to AP, does not allow STA to carry out power saving.If subsequent frame has newly-increased STA, the No TXOP PS bit of present frame is set is 1 to AP, does not allow STA to carry out power saving at current TXOP.Wherein, AP equipment specifically can adopt two kinds of methods recording in the embodiment of the present invention one and the embodiment of the present invention two, has or not newly-increased STA to judge in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame to current TXOP.In the embodiment of the present invention three, be only explained as an example of employing second method example.Particularly, if all frames after the present frame in TXOP and present frame, AP equipment is all only given same STA equipment transmission data, or AP equipment transmits data all only to several users in same MU-MIMO group, AP equipment judges that follow-up nothing increases STA newly, therefore can whether can enter sleep state with No TXOP PS bit indication STA,, No TXOP PS=0 can be set, No TXOP PS=1 also can be set.Otherwise, AP equipment must be set to 1 by No TXOP PS bit, indicate STA equipment cannot enter sleep state, that is to say, if in the frame in TXOP after present frame, AP equipment need to be given the STA equipment transmission data beyond several indicated STA equipment of the operated object mark of present frame, and AP equipment must indicate STA equipment cannot enter sleep state.Wherein, in frame in TXOP after present frame, AP equipment comprises to the concrete condition of the STA equipment transmission data beyond indicated several STA equipment of the operated object mark of present frame: under SU-MIMO pattern, AP equipment is to the STA equipment transmission data beyond the indicated STA equipment of operated object mark of present frame; Under MU-MIMO pattern, AP is to the STA equipment transmission data beyond the set of the indicated multiple STA equipment compositions of the operated object mark of present frame.

Under MU-MIMO pattern, this operated object mark is group mark (Group Identity is called for short Group ID).Before carrying out this power saving method, Group ID is defined and arrange on STA equipment by signaling in advance.Particularly, under MU-MIMO pattern, comprise 1 or 1 above MU-MIMO group, wherein each MU-MIMO group comprises 1 above STA equipment, is generally 4 STA equipment, by Group ID, above-mentioned more than 1 or 1 MU-MIMO group is identified respectively.Before carrying out this power saving method, AP equipment is issued each STA equipment by relevant signaling the above-mentioned definition to Group ID, after each STA equipment is received above-mentioned definition, store part relevant to oneself in above-mentioned definition, thereby in the time carrying out this power saving method, AP equipment is to STA equipment transmit operation object identity, be Group ID, after STA equipment is received Group ID, the definition of the Group ID that can store according to self, know the MU-MIMO group that oneself whether belongs to this Group ID indication, if STA equipment belongs to the MU-MIMO group of this Group ID indication, illustrate that this operated object mark comprises the indication to this STA equipment, if STA equipment does not belong to the MU-MIMO group of this Group ID indication, illustrate and in this operated object mark, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment.Under SU-MIMO pattern, this operated object mark is the partial association mark (association identifier is called for short AID) of 1 STA that this frame is corresponding, or, this operated object mark is a part of the AID of 1 STA that this frame is corresponding, also referred to as partial AID.A kind of embodiment is, under SU-MIMO pattern, AID is made up of 12 bits, low 9 in 12 bits that this operated object mark is AID.If this AID or partial AID are identical with AID or the partial AID of this STA equipment, illustrate that this operated object mark comprises the indication to this STA equipment, if this AID or partial AID are different from AID or the partial AID of this STA equipment, illustrate and in this operated object mark, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment.

Step 302:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises the operated object mark of forbidding TXOP power saving indication and this frame of this frame.

In this step, in this step, STA equipment obtains the TXOP power of forbidding of present frame and saves indication and operated object mark from the targeting sequencing of the frame from AP equipment.

Step 303:STA equipment judges forbidding that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and being or no of present frame, if NO, and execution step 304; If YES, STA equipment keeps waking state, and STA equipment, using next frame as new present frame, returns to execution step 302.

In this step, STA equipment judges above-mentioned for representing to forbid that 1 bit that TXOP power saves indication is for being or no, if this bit is no, illustrate and meet two conditions simultaneously, that is: allow to carry out the saving of TXOP power and follow-up nothing and increase STA newly, can carry out power saving, continue to carry out following step 304; If this bit is yes, illustrate that one of them condition does not meet, or two conditions are all dissatisfied, STA equipment keeps waking state.

Step 304: in each frame of last frame, STA equipment judges whether to meet the first sleep condition at the present frame of current TXOP, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In this step, the first sleep condition needn't be modified to the sleep condition in existing communication agreement, thereby is more convenient to existing communication equipment to carry out upgrading.

Particularly, under MU-MIMO pattern, the first sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the first sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the first sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the first sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: when in the operated object mark of present frame, do not comprise this STA equipment indication time, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA be designated as at 0 o'clock, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition three: when the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

In this step, under SU-MIMO pattern, the first sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the first sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the first sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the first sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: in the time that the part AID of the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame and this STA equipment is different, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame is identical with the part AID of this STA equipment, but present frame is not that while issuing this STA, STA equipment enters sleep state.Particularly, STA equipment can adopt various ways to judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, wherein a kind of embodiment is, STA equipment judges whether the MAC mark of present frame meets the MAC mark of this STA equipment, if, present frame is issued this STA equipment, and if not, present frame is not issued this STA equipment.Condition three: when the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

Execution step 304 o'clock, at the present frame of current TXOP, in each frame of last frame, a kind of judgement flow process of preferably execution mode was as follows.

The first step: STA equipment judges in the operated object mark of present frame whether comprise the indication to this STA equipment, if so, carries out second step; If not, STA equipment enters sleep state.

Second step: under MU-MIMO pattern, judge the spatial reuse fluxion that this STA is corresponding indicates whether to be 0, or whether this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.Under SU-MIMO pattern, judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, or, judge whether this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, if present frame is not to issue this STA equipment or this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state, if present frame is to issue this STA equipment and this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 1 Frame, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In the embodiment of the present invention three, in same TXOP, the No TXOP PS of different frame can be different, only have in the time allowing to carry out in power saving and the subsequent frame at this TXOP without newly-increased STA, the No TXOP PS of this frame just can be designated as and allow power to save, STA, according to the indication of the No TXOP PS of present frame, determines whether to carry out the judgement of the first sleep condition.Due to different No TXOP PS being set for different frame, if do not comprise all STA equipment that this TXOP relates in the operated object mark of the first frame, No TXOP PS that can the first frame is set to forbid that power saves.Suppose the first method that adopts aforementioned judgement to have or not newly-increased STA, until while having comprised all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to the operated object mark of the multiple frames from the first frame to present frame, No TXOP PS that just can this present frame is set to allow power to save; Suppose the second method that adopts aforementioned judgement to have or not newly-increased STA, until while having comprised all STA equipment that in this TXOP, present frame later all frames relate in the operated object mark of present frame, No TXOP PS that just can this present frame is set to allow power to save.Therefore the method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to is still applicable, thereby has expanded the range of application that power is saved.And, do not comprise the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP, existing power saving method cannot carry out from start to finish power saving in this TXOP, and the power saving method of the employing embodiment of the present invention three, the NoTXOP PS of the first frame saves for forbidding power, receiving that after the first frame, this STA equipment can not enter sleep state, until receive that No TXOP PS is the frame that allows power to save, whether this STA equipment enters sleep state according to the first sleep condition judgment, thereby strengthen power and saved effect.

Fig. 4 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention four.In the embodiment of the present invention four, this power saving method is described as example in conjunction with the operating process of STA equipment take AP equipment.In the embodiment of the present invention four, sleep condition comprises: the first sleep condition and the second sleep condition.The technical scheme of recording in the embodiment of the present invention three technical, when forbidding that power is saved, increases STA equipment the second sleep condition is judged and recorded the step of judged result at the No of present frame TXOP PS; In the time that the No of present frame TXOP PS saves for permission power, increase according to the judged result of record and determine whether to enter dormant step.As shown in Figure 4, the method comprises following process.

Step 401:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.Wherein, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of forbidding of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication, and the TXOP power saving of forbidding of each frame is indicated by AP according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of current TXOP.

This step is identical with the step 301 in the embodiment of the present invention three, does not repeat them here.

Step 402:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises the operated object mark of forbidding TXOP power saving indication and this frame of this frame.

This step is identical with the step 302 in the embodiment of the present invention three, does not repeat them here.

Step 403:STA equipment judges forbidding that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and being or no of present frame, if NO, and execution step 404; If YES, execution step 406.

Step 404:STA equipment judges that the judged result of record, for meeting or not meeting, meets if, and STA equipment enters sleep state; Do not meet if execution step 405.

Step 405: in each frame of last frame, STA equipment judges whether to meet the first sleep condition at the present frame of current TXOP, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

This step is identical with the step 304 in the embodiment of the present invention three, does not repeat them here.

Step 406:STA equipment keeps waking state, judges whether meet the second sleep condition and record judged result, using next frame as new present frame, returns to execution step 402.

In this step, particularly, under MU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or both the combination in following two conditions.In the time that wherein a condition meets, be judged as and meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment records judged result is: meet.When two kinds of conditions that comprise when the second sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment records judged result is: do not meet.These two conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA is designated as 0.Condition two: when the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.

In this step, under SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or both the combination in following two conditions.In the time that wherein a condition meets, be judged as and meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment records judged result is: meet.When two kinds of conditions that comprise when the second sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment records judged result is: do not meet.These two conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: when the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame is identical with the part AID of this STA equipment, but present frame is not issued this STA equipment.Particularly, STA equipment can adopt various ways to judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, wherein a kind of embodiment is, STA equipment judges whether the MAC mark of present frame meets the MAC mark of this STA equipment, if, present frame is issued this STA equipment, and if not, present frame is not issued this STA equipment.Condition two: when the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.

In the embodiment of the present invention four, in same TXOP, the No TXOP PS of different frame can be different, only have in the time allowing to carry out in power saving and the subsequent frame at this TXOP without newly-increased STA, and the No TXOP PS of this frame is just designated as the saving of permission power.STA is according to the indication of the No TXOP PS of present frame, and at the No of present frame TXOP PS, when forbidding that power is saved, STA equipment first judges the second sleep condition and records judged result, and then the No TXOP PS of next frame is judged; In subsequent process, be while allowing the frame of power saving when STA equipment receives No TXOP PS, first determine whether to enter sleep state according to the judged result of the second sleep condition of record, when this judged result is not when meeting, again present frame is carried out to the first sleep condition judgment to multiple frames of last frame, thereby determine whether to enter sleep state.The method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to is still applicable, has not only expanded the range of application that power is saved, and has strengthened power and save effect.And, by No TXOP PS for forbid power save time prejudge the second sleep condition and record result, when this result is while meeting the second sleep condition, be the frame that allows power to save once receive No TXOP PS, STA equipment can enter sleep state immediately, and needn't the first sleep condition be judged again, thereby STA equipment can enter sleep state as early as possible, also save and entered the dormant judgement time, thereby strengthened the effect that power is saved.Especially, may there is such STA equipment, it No TXOP PS be forbid power save each frame at least one frame meet the second sleep condition, and be to allow each frame that power is saved not meet the second sleep condition at No TXOP PS, if the technical scheme that adopts so other embodiment to record, this STA equipment can not enter sleep state, and the technical scheme that adopts the embodiment of the present invention four to record, this STA equipment can enter sleep state, thereby has further strengthened the effect that power is saved.

Further, in the invention described above embodiment tri-and the embodiment of the present invention four, forbid that it is only a kind of embodiment that TXOP power is saved indication that TXOP power is saved indication, those skilled in the art are appreciated that according to prior art, also can adopt and allow TXOP power to save indication expression TXOP power saving indication, in the time allowing TXOP power to save to be designated as to be, be illustrated in current TXOP and allow power to save; When allowing TXOP power to save to be designated as when no, be illustrated in and in current TXOP, forbid that power saves.

Further, at the invention described above embodiment mono-, to the embodiment of the present invention four, AP, in the time that TXOP power saving indication is arranged, can also further save the change frequency of value and/or the version of value of indicating to TXOP power and limit.

Due in same TXOP, whether AP equipment is according to allowing to carry out having or not newly-increased STA in power saving and the subsequent frame at this TXOP at current TXOP, the TXOP power of each frame is saved to indication to be arranged, the value of TXOP power saving indication likely occurs repeatedly to change, for example, in the first frame, allow to carry out power saving and follow-uply have a newly-increased STA, the TXOP power of the first frame is saved to be designated as and is forbidden power saving, take No TXOP PS=1 as example; In the second frame, allow to carry out the newly-increased STA of power saving and follow-up nothing, the TXOP power of the second frame is saved to be designated as and is allowed power to save, take No TXOP PS=0 as example; In the 3rd frame, do not allow to carry out the newly-increased STA of power saving and follow-up nothing, the TXOP power of the 3rd frame is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that power saves, take No TXOP PS=1 as example, by that analogy.On the basis of technique scheme, in order to reduce the complexity of processing procedure of AP equipment and STA equipment, in the time that TXOP power saving indication is arranged, can set in advance TXOP power in a TXOP and save the change frequency of the value of indication, AP equipment can also further arrange respectively the TXOP power saving indication of each frame according to the change frequency of the value of default TXOP power saving indication.For example, the change frequency that default TXOP power is saved the value of indication is 2 times or 3 times, and one preferably execution mode is, the change frequency that default TXOP power is saved the value of indication is 1 time,,, in same TXOP, only allow TXOP power to save indication and change 1 time.In above-mentioned example, although according to whether allowing to carry out having or not newly-increased STA in power saving and the subsequent frame at this TXOP at current TXOP, the 3rd frame should be set to No TXOP PS=1, but the change frequency of saving the value of indication due to default TXOP power is 1 time, in the second frame, TXOP power is saved indication and with respect to the first frame, variation has been occurred, therefore in the 3rd frame, No TXOP PS is not changed, and still adopt the No TXOP PS=0 identical with the second frame.

On the basis of technique scheme, can also set in advance TXOP power in a TXOP and save the version of the value of indication, the TXOP power that AP equipment arranges respectively each frame according to the version of the value of default TXOP power saving indication is saved indication.For example, setting in advance in TXOP TXOP power saves the version of the value of indication and is: from forbidding that power saves indication and be changed to and allow power to save indication.Therefore, in same TXOP, only allowing TXOP power to save indication allows power to save indication from forbidding that power is saved to indicate to be changed to,, if saving to be designated as, the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame forbids power saving, the TXOP power that allows to arrange present frame is saved to be designated as and is allowed power to save, and if the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame is saved to be designated as and is allowed power to save, the TXOP power that does not allow to arrange present frame is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that power saves.Take No TXOP PS as example, only allow its value to be changed to 0 from 1, when having or not newly-increased STA to judge according to whether allowing in current TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP, should be changed to and forbid that power saves when indication from allowing power to save indication, AP equipment is not saved the setting of indicating to TXOP power and is changed, and still keeping it is to allow power to save indication.

Further, on the basis of technique scheme, can also expand the present frame in process.Particularly, in above-mentioned steps 302 and step 402, STA equipment, except obtaining the present frame of current TXOP, can also obtain the first frame of current TXOP to the more than one frame of present frame, and this more than one frame comprises each frame operated object mark separately.When the first sleep condition judgement in step 304, and when the second sleep condition is judged in step 406, by the condition that judges of the operated object mark of with good grounds present frame, expand to according to the operated object mark of above-mentioned more than one frame and judge.

Fig. 5 is the structural representation of the AP equipment of the embodiment of the present invention five.As shown in Figure 5.This AP equipment at least comprises: module 51 and sending module 52 are set.The technical scheme that the specific works flow process of the AP equipment of the embodiment of the present invention five can be recorded to the embodiment of the present invention four referring to the invention described above embodiment mono-.

Wherein, module 51 is set for according to whether allowing the operated object mark of carrying out the subsequent frame of each frame of power saving and current TXOP at current TXOP to have or not newly-increased STA, the TXOP power saving indication of each frame is set respectively;

Sending module 52 is for send the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment, so that STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state.

On the basis of technique scheme, module 51 is set specifically for carrying out power saving when permission at current TXOP, and in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP during without newly-increased STA, the TXOP power that present frame is set is saved to be designated as and is allowed power to save or forbid that power saves; When not allowing in the time that current TXOP carries out power saving, the TXOP power saving that present frame is set is designated as forbids power saving; In the time having newly-increased STA in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP, the TXOP power that present frame is set is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that power saves.

On the basis of technique scheme, module 51 is set specifically for carrying out power saving when permission at current TXOP, and in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP during without newly-increased STA, the TXOP power that a frame of predeterminated position after present frame is set is saved to be designated as and is allowed power to save or forbid that power saves; When not allowing in the time that current TXOP carries out power saving, the TXOP power saving that present frame is set is designated as forbids power saving; In the time having newly-increased STA in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP, the TXOP power that present frame is set is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that power saves.

On the basis of technique scheme, arrange while needing to carry out the STA equipment of data transmission in all frames of module 51 after specifically for the present frame within the operated object mark before present frame and present frame comprises current TXOP, determine in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP without newly-increased STA.Or, module 51 is set when needing to carry out the STA equipment of data transmission in all frames after the present frame within the operated object mark of present frame comprises current TXOP, determines in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of the present frame of current TXOP without newly-increased STA.

On the basis of technique scheme, module 51 is set and also saves indication for the TXOP power that each frame is set respectively according to the change frequency of the value of TXOP power saving indication in a default TXOP.And/or, module 51 is set and also saves indication for the TXOP power that each frame is set respectively according to the version of the value of TXOP power saving indication in a default TXOP.

On the basis of technique scheme, it is 1 time specifically for the change frequency of saving the value of indication according to TXOP power in a default TXOP that module 51 is set, and the TXOP power that each frame is set is respectively saved indication.And/or, module 51 is set and saves to be designated as and forbid that power is saved, the TXOP power of present frame is saved to be designated as and allowed power to save specifically for save the TXOP power of the former frame that the version of the value of indication is present frame according to TXOP power in a default TXOP, the TXOP power that each frame is set is respectively saved indication.

In the embodiment of the present invention five, only have as the STA without newly-increased and allow to carry out power and save these two conditions while all meeting, the TXOP power of the subsequent frame that module this frame of ability or this frame are set of AP equipment is saved indication and is set to allow power to save, so that STA equipment is saved and indicated the judgement that determines whether the condition of sleeping according to this TXOP power.Therefore do not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to still can carry out power saving, thereby expanded the range of application that power is saved, strengthened power and saved effect.

Fig. 6 is the structural representation of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention six.As shown in Figure 6.This STA equipment at least comprises: acquisition module 61 and control module 62.The technical scheme that the specific works flow process of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention six can be recorded to the embodiment of the present invention four referring to the invention described above embodiment mono-.

Wherein, acquisition module 61 is for obtaining the present frame of current TXOP, and present frame comprises that AP equipment is according to whether allowing to carry out at current TXOP the TXOP power saving indication that has or not newly-increased STA to arrange in the operated object mark of power saving and subsequent frame;

When control module 62 is designated as the saving of permission power for saving when the TXOP of present frame power, control STA equipment according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state.

On the basis of technique scheme, control module 62 also for when the TXOP of present frame power save be designated as forbid power save time, control STA equipment and keep waking state, control acquisition module 61 obtains the present frame of current TXOP using next frame as present frame.

On the basis of technique scheme, when control module 62 is designated as the saving of permission power specifically for saving when the TXOP of present frame power, at the present frame of current TXOP in each frame of last frame, judge whether to meet the first sleep condition, if so, control STA equipment and enter sleep state; If not, control SATA equipment and keep waking state.Wherein, the first sleep condition comprises: in the operated object mark of present frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, or, the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA to this STA equipment is designated as 0, or the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and this STA to this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.Or, the first sleep condition comprises: the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame is different from the part AID of this STA equipment, or, identical and the present frame of the part AID of the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame and this STA equipment is not to issue this STA, or the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and this STA to this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.

On the basis of technique scheme, control module 62 is also designated as while forbidding that power is saved for saving when the TXOP of present frame power, judges whether to meet the second sleep condition record judged result.Wherein, the second sleep condition comprises: the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA to this STA equipment is designated as 0, or the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and this STA to this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.Or, the second sleep condition comprises: the identical and present frame of the part AID of the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame and this STA equipment is not issued this STA equipment, or the operated object mark of present frame comprises that indication and this STA equipment to this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame.

On the basis of technique scheme, control module 62 also for when the TXOP of present frame power save be designated as allow power save time, the judged result that judges the second sleep condition of record is to meet or do not meet, and meets if, controls STA equipment and enters sleep state; Do not meet if, judge whether to meet the first sleep condition.

In the embodiment of the present invention six, only have as the STA without newly-increased and allow to carry out power and save these two conditions while all meeting, the TXOP power of the frame that the acquisition module of STA equipment obtains or the subsequent frame of this frame is saved indication and is just designated as the saving of permission power, the control module of STA equipment is in the time that the saving of the TXOP of present frame power is designated as the saving of permission power, just sleep condition is judged, determine whether to enter sleep state according to judged result., therefore the method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to still can carry out power saving, thereby has expanded the range of application that power is saved, and has strengthened power and has saved effect.

In another aspect of this invention, the defect existing for prior art, the embodiment of the present invention proposes a kind of power saving method, do not change the identical method to set up of No TXOPPS of all frames in same TXOP in prior art, on this basis, by having or not newly-increased STA to indicate to follow-up, expand the range of application of power saving method in the frame of TXOP.Specifically referring to following embodiment seven to embodiment 11.

Fig. 7 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention seven.As shown in Figure 7, the method comprises following process.

Step 701:STA equipment obtains respectively current transmission opportunity (Transmit Opportunity, be called for short TXOP) present frame and default frame, this present frame comprises follow-up STA indication and TXOP power saving indication, and this default frame comprises operated object mark.

Step 702: save and be designated as permission when the TXOP of present frame power, and do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment in the operated object mark of default frame, and the follow-up STA of present frame is while being designated as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, STA equipment enters sleep state.

On the basis of technique scheme, step 702 also comprises: save and be designated as permission when the TXOP of present frame power, and in the operated object mark of default frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, and when the follow-up STA of present frame is designated as the follow-up newly-increased STA of having, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In the embodiment of the present invention seven, these three conditions of scope that STA equipment is saved according to TXOP power and indicated, follow-up STA indicates and operated object mark comprises judge, save to be designated as when TXOP power and allow and follow-up STA is designated as while not comprising the mark of this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and default frame, this STA equipment enters sleep state.Therefore, the method does not comprise that for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to is still applicable, thereby has expanded the range of application that power is saved.And, do not comprise the situation of all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to for the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP, existing power saving method cannot carry out from start to finish power saving in this TXOP, and the power saving method of the employing embodiment of the present invention seven, receiving that after the first frame, this STA equipment can not enter sleep state, until receive that follow-up STA is designated as the frame of the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, this STA equipment starts to enter sleep state, saves effect thereby strengthened power.

Fig. 8 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention eight.Particularly, in the embodiment of the present invention eight, this follow-up STA is designated as the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing (being called No More STA indication), when the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing is designated as while being, represents that follow-up nothing increases STA newly; When the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing is designated as when no, represent the follow-up newly-increased STA that has.In the embodiment of the present invention eight, this TXOP power is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that TXOP power saves indication, i.e. No TXOP PS indication is designated as while being when forbidding that TXOP power is saved, and is illustrated in and in current TXOP, forbids that power saves; Be designated as when no when forbidding that TXOP power is saved, be illustrated in current TXOP and allow power to save.

And, in the embodiment of the present invention eight, indicate and forbid TXOP power saving indication for the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, adopt respectively 1 bit to indicate.As shown in Figure 8, the method comprises following process.

Step 801:AP equipment sends the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, forbids TXOP power saving indication and operated object mark to STA equipment at each frame of current TXOP.

In this step, AP equipment directly issues the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing to STA equipment and is designated as and is or no, and forbids that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and be or no, and the mark of the corresponding STA equipment of operation of this frame indication.A TXOP comprises one or more frames, AP by newly-increased above-mentioned follow-up nothing STA indication, forbid that TXOP power is saved in the targeting sequencing that indication and operated object mark be carried at each frame and send to STA equipment.Particularly, can be at the signaling A1 of the superelevation throughput pattern of the targeting sequencing of each frame (Very high throughput signal A1, be called for short VHT-SIG-A1) in field, adopt 1 bit as the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, adopt 1 bit to indicate as forbidding that TXOP power is saved, adopt more than 1 bit indication operated object mark.For example, adopt 1 of VHT-SIG-A1 field to retain (Reserved, being called for short RSVD) bit is as the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, this bit is called to NoMoreSTA bit, in the time that NoMoreSTA bit is 1, represent that it is that all STA equipment that relate to are all indicated in the operated object mark of the frame before present frame and present frame, in the follow-up each frame of present frame, can not indicate new STA equipment that the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing is designated as in current TXOP; In the time that NoMoreSTA bit is 0, represent that the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing is designated as no, the all STA equipment that relate in current TXOP are not all indicated in the operated object mark of the frame before present frame and present frame, in the follow-up each frame of present frame, also can indicate new STA equipment.Save indication for forbidding TXOP power, can adopt the B22 bit of VHT-SIG-A1 field to indicate as forbidding that TXOP power is saved, this bit is called to No TXOP PS bit, in the time that No TXOP PS bit is 0, represent to forbid that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no, allow the STA of this BSS to carry out power save operation, allow STA to switch between waking state and sleep state; In the time that No TXOP PS bit is 1, represent to forbid that it is to forbid that the STA of this BSS carries out power save operation that the saving of TXOP power is designated as.For operated object mark, can adopt more than 1 or 1 bit in VHT-SIG-A1 field to indicate the operated object mark that this frame is corresponding.

Step 802:STA equipment obtains respectively present frame and the default frame of current TXOP, and this present frame comprises that the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing indicates and forbids TXOP power saving indication, and this default frame comprises operated object mark.

In this step, STA equipment obtains the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing of present frame from the targeting sequencing of the frame from AP equipment, the TXOP power of forbidding of present frame is saved the operated object mark of indication and default frame.Wherein, default frame can adopt two kinds of embodiments, in the first execution mode, and the present frame that default frame is current TXOP; In the second execution mode, the first frame that default frame is current TXOP is to one or more frames in present frame.

What step 803:STA equipment judged present frame forbids that it is or no that if YES, STA equipment keeps waking state that TXOP power is saved to be designated as; If NO, execution step 804.

In this step, if the forbidding that TXOP power is saved and be designated as and be of present frame shows that AP equipment forbids that STA equipment carries out power saving at current TXOP, therefore, STA equipment need to keep waking state.If forbidding that TXOP power is saved and being designated as noly of present frame, shows that AP equipment allows STA equipment to carry out power saving at current TXOP, continues to carry out following step 804.

Step 804:STA equipment judges whether to meet the first sleep condition, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In this step, under MU-MIMO pattern, the first sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the first sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the first sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the first sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: when not comprising the indication to this STA equipment in the operated object mark of default frame, and the newly-increased STA of the follow-up nothing of present frame is designated as while being, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA be designated as at 0 o'clock, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

In this step, under SU-MIMO pattern, the first sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the first sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the first sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the first sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: when the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of default frame is different from the part AID of this STA equipment, and the follow-up nothing of present frame increases STA newly and be designated as while being, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of default frame is identical with the part AID of this STA equipment, and the follow-up nothing of present frame increases STA newly and be designated as and be, but present frame is not that while issuing this STA, STA equipment enters sleep state.Particularly, STA equipment can adopt various ways to judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, wherein a kind of embodiment is, STA equipment judges media access control (the Medium Access Control of present frame, be called for short MAC) identify the MAC mark that whether meets this STA equipment, if so, present frame is issued this STA equipment, if not, present frame is not issued this STA equipment.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

Performing step at 804 o'clock, a kind of judgement flow process of preferably execution mode is as follows.

The first step: whether comprise the indication to this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the default frame of STA equipment judgement, if so, carry out second step; If not, carry out the 3rd step.In the first step, for above-mentioned two kinds of embodiments of default frame, if the present frame that default frame is current TXOP in the first step, judges in the operated object mark of present frame whether comprise the indication to this STA equipment; If the first frame that default frame is current TXOP, to present frame,, in the first step, judges whether the first frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment in the operated object mark of multiple frames of present frame.

Second step: under MU-MIMO pattern, judge the spatial reuse fluxion that this STA is corresponding indicates whether to be 0, or, whether this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state, if not, STA equipment keeps waking state.Under SU-MIMO pattern, judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, or, judge whether this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, if present frame is not to issue this STA equipment or this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state, if present frame is to issue this STA equipment and this STA equipment receives that more data bit is designated as 1 Frame, STA equipment keeps waking state.In second step, in the time that the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, adopt the Equations of The Second Kind sleep condition in existing power saving method, judge whether STA equipment enters sleep state.Concrete judgement to Equations of The Second Kind sleep condition is identical with existing power saving method, does not repeat them here.

The 3rd step: STA equipment judges that it is or no that if YES, STA equipment enters sleep state that the newly-increased STA of the follow-up nothing of present frame is designated as; If NO, STA equipment keeps waking state.In the 3rd step, if the newly-increased STA of the follow-up nothing of present frame is designated as no, show that subsequent frame still there will be newly-increased STA, therefore, till present frame, be not included in yet the STA equipment in operated object mark, still likely in the operation of subsequent frame, be used to, therefore, STA equipment need to keep waking state.If the newly-increased STA of the follow-up nothing of present frame is designated as be, show that subsequent frame there will not be newly-increased STA, can consider that the STA equipment that order is not included in yet in the operated object mark of presetting frame till present frame enters sleep state, close the receiver of this STA equipment, to save the power consumption of STA equipment.

In the embodiment of the present invention eight, send the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, forbid TXOP power saving indication and operated object mark to STA equipment at each frame of current TXOP by AP equipment, STA equipment is obtained and is forbidden TXOP power saving indication by the mode of directly obtaining from AP equipment, first judge whether to allow to carry out power saving according to forbidding that TXOP power is saved to indicate, in the time allowing, then judge whether to enter sleep state according to operated object mark and the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing successively.Therefore, the method does not require that the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP comprises all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to, thereby has expanded the range of application of power saving method, has strengthened power and has saved effect.

Fig. 9 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention nine.In the embodiment of the present invention nine, still adopt this follow-up STA to be designated as the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, this TXOP power is saved to be designated as and is forbidden that the saving of TXOP power is designated as example.

And, in the embodiment of the present invention nine, for saving signaling resource, do not re-use indication and forbid 1 bit of TXOP power saving indication, forbid that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no and make communication parties arrange in advance this, acquiescence allows in current TXOP, to carry out power saving, thereby needn't need to adopt bit to indicate, and saves the signaling consumption of 1 bit.Method can adopt the mode that communication standard is stipulated particularly, can in communication standard, provide against the saving of TXOP power is designated as no, or in communication standard, do not relate to and forbid this indication information of TXOP power saving indication, be equivalent to this standard acquiescence and allow to carry out power saving in current TXOP.And for the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, still adopt 1 bit to indicate.As shown in Figure 9, the method comprises following process.

Step 901:AP equipment sends the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and operated object mark at each frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.

In this step, AP equipment sends the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing at each frame of current TXOP and indicates the method for recording with step 801 in the embodiment of the present invention eight with the concrete grammar of operated object mark identical to STA equipment, do not repeat them here.

Step 902:STA equipment obtains respectively present frame and the default frame of current TXOP, and this present frame comprises that the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing indicates and forbids TXOP power saving indication, and this default frame comprises operated object mark.

In this step, STA equipment is saved indication according to the default TXOP power of forbidding, obtains this and forbids that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no.It is identical that STA equipment obtains the method that the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing of the present frame of current TXOP records with step 802 in the embodiment of the present invention eight with the concrete grammar of operated object mark of presetting frame, do not repeat them here.

In the embodiment of the present invention nine, be equivalent to communication parties arranged to forbid TXOP power save be designated as no, therefore STA equipment needn't to forbid TXOP power save indication judge, can directly carry out following step 903.

Step 903:STA equipment judges whether to meet the first sleep condition, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

The concrete grammar of this step is identical with the method that step 804 in the embodiment of the present invention eight is recorded, and does not repeat them here.

In the embodiment of the present invention nine, the mode stipulating by communication protocol, communication parties has arranged to forbid that the saving of TXOP power is designated as no in advance, give tacit consent to and in current TXOP, all allow to carry out power saving, therefore, saved signaling consumption, and can omit STA equipment and judge forbidding that TXOP power is saved and being designated as and being or no step of present frame, thereby further improve the judging efficiency of this power saving method, strengthened power and saved effect.

In the invention described above embodiment eight and the embodiment of the present invention nine, the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing indicates and forbids that it is respectively only that follow-up STA indication and TXOP power are saved a kind of embodiment of indicating that TXOP power is saved indication, those skilled in the art are appreciated that according to prior art, also can adopt the follow-up follow-up STA indication of newly-increased STA indication expression that has, while having newly-increased STA to be designated as to be, represent the follow-up newly-increased STA that has when follow-up; There is newly-increased STA to be designated as when no when follow-up, represent that follow-up nothing increases STA newly.In like manner, also can adopt to allow TXOP power to save indication to represent that TXOP power saves indication, in the time allowing TXOP power to save to be designated as to be, be illustrated in current TXOP and allow power to save; When allowing TXOP power to save to be designated as when no, be illustrated in and in current TXOP, forbid that power saves.

Figure 10 is the flow chart of the power saving method of the embodiment of the present invention ten.In the embodiment of the present invention ten, follow-up STA is designated as the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, and this TXOP power is saved to be designated as and allowed TXOP power to save indication.And, in the embodiment of the present invention ten, adopt 1 bit to the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and allow TXOP power to save indication and indicate simultaneously, thereby saved 1 bit, save signaling consumption.As shown in figure 10, the method comprises following process.

Step 1001:AP equipment sends the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing, allows TXOP power to save indication and operated object mark to STA equipment at each frame of current TXOP.

In this step, the method that AP equipment is recorded with the step 801 of the embodiment of the present invention eight to the concrete grammar of STA equipment transmit operation object identity is identical.And save indication for the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and permission TXOP power, AP equipment adopts same bit to send to STA equipment.Particularly, follow-up nothing increases STA indication newly and permission TXOP power saving indication comprises 1 bit altogether, and when follow-up nothing increases STA newly and allows in the time that current TXOP carries out power saving, this bit is yes, leads to accepted value 1 and represents; At other in any case, this bit is no, and logical accepted value 0 represents, for example: whether, no matter allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP while having newly-increased STA when follow-up, this bit is no; Or when forbidding carrying out power while saving at current TXOP, no matter follow-up whether have a newly-increased STA, this bit is also no.

Step 1002:STA equipment obtains respectively present frame and the default frame of current TXOP, and this present frame comprises the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and allows TXOP power to save indicates, and this default frame comprises operated object mark.

The permission TXOP power that step 1003:STA equipment judges whether to meet present frame is saved to be designated as, if so, and execution step 1004; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In this step, STA equipment judges above-mentioned for indicate the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and allow 1 bit that TXOP power saves indication for being or no simultaneously, if this bit is yes, illustrating that the permission TXOP power that simultaneously meets present frame is saved to be designated as is and the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing is designated as and is, can carry out power saving, continue to carry out following step 1004; If this bit is no, illustrate that one of them condition does not meet, or two conditions are all dissatisfied, STA equipment keeps waking state.

Step 1004:STA equipment judges whether to meet the second sleep condition, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.

In this step, the second sleep condition can comprise two class sleep conditions of the prior art, needn't modify to the sleep condition in existing communication agreement, thereby more be convenient to existing communication equipment to carry out upgrading.

Particularly, under MU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the second sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the second sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: when in the operated object mark of default frame, do not comprise this STA equipment indication time, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA be designated as at 0 o'clock, and STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

In this step, under SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following three conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the second sleep condition, and STA equipment enters sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the second sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the second sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These three conditions specifically can comprise following content.Condition one: in the time that the part AID of the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of default frame and this STA equipment is different, STA equipment enters sleep state.Condition two: the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of frame is identical with the part AID of this STA equipment when presetting, but present frame is not that while issuing this STA, STA equipment enters sleep state.Particularly, STA equipment can adopt various ways to judge whether present frame issues this STA equipment, wherein a kind of embodiment is, STA equipment judges whether the MAC mark of present frame meets the MAC mark of this STA equipment, if, present frame is issued this STA equipment, and if not, present frame is not issued this STA equipment.Condition three: when the operated object mark of default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that, when more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, STA equipment enters sleep state.

Performing step at 1004 o'clock, a kind of judgement flow process of preferably execution mode is as follows.

The first step: whether comprise the indication to this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the default frame of STA equipment judgement, if so, carry out second step; If not, STA equipment enters sleep state.

In the embodiment of the present invention ten, adopt 1 bit to the newly-increased STA indication of follow-up nothing and allow TXOP power saving indication to indicate simultaneously, thereby further having saved the signaling consumption of 1 bit.

On the basis of the technical scheme of recording to the embodiment of the present invention ten at the invention described above embodiment seven, further, this power saving method is further comprising the steps of: STA equipment arranges involved mark.This involved mark is for representing whether the mark of this STA equipment is included in the operated object mark of default frame, and being initially set to of this involved mark is no.Particularly, STA equipment can adopt 1 bit as involved mark, when initial setting up, this bit value is 0, need only the mark that comprises this STA equipment in the operated object mark of a frame, the bit value corresponding by the involved mark of this STA equipment is set to 1, and after subsequent frame, still to keep this bit value be 1 receiving.In above-mentioned three embodiment, the step that involved mark is set for STA equipment can be carried out respectively before above-mentioned steps 701, step 801, step 901 and step 1002 or with it simultaneously.After STA equipment gets the operated object mark of default frame, STA equipment judges that current involved being designated is or no if YES, to keep involved being designated to be; If NO, judge the mark that whether comprises this STA equipment in the operated object mark of present frame, if so, involved being designated is set is, otherwise, keep involved be designated no.In step 702, step 804, step 903 and step 1004, whether comprise the mark of this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the default frame of judgement time, concrete method is: judge that this involved being designated is or no, if this involved being designated is, the mark that shows this STA equipment has been included in the operated object mark of default frame, if this is involved is designated noly, show that the mark of this STA equipment is not included in the operated object mark of default frame.Employing arranges the mode of involved mark, makes to judge that the step of the mark that whether comprises this STA equipment in the operated object mark of presetting frame is simple and easy to do, has improved judgement treatment effeciency.

On the basis of the technical scheme of recording to the embodiment of the present invention ten at the invention described above embodiment seven, further, this power saving method also comprises: STA equipment obtains the Duration Information of current TXOP.In above-mentioned three embodiment, STA equipment obtains the step of the Duration Information of current TXOP and can before above-mentioned steps 701, step 801, step 901 and step 1002 or with it, carry out respectively simultaneously.In step 702, step 804, step 903 and step 1004, STA equipment is after entering sleep state, and in the time that the duration of current TXOP finishes, this STA equipment enters waking state.Thereby guarantee in the time that next TXOP arrives, STA equipment is all in waking state, successfully receive the corresponding indication information that the frame of next TXOP carries.

Figure 11 is the structural representation of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention 11.Equipment in the present embodiment can be the STA in mimo wireless communication.Apply the method in said method embodiment during to STA equipment sending data or information at access point AP equipment.In actual applications, the Correspondent Node in MIMO is AP and STA each other, so may be respectively as AP or STA at the next equipment of different signal intelligences.As shown in figure 11, this STA equipment 110 at least comprises: acquisition module 111 and control module 112.Further, can also comprise identification module 113.

Wherein, acquisition module 111 is for obtaining respectively present frame and the default frame of current TXOP, this present frame comprises follow-up STA indication and TXOP power saving indication, this default frame comprises operated object mark, and the operated object mark that the TXOP power of the follow-up STA indication of the present frame of above-mentioned current TXOP, present frame is saved indication and default frame by acquisition module 111 sends to control module 112;

Control module 112 is for saving the operated object mark control STA equipment of indication and default frame according to the follow-up STA indication of the present frame of the current TXOP from acquisition module 111, the TXOP power of present frame, save and be designated as permission when the TXOP of present frame power, and in the operated object mark of default frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, and when the follow-up STA of present frame is designated as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing, controls STA equipment and enter sleep state.

On the basis of technique scheme, further, control module 112 is also saved and is designated as permission for the TXOP power when present frame, and in the operated object mark of default frame, do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment, and when the follow-up STA of present frame is designated as the follow-up newly-increased STA of having, controls STA equipment and keep waking state.

On the basis of technique scheme, particularly, acquisition module 111 specifically can adopt any one in following three kinds of modes, saves indication to obtain follow-up STA indication and TXOP power.In first kind of way, acquisition module 111 is for obtaining 1 bit information that represents 1 bit information of follow-up STA indication and represent TXOP power saving indication.Or, in the second way, 1 bit information that acquisition module 111 is indicated specifically for obtaining the follow-up STA of expression, and according to communication standard, obtain the saving of TXOP power and be designated as permission.Or, in the third mode, acquisition module 111 is specifically for obtaining 1 bit information that represents follow-up STA indication and TXOP power saving indication, save and be designated as while allowing when follow-up STA is designated as the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and TXOP power, this bit is yes, follow-uply have newly-increased STA or TXOP power to save to be designated as while forbidding when follow-up STA is designated as, this bit is no.

On the basis of technique scheme, particularly, acquisition module 111 specifically can adopt any one in following three kinds of modes, to obtain operated object mark.In first kind of way, acquisition module 111 is specifically for obtaining the operated object mark of present frame of current TXOP.Or in the second way, acquisition module 111 is the operated object mark to one or more frames in present frame specifically for the first frame of obtaining current TXOP.

On the basis of technique scheme, this STA equipment can also comprise identification module 113.Identification module 113 is for storing and upgrade the involved mark of STA equipment.Particularly, acquisition module 111 obtain current TXOP default frame operated object mark and send to identification module 113, identification module 113 is for judging that current involved being designated is or no if YES, to keep involved being designated to be; If NO, judge the mark that whether comprises this STA equipment in the operated object mark of present frame, if so, involved being designated is set is, otherwise, keep involved be designated no.Correspondingly, control module 112 specifically for involved being designated that judges in identification module 113 storage is or no, if YES, the operated object mark of judging default frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, if NO, judge in the operated object mark of presetting frame and do not comprise the indication to this STA equipment.

On the basis of technique scheme, further, acquisition module 111 is also for obtaining the Duration Information of current TXOP and sending to control module 112.Correspondingly, control module 112 is this STA equipment of Duration Information control from the current TXOP of acquisition module 111 for basis also, and particularly, control module 112, in the time that the duration of current TXOP finishes, is controlled this STA equipment and entered waking state.

Wherein, the specific works mode of the above-mentioned modules of the STA equipment of the embodiment of the present invention 11 all can adopt the embodiment of the present invention seven to the power saving method of recording in the embodiment of the present invention ten to carry out, not detailed technical scheme in the embodiment of the present invention 11, can implement to recording in the embodiment of the present invention ten with reference to the embodiment of the present invention seven.

In the embodiment of the present invention 11, STA equipment obtains follow-up STA indication, save to be designated as when TXOP power and allow and follow-up STA is designated as while not comprising the mark of this STA equipment in the operated object mark of the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing and default frame, control this STA equipment and enter sleep state.Therefore, adopt this power saving method, do not require that the operated object mark in the first frame of TXOP comprises all STA equipment that this TXOP relates to, thereby expanded the range of application of power saving method, strengthened power and saved effect.

It should be noted that: for aforesaid each embodiment of the method, for simple description, therefore it is all expressed as to a series of combination of actions, but those skilled in the art should know, the present invention is not subject to the restriction of described sequence of movement, because according to the present invention, some step can adopt other orders or carry out simultaneously.Secondly, those skilled in the art also should know, the embodiment described in specification all belongs to preferred embodiment, and related action and module might not be that the present invention is necessary.

Comprehensive above-described embodiment, can provide a kind of method that power is saved, and comprising:

S110, the power that current data frame is set is saved indication, and described power is saved indication and is used to indicate the STA that receives described current data frame and can allows power to save;

S1102, in current transmission opportunity TXOP, send current data frame, so that the STA of described reception current data frame is according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state, and in described TXOP, sends power that at least one Frame of sending before current data frame comprises and save indication and be used to indicate STA and forbid that power saves.

Obviously, STA equipment is to have the STA equipment that enters sleep state function.

The method that power indication is specifically set can comprise that, if the saving of the power of the former frame of present frame is designated as permission power saves, the power of present frame is saved indication and is directly set to the saving of permission power; If or the power of the former frame of present frame save be designated as forbid power save, whether allow power to save according to described current TXOP and judge that the power saving of present frame indicates whether to be set to the saving of permission power, allow power to save if satisfied, the power saving of present frame is indicated and is set to the saving of permission power.

Whether further allow power to save judge the power of present frame to save to indicate whether to be set to according to current TXOP and allow power to save, if allow power to save, the power of present frame is saved indication and is set to and allows power saving to comprise:

Whether allow power to save according to allowing to have or not newly-increased point of termination station STA to judge that the power of present frame is saved to indicate whether to be set in described TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of power saving and described current data frame, if allow to carry out in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of power saving and described current data frame without newly-increased point of termination station STA at described TXOP, the power of present frame is saved indication and is set to and allows power saving.

As one enforcement, the power saving sending in TXOP at least one Frame sending before current data frame is designated as 1, is used to indicate STA and forbids power saving; The power of described present frame is saved and is designated as 0, is used to indicate the STA that receives described Frame and can allows power to save.

The interior power sending in described current data frame all Frames before of current transmission opportunity TXOP is saved to be designated as and is indicated STA to forbid power saving, and the power in follow-up all Frames of described current data frame is saved to be designated as and indicated STA can allow power to save.

In the above-described embodiments, the description of each embodiment is all emphasized particularly on different fields, in certain embodiment, there is no the part of detailed description, can be referring to the associated description of other embodiment.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that: all or part of step that realizes said method embodiment can complete by the relevant hardware of program command, aforesaid program can be stored in a computer read/write memory medium, this program, in the time carrying out, is carried out the step that comprises said method embodiment; And aforesaid storage medium comprises: various media that can be program code stored such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disc or CDs.

Provide again a kind of access point apparatus, there is the sleep state of entering function, comprising:

This equipment can complete the method flow of above-mentioned steps S1101-S1102, can perform step the function of S1101-S1102.

For example, save the power of the former frame of when indication present frame and save to be designated as and allow power to save if described setting unit arranges the power of current data frame, the power of present frame is saved indication and is directly set to and allows power to save; Or

If saving to be designated as, the power of the former frame of present frame forbids power saving, whether allow power to save according to described current TXOP and judge that the power saving of present frame indicates whether to be set to the saving of permission power, if described current TXOP allows power to save, the power of present frame is saved to indicate and is set to the saving of permission power.

Further, described setting unit is designated as 1 to indicate STA to forbid power saving for power is saved; Power is saved and is designated as 0, and the STA that receives described Frame to indicate can allow power to save.

Under SU-MIMO pattern, this operated object mark is association identification (the association identifier of 1 STA that this frame is corresponding, be called for short AID) in association identification, can be 1 the STA associated any mark corresponding with this frame, if the association identification of 1 described STA, only indicates this 1 STA, for example, the association identification of described 1 STA, can be MAC (MediumAccess Control) mark (identifier) of this 1 STA, and MAC identify conventionally also referred to as MAC Address (address).

Similarly, under MU-MIMO pattern, operated object mark can be Group ID as previously mentioned, but be not limited to the realization that adopts Group ID, and can be any one or the multiple mark of several STA of indication, for example, under MU-MIMO pattern, described operated object mark can also with several STA respectively corresponding several MAC Address realized, described operated object mark can be also several STA corresponding several MAC Address respectively.

At the invention described above embodiment mono-, to the embodiment of the present invention four, AP, in the time that TXOP power saving indication is arranged, can also further save the change frequency of value and/or the version of value of indicating to TXOP power and limit.

An embodiment 12 is provided.

Step 1201:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.Wherein, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of forbidding of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication, and the TXOP power saving of forbidding of each frame is indicated by AP according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of current TXOP.Because only allowing to forbid TXOP power saves indication and changes 1 time, and only allowing TXOP power to save indication allows power to save indication from forbidding that power is saved to indicate to be changed to, ought forbid that so TXOP power is saved indication variation 1 time and supposition forbids that TXOP power saving indication changes at K frame, execution mode is: at current TXOP the first frame to all frames that comprise the first frame and K-1 frame between K-1 frame, , save all frames of the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication current TXOP before forbidding TXOP power, AP equipment forbids that the value of TXOP power saving indication is set to forbid that it is 1 that power is saved indication, at current TXOP K frame to all frames that comprise K frame and last frame between last frame,, forbidding that TXOP power saves the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication and all frames at this frame (i.e. K frame) current TXOP afterwards, AP equipment forbids saving the value of indication by TXOP power, and to be set to allow power saving to indicate be 0.

Step 1202:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises the operated object mark of forbidding TXOP power saving indication and this frame of this frame.

Step 1203:STA equipment judges forbidding that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and being or no of present frame, if NO, and execution step 1204; If YES, STA equipment keeps waking state, and STA equipment, using next frame as new present frame, returns to execution step 1202.

Step 1204: in each frame of last frame, STA equipment judges whether to meet the first sleep condition at the present frame of current TXOP, and if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.In this step, the first sleep condition needn't be modified to the sleep condition in existing communication agreement, thereby is more convenient to existing communication equipment to carry out upgrading.

As described in embodiment tetra-, under MU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or both the combination in described two conditions, and under SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise one or both the combination in described two conditions.Embodiment tetra-realizes one realization: under MU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition comprises the last one in described two conditions, and under SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition comprises the last one in described two conditions; That is to say, under MU-MIMO pattern and SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition is all to comprise the indication to this STA equipment when the operated object mark of present frame, and this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, this is equivalent to, the second sleep condition is that this STA equipment receives that the more data bit of issuing self is designated as 0 Frame, and replys a corresponding ACK to this Frame.Realizing two realization for embodiment tetra-can be: under MU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition comprises described two conditions, and under SU-MIMO pattern, the second sleep condition can comprise the last one in described two conditions; This is equivalent to increase described Section 1 condition under MU-MIMO pattern in above-described embodiment four is realized the second sleep condition of an employing, thereby the second sleep condition under MU-MIMO pattern and SU-MIMO pattern can comprise following condition one and condition two by integrating representation:

Condition one. the group mark (being Group ID) of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA is designated as 0.

Condition two. the operated object mark of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and this STA receives that more data bit is designated as 0 Frame, this is equivalent to, this STA equipment receives that the more data bit of issuing self is designated as 0 Frame, and replys a corresponding ACK to this Frame.

The more detailed implementation method of power saving method of above-described embodiment 12 is as follows, is designated as embodiment 13.

Step 1301:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.Wherein, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of forbidding of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication, and the TXOP power saving of forbidding of each frame is indicated by AP according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of current TXOP.Save indication and change 1 time and suppose and forbid that TXOP power saving indication changes at K frame when forbidding TXOP power, execution mode is: at current TXOP the first frame to all frames that comprise the first frame and K-1 frame between K-1 frame,, forbidding that TXOP power saves all frames of the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication current TXOP before, AP equipment forbids that TXOP power saves the value of indication and be set to forbid that power saves that to indicate be 1; At current TXOP K frame to all frames that comprise K frame and last frame between last frame,, forbidding that TXOP power saves the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication and all frames at this frame (i.e. K frame) current TXOP afterwards, AP equipment forbids saving the value of indication by TXOP power, and to be set to allow power saving to indicate be 0.

In same TXOP, whether the TXOP power of each frame is saved indication is to be allowed to carry out power saving at current TXOP by AP basis, and the STA that has or not newly-increased having to enter sleep state function in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of this frame arranges respectively.Wherein, AP specifically can adopt the STA that has or not newly-increased having to enter sleep state function in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of each frame of aforesaid second method method to current TXOP to judge, that is: judge that in all frames that whether comprised in the operated object mark of present frame after the present frame in current TXOP, needing to carry out having of data transmission enters the STA equipment of sleep state function, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not carry out data transmission to new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame.Easily see, above-mentionedly meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame, be equivalent to: in current TXOP, in the follow-up each frame of present frame, AP carries out having of data transmission and enters the STA equipment of sleep state function, must be the STA equipment in several indicated STA equipment of the operated object mark of present frame.

In the present embodiment, the method to set up of TXOP power saving indication is summarized as follows: be set to allow power to save if the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame is saved indication, the TXOP power of present frame saving indication must be set to allow power to save; Be set to forbid power saving if the saving of the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame is indicated, the TXOP power of present frame is saved to indicate and can be set to allow power saving or forbid power saving.The TXOP power of present frame is saved and is indicated when can being set to allow power to save or forbidding that power is saved, only have and allow in the time that current TXOP carries out that power is saved and the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing meets, the TXOP power of present frame that just can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to allow power saving.If do not allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP, the TXOP power of the present frame of current TXOP is saved indication and must be set to forbid power saving.

Step 1302:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises the operated object mark of forbidding TXOP power saving indication and this frame of this frame.

Step 1303:STA equipment judges forbidding that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and being or no of present frame, if NO, and execution step 1304; If YES, STA equipment keeps waking state, does not need accordingly to judge whether to meet sleep condition, and STA equipment, using next frame as new present frame, returns to execution step 1302.

Step 1304:, forbid in current TXOP that TXOP power is saved to be designated as in no frame at the present frame of current TXOP in each frame of last frame, STA equipment judges whether to meet the 3rd sleep condition, and if so, STA equipment can enter sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.Be to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and once received several STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, judge whether to meet the 3rd sleep condition, if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.Described the 3rd sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following 4 conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, is judged as and meets the 3rd sleep condition, and STA equipment can enter sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the 3rd sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the 3rd sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.These 4 conditions specifically can comprise following content:

Condition one: the group mark (being Group ID) of present frame does not comprise the indication to this STA equipment.

Condition two: when the part AID of the part AID indicating in the operated object mark of present frame and this STA equipment is different, or present frame is not issued this STA.

Condition three: the group mark (being Group ID) of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA is designated as 0.

Condition four: this STA equipment receives that the more data bit of issuing self is designated as 0 Frame, and reply a corresponding ACK to this Frame.

The power saving method of above-described embodiment 13 can further be optimized, and obtains embodiment 14.

Step 1401:AP equipment sends the one or more frame of current TXOP to STA equipment.Wherein, each frame comprises: the TXOP power of forbidding of the operated object mark of this frame and this frame is saved indication, and the TXOP power saving of forbidding of each frame is indicated by AP according to having or not newly-increased STA to arrange respectively in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of current TXOP.Save indication and change 1 time and suppose and forbid that TXOP power saving indication changes at K frame when forbidding TXOP power, execution mode is: at current TXOP the first frame to all frames that comprise the first frame and K-1 frame between K-1 frame,, forbidding that TXOP power saves all frames of the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication current TXOP before, AP equipment forbids that TXOP power saves the value of indication and be set to forbid that power saves that to indicate be 1; At current TXOP K frame to all frames that comprise K frame and last frame between last frame,, forbidding that TXOP power saves the frame (i.e. K frame) that changes of indication and all frames at this frame (i.e. K frame) current TXOP afterwards, AP equipment forbids saving the value of indication by TXOP power, and to be set to allow power saving to indicate be 0.

In same TXOP, whether the TXOP power of each frame is saved indication is according to allowing to carry out power saving at current TXOP by AP, above-mentioned restriction i and ii, and the STA that has or not newly-increased having to enter sleep state function in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of this frame arranges respectively.Wherein, the method that the STA that has or not newly-increased having to enter sleep state function in the operated object mark of the subsequent frame of each frame of AP to current TXOP judges is: judge several STA equipment that in the each frame before several STA equipment and the present frame that the operated object mark of present frame is indicated, AP once carried out data transmission, whether comprise that in the later all frames of present frame in current TXOP, needing to carry out having of data transmission enters the STA equipment of sleep state function, if, be illustrated in the follow-up each frame of present frame and can not carry out data transmission to new STA equipment, meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame, otherwise, do not meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame.Easily see, above-mentionedly meet the newly-increased STA condition of follow-up nothing at present frame, be equivalent to: in current TXOP, in the follow-up each frame of present frame, AP carries out having of data transmission and enters the STA equipment of sleep state function, must be the STA equipment in several indicated STA equipment of the operated object mark of present frame, or in each frame before present frame, AP once carry out the STA equipment in several STA equipment of data transmission.

In the present embodiment, the method to set up of TXOP power saving indication is summarized as follows: according to above-mentioned restriction i and ii, be set to allow power to save if the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame is saved indication, the TXOP power of present frame is saved to indicate and must be set to allow power to save; Be set to forbid power saving if the saving of the TXOP power of the former frame of present frame is indicated, the TXOP power of present frame is saved to indicate and can be set to allow power saving or forbid power saving.When according to above-mentioned restriction i and ii, the TXOP power of present frame is saved and is indicated when can being set to allow power to save or forbidding that power is saved, only have and allow in the time that current TXOP carries out that power is saved and the newly-increased STA of follow-up nothing meets, the TXOP power of present frame that just can current TXOP is saved indication and is set to allow power saving.If do not allow to carry out power saving at current TXOP, the TXOP power of the present frame of current TXOP is saved indication and must be set to forbid power saving.

Step 1402:STA equipment obtains the present frame of current TXOP, and wherein, present frame comprises the operated object mark of forbidding TXOP power saving indication and this frame of this frame.

Step 1403:STA equipment judges forbidding that TXOP power is saved to be designated as and being or no of present frame, if NO, and execution step 1404, if YES, STA equipment keeps waking state, do not need accordingly to judge whether to meet sleep condition, and, STA equipment is using next frame as new present frame, return to execution step 1402, in addition, STA equipment also carries out following operation: judge at present frame AP whether carry out data transmission to self, whether judge at present frame AP to this STA equipment transmitting and receiving terminal MAC Address (or being called MAC mark) Frame identical with this STA device mac address, if, this STA equipment is noted down this state, noting down forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication is that the frame of forbidding power saving indication was once received this state of Frame of issuing self.

Step 1404: at the present frame of current TXOP in each frame of last frame, in current TXOP, forbid that the saving of TXOP power is designated as in no frame, to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and once received several STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, judge whether to meet the 4th sleep condition, if so, STA equipment can enter sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.And described be to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and once received other STA equipment outside several STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, be to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and do not received the STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, judge whether to meet the 3rd sleep condition, if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.Described the 4th sleep condition, i.e. last condition in included 4 conditions of aforementioned the 3rd sleep condition, that is: this STA equipment receives that the more data bit of issuing self is designated as 0 Frame, and replys a corresponding ACK to this Frame.

In step 1404, be to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and once received several STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, adopt the 4th sleep condition.

In embodiment 14, can only modify and obtain another embodiment of the present invention step 1404, that is: replace by the 5th sleep condition in the 4th sleep condition described in step 1404, be to forbid that power saves each frame of indication and once received several STA equipment of the Frame of issuing self forbidding that TXOP power is saved the value of indication, judge whether to meet the 5th sleep condition, if so, STA equipment enters sleep state; If not, STA equipment keeps waking state.And described the 5th sleep condition can comprise one or more the combination in following 2 conditions, in the time that wherein a condition meets, be judged as and meet the 5th sleep condition, STA equipment can enter sleep state; When one or more conditions that comprise when the 5th sleep condition all do not meet, be judged as and do not meet the 5th sleep condition, STA equipment keeps waking state.And described 2 conditions are latter two condition in 4 included conditions of aforementioned the 3rd sleep condition, be condition one: the group mark (being Group ID) of present frame comprises the indication to this STA equipment, and spatial reuse fluxion corresponding to this STA is designated as 0.Condition two: this STA equipment receives that the more data bit of issuing self is designated as 0 Frame, and reply a corresponding ACK to this Frame.

In each above-mentioned embodiment of present specification, if a STA equipment can enter sleep state according to sleep condition judgment self, this STA equipment will keep sleep state until this TXOP finishes.At a TXOP at first, in at least one frame that AP sends, carry NAV (networkallocation vector: network allocation vector), described NAV indication a period of time, within this period of time, do not have all STA of control all can not initiatively initiate transfer of data to this TXOP; Thereby described NAV has set TXOP perdurabgility, in practice, a TXOP at first, the TXOP perdurabgility that AP arranges, may change in this TXOP, can send the frame that carries new NAV by AP and realize; The TXOP finish time that described new NAV is indicated, different the finish time from the TXOP of the previously NAV that sends out of institute setting of AP.In the prior art, above-mentioned carries NAV in a frame, and the duration field (Duration field) being often referred in the mac frame (MAC frame) in a frame carries NAV.

In each above-mentioned embodiment of present specification, can increase following step 1501 to each STA equipment, thereby to avoid STA equipment to transfer to taking wireless channel after waking state the disturbing ongoing communication of other user.

Step 1501: any one keeps sleep state until the STA equipment that this TXOP finishes, after end sleep state transfers waking state to, can not use transmission medium (access the medium) can not take wireless channel with transmission information, until any one in following 3 conditions or multiple satisfied time: condition 1. these STA equipment are received a frame and the NAV of self is set by described frame.

Condition 2. these STA equipment are correctly decoded L-SIG territory (being Non-HT Signalfield, also referred to as Legacy Signal field) that a frame comprises and a described frame supports the mechanism of L-SIG protection TXOP (being L-SIG TXOP protection).Condition 3. these STA equipment, by being CCA (clearchannel assessment, i.e. channel unused state assessment), determine in one section of given time T 15, and channel is also that transmission medium is in idle (idle) state.Described T15 is the value of a period of time length, for example, can be 0.5 millisecond or 0.9 millisecond; Described CCA is prior art, and the power that STA equipment evaluation receives on channel, when power is less than specified value, thinks that channel is in idle condition.

The condition 2 of above-mentioned steps 1501 can also have another kind of implementation, and this STA equipment is correctly decoded the L-SIG territory that a frame comprises; And in the time that a described frame is not supported L-SIG protection TXOP machine-processed, this STA equipment is waited for one section of given time T 2 after the time period of L-SIG territory protection finishes again, and just can use thereafter transmission medium; And in the time that a described frame is supported L-SIG protection TXOP machine-processed, this STA equipment can use transmission medium after the time period of L-SIG territory protection finishes.Described this STA equipment can use transmission medium, and does not mean that this STA equipment must use transmission medium.When a STA equipment can use transmission medium, the right to use that conventionally also will remove to compete transmission medium, only, competing after transmission medium, is just used transmission medium; Described one section of given time T 15b, its value can have multiple implementation, the time span that for example T15b equals an ACK frame adds the time span of two SIFS (short inter-frame space: short frame period), or the time span that equals the ACK frame time span that adds a SIFS adds the time span of a PIFS (The PCF inter-framespace:PCF frame period) again.

Can see from above-mentioned step 1501, one keeps sleep state until the STA equipment that this TXOP finishes, after end sleep state transfers waking state to, if can receive that a frame is to be arranged the NAV of self by described frame at once, it can use transmission medium soon.

Therefore, can increase following step to AP equipment and allow the STA equipment that transfers waking state to that NAV is set to be sent out a frame after TXOP finishes by AP equipment, concrete grammar is as follows.

Step 1601: after this TXOP passes through the T16 time interval again finish time, AP equipment sends a frame to each STA equipment, and described frame carries NAV.There is multiple possible execution mode in the described T16 time interval, for example, can be SIFS or PIFS; The NAV value that described frame carries has multiple possible execution mode, for example, can be null value or the moment of only protecting described frame end; Described frame has multiple possible execution mode, for example, can be CF_End frame of the prior art, and the NAV value that CF_End frame carries is null value; Described after this TXOP passes through the T16 time interval again finish time, a moment, this time be engraved in this TXOP finish time after, and apart from the time interval of this TXOP finish time be T16.

Step 1602: each keeps sleep state until the STA equipment that this TXOP finishes, after end sleep state transfers waking state to, receive AP equipment frame through sending after the T16 time interval again after this TXOP finish time, the NAV of self is set by described frame, thereby meet the condition one described in step 1501, after described frame end, just can use transmission medium accordingly.Especially, the frame sending in step 1601 when AP equipment is CF_End frame, and each STA equipment is understood as NAV reset receiving CF_End frame, that is to say, in the moment of above-mentioned CF_End frame end, each STA equipment is the NAV timer reset-to-zero of self.

Above-mentioned steps 1601 and 1602, can only adopt CF_End frame to realize, and the described T16 time interval can stipulate that corresponding step is as follows with SIFS:

Step 1701: after this TXOP SIFS time interval of the finish time, AP equipment sends a CF_End frame to each STA equipment, and the NAV value that CF_End frame carries is null value.

Step 1702: each keeps sleep state until the STA equipment that this TXOP finishes, after end sleep state transfers waking state to, receive AP equipment CF_End frame through sending after the SIFS time interval again after this TXOP finish time, and be understood as NAV reset receiving CF_End frame, that is to say, in the moment of above-mentioned CF_End frame end, each STA equipment is the NAV timer reset-to-zero of self, the corresponding transmission medium that just can use.

In above-mentioned each embodiment, a STA equipment enters after sleep state, keeps sleep state until this TXOP finishes.But, embodiments of the invention are not limited to above-mentioned implementation, for example, if a STA equipment can enter sleep state according to sleep condition judgment self, this STA equipment will keep sleep state until this TXOP finishes, simultaneously during this STA equipment keeps sleep state, in several moment that stipulate in advance, wake up and within a period of time, keep waking state, and then entering sleep state; Or if a STA equipment can enter sleep state according to sleep condition judgment self, this STA equipment will keep sleep state until this TXOP finishes a previous moment.

Provide again an embodiment as follows, be designated as embodiment 18:

Step 1801: in current TXOP, each STA equipment judges whether self can enter sleep state.If a STA equipment judges that self can enter sleep state, this STA equipment will keep sleep state until a moment before this TXOP finish time, and transfer waking state in this described moment.STA device end sleep state transfers the time interval between moment and this TXOP finish time of waking state to, equals one and participates in the communication parties value of agreement in advance, or participate in communication parties in advance within the scope of agreement at one.Described STA equipment transfers to after waking state, receive the frame that AP sends, the NAV that the NAV carrying according to frame that AP sends out again upgrades self sets, or set according to the NAV of the L-SIG area update of frame that AP sends out self, or at least one bit carrying according to frame that AP sends out determines that whether this TXOP that when this TXOP starts with TXOP the finish time, AP sets is identical the finish time.

In the STA of step 1801 finishes to be carved into time sleep state transfers waking state to the time range between this TXOP finish time, or in the STA described in step 1801 finishes moment that sleep state transfers waking state to time range after passing through again the T18 time interval, or within the scope of a period of time before this TXOP finish time, AP equipment sends at least one frame to several STA equipment, described frame carries the moment that NAV finishes with indication TXOP, or the L-SIG territory of described frame has been carried persond eixis and has been set for the NAV of STA renewal of the equipment self, or whether described frame carries this TXOP that at least one bit AP when indicating this TXOP to start with TXOP the finish time sets identical the finish time.Described in this step, there is multiple possible execution mode in the T18 time interval, for example, can be SIFS or PIFS.

Can be further in the above embodiments 18 AP equipment sends to several STA equipment in described time range at least one frame, must meet at least one in following 4 features: at least one frame that AP equipment sends to several STA equipment in described time range, the mode that does not adopt wave beam to form (beamforming) sends; In at least one frame that AP equipment sends to several STA equipment in described time range, the mode that entrained NAV does not adopt wave beam to form sends; In at least one frame that AP equipment sends to several STA equipment in described time range, the mode that the L-SIG territory of described frame does not adopt wave beam to form sends; In at least one frame that AP equipment sends to several STA equipment in described time range, entrained at least one whether identical bit of this TXOP finish time that AP sets when indicating this TXOP to start with TXOP the finish time, the mode that does not adopt wave beam to form sends.

Claims

1. the method that power is saved, is characterized in that, described method comprises:

In current transmission opportunity TXOP, send current data frame; so that the STA of described reception current data frame is according to the judged result of sleep condition is determined whether to enter sleep state, and in described TXOP, sends power that at least one Frame of sending before current data frame comprises and save indication and be used to indicate and forbid that power saves;

Described STA has the STA equipment that enters sleep state function;

Wherein, the described power that current data frame is set is saved to indicate and is comprised:

Allow power to save if the power of the former frame of present frame is saved to be designated as, the power of present frame is saved to indicate to be directly set to and is allowed power to save.

2. method according to claim 1, is characterized in that, the described power that current data frame is set is saved indication and also comprised:

3. method according to claim 2, it is characterized in that, whether described method allows power to save judge the power of present frame to save to indicate whether to be set to according to described current TXOP allows power to save, if described current TXOP allows power to save, the power of present frame is saved indication and is set to and allows power saving to comprise:

Whether allow power to save according to allowing to have or not newly-increased point of termination station STA to judge that the power of present frame is saved to indicate whether to be set in described TXOP carries out the operated object mark of subsequent frame of power saving and described current data frame, if allow to carry out in the operated object mark of subsequent frame of power saving and described current data frame without newly-increased STA at described TXOP, the power of present frame is saved indication and is set to and allows power saving.

4. according to the method described in arbitrary claim of claims 1 to 3; it is characterized in that; described method comprises: the power saving sending in described TXOP at least one Frame sending before current data frame is designated as 1, is used to indicate STA and forbids power saving; The power of described present frame is saved and is designated as 0, is used to indicate the STA that receives described Frame and can allows power to save.

5. according to the method described in arbitrary claim of claims 1 to 3, it is characterized in that, power in all Frames send described current data frame in described current transmission opportunity TXOP before is saved to be designated as and is indicated STA to forbid power saving, and the power in follow-up all Frames of described current data frame is saved to be designated as and indicated STA can allow power to save.

6. an access point apparatus, is characterized in that, has the sleep state of entering function, comprising:

Wherein, the power that described setting unit comprises at least one Frame that is arranged to send before sending current data frame in described TXOP of present frame is saved indication and is used to indicate STA and forbids that power saves;

Wherein, save the power of the former frame of when indication present frame and save to be designated as and allow power to save if described setting unit arranges the power of current data frame, the power of present frame is saved indication and is directly set to and allows power to save.

7. access point apparatus according to claim 6, it is characterized in that, if described setting unit arranges the power of current data frame and saves the power of the former frame of when indication present frame and save to be designated as and forbid that power saves, whether allow power to save according to described current TXOP and judge that the power saving of present frame indicates whether to be set to the saving of permission power, if described current TXOP allows power to save, the power of present frame is saved to indicate and is set to the saving of permission power.

8. according to the access point apparatus described in claim 6 or 7, it is characterized in that, described setting unit is forbidden power saving for power saving being designated as to 1 with indication; Power is saved and is designated as 0, can allow power to save to indicate.