TWI463895B - Access point and method thereof for saving power consumption - Google Patents

Description

Wireless access node and method for saving power thereof

The present invention relates to communication technologies, and in particular, to a wireless access node and a method for saving power consumption thereof.

A wireless access node (AP) is a wireless switch for a wireless network that is connected to a corresponding Internet access device (usually a switch or hub and a data machine) to connect to a wireless device such as The wireless network card is assigned an IP address. Wireless access nodes are primarily based on the IEEE 802.11 family of annotations. At present, when no user accesses the Internet through the wireless access node, the Internet access device automatically enters the power saving mode. However, the wireless access node is still in a normal working state and receives and transmits the wireless signal, resulting in waste of power.

In view of this, it is necessary to provide a wireless access node that saves power and a method for saving power.

A wireless access node includes a radio frequency module for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, an identification module, and a control module. The identification module is configured to identify whether the radio frequency module receives the wireless signal and whether the received wireless signal conforms to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCIP sublayer and generates a result. The control module causes the wireless access node to enter a normal mode or a power saving mode according to the result. In the province In the electrical mode, the control module controls the wireless access node to receive only wireless signals.

A method for saving power consumption of a wireless access node, comprising the steps of: setting a power saving mode of a wireless access node, wherein the wireless access node only receives a wireless signal; the wireless access node receives the wireless signal; The wireless access node enters the power saving mode if the wireless signal is not received or the received wireless signal does not conform to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer; if the received wireless signal conforms to the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer In the data frame format, the wireless access node enters the normal mode.

Compared with the prior art, the wireless access node of the present invention and the method for saving power thereof set a power saving mode, in which the wireless access node only receives wireless signals when the wireless signal conforms to IEEE 802.11 PCLP. In the sub-layer format, it can be considered that a wireless device is attempting to connect to the wireless access node, and the wireless access node enters the normal mode. In this way, the power consumption of the wireless access node is saved.

10‧‧‧Wireless access node

12‧‧‧RF module

14‧‧‧ Identification module

16‧‧‧Control module

18‧‧‧ Delay Module

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless access node according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart of a method for saving power consumption of a wireless access node according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The following preferred embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the wireless access node 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a radio frequency module 12, an identification module 14, and a control module 16.

The radio frequency module 12 is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. According to the IEEE 802.11 series The wireless signals conforming to the IEEE 802.11 series of standards can operate in the 2.4 GHz band (such as IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11g/n standard) or the 5 GHz band (such as IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11a/n standard). Therefore, the radio frequency module 12 transmits and receives only wireless signals having a frequency of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The received wireless signal is transmitted by the radio frequency module 12 to the identification module 14.

The IEEE 802.11 family of standards defines a Media Access Controller Layer (MAC Layer) and a Physical Layer (Physical Layer). The physical layer is composed of a physical layer management sublayer, a Physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) sublayer, and a Physical Medium Dependent (PMD) sublayer. The physical layer management sublayer provides management functions for the physical layer. The PLCP sublayer is used to map the format of the data so that the data can be transferred between the MAC layer and the PMD sublayer. The PMD sublayer is located below the PLCP sublayer and directly faces the wireless medium for modulating and demodulating the data so that the data can be transmitted and received wirelessly.

The identification module 14 is connected to the radio frequency module 12 for identifying whether the radio frequency module 12 receives the wireless signal and whether the radio signal received by the radio frequency module 12 conforms to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer, and generates a recognition result. . Specifically, the identification module 14 is a chip including a baseband processor, wherein the baseband processor processes the data at the physical layer. The identification module 14 demodulates the received wireless signal according to the PMD sub-layer standard to generate mediation data suitable for transmission by the PMD sub-layer, so that the data can be transmitted between the MAC layer and the PMD sub-layer. If the wireless signal complies with the IEEE 802.11 series of standards, the identification module 14 can encapsulate the data of the mediation data according to the PCLP sub-layer standard, and the data after the packet is preceded by a preamble, a header, and a negative The data frame format of the (Payload) is arranged. The preamble signal is used as a training sequence to detect the frequency offset between the wireless signal source (eg, the wireless network card) and the wireless access node 10 to correct the frequency offset between the two. The purpose of frequency synchronization. The header contains parameters such as the current working state and rate of the wireless signal source. The load is the subject of the content to be transmitted by the wireless signal. The mediation data is encapsulated before entering the MAC layer. As the wireless signal is received, the preamble will be generated first. When the identification module 14 recognizes that the preamble signal conforms to the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer, it considers that the wireless signal is a request signal from the wireless signal source requesting to connect to the wireless access node 10, and the identification module 14 is Generate a first signal. When the identification module 14 recognizes that the radio frequency module 12 has not received the wireless signal or the received wireless signal does not comply with the IEEE 802.11 series of standards, the identification module 14 does not generate any signal.

The control module 16 is coupled to the identification module 14 for causing the wireless access node 10 to enter a normal mode or a power saving mode based on the recognition results generated by the identification module 14. In the power save mode, the control module 16 controls the wireless access node 10 to receive only wireless signals. Since all the chips or modules in the wireless access node 10 are not listed in the embodiment, the similar personal computer is in a sleep state, and the defined power saving mode generally refers to other modules of the wireless access node 10 that are not related to receiving the wireless signal (Fig. Not shown) is in a sleep state or in a power-off state, thereby reducing the power consumption of the wireless access node 10. However, it can be understood that the power saving mode is not limited to turning off the transmitting function of the radio frequency module. Specifically, when the wireless access node 10 is in the power save mode and the identification module 14 does not generate any signals, the control module 16 causes the wireless access node 10 to maintain the power save mode. When the wireless access node 10 is in the power saving mode, and the identification module 14 generates a first signal, the control module 16 causes the wireless access node 10 to enter the normal mode according to the first signal to continue to receive the wireless signal conforming to the IEEE 802.11 series standard to The wireless signal ends. When the wireless access node 10 is in the normal mode and the identification module 14 does not generate any signals, the control module 16 causes the wireless access node 10 to enter a power save mode. When the wireless access node 10 is in the normal mode, and the identification module 14 generates a first signal, the control module 16 maintains the wireless access node 10 in the normal mode according to the first signal to continue to receive the wireless signal conforming to the IEEE 802.11 series standard. The wireless signal ends.

The wireless access node 10 of the present invention sets a power saving mode in which the wireless access node 10 turns off other modules not related to receiving wireless signals, and does not emit wireless signals, but only wireless signals. Since other wireless devices need to connect to the wireless access node 10 to first send a wireless signal to request to connect to the wireless access node 10, the wireless access node 10 only receives wireless signals in the power saving mode and does not affect other wireless devices to the wireless access node. 10 connections. Therefore, the setting of the power saving mode saves the power consumption of the wireless access node 10. At the same time, since the PCLP sub-layer first generates a sub-layer with a data frame format, and the data frame format can be identified to conform to the IEEE 802.11 series of standards, the identification at the PCLP sub-layer saves the time required for identification. At the same time, the amount of calculation of the identification module 104 is also reduced.

Preferably, the wireless access node 10 includes a delay module 18. The delay module 18 is connected between the identification module 14 and the control module 16 for determining whether the identification module 14 generates the first signal within a predetermined time. If not, the control module controls the wireless access node 10 from the normal mode. Enter the power saving mode. If so, re-clock after receiving the first signal. The setting of the delay module 18 can avoid the wireless access node 10 frequently changing the working mode.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wireless access node of the preferred embodiment of the present invention saves power consumption. The method includes the following steps:

S1: setting a power saving mode of a wireless access node. In the power saving mode, the wireless access node only receives wireless signals; specifically, the wireless access node only receives wireless signals with frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

S2: The wireless access node receives the wireless signal.

S3: If no wireless signal is received or the received wireless signal does not conform to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer, the wireless access node enters a power saving mode.

S4: If the received wireless signal conforms to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer, the wireless access node enters the normal mode.

Specifically, if no wireless signal is received, the wireless access node enters a power saving mode. If a wireless signal is received, the wireless access node demodulates the received wireless signal and encapsulates the data. When the mediation and packetization data generates a data frame format preamble corresponding to the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer, the wireless signal is considered to conform to the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer, and the wireless access node Enters the normal mode to continue receiving wireless signals conforming to the IEEE 802.11 series of standards until the end of the wireless signal. Otherwise, the wireless signal is considered not to conform to the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer, and the wireless access node enters the power saving mode.

Preferably, before the wireless access node enters the power saving mode, it is determined whether the wireless access node is delayed by a preset time, and if so, the wireless access node enters the power saving mode, and if not, continues to determine whether the wireless signal is received or Whether the received wireless signal conforms to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCIP sublayer.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention, and are not intended to limit the invention, as the scope of the spirit of the invention Changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the invention.

10‧‧‧Wireless access node

12‧‧‧RF module

14‧‧‧ Identification module

16‧‧‧Control module

18‧‧‧ Delay Module

Claims (10)

A wireless access node includes: a radio frequency module for transmitting and receiving wireless signals; and an identification module for identifying whether the radio frequency module receives the wireless signal and whether the wireless signal received by the radio frequency module conforms to the IEEE 802.11 series a data frame format of the standard PCLP sublayer and generating a recognition result; a control module for causing the wireless access node to enter a normal mode or a power saving mode according to the recognition result generated by the identification module, wherein, in the power saving mode The control module controls the wireless access node to receive only the wireless signal; and the delay module is configured to determine whether the identification module generates the wireless signal received by the RF module according to the IEEE 802.11 series standard within a preset time. The result of identifying the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer, if not, causing the control module to control the wireless access node to enter the power saving mode, and if so, re-clocking after receiving the recognition result. The wireless access node of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal has a frequency of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. The wireless access node of claim 1, wherein the identification module is a chip including a baseband processor, and the baseband processor is configured to process data at a physical layer. The wireless access node of claim 1, wherein when the identification module recognizes that the radio frequency module does not receive the wireless signal, the identification module does not generate any signal; when the identification module receives the wireless signal After demodulation and data encapsulation, when the preamble corresponding to the IEEE 802.11 series standard is generated, the identification module considers that the radio signal conforms to the IEEE 802.11 series standard, and the identification module generates a first signal, otherwise it is considered that there is no The line signal does not comply with the IEEE 802.11 series of standards, and the identification module does not generate any signals. The wireless access node of claim 4, wherein the control module causes the wireless access node to maintain a power saving mode when the wireless access node is in a power saving mode and the identification module does not generate any signal; When the wireless access node is in the power saving mode, and the identification module generates a first signal, the control module causes the wireless access node to enter a normal mode according to the first signal; when the wireless access node is in a normal mode, and the identification module When no signal is generated, the control module causes the wireless access node to enter a power saving mode; when the wireless access node is in a normal mode, and the identification module generates a first signal, the control module enables wireless access according to the first signal The node remains in normal mode. The wireless access node according to claim 1, wherein in the power saving mode, the wireless access node and other modules not related to receiving the wireless signal are in a sleep state or a closed state. A method for saving power consumption of a wireless access node, comprising: setting a power saving mode of a wireless access node, wherein the wireless access node only receives a wireless signal; the wireless access node receives the wireless signal; if not received The wireless signal or the received wireless signal does not conform to the data frame format of the PC 802 sub-layer of the IEEE 802.11 series standard, and determines whether the system delays a preset time. If so, the wireless access node enters the power-saving mode, and if not, continues to judge. Is there a data frame format that receives the wireless signal or whether the received wireless signal conforms to the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer; if the received wireless signal conforms to the data frame format of the IEEE 802.11 series standard PCLP sublayer, The wireless access node enters normal mode. The method for saving power consumption of a wireless access node according to claim 7, wherein the wireless access node only receives wireless signals having a frequency of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The method for saving power consumption of a wireless access node according to claim 7, wherein the wireless access node demodulates the received wireless signal and encapsulates the data, and when the encapsulated data is generated, conforms to the IEEE. When the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer of the 802.11 physical layer is preceded by a signal, the wireless signal is considered to conform to the data frame format of the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer, otherwise the wireless signal is considered not to conform to the PCLP sublayer of the IEEE 802.11 physical layer. Data frame format. The method for saving power consumption of the wireless access node according to claim 7, wherein in the power saving mode, the wireless access node has other modules that are not related to receiving the wireless signal, and is in a sleep state or a closed state.