System and method for managing power usage

Abstract

A system and method for managing power usage are disclosed. The system and method are for managing power usage of a wireless communication device configured to communicate via multiple radio links. A criterion is detected, and based on the detection of the criterion, one of the multiple radio links is selected as the chosen radio link. The operation of the selected radio link is switched from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, and the operation of one or more of the remaining multiple radio links is disabled. In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to the second operating mode, the selected radio link alternates between a wake-up state and a sleep state. During the wake-up state, radio service information for the multiple radio links is received via the selected radio link.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 989,422, filed March 13, 2020, entitled “Multi-link Power Saving”, and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 17 / 159,760, filed January 27, 2021, entitled “System and Method for Managing Electricity Use”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] One or more aspects of embodiments of this disclosure relate to wireless networks, and more specifically to managing the power usage of a multilink device configured to receive and transmit data frames through multiple radio links. Background Technology

[0003] Wireless communication can occur via one or more communication channels in a wireless network. Wireless communication may adhere to wireless network protocols, such as those based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, for example, for Wi-Fi devices. Wireless network protocols allow devices to transmit data over a wireless network using multiple (e.g., two or more) radio links. Devices using multiple radio links may consume more power than devices using a single link. Therefore, managing the power consumption of devices using multiple radio links is desirable.

[0004] The information disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this disclosure, and therefore, the information may include information that does not form prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a method for managing power usage of a wireless communication device configured to communicate via a plurality of radio links. The method includes: detecting a criterion, and selecting one of the plurality of radio links as the selected radio link based on the detected criterion. The method further includes: switching the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, and disabling the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links. In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to the second operating mode, the selected radio link alternates between a wake-up state and a sleep state. During the wake-up state, radio service information for the plurality of radio links is received via the selected radio link.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the standard is the radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the selection of one of the plurality of radio links is based on a selection algorithm performed by the wireless communication device.

[0008] According to one embodiment, one of the plurality of radio links is selected based on a recommendation from a second device.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the radio service information includes information about buffered radio services.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the first operating mode is an activation mode, wherein, in the activation mode, the plurality of radio links remain active to receive and transmit radio services.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the method for managing power usage further includes: mapping the type of radio service to the selected radio link in response to switching the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the method for managing power usage further includes: detecting a second standard, and based on the detection of the second standard, switching the operation of a selected radio link and the one or more remaining radio links to a first operating mode. The second standard may be radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links, wherein the first operating mode is an activation mode that keeps the selected radio link and the one or more remaining radio links active to receive and transmit radio traffic.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the plurality of radio links are Wi-Fi radio links, and the one or more remaining radio links that are disabled are all of the plurality of radio links except for the selected radio link.

[0014] Embodiments of this disclosure also relate to a device for managing power usage. The device includes a processor and a memory connected to the processor. The memory stores computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: detect a criterion; select one of a plurality of radio links as the selected radio link based on the detected criterion; switch the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, and disable the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links; in response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to the second operating mode, cause the selected radio link to alternate between a wake-up state and a sleep state; and during the wake-up state, receive radio service information for the plurality of radio links via the selected radio link.

[0015] Embodiments of this disclosure also relate to a system for managing power usage. The system includes a response processor and a transmission processor. The response processor is configured to: detect a criterion; select one of a plurality of radio links as the selected radio link based on the detected criterion; switch the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, and disable the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links; and, in response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to the second operating mode, cause the selected radio link to alternate between a wake-up state and a sleep state. The transmission processor is configured to: receive information on the selected radio link; retrieve radio service information for the plurality of radio links; and transmit the radio service information on the selected radio link.

[0016] As those skilled in the art will recognize, the claimed embodiments help manage the power consumption of multi-link devices. Power management may be desirable for battery-powered clients who may want to maximize their battery life.

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will be more fully understood when considered in conjunction with the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings. Of course, the actual scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of this example are described with reference to the following figures, wherein, unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various views.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a wireless network according to one embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 According to one embodiment Figure 1 A more detailed block diagram of an access point (AP) device in a wireless network;

[0021] Figure 3 According to one embodiment Figure 1 A more detailed block diagram of a non-access point device in a wireless network;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the logical architecture of a multi-link device according to one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 5 According to one embodiment, it is used for... Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the process of a non-AP device switching from active operation mode to low-power multi-link operation (MLO) mode; and

[0024] Figure 6 According to one embodiment, it is used for... Figure 3 The flowchart shows the process of a non-AP device switching out of low-power MLO mode. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In the following description, exemplary embodiments will be presented in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. However, this disclosure may be implemented in a variety of different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments shown herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey to those skilled in the art various aspects and features of this disclosure. Therefore, processes, elements, and techniques not essential for a full understanding of the aspects and features of this disclosure by those skilled in the art are not described. Unless otherwise stated, like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the drawings and written description, and therefore their description is not repeated. Furthermore, in the drawings, the relative dimensions of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated and / or simplified for clarity.

[0026] Wireless communication can be performed via communication channels of a wireless network, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). For example, a wireless communication device can wirelessly transmit voice, video, data, etc. (collectively referred to as data) to another device, and vice versa. A wireless communication device may be equipped with one or more physical radio interfaces to the wireless network for sending and receiving data packets. When a wireless communication device is equipped with multiple (two or more) Wi-Fi interfaces with dedicated wireless communication channels (also referred to as links or stations), the wireless communication device may be referred to as a multi-link device (MLD). In one embodiment, the MLD performs multi-link operation as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard. In this respect, the MLD may include multiple physical radio interfaces to the wireless network, but a single interface to the upper-level communication layer (e.g., the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer). Therefore, the upper-layer protocol may treat the MLD as a single device. In this respect, although it has multiple physical radio interfaces, the MLD may have a single upper-layer Media Access Control (MAC) address.

[0027] One advantage of MLDs compared to a single radio device is that they can perform channel access and transmit data via multiple radio links. However, because MLDs have at least two embedded radio devices, they may consume more power than a single radio device. Therefore, it is desirable for MLDs to have power management mechanisms for saving power and / or making power use more efficient.

[0028] In existing technology systems, MLDs can be configured such that each of multiple radio links employs an independent power management mechanism. In this respect, each link can be in active or power-saving mode independently of the others. According to the IEEE 802.11 standard, a link in active mode is always awake to send and receive data frames. In power-saving mode, the link can be shut down periodically to conserve energy. When a radio link is off, it can be in a sleep / dormant mode where no data is received or transmitted via the link. Therefore, according to the power management mechanism of current technologies used for MIDs, while one or more links may be asleep in power-saving mode, another link may be awake in active mode. When at least one link in the MLD is awake, the upper-level MAC layer and other functional blocks are turned on and active, thus consuming power. In the worst-case scenario, if the sleep cycles of various links are asynchronous, the power saving can be negligible. However, synchronizing sleep cycles across various links may be impractical because access point (AP) devices may struggle to trigger MLDs simultaneously on multiple links, and / or because MLDs may not expect simultaneous media access on multiple links due to independent traffic congestion and interference conditions on each link. Therefore, independent power management for each link according to existing technology mechanisms may not always result in power savings for MLDs.

[0029] Generally, embodiments of this disclosure pertain to power management of non-AP MLDs that allow the MLD to transition to a power-saving operating mode (referred to as Low Power Multi-Link Operation (MLO) operating mode). In one embodiment, when the MLD transitions from a regular / active operating mode to a low-power MLO mode, only one link is in power-saving mode, while the other links are disabled. The link selected to be in power-saving mode may be referred to as the anchor link. Regarding the disabled link, in one embodiment, unlike the link in power-saving mode, the disabled link is shut down and not expected to be woken up, whereas the link in power-saving mode is in sleep mode and is expected to be periodically woken up to monitor, for example, any beacon frames from the AP device. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the AP device does not attempt to send and does not provide any information to the MLD via beacon frames on the disabled link.

[0030] In one embodiment, the anchor link is dynamically selected whenever the MLD transitions to a low-power MLO mode. The anchor link may alternate between a wake-up state and a sleep state during the low-power MLO mode. When the anchor link is in the wake-up state, it can receive information about the basic operations of various links, including, for example, service information, Basic Service Set (BSS) parameter updates, etc. In one embodiment, the anchor link may wake up to receive a beacon frame containing information about the presence of buffered packets destined for the MLD. If the beacon frame indicates that no buffered packets are present, the anchor link may return to a sleep state. If buffered packets for the MLD are present, the buffered packets may be received via the anchor link during the wake-up state, or one or more disabled links may be activated (e.g., temporarily activated) to receive the buffered packets.

[0031] In one embodiment, when the MLD transitions to a low-power MLO mode, a handover frame indicating the transition is sent to the access point on any enabled link. If the handover frame is sent on a link other than the one selected as the anchor link, the handover frame may include, for example, an anchor link identifier (ID). In one embodiment, the mapping of different types of services (identified by their service IDs) is updated based on the receipt of the handover frame, such that the service IDs are mapped to anchor links.

[0032] When the MLD transitions from Low Power MLO mode to Normal / Active operating mode, a second handover frame indicating the transition is sent to the access point via the anchor link. In one embodiment, all or a subset of disabled links may transition to Normal operating mode. When only a subset of links transitions to Normal operating mode, the identifier of the subset of links is sent to the access point in the second handover frame. The mapping of different types of traffic to active links is also updated in response to the transition back to Normal operating mode. In one embodiment, the mapping is updated to restore the mapping before the transition to Low Power MLO mode. In one embodiment, the MLD determines the mapping, and the second handover frame sent to the access point includes the mapping information.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a wireless network according to one embodiment. The wireless network includes access point (AP) devices 100a, 100b (collectively referred to as 100) configured to communicate with a data communication network 102 (such as, for example, the Internet). AP devices 100 may be, for example, routers, gateways, or any other network infrastructure configured to provide wireless access to network 102.

[0034] In one embodiment, AP device 100 provides wireless access to network 102 to one or more non-AP devices 104a, 104b, 104c (collectively referred to as 104). Wireless access may be, for example, via a wireless local area network (WLAN). In this regard, AP device 100 and non-AP devices 104 communicate wirelessly using wireless communication standards such as, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard. Non-AP devices 104 may be, for example, mobile phones, laptops, desktops, printers, televisions, gaming devices, and / or other devices competing for wireless channels in the WLAN. In one embodiment, non-AP device 104 is a multi-link device configured for low-power MLO mode.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a more detailed block diagram of an AP device in an AP device 100 according to one embodiment. Figure 2 The access point (AP) device may include, but is not limited to, one or more antennas 200a-200b (collectively referred to as 200), one or more radio devices 202a-202b (collectively referred to as 202), a processor 204, and a memory 206. In one embodiment, one or more radio devices 202 receive incoming radio frequency (RF) signals from antenna 200, such as signals transmitted by a non-AP device 104. One or more radio devices 202 may include an RF transceiver configured to modulate the incoming RF signals received by antenna 200. The transceiver may also be configured to demodulate outgoing signals transmitted via antenna 200 to non-AP device 104.

[0036] In one embodiment, one or more radio devices 202 further include signal processing circuitry comprising transmitting and receiving circuitry. The transmitting circuitry may be configured to receive analog or digital data from the processor 204 and generate corresponding outgoing signals for further processing by the transceiver. The receiving circuitry may be configured to receive demodulated signals from the transceiver and generate corresponding data to be provided to the processor 204.

[0037] In one embodiment, processor 204 includes one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, and / or processing devices for controlling all operations of AP device 100. Such operations may include, for example, providing wireless access to data communication network 102 to non-AP device 104. In one embodiment, processor 204 is configured to buffer radio traffic destined for non-AP device 104 and transmit information about such radio traffic to the non-AP device in beacon frames. When non-AP device 104 operates in low-power MLO mode, AP device 100 may communicate with non-AP device 104 using anchor links identified by non-AP device 104. In one embodiment, processor 204 is configured to provide recommendations regarding anchor links that can be selected by non-AP device 104.

[0038] In one embodiment, processor 204 is configured to execute computer instructions stored in memory 206 to implement various functions of AP device 100. The memory may include random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Processor 204 may be configured to move data into or out of memory 206 while performing processing of AP device 100.

[0039] In one embodiment, memory 206 stores a mapping of different types of radio services, identifiable by service IDs (TIDs), to radio links used to send the type of service to non-AP device 104. The TID-to-link mapping can change periodically. For example, when non-AP device 104 switches to low-power MLO mode, the TID-to-link mapping can change, and all links of the non-AP device except for the anchor link that can operate in power-saving mode are disabled. When AP device 100 receives a signal instructing non-AP device 104 to switch to low-power MLO mode, different TIDs can be mapped to the anchor link selected by non-AP device 104. Remapping can also occur when non-AP device 104 switches back to active operation mode and one or more of the disabled links are enabled for normal operation.

[0040] In one embodiment, the processor 204 is also connected to a network interface 210. The network interface 210 can be any wired or wireless connection, such as, for example, an Ethernet or RF transceiver. In one embodiment, the network interface 210 may allow the access point device 100 to communicate over a data communication network 102.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a more detailed block diagram of a non-AP device in non-AP device 104 according to one embodiment. Figure 3 The non-AP device 104 may include one or more antennas 300a-300b (collectively referred to as 300), one or more radio devices 302a-302b (collectively referred to as 302), a processor 304, a memory 306, and one or more input / output (I / O) devices (e.g., microphones, speakers, displays, etc.) 308. In one embodiment, the non-AP device 104 is a multi-link device with multiple radio devices 302, wherein each radio device has a dedicated Wi-Fi link. The multiple links dedicated to the multiple radio devices 302 may occupy different frequency bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and / or 6 GHz), or may be separate channels on the same frequency band.

[0042] In one embodiment, radio device 302 receives from antenna 300 incoming RF signals carried by one or more dedicated Wi-Fi links, such as signals transmitted by one of the access points (APs) in AP device 100. Radio device 302 may include a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to modulate the incoming RF signals received by antenna 300. The transceiver may also be configured to demodulate outgoing signals to be transmitted via antenna 300 to AP device 100.

[0043] In one embodiment, the radio device 302 further includes signal processing circuitry comprising transmitting and receiving circuitry. The transmitting circuitry may be configured to receive analog or digital voice data from one of the I / O devices (e.g., a microphone) in I / O device 308, or other outgoing data from processor 304, and generate corresponding outgoing signals for further processing by the transceiver. The receiving circuitry may be configured to receive demodulated signals from the transceiver and generate corresponding data to be provided to processor 304 or one of the I / O devices (e.g., a speaker) in I / O device 308.

[0044] In one embodiment, processor 304 includes one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, and / or processing devices for controlling all operations of the non-AP device 104. Such operations may include, for example, wirelessly transmitting voice and other data to the AP device 100 via one or more links. In this regard, processor 304 may be configured to execute computer instructions stored in memory 306. The memory may include random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Processor 304 may be configured to move data into and out of memory 306 while performing processing on the non-AP device 104.

[0045] In one embodiment, the non-AP device 104 is configured with various operating modes, including an active operating mode and a low-power MLO operating mode. During the active operating mode, multiple radio devices 302 and their dedicated Wi-Fi links can be turned on and on to receive and transmit frames. The processor 304 can switch / transfer the non-AP device 104 from the active operating mode to the low-power MLO mode in response to the detection of a standard. The standard can be, for example, the traffic level of one or more Wi-Fi links. In one embodiment, in response to the detection of traffic below a threshold amount, the processor 304 selects the Wi-Fi link of one of the radio devices 302 as the anchor link and places the radio device and the anchor link into a power-saving mode. All or a subset of the remaining radio devices and Wi-Fi links can be disabled / turned off to save power.

[0046] The processor 304 may send a notification to the AP device 100 to switch to a low-power MLO mode, and in some instances, send the identifier of the selected anchor link. Once in power-saving mode, the anchor link can alternate between a wake-up state and a sleep state. In this respect, the anchor link may remain asleep but periodically wake up to monitor service information from the AP device 100. The anchor link may also receive buffered packets and exchange other messages with the AP device 100 during anchor link wake-up periods. In this way, beacon monitoring for all links (including disabled links) can be performed via a single anchor link operating in power-saving mode. The remaining Wi-Fi links may remain disabled until non-AP devices switch back to active operating mode.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the logical architecture of an MLD device 400 according to one embodiment. The MLD device 400 may be one of a non-AP device 104 configured for low-power MLO mode. In one embodiment, the MLD device 400 includes a plurality of logical stations 402a-402b, each of which can be considered a separate Wi-Fi device with a physical (PHY) layer interface to the wireless medium. Each station 402 may be associated with a separate radio device (e.g., radio device 302). In one embodiment, each station 402 has dedicated Wi-Fi links 404a, 404b (collectively referred to as 404). The MLD device 400 can use multiple Wi-Fi links 404 to simultaneously transmit and receive packets in different frequency bands or on different channels within the same frequency band. In one embodiment, although each station 402 has a separate PHY layer interface, the MLD device has a single upper-layer MAC address 406 and a single interface to the upper layer. Therefore, upper-layer protocols can treat the MLD 400 as a single device.

[0048] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a process for switching a non-AP device 104 from an active operation mode to a low-power MLO mode according to one embodiment. It should be understood that the order of the process steps is not fixed, but can be changed to any desired order as recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0049] Processing begins, and in box 500, processor 304 monitors one or more operating conditions until it detects a standard (e.g., traffic level). For example, processor 304 may monitor radio traffic to and from non-AP device 104 and detect that the traffic is below a threshold level.

[0050] In block 502, processor 304 selects one of a plurality of Wi-Fi links 404 as the anchor link. In one embodiment, the anchor link is selected dynamically and determined without prior knowledge. In this regard, processor 304 may execute an internal algorithm for selecting the anchor link. For example, the algorithm may select the anchor link based on factors such as traffic estimates on various links 404, estimates of resource grants granted by AP device 100 on various links, and recommendations from AP device 100. Regarding the recommendations from AP device 100, the AP device may suggest one or more links 404 as anchor links based on its overall understanding of the wireless network and the non-AP devices 104 accessing the wireless network. For example, the AP device may suggest anchor links such that the selection of anchor links is distributed across different channels used by various non-AP devices 104.

[0051] In block 504, processor 304 sends a handover frame to AP device 100 instructing it to switch its operating mode from active operating mode (wherein, in active operating mode, the link is awake and not restored to sleep state) to low-power MLO operating mode. The handover frame can be sent on any Wi-Fi link 404 that is enabled and available for communication, and is not limited to the anchor link. In one embodiment, if the handover frame is not sent via the link selected as the anchor link, the handover frame may include the anchor link ID of the anchor link to notify the AP device of the link that will act as the anchor link.

[0052] In one embodiment, in response to receiving a switching frame, the AP device 100 updates the mapping of TID to links, so that different types of services (e.g., video services, web browsing services, audio services, etc.) that could be mapped to one or more links that will be disabled (referred to as non-anchor links) are remapped to anchor links.

[0053] In block 506, processor 304 disables the non-anchor link by, for example, disabling / turning off the radio device 302 dedicated to the non-anchor link. In one embodiment, all Wi-Fi links except the anchor link are disabled. In another embodiment, only a subset of Wi-Fi links except the anchor link are disabled. The processor also switches the operation of the anchor link to a power-saving mode, in which the anchor link (and the corresponding radio device 302) alternates between a sleep / dormant state and a wake-up state. In this regard, in block 508, the anchor link is in a sleep state, and in block 510, processor 304 monitors whether it detects a trigger for waking up the anchor link. The trigger may be, for example, the elapsed duration of a specific period of time.

[0054] If processor 304 determines that a trigger has been detected, then in block 512, processor 304 wakes up the anchor link. The anchor link receives a beacon frame sent by the AP device during the wake-up period, wherein the beacon frame indicates whether there are buffered packets destined for non-AP device 104.

[0055] If no buffered packets exist, the anchor link returns to sleep mode in box 508.

[0056] If a buffered packet destined for a non-AP device exists, the non-AP device can communicate with AP device 100 via an anchor link to receive the buffered packet. In one embodiment, the buffered packet is received via an anchor link. In some embodiments, processor 304 can activate one of the disabled non-anchor links to receive the buffered packet. Subsequently, the anchor link can return to a sleep state at block 508. In one embodiment, the alternation between the sleep state and the wake state continues until processor 304 detects a trigger to switch the non-AP device back to active operation mode.

[0057] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a process for switching a non-AP device 104 out of low-power MLO mode and back to active operation mode according to one embodiment. It should be understood that the order of the process steps is not fixed, but can be changed to any desired order as recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0058] Processing begins, and at box 600, processor 304 monitors one or more operating conditions until it detects a standard (e.g., traffic level). For example, processor 304 may monitor radio traffic to and from non-AP device 104 and detect that the traffic exceeds a threshold level.

[0059] In block 602, processor 304 transitions one or more disabled links, including anchor links and / or disabled links, to an active state. In one embodiment, all disabled links and anchor links are transitioned to an active state. In another embodiment, only a subset of the disabled links are transitioned to an active state.

[0060] In block 604, processor 304 sends a switching frame indicating a transition to active mode to AP device 100 via an anchor link. In embodiments where only a subset of disabled links are transitioned to active mode, the processor includes the ID of the link being transitioned in the switching frame.

[0061] In one embodiment, AP device 100 updates the TID-to-link mapping based on received handover frames. The mapping can be updated to restore the mapping prior to the switch to low-power MLO mode. In some embodiments, processor 304 can determine a new mapping (with or without a recommendation from AP device 100) and can send the new TID-to-link mapping to the AP using the handover frame. For example, processor 304 can map links associated with higher frequency bands (e.g., 6 GHz) to services that should adhere to a specific quality of service (e.g., video services), while other types of services (e.g., web browsing services) can be mapped to links associated with lower frequency bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz).

[0062] In some embodiments, the term processor may refer to one or more processors and / or one or more processing cores. One or more processors may be hosted in a single device or distributed across multiple devices (e.g., via a cloud system). Processors may include, for example, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), general-purpose or special-purpose central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), graphics processing units (GPUs), and programmable logic devices such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In a processor, as used herein, each function is executed by hardware configured (i.e., hardwired) to perform said function, or by more general-purpose hardware (such as a CPU) configured to execute instructions stored in a non-transitory storage medium (e.g., memory). Processors may be fabricated on a single printed circuit board (PCB) or distributed across several interconnected PCBs. Processors may include other processing circuitry; for example, processing circuitry may include two processing circuits, an FPGA and a CPU, interconnected on the PCB.

[0063] It will be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or portion from another. Therefore, without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept, the first element, component, region, layer, or portion discussed herein may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or portion.

[0064] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the inventive concept. As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree and are intended to take into account the inherent biases of measurements or calculations that will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0065] As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including” as used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence, or addition of, one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of…” modify the entire list of elements when following a list of elements, without modifying any individual element in the list. Furthermore, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the inventive concept refers to “one or more embodiments of this disclosure.” Additionally, the term “exemplary” is intended to indicate an example or illustration. As used herein, the terms “use,” “being used,” and “being exploited” may be considered synonymous with the terms “utilize,” “being exploited,” and “being exploited,” respectively.

[0066] It will be understood that when a component or layer is referred to as being "on," "connected to," "coupled to," or "adjacent to" another component or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, coupled to, or adjacent to the other component or layer, or there may be one or more intermediate components or layers. Conversely, when a component or layer is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to," "directly coupled to," or "directly adjacent to" another component or layer, there are no intermediate components or layers.

[0067] Although exemplary embodiments of systems and methods for managing the power use of MLD devices have been specifically described and illustrated herein, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that systems and methods for managing power use constructed in accordance with the principles of this disclosure may be implemented differently than those specifically described herein. This disclosure is also defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for managing the power usage of a wireless communication device, wherein, The wireless communication device is configured to communicate via multiple radio links, and the method includes: Testing standards; Based on the detection of the standard, one of the plurality of radio links is selected as the selected radio link; Switch the operation of the selected radio link from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and disable the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links; In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to a second operating mode, the selected radio link alternates between a wake-up state and a sleep state; and During the wake-up state, radio service information for the plurality of radio links is received via selected radio links. The first operating mode is the activation mode, and the second operating mode is the power saving mode.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The standard is the radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The selection of one of the plurality of radio links is based on a selection algorithm performed by the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The selection of one of the plurality of radio links is based on a recommendation from the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The radio service information includes information about buffered radio services.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, In the activation mode, the plurality of radio links remain active to receive and transmit radio services.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, the type of radio service is mapped to the selected radio link.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Second testing standard; and Based on the detection of the second standard, the operation of the selected radio link and the one or more remaining radio links is switched to a first operating mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The second standard is the radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links, wherein the first operating mode is an activation mode for keeping the selected radio link and the one or more remaining radio links active to receive and transmit radio traffic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of radio links are Wi-Fi radio links, and the one or more remaining radio links that are disabled are all of the plurality of radio links except for the selected radio link.

11. An apparatus for managing electricity usage, the apparatus comprising: processor; as well as A memory is connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations: Testing standards; Based on the detected standard, one radio link from a plurality of radio links is selected as the selected radio link; Switch the operation of the selected radio link from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and disable the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links; In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to a second operating mode, the selected radio link alternates between a wake-up state and a sleep state; and During the wake-up state, radio service information for the plurality of radio links is received via selected radio links. The first operating mode is the activation mode, and the second operating mode is the power saving mode.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The standard is the radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links.

13. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The instruction that causes the processor to select one of the plurality of radio links includes a selection algorithm.

14. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The instruction to cause the processor to select one of the plurality of radio links includes: an instruction to cause the processor to select one of the plurality of radio links based on a recommendation from the second device.

15. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, In the activation mode, the plurality of radio links remain active to receive and transmit radio services.

16. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The instruction also causes the processor to perform the following operations: In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link from a first operating mode to a second operating mode, the type of radio service is mapped to the selected radio link.

17. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The instruction also causes the processor to perform the following operations: The second standard for testing; and Based on the detection of the second standard, the operation of the selected radio link and the one or more remaining radio links is switched to a first operating mode.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein, The second standard is the radio traffic associated with one or more of the plurality of radio links, wherein the first operating mode is an activation mode for keeping the selected radio link and the remaining radio links active to receive and transmit radio traffic.

19. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The plurality of radio links are Wi-Fi radio links, and the remaining radio links that are disabled are all of the plurality of radio links except for the selected radio link.

20. A system for managing electricity use, the system comprising: The response processor is configured as follows: Testing standards; Based on the detected standard, one radio link from a plurality of radio links is selected as the selected radio link; Switch the operation of the selected radio link from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and disable the operation of one or more of the remaining radio links; and In response to switching the operation of the selected radio link to a second operating mode, the selected radio link alternates between a wake-up state and a sleep state. as well as The sender is configured as follows: Receive information on the selected radio link; Retrieve radio service information for the plurality of radio links; and Transmit the radio service information on the selected radio link. The first operating mode is the activation mode, and the second operating mode is the power saving mode.

Images