KR20090114893A - Apparatus and method of access point for saving station power - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An access point device and a method for saving electric power of a user terminal are provided to reduce the time of wake up state of a user terminal by performing wireless transmission via wake up of a user terminal acquiring classified packet. CONSTITUTION: A packet processing registration unit(110) receives the registration of the packet processing information for the needs of user terminals(11,12,13). The packet processing unit(120) processes the input packet depending on the packet processing information. The packet processing information is coincided with a destination address of input packet among the registered packet processing information. The packet transmission unit(130) wakes up the user terminal. The user terminal is corresponded to the destination address. The packet transmission unit transmits the processed input packet to the user terminal.

Description

APAPATUS AND METHOD OF ACCESS POINT FOR SAVING STATION POWER}

The present invention relates to an access point apparatus for reducing power of a user terminal and a method thereof, and more particularly, does not control power in the user terminal itself, but classifies packets in the access point apparatus and requires the classified packets. The present invention relates to an access point apparatus and a method for reducing power of a user terminal, by enabling a user to wake up and transmit only a user terminal to substantially reduce a time in which the user terminal is in a wake-up state.

Local area network (LAN) is largely divided into wired LAN and wireless LAN, and there is literally cable and no biggest difference.

In particular, a wireless LAN is a method of communicating over a network using radio waves without using a cable. The emergence of wireless LANs has emerged as an alternative to solve the difficulties of installation, maintenance and movement due to cabling. In addition, the need for the wireless LAN is increasing due to the increase of mobile users.

The WLAN is composed of an access point (AP) and a WLAN card. The AP is a device that transmits radio waves for wireless LAN users within the transmission distance to access the Internet and network, and serves as a hub of a mobile phone base station or a wired network. Wireless high-speed Internet services provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) also have access point devices (APs) already installed in the service area.

In order to perform wireless network communication, a user station must be equipped with a wireless LAN card in a terminal such as a notebook computer, a PDA or a mobile phone. Hereinafter, the user terminal will be used to mean such a WLAN terminal.

Looking at a user terminal connected to a general network, a notebook computer and a WiFi phone constantly receive a large number of packets (eg, ARP (Adress Resolution Protocol) packets, broadcast packets, multicast packets, etc.) from the network. do. In this case, the user terminal connected to the class C IP network receives at least a few dozen various packets per minute. As a result, the user terminal does not take advantage of the power savings and thus has a lot of loss of standby time.

On the other hand, the conventional power saving techniques are mostly related to operating in a power saving mode by checking the position or state of the user terminal in the user station (Station). Hereinafter, the conventional power saving techniques will be described.

Among the conventional power saving techniques, a technique for automatically detecting an access point apparatus is to prevent power waste by driving the user terminal only when the WLAN module has a WLAN access point (AP). The conventional automatic access point device search technology is used when a dual-mode terminal equipped with a wireless LAN module and a mobile communication module simultaneously wants to receive data service through a wireless LAN access point (AP). In this conventional technology, the user terminal determines whether there is a WLAN access point (AP) currently in service through broadcast information provided in the service area of the base station. The user terminal includes a WLAN service means for detecting a beacon signal transmitted by a neighboring WLAN access point (AP) according to the determination result, and receiving data service through an active WLAN access point (AP). .

Another conventional power saving technique relates to a technique for performing a power saving mode in a wireless communication system. Specifically, in such a wireless communication system, the user terminal wakes up periodically or aperiodically according to a service characteristic to collectively process data transmission and reception, and then switch to a sleep mode. In addition, in such a wireless communication system, the user terminal wakes up in consideration of the time recommended by the access point, processes the data transmission and reception, and then switches to the sleep mode.

The power saving mode performing technique has an advantage in that the user terminal wakes up according to service characteristics to collectively transmit and receive data and immediately switch to the sleep mode to save power. The power saving mode performance technique has a large power saving effect because the transmission time can be saved by using frame aggregation and block response. In addition, power saving scheduling using the recommended wake-up period of the access point (AP) is possible. For example, the power saving mode performance technique may recommend a period for satisfying a quality of service (QoS) requirement, and may be scheduled to minimize IAC contention between power saving terminals.

However, these conventional power saving techniques have a problem in that the actual power saving effect is small because the user terminal may be frequently changed from the sleep mode to the wakeup mode.

On the other hand, the data processing technology in the access point device that supports the power management of the WLAN terminal of the conventional saving technology, the data for the user terminal can be moved and carried for a longer time by extending the idle state IDLE time It relates to a processing technique. The user terminal must enter deep sleep mode to perform a power saving mode. At this time, since a large number of broadcast packets or multicast packets occur in the Ethernet environment, there is a problem in that the deep sleep mode cannot be actually entered.

As described above, the conventional technology has a problem in that a substantial power saving effect is small because the user terminal may be frequently changed from a sleep mode to a wake-up mode, and in addition, since a large number of broadcast packets or multicast packets are generated, a deep sleep is not realized. There is a problem that can not enter the mode, and to solve this problem is an object of the present invention.

Therefore, the present invention does not perform power control in the user terminal itself, but classifies the packet in the access point apparatus and wakes up and transmits only the user terminal that needs the classified packet, thereby substantially eliminating the user terminal. It is an object of the present invention to provide an access point apparatus and a method for reducing power of a user terminal, which can reduce the time.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present invention which are not mentioned above can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be readily appreciated that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by the means and combinations thereof indicated in the claims.

In order to solve the problem, the present invention does not perform power control in the user terminal itself, but classifies the packet in the access point apparatus, and wakes up and transmits only the user terminal that needs the classified packet.

More specifically, the apparatus of the present invention, the access point apparatus, packet processing registration means for receiving the packet processing information for each user terminal; Packet processing means for processing the input packet according to the packet processing information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet among the registered packet processing information; And packet transmission means for waking up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address and transmitting the processed input packet to the waked up user terminal.

The apparatus of the present invention further includes storage means for storing the registered packet processing information.

On the other hand, the method of the present invention, the user terminal power saving method, packet processing registration step of registering the packet processing information for each user terminal; A packet processing step of processing the input packet according to packet processing information corresponding to a destination address of the input packet among the registered packet processing information; And a packet transmission step of waking up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address and transmitting the processed input packet to the waked up user terminal.

The method may further include a storing step of storing the registered packet processing information.

As such, the data processing technology in the access point apparatus according to the present invention solves the problem that the user terminal cannot enter the sleep mode by the broadcast packet or the multicast packets on the Ethernet without the data to be transmitted to the power. To reduce consumption.

As described above, the present invention does not perform power control in the user terminal itself, but by classifying the packet in the access point apparatus and only waking up the user terminal that needs the classified packet to perform wireless transmission. There is an effect of reducing the time that the terminal is in the wake-up state.

That is, the present invention has the effect of minimizing the power consumption of the user terminal because the sleep mode of the user terminal can be maximized by only waking up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address of the packet.

The above objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may share the technical idea of the present invention. It will be easy to implement. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The access point apparatus according to the present invention substitutes for processing such as multicast / broadcast packets to a user terminal sensitive to power consumption. In other words, since the association with the user terminal, the access point device monitors whether the associated user terminal is connected or roamed. When such a multicast / broadcast packet or the like must be delivered from the core network to the user terminal during such monitoring, an access point apparatus that already knows the state of the user terminal substitutes for the multicast / broadcast packet or the like, thereby providing the user terminal. Preventing waking during this sleep mode can improve battery latency.

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an access point device for power saving of a user terminal according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the access point apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes a packet processing register 110, a packet processor 120, a packet transmitter 130, and a storage 140.

Hereinafter, each component of the access point apparatus 100 will be described in detail.

The packet processing registration unit 110 receives packet processing information for each user terminal from the first to third user terminals 11, 12, and 13.

That is, the first to third user terminals 11, 12, and 13 transmit the packet processing information corresponding to the packet processing information to the packet processing register 110 while requesting an association to the access point apparatus 100. Then, the packet processing registration unit 110 receives the packet processing information transmitted for each user terminal and registers each user terminal. The packet processing information includes processing information on how to process a packet for each user terminal address. The packet processing information may be in the form of a user terminal IP table in which packet processing progress is indicated on the basis of the address of the user terminal, and is stored in the storage 140. The packet processing information includes processing information on a response process, a filtering process, or a transmission process.

Here, the packet processing register 110 may update the previous packet processing information according to the combining request of the user terminal. That is, the first to third user terminals 11, 12, and 13 may define a protocol or other protocol to inform their service to the packet processing register 110 and send only input packets related thereto to the user terminal. do.

In addition, as part of initialization, the packet processing register 110 may be set whether to operate as a general access point device or an access point device for power saving of a user terminal.

The storage unit 140 stores the packet processing information registered by the packet processing registration unit 110. The storage unit 140 transmits the packet processing information to the packet processing unit 120 at the request of the packet processing unit 120.

The packet processing unit 120 processes the input packet according to the packet processing information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet among the packet processing information registered by the packet processing registration unit 110.

Specifically, the input packet is transmitted through wired / wireless communication. The packet processor 120 checks a filtering process, a response process, or a transmission process by bringing packet processing information stored in the storage 140 to process an input packet. The packet processor 120 determines whether to respond to the input packet or determines whether to filter the packet according to the packet processing information. In addition, the packet processor 120 determines whether to transmit to the user terminal corresponding to the destination address of the packet. That is, the packet processor 120 determines whether to process the received input packet. The packet processor 120 processes the input packet according to the determined processing, that is, the packet processing information.

For example, the destination address of the input ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) packet 103 is "00:11:25", and the user terminal corresponding to the address "00:11:25" in the packet processing information is the third user terminal. (13). The packet processing information for the ARP packet 103 of the third user terminal 13 indicates that all packets should be transmitted to the third user terminal 13 without performing response and filtering.

In addition, the packet processing information for the NetBios packet 101 and the ARP packet 102 having a destination address of "00:11:23" is responded to the ARP packet, and the NetBios packet and the SMB. It is shown that filtering is performed on the packet. In addition, the packet to be transmitted refers to all packets that have passed the filtering.

The packet transmitter 130 wakes up the third user terminal 13 corresponding to the destination address (eg, “00:11:25”) of the input packet. The packet transmitter 130 transmits the packet processed by the packet processor 120 to the wake-up third user terminal 13. When the packet transmitter 130 needs to transmit an input packet to the third user terminal 13 connected to the access point apparatus 100, the packet transmitter 130 converts the input packet to transmit the input packet to the third user terminal 13. do. Here, the third user terminal 13 wakes up according to the request of the packet transmitter 130, and other user terminals irrelevant to the input packet to be transmitted, that is, the first and second user terminals 11 and 12 sleep. The mode will continue.

Accordingly, the access point apparatus 100 according to the present invention is to improve battery standby time by reducing power consumption of a user terminal sensitive to power consumption in a WLAN system. In a wireless LAN system including the access point device 100, a user terminal (for example, a Wi-Fi phone, etc.) may reduce power consumption and improve standby time.

That is, as described above, the access point apparatus performs most of its processing and makes a wake-up request to the user terminal only for packets connected to the user terminal, thereby preventing the user terminal from waking up due to other packets. Can improve the waiting time.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for registering packet processing information in a packet processing register and a storage unit according to the present invention.

First, the packet processing registration unit 110 checks whether there is a user setting for packet processing (202).

As a result of the check 202, if there is a user's setting for packet processing, the packet processing registration unit 110 may directly receive and register packet processing information for each user terminal from the user (204). The storage 140 stores the packet processing information registered by the packet processing register 110 in the form of a user terminal IP table (206).

As a result of the check 202, if there is no user's setting for packet processing, the packet processing registration unit 110 prepares to register the packet processing information when the user terminal 11, 12, and 13 join request.

Thereafter, the packet processing registration unit 110 checks whether there is a request for registration of packet processing information when the user terminal joins the request (210).

As a result of the check 210, if there is a request for registration of packet processing information, the packet processing registration unit 110 performs a process “204” using the requested packet processing information. On the other hand, if there is no registration request of the packet processing information, the packet processing registration unit 110 performs a general combining process with the user terminal (212).

3 is a flowchart illustrating a power saving method of a user terminal in an access point apparatus according to the present invention.

First, the packet processor 120 checks whether an input packet received through wired / wireless communication is a valid packet (302).

As a result of the check 302, if it is a valid packet, the packet processor 120 checks whether packet filtering information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet is performed (304).

As a result of the check 304, if there is a filtering process, the packet processor 120 filters the input packet according to the packet processing information (306). The packet processor 120 checks whether the filtered input packet is discarded (308).

If the check result 308, the input packet to be discarded, the packet processing unit 120 discards the filtered input packet (310). On the other hand, if the input packet does not need to be discarded, the packet processor 120 exceptions the filtered input packet (312).

On the other hand, if the check result 304, the filtering process is not performed, the packet processing unit 120 checks whether the packet response information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet is performed (314).

As a result of the check 314, if there is a packet response process, the packet transmitter 130 converts the input packet into a response packet according to the packet processing information (316). The packet transmitter 130 transmits the response packet to another access point device or the core network in response to the response of the user terminal (318).

On the other hand, if the check result 314, there is no packet response process, the packet processing unit 120 checks whether or not the packet transmission information in the packet processing information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet (320).

As a result of the check 320, if there is a packet transmission process, the packet transmitter 130 converts an input packet into a transport packet according to the packet processing information (322). The packet transmitter 130 wakes up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address of the input packet, and transmits the converted input packet, that is, the transport packet, to the waked up user terminal (324). On the other hand, if there is no packet transmission process, the process starts from "308".

On the other hand, the method of the present invention as described above can be written in a computer program. And the code and code segments constituting the program can be easily inferred by a computer programmer in the art. In addition, the written program is stored in a computer-readable recording medium (information storage medium), and read and executed by a computer to implement the method of the present invention. The recording medium may include any type of computer readable recording medium.

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is not limited by the drawings.

1 is a configuration diagram of an access point device for power saving of a user terminal according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for registering packet processing information in a packet processing register and a storage unit according to the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a power saving method of a user terminal in an access point apparatus according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: access point device 110: packet processing register

120: packet processing unit 130: packet transmission unit

140: storage unit

Claims (12)

In an access point apparatus, Packet processing registration means for receiving packet processing information for each user terminal; Packet processing means for processing the input packet according to the packet processing information corresponding to the destination address of the input packet among the registered packet processing information; And Packet transmission means for waking up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address and transmitting the processed input packet to the waked up user terminal Access point device for power saving of the user terminal comprising a. The method of claim 1, Storage means for storing the registered packet processing information Access point device for power saving of the user terminal further comprising. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The packet processing registration means, And the packet processing information is registered at the request of a user, or the packet processing information is registered according to the access point device combining request of the user terminal. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The packet processing means, Access point device for power saving of the user terminal, characterized in that for filtering the input packet according to the packet processing information. The method of claim 4, wherein The packet transmission means, According to the processing result in the packet processing means, in response to the response of the user terminal for transmitting the response packet for the processed input packet to another access point device or core network for power saving of the user terminal Access Point Device. The method of claim 5, wherein The packet processing information, And a packet processing information for any one of packet filtering, packet response, and packet transmission, for the destination address of the user terminal. In the user terminal power saving method, A packet processing registration step of registering packet processing information for each user terminal; A packet processing step of processing the input packet according to packet processing information corresponding to a destination address of the input packet among the registered packet processing information; And A packet transmission step of waking up the user terminal corresponding to the destination address and transmitting the processed input packet to the waked up user terminal User terminal power saving method comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein A storing step of storing the registered packet processing information User terminal power saving method further comprising. The method according to claim 7 or 8, The packet processing registration step, And receiving the packet processing information at the request of a user or registering the packet processing information according to an access point device combining request of the user terminal. The method according to claim 7 or 8, The packet processing step, The user terminal power saving method, characterized in that for filtering the input packet according to the packet processing information. The method of claim 10, The packet transmission step, And a response packet corresponding to the processed input packet to another access point apparatus or a core network in response to the response of the user terminal in response to the processing result in the packet processing step. The method of claim 11, The packet processing information, And a packet processing information for any one of packet filtering, packet response, and packet transmission, for the destination address of the user terminal.

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