A Slow-sTart Exponential and Linear Algorithm for energy saving in wireless networks

Limited battery capacity seriously restricts the usage of wireless devices in wireless communication networks. Power saving MAC layer protocols put wireless network interface into sleep mode in order to conserve energy. However, increased energy savings may sacrifice delivery performance and consequently the user perceived Quality of Service (QoS). This paper introduces Slow-sTart Exponential and Linear Algorithm (STELA), a novel battery saving mechanism which saves up to 70% energy compared with the algorithms employed by IEEE 802.11 while preventing the delivery performance from degrading significantly and consequently reducing the negative impact on user Quality of Experience (QoE).