FIELD

The described embodiments relate, generally, to wireless communications among electronic devices, and techniques for improving power efficiency by selectively receiving individually-addressed frames or group-addressed frames using a wake-up radio.

BACKGROUND

Many electronic devices communicate with each other using wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as those based on a communication protocol that is compatible with an IEEE 802.11 standard (which is sometimes referred to as ‘Wi-Fi’). However, a radio in an electronic device that communicates using wireless communication in a WLAN may consume a significant amount of power.

In order to address this challenge, a new radio technology called Low Power Wake-Up Radio (LP-WUR) is being considered (in the discussion that follows a LP-WUR is referred to as a ‘wake-up radio’ or a WUR). The WUR may be a companion to the main Wi-Fi radio in the electronic device. Notably, by using the WUR, the electronic device may turn off its main radio and may selectively wake up the main radio in response to the WUR receiving a WUR packet from an access point. For example, the access point may send the WUR packet when there is a down-link packet for the electronic device.

Moreover, an access point typically transmits group-addressed frames after a Delivery Traffic Indication Message (DTIM) beacon. Consequently, a WUR in an electronic device usually wakes up the main radio after DTIM beacons to receive any group-addressed frames. However, these regular or periodic wake ups can significantly increase the power consumption of the electronic device. Indeed, the power consumption may be comparable to a legacy electronic device without a WUR that operates in a lower-power mode between DTIM beacons.

SUMMARY

A first group of embodiments relates to an electronic device that provides a wake-up frame. This electronic device may include a node that can be communicatively coupled to an antenna, and an interface circuit communicatively coupled to the node and that communicates with a recipient electronic device. During operation, the interface circuit receives, from the node, a WUR-setup request associated with the recipient electronic device, where the WUR-setup request specifies a group address for which the recipient electronic device wants to receive associated frames and a proposed transmission interval. Then, the interface circuit determines a transmission schedule based at least in part on the proposed transmission interval. Next, the interface circuit provides, to the node, the wake-up frame intended for the recipient electronic device, where the wake-up frame includes an identifier of an aggregated group that includes the group address for which a group-addressed frame will subsequently be transmitted by the electronic device, and the wake-up frame is provided at a transmission time based at least in part on the transmission schedule.

Note that the transmission time may be an integer multiple of a DTIM-beacon transmission interval, where the integer is greater than one.

Moreover, the identifier may include a Flexible Multicast Service identifier (FMSID).

Furthermore, the wake-up frame may specify an FMS stream for which there is pending traffic in the electronic device.

Additionally, the interface circuit may select an FMS stream for which there is pending traffic in the electronic device, and the wake-up frame may specify the FMS stream.

In some embodiments, the interface circuit may assign, based at least in part on the group address, the recipient electronic device to the aggregated group having a FMSID.

Note that the electronic device may include an access point.

Moreover, the WUR-setup request and the wake-up frame may be compatible with an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

Furthermore, the interface circuit may: receive, from the node, a second WUR-setup request associated with the recipient electronic device, where the second WUR-setup request specifies one or more attributes associated with group-addressed frames that the recipient electronic device wants to receive using a directed multicast service (DMS); and provide, to the node, a second wake-up frame intended for the recipient electronic device, where the second wake-up frame indicates that the electronic device will subsequently provide a unicast copy of a second group-addressed frame having the one or more attributes.

Other embodiments provide an interface circuit in the electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a computer-readable storage medium for use with the interface circuit in the electronic device. When program instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the interface circuit, the program instructions may cause the electronic device to perform at least some of the aforementioned operations of the electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a method for providing a wake-up frame. The method includes at least some of the aforementioned operations performed by the interface circuit in the electronic device.

A second group of embodiments relates to a recipient electronic device that receives a wake-up frame. This recipient electronic device may include a node that can be communicatively coupled to an antenna, and an interface circuit communicatively coupled to the node and that communicates with an electronic device. The interface circuit may include a main radio and a WUR that at least selectively transitions the main radio from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode in response to the wake-up frame. During operation, the main radio in the recipient electronic device provides, to the node, a WUR-setup request intended for the electronic device, where the WUR-setup request specifies a group address for which the recipient electronic device wants to receive associated frames and a proposed transmission interval. Then, the WUR in the recipient electronic device receives, from the node, the wake-up frame associated with the electronic device, where the wake-up frame includes an identifier of an aggregated group that includes the group address for which a group-addressed frame will subsequently be transmitted by the electronic device, and the wake-up frame is received at a time corresponding to the proposed transmission interval.

Note that the transmission time may be an integer multiple of a DTIM-beacon transmission interval, where the integer is greater than one.

Moreover, the identifier may include an FMSID.

Furthermore, the electronic device may include an access point.

Additionally, the WUR-setup request and the wake-up frame may be compatible with an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

In some embodiments, based at least in part on the wake-up frame, the WUR may selectively transition the main radio in the recipient electronic device from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode. Then, the main radio may receive the group-addressed frame.

Note that the wake-up frame may include a change indication that indicates FMS information has changed. In response to the change indication, the main radio may receive updated FMS information. Moreover, the updated FMS information may be received, from the node and using the main radio, in a DTIM beacon associated with the electronic device. Furthermore, the main radio may: provide, to the node, a probe request intended for the electronic device; and receive, from the node, a probe response associated with the electronic device, where the probe response includes the updated FMS information.

In some embodiments, the main radio may: provide, to the node, a second WUR-setup request intended for the electronic device, where the second WUR-setup request specifies one or more attributes associated with group-addressed frames that the recipient electronic device wants to receive using DMS; and receive, from the node, a second wake-up frame associated with the electronic device, where the second wake-up frame indicates that the electronic device will subsequently provide a unicast copy of a second group-addressed frame having the one or more attributes.

Other embodiments provide an interface circuit in the recipient electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a computer-readable storage medium for use with the interface circuit in the recipient electronic device. When program instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the interface circuit, the program instructions may cause the recipient electronic device to perform at least some of the aforementioned operations of the recipient electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a method for receiving a wake-up frame. The method includes at least some of the aforementioned operations performed by the interface circuit in the recipient electronic device.

A third group of embodiments relates to an electronic device that selectively provides a wake-up frame. This electronic device may include a node that can be communicatively coupled to an antenna, and an interface circuit communicatively coupled to the node and that communicates with a recipient electronic device. During operation, the interface circuit receives, from the node, a WUR-setup request associated with the recipient electronic device, where the WUR-setup request specifies one or more urgency criteria for downlink traffic from the electronic device for the recipient electronic device. Then, the interface circuit receives a frame addressed to the recipient electronic device. Moreover, the interface circuit determines a traffic urgency of the frame based at least in part on the one or more urgency criteria. Next, based at least in part on the determined traffic urgency, the interface circuit: selectively provide, to the node, the wake-up frame intended for the recipient electronic device, where the wake-up frame includes information specifying the traffic urgency of the frame; or stores the frame in a buffer.

Note that the one or more urgency criteria may include at least one of: an access category (AC), an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port, or a quality-of-service (QoS).

Moreover, the interface circuit may provide, to the node, a second wake-up frame intended for the recipient electronic device at a subsequent retransmission time for the determined traffic urgency of the stored frame, where the second wake-up frame includes information specifying the traffic urgency of the frame.

Furthermore, the electronic device may include an access point.

Additionally, the WUR-setup request and the wake-up frame may be compatible with an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

Other embodiments provide an interface circuit in the electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a computer-readable storage medium for use with the interface circuit in the electronic device. When program instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the interface circuit, the program instructions may cause the electronic device to perform at least some of the aforementioned operations of the electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a method for selectively providing a wake-up frame. The method includes at least some of the aforementioned operations performed by the interface circuit in the electronic device.

A fourth group of embodiments relates to a recipient electronic device that receives a wake-up frame. This recipient electronic device may include a node that can be communicatively coupled to an antenna, and an interface circuit communicatively coupled to the node and that communicates with an electronic device. The interface circuit may include a main radio and a WUR that at least selectively transitions the main radio from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode in response to the wake-up frame. During operation, the main radio in the recipient electronic device provides, to the node, a WUR-setup request intended for the electronic device, where the WUR-setup request specifies one or more urgency criteria for downlink traffic from the electronic device for the recipient electronic device. Then, the WUR in the recipient electronic device receives, from the node, the wake-up frame associated with the electronic device, where the wake-up frame includes information specifying a traffic urgency of a frame that the electronic device will transmit.

Note that the one or more urgency criteria may include at least one of: an AC, an IP address, a UDP port, or a QoS.

Moreover, the WUR may receive, at the node, a second wake-up frame associated with the electronic device, where the second wake-up frame includes information specifying a traffic urgency of the frame.

Furthermore, the electronic device may include an access point.

Additionally, the WUR-setup request and the wake-up frame may be compatible with an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

In some embodiments, the WUR may selectively transition the main radio from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode based at least in part on the information. Then, the main radio may receive the frame.

Other embodiments provide an interface circuit in the recipient electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a computer-readable storage medium for use with the interface circuit in the recipient electronic device. When program instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the interface circuit, the program instructions may cause the recipient electronic device to perform at least some of the aforementioned operations of the recipient electronic device.

Other embodiments provide a method for receiving a wake-up frame. The method includes at least some of the aforementioned operations performed by the interface circuit in the recipient electronic device.

This Summary is provided for purposes of illustrating some exemplary embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are only examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

