Techniques for release assistance indication assertion

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a node in a wireless network, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving a message, the message comprising data to be transmitted from the node;
• storing the message in a buffer of the node;
• and
• during an open communication slot:
• remove the message from the buffer;
• sending, using a transmitter of the node, at least data included in the message to a wireless transceiver of the node, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to send the data in the message to a second node in the wireless network;
• in response to determining that a header of the message includes an end of transmission bit or field:
• waiting for a configurable delay period;
• and
• after the delay period ends, commanding the wireless transceiver to end the communication slot early and transition to a lower power mode.

A networking device comprising:

• a wireless radio configured to exchange information wirelessly with a second network device;
• and
• a computing system separate from the wireless radio, the computing system comprising:
• a buffer;
• a transmitter coupled to the wireless radio;
• one or more processing devices;
• and
• one or more memories storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processing devices cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a message, the message comprising data;
• storing the message in the buffer;
• and
• while a data transmission window is active:
• loading the message from the buffer;
• transmitting, using the transmitter, at least data included in the message to the wireless radio;
• and
• in response to determining that a header of the message indicates that the message is a last message comprising data:
• deliberately waiting for a period of time;
• and
• after the period of time elapses, providing an instruction to the wireless radio to end the data transmission window early and switch to a lower power state.