US 8,274,956 B2Granted

Standby time improvements using sub-networks

AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated

InventorsArnaud Meylan, Manoj M. Deshpande, Sanjiv Nanda

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Abstract

Broadcast or multicast traffic is classified into different types of traffic such that different types of traffic are transmitted over different sub-networks. In addition, different transmission schedules may be associated with each of the different sub-networks. A device may thus be configured to receive only a selected portion of the different types of traffic by only waking from a power save mode at the intervals at which the corresponding sub-network sends the traffic. The standby time of the wireless station may thus be improved because the wireless station may awaken less frequently and for shorter periods of time. Different sub-networks carrying different types of broadcast and multicast traffic may be implemented in an 802.11-based system. For example, a single access point may define multiple basic service set identifiers for a single wireless channel.

Claims65

Dependent claims

A method operable by a user device of receiving broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

identifying at least one of a plurality of different wireless sub-networks from which traffic is to be received, wherein the plurality of different wireless sub-networks are associated with a common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, and wherein the user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks;
receiving via a first wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of a plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
and
receiving via a second wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
wherein a transmission schedule is different for the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network than for the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network, and wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic is received at a different time than the second traffic type of the plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
waking from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and waking from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network is different than the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network.

5 more elements

An apparatus for receiving broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

an identifier configured to identify at least one of a plurality of different wireless sub-networks from which traffic is to be received, wherein the plurality of different wireless sub-networks are associated with a common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, and wherein the user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks;
a receiver configured to receive, via a first wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of a plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
and
the receiver further configured to receive, via a second wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
wherein a transmission schedule is different for the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network than for the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network, and wherein the of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic is received at a different time than the second traffic type of the plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
wake the receiver from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and wake the receiver from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network is different than the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network.

5 more elements

An apparatus for receiving broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

means for identifying at least one of a plurality of different wireless sub-networks from which traffic is to be received, wherein the plurality of different wireless sub-networks are associated with a common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, and wherein the user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks;
means for receiving via a first wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of a plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
and
means for receiving, by the user device, via a second wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
wherein a transmission schedule is different for the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network than for the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
and
wherein the first traffic type of broadcast or multicast traffic is received at a different time than the second traffic type of the plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
means for waking from a power save state:
at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network is different than the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network.

8 more elements

A computer program product for receiving broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing at least one computer to:
identify at least one of a plurality of different wireless sub-networks from which traffic is to be received, wherein the plurality of different wireless sub-networks are associated with a common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, and wherein the user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks;
receive via a first wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of a plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
and
receive via a second wireless sub-network of the plurality of different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
wherein a transmission schedule is different for the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network than for the second traffic type of the plurality of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network, and
wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic is received at a different time than the second traffic type of the plurality of different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
wake from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and wake from a power save state, at a time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network, to receive traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the second wireless sub-network is different than the time interval defined by the transmission schedule associated with the first wireless sub-network.

7 more elements

A method operable by an access device of providing classified broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

obtaining broadcast or multicast traffic, from a common network;
classifying the broadcast or multicast traffic into different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
associating the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic with different wireless sub-networks that are associated with the common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the different wireless sub-networks, and wherein a user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the different wireless sub-networks;
transmitting, via a first wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a first scheduled time;
and
transmitting, via a second wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a second scheduled time, wherein the first scheduled time and the second scheduled time are different, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type comprises control plane traffic;
transmitting, at a first time interval, the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and transmitting, at a second time interval, the portion of the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the second time interval is different than the first time interval.

6 more elements

An apparatus for providing classified broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

a receiver configured to obtain broadcast or multicast traffic, from a common network;
a classifier configured to classify the broadcast or multicast traffic into different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
a traffic scheduler configured to associate the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic with different wireless sub-networks that are associated with the common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the different wireless sub-networks, and wherein a user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the different wireless sub-networks;
and
a transmitter configured to:
transmit, via a first wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a first scheduled time;
and
transmit, via a second wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a second scheduled time, wherein the first scheduled time and the second scheduled time are different, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type comprises control plane traffic;
transmit, at a first time interval, the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and transmit, at a second time interval, the portion of the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the second time interval is different than the first time interval.

8 more elements

An apparatus for providing classified broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

means for obtaining broadcast or multicast traffic, from a common network;
means for classifying the broadcast or multicast traffic into different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
means for associating the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic with different wireless sub-networks that are associated with the common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the different wireless sub-networks, and wherein a user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the different wireless sub-networks;
and
means for transmitting:
via a first wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a first scheduled time;
and
via a second wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a second scheduled time, wherein the first scheduled time and the second scheduled time are different, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
transmits:
at a first time interval, the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and at a second time interval, the portion of the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the second time interval is different than the first time interval.

9 more elements

A computer program product for providing classified broadcast or multicast traffic, comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing at least one computer to:
obtain broadcast or multicast traffic, from a common network;
classify the broadcast or multicast traffic into different types of broadcast or multicast traffic;
associate the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic with different wireless sub-networks that are associated with the common network, wherein the traffic is communicable between the different wireless sub-networks, and wherein a user device is operable to receive the traffic from at least two of the different wireless sub-networks;
transmit, via a first wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a first scheduled time;
and
transmit, via a second wireless sub-network of the different wireless sub-networks, a second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic at a second scheduled time, wherein the first scheduled time and the second scheduled time are different, wherein the first traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises user plane traffic, and the second traffic type of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic comprises control plane traffic;
transmit, at a first time interval, the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the first wireless sub-network;
and transmit, at a second time interval, the portion of the at least two of the different types of broadcast or multicast traffic via the second wireless sub-network;
wherein the second time interval is different than the first time interval.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/680,400Filed 28 Feb 2007 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 Jun 2006
Published: US 2008/0002692 A13 Jan 2008
Granted: 25 Sep 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04W 72/30
Local resource management: resource management for broadcast services
H04W 52/0216
Managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower: using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic…
H04W 52/0219
Managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower: where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
H04W 88/02
Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices: terminal devices