Systems, methods, and apparatus for a short beacon in low rate wi-fi communications

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for a short beacon in low rate Wi-Fi communications. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for generating a short beacon. The method can include generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval. The short beacon frame includes: a beacon timestamp field, a service set identifier (SSID) field, and one or more capability fields; and generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval. The TIM frame includes a TIM timestamp field, a check beacon field, and a TIM; and converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission over a hardware transmission medium.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising executing computer-executable instructions by one or more processors for generating a short beacon, the method further comprising:
 generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval, the short beacon frame comprising:
 a beacon timestamp field; 
 a service set identifier (SSID) field; and 
 one or more capability fields; 
   generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:   a TIM timestamp field;   a check beacon field; and   a TIM; and   converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission over a hardware transmission medium.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is set within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the TIM interval is set according to a delay tolerance of downlink traffic delivery. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame comprises signaling a short beacon mode by setting one or more medium access control (MAC) header frames. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating an 8 byte beacon timestamp field, a 2 byte beacon interval, a 2 to 34 byte SSID field, and a 2 byte capability field. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating a 2 byte extended capability field. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising transmitting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame by the transmission medium. 
     
     
         39 . A system comprising;
 at least one access point device comprising:
 at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; 
 one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:
 generating a short beacon frame for transmission at a selectable beacon interval by the at least one access point device, the short beacon frame comprising:
 a beacon timestamp field; 
 a service set identifier (SSID) field; and 
 one or more capability fields; 
 
 generating a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for transmission at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:
 a TIM timestamp field; 
 a check beacon field; and 
 a TIM; and 
 
 converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame for wireless transmission by the at least one access point device. 
 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is set within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the TIM interval is set according to a delay tolerance of downlink traffic delivery. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein converting the short beacon frame and the TIM frame comprises signaling a short beacon mode by setting one or more medium access control (MAC) header frames. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating an 8 byte beacon timestamp field, a 2 byte beacon interval, a 2 to 34 byte SSID field, and a 2 byte capability field. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein generating the short beacon frame comprises generating a 2 byte extended capability field. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the short beacon frame and the TIM frame are transmitted by the at least one access point device. 
     
     
         47 . A system comprising;
 at least one station comprising:
 at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; 
 one or more processors configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:
 receiving a short beacon frame at a selectable beacon interval from an access point device, the short beacon frame comprising:
 a beacon timestamp field; 
 a service set identifier (SSID) field; and 
 one or more capability fields; 
 
 receiving a traffic indicator map (TIM) frame for reception at a selectable TIM interval, the TIM frame comprising:
 a TIM timestamp field; 
 a check beacon field; and 
 a TIM. 
 
 
   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured for processing the received short beacon frame and the received TIM frame. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein a ratio of the TIM interval to the beacon interval is within a range from approximately 10:1 to approximately 1000:1. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the TIM interval corresponds to a delay tolerance of traffic delivery. 
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of claim  25 , wherein generating the TIM frame comprises generating an 8 byte TIM timestamp field, a 2 byte TIM interval, and a 2 to 34 byte TIM.