TWI519089B - Access point and station and respective methods for use in access point and station - Google Patents

Description

Access points and stations and their respective methods used in access points and stations

The present invention relates generally to wireless packet data communication systems, and more particularly to methods and systems for efficiency addressing and power saving in wireless communication systems.

Frame integration and frame bursting are two proposed mechanisms to enhance the performance of wireless local area network (WLAN) systems. The agency is being considered to expand 802.11n to an 802.11 wireless local area network standard that can facilitate higher-output wireless local area network devices. Both TGnSync and WWISE proposals consider various types of frame integration and frame bursting solutions.

Figure 1 shows the different types of frame integration and frame bursting schemes proposed by TGnSync, WwiSE or both. The integration scheme can be roughly differentiated based on its integrated package parts.

Media Access Control (MAC) Service Data Unit (MSDUs) integration (100) may integrate one or more multimedia access control service data units 102 to form an integrated media access control service data unit (A-MSDU) 104, each The media access control service data unit is separated by a sub-frame header 106. A media access control header 108 is added to the integrated media access control service data unit to form a single media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) 110.

The media access control protocol data unit integration (120) may integrate one or more multimedia access control protocol data units 122 to form a single integrated medium access control protocol data unit. (A-MPDU) 124, each media access control protocol data unit is separated by a media access control protocol data unit delimiter 126. A physical (PHY) header 128 including an inherent training and signal (SIGNAL) field 130 and an HT training and signal field 132 is added to the integrated media access control protocol data unit 124 to form a physical agreement data unit. (PPDU) 134.

The entity agreement data unit integration (140) may integrate one or more entity agreement data units 142, each entity agreement data unit including an entity header 144 and a media access control agreement data unit 146. An entity header 148 including an inherent training and signal field 150 and an HT training and signal field 152 is added to form a single integrated entity agreement data unit (A-PPDU) 154.

The physical agreement data unit burst (160), also known as high throughput (HTP) burst transmission, involves a single medium access frame 162 sequence by a single high throughput station (STA). Each frame 162 includes an entity header 164 having an inherent training and signal field 166 and an HT training and signal field 168, and a media access control protocol data unit 170. Frame 162 can be transmitted as a partially integrated physical agreement data unit, or with reduced inter-frame spacing (RIFS) 172 to enhance media efficiency.

The integration or bursting scheme supports the integration of frames that are scheduled to be delivered to a single receiver (ie, a single wireless local area network destination) that is scheduled to be transmitted to multiple receivers (ie, multiple wireless local area network destinations). Frame, or both. SRA is used to refer to single receiver integration, while MRA is used to refer to multi-receiver integration. For example, because the media access control service data unit integration scheme only contains one of the media access control addresses that identify the single wireless local area network receiver address, it is typically used for single receiver integration. On the other hand, because the media access control protocol data units within the integration or burst contain identifiable different wireless local area network receptions One of the address of the media access control address, so the media access control protocol data unit integration, entity agreement data unit integration and entity agreement data unit clustering scheme can be used for single receiver integration or multi-receiver Integration.

Frame integration and bursting schemes have the added benefit of increasing the efficiency and total output of wireless LAN systems. The disadvantage is that most of the frame integration and bursting schemes are not support/friendly for saving power/battery. The main problem is that the integrated frame and the burst are quite long. Therefore, if the information about the platform (that is, the wireless local area network destination address) is included in the integrated frame and the burst is not provided in advance, each station in the wireless local area network must receive and decode all the stations. Consolidate frames or bursts to check if the frame or burst contains certain data that was sent to the station.

The act of receiving and decoding the lengthy packet information consumes a large amount of energy from the receiver of the station, if the receiving station has a number of indications that it should not listen (receive and decode) if the specific integrated frame or burst of the receiver is not expected Knowledge can save significant power/battery.

By providing the platform with the prior knowledge of the information in the integrated frame or burst, all stations that do not have the information in the integrated frame or burst can sleep during the duration of the integrated frame or burst (ie no Listen or not decode all packets to save power. On the other hand, if some more prior information is provided, the platform with integrated information or data in the bursts can save power. The prior information is about the point in time when the data is transmitted in the integrated frame or in the burst. The basic concept is that the station uses the prior-time information to wake up (listen and decode) during the integration frame or bursts containing its data and to sleep during the remainder of the data, thereby reducing its power consumption.

In the prior art, there were several proposals to support power/battery savings. As the second As shown, the integrated media access control protocol data unit integration scheme 200 of the TgnSync proposal proposes to use the Multiple Receiver Integration Descriptor (MRAD) as the first media access control protocol in the integrated frame scheduled to be transmitted to the multi-receiver. Data unit (integrated media access control protocol data unit). The entity agreement data unit 202 includes an entity header 204 and an integrated media access control protocol data unit 206. The entity header 204 includes an inherent training and signal field 208 and an HT training and signal field 210. The integrated media access control protocol data unit 206 includes a multi-receiver integration descriptor media access control protocol data unit 212 and a plurality of media access control protocol data units 214 separated by media access control protocol data unit delimiters 216. .

The multi-receiver integration descriptor media access control protocol data unit 212 is used in the following manner. A station that does not have the information in the integrated frame or burst will receive and decode until the end of the multi-receiver integration descriptor media access control protocol data unit 212, and the station knows that its receiver address is not included in Within the multi-receiver integration descriptor, it can sleep (ie, go to its receiver) until the end of the integration frame. Since TgnSync requires that the MG data units scheduled to be transmitted to the same receiver address must be placed next to each other in the Integrated Media Access Control Protocol data unit, the station with the information in the integrated frame will receive and Decoding data until it receives all of its Media Access Control Protocol data units and detects different receiver addresses in the next Media Access Control Protocol data unit, which can sleep at that point (ie, can go to its receiver) ) until the end of the integration frame.

Even though the multi-receiver integration descriptor mechanism provides a means of conserving power in a multi-receiver integration example based on the integrated media access control protocol data unit, the multi-receiver integration descriptor mechanism is suitable for single-rate multi-receiver integration, and Not sufficient for multi-rate multi-receiver integration (where integrated media access control protocol data units are transmitted at different rates) for The integration of the entity agreement data unit does not apply to the entity agreement data unit cluster.

One proposal illustrates multi-rate (or multi-MCS) multi-receiver integration (MMRA), which supports power savings when multi-rate multi-receiver integration is used. The proposal includes a Multi-Rate Multi-Receiver Integration Descriptor (MMRAD) that uses site identifier (i.e., receiver address) information and point-to-point offset information, which can be used for power savings. The multi-rate multi-receiver integration descriptor is defined in the media access control part of the frame, and the unit cell in the physical part of the frame (located in the HT-SIG field) is used to indicate multi-rate multi-rate. The presence of the receiver integration descriptor.

Prior art proposals suffer from a number of shortcomings, such as multi-receiver integration descriptors or multi-rate multi-receiver integration descriptors that are large and inefficient, which are variable length fields and can only be simplified by using fixed length packets. . Also due to this large field, power saving information cannot be embedded in the physical layer that should be maintained in a small size. Because power save information is transmitted at the media access control level, it is not very robust because multiple receiver integration descriptors are transmitted at a rate that is not decodable by all stations. It is also a media access control media access control protocol data unit, so if it is lost or if the station cannot correctly decode it, then power cannot be saved. Another disadvantage is that point-in-time information is not provided in an efficient manner. Most of the current proposals use integrated media access control protocol data unit integration, which cannot be integrated by integrated entity agreement data unit, entity agreement data unit cluster, multi-rate multi-receiver integration or reverse traffic operation efficiently and firmly .

The method can be applied to a frame integration scheme, a frame bursting scheme, and a frame that is not integrated (ie, if transmitted to a single receiver). The invention is not limited to power and battery savings, and can be used for other purposes, such as providing address measurability via simplified group addressing, for The packet scheduler is designed or implemented or used for various radio resource management functions.

A station group addressing method in a wireless communication system starts with a group of stations in a dispatch system. The group identifier is transmitted to each station, and the group identifier is marked in the frame for each group having data in the frame.

One method of facilitating power savings in a wireless communication system begins with a group of stations in the dispatch system. The group identifier is transmitted to each station, and the group identifier is marked in the frame for each group having data in the frame. If the group identifier of the station does not appear in the frame, the station enters the power saving mode to save power.

One method of facilitating power savings in a wireless communication system is to indicate the direction of the traffic in the frame, which is indicated by the destination of the message. If the traffic direction is not opposite the station, the station enters the power save mode to save power.

One method of facilitating power savings in a wireless communication system is to start and decode the frame at the station until the station decodes the power saver. If the power saver indicates that the station can use the power save mode, the station enters the power save mode.

One method of facilitating power saving in a wireless communication system is to transmit time point information to a station in the frame, at which point the information occupies a portion of the frame as a start. The station enters the power saving mode based on the information at the time. The station leaves the power saving mode based on the information of the time point, and receives and decodes a part of the frame after leaving the power saving mode.

One method of facilitating power savings in a wireless communication system is to provide a listening indication to the frame, the listening indication including how many frames will begin with an indication of the station decoding of the intended receiver of the frame. The listening indication is included in the frame and is transmitted to the station. The frame is received at the station and the listening indication is decoded. Frame with the listening instruction The base station is decoded at the station, wherein the station enters a power saving mode after decoding the partial frame indicated by the listening indication, and the station thereby saves power.

One method of facilitating power savings in a wireless communication system begins with the transmission of the first frame from the station to the access point, including the request to exit the transmission type from the station. At least one second frame is transmitted from the access point. The second frame is received at the station, which can decode the transmission type of the second frame. If the transmission type of the second frame is the transmission type of the station that has exited, the station enters the power saving mode.

AP‧‧‧ access point

CRC‧‧‧cycle redundancy check

GROUP‧‧‧Group

GI‧‧‧Group Information

GPI‧‧‧ group appears (or does not appear) marker

GTI‧‧‧ group time information

GPTI‧‧‧ groups have timely information

LDI‧‧‧ Listening directions or instructions

MAC‧‧‧Media Access Control

MSDU‧‧‧Service Data Unit

MPDU‧‧‧Single Media Access Control Protocol Data Unit

MCS‧‧‧ modulation coding scheme

PPDU‧‧‧ entity agreement data unit

PVF‧‧‧ emergence or effectiveness banner

PHY‧‧‧ entity

SD‧‧‧deception duration

STA‧‧‧ Platform

SIG‧‧‧ signal

A more detailed understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a plurality of existing frame integration and bursting schemes; and FIG. 2 is an existing medium using a multi-receiver integration descriptor An access control protocol data unit integration scheme diagram; FIG. 3 is a group diagram of a group station and communication with an access point; and FIG. 4 is an example of group identifier information connected using time point information and a platform sleep period; Figure 5A is a diagram of the inherent physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) header in the existing TgnSync entity header; Figure 5B is an illustration of the intrinsic physical layer aggregation protocol header containing the frame type marker; Figure 6A is the existing The existing HT-SIG field in the TgnSync entity header; Figure 6B shows the HT-SIG field in the HT-SIG _X field; Figure 7A shows the existing signal in the WWiSE entity header -MM and Signal-N field diagram; and Figure 7B is a signal-MM and signal-N field diagram containing additional information fields.

Thereafter, "STA" (STA) nouns include, but are not limited to, user equipment, wireless transmission/reception units, fixed or mobile subscriber units, pagers, or any other type of component operable in a wireless environment. The term "access point (AP)" is used to include, but is not limited to, a Node B, a base station, an address controller, or any other interface device in a wireless environment.

The invention can be applied to a variety of different technologies, including integrated frames, non-integrated frames, reverse solutions, such as multiple response multi-receiver integration (MRMRA) multiple responder solutions, reverse traffic, multiple polling and multiple responses Multiple receivers integrate multiple polling (MMP). Therefore, the power saving range defined by the present invention can cover separate, unintegrated, or single receiver integrated frames, all integrated frame or burst types, and all have multiple responders or use multiple polls. Program.

Station group addressing

The present invention provides a method of efficiently addressing a group of stations. Because the finite-size headers of the physical layer headers require many bytes, the current technical solutions for addressing wireless local area network stations are not effectively used for them. Basically, current wireless local area network systems and methods do not efficiently address stations at the physical layer or even the medium access control layer.

The present invention proposes a group addressable station and can be used for a new efficiency scheme for a limited size wireless area network landmark. This group addressing can be used by various performance enhancements such as power savings, radio resource management, improved quality of service (QoS), and packet scheduling (packet scheduler design and implementation). When the number of stations is small enough, it can also be used to uniquely identify the last purpose of the service. Ground (such as receiving wireless LAN stations). In a wireless local area network, efficient addressing can be achieved by having the access point organization a station that is being served (such as those connected to the access point) as a different group, and each group can include multiple stations. A "power saving group", "stairs group", or "address group" noun can be used to refer to the group.

Although the wireless local area network station is usually uniquely identified by its media access control address, the enhancement and power saving can be performed without specifying all the media access control addresses or partial media access control addresses of the station. Was reached. In addition, "group address", "group identifier", "group marker" or "group number" can be used to facilitate power savings. As in the third example, assume that the access point 300 may organize the six stations (302-312) being served into four groups. One possibility is that the access point 300 assigns stations #1 (302) and #6 (312) to group 1, station #2 (304) to group 2, station #4 (308) and #5 (310 to group) Group 3, and station #3 (306) to group 4. Access point 300 can also place one station into multiple groups. In Figure 3, stations #5 (310) and #6 (312) Organized in Group 1 and Group 3.

Once the access point 300 decides to dispatch the station to one or more groups, it can send the assigned group or group signal to the station using any message pattern. For example, when station #6 (312) is connected to access point 300 and once the access point has decided to assign or classify station #6 to group 1 part, the access point can use the management frame, action frame, control A frame or data frame to indicate that station #6 has been assigned to group 1. The signal transmission can be directed in a variety of ways, such as by introducing a new column in a link or re-link frame; an existing management or action frame (such as being used for blocking confirmation (ACK) setup, traffic flow setup, or direct chaining) Agreement (DLP) creator); such as Confirmation, Barrier Confirmation Request (BAR) and Barrier Confirmation (BA), Initiator Integration Control (IAC)/Responder Integrated Control (RAC), Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS) requirements and Modulation coding scheme feedback; and information frame.

Certain class acknowledgments (returns) can be used whereby the station can confirm that it has correctly received its new group assignment. The group component and its subsequent confirmation (via feedback or confirmation) can be transmitted in any existing wireless area network frame or by defining a new frame. The access point can be self-reliant to classify itself as a special group part, no group part, and can include any group part of other stations, or each group part. The access point can also communicate its assigned group with the connected station.

The access point may belong to a preset group (such as a fixed value) that all stations are aware of (such as a group identified by all 0s and 1s; in Figure 3, the access point belongs to group 0. It has not been dispatched by the access point. The station system of the group can be assumed to be preset to all possible group parts (eg, the station belongs to each group until it is assigned to a specific group). At the same time, direct link establishment or direct link agreement (DLS or DLP) Within a particular context, an access point may transmit a group identifier (ie, which group should be assigned to another station) when it is directly in conversation with another station or alternatively may be targeted for that purpose. Use the preset group to the station.

The group component, redistribution or signaling system can be directed at any point in time that the access point or station is deemed necessary, and is not limited to a particular phase such as a protocol or link. Static assignments can also be used whereby the operator or user can configure or organize the station or access point as a necessary group and enter the information into the station or access point. At the same time, the dispatched algorithm can be designed for dispatching, whereby the station can assign itself to a group using no or little explicit communication/signaling.

Multi-dimensional groupings can be defined, which can be interpreted as having subgroups within a group. For example, a station can be assigned to group 1 and subgroup 2. The subgroup concept has a distinction between multiple stations belonging to the same group. For example, if group 1 contains three stations and group 1 has four available sub-groups, the three stations can each be placed in different sub-groups, thereby providing stations within the group. Further distinction between stations. Thus, a more general example assigns one or more values to a station, each value representing a group, a subgroup within a group, and a subsubgroup within a subgroup. A more general example has an N-dimensional group that can be identified by N repeating elements (g1, g2, ..., gN), while the station will be assigned an N value, one value for each N dimension (ie, a group) combination).

Groups can also be defined by considering other characteristics. For example, a group can identify whether broadcast traffic is included in the frame and effectively includes all stations within the coverage area of the access point. If the access point wants to transmit an integrated frame containing broadcast traffic and traffic belonging to group 2, it can use group 0 to indicate that the broadcast service is scheduled to be transmitted to all stations, and can use group 2 To indicate that there is traffic for at least one of the stations in group 2. This concept is particularly useful when the information in the integrated frame is sorted by the type of traffic; for example, broadcast traffic and/or multi-drop traffic is placed before the single-point delivery of traffic within the integrated frame. The broadcast group can be used to indicate that the data type is a broadcast service that is scheduled to be transmitted to all stations.

A similar concept can be applied to multipoint delivery traffic with one or more groups that indicate multipoint delivery traffic. A group can indicate that the broadcast and multi-point delivery services are simultaneously or in any of the frames (ie, a single group presentation broadcast or multi-point delivery). Frame type information can be used to define the group. For example, a group can be used for frame management, action or control type. In addition, service quality related information can be used when defining a group.

There are many possible algorithms that can be used to organize stations and/or different traffic types as available groups. An algorithm uses a memory table indicator bit subgroup (such as a random access memory table), and the entry system containing the media access control address of the station is placed therein. Because the access point may maintain a lookup table of the media access control address of its associated station, the access point may use the index of the media access control address of the station stored in the random access memory table. The minimum impact bit of the standard. The second algorithm is to apply the hash function to the media access control address of the station (and other characteristics of the expected station and traffic). The third algorithm monitors (measures) the load (ie, traffic usage) for each group (or its platform) and dynamically changes the group assignment in such a way that approximately equal load is generated between all groups. The fourth algorithm selects the minimum usage group (used by the traffic) to be assigned to the latest relevant station. Other algorithms include attempting to split/balance the load/use between all groups, and considering other factors such as encapsulation/packet with similar frame integration requirements, using similar data rates or power levels, or having similar quality of service or wireless These stations within the same group required by resource management.

Transfer group assignment information

As described above, a management, action, control or data frame can be used to transmit a grouped group signal to a station, a group of other stations or a group of access points. For example, starter integrated control/responder integration control, RTS/CTS, modulation coding scheme requirements and feedback, blocking confirmation request/blocking confirmation, link/relink request and response frame, or CF polling or service quality round The inquiry system can be used for this signal transmission purpose. The signaling may include a group assignment message containing a flag indicating that this is a group assignment message, and the value of the most recently assigned group (encoded as a bitmap or other pattern). The dispatch message may also contain information about the scope of the assigned group, such as whether the assigned group can be applied to the station, the access point or another station (such as when a direct link agreement).

Once the station correctly receives the group assignment message, it can confirm that it has been correctly received the latest assigned group via the group confirmation message back to the access point. Alternatively, the station can periodically confirm the group in an unsolicited manner that it can transmit group confirmation or confirmation messages for different communication ranges.

Reassign the station to different groups

If the group currently assigned to the group is not satisfied, the station may also request the group to be reassigned. For example, a station measures its battery level, and if its power supply is short (that is, when a particular threshold is crossed), it can tell the access point via a very low power message and it may require the group to be reassigned. The station can explicitly include its battery level within this requirement. When receiving a message, the access point may decide to deny or accept the request of the station and may assign the station to the new group. Since the management, action, control or data frame designation is useful for the access point design or organization of its group, the station can indicate whether it has power usage savings over the access point during the protocol, setup or any signal transmission phase. Group information to save power.

Power saving group information

A power saving group that is proposed for power savings, simplified or measurable addressing, scheduling frames (schedule implementation), any radio resource management function, or any other performance enhancement feature Group information". The use of this information is not limited to power savings, but can be used for other purposes, such as data scheduler implementation; similar integration requirements (that is, these frames that may be integrated together), similar data rates, similar power, or Similar service quality requirements within the same group to group stations; and various radio resource management functions. Some or all of the frames that can be used by the wireless local area network may include a frame header (physical or media access control header), a frame body, or any previously transmitted frame (such as RTS/CTS, initiator). Integrated control/responder integration control, CF polling or service quality polling). The power saving group information may include one or more pieces of the following pieces of information.

Appearance or validity flag (PVF)

The field (or bit) is treated as a flag (herein referred to as a flag) to indicate whether at least one segment of the power saving group information appears in the frame (eg, within the frame header). For example, appear or The validity flag can be used to indicate if there is power saving information in the frame. In the case where each frame is assumed to contain power saving information, the flag may not be necessary. Flags can be used to implement variable length entities or media access control header fields or headers.

For example, the flag may indicate whether a header extension is present, wherein the header extension includes all or some of the power saving information. Bits can be used in the entity header signal field (eg HT-SIG field or signal -N field) to indicate that one (or more) additional orthogonal frequency division multiplex symbols are provided in the HT-SIG column. Bit, and the additional orthogonal frequency division multiplex symbol contains fields that provide all or some of the power saving information. In another variant, the flag can be used to indicate the general (mandatory) orthogonal frequency division multiplex symbol included in the signal field, without the need for additional orthogonal orthogonal frequency division multiplex symbols for power saving information field availability or Effectiveness. Another use of the presence or validity flag (eg, by using another bit) may indicate whether the power saving group information is valid.

Group appears (or does not appear) marker (GPI)

The frame contains a group of stations to which the identifiable frame is scheduled to be transmitted. The presence (or absence) of the marker can be applied to individual frames, integrated frames, burst transmissions or frame sequences. For example, a type of marker information that appears (or does not appear) in a defined or coded group is achieved by using a bitmap (or mask). Returning to the four sets of examples previously described, the group appearance (or non-occurrence) marker field can be defined to contain four bits (b1, b2, b3, b4), whereby the value of 2 indicates whether the frame contains the assigned Information to at least one station of group 2. To illustrate, when the access point transmits data to a single station that is part of group 2, the access point can use bitmap 0100 to indicate that the station belonging to group 2 has certain data that appears in the transmitted frame. The frame does not contain information belonging to the other three groups.

Alternatively, the group can be defined to mark the frame using a rule code (eg 10) Contains information that is scheduled to be delivered to the stations belonging to Group 2.

In another case, when the access point uses the integrated frame (such as when using service data unit integration, media access control protocol data unit integration, entity agreement data unit integration burst, multi-rate multi-receiver integration, or multi-polling) When the data is sent to the station, the 0110 dot matrix value indicates that the frame contains at least one station of group 2 and at least one station of group 3, and the frame does not include the data of group 1 or group 4. It should be noted that even if this example assumes four groups, any group number can be used and the bitmap is expanded to accommodate the used group number. Furthermore, the group number used can be presented as a dynamic variable. The group appears (or does not appear) marker can be included in the frame header, entity header, media access control header, entity header, media access control header, multi-receiver integration descriptor, multiple responses Multiple receivers integrate multiple polling, or any multi-round interrogation box within the signal field (intrinsic signal, HT-SIG, or signal-N).

Group Time Information (GTI)

In the multi-receiver integration example, providing group time information can save higher power to the stations integrated in the frame. Since the group time information can still achieve power saving by using the group appearance (or not appearing) marker, the stations in the non-integrated frame part do not need them.

In order to explain how the group point information is used, it is considered that the bitmap value 0110 is used to indicate that the integrated frame contains at least one of the group 2 and at least one of the groups 3. Assuming that the data of a given group is adjacent to the integrated frame, the time at which the data of the group 2 starts to be transmitted or in the vicinity can be identified, and the time at which the data of the group 2 starts to be transmitted or the time information in the vicinity is also identified. Can be provided.

The group hour information allows the group to let the data sleep (ie, not receive or decode) until the first segment of the group's data is transmitted, thus achieving power savings therebetween. Since the receiving station can sleep, power saving can be achieved once it receives its data and detects the receiver address change in the next segment of the integrated frame.

In order to provide group point information, the start time of each group in the frame (such as time offset type) is provided. This information is the point in time or near the beginning of the first segment of the data belonging to any station belonging to the group. In order to provide group point-in-time information for efficiency, in addition to fully specifying (encoding) the start time (or offset time) of each group, all group base durations (ie, base periods) can be used, and the recognition start time (such as time offset) The different score values of the shift can be used for each group. For example, assuming that the base duration is 16 time units, the group start time can be encoded and communicated as a score of 3/4 by using two digits, which means that the group start time (eg, group time offset) is A (3/4 x 16 =) 12 time unit from the reference time point.

The base duration information can be derived from existing fields in the header of the wireless LAN frame. For example: rate (RATE) and length (LENGTH) fields in the inherent signal field of the entity header; HTLENGTH and modulation coding scheme fields in the HT-SIG (signal) of the TgnSync frame header; or WWiSE frame The length of the header signal -N (signal) field and the Config field can be used to derive the base duration information. The base continues to be the same as the spoof duration (SD) derived from the entity layer information. Using the spoofing duration (or any variation that can be derived from it) as a base duration provides an efficient way to encode timely (eg, offset) information. Alternatively, the duration/identifier field of the media access control header can be used to derive the base duration information.

An example of the time information based on the information on the duration of the fraud and the time of the group is displayed in Figure 4. The group hour information indicates when the station should start listening to the media, and in Figure 4, the time information of the group is given 1/4 spoofing duration. For The group time point information coding system of Fig. 4 is illustrated in Table 1. It should be noted that although Table 1 illustrates group point information in a spoofing duration manner, any type of frame duration can be used to encode group time information.

New fields can be added to the physical or media access control header of the wireless LAN frame, explicitly used to determine the base duration. The base duration can correspond to the full duration of the frame or part of the duration of the frame. In the entity agreement data unit cluster or entity agreement data unit integration example, in addition to defining the base duration as the single entity agreement data unit (or frame) duration, the base duration can also be defined as the entity agreement data unit cluster (also This is to cover the basic duration of the multi-frame) or to integrate the entity agreement data unit frame. Similarly, in multi-rate multi-receiver integration, reverse traffic, multi-polling, or multi-rate multi-receiver integration schemes, the base duration can cover the entire duration of the sequence of frames being exchanged.

In addition to the base duration, the group score values must be specified. The score value is multiplied by the base duration to obtain the actual transmission start time of the group (eg, group transfer time offset). Assuming a fixed reference denominator, only the denominator value must be specified and communicated. For example, assuming a four-point denominator, two-digits can be used to provide group point-in-time information.

For example, in the case of the 0110 group appearing (or not appearing) indicator group appearing in groups 2 and 3, one of the ways to encode the group point information may have two digits per group, so the group hour point information includes eight digits. Yuan (b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8), by means of bit b1 and The b2 value provides the numerator value of group 1 (because the group appears (or does not appear) the marker indicates that group 1 does not appear, so it may not be needed in this example), while b3 and b4 provide the numerator of group 2 Value and so on. For example, in order to obtain time offset information at or near the beginning of the group 2 transmission, we must multiply the base duration by the value of 'b3b4' and divide by four. When the frame contains information for the station (ie, when the group of stations appears in the frame), the time offset information is roughly interpreted as the time at which the station will be listening to or near the frame.

Group time information can be included in the frame header; entity header; media access control header; or entity header, media access control header, multi-receiver integration descriptor, multi-response multi-receiver integration Polling or any of the multiple rounds of the signal field (inherent signal, HT-SIG, or signal-N). Group point information does not have to be included in the same location as the group appears (or does not appear). For example, a group presence (or no occurrence) marker can be included in the entity header, and group time information can be included in the media access control header (eg, multiple receiver integration descriptors or multiple response multiple receivers) Integrate multiple polls).

Groups appear in time (GPTI)

Even if the group hour information and the group appearance (or non-occurrence) marker information are defined as two separate fields, they can be merged together and define a field by using the predetermined mapping code to generate timely information (group) There are two types of information in the information. As shown in Fig. 4 and Table 2, there are various methods for encoding two pieces of information together.

With values 01, 10 and 11, the station can sleep until it listens to the media time, thereby saving power. Because the station will start listening at the end of the scam duration and sleep during the entire transmission of the frame, the special case of 11 can indicate that the group does not appear. The timely presence of the group information can be included in the frame header, entity header or media access control header. Group presence timely information can be included in the entity header, media access control header, multi-receiver integration descriptor, multi-response multi-receiver integrated multi-polling or any multi-round interrogation box signal field (inherent Signal, HT-SIG, or signal -N).

Access point color (APC), cell color, or access point area color

In a multiple access point system with channels of the same frequency, a station within a given cell (i.e., an access point coverage area) can listen to frame transmissions occurring in another nearby or neighboring cell. In order to capture the better power saving performance in this example, the wireless local area network frame may include access point identification, which may be referred to as "access point color" or "access point group" or "cell color". Or "cell identification." The access point color is not necessarily uniquely identified by the access point. For example, if access point 1, access point 2, and access point 3 are close to each other and use the same frequency channel, access point 1 can be assigned 11 colors by using two bits to identify the access point color. Take point 2 can be assigned 01 color, and access point 3 can be assigned 00 color. Access point color can be included in frame header, entity header, media access control header, entity header, media access control header, multi-receiver integration descriptor, multi-response multi-receiver integration multi-round Query or signal field of any number of rounds of inquiries (inherent signal, HT-SIG, or signal -N).

The station served by the access point 1 can save power by not decoding further information in the frame containing the color of the different access points in the frame header (for example, the station and the access point 1 are connected by not listening or decoding. 00, 01 or 10 is used as a frame for the color of its access point to save power). Access point color can further save power by multiple access point system levels, but even without it, the above method can be used to save power.

Listening direction or direction (LDI)

Listening directions or directions indicate which must be read, decoded or interpreted. In some cases, the wireless LAN site of the non-frame intended receiver (that is, its data is not included in the frame) must still read and decode the frame to retrieve specific information. For example, the station needs to update its locally stored NAV duration value and it needs to decode at least the duration/identification information in the media access control header of the frame. Alternatively, the station may rely on entity header information (such as length and rate, modulation coding scheme or Config field) to update its NAV duration value.

Even if the receiving station is not the intended receiver of the frame, the frame transmitter can use the field in the header (such as a bit or a few bits) to explicitly read and decode all or several media access control header information to receive. Platform. The transmitter may also use another field to specify whether the receiving station should be included in the intrinsic entity header (such as the inherent signal field), the high-output (ie 802.11n) entity header, or the media access control header. The locally stored NAV duration value is updated based on the information in the duration (identification/recognition field of the media access control header).

Certain implicit criteria can be used to derive whether the duration/recognition field (or substantially the entire media access control header) of the media access control header needs to be read. A criterion can compare the duration of fraud using the inherent entity signal field and the duration of the spoof using the high-output entity HT-SIG (or Signal-N) field. If there is a specific amount of difference between the two, the difference can be interpreted as an indication to further read and interpret the incoming media access control header.

At the same time, one of the fields in the entity header (such as a single element) can be used as a clear listening direction or indication to indicate whether the platform can sleep immediately, or should not sleep and remain listening until the solution The code first media access control header (or pieces of media access control information) and then sleeps. This explicit indication of how deep the listening frame can be further expanded to provide where/when (how events/fields or when) immediately stop listening: ASAP, after decoding the media access control header, decodes the first medium After accessing the control protocol data unit, decoding the multi-receiver integration descriptor, and so on.

Traffic direction

You can also save power by knowing the direction of the traffic. For example, if a given station transmits traffic to an access point, the marked data in the frame header is scheduled to be transmitted to the access point. Because the station can sleep while other stations are transmitting to the access point, they can use this information to save power by looking at this "Traffic Direction" (TD) field or bit. Within the media access control header, and more specifically within the frame control field of the media access control header, there are "to DS" and "from DS" fields that can be used to identify the direction of the traffic. This information can also be used to save power. In addition, the new traffic direction can be placed in the entity header of the frame for the specific purpose of identifying the traffic direction. The traffic direction field can be placed in the signal field of the entity header (intrinsic signal, HT-SIG, or signal -N). The advantage of this simple solution is that it does not require a specific new signal to be sent to establish a group (one group contains access points as receivers, while other groups contain all stations as receivers).

Exit integration and clustering plan

The station can transmit signals that are not preferred to the particular portion of the scheme that would cause the station to consume too much power, such as a particular integration or bursting scheme, thereby saving station power. For example, the station may use a frame (management, action, control or data frame) that does not want the data to be delivered to it to be part of the integrated frame. If the access point agrees to the request and confirms consent to return to the station, the station can save power by sleeping while the detection frame utilizes a particular solution. E.g, When the frame is integrated (by using signal fields, such as information in the HT-SIG field), the station can sleep during the integration of the frame.

The station may use frames that do not want to be scheduled to be transmitted to it as a particular type of integration, such as a multi-receiver integration portion. In this example, the station can sleep during the frame containing the multi-receiver integration. Similarly, the station may require that it do not want to have the media access control agreement data unit or entity agreement data unit data integration portion that is scheduled to be delivered to it, but it agrees to be the service data unit integration portion. The field in the frame header (such as in the signal field) can be used to indicate the exact type of integration scheme included in the frame. Once the station detection does not assume the listening frame, because the frame does not contain the information of the station, the station can sleep for the duration of the frame. The station can agree whether it supports or prefers integrated frame reception (up to destination or single destination). The station can communicate by using the management, action, control or data frame to transmit information as a feature list, a function list, or a preference list. The station can transmit the frame immediately before the link, immediately after the link, at a later time or any other time after the link.

Messages can also be dynamically generated, such as by enabling the station to monitor its battery level and to override the specific threshold and transmit the requirements that are excluded from the more power consuming solution (eg, a particular integration scheme) to the access point. The station can also indicate the amount of remaining power in the message, and its preferences are excluded or substitutable.

Frame type indicator

The use of unused reserved bits within the Intrinsic Entity Signal Field (L-SIG) can also be used as a flag to identify unintended frame transmissions, such as 802.11n frames. Because the station can sleep during these non-inherent (such as 802.11n frame transmission) frame transmissions, this field can be used to save power from the new implementation (new issuance) of the intrinsic device.

Sleeping timer

In order to prevent the station from staying asleep for a long period of time due to a wrong situation, when the platform enters the sleep mode, the timer mechanism can be implemented at the station. If the station sleeps longer than the predetermined time interval (configurable parameter), it will wake up at the end of the timer and begin listening to the media again because it is dead.

Power saving group information location

Any Power Saver Group Information (PSGI) segment can be included in any type of wireless LAN frame and any part of the wireless LAN frame. The power saving group information can be included in the entity header (such as the signal field), the media access control header, the frame body or the frame tail. Power Saving Group Information Some segments can be included in a specific location in the frame (such as within the entity header), while power saving group information can be placed somewhere in the frame (such as media access control) Within the header).

The power saving group information may be included in the integrated frame or the cluster, such as the physical signal (header) of the intermediate frame, and the media storage, as a frame of the entity agreement data unit integration or the entity agreement data unit clustering part. Take control signals (headers), intermediate guides, or delimiters. At the same time, for multi-response multi-receiver integration, reverse traffic, multi-polling and multi-relay multi-receiver integrated multi-polling, some power saving group information segments can be included in the wireless local area network frame and Multi-receiver integration descriptor or multi-response multi-receiver integration in multi-polling. Adding a number of proposed power saving group information in the scheme can increase its efficiency (eg, via time-point information efficiency coding) and potentially improve its performance.

Figure 5A is a diagram of an intrinsic physical layer convergence protocol header 500 in an existing TgnSync entity header. The entity layer aggregation protocol header includes a rate field 502 and a reserved field 504. A length field 506, a co-located field 508, and a tail field 510. Since the physical layer aggregation protocol header 500 is placed in the frame earlier, it is the efficiency location of one of the power saving group information fields (to save the receiving station power).

FIG. 5B is an illustration of an intrinsic physical layer aggregation protocol header 550 containing a frame type marker field 552. Fields 502 and 506-510 are the same as in header 550. When the frame type indicator is a one-bit element and the entity layer aggregation protocol header has a reserved bit, the entity layer aggregation protocol header is an appropriate location.

Figure 6A is a diagram of the existing HT-SIG field 600 in the existing TgnSync entity header. The HT-SIG field 600 includes an HT-SIG1 portion 602 and an HT-SIG2 portion 604. The HT-SIG1 portion 602 includes a length field 610, a reserved field 612, and a media access control field 614. The HT-SIG2 portion 604 includes an advanced coding field 620, a first reserved field 622, an audio packet field 624, a digital HY-LTF field 626, a short GI field 628, and a second reserved column. Bit 630, a scrambler initialization field 632, a 20/40 bandwidth field 634, a periodic redundancy check field 636 and a signal tail 638.

Figure 6B is a diagram of the HT-SIG field 650 containing the HT-SIGX portion 652; the HT-SIG1 portion 602 and the HT-SIG2 portion 604 are identical to the HT-SIG field 600. The HT-SIGX portion 652 includes a frame indicator field 654, a traffic direction field 656, an appearance or validity flag 658, and a group appearance (or no occurrence) of the marker/group point information/group The group appears in time for the information field 662, an access point color field 664, and a one-cycle redundancy check 666. It should be noted that although the HT-SIGX portion 652 is shown with all power saving group information fields, the HT-SIGX portion 652 can be constructed with any number of power saving group information fields without affecting the performance of the present invention. In addition, the order of the power saving group information fields shown is only an example, and the skilled person can The order of the fields is rearranged without affecting the operation of the present invention.

Alternatively, the reserved field 612 in the HT-SIG1 portion 602 and the first reserved field 622 and the second reserved field 630 in the HT-SIG2 portion 604 can be used for power saving group information. The power saving group information field can be expanded and placed in its original location in the reserved field, or the reserved field can be rearranged to form a power saving group information field adjacent to the space.

FIG. 7A is an illustration of the existing signal-MM field 702 and the existing signal-N field 704 in the WWiSE entity header 700. The signal-MM field 702 includes a rate field 710, a reserved field 712, a length field 714, a co-located field 716, and a tail field 718. The signal-N field 704 includes a first reserved field 720, a configuration field 722, a length field 724, an LPI field 726, a second reserved field 728, and a periodic redundancy check field 730. A tail field 732 and a service field 734.

Figure 7B is a diagram containing signal-MM field 752 and signal-N field 754 in WWiSE entity header 750. The power saving group information field can be placed in existing reserved fields 712, 720 and 728. As shown in FIG. 7B, the frame type indicator field 756 can be placed in the signal-MM field 752, and some other power saving group information fields can be placed in the signal-N field 754 position. 758 and 760. It should be noted that fields 758 and 760 can be rearranged in signal-N field 754 to form a power saving group information field adjacent to the space.

Verify Power Savings Group Information

Power Saving Group Information Integrity (correctness) can be protected via checks and (eg periodic redundancy checks) or parity calculations. The periodic redundancy check can be the latest defined field in the frame header, or can be an existing check and or periodic redundancy check field in the entity or media access control header (eg HT-SIG or Signal-N column) Bit). Periodic redundancy check can be done separately from all or part of the power section The provincial group information is exported, or may be derived from the frame header and the power saving group information by some other information.

Even though most of the descriptions and examples speak out of the integrated frame, all of the descriptions and examples can be applied to the burst or frame sequence of the frame, such as the entity agreement data unit burst, multi-response multi-receiver integration, polling Multi-polling, or multi-polling multi-response multi-receiver integration solution.

The invention described herein is applicable to any wireless local area network system such as BSS, ESS, IBSS to wireless local area network and wireless area network ad-hoc. The network and the approximated person and the small difference in the case are considered as if the access point does not appear as a node within the network, then any station can provide functionality attributed to the access point. Many wireless local area network stations may also cooperate to implement the functions and methods of the present invention without the need for access points.

The invention is not limited to wireless local area network systems or networks alone, or only 802.11 based wireless local area network systems. The present invention can be used and applied to any wireless communication system, such as other wireless local area network technologies or standards, and other cellular communication systems, including Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wideband Coded Multiple Access (WCDMA), and Code Multiple Access 2000, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), or Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) LTE. The invention can also be applied and used in wide area wireless networks, such as 802.16.

AP‧‧‧ access point

CRC‧‧‧cycle redundancy check

GI‧‧‧Group Information

GPI‧‧‧ group appears (or does not appear) marker

GTI‧‧‧ group time information

GPTI‧‧‧ groups have timely information

LDI‧‧‧ Listening directions or instructions

MCS‧‧‧ modulation coding scheme

PVF‧‧‧ emergence or effectiveness banner

SIG‧‧‧ signal

Claims (24)

An access point (AP) comprising: a receiver configured to receive information from at least one station (STA); a processor configured to dispatch a STA to a group based on the received information; a transmitter Configuring to transmit to the STA, a management frame, the management frame includes an indication of the assigned group; wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the STA, a related to the management frame Acknowledgement; and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a data frame including a data packet and a group identifier to enable the STA to determine whether the data packet is intended for the group to which the station is assigned group. The access point of claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive traffic usage information for each of the plurality of stations, and the processor is further configured to be based on the plurality of stations The traffic usage information of each station is to assign at least one of the plurality of groups. The access point of claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive power level information for each of the plurality of stations, and the processor is further configured to be based on the power level information To assign at least one of the multiple groups. The access point of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to dispatch the STA to more than one group. The access point of claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a quality of service requirement for each of the plurality of groups, and wherein the processor is further configured The STA is assigned to the group based on the received quality of service requirements for each of the plurality of groups. The access point of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to dispatch the STA to the group based on a load balancing requirement. A method for use in an access point (AP), the method comprising: receiving information from at least one station (STA); assigning a station (STA) to at least one of a plurality of groups based on the received information Transmitting to the STA, a management frame, the management frame includes an indication of at least one group assigned; receiving, from the STA, an acknowledgement associated with the management frame; and transmitting a data frame to the STA, wherein the data frame includes a data packet and a group identifier, and wherein the group identifier enables the STA to determine whether the data packet is expected to be used by at least one of the assigned parties associated with the STA group. The method of claim 7, wherein the received information includes information on the use of the service. The method of claim 7, wherein the received information includes power level information. The method of claim 7, wherein the STA is assigned to more than one group. The method of claim 7, wherein the received information comprises a quality of service requirement. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one group assigned is based on a load balancing requirement. A station (STA) includes: a transmitter configured to transmit information to an access point (AP); a receiver configured to receive a management frame from the AP, the management frame including a An indication of the assigned group; wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit to the AP, an acknowledgment associated with the management frame; wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a data frame, wherein the information message The box includes a data packet and a group identifier; and a processor configured to determine whether the group identifier received in the data frame corresponds to the assigned group, and wherein the processor is Further configured to enable the STA to enter a power saving mode under the condition that the group identifier received in the data frame is not corresponding to the assigned group. The station of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit traffic usage information to the AP. The station of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit power level information to the AP. The station of claim 13, wherein the indication of the assigned group indicates that the STA is assigned to more than one group. The station of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a quality of service request to the AP. The platform of claim 13, wherein the assigned group is based on a load balancing requirement. A method for use in a station (STA), the method comprising: transmitting information to an access point (AP); receiving, from the AP, a management frame, the management frame including an indication of a assigned group Transmitting, to the AP, an acknowledgement associated with the management frame; receiving a data frame, the data frame including a data packet and a group identifier; determining the group received in the data frame Whether the group identifier corresponds to the assigned group; and entering a power saving mode under the condition that the group identifier received in the data frame is not corresponding to the assigned group. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted is information about the use of the service. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitted information is power level information. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication of the assigned group indicates that the STA is assigned to more than one group. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitted information is a quality of service requirement. The method of claim 19, wherein the assigned group is based on a load balancing requirement.