Power Management for Multi-Carrier Transmission

Abstract

A method of power management for a mobile station in a multi-carrier wireless network is provided. A primary connection between the mobile station and a serving base station is first established by performing initial ranging over a primary radio frequency (RF) carrier. A secondary connection between the mobile station and the base station is then established by performing periodic ranging over a secondary RF carrier. To achieve efficient power management, the mobile station performs Open Loop Power Control and obtains long-term link measurement (CSI) of the primary carrier. The mobile station then adjusts carrier-specific parameters based on the primary carrier CSI. For RF carriers that convey on-going data traffic, Close Loop Power Control is updated per RF carrier. When the mobile station enters sleep mode operation, it receives traffic indication messages on the primary RF carrier and then dynamically wakes up one or more corresponding RF carriers for data reception.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of power management for a mobile station in a multi-carrier wireless network, the method comprising:
 establishing a primary connection between the mobile station and a base station over an activated primary radio frequency (RF) carrier;   establishing a secondary connection between the mobile station and the base station over an activated secondary RF carrier;   negotiating a set of sleep mode parameters for the primary connection;   receiving a traffic indication message on the activated primary RF carrier during at least one listening window; and   waking up one or more activated secondary RF carriers for data reception according to the traffic indication message, wherein the set of sleep mode parameters for the primary connection is the same as a set of sleep mode parameters for the secondary connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of sleep mode parameters comprises sleep cycle length, listening window length, and whether traffic indication is transmitted during each listening window. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary RF carrier is always activated so that the mobile station uses the primary RF carrier to execute traffic indication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic indication message is a wakeup indication message that identifies the one or more activated RF carriers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the wakeup indication message has a bitmap format, and wherein each bit is used to identify the one or more activated RF carriers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the wakeup indication message is either an independent MAC massage, or part of the traffic indication message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more activated RF carriers wake up for data reception after receiving the wakeup indication message plus a wakeup time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the waked RF carriers begin transmission or receptions after the wakeup time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the wakeup time is a parameter exchanged between the mobile station and the base station via either network entry procedure or sleep mode negotiation process. 
     
     
         10 . A mobile station in a multi-carrier wireless network, comprising:
 one or more radio frequency (RF) modules operable over a primary RF carrier and a secondary RF carrier; and   a sleep mode operation module that negotiates a set of sleep mode parameters with a base station for the primary RF carrier and thereby establishes sleep mode operation, wherein the mobile station receives a wakeup indication message on the primary RF carrier, wherein at least one of the one or more RF modules are waken up for data reception according to the wakeup indication message, and wherein the set of sleep mode parameters for the primary RF carrier is the same as a set of sleep mode parameters for the secondary RF carrier.   
     
     
         11 . The mobile station of  claim 10 , wherein the set of sleep mode parameters comprises sleep cycle length, listening window length, and whether traffic indication is enabled during each listening window. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile station of  claim 10 , wherein the primary RF carrier is always activated so that the mobile station uses the primary RF carrier to execute wakeup indication. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile station of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more RF modules are operable over one or more corresponding activated RF carriers identified by the wakeup indication message from the base station. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein the wakeup indication message has a bitmap format, and wherein each bit is used to identify the one or more activated RF carriers. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein the wakeup indication message is either an independent MAC massage, or part of the traffic indication message. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more RF modules wake up for data reception after receiving the wakeup indication message plus a wakeup time. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile station of  claim 16 , wherein the waked RF modules conduct transmission or reception after the wakeup time. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile station of  claim 16 , wherein the wakeup time is a parameter exchanged between the mobile station and the base station via either network entry procedure or sleep mode negotiation process.