JP5304526B2 - Wireless access point and wireless LAN terminal having wake-up radio wave transmission function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless access point and a wireless LAN terminal capable of reducing power consumption during standby in a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system.

A wireless LAN terminal such as a portable wireless LAN telephone monitors a beacon signal transmitted from a wireless access point connected to the network, and receives the beacon signal to discover a wireless access point to which it belongs or perform communication. Can start. Therefore, the wireless LAN terminal needs to wake up at every reception timing of the beacon signal and monitor the presence / absence of a communication packet addressed to the terminal itself.
For this reason, in the case of a battery-powered portable wireless LAN telephone or the like, power consumption during standby is large compared to a general mobile telephone, battery consumption is fast, and a continuous standby time is short.

  As a technique for improving this, by inserting information such as the presence / absence of a communication packet to the wireless LAN terminal and the next beacon transmission time into the control frame of the beacon signal, the standby wireless LAN terminal wakes up from the sleep state. There has been a technique for reducing the frequency (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-223793 A

However, even in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the presence or absence of data addressed to the own terminal is not known unless a beacon signal is received, a wasteful wake for receiving a beacon signal intended for another terminal that does not need to be received originally However, there is a drawback that the power consumption during standby cannot be reduced sufficiently.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of useless wakeup and sufficiently reduce power consumption during standby.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the first invention is a wireless access point that accommodates one or more wireless LAN terminals and relays data between the wireless LAN terminal and the LAN. LAN communication means for transmitting and receiving; beacon signal transmitting means for transmitting a beacon signal for starting wireless LAN communication with the wireless LAN terminal; wireless LAN communication means for transmitting and receiving data with the wireless LAN terminal by wireless LAN communication; Wake-up possible notification receiving means for receiving a notification that a wake-up radio wave that wakes up the wireless LAN terminal in a sleep state when receiving the attribution request from the wireless LAN terminal, and the wireless that has accepted the attribution request Wakeup radio frequency notification for notifying the frequency of the wakeup radio wave to a LAN terminal A stage, and the attribution terminal information storage means for storing in association with the frequency information and the wake-up radio wave according to the wireless LAN terminal belonging to the own access point, by the wake-up radio wave the wireless LAN communication other than the radio communication system A wake-up radio wave transmission means for transmitting, wherein the wake-up radio frequency notification means receives a notification that the wake-up radio wave can be received from a wireless LAN terminal that requests attribution to its own access point. The affiliation terminal information storage means is referred to, and the frequency of the wake-up radio wave not supported by any of the wireless LAN terminals is notified, and the notified frequency of the wake-up radio wave and the information related to the wireless LAN terminal stored in the attribution terminal information storage means in association with each other, the LAN communication unit self access point When the packet data addressed to the wireless LAN terminal belonging to preparative received from the LAN, the wake-up radio wave transmitting means refers to the attribution terminal information storing means, it is associated in advance in the wireless LAN terminal It is characterized by transmitting a wake-up radio wave having a frequency .

The second invention is a wireless LAN terminal belonging to the wireless access point described in the first invention , wherein a beacon signal receiving means for receiving a beacon signal, data is transmitted by wireless LAN communication with the wireless access point. Terminal-side wireless LAN communication means for transmitting and receiving, wake-up possible notification means for notifying that the wireless access point can receive a wake-up radio wave together with an attribution request, and other than the wireless LAN communication even if the terminal is in a sleep state Wake-up radio wave receiving means for receiving a wake-up radio wave transmitted by the wireless communication method, and sleep means for controlling the terminal in a sleep state in which power supply to all or a part other than the wake-up radio wave receiving means is stopped When the wake-up signal is received, And wake-up means for wake-up.

  According to the present invention, power consumption in the standby state (sleep state) of the wireless LAN terminal can be greatly reduced, and thus there is an advantage that a battery-driven wireless LAN terminal having a long continuous standby time can be provided.

It is a block diagram of the wireless access point which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the wireless LAN terminal which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the example of information memorize | stored in an affiliated terminal information storage part. It is an operation | movement sequence diagram. It is an operation | movement flowchart figure of a wireless access point. It is an operation | movement flowchart figure of a wireless LAN terminal.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a portable wireless LAN telephone as an example of a wireless LAN terminal.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless access point 1 in the present invention, in which 11 is a LAN communication unit, 12 is a wireless LAN communication control unit, 13 is a wireless LAN radio wave transmission / reception unit, 14 is a beacon signal generation unit, 15 and 19 Is an antenna, 16 is an belonging terminal information storage unit, 17 is a wake-up radio frequency control unit, and 18 is a wake-up radio wave transmission unit.

  When the LAN communication unit 11 receives packet data addressed to the wireless LAN telephone 2 to which the LAN communication unit 11 belongs, the wireless LAN communication control unit 12 controls the wake-up radio frequency control unit 17 from the wake-up radio wave transmission unit 18. A type of wake-up radio wave corresponding to the wireless LAN telephone 2 is transmitted. Then, after waking up the wireless LAN telephone set 2 in the sleep state with the wake-up radio wave, the beacon signal generating unit 14 is controlled to transmit the beacon signal from the wireless LAN radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 13.

  Here, the wake-up radio wave is a radio wave based on a specific low-power wireless communication system different from the wireless LAN system transmitted / received by the wireless LAN radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 13, and is specified by a specific low-power wireless communication system or IEEE 802.15. A low-power wireless communication method or the like for a sensor network can be applied, and in short, a wireless communication method having a lower power than communication by a normal wireless LAN may be selected.

  The belonging terminal information storage unit 16 is means for storing information related to each wireless LAN telephone 2 belonging to the wireless access point 1, and an example of the information stored is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the belonging terminal information storage unit 16 receives, for each belonging wireless LAN terminal, the terminal ID (IDentification), the communication parameters necessary for wireless LAN communication, and the like, and the reception of the wake-up radio wave. The type (frequency) of the wake-up radio wave allocated at the time of attribution and propriety is stored. Detailed operation will be described later.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the wireless LAN telephone 2 according to the present invention, in which 20 is a telephone unit that implements a function related to a call including a microphone / speaker (not shown), 21 is a wireless LAN communication control unit, and 22 is A wireless LAN radio wave transmission / reception unit, 23 a beacon signal reception unit, 24 a wakeup radio wave detection unit, 25 a wakeup radio wave frequency setting unit, 26 a battery for driving the wireless LAN telephone 2 such as a lithium battery, Reference numeral 28 denotes a power supply switch, and 29 and 30 denote antennas.

  The wake-up radio wave detection unit 24 is supplied with power from the battery 26 and monitors the arrival of the wake-up radio wave addressed to the self-terminal, even when the self-terminal is in a standby state (sleep state). Is detected, the power supply switch 27 is turned on, and the beacon signal receiving unit 23 is activated. When the beacon signal receiving unit 23 detects the beacon signal, the power supply switch 28 is turned on, power is supplied to each part of the own terminal, and the entire own terminal is activated (wake-up state).

  Here, the frequency of the wake-up radio wave addressed to the own terminal to be detected by the wake-up radio wave detection unit 24 is set in advance in the wake-up radio wave frequency setting unit 25 when belonging to the wireless access point 1, and Does not respond to wake-up radio waves.

  Since the wake-up radio wave detection unit 24 only monitors the presence or absence of a radio wave of a specific frequency, a simple filter circuit and a detection circuit may be used, and the wake-up radio wave detection unit 24 itself consumes the amount of complicated logic control unnecessary. The power to do is also small.

  As a result, conventionally, every time a beacon signal is received, a wireless LAN communication control unit for checking the presence or absence of data addressed to the terminal is activated in the beacon signal. Only when a wake-up radio wave is detected, power is supplied to the beacon signal receiving unit 23, and the number of useless wake-ups can be drastically reduced, and power consumption during standby can be greatly suppressed.

  FIG. 4 is an operation sequence diagram of the wireless access point 1 and the wireless LAN telephone 2, and an example of a sequence from the wireless LAN telephone 2 belonging to the wireless access point 1 to a call in response to an incoming call from the LAN. Represents.

  When the wireless LAN telephone 2 issues an attribution request to the wireless access point 1, if it notifies that its own terminal is a terminal capable of receiving a wake-up radio wave (S401), the wireless access point 1 The frequency of the up radio wave is notified (S402), and the notified frequency is associated with the wireless LAN telephone 2 and stored in the belonging terminal information storage unit 16 (S403). Here, the frequency of the wake-up radio wave is managed by the wake-up radio frequency control unit 17 of the wireless access point 1, and a different frequency is assigned to each wireless LAN telephone in the frequency band range of the wake-up radio wave.

  When an incoming notification from the LAN to the wireless LAN telephone 2 arrives, the wireless access point 1 temporarily stores the incoming incoming notification in a buffer memory (not shown) in the wireless LAN communication control unit 12. Then, referring to the belonging terminal information storage unit 16, a wake-up radio wave having a frequency corresponding to the destination wireless LAN telephone 2 is transmitted (S411). Then, the wake-up radio wave detection unit 24 of the destination wireless LAN telephone 2 detects this wake-up radio wave, activates the beacon signal reception unit 23 (S412), receives a beacon signal (S413), and wakes up from the sleep state. Up (S414). After the destination wireless LAN telephone 2 wakes up, the wireless access point 1 notifies the wireless LAN telephone 2 of the incoming call notification temporarily stored in the wireless LAN communication control unit 12 via the wireless LAN radio wave transmission / reception unit 13 (S415). . When the wireless LAN telephone 2 responds to this incoming call notification (S416), the wireless access point 1 relays this response to the LAN (S417) and starts a call with the incoming call originator (not shown) via the LAN. (S420).

  FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the wireless access point 1. This flow starts when the power is turned on (S501), whether or not there is an attribution request from the wireless LAN telephone 2 (S502), whether or not a wireless LAN packet is received from the wireless LAN telephone 2 (S510), and the LAN from the LAN The presence / absence of packet reception (S520) is monitored.

  If there is an attribution request from the wireless LAN telephone 2 (S502, Yes), the attribution process is performed and the frequency of the wake-up radio wave is notified to the belonging wireless LAN terminal (S503). If a wireless LAN telephone that cannot receive the wake-up radio wave belongs, the step of notifying the frequency of the wake-up radio wave can be omitted (not shown).

  When a LAN packet such as an incoming call notification from the LAN is received (S520, Yes), the destination address information storage unit 16 is referenced using the destination address of the LAN packet as a search key, and the destination wireless LAN telephone 2 is supported. The type (frequency) of the wake-up radio wave is searched (S521), and the wake-up radio wave transmission unit 18 is controlled to transmit the wake-up radio wave at the frequency searched by the wake-up radio frequency control unit 17. Then, after starting the timer (S522), a wake-up radio wave is transmitted from the wake-up radio wave transmitter 18 (S523), and after waiting for a certain time (for example, several mS) (S524), a beacon signal generator 14 transmits the beacon signal generated (S530).

  Note that the beacon signal is the same as that used in a normal wireless LAN, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The wait of S524 is a time to wait for the wireless LAN telephone 2 in the sleep state to wake up in response to the wake-up radio wave. The wireless LAN telephone 2 that has woken up in response to the wake-up radio wave If it is designed to return a response indicating that it has been uploaded, the weight of S524 may be omitted. Hereinafter, since the operation flow is the same as that of a normal wireless access point, detailed description is omitted.

  FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the wireless LAN terminal 2, and this flow starts from reception standby (sleep state) (S601).

  When the wake-up radio wave from the wireless access point 1 is received (S602, Yes), the power supply switch 27 is turned on (S610), and the beacon signal receiving unit 23 is activated. When it is detected that there is data destined for the terminal (S612, Yes), the power supply switch 28 is turned on (S620). Then, power is supplied from the battery 26 to each part in the terminal, and the wireless LAN telephone 2 wakes up from the sleep state.

  When the wake-up radio wave is not received in S602 (S602, No), the process proceeds to S603 to determine the expiration of the timer 1 (for example, several seconds). If the timer 1 has not expired (S603, No), the process returns to S602. When the timer expires (S603, Yes), the timer 1 is restarted (S604), and the process proceeds to S610. If no beacon signal is received (S611, No), or if a beacon is received but there is no data addressed to the terminal (S612, No), the power supply switch 27 turned on in S610 is turned off (S613), and the process goes to S602. Return.

  This is, for example, a remedy for a case where the wireless LAN telephone 2 moves away from the wireless access point 1 to which the wireless LAN telephone 2 belongs and the wireless LAN radio wave can be received, but the wake-up radio wave does not reach. When the period in which the up radio wave is not received continues for a certain time (timer 1), the power supply switch 27 is turned on to check whether there is a beacon signal addressed to the terminal itself. Hereinafter, since the operation flow is the same as that of a normal wireless LAN telephone, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the beacon signal receiving unit 23 of the wireless LAN telephone 2 that is in standby (sleep state) is not supplied with power at the time of reception of an irrelevant beacon signal, so that wasteful power consumption can be prevented.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, a portable wireless LAN telephone has been described as an example of a wireless LAN terminal, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the present invention can be applied to general wireless LAN terminals. For example, even when applied to a battery-driven portable personal computer or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), the effect of improving the holding battery during standby is achieved. There is. Furthermore, even when the present invention is applied to general wireless LAN terminals that are not battery-driven, there is an effect that the standby power can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wireless access point 11 ... LAN communication part 12 ... Wireless LAN communication control part 13 ... Wireless LAN radio wave transmission / reception part 14 ... Beacon signal generation part 15, 19 ... Antenna 16 ... Attributed terminal information storage unit 17 ... Wake-up radio frequency control unit 18 ... Wake-up radio wave transmission unit 2 ... Wireless LAN telephone 20 ... Telephone unit 21 ... Wireless LAN communication control unit 22 ... -Wireless LAN radio wave transmission / reception unit 23 ... Beacon signal reception unit 24 ... Wake-up radio wave detection unit 25 ... Wake-up radio frequency setting unit 26 ... Battery 27, 28 ... Feed switch 29, 30 ··antenna

Claims (2)

A wireless access point that accommodates one or more wireless LAN terminals and relays data between the wireless LAN terminal and the LAN,
LAN communication means for transmitting / receiving data to / from the LAN, beacon signal transmitting means for transmitting a beacon signal for starting wireless LAN communication with the wireless LAN terminal, and wireless for transmitting / receiving data to / from the wireless LAN terminal by wireless LAN communication A LAN communication means; a wake-up enable notification receiving means for receiving a notification that a wake-up radio wave for waking up the wireless LAN terminal in a sleep state when receiving an attribution request from the wireless LAN terminal; Wakeup radio frequency notification means for notifying the frequency of the wakeup radio wave to the wireless LAN terminal that has received the request, and information relating to the wireless LAN terminal belonging to the own access point and the frequency of the wakeup radio wave are stored in association with each other the belonging terminal information storage unit, the wake-up Radio anda wakeup radio transmitting means for transmitting by wireless communication method other than the wireless LAN communication,
The wakeup radio frequency notification means refers to the belonging terminal information storage means when receiving a notification that the wakeup radio wave can be received from a wireless LAN terminal that requests attribution to the own access point, The frequency of the wake-up radio wave that is not supported by any of the wireless LAN terminals is notified, and the notified frequency of the wake-up radio wave and the information related to the wireless LAN terminal are associated with each other and stored in the belonging terminal information storage unit. , when the LAN communication unit receives packet data addressed to the wireless LAN terminal belonging to the own access point from the LAN, the wake-up radio wave transmitting means refers to the attribution terminal information storage unit, the wireless LAN way and transmits a wake-up radio frequency that has been previously associated with the terminal Wireless access point with up radio transmission function. A wireless LAN terminal belonging to the wireless access point according to claim 1,
A beacon signal receiving means for receiving a beacon signal, a terminal-side wireless LAN communication means for transmitting / receiving data to / from the wireless access point by wireless LAN communication, and receiving the wake-up radio wave when requesting attribution to the wireless access point A wakeup enable notification means for notifying the mobile station, a wakeup radio wave reception means for receiving a wakeup radio wave transmitted by a wireless communication method other than the wireless LAN communication even when the terminal is in a sleep state, A sleep unit for controlling the terminal in a sleep state in which power supply to all or a part other than the up radio wave reception unit is stopped, and a wakeup unit for waking up the terminal in the sleep state when the wake-up radio wave is received And a wireless LAN terminal.

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