Dynamic energy saving mechanism for access points

A method comprising:

• determining, at a wireless network device, that a wireless communication channel is available for transmitting a message from the wireless network device to an access point;
• determining whether a transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds an amount of time remaining before a start of a first sleep interval of the access point, wherein the access point is configured to operate in a sleep operating mode during the first sleep interval;
• and
• determining whether to transmit the message from the wireless network device to the access point based, at least in part, on whether the transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds the amount of time remaining before the start of the first sleep interval.

An access point comprising:

• a processor unit;
• and
• a power saving unit coupled with the processor unit, the power saving unit configured to:
• determine a first sleep interval of the access point based, at least in part, on a second sleep interval of a first wireless network device, wherein the access point is configured to operate in a sleep operating mode during the first sleep interval, wherein the first wireless network device is configured to operate in the sleep operating mode during the second sleep interval;
• transmit an indication of the first sleep interval from the access point to the first wireless network device to prevent the first wireless network device from initiating transmissions to the access point during the first sleep interval;
• and
• initiate the sleep operating mode at the access point at a start of the first sleep interval.

A wireless network device comprising:

• a processor unit;
• and
• a power saving unit coupled with the processor unit, the power saving unit configured to:
• determine that a wireless communication channel is available for transmitting a message from the wireless network device to an access point;
• determine whether a transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds an amount of time remaining before a start of a first sleep interval of the access point, wherein the access point is configured to operate in a sleep operating mode during the first sleep interval;
• and
• determine whether to transmit the message from the wireless network device to the access point based, at least in part, on whether the transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds the amount of time remaining before the start of the first sleep interval of the access point.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions stored therein, the machine executable instructions comprising instructions to:

• determine, at an access point, a first sleep interval of the access point based, at least in part, on a second sleep interval of a first wireless network device, wherein the access point is configured to operate in a sleep operating mode during the first sleep interval, wherein the first wireless network device is configured to operate in the sleep operating mode during the second sleep interval;
• transmit an indication of the first sleep interval from the access point to the first wireless network device to prevent the first wireless network device from initiating transmissions to the access point during the first sleep interval;
• and
• initiate the sleep operating mode at the access point at a start of the first sleep interval.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions stored therein, the machine executable instructions comprising instructions to:

• determine that a wireless communication channel is available for transmitting a message from a wireless network device to an access point;
• determine whether a transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds an amount of time remaining before a start of a first sleep interval of the access point, wherein the access point is configured to operate in a sleep operating mode during the first sleep interval;
• and
• determine whether to transmit the message from the wireless network device to the access point based, at least in part, on whether the transmission time associated with transmitting the message exceeds the amount of time remaining before the start of the first sleep interval of the access point.