Power management for signal scanning

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to reducing power consumption of an electronic device scanning for wireless communication signals while maintaining or even improving the efficiency of the scanning operation. To this end, the electronic device can include more than one scanning kernel, such as a primary kernel and a receiving kernel. The receiving kernel can have limited functionality as compared to the primary kernel. For example, the receiving kernel can only receive wireless signals (including scanning wireless signals). That is, the receiving kernel can not support certain operations that consume relatively high power, such as signal transmission, that are supported by the primary kernel. In this way, the operation of the receiving kernel, in place of or in addition to the primary kernel, can reduce the power consumption of the electronic device by avoiding high power consumption operations, such as data transmission, when scanning for various signals.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 074,855, filed September 4, 2020, entitled “Power Management for Signal Scanning,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0003] This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more specifically to electronic devices for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals for wireless communication.

[0004] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the art that may be related to the aspects of this disclosure, which are described below and / or protected by the claims. This discussion is intended to help provide the reader with background information to better understand the aspects of this disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements should be read in this regard and not as an endorsement of prior art.

[0005] Today, various wireless communication technologies are used to transmit more data than ever before. For example, many electronic devices use wireless local area networks (WLANs) (such as those based on communication protocols compatible with the IEEE 802.11 standard (known as "Wi-Fi")). (BT) and other methods are used for communication. However, the radio components in wireless communication electronic devices can consume a significant amount of power.

[0006] In some cases, electronic devices consume significant power to communicate wirelessly because they are designed to be compatible with many generations of communication standards. For example, WLAN radio components may be designed to cover standards such as 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, and 802.11ax (with new unlicensed national information infrastructure (UNII) 5-8 band spectrum support). Similarly, BT radio components may be designed to cover standards such as BT 1.0 (BT Classic Basic Data Rate), BT 2.1 (BT Classic Enhanced Data Rate), BT 4.0 (BT Low Energy), BT 5.0 (BT Low Energy, Long Range), and BT 5.2 (BT Low Energy, Synchronization Channel).

[0007] These new standards for technologies impose additional requirements on signal transmission and reception, as well as complex new modulation schemes. For example, each WLAN standard may require support for different modulation schemes, such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Amplitude Modulation (QAM), OFDM modulation with a 64-QAM constellation, OFDM modulation with a 256-QAM constellation, and OFDM modulation with a 1024-QAM constellation. Furthermore, some new standards may utilize previously unused frequency bands. For example, each WLAN standard may require support for different frequency bands, such as 2.4 GHz ISM and 5 GHz UNII.

[0008] The bandwidth used for WLAN transmission and reception is also increasing with the introduction of new standards. For example, the 802.11a and 802.11g standards use a maximum signal bandwidth of 20 MHz, while 802.11ac / ax increases the maximum bandwidth to 160 MHz. Future planned WLAN standards are expected to further increase the bandwidth to 320 MHz. This increase in maximum bandwidth and support for additional spectrum can further increase the power consumption of these devices.

[0009] As wireless communication via portable electronic devices increases and becomes more prevalent, the need to increase device battery life while maintaining compatibility with various standards becomes more desirable and important. Specifically, conventional techniques for scanning wireless signals utilize one or more wireless communication cores, each capable of both receiving and transmitting wireless signals. That is, a core is activated to scan for signals (e.g., Wi-Fi, BitTorrent, etc.). However, when scanning for signals, certain functions of the core (such as transmission functions) may be activated, even if these functions are not actually used (e.g., no signal needs to be transmitted). Therefore, a conventional core may unnecessarily consume battery power due to unused functions. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The following outlines some of the embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a concise overview of these particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may cover many aspects not set forth below.

[0011] As discussed above, it is desirable to extend the battery life of electronic devices while maintaining their wireless scanning and communication capabilities. The embodiments disclosed herein provide various apparatuses and techniques for reducing the power consumption of electronic devices and extending battery life while maintaining the efficiency of scanning operations. To this end, the embodiments disclosed herein include electronic devices having a main core and a receiving core. The main core can receive and transmit wireless signals. The main core can also support various other functions, such as device-to-device communication, geofencing, wireless audio and video streaming, health tracking, etc. However, to support these functions, the main core consumes significant power. That is, even if the device is not actively used by the user, the main core can continuously receive and transmit data. Therefore, to reduce the power consumption of the main core, the main core can be deactivated (e.g., turned off) for a certain period of time. In some embodiments, the main core can be deactivated when not in use. In other embodiments, the main core can be deactivated and reactivated at time intervals. When the main core is deactivated, a low-power receiving core is activated to maintain at least some wireless scanning and communication functions.

[0012] To reduce the power consumption of electronic devices, the receiver core may only receive wireless signals (including scanning wireless signals). That is, the receiver core may not support certain relatively high-power operations supported by the main core, such as signal transmission. In this way, operating the receiver core (in place of the main core or other than the main core) can reduce the power consumption of the electronic device by avoiding high-power operations when scanning various signals.

[0013] In some implementations, the receiving core can operate simultaneously with the primary core. For example, the receiving core and the primary core can scan different signals on different channels and / or frequencies. In some implementations, the primary core and the receiving core can operate at different times. For example, when the receiving core is idle, the primary core can scan signals on a first channel. The receiving core can then scan signals when the primary core is idle. In some implementations, whether the primary core and the receiving core operate simultaneously or separately in time can be determined based on metrics perceived by the user of the respective electronic device. In other implementations, the concurrent or separate operation of the primary core and the receiving core can be dynamically determined based on the specific operation being performed (e.g., scanning).

[0014] Depending on the functionality required to perform a specific operation or process, the host processor of an electronic device may alternate between activating the primary core and the receiving core. In some implementations, the primary core may be deactivated while the receiving core is activated. Deactivating the primary core can further reduce the power consumption of the electronic device. That is, the host processor may first determine whether a specific function is supported by the receiving core. If so, the host processor may activate the receiving core and / or deactivate the primary core.

[0015] In some implementations, the receiver core can be used to scan and identify signals via various wireless communication protocols and standards, such as Wi-Fi and BitTorrent. For example, the receiver core can be used to scan for other Wi-Fi-enabled and / or BitTorrent-enabled devices that can be wirelessly connected to electronic devices. Other devices may include, for example, wireless routers and associated networks, smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, tablets, wireless headsets, wearable devices, network access points, televisions, wireless audio devices, wireless printers, etc.

[0016] Signals received by the low-power receiving core can be used for various operations, such as detecting and identifying various devices and / or networks approaching electronic devices, determining whether and when the main core is activated, determining the level of congestion on various frequency bands used by the main core, determining proximity to other devices for social distancing and / or contact tracing, etc.

[0017] Various modifications to the above-described features may exist with respect to various aspects of the invention. Other features may also be incorporated into these aspects. These modifications and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For example, various features discussed below relating to one or more illustrated embodiments may be incorporated individually or in any combination into any of the above aspects of the invention. The brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with specific aspects and context of the embodiments disclosed herein and does not limit the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0018] A better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure can be achieved by reading the following detailed description and referring to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A perspective view of a laptop computer as an implementation scheme for an electronic device.

[0021] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 A front view of a handheld device in another embodiment of an electronic device.

[0022] Figure 4 It means Figure 1 A front view of another handheld device in another implementation of the electronic device.

[0023] Figure 5 It means Figure 1 A front view of a desktop computer in another implementation of an electronic device.

[0024] Figure 6 It means Figure 1 A perspective view of another implementation of a wearable electronic device.

[0025] Figure 7 It is based on the implementation scheme of this disclosure. Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary communication architecture for an electronic device.

[0026] Figure 8A It is used for operation Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram of the main core of the exemplary communication architecture.

[0027] Figure 8B It is an implementation scheme according to this disclosure for operation Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram of the primary core and receiver core of an exemplary communication architecture to reduce power consumption.

[0028] Figure 9A It is used for operation Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram of the main core and auxiliary cores of the exemplary communication architecture.

[0029] Figure 9B The priority reduction of power consumption according to the embodiments of this disclosure is for operation Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram of the receiving core of an exemplary communication architecture.

[0030] Figure 9C The prioritization of embodiments according to this disclosure reduces communication latency and simultaneously reduces power consumption for operation. Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram of the primary core, auxiliary core, and receiver core of the exemplary communication architecture.

[0031] Figure 10A It is for use according to the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 An exemplary scanning timing diagram of the primary core and receiving core of the exemplary communication architecture for active scanning.

[0032] Figure 10B It is for use according to the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 An exemplary scanning timing diagram of the primary core and receiving core of the exemplary communication architecture for passive scanning.

[0033] Figure 10C It is for use according to the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 An exemplary scanning timing diagram of the primary core and receiving core of the exemplary communication architecture for passive scanning and priority scanning range.

[0034] Figure 11 It is for use according to the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7An exemplary scan timing diagram of the exemplary communication architecture in which the main core and the receiving core communicate through a variety of communication technologies.

[0035] Figure 12 It is an embodiment of the present disclosure for scanning using a receiving core and activating upon receiving a signal. Figure 7 A flowchart of the main core of an exemplary communication architecture.

[0036] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure for reducing power consumption during a scan operation by deactivating the primary core and utilizing the receiving core for scanning.

[0037] Figure 14 It is used in accordance with the description of the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 A graph illustrating the trade-off between scan time and power efficiency for the receiver core and main core of an exemplary communication architecture.

[0038] Figure 15 It is an embodiment of the present disclosure for using a receiving core to scan available channels and simultaneously... Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating communication with the main core on another channel of an exemplary communication architecture.

[0039] Figure 16 An exemplary block diagram of a combined scan request according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0040] Figure 17 This is a flowchart of a combined scan request according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 18 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present disclosure for performing contact tracing by using a receiving core to scan a beacon. Detailed Implementation

[0042] One or more specific implementations will be described below. To provide a brief description of these implementations, not all characteristics of the actual implementations are described in this specification. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, decisions specific to many implementations must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary from one implementation to another. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development work can be complex and time-consuming, but will still be routine work of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0043] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “an” and “the” are intended to refer to the presence of one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be included and to indicate the presence of additional elements besides those listed. Additionally, it should be understood that reference to “an embodiment” or “an embodiment” of this disclosure is not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments also incorporating the cited features. The use of the terms “approximately,” “close to,” and / or “about” should be understood to mean including close to the target (e.g., design, value, quantity), such as within limits of any suitable or conceivable error (e.g., within 0.1% of the target, within 1% of the target, within 5% of the target, within 10% of the target, within 25% of the target, etc.).

[0044] As used herein, "sleep mode" can refer to a low-power mode of an electronic device. Sleep mode significantly reduces the electrical power consumed by an electronic device. A device may be put into sleep mode based on input received through a user interface displayed on the device or based on inactivity of the device. For example, the user of the device may manually activate the device's sleep mode, or the device may automatically enter sleep mode after a specific period of time (such as between approximately 1 and 5 minutes) without receiving any input from the user or sensors of the device.

[0045] As used herein, “social distancing” can refer to the physical distance maintained by a user (e.g., an electronic device), which can be verified by the physical distance of the electronic device itself. As used herein, “contact tracing” can refer to the process of identifying locations and / or people who have been in close proximity to a user, which can be verified by the person and the user’s electronic device. Social distancing and contact tracing can be used, for example, by health officials to determine locations or people who have been in contact with (or in close proximity to) a user, as verified by the user’s electronic device. Specifically, when a user is found to be infected with, for example, a virus or infectious disease, social distancing and contact tracing can be used to identify people who may have been in close proximity to the user (through the user’s electronic device) (through electronic devices associated with those people).

[0046] Considering the foregoing, there are various suitable communication devices that may include and use the receiving core described herein. First, let's turn to... Figure 1 The electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, among other things, include a processor core complex 12, which includes one or more processors, memory 14, non-volatile storage device 16, display 18, input structure 22, input / output (I / O) interface 24, network interface 26 and power supply 29. Figure 1 The various functional blocks shown may include hardware elements (including circuits), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium), or a combination of both hardware and software elements. It should be noted that... Figure 1 This is merely one example of a specific implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may exist in electronic device 10.

[0047] For example, electronic device 10 can represent Figure 2 The laptop shown Figure 3 The handheld device shown Figure 4 The handheld device shown Figure 5 The desktop computer shown Figure 6 The diagram shows a wearable electronic device or similar device. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The processor 12 and other related items herein may be generally referred to as "data processing circuitry". This data processing circuitry may be implemented wholly or partially as software, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the processor 12 and... Figure 1 Other related items may be a single, independent processing module, or may be fully or partially integrated into any of the other components within the electronic device 10.

[0048] exist Figure 1 In the electronic device 10, processor 12 may be operatively coupled to memory 14 and non-volatile storage device 16 to execute various algorithms. Such programs or instructions executed by processor 12 may be stored in any suitable article of writing comprising one or more tangible computer-readable media. The tangible computer-readable media may include memory 14 and / or non-volatile storage device 16, individually or jointly, to store instructions or routines. Memory 14 and non-volatile storage device 16 may include any suitable article of writing for storing data and executable instructions, such as random access memory, read-only memory, rewritable flash memory, hard disk drive, and optical disk. Furthermore, programs (e.g., operating systems) encoded on such computer program products may also include instructions executable by processor 12 to enable electronic device 10 to provide various functions.

[0049] In some embodiments, display 18 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) that facilitates viewing images generated on electronic device 10 by a user. In some embodiments, display 18 may include a touchscreen that facilitates interaction between a user and the user interface of electronic device 10. Furthermore, it should be understood that in some embodiments, display 18 may include one or more light-emitting diode (LED) displays, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, or some combination of these and / or other display technologies.

[0050] The input structure 22 of electronic device 10 allows a user to interact with electronic device 10 (e.g., pressing a button to increase or decrease the volume level). Like network interface 26, I / O interface 24 enables electronic device 10 to interact with various other electronic devices. Network interface 26 may include, for example, one or more interfaces for personal area networks (PANs) such as... Networks, local area networks (LANs), or wireless local area networks (WLANs) such as 802.11x Networks, and / or wide area networks (WANs) such as 3rd generation (3G) cellular networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), 4th generation (4G) cellular networks, Long Term Evolution (LTE) Cellular networks, Long Term Evolution License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) cellular networks, 5G cellular networks, and / or New Radio (NR) cellular networks. Specifically, network interface 26 may include, for example, one or more interfaces for using Release-15 cellular communication standards that include millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency ranges (e.g., 24.25–300 GHz). Network interface 26 of electronic device 10 may allow communication over the aforementioned networks (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi, LTE-LAA, etc.).

[0051] Network interface 26 may also include one or more interfaces for, for example, a broadband fixed wireless access network (e.g., Mobile broadband wireless network (mobile) Asynchronous digital subscriber lines (e.g., ADSL, VDSL) and digital video terrestrial broadcasting Network and its extensions DVB handheld Networks, ultra-wideband (UWB) networks, AC power lines, etc.

[0052] As shown in the figure, network interface 26 may include a primary core 28, a secondary core 30, and a receiver core 34. In some embodiments, all or part of the primary core 28, secondary core 30, and receiver core 34 may be located within processor core complex 12. In some embodiments, processor core complex 12 may determine which of the primary core 28, secondary core 30, and receiver core 34 will perform a specific scan operation and when to activate and / or deactivate the primary core 28, secondary core 30, and receiver core 34. Receiver core 34 may be referred to herein as a "scanning core" or a "low-power core."

[0053] The primary core 28 may include a transceiver and / or support the transmission and reception of various wireless signals. The secondary core 30 may also include a transceiver and / or support the transmission and reception of various wireless signals; however, in some cases, the electronic device 10 may not include the secondary core 30. In some embodiments, the secondary core 30 may support the same or similar operations and / or functions as the primary core 28. In other embodiments, the secondary core 30 may support different operations and / or functions than the primary core 28. For example, the primary core 28 may be used to transmit and receive wireless signals using one or more wireless communication protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi), while the secondary core 30 may be used to transmit and receive wireless signals using a different wireless communication protocol (e.g., BT).

[0054] In some implementations, the primary core 28 can transmit and receive signals on a first channel (e.g., one or more channels in the 5 GHz range) and / or frequency (e.g., within the 5 GHz frequency range), and the secondary core 30 can transmit and receive signals on a second channel (e.g., one or more channels in the 2.4 GHz range) and / or frequency (e.g., within the 2.4 GHz frequency range). For example, the primary core 28 can support wireless communication using a first wireless communication standard (such as 802.11a / n / ac / ax), while the secondary core 30 can support wireless communication using a second wireless communication standard (such as 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax). While the primary core 28 and the secondary core 30 can support some of the same wireless communication standards, they can also support different wireless communication standards.

[0055] Receiver core 34 can receive wireless signals but may not support wireless signal transmission. That is, receiver core 34 can be used to receive and monitor wireless signals and communication channels, but does not transmit signals and / or data. Therefore, because receiver core 34 supports fewer functions (reception only) compared to primary core 28 and auxiliary core 30, receiver core 34 consumes significantly less power. In some embodiments, the functionality of receiver core 34 may overlap with that of primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30. For example, receiver core 34 may be configured to receive signals that primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30 are configured to receive. That is, in some embodiments, receiver core 34 may be configured to simultaneously receive the same signals as primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30. In practice, receiver core 34 can receive signals in multiple frequency bands (e.g., dual-band, such as in the 5 GHz frequency range and the 2.4 GHz frequency range). In some embodiments, receiver core 34 can receive signals with frequencies of approximately 2.4–2.4835 GHz. In some embodiments, receiver core 34 may be dedicated to a specific wireless channel and / or frequency. In other implementations, the receiver core 34 may be shared across multiple channels and / or frequencies.

[0056] In some embodiments, the primary core 28 may use approximately 60-70 milliwatts (mW) per scan. In other embodiments, the primary core may use approximately 25-65 mW per scan, such as approximately 27-52 mW or approximately 27-60 mW. In some embodiments, the receiver core 34 may use approximately 40-50 mW per scan. In other embodiments, the receiver core may use approximately 5-50 mW, such as approximately 8-33 mW or approximately 8-40 mW.

[0057] In this way, processor 12 can offload tasks from primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30 to the lower-power receiving core 34 to save power. For example, when primary core 28 is deactivated, receiving core 34 can scan for or receive wireless signals (the opposite of primary core 28 scanning for or receiving wireless signals, thus reducing power consumption). After receiving core 34 receives a signal, primary core 28 can then be activated to receive and process the signal and / or generate and transmit responses to the received signal. Additionally or alternatively, communication performance can be increased while maintaining or even reducing power consumption. For example, scanning for wireless signals (e.g., Wi-Fi or BT beacon signals) can be performed more frequently by receiving core 34 instead of primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30, thereby making it more likely to detect Wi-Fi access points or BT pairing devices. While this may result in increased power consumption for receiving core 34, the exemplary architecture 50 can still maintain or even reduce overall power consumption compared to primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30 performing such scans. In some implementations, these additional scans may be performed on different channels (e.g., to determine noise and / or availability on those channels). As another example, the scanning range of the receiving core 34 may be increased or expanded (e.g., by amplifying weaker signals received over a larger range using a low-noise amplifier), thereby again making it more likely to detect Wi-Fi access points or BT pairing devices, while maintaining or even reducing overall power consumption compared to the primary core 28 and / or auxiliary core 30 performing such scans.

[0058] In some implementations, electronic device 10 uses a primary core 28, a secondary core 30, and a receiving core 34 via the aforementioned wireless network (e.g., move 4G The primary core 28 and secondary core 30 may each include circuitry, such as a transmitter and / or receiver, available for wireless transmission and reception of signals (e.g., data signals, wireless data signals, wireless carrier signals, RF signals). Furthermore, the receiver core 34 may include circuitry, such as a receiver, for wireless signal reception. In fact, in some embodiments, the primary core 28 and secondary core 30 may include a transmitter and receiver combined into a single unit, or in other embodiments, the primary core 28 and secondary core 30 may include a transmitter separate from the receiver. The primary core 28 and secondary core 30 can transmit and receive RF signals to support wireless applications such as, for example, PAN networks (e.g., 5G, etc.). ), WLAN networks (e.g., 802.11x) ), WAN networks (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, NR and (and LTE-LAA cellular network) Network, Mobile Network, ADSL and VDSL networks, and Voice and / or data communication in networks, UWB networks, etc. The power supply 29 of the electronic device 10 may include any suitable power source, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and / or an alternating current (AC) power converter.

[0059] In some embodiments, electronic device 10 may take the form of a computer, portable electronic device, wearable electronic device, or other type of electronic device. Such a computer may be a typically portable computer (such as a laptop, notebook computer, and tablet computer) or a computer typically used in one location (such as a conventional desktop computer, workstation, and / or server). In some embodiments, electronic device 10 in the form of a computer may be a product purchased from Apple Inc., Cupertino, California. Pro, MacBook mini or Mac Model. By way of example, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, in... Figure 2 An electronic device 10 in the form of a laptop computer 10A is shown. The laptop computer 10A shown may include a casing or housing 36, a display 18, input structures 22, and ports for I / O interfaces 24. In one embodiment, the input structures 22 (such as a keyboard and / or touchpad) can be used to interact with the computer 10A, such as to launch, control, or operate a graphical user interface (GUI) or applications running on the computer 10A. For example, the keyboard and / or touchpad can allow a user to navigate on the user interface and / or application interface displayed on the display 18.

[0060] Figure 3 A front view of a handheld device 10B is depicted, representing one embodiment of an electronic device 10. The handheld device 10B can represent, for example, a portable telephone, media player, personal data manager, handheld gaming platform, or any combination of such devices. For instance, the handheld device 10B could be purchased from Apple Inc. (Cupertino, California). or Handheld device 10B may include a housing 36 to protect internal components from physical damage and / or shield them from electromagnetic interference. The housing 36 may enclose the display 18. I / O interface 24 can be opened through the housing 36 and may include, for example, I / O ports for hardwired connections to allow charging and / or content manipulation using standard connectors and protocols such as the Lightning connector supplied by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California, Universal Serial Bus (USB), or other similar connectors and protocols.

[0061] Input structure 22, in conjunction with display 18, allows the user to control handheld device 10B. For example, input structure 22 can activate or deactivate handheld device 10B, navigate the user interface to a home screen, a user-configurable application screen, and / or activate voice recognition features of handheld device 10B. Other input structures 22 may provide volume control or switch between vibration and ringtone modes. Input structure 22 may also include a microphone for acquiring user voice for various voice-related features, and a speaker for enabling audio playback and / or certain telephone functions. Input structure 22 may also include a headphone input for connecting to external speakers and / or headphones.

[0062] Figure 4 A front view of another handheld device 10C is depicted, representing another embodiment of electronic device 10. Handheld device 10C can represent, for example, a tablet computer, or one of various portable computing devices. For instance, handheld device 10C can be a tablet-sized embodiment of electronic device 10, specifically, for example, a device purchased from Apple Inc. (Cupertino, California). Handheld device.

[0063] See Figure 5 Computer 10D can represent Figure 1Another embodiment of the electronic device 10. The computer 10D can be any computer, such as a desktop computer, server, or laptop, but can also be a standalone media player or video game console. For example, the computer 10D could be a device from Apple Inc. in Cupertino, California. Or another similar device. It should be noted that computer 10D may also refer to a personal computer (PC) from another manufacturer. A similar housing 36 may be provided to protect and enclose the internal components of computer 10D, such as monitor 18. In some embodiments, the user of computer 10D may interact with computer 10D using various peripheral input structures 22 that can be connected to computer 10D, such as keyboard 22A or mouse 22B (e.g., input structure 22).

[0064] Similarly, Figure 6 Depicting the representation Figure 1 Another embodiment of the electronic device 10 is a wearable electronic device 10E, which can be operated using the techniques described herein. By way of example, the wearable electronic device 10E, which may include a wristband 43, could be an Apple product of Apple, Inc., Cupertino, California. However, in other embodiments, the wearable electronic device 10E may include any wearable electronic device, such as, for example, a wearable motion monitoring device (e.g., a pedometer, accelerometer, heart rate monitor), or other devices from another manufacturer. The display 18 of the wearable electronic device 10E may include a touchscreen display 18 (e.g., an LCD, LED display, OLED display, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, etc.) and an output structure 22 that allows the user to interact with the user interface of the wearable electronic device 10E.

[0065] Considering the foregoing, Figure 7 This is a block diagram of an exemplary communication architecture 50 of an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the exemplary architecture 50 includes a host processor 52, a receiver core 54, a main core 56, a secondary core 58, a radio frequency (RF) front-end (RFFE) 60, and one or more antennas 74. Various components of the exemplary architecture 50 may correspond to... Figure 1 The components of the electronic device under discussion. For example, host processor 52 may correspond to a processor included in processor core complex 12, receiver core 54 may correspond to receiver core 34, main core 56 may correspond to main core 28, and auxiliary core 58 may correspond to auxiliary core 30.

[0066] As shown in the figure, RFFE 60 includes an external low-noise amplifier (eLNA) 76. eLNA 76 amplifies the received signal without degrading the signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, when eLNA 76 is activated (e.g., turned on), the scanning distance or range can be increased (e.g., by 5 feet to 100 yards, 10 feet to 100 feet, or 20 feet), because weaker signals received at greater distances or ranges can be amplified for better identification of data or symbols within the signal.

[0067] As shown in the figure, each of the receiver core 54, the main core 56, and the auxiliary core 58 includes a Media Access Control (MAC) layer 62, 66, 70 and a Physical (PHY) layer 64, 68, 72, respectively. The receiver core 54, the main core 56, and the auxiliary core 58 can be coupled to a single shared antenna 74, or each core 54, 56, and 58 can be coupled to a separate antenna 74.

[0068] As discussed above, the receiving core 54 may have limited functionality compared to the primary core 56 and the auxiliary core 58. That is, the receiving core 54 may scan and receive various signals, but may not transmit signals. In some embodiments, the receiving core 54 may support lower bandwidth or data rates compared to the primary core 56 and the auxiliary core 58 to further reduce the power consumed by the receiving core 54. For example, the receiving core 54 may support a bandwidth of approximately 1 MHz, while the primary core 56 may support a bandwidth of approximately 1-4 MHz. Therefore, when activated, the receiving core 54 may consume less power than the primary core 56 and the auxiliary core 58. Thus, the receiving core 54 may consume the same or similar power as the primary core 56 and / or the auxiliary core 58 while scanning for a longer period of time than the primary core 56 and / or the auxiliary core 58. In some embodiments, the power consumed by the receiving core 54 during signal transmission and reception may be approximately 50% less than the power consumed by the primary core 56 alone.

[0069] In some implementations, receiver core 54 may be a "default" core for scanning and receiving wireless signals. If the received signal utilizes a bandwidth exceeding that supported by receiver core 54, primary core 56 (and / or secondary core 58) may be activated to receive the signal, and receiver core 54 may be deactivated, or it may be used simultaneously with primary core 56 (and / or secondary core 58). Because each core 54, 56, 58 can operate separately and independently, exemplary architecture 50 may provide electronic device 10 with multiple heterogeneous cores 54, 56, 58.

[0070] Figure 8A It is used for operation Figure 7An exemplary scanning timing diagram 80 of the main core 56 of the exemplary architecture 50 is shown. Timing diagram 80 illustrates the scanning of wireless signals (e.g., Wi-Fi or BT beacon signals). Specifically, beacon signals (e.g., including beacon frames) may be periodically transmitted by a Wi-Fi access point or BT pairing device to announce the presence of a WLAN or BT network and to synchronize with potential network members. Once the beacon signal has been scanned and received by the electronic device 10, the electronic device 10 can synchronize with the Wi-Fi access point or BT pairing device and exchange data.

[0071] As shown in the figure, the primary core 56 performs scan 82 at periodic intervals 83 (e.g., every 100 milliseconds) using scan power or amplitude 89 (e.g., between 50-90 mW). When scan 82 detects a beacon sent by a Wi-Fi access point or BT pairing device, the primary core 56 can join the network provided by the Wi-Fi access point or BT pairing device to exchange data 85. The primary core 56 can then leave the network (e.g., by physically leaving the network's range, by disconnecting from the network) and restart performing scan 82 at periodic intervals 83 using scan amplitude 89.

[0072] Over time, the total electrical power consumed by the main core 56 of electronic device 10 during scan 82 over a given time interval (e.g., 24 hours) can accumulate to a significant amount. To reduce the power consumed by electronic device 10 during scan 82, receiving core 54 can be activated. For example, Figure 8B An embodiment of the present disclosure is shown for operation. Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram 84 of the exemplary architecture 50, showing the main core 56 and receiving core 54 to reduce power consumption. Figure 8B As shown, the receiver core 54 can use significantly smaller... Figure 8A The primary core 56 performs a scan 86 at a reduced scan amplitude 87 (e.g., between 5 and 50 mW) at periodic intervals 83. That is, the power consumed by the receiving core 54 is less than the power consumed by the primary core 56 in performing the scan.

[0073] As discussed above, the receiving core 54 may have reduced functionality compared to the primary core 56, such as not supporting signal transmission. Therefore, once a beacon sent by a Wi-Fi access point or BT pairing device is detected, the primary core 56 can be activated to join the Wi-Fi or BT network and transmit and receive data through that network. The primary core 56 can then leave the network, and during a transition or inactivity period 88, the primary core 56 can perform scans 82 at periodic intervals 83 using a scan amplitude 89. The transition period 88 allows the primary core 56 to, for example, rejoin the network, join a new network, etc. In some embodiments, the transition period 88 may be approximately 2-10 seconds. Once the transition period 88 has passed, the primary core 56 can be deactivated and the receiving core 54 can be reactivated to perform scans 86 at periodic intervals 83 using a reduced scan amplitude 87. In this way, the primary core 56 is active long enough to perform functions not supported by the receiving core 54 (e.g., joining the network and transmitting and receiving data) and continues until the transition period 88 has passed. In some implementations, once the primary core 56 leaves the network, the primary core 56 is deactivated and the receiving core 54 is reactivated without waiting for the transition period 88 to pass.

[0074] In some implementations, the transition period 88 may be a pre-configured threshold period. For example, the transition period 88 may be a fixed length of time, such as 4 seconds. In some implementations, the transition period 88 may be determined based on various parameters, such as the location of the electronic device 10, the type of received signal, the source of the received signal, etc.

[0075] Figures 9A to 9C Exemplary scan timing diagrams 90, 106, and 110 according to embodiments of the present invention are shown respectively. Each scan timing diagram 90, 106, and 110 corresponds to a specific exemplary configuration for the primary core 92, auxiliary core 94, and receiving core 96 for signals and data transmitted via Wi-Fi, but it should be understood that the configuration can be applied to any suitable communication technology. Each core 92, 94, and 96 may scan the same or different bandwidths, or scan the same or different channels.

[0076] As discussed below, an "active" scan can refer to a scan performed by the corresponding kernel, during which the kernel transmits signals or probes. Transmitting signals may request a response from a target device, such as a wireless access point. That is, transmitting signals may request one or more data packets from the access point in response to the transmitted signal. A "passive" scan can refer to a scan performed by the corresponding kernel, during which the kernel listens for (e.g., scans) various signals without transmitting signals. As an example, a passive scan may include listening for beacon signals from a wireless access point, such as relative to... Figure 8A and Figure 8B discuss.

[0077] In operation, active scanning using Wi-Fi may include transmitting a probe request from the master core 56 to the target device. The master core 56 (or the receiving core 54) listens for responses to the probe from the target device. That is, for active Wi-Fi scanning, the master core 56 is activated to transmit probes for at least a portion of the scanning operation. Therefore, during active scanning, the scanning window of the master core 56 may be larger than the scanning window of the receiving core 54. Conversely, passive scanning using Wi-Fi may be performed entirely by the receiving core 54. For example, during passive Wi-Fi scanning, the receiving core 54 may listen for (e.g., scan) various signals. However, in some embodiments, passive Wi-Fi scanning may be performed entirely by the master core 56 or by a combination of the master core 56 and the receiving core 54.

[0078] During passive scanning using Bit-Based Transmission (BT), Receiver Core 54 (or Primary Core 56) can listen for (e.g., scan) various BT signals. That is, passive BT scanning can be performed entirely by Receiver Core 54 because probes do not need to be transmitted. During active BT scanning, Primary Core 56 can respond to each received BT signal. That is, either Primary Core 56 or Receiver Core 54 can listen for BT signals. Once a BT signal is received from the device, Primary Core 56 can be used to transmit a response to the device.

[0079] The scan window for a passive scan (e.g., the length of time used to perform the scan operation) can be larger than the scan window for an active scan. For example, during a passive scan, the kernels used (e.g., primary core 56 and / or receiving core 54) wait to receive external signals. That is, the scan window for a passive scan can depend on the interval at which external signals are received. The scan window for an active scan can be smaller than the scan window for a passive scan because the probes transmitted by primary core 56 actively seek out the target device and request a response. In other words, the scan window for primary core 56 and / or receiving core 54 can be determined based on the scan type (e.g., active or passive).

[0080] Advantageously, passive scanning can provide improved privacy compared to active scanning. For example, a particular user's electronic devices (e.g., Figure 1 Electronic device 10 can transmit anonymous wireless beacon signals. Other electronic devices near electronic device 10 can receive the wireless beacon and store the beacon and information identifying electronic device 10 (but not its user) in a private log. The private log can be used, for example, by health officials for contact tracing. For instance, health officials can use the private log to send anonymous notifications to users of electronic device 10 that they may have been in contact with or in close proximity to someone diagnosed with a virus or infectious disease.

[0081] For example, the receiving core 54 of electronic device 10 can scan and receive one or more BT beacons from one or more other electronic devices that are near or closely adjacent to electronic device 10. The BT beacons can be transmitted periodically (e.g., every 15 minutes) by each of the other electronic devices. In some embodiments, electronic device 10 may also periodically transmit BT beacons received by other electronic devices.

[0082] When receiving a BT beacon from another electronic device, electronic device 10 may store anonymous information associated with the received BT beacon. That is, electronic device 10 may store anonymous information that identifies the other electronic device without compromising the privacy of the user of the other electronic device. For example, the BT beacon may include a universally unique identifier (UUID) that uniquely identifies the other electronic device, but may not include user identification information (e.g., name, contact information, or other information unique to the user). The anonymous information may be stored in a temporary private log on electronic device 10. The log may include anonymous information associated with multiple BT beacons received from multiple other electronic devices within a specific time period (e.g., approximately two weeks). In some embodiments, the log may not be accessible to the user of electronic device 10.

[0083] Once a user of electronic device 10 and / or other electronic devices is diagnosed with a virus, infectious disease, or contagious illness, health officials can use logs (e.g., via software applications stored and executed on electronic device 10 and / or other electronic devices) to identify and anonymously notify the user of electronic device 10 and / or users of other electronic devices identified in the logs who may have been in close contact with the infected user. To maintain the privacy of users of electronic device 10 and other electronic devices, each user can approve or disapprove contact tracing features. That is, each user may have the option to opt in or out of contact tracing features for electronic device 10.

[0084] As discussed herein, when scanning, receiver core 54 can consume less power than another core (such as primary core 56). Therefore, by utilizing receiver core 54, electronics 10 can use less power for scanning with primary core 56, or scan BT beacons more frequently and / or for longer durations than using another core (e.g., primary core 56). In other words, receiver core 54 can have a higher scan duty cycle than another scanning core (e.g., primary core 56) while consuming less or the same amount of power. Therefore, receiver core 54 enables electronics 10 to maintain a more accurate and comprehensive log of other devices that have approached or are closely adjacent to electronics 10 over a certain period of time. The following... Figure 18 The document provides a flowchart for contact tracing.

[0085] Figure 9AThe operation is shown Figure 7 The exemplary communication architecture 50 uses a scan timing diagram 90 for the primary core 92 and auxiliary core 94 without activating the receiving core 96. That is, the primary core 92 actively scans 98 within a time period 99 before switching to passive scan 100. Simultaneously, the auxiliary core 94 can also actively scan 102 within the same or similar time period 99 as the primary core 92's active scan 98 before switching to passive scan 104. The length of the passive scan 104 of the auxiliary core 94 can be less than the length of the passive scan 100 of the primary core 92. Scans 98, 100, 102, and 104 can be performed within a total time period 122. The scan timing diagram 90 achieves a combination of increased detection probability (e.g., detection probability of wireless signals, beacon signals) through active scans 98 and 102, and some degree of power saving through the deactivation of passive scans 100 and 104 and the auxiliary core 94 (for time period 105).

[0086] Figure 9B A scan timing diagram 106 for a receiver core operating an exemplary communication architecture 50, prioritizing power reduction according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown. Specifically, receiver core 96 passively scans 108 during time period 124. While receiver core 96 is scanning, no other cores (e.g., 92, 94) are passively or actively scanning. Therefore, scan timing diagram 106 consumes less power than other scan timing configurations. Further power reduction can be achieved by reducing the scan frequency of receiver core 96.

[0087] Figure 9C A scan timing diagram 110 is shown for operating a primary core 92, an auxiliary core 94, and a receiving core 96, prioritizing and reducing communication latency while simultaneously reducing power consumption according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the primary core 92 passively scans 112 at half power (or half frequency) for a certain period of time before switching to active scan 114. The auxiliary core 94 passively scans 116 for a certain period of time before switching to active scan 118. The receiving core 96 passively scans 120 at half power (or half frequency) for a certain period of time before being deactivated. The duration of the passive scan 120 of the receiving core 96 may be the same as or similar to the duration of the passive scan 112 of the primary core 92. The duration of the passive scan 116 of the auxiliary core 94 may be less than the duration of the passive scan 112 of the primary core 92. Scans 112, 114, 116, 118, and 120 may be performed within a total time period 126. In this way, overall scans can be performed more frequently within time period 126, enabling faster detection of wireless signals (e.g., beacon signals) and thus reducing communication latency.

[0088] Figures 10A to 10C The use of embodiments according to this disclosure is shown respectively. Figure 7Exemplary scan timing diagrams 136, 146, and 154 are provided for the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 of the exemplary communication architecture 50. Scan timing diagrams 136, 146, and 154 may correspond to the scanning functions of various cores 54, 56, and 58 for signals and data transmitted via BT, but it should be understood that the configuration can be applied to any suitable communication technology. As discussed below, some scan periods may include the use of an eLNA 76. The eLNA 76 amplifies the received signal without degrading the signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, when the eLNA 76 is activated (e.g., turned on), the distance or range of the scanning function of the corresponding cores 54, 56, and 58 can be increased. That is, compared to when the eLNA is not activated, cores 54, 56, and 58 can receive and process signals from a greater distance (e.g., beacon signals) because received signals that are too weak to be processed (e.g., where the data or symbols in the received signal are unrecognizable or indistinguishable from noise) can be amplified and processed by the eLNA.

[0089] Figure 10A This is an exemplary scan timing diagram 136 for performing active scanning using a primary core 56 and a receiving core 54, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Specifically, Figure 10A A first scan interval 138 is depicted for the primary core 56 when its eLNA is on, and a second scan interval 140 is depicted for the primary core 56 when its eLNA is off (e.g., bypassed). A receive scan interval 142 for the receive core 54 is depicted where its eLNA is off. Therefore, the active scan during the first scan interval 138 can have a larger range than during the second scan interval 140 or the receive scan interval 142. As shown, the first scan interval 138 and the second scan interval 140 of the primary core 56 are consecutive. Once the second scan interval 140 of the primary core 56 has passed, the receive core 54 is activated for the receive scan interval 142.

[0090] The duration of the first scan interval 138 of the primary core 56 can be, for example, approximately 30 milliseconds. The duration of the second scan interval 140 of the primary core 56 can be, for example, approximately 27 milliseconds. The duration of the scan interval 142 of the receiving core 54 can be, for example, approximately 10 seconds. Therefore, Figure 10AThe total scan interval depicted is approximately 67 milliseconds. After scan intervals 138, 140, and 142, kernels 54 and 56 can be deactivated for an inactivity period 144. In some implementations, the inactivity period 144 can be approximately 2-10 seconds, such as approximately 4 seconds. Although scan intervals 138, 140, and 142 are described as active scans, it should be understood that any of these intervals can include passive scans. In this way, using the receiving core 54 to perform active scans (e.g., when compared to using the primary core 56 to perform active scans for scan intervals 138, 140, and 142) reduces the power consumption of the electronic device 10.

[0091] Figure 10B This is an exemplary scan timing diagram 146 for performing passive scanning using a primary core 56 and a receiving core 54, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Specifically, Figure 10B The scan interval 148 of the primary core 56 when its eLNA is on and the receive scan interval 150 of the receiving core 54 when its eLNA is off are depicted. Therefore, the active scan during scan interval 148 can have a larger range than during receive scan interval 150. Once scan interval 148 of the primary core 56 has passed, the receiving core 54 is activated for receive scan interval 150. The duration of scan interval 148 of the primary core 56 can be, for example, approximately 30 milliseconds. The duration of receive scan interval 150 of the receiving core 54 can be, for example, approximately 50 milliseconds. That is, the total scan interval of scan timing diagram 146 (including 148 and 150) can be greater than... Figure 10A The scan intervals in scan timing diagrams 136 (including 138, 140 and 142) depicted in the diagram are longer.

[0092] After scan intervals 148 and 150, kernels 54 and 56 can be deactivated for inactivity period 152. In some implementations, inactivity period 152 can be approximately 2-10 seconds, such as approximately 6 seconds. Although scan intervals 148 and 150 are described as active scans, it should be understood that either of these intervals can include passive scans. In this way, using the receiving core 54 to perform active scans (e.g., when compared to using the primary core 56 to perform active scans for scan intervals 148 and 150) can reduce the power consumption of the electronic device 10.

[0093] The receiving core 54 consumes less power than the main core 56. Therefore, Figure 10B The total power consumption of the total scan interval in the scan timing diagram 146 can be equal to or less than 100 kW. Figure 10A The total power consumption of the total scan interval in the scan timing diagram 136, while the scan lasts for a longer period of time (e.g., Figure 10B In the scan timing diagram 146, 148 and 150 are related to... Figure 10ACompared to 138, 140, and 142 in scan timing diagram 136). That is to say, because Figure 10B The duration of the scan interval 148 of the main core 56 is less than Figure 10A The duration of the total scan interval (138 and 140) of the main core 56 in the middle is reduced, thus reducing Figure 10B The total power consumption of the scan timing diagram 146. Therefore, the scan timing configuration of each core (e.g., main core 56 and receiver core 54) can be configured to make the scan configuration last longer while reducing power consumption.

[0094] Figure 10C This is an exemplary scan timing diagram 154 illustrating the passive scanning and prioritized scan ranges using the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Specifically, Figure 10C The scan interval 156 of the primary core 56 when its eLNA is on and the receive scan interval 158 of the receiving core 54 when its eLNA is on are described. Therefore, the active scan during scan interval 156 can have the same or similar range as the receive scan interval 158. The duration of scan interval 156 for the primary core 56 can be, for example, approximately 30 milliseconds, while the duration of receive scan interval 158 for the receiving core 54 can be, for example, approximately 25 milliseconds. Therefore, Figure 10C The total scan interval of scan timing diagram 154 is approximately 55 milliseconds, which is less than Figure 10B The total scan interval is shown in the scan timing diagram 146.

[0095] After scan intervals 156 and 158, kernels 54 and 56 can be deactivated for an inactivity period 160. In some implementations, the inactivity period 160 can be approximately 2-10 seconds, such as approximately 8 seconds. Although scan intervals 156 and 158 are described as active scans, it should be understood that either of these intervals can include passive scans. In this way, using the receiving core 54 to perform active scans (e.g., when compared to using the primary core 56 to perform active scans for scan intervals 156 and 158) can reduce the power consumption of the electronic device 10.

[0096] As discussed above, the eLNA is activated for scan interval 156 and receive scan interval 158. Therefore, Figure 10C The power consumption of the scan timing diagram 154 can be equal to or less than Figure 10B The power consumption of the scan timing diagram 146 is reduced while scanning over a larger area. Therefore, when compared with... Figure 10B Compared to the scan timing diagram 146, Figure 10C The scanning timing diagram 154 can save more power and provide an increased scanning range.

[0097] In some implementations, the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 can operate simultaneously. That is, the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 can simultaneously scan different signals on different channels and / or frequencies. In this case, there may be no inactivity period 160 between scans. That is, there may be no inactivity period 160 between scans performed by the primary core 56, and there may be no inactivity period 160 between scans using the receiving core 54. Advantageously, simultaneous scanning by the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 can improve the performance of scanning operations (e.g., reduced discovery time and / or improved range), even if power consumption may increase.

[0098] Figure 11 It is for use according to the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 An exemplary scan timing diagram 162 illustrates how the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 of the exemplary communication architecture 50 communicate using various communication technologies. As shown, the scan timing diagram 162 includes a first scan period 164 (scan 1) for Wi-Fi signals and a second scan period 166 (scan 2) for BT signals. The first scan period 164 and the second scan period 166 can be executed by the primary core 56 and / or the receiving core 54, as shown respectively relative to… Figures 9A to 9C and Figures 10A to 10C The first scan period 164 and the second scan period 166 can each be executed by a single scanning kernel or can be divided into multiple scans performed by more than one scanning kernel. For example, as shown in the figure, the second scan period 166 may include a first portion 168 and a second portion 170. The first portion 168 may be executed by the primary core 56, while the second portion may be executed by the receiving core 54.

[0099] The inactivity period 172 can separate the first scan period 164 and the second scan period 166. The primary core 56 and the receiving core 54 can be deactivated during the inactivity period 172. In some embodiments, the duration of the inactivity period 172 can be between about 2 seconds and about 10 seconds, such as about 4 seconds. The duration of the first scan period 164 can be longer than the duration of the second scan period 166, such that the first scan period 164 takes precedence over the second scan period 166. In some embodiments, the duration of the second scan period 166 can be longer than the duration of the first scan 164. In this way, using the receiving core 54 to scan for at least a portion of the duration of the second scan period 166 and deactivating cores 54, 56 during the inactivity period 172 can significantly reduce the power consumption of the electronic device 10 and save its battery power. Using the receiving core 54 and deactivating cores 54, 56 can also improve the performance of the scan operation for a given power budget by reducing the discovery time of the scan operation (e.g., the time for receiving signals) and increasing the range of the scan operation.

[0100] Figure 12 This is a flowchart 180 illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing scanning via a receiving core and activation of the main core upon receiving a signal. Exemplary operation of flowchart 180 can be described by... Figure 1 The operation is performed by one or more components of the electronic device 10, including, for example, a processor 12, a main core 28, a secondary core 30, and / or a receiver core 34. Furthermore, flowchart 180 is merely an example of executable operations, and at least some operations of flowchart 180 may be performed in a different order or completely skipped. The operations of flowchart 180 may correspond to scanning for Wi-Fi signals. That is, the operations of the flowchart may correspond to... Figure 8A , Figure 8B and Figures 9A to 9C The proposed implementation plan was discussed.

[0101] Flowchart 180 begins at operation 182, where receiver core 54 is activated. At operation 184, it is determined whether a data signal indicating that data is being transmitted to electronic device 10 has been received. If such a data signal has not yet been received, at operation 186, receiver core 54 waits for an interval period (e.g., an inactive period). Once a data signal indicating that data is being transmitted is received, master core 56 is activated at operation 188 to obtain data associated with the received signal. In some embodiments, receiver core 54 may be deactivated at operation 188 to further save power.

[0102] Once the data is acquired, at operation 190, the primary core 56 remains active for a period of inactivity. This inactivity period ensures that no additional data related to the received data signal is transmitted to the primary core 56. At operation 192, the primary core 56 is deactivated, and then the receiving core 54 is activated at operation 182.

[0103] The operation of flowchart 180 can correspond to the operation of the main core 56 and the receiving core 54 relative to receiving data signals and associated data via Wi-Fi. That is, the operation of flowchart 180 can correspond to the operation of... Figure 8A , Figure 8B , Figures 9A to 9C and Figure 11 The proposed implementation scheme is discussed. Utilizing the receiving core 54 to scan data signals and deactivating the main core 56 when not in use can significantly reduce the power consumption of the electronic device 10 and save its battery power.

[0104] Figure 13 This is a flowchart 200 illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure for reducing power consumption during a scan operation by deactivating the primary core and utilizing the receiving core for scanning. Exemplary operation of flowchart 200 can be described by… Figure 1The operation is performed by one or more components of the electronic device 10, including, for example, processor 12, main core 28, auxiliary core 30, and / or receiver core 34. Furthermore, flowchart 200 is merely an example of executable operations, and at least some operations of flowchart 200 may be performed in a different order or completely skipped. The operations of flowchart 200 may correspond to scanning the BT signal. That is, the operations of the flowchart may correspond to... Figures 10A to 10C The proposed implementation plan was discussed.

[0105] Flowchart 200 begins at operation 202, where the master core 56 is activated. At operation 204, it is determined whether a data signal indicating that data is being transmitted to the master core 56 has been received. If such a data signal is received, then at operation 206, the master core 56 acquires the transmitted data. Although not shown, after operation 206, flowchart 200 proceeds to operation 214, where the master core 56 waits for an interval period to ensure that all transmitted data has been acquired. If no data signal indicating that data is being transmitted is received, then at operation 208, the master core 56 is deactivated and the receiving core 54 is activated.

[0106] At operation 210, it is determined whether the data signal received by receiving core 54 indicates that data is being transmitted. If such a data signal is received, then master core 56 is activated at operation 212 and data is acquired at operation 206. If such a data signal has not yet been received, receiving core 54 may wait for an interval period, after which the flowchart proceeds to operation 202, in which master core 56 is activated.

[0107] The operation of flowchart 200 can correspond to the operation of the main core 56 and the receiving core 54 relative to receiving data signals and associated data via BT. That is, the operation of flowchart 200 can correspond to the operation of... Figure 8A , Figure 8B , Figures 10A to 10C and Figure 11 The proposed implementation scheme is discussed. By deactivating the main core 56 at operation 208 and utilizing the receiving core 54, the operation of flowchart 200 can reduce the power consumed by the electronic device 10 when scanning various data signals and acquiring relevant data.

[0108] Exemplary applications of the operation of flowchart 200 may include background scanning of data signals when electronic device 10 is in a low-power mode (e.g., sleep mode) or when the display 18 of electronic device 10 is turned off. The operation of flowchart 200 can also be used to scan external devices (such as wearable devices) connected to and in close proximity to electronic device 10. Furthermore, the operation of flowchart 200 can be used to identify specific electronic devices for communication with software applications running on electronic device 10.

[0109] Figure 14This is a graph 300 depicting the trade-off between scan time and power efficiency according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown, the vertical axis of graph 300 shows the total power consumed during a scan operation, and the horizontal axis shows the total time used to perform the scan operation. During a scan operation, horizontal arrow 306 corresponds to increased use of the primary core 56, and vertical arrow 308 corresponds to increased use of the receiving core. That is, when the utilization of the receiving core 54 is increased during a scan operation, less power is consumed (i.e., the power savings increase), while the duration of the scan operation can be increased due to switching between cores and a reduced range of scan operations. Conversely, when the utilization of the primary core 56 is increased during a scan operation, more power is consumed (i.e., the power savings decrease), while the duration of the scan operation decreases.

[0110] Nodes 302, 310, 312, and 314 illustrate various combinations of the primary core 56 and the receiving core 54. Node 304 illustrates using the primary core 56 to perform a scanning operation without using the receiving core 54. As shown in node 302, the detection time of the wireless signal or beacon signal is reduced or optimized by configuring the electronics 10 (e.g., by increasing the frequency and / or range of the scan, such as by implementing...). Figure 9C The exemplary scan timing diagram 110 shows that the discovery time can be reduced to less than 300 seconds while consuming less than 2.6 mW. In contrast, as shown in node 304, using only the primary core 56 to perform the scan operation without using the receiver core 54 results in a much larger discovery time (e.g., approximately 500 seconds) while consuming more power (e.g., slightly less than 1.6 mW). As shown in node 310, by configuring electronics 10 to reduce or optimize power (e.g., by utilizing the receiver core 54, such as by implementing...) Figure 9B In the exemplary scanning timing diagram 106, electronic device 10 can consume approximately 0.7 mW while taking approximately 500 seconds to discover a wireless signal or beacon signal. Returning to reference node 304, using only the primary core 56 to perform the scanning operation without using the receiver core 54 would result in a much larger power consumption (e.g., slightly less than 1.6 mW) for approximately the same discovery time (e.g., approximately 500 seconds).

[0111] Figure 15 This is a flowchart 400 illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the use of receiving core 54 to scan available channels while simultaneously communicating with primary core 56 on another channel. Exemplary operation of flowchart 400 can be described by… Figure 1 The operation is performed by one or more components of the electronic device 10, including, for example, processor 12, main core 28, auxiliary core 30, and / or receiver core 34. Furthermore, flowchart 400 is merely an example of executable operations, and at least some operations of flowchart 400 may be performed in a different order or may be skipped entirely.

[0112] Flowchart 400 begins at operation 402, where processor 12 instructs receiver core 54 to determine the congestion level on multiple wireless communication channels. For example, receiver core 54 may monitor multiple channels and determine the congestion level on each channel. At operation 404, receiver core 54 generates a table including each of the multiple channels and its corresponding congestion level. At operation 406, master core 56 receives and transmits signals and / or data via a first channel of the multiple channels. That is, processor 12 may determine that the table indicates the first channel of the multiple channels has a lower (e.g., lowest) congestion level and may instruct master core 56 to use the first channel for communication (e.g., communication with another electronic device, access point, base station).

[0113] At operation 408, the primary core 56 determines whether interference exists on a first channel among multiple channels used by the primary core 56. If there is no interference on the first channel, at operation 406, the primary core 56 continues to receive and transmit signals and / or data via the first channel. If interference exists on the first channel, at operation 410, the processor 12 identifies a second channel among multiple channels with less congestion than the first channel based on a table. In some embodiments, the processor 12 may instruct the receiving core 54 to determine (e.g., again) the congestion levels on multiple wireless channels and update the table accordingly. In practice, the receiving core 54 may regularly and periodically determine the congestion levels on multiple wireless channels to update the table. At operation 412, the primary core switches to the second channel to continue receiving and transmitting data via the second channel. In some embodiments, the primary core 56 may not determine whether interference exists on the first channel, and alternatively, the processor 12 may instruct the primary core 56 to switch to the less congested channel based on the receiving core 54 determining that another channel has less congestion than the first channel.

[0114] Advantageously, while the primary core 56 receives and transmits data on the first channel, the receiving core 54 can monitor the congestion levels on multiple other channels. In this way, the receiving core 54 can reduce the delay in transmitting and receiving data and / or reduce the likelihood of data (e.g., packets) being dropped due to congestion on the first channel. That is, the table generated by the receiving core 54 allows the processor 12 to dynamically identify channels with low congestion levels.

[0115] Flowchart 400 can be advantageous for high data rate and low latency wireless communication. For example, the operation of Flowchart 400 can be used in augmented reality (AR) and / or virtual reality (VR) applications. The operation of Flowchart 400 can also be used as a second wireless display for use with laptops and / or desktop computers. These applications can utilize WLANs that allow many devices to share public resources and / or communication channels. Devices can utilize Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) and / or Collision Avoidance (CA) protocols. CSMA and CA protocols, which provide fair access to all devices, divide the available bandwidth among devices, which can lead to a significant increase in latency. Identifying specific channels with lower congestion levels can achieve high data rates and reduced latency. Therefore, the operation of Flowchart 400 enables such communication (e.g., high data rates and low latency) while reducing latency caused by any congestion.

[0116] Figure 16 An exemplary block diagram 500 is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention for combining scan requests to generate a combined scan request 512 and corresponding scan parameters 510. As shown, block diagram 500 includes a BT host 502 and a BT controller 504. The BT host 502 may include a scan request processor that receives and analyzes various scan requests from multiple scan agents. The scan agents may be electronic devices utilizing BT communication (or other wireless communication technologies).

[0117] In some implementations, the BT host 502 and / or BT controller 504 may be configured relative to Figure 7 The host processor 52 is discussed. In other embodiments, the BT host 502 and / or BT controller 504 may be configured relative to... Figure 7 The discussion pertains to one or more of the 54, 56, and 58 kernels. Although relative to... Figure 16 The proposed implementation schemes involve BT technology, but it should be understood that these schemes can also be used with other wireless communication technologies.

[0118] Scan request processor 506 may receive multiple scan requests 508 from multiple scan agents. Scan request processor 506 may include a receiving core 54, a main core 56, a secondary core 58, and / or processor 12. Scan agents may correspond to applications running on electronic device 10, such as communication applications, device pairing agents, location determination agents, etc. For example, scan agent A may request the location of electronic device 10, while scan agent B may request pairing of electronic device 10 with an external device (such as a wearable device).

[0119] The scan request processor 506 can identify one or more scan parameters for each scan request 508 from the scan agent. For example, for a given scan request 508, the scan request processor 506 can identify the corresponding duty cycle, scan type, scan priority, range requirement, etc. In some implementations, one or more of the scan parameters can be specified in the scan request 508.

[0120] Duty cycle can refer to the scan duty cycle of the requested scan and can be expressed as a level (e.g., high, medium, or low) or percentage (e.g., 10%, representing, for example, a 30-millisecond scan in a 300-millisecond scan interval where the eLNA is on) using an eLNA with a primary core 56.

[0121] Scan type can be specified as active or passive. Scan priority indicates the aggressiveness of a scan to be performed, which may come at the cost of increased power consumption. For example, a "very critical" priority may improve scan performance (e.g., accuracy or range) but may result in increased power consumption when performing the scan. Other priorities may include critical, normal, low, etc. Range requirement indicates the ability of a scan to receive a detection signal at a specific distance (e.g., 5 feet to 100 yards, 10 feet to 100 feet, 20 feet to 30 feet) and may be related to the sensitivity of the receiver (e.g., the kernel performing the scan). Range requirement parameters can be binary inputs (e.g., high or low, yes or no).

[0122] Scan request processor 506 may receive one or more scan requests 508 simultaneously or continuously from multiple scan agents and may provide input to scan parameter calculation logic 509. Scan parameter calculation logic 509 may include processor 12. In some embodiments, scan parameter calculation logic 509 may be dual-core, for example, including a receiving core 54 and a primary core 56. In other embodiments, scan parameter calculation logic 509 may additionally or alternatively include an auxiliary core 58. If more than one scan request 508 is received simultaneously, scan request processor 506 may combine scan requests 508 to improve the performance of the scan operation. For example, combining scan requests 512 may reduce the number of scan parameters 510 that will be determined by scan parameter calculation logic 509. Scan parameter calculation logic 509 may generate one or more scan parameters 510 based on the combined scan requests 512 and provide the scan parameters 510 to scan controller 504 (e.g., a BT controller), which performs the scan operation based on the scan parameters 510. In this way, combining scan request 512 and calculated scan parameters 510 can reduce the time and power consumption of performing scan operations without performing each scan request 508 separately.

[0123] Scan request processor 506 can combine scan requests 508 such that the scan parameters of combined scan request 512 satisfy both original scan requests 508. That is, for each parameter of the original requests 508, combined scan request 512 (e.g., input to scan parameter calculation logic 509) can include more stringent values. For example, the first scan request 508 may indicate a high duty cycle, passive scan type, very critical priority, and positive range requirements (e.g., the ability to detect signals within a specific range). The second scan request 508 may indicate a medium duty cycle, active scan type, normal priority, and negative range requirements (e.g., the inability to detect signals within a specific range). In this case, the parameters of combined scan request 512 may indicate a high duty cycle, active scan type, very critical priority, and positive range requirements. The combined scan request 512 and the indications from which the scan agent receiving the original scan requests 508 are provided to scan controller 504.

[0124] In some implementations, scan parameter calculation logic 509 receives a combined scan request 512 and generates one or more scan parameters 510 for the scan operation. That is, one or more scan parameters 510 are the output of scan parameter calculation logic 509. Scan parameters 510 may be generated based on parameters from the combined scan request 512 received from scan request processor 506. For example, the scan window of the combined scan request 512 during which the eLNA is on and / or off (based on duty cycle) is included in scan request 508. For example, if scan request 508 specifies a 10% duty cycle with the eLNA on, scan parameter calculation logic 509 may determine a value representing 10% of the total scan window of the combined scan request (e.g., 8 milliseconds of an 80-millisecond total scan window). In this case, the duty cycle of the combined scan request 512 may include two values: a first value representing the scan window during which the eLNA is on and a second value representing the scan window during which the eLNA is off or bypassed.

[0125] Advantageously, parameters of the combined scan request 512 are calculated to increase or maximize the efficiency of executing the combined request. That is, the parameters of the combined scan request 512 can be adjusted or optimized based on the specific scanning core executing the combined request (e.g., receiving core 54 and / or main core 56). Furthermore, the combined scan request 512 can be used with hardware that does not support scanning using more than one scanning core, because the combined request is executed as a single scan request.

[0126] In some implementations, additional parameters may be included in the combined scan request 512. These additional parameters may include the level of existing scan traffic on a particular core, the duration of a scan interval, the duration of a portion of a scan interval (e.g., the duration of a scan interval in which the eLNA is active), etc. The level of existing traffic on a particular core may include active streaming connections (e.g., audio or video), existing connections on a particular core with short connection intervals (e.g., temporary connections), etc. These additional parameters may further improve the efficiency of performing the combined scan request 512. For example, if existing traffic exists on the primary core 56, the low-power receiving core 54 may be used to perform at least a portion of the combined scan request 512.

[0127] The BT controller 504 can configure the scan operation using scan parameters 510 generated by the scan parameter calculation logic 509. For example, scan parameters 510 may include scan type (e.g., active or passive), scan interval or window, scan window of the primary core 56 and / or receiving core 54 during which the eLNA is bypassed, scan window of the primary core 56 and / or receiving core 54 during which the eLNA is on, specific cores 54, 56, or combinations of cores 54, 56 to be used for the scan operation, etc. Scan parameters 510 can improve scan performance (e.g., the range and / or sensitivity of received signals), even if it increases the power consumption of the scan operation. That is, scan parameters 510 can enable the reception and identification of a larger number of signals through the scan operation.

[0128] In some implementations, the scan operation based on scan parameter 510 may be a BT connection scan. In this case, the scan operation may be an active scan during which the BT signal can be transmitted by the master core 56. The master core 56 or the receiving core 54 may scan (e.g., listen) for responses from devices near the electronic device 10. That is, the scan operation can be used to discover other devices within a certain range of the electronic device 10. For connection scans, the scan parameter 510 generated by the scan parameter calculation logic 509 may include, for example, the scan window of the master core 56 and / or the receiving core 54 during which the eLNA is bypassed, the scan window of the master core 56 and / or the receiving core 54 during which the eLNA is connected, the scan interval, etc.

[0129] In some embodiments, the scanning operation based on scan parameter 510 may be a BT paging scan. In some embodiments, electronic device 10 may transmit BT signals via one or more channels used by the unconnected device to page the unconnected device. In other embodiments, electronic device 10 may use master core 56 and / or receiver core 54 to scan for BT paging signals from another device. For paging scans, scan parameters 510 generated by scan parameter calculation logic 509 may include, for example, scan windows of master core 56 and / or receiver core 54 during which the eLNA is bypassed, scan windows of master core 56 and / or receiver core 54 during which the eLNA is active, scan intervals, indications of whether scans performed by master core 56 and / or receiver core 54 are interleaved, etc.

[0130] Figure 17 This is a flowchart 600 illustrating exemplary operations for combining scan requests to generate combined scan request 512 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The exemplary operations of flowchart 600 can be described by... Figure 1 The operation is performed by one or more components of the electronic device 10, including, for example, processor 12, main core 28, auxiliary core 30, and / or receiver core 34. Furthermore, flowchart 600 is merely an example of executable operations, and at least some operations of flowchart 600 may be performed in a different order or may be skipped entirely.

[0131] Flowchart 600 begins at operation 602, where scan request processor 506 can receive multiple scan requests 508. Scan request processor 506 can provide the indications of the multiple scan requests 508 as input to scan parameter calculation logic 509. At operation 604, scan request processor 506 combines the scan parameters of the multiple scan requests to generate a combined scan request. That is, the scan parameters of the multiple scan requests are combined such that the scan parameters of combined scan request 512 satisfy the original, received scan request.

[0132] For each parameter of the original request, the combined scan request 512 may include more stringent values. For example, the first scan request 508 may indicate a high duty cycle, passive scan type, very critical priority, and positive range requirements (e.g., the ability to detect signals within a specific range). The second scan request 508 may indicate a medium duty cycle, active scan type, normal priority, and negative range requirements (e.g., the inability to detect signals within a specific range). In this case, the parameters of the combined scan request 512 may indicate a high duty cycle, active scan type, very critical priority, and positive range requirements. At operation 606, scan parameter calculation logic 509 may generate scan parameters 510 based on the combined scan request 512, and processor 12 may instruct BT controller 504 to perform (e.g., conduct) a scan operation based on scan parameters 510.

[0133] Figure 18 This is a flowchart 700 for performing contact tracing using a receiving core 54 to scan beacons, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Exemplary operation of flowchart 700 can be described by... Figure 1 The operation is performed by one or more components of the electronic device 10, including, for example, processor 12, main core 28, auxiliary core 30, and / or receiver core 34. Furthermore, flowchart 700 is merely an example of executable operations, and at least some operations of flowchart 700 may be performed in a different order or may be skipped entirely.

[0134] Flowchart 700 begins at operation 702, where processor 12 of electronic device 10 instructs a core (such as main core 56) to transmit a beacon. The beacon may be an anonymous BT signal transmitted to any other electronic device that is near or closely proximate to electronic device 10 (e.g., within range of the receiving beacon). In some embodiments, the beacon includes anonymous information that identifies electronic device 10 without compromising the privacy of the user of electronic device 10. For example, the beacon may include a universally unique identifier (UUID) that uniquely identifies another electronic device, but may not include user identification information (e.g., name, contact information, or other information unique to the user). In some embodiments, the beacon includes a signal for identifying other electronic devices (e.g., the signal may request a response to identify other electronic devices), and the anonymous information may be sent in separate and / or subsequent transmissions.

[0135] At operation 704, processor 12 instructs a core (such as receiver core 54) to scan beacons transmitted from other electronic devices near or close to electronic device 10. In some embodiments, at operation 704, processor 12 may instruct different cores (such as primary core 56 or secondary core 58) to scan beacons. However, using receiver core 54 to scan beacons consumes less power than other cores and thus extends the battery life of electronic device 10. Additionally or alternatively, using receiver core 54 allows for more frequent and / or longer scans than using another core (e.g., primary core 56).

[0136] At operation 706, receiving core 54 receives a beacon from one or more other electronic devices. Processor 12 instructs receiving core 54 to store anonymous identification information associated with the received beacon. As discussed above, the anonymous information may be included in the beacon or may be received in a separate transmission from one or more other electronic devices. The anonymous information may include data that identifies one or more other electronic devices without indicating or impairing the identity of the user of the other electronic devices. The anonymous information may be stored in a log on electronic device 10 for later use, as discussed with respect to operation 708.

[0137] At operation 708, processor 12 may instruct main core 56 to generate a message based on anonymous information and transmit the message to other electronic devices. The message may be related to a virus or infectious disease. For example, if a user of electronic device 10 is diagnosed with a virus or infectious disease, health officials may use the stored logs to identify and notify users of other electronic devices that have been near or in close proximity to electronic device 10 within a specific time period (e.g., approximately 14 days), while the anonymity of the stored data ensures and maintains user privacy.

[0138] Advantageously, the combined scan request improves the efficiency of scan operation by executing a single scan request instead of executing the original multiple scan requests individually. Furthermore, the execution of the combined scan request reduces power consumption compared to executing the original scan requests individually. The use of the receiving core 54 further improves the efficiency of the combined scan request and reduces its power consumption by enabling the original scan request to be received while the primary core 56 is executing another scan request or if there is existing traffic on the primary core 56.

[0139] As will be understood, the balance between reduced power consumption and the duration of the scan operation can be adjusted depending on the power constraints of the electronic device and the time period during which the scan operation occurs. In other words, the utilization of the primary and receiving cores can be adjusted manually or dynamically based on the constraints of the scan operation being performed.

[0140] The techniques described herein and protected by the claims are referenced and applied to specific examples of physical and practical nature, which significantly improve the technical field and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] [function]..." or "steps for [performing] [function]...", those elements shall be interpreted in accordance with 35U.SC112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, those elements shall not be interpreted in accordance with 35U.SC112(f).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: A receiving core configured to receive a first set of wireless signals using a wireless local area network; The main core is configured to receive a second set of wireless signals and transmit data using the wireless local area network; as well as Processing circuitry, coupled to the receiving core and the main core, is configured to: Activate the receiving core to scan the first set of wireless signals on the wireless local area network; In response to the receiving core receiving the first set of wireless signals, the primary core is activated to receive the second set of wireless signals using the wireless local area network, and the receiving core is deactivated to scan for a third set of wireless signals on the wireless local area network during inactive periods. as well as In response to the primary core not receiving the third set of wireless signals during the inactive period, the primary core is deactivated and the receiving core is reactivated.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network includes a Wi-Fi network.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the receiving core uses 40-50 milliwatts to scan the first group of wireless signals, and the main core uses 60-70 milliwatts to scan the third group of wireless signals.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the receiving core uses 8-33 milliwatts to scan the first group of wireless signals, and the main core uses 27-52 milliwatts to scan the third group of wireless signals.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the receiving core is not configured to transmit signals.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the inactivity period is 2-10 seconds.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to activate the main core while activating the receiving core.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use the receiving core to determine the level of congestion on the first channel while using the primary core to receive the second set of wireless signals on the second channel.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network is configured to operate at a frequency in the range of 2.4-2.4835 GHz.

10. An electronic device, comprising: A receiving core configured to scan a first signal and configured to receive only the signal; A primary core configured to scan a second signal, and the primary core configured to transmit and receive signals; A first radio frequency front-end, the first radio frequency front-end being coupled to the receiving core; A second radio frequency front-end, which is coupled to the main core; One or more antennas, said one or more antennas being coupled to the first radio frequency front end and the second radio frequency front end; as well as One or more processors, coupled to the receiving core and the main core, are configured to: Activate the receiving core to receive the first signal using the one or more antennas, the first radio frequency front end, and the receiving core; The main core is activated to receive the second signal using the one or more antennas, the second radio frequency front end, and the main core, and the receiving core is deactivated based on the receiving core receiving the first signal; as well as The primary core is deactivated and the receiving core is reactivated based on the fact that the primary core did not receive a third signal during the inactive period.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the receiving core is configured to scan the first signal using 8-40 milliwatts per scan, and the main core is configured to scan the second signal using 27-60 milliwatts per scan.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit data via the main core.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the receiving core is configured to consume 50 percent less power when scanning the first signal than the primary core consumes power when scanning the second signal.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the bandwidth of the receiving core is approximately 1 MHz.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first radio frequency front end includes a first low noise amplifier and the second radio frequency front end includes a second low noise amplifier.

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