Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a wireless communication device

A station configured for use in a wireless communications network, comprising:

• a processor configured to establish a circular buffer, the circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered frame delay times representing times between an access point transmitting one frame of data and the station receiving the one frame of data;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive data transmitted from the access point;
• wherein the processor is configured to wait for a frame delay time after receiving a further frame, and if no additional frame of data is received within the frame delay time, cause the station to enter a power save state;
• wherein the frame delay time is a period of time equal to a largest most recently encountered frame delay period of time contained in the circular buffer.

A station configured for use in a wireless communications network, comprising:

• means for establishing a circular buffer at the station, the circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered frame delay times representing times between an access point transmitting one frame of data and the station receiving the one frame of data;
• and
• means for waiting for a frame delay time after receiving a further frame, and if no additional frame of data is received within the frame delay time, causing the station to enter a power save state;
• wherein the frame delay time is a period of time equal to a largest most recently encountered frame delay period of time contained in the circular buffer.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs the following method:

• establishing a circular buffer at a station, the circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered frame delay times representing times between an access point transmitting one frame of data and the station receiving the one frame of data;
• and
• waiting for a frame delay time after receiving a further frame, and if no additional frame of data is received within the frame delay time, causing the station to enter a power save state;
• wherein the frame delay time is a period of time equal to a largest most recently encountered frame delay period of time contained in the circular buffer.

A method for saving power in a wireless communication system comprising a station and an access point, the method comprising:

• establishing a circular buffer at the station, the circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered time values for the access point to transmit and the station to receive a first frame;
• providing the circular buffer with at least one time for the access point to transmit and the receiving station to receive one frame;
• and
• waiting for a first frame delay and at least one inactivity period comprising the largest amount of time in the circular buffer before causing the station to enter a power save state;
• wherein the station resets the inactivity period whenever a new frame is received from the access point.