Active Idle Communication System Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data communication systems, such as 10Gigabit Ethernet, consume significant power even during idle periods due to continuous transmission and processing of idle frames, leading to increased power consumption and heat generation, and existing power-saving methods either offer limited savings or result in significant reactivation delays.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that monitor idle periods to enter a power-down state, periodically transmitting sync or idle frames to maintain communication settings, and reactivate quickly upon data transmission, reducing power consumption while minimizing performance impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the communication system continuously transmits and processes idle frames to maintain active operation, then communication reliability and responsiveness are maintained, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous idle frame transmission to periodic transmission. During idle states, the system enters a low-power mode and only periodically transmits synchronization frames or training sequences to maintain link integrity, rather than continuously transmitting idle frames at full data rate. This periodic action maintains communication reliability while dramatically reducing power consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system dynamically adjusts its operational state based on traffic conditions. When data transmission is detected, the system transitions to full active mode with continuous frame processing. When idle, it transitions to a reduced-power state with periodic maintenance frames. This dynamic state adjustment allows the system to optimize between reliability and power consumption based on actual communication needs.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the transmit rate is reduced during idle states to save power, then power consumption decreases, but reactivation delay increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary maintenance actions during idle periods by periodically transmitting synchronization frames and training sequences even in low-power mode. This preliminary action maintains the communication link parameters and system state, so that when data transmission is needed, the system can reactivate quickly without requiring full re-initialization, thus reducing reactivation delay while still achieving power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters dynamically - during idle periods, it reduces the transmit rate and frame transmission frequency to save power, but maintains critical parameters like synchronization and equalizer coefficients through periodic updates. When reactivation is needed, these maintained parameters enable rapid return to full data rate operation without significant delay.
3Stability of the object's composition
If idle frames are continuously processed at full data rate, then communication settings are maintained, but power consumption and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the essential maintenance functions from the full idle frame processing. Instead of continuously processing complete idle frames at full data rate, the system extracts only the critical components needed to maintain communication settings - specifically synchronization frames and training sequences - and transmits these at reduced rates. This extraction maintains settings stability while reducing power consumption and heat generation.
Data Source
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AI summary
To reduce power consumption and heat generation, an active idle system is proposed that monitors for an idle period and then, after a predetermined time, initiates a silent period. During the silent period data and idle frames are not transmitted. During the silent period, one or more transceiver components may be turned off or forced into some other power saving mode. The predetermined time may be any amount of time and is selected to balance network usage and power savings. Periodically during the silent period, such as at predetermined times, one or more sync or idle frames are transmitted. Received sync or idle frames are processed to maintain receiver settings, synchronization or equalizer adaptation. Restoring active data communication may occur by monitoring the channel during silent periods for a request or only during the predetermined times when sync or idle frames are sent.