Systems and methods for transmitting a wake-up request frame to lower power devices in a wireless network

A network device for transmitting a wake-up radio signal to low power devices in a wireless local area network, comprising:

• a buffer configured to receive data for transmission to one or more lower power wireless devices;
• processing circuitry configured to:
• generate a wake-up radio packet including a wake-up data frame destined for the one or more lower power wireless devices;
• configure the wake-up data frame with:
• a type field indicative of a type of the wake-up data frame, wherein the type field also indicates a length of the wake-up data frame;
• and
• a first identifier field indicative of information corresponding to the one or more lower power wireless devices;
• and
• a transceiver configured to transmit the wake-up radio packet to the one or more lower power wireless devices to turn on wireless receivers at the one or more lower power wireless devices prior to initiating data transmission with the one or more lower power wireless devices;
• transmit a plurality of wake-up data frames sequentially, wherein the plurality of wake-up data frames are separated by short interframe spaces, and wherein each of the plurality of wake-up data frames is intended for one of the one or more lower power wireless devices;
• and transmit payload data in a group frame to the one or more lower power wireless devices subsequent to transmission of the plurality of wake-up data frames.

A method for receiving a wake-up radio signal to low power devices in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a wireless access point, when a primary wireless transceiver of a lower power wireless device is inactive, at a secondary lower power wireless receiver of the lower power wireless device, a wake-up radio packet including a wake-up data frame, the received wake up data frame being one of a plurality of wake-up data frames transmitted sequentially and wherein the plurality of wake-up data frames are separated by short interframe spaces;
• determining a type of the wake-up data frame from a type field in the wake-up data frame, wherein the type field also indicates a length of the wake-up data frame;
• determining whether the wake-up radio packet and the wake-up data frame are intended for the lower power wireless device based on information corresponding to one or more intended lower power wireless devices from an identifier field in the wake-up data frame;
• and
• in response to determining that the wake-up radio packet and the wake-up data frame are intended for the lower power wireless device, activating the primary wireless receiver for data transmission from the wireless access point of payload data in a group frame to the one or more intended lower power wireless devices subsequent to receiving the wake-up data frame.