# US 2014/0153512 A1 · Flexible data frame delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153512 A1 - Document ID: US20140153512A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/096,522 - Filed: 2013-12-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Broadcom Corporation - Applicants: Broadcom Corporation - Inventors: Timo Kalevi KOSKELA; Anna PANTELIDOU; Samuli TURTINEN; Sami-Jukka HAKOLA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153512A1 ## CPC - H04L 1/00: Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received {(correcting synchronisation H04L7/00)} - H04L 1/1854: {Scheduling and prioritising arrangements} - H04L 1/1887: {Scheduling and prioritising arrangements} - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enhancing data exchange between an access point (AP) and station (STA) in a wireless network when the exchange must be interrupted for the AP to perform other services while data remains buffered for later exchange. AP downlinks an indicator that more data remains for exchange together with a request for the STA to enter sleep mode for a duration scheduled by the AP. Sleep duration may be sent in the medium access control (MAC) header of a data frame, with the indicator of more data and the indicator of the sleep mode request being contained in the frame control (FC) segment of the MAC header. The STA may uplink an acknowledgement (ACK) of the sleep mode. Alternatively, the AP may downlink an ACK of the STA's indication of more data confirmation together with sleep mode indication and duration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: causing to be sent by downlink signal an indication that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; scheduling a target wake time at which to resume sending data frames; and causing a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to be sent to set the target wake time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: setting a power management indicator to indicate a sleep mode request; receiving an uplink signal acknowledgement of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration; and resuming data frame exchange after the scheduled target wake time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising at least one of: causing a downlink signal data frame to be sent that causes buffered data to be emptied, including an indicator that no data remains to send; receiving a data frame uplink with an indicator of no more data and a sleep mode indicator; and causing a downlink acknowledgement of sleep mode to be sent. ### Claim 4 A method comprising: receiving by downlink signal an indication that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; and receiving a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to set a target wake time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising at least one of: causing an uplink signal acknowledgement of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration to be sent; and causing to be sent in a final uplink data frame before interruption of data exchanges an indication that data is buffered for reception after the interruption and that a sleep mode request has been received. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising at least one of: a) initiating sleep mode after sending the uplink acknowledgement; b) initiating sleep mode after receiving the acknowledgement frame downlink signal; c) terminating sleep mode; receiving data frame exchange(s); and receiving a downlink data frame having an indicator of no more data; and d) causing to be sent an uplink data frame with a no more data indicator and the sleep mode indicator set. ### Claim 7 An apparatus comprising at least a processor, a memory in operative communication with the processor and having computer coded instructions stored therein, said instructions when executed by the processor causing the apparatus to perform: causing by downlink signal an indication to be sent that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; scheduling a target wake time at which to resume sending data frames; and causing a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to be sent to set the target wake time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: setting a power management indicator to indicate a sleep mode request; receiving an uplink signal acknowledgement of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration; the indication of buffered data and sleep mode indication and duration are sent in a downlink acknowledgement frame; and resuming data frame exchange after the scheduled target wake time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: causing a downlink signal data frame to be sent that causes buffered data to be emptied, including an indicator that no data remains to send; receiving a data frame uplink with an indicator of no more data and a sleep mode indicator; and causing a downlink acknowledgement of sleep mode to be sent. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising at least a processor, a memory in operative communication with the processor and having computer coded instructions stored therein, said instructions when executed by the processor causing the apparatus to perform: receiving by downlink signal an indication that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; and receiving a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to set a target wake time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: causing to be sent an uplink signal acknowledgement of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration; and causing to be sent in a final uplink data frame before interruption of data exchanges an indication that data is buffered for reception after the interruption and that a sleep mode request has been received. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one of instructions causing the apparatus to perform: a) initiating sleep mode after sending the uplink acknowledgement; b) initiating sleep mode after receiving the acknowledgement frame downlink signal; c) terminating sleep mode; receiving data frame exchange(s); and receiving a downlink data frame having an indicator of no more data; and causing an uplink data frame to be sent with a no more data indicator and the sleep mode indicator set. ### Claim 13 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer coded instructions stored therein, said instructions when executed by a processor causing an apparatus to perform: causing by downlink signal an indication to be sent that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; scheduling a target wake time at which to resume sending data frames; and causing a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to be sent to set the target wake time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: setting a power management indicator to indicate a sleep mode request; receiving an uplink signal acknowledgement of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration; the indication of buffered data and sleep mode indication and duration are sent in a downlink acknowledgement frame; and resuming data frame exchange after the scheduled target wake time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 39) The computer program product of claim 39, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: causing a downlink signal data frame to be sent that causes buffered data to be sent, including an indicator that no data remains to send; receiving a data frame uplink with an indicator of no more data and a sleep mode indicator; and causing a downlink acknowledgement of sleep mode to be sent. ### Claim 16 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer coded instructions stored therein, said instructions when executed by a processor causing an apparatus to perform: receiving by downlink signal an indication that data remains buffered for delivery after an interruption in data frame exchanges; and receiving a sleep mode indication and sleep duration to set a target wake time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: causing an uplink signal acknowledgement to be sent of the sleep mode indication and sleep duration; and causing to be sent in a final uplink data frame before interruption of data exchanges an indication that data is buffered for reception after the interruption and that a sleep mode request has been received. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least one of: a) initiating sleep mode after sending the uplink acknowledgement; b) initiating sleep mode after receiving the acknowledgement frame downlink signal; c) terminating sleep mode; receiving data frame exchange(s); and receiving a downlink data frame having an indicator of no more data; and d) causing an uplink data frame to be sent with a no more data indicator and the sleep mode indicator set. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: causing an uplink signal to be sent that indicates more data remains buffered for uplink; receiving a downlink signal indicating no more data ready for downlink; and receiving in the downlink signal a sleep mode indicator and a duration for sleep mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising at least one of: a) initiating sleep mode for the duration period received in the downlink signal; and b) terminating sleep mode; resuming data frame uplink exchange until the data buffer is emptied; and upon emptying the data buffer uplinking a sleep mode indicator.