Direct link wireless devices with power savings

Abstract

Various aspects of a communication device for supporting wireless communication for a plurality of stations associated with the communication device are provided. The communication device includes a transceiver configured to receive a request for a wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a first one of the stations and a second one of the stations. In an aspect, the wakeup schedule request may be included in a beacon frame or a probe frame. The communication device also includes a processing system coupled to the transceiver and configured to determine the wakeup schedule for the direct communications based at least in part on the request for the wakeup schedule. In an aspect, the processing system may be configured to determine the wakeup schedule based on one or more parameters included in the wakeup schedule request. In an aspect, the wakeup schedule may include one or more wakeup intervals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device for supporting wireless communications for a plurality of stations associated with the communication device, the communication device comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive a request for a wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a first one of the stations and a second one of the stations; and   a processing system coupled to the transceiver and configured to determine the wakeup schedule for the direct communications based at least in part on the request for the wakeup schedule.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the wakeup schedule request comprises a request for a channel frequency to support the direct communications. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wakeup schedule comprises one or more wakeup intervals; and   the request comprises the time period for each of the one or more wakeup intervals.   
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a second wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a third one of the stations and a fourth one of the stations based at least in part on the wakeup schedule for the direct communications between the first one of the stations and the second one of the stations. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to provide, to at least the first one of the stations, the wakeup schedule in a beacon frame. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing system is further configured to determine when the first one of the stations is active based on the wakeup schedule; and   the transceiver is further configured to provide to the second one of the stations wakeup indications that the first one of the stations is active based on the determination by the processing system.   
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive the request for the wakeup schedule in a probe frame. 
     
     
         8 . A method for supporting wireless communications for a plurality of stations associated with an access point, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the access point, a request for a wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a first one of the stations and a second one of the stations; and   determining, by the access point, the wakeup schedule for the direct communications based at least in part on the request for the wakeup schedule.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein request comprises a request for a channel frequency to support the direct communications. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the wakeup schedule comprises one or more wakeup intervals; and   the request comprises the time period for each of the one or more wakeup intervals.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining, by the access point, a second wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a third one of the stations and a fourth one of the stations based at least in part on the wakeup schedule for the direct communications between the first one of the stations and the second one of the stations.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing, to at least the first one of the stations, the wakeup schedule in a beacon frame.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing, to the second one of the stations, wakeup indications that the first one of the stations is active based on the wakeup schedule.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving the request for a wakeup schedule in a probe frame.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable code for supporting wireless communications for a plurality of stations associated with a communication device, wherein the code, when executed by a processor, causes a communication device to:
 receive a request for a wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a first one of the stations and a second one of the stations; and   determine the wakeup schedule for the direct communications based at least in part on the request for the wakeup schedule.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the request comprises a request for a channel frequency to support the direct communications. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the wakeup schedule comprises one or more wakeup intervals; and   the request comprises the time period for each of the one or more wakeup intervals.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the code, when executed by a processor, further causes the communication device to:
 determine a second wakeup schedule to support direct communications between a third one of the stations and a fourth one of the stations based at least in part on the wakeup schedule for the direct communications between the first one of the stations and the second one of the stations.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the code, when executed by a processor, further causes the communication device to provide, to the second one of the stations, wakeup indications that the first one of the stations is active based on the wakeup schedule.