Wireless LAN power savings

A method of powering up a network device, the method comprising:

• estimating an energy level of a signal;
• determining whether the signal includes a frame;
• identifying a destination address in the frame;
• and
• transitioning a receiver of a base band processor (BBP receiver) to an active mode based on the energy level;
• transitioning a receiver of a media access controller (MAC receiver) to the active mode when the frame is present;
• transitioning a processor to the active mode based on the destination address;
• transitioning the BBP receiver to the active mode before transitioning the MAC receiver, the processor, a MAC transmitter, and a BBP transmitter to the active mode;
• transitioning the MAC receiver to the active mode (i) after transitioning the BBP receiver to the active mode and (ii) before transitioning the processor, the MAC transmitter, and the BBP transmitter to the active mode;
• and
• transitioning the processor to the active mode (i) after transitioning the BBP receiver and the MAC receiver to the active mode and (ii) before transitioning the MAC transmitter and the BBP transmitter to the active mode.

A network device comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to
• prior to receiving a beacon, switch to an active mode to detect an energy of a RF signal, and
• switch to an inactive mode if the energy of the RF signal is less than a predetermined threshold;
• a physical layer (PHY) receiver configured to
• switch to the active mode to detect a preamble in a frame of the RF signal if (i) the RF receiver is in the active mode and (ii) the energy of the RF signal is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and
• switch to the inactive mode if the preamble is invalid,
• wherein the RF receiver is further configured to switch to the inactive mode if the preamble is invalid;
• a medium access controller (MAC) receiver configured to
• switch to the active mode to detect a destination address in the frame if (i) the RF receiver and the PHY receiver are in the active mode and (ii) the preamble is valid, and
• switch to the inactive mode if the destination address is invalid,
• wherein the RF receiver and the PHY receiver are further configured to switch to the inactive mode if the destination address is invalid;
• a processor configured to
• switch to the active mode to determine whether to transmit a response to the frame if (i) the RF receiver, the PHY receiver, and the MAC receiver are in the active mode and (ii) the destination address is valid, and
• switch to the inactive mode if the processor determines not to transmit the response,
• wherein the RF receiver, the PHY receiver, and the MAC receiver are further configured to switch to the inactive mode if the processor determines not to transmit the response;
• and
• a MAC transmitter, a PHY transmitter, and a RF transmitter each configured to
• switch to the active mode to transmit the response if (i) the RF receiver, the PHY receiver, the MAC receiver, and the processor are in the active mode and (ii) the processor decides to transmit the response, and
• switch to the inactive mode after transmitting the response,
• wherein the RF receiver, the PHY receiver, the MAC receiver, and the processor are further configured to switch to the inactive mode after the response is transmitted.