Abstract:
A method of reducing client power consumption in a wireless network including a network server which provides computed client&#39; locations, at least one access point (AP), and a plurality of wireless stations (STAs) including a first wireless station (STA1). The AP periodically sends beacon frames that span a beacon period, wherein at least a first beacon frame is sent during the beacon period. The STA1 sends a location request frame to the AP requesting a STA1 location. During the beacon period the STA1 wakes up from a powersave (PS) mode or a sleep mode and sends a PSPoll frame to the AP. Responsive to the PSPoll frame, the AP replies with a priority response being a data frame including a location response packet including the STA1 location or a Null frame if the STA1 location is not available.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/407,634 entitled “Reducing Power Consumption in CCX, filed Oct. 28, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    Disclosed embodiments are directed, in general, to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to wireless networks having network-computed client&#39; location information. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    As wireless technologies proliferate, wireless networks serving a plurality of wireless devices referred to herein as wireless stations (STAs) have incorporated a multiplicity of different wireless standards. In some scenarios, the STAs need to know its position/location (hereafter its location) so that the STA can use the location information, indoor navigation and applications that make use of location information. In scenarios where the STAs cannot receive Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, access points (APs) can be useful since their location is fixed and known. APs connect computers or other wireless devices together to create a wireless network. Most wireless APs also function as a network bridge that connects the Wi-Fi network to a wired network such as Ethernet. Hence, STAs ask for the AP to provide them with their location information, which can be calculated (e.g., by a network server) using a packet received from the STA by one or more APs along with the AP location information. 
         [0004]    Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) is a proprietary protocol developed by Cisco Systems, Inc. for network communications involving client devices (STAs). CCX contains positioning protocols that enable the wireless network to compute the physical location of the respective STAs. An example wireless network is a wireless local area network (“WLAN”), such as IEEE 802.11n. 
         [0005]    CCX positioning protocols include what is referred to as S 60  and S 69 . In S 60 , the STAs are configured to periodically (e.g., once every 60 seconds) broadcast path-loss measurement (PLM) frames. The APs in the network process the PLM packets and send the PLM-based data generally to a central network server which estimates the STA&#39; location. In S 60 , the STA&#39;s do not receive this location information. The location information is instead consumed by the network layer itself for various applications. The S 69  protocol enables the STA to obtain its location from the network. The STA can obtain its location information from the network using on-demand or subscription services. However, on-demand is what is typically used to obtain the location information. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a timing diagram  100  showing the workings of a known power save poll (PSPoll) mechanism. The AP periodically sends beacon packets to announce their presence at regular intervals, such as a default beacon interval of 100 milliseconds, with an example beacon packet shown in  FIG. 1  being sent at time t 1.  The beacon is shown including a traffic indication map (TIM) informing the STAs in the network that are in power save (PS) mode whether there are buffered packets available for them. 
         [0007]    If a node in the network such as STA 1  learns from the TIM that the AP has buffered data packets for it, at time t 2  the STA 1  can transmit a PSPoll frame to the AP. PSPoll frames are sent by STAs to begin a process to “retrieve” packets queued at the AP for the STAs. A PSPoll frame indicates to the AP that a particular STA is awake to receive frames and will be awake (and listening) until it receives at least one frame. While the STA is listening for a packet to arrive, most of the radio receiver must be turned on, so power consumption is high compared to PS-mode, such as 110 mW and 46 mW, for WLAN and Bluetooth devices, respectively. The duration of the PSPoll frame can depend on the number of active-mode STAs present in the network, as well as the number of PS-mode STAs informed via the TIM. STA 1  could be awake and listening after receiving the TIM indication or STA 1  could start listening around t 2 , generally slightly before sending the PSPoll frame since some time is needed by the STA 1  to prepare and send the PSPoll frame. 
         [0008]    After the AP receives the PSPoll frame sent by STA 1 , following the short interframe space (SIFS) time interval shown, the AP can respond at the time shown as t 3  to the PSPoll frame with an optional acknowledgment (ACK). Thereafter, at a time shown at t 4  the AP can send a response frame that includes location information for STA 1  by sending at least one buffered data packet shown as MPDU 1  to the STA 1 . MPDU 1  comprises single or aggregated medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (A-MPDU) packets, although the buffered data packet(s) can comprise other aggregated packet units. Although not shown, to conserve STA&#39; power the AP can also send a buffered data packet directly to the STA 1  promptly after receiving the PSPoll (without sending the ACK first). Following the SIFS shown in  FIG. 1 , at time t 5  the STA 1  can send an ACK to AP. 
         [0009]    The wait time for STA 1  is largely the time interval shown as t 6  which precedes the sending of the MPDU 1  provided by the AP. The conventional way that APs handle the response frame to a PSPoll is with significant delay due to queuing the response frame at the end of the queue of the packet transmission buffers before its transmission. Thus, for the known PSPoll mechanism, STA 1  has to listen (be awake) while waiting for the MPDU 1  from AP through the full time interval from t 2  to t 4 . This wait time can be about 100 beacon intervals (e.g., 5 to 10 seconds). 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    Disclosed embodiments recognize wireless communication systems that include protocols that feature network-computed client wireless station&#39; (STA) location, such as the CCX protocol described above, is power inefficient for the STA. Such embodiments recognize the main reason for the power inefficiency is that there no scheduling for the network response from the AP to an on-demand location request from STAs in the network. As disclosed above, since the network response to an on-demand location request from the STA can be significantly delayed, such as for 5 to 10 seconds, if the STA continuously listens for such intervals of time while waiting for the network&#39;s response, for many practical applications too much of the STA&#39; power would be consumed while listening. 
         [0011]    Disclosed embodiments prioritize the response by the AP to a PSPoll from a STA, with the priority response comprising a data frame including a data frame comprising a location response packet including the STA 1  location, or Null frame if the STA 1  location is not available (e.g., when the STA 1  did not hear a beacon before the PSPoll is sent). The STAs can comprise a variety of different devices such as a smart phone, laptop or handheld device. The network can optionally include a soft-AP besides the AP, where a soft-AP is a STA in a P2P network (peer-to-peer networks) that also acts as the AP (thus, soft-AP or group-owner). 
         [0012]    In the instance the priority response is a data frame including a location response packet including the STA 1  location, the location response packet can be inserted at the “head of the queue”, and thus be the first to be transmitted in that access category, or the location response packet can be inserted in the queue based on the time of arrival of the PSPoll at the AP hence provide prompter delivery since packets in a given access category are sent first-in-first-out and the arrival time at the medium access control (MAC) layer that defines their position in the queue. If the PSPoll is sent before hearing a beacon TIM, the priority response may also be a Null frame. 
         [0013]    One disclosed embodiment comprises a method of reducing client power consumption in a wireless network including a network server which provides computed client&#39; locations, at least one AP, and a plurality of STAs including a first wireless station (STA 1 ). The AP periodically sends beacon frames that span a beacon period, wherein at least a first beacon frame is sent during the beacon period. The STA 1  sends a location request frame to the AP requesting a STA 1  location. During the beacon period the STA 1  wakes up from a PS-mode or a sleep mode and sends a PSPoll frame to the AP. Responsive to the PSPoll frame, the AP replies with a priority response being a data frame including a data frame comprising a location response packet including the STA 1  location or a Null frame if the STA 1  location is not available. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a timing diagram showing the workings of a known PSPoll mechanism. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an example timing diagram showing protocol behavior if the latest location information at the AP is not available when it initially receives a PLM packet from a STA, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is a block diagram representation of an example AP or soft-AP including a wireless transceiver and a disclosed location request scheduler for responding to a PSPoll frame from a STA that provides a priority response including a data frame comprising a location response packet including network-computed STA&#39; location or a Null frame when the STA&#39; location is not available for reducing STA&#39; power consumption while waiting for the response, according to an example embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a block diagram depiction of an example wireless network that includes an AP and an optional soft-AP that each include a disclosed location request scheduler for responding to a PSPoll frame from a STA that provide a priority response for reducing STA&#39; power consumption while waiting for the response according to an example embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Example embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate similar or equivalent elements. Illustrated ordering of acts or events should not be considered as limiting, as some acts or events may occur in different order and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, some illustrated acts or events may not be required to implement a methodology in accordance with this disclosure. 
         [0019]    Disclosed embodiments include methods for reducing power consumption caused by slow on-demand network&#39; response to a STA&#39; location request. As described above, wireless communication protocols such as the CCX protocol are not friendly in terms of client&#39;/STA&#39; power consumption due to lack of scheduling for the location response packet response to an on-demand location request from the STA. 
         [0020]    Disclosed embodiments largely solve this power consumption problem by having the STAs use a PS mechanism while participating in the network, and having the AP include a location request scheduler that prioritizes the location response packet following PSPoll receipt at the AP. The priority location response packet reduces listening time and thus power consumption for the STAs as compared to protocols in a legacy network. 
         [0021]    An example power saving protocol for STAs obtaining location information from a wireless network is now described. In step  1 , the STA may optionally send PLM packets periodically, such as every 60 seconds per the S 60  protocol. In step  2 , if the STA decides to get an updated location estimation, the STA in step  2 ( a ) sends a fresh PLM packet so that the APs have fresh location information. In step  2 ( b ) the STA sends a location request to the network, such as using S 69  protocol. In step  2 ( c ) the AP can respond “immediately” which can comprise the AP giving the highest priority to the STA&#39; request and inserting the frame containing the latest location information for the requesting STA to the head of the transmission queue of the corresponding access category. If no STA 1  location information is available, the AP can immediately send a Null frame. The reason why a Null frame may be transmitted instead of a location response packet is because the location response from the network server may not have yet reached the AP and the STA did not wait for a beacon TIM, rather it woke up and transmitted a PSPoll. Hence, the AP can reply with a Null frame. 
         [0022]    One priority methodology is to insert the Null frame or data frame at the head of the queue corresponding to the access category associated with the Null frame or data frame. In IEEE802.11, for example, there are 4 different access categories. Inserting at the head of the queue will ensure a minimum amount of delay for the packet to be transmitted from the AP to the STA in PS mode response to PSPoll. The wait time described below in  FIG. 2  is largely associated with the intervals t 14  to t 16  (which includes t 31  which is from the end of the ACK beginning at t 15  to t 16 )and t 18  to t 20  (which includes t 32  which is from the end of the ACK beginning at t 19  to t 20 ). 
         [0023]    In step  2 ( d ), if the STA 1  location information is stale or a Null frame is returned (the time stamp is when the location was computed, if it is prior to when the last PLM was transmitted, then it is stale), the STA can sleep for a period of time, such as for X seconds (shown as the “X-time interval” in  FIG. 2  below from the end of ACK packet transmitted from STA 1  at time t 17  to t 18 ), and go to step  2 ( b ); location request again and repeat. If the location information is not stale, the STA can consume (get and process) the location information provided by the AP and then go to optional step  1  (sending PLM packet) and repeat. For example, “consuming” the application can comprise other applications using the location information for a variety of purposes. Else, the protocol can go directly to step  1  (sending PLM packet) and the sequence repeated, or it can go to sleep and give the network more time to compute the location in which case it would return to step  2 ( b ) and repeat. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is an example timing diagram  200  showing an example of disclosed protocol behavior when the latest location information at the AP is not available when the AP initially receives a PLM packet from a STA, according to an example embodiment. Timing diagram  200  can be applicable to network  350  shown in  FIG. 3B  described below. At time t 11 , the AP sends a first beacon that is before the STA 1  sends the PLM packet. The first beacon can include a TIM informing the STAs in the network that are in PS mode whether there are buffered packets available for them. However, the first beacon does not necessarily have to have a TIM for the STAs in the network including STA 1  to be sent. At time t 12 , the STA 1  sends a PLM packet. By sending the PLM packet STA 1  enables the network to compute its location information. At time t 13 , the AP can send an ACK. 
         [0025]    At t 14  the STA 1  transmits a PSPoll frame. At t 15  the AP sends an optional ACK. Since the latest location information for STA 1  at the AP is not available, the AP sends a Null frame at time t 16  as described above. To minimize listening time for the STA shown including t 31 , as described above, the Null frame can be positioned at the head of the queue corresponding to the access category associated with the Null frame. At t 17 , the STA 1  can send an optional ACK, and then go to sleep for the interval shown as the “X-time interval” (sleep starts after the ACK at t 19  shown). 
         [0026]    Following the beacon interval shown between successive Beacon Tx times (e.g., a beacon interval of 100 msec), at time t 18  STA 1  awakes from its sleep and sends another PSPoll frame. Although not shown, before time t 18 , there could be a beacon with TIM set for STA 1 . At t 19 , the AP sends an optional ACK. At t 20 , the AP sends a data frame having at least one data packet including location information for STA 1 . To minimize listening time for the STA 1  including the interval shown as t 32 , as described above, the data frame can be positioned at the head of the queue corresponding to the access category associated with the data frame. At t 21 , the STA 1  can send an optional ACK. 
         [0027]    In example timing diagram  200 , the STA 1  will be awake (listening) only for intervals t 14  to t 17  (till end of the ACK sent at t 17 ) and t 18  to t 21  (till end of the ACK sent at t 21 ). If it is assumed that the disclosed listening period PSPoll-ACK-DATA-ACK is 25 msec, and in a worst case the sequence PSPoll-ACK-DATA-ACK is done every beacon frame (e.g., once per 100 msec beacon period/interval), a 75% saving in power consumption is achieved compared to the power expended by STA while listening in the timing diagram  100  in  FIG. 1  that shows the workings of a known PSPoll mechanism which queues the location response packet from the AP at the end of the packet transmission buffers (i.e. at the end of a long queue over many beacon intervals). 
         [0028]    In the known PSPoll mechanism (see timing diagram  100  in  FIG. 1 ), transmission of the location response packet from the AP will occur only when this packet reaches the head of its transmission queue; i.e., all the packets queued (which could be in hundreds) before the location request packet have been transmitted successfully. For a network with at least a moderate traffic load using the known PSPoll mechanism, transmission of these many packets from the AP will require long time intervals, e.g., seconds and tens of seconds, which takes place before transmission of the location request packet. This estimation does not take into account that other STAs in the network will have to transmit their own packets to the AP, thus further delaying transmission of location request packet from the AP to STA 1 . Hence, STA&#39; power consumption with the known PSPoll mechanism is much higher than that of disclosed methods. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  is a block diagram representation of an example AP or soft-AP  110  including a wireless transceiver and a disclosed location request scheduler  117  for responding to a PSPoll frame from a STA that provides a priority response including a data frame comprising location response packet including network-computed STA&#39; locations or a Null frame for reducing STA&#39; power consumption while waiting for the AP response, according to an example embodiment. AP or soft-AP  110  includes a wireless transceiver  112  and a disclosed location request scheduler  117 . AP or soft-AP  110  also includes a processor  116  and associated memory  119  for implementing location request scheduler  117 . AP or soft-AP  110  is also shown including an antenna  123 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3B  is a block diagram depiction of an example wireless network  350  that includes a central network server  140 , a disclosed AP  110  shown as a WLAN AP  110 , and a plurality of STAs, according to an example embodiment. Central network server  140  includes processor  316 , memory  321 , transceiver  112 , and antenna  141 . AP  110  is shown as a WLAN AP  110  for embodiments where the network  350  supports WLAN. Although a single AP  110  is shown, in typical wireless networks there are a plurality of APs. 
         [0031]    The plurality of STAs in wireless network  350  are shown as STA 1 , STA 2   320  and STA 3 . The network  350  can optionally include at least one soft-AP. There are at least two possible soft-AP scenarios. One scenario (not shown) involves a soft-AP and STAs forming the network without the presence of the WLAN AP  110 , or as shown in  FIG. 3B  STA 2   320  (Soft-AP) acts as a bridge between STA 3 , STA 1  and the WLAN AP  110  (or any other STA and the WLAN AP  110 ). 
         [0032]    STA 2   320  includes a disclosed location request scheduler  117 . STA 1  and STA 3  are conventional STAs that include a transceiver  112 , an antenna  123 , and a processor  116 , which lack a disclosed location request scheduler  117 . STA 2   320  is thus a soft-AP that is part of a P2P network (peer-to-peer network) including STA 1  and STA 3 , where STA 2   320  functions as a soft-AP or group-owner. As disclosed above, once a PSPoll packet has been received by the WLAN AP  110  or STA 2   320  when functioning as a soft-AP, the location response packet or Null frame sent to the STA is a priority response. 
         [0033]    Although not shown, in one embodiment the STAs can comprise a wireless combination (combo) device that includes a first wireless transceiver communicating via a first wireless network and a second wireless transceiver communicating via a second wireless network that overlaps the first wireless network. For example, in one particular embodiment the first wireless network comprises a WLAN and the second wireless network comprises a wireless personal area network (WPAN). Example WPANs include Bluetooth (BT), as well as Zigbee and LTE which use the ISM band. 
         [0034]    Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions, and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that embodiments of the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.