Duty Scheduling for Grouped AV Service Devices Under Power Limits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy conservation mechanisms for IoT devices providing audio and video services are inefficient for networks that do not involve network routing, leading to significant power consumption that exceeds regulatory limits.

Innovation Solution

A system that determines a schedule for a group of audio and/or video service-providing devices, allowing one device to receive messages and perform services on behalf of others momentarily unable to receive messages, ensuring continuous service provision with minimal energy waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If devices stay in standby mode with receivers listening continuously, then service availability is maintained, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic listening schedules where devices alternate between active listening periods and sleep periods. Instead of continuous listening, each device in the group listens at scheduled intervals determined by the duty schedule, ensuring that at least one device is always available while dramatically reducing overall power consumption of the group.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a coordinator device that acts as an intermediary to manage the duty schedule. This coordinator assigns specific time periods to each device in the group, coordinating their listening schedules to ensure continuous service availability while optimizing energy consumption. The coordinator mediates between service requirements and power conservation needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If devices reduce listening time to save energy, then power consumption decreases, but service responsiveness may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidservice responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the listening capabilities of multiple devices into a coordinated group. By combining the scheduled listening periods of multiple devices, the system ensures that service requests are always captured by at least one available device, maintaining responsiveness while allowing individual devices to reduce their listening time and save energy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary scheduling of listening periods before service requests arrive. The duty schedule is predetermined and distributed to all devices in advance, allowing each device to know exactly when it should be listening. This preliminary action ensures devices are available at optimal times without needing to continuously monitor for requests.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If all devices in a group operate independently without coordination, then device autonomy is maintained, but energy conservation efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoidenergy conservation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where devices report their status and the coordinator adjusts the duty schedule based on actual service patterns and energy consumption. This feedback loop allows the system to optimize the scheduling while maintaining device autonomy, as each device follows the coordinated schedule but can still operate independently during its assigned listening periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3869875B1Determining a duty schedule for a group of electronic service-providing devices providing a similar audio and/or video service
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP3869875B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3869875B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3869875B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An electronic service providing device (31) is configured to determine a group of service-providing devices (41-44) and determine a schedule for the service-providing devices in the group. The group (101) comprises at least two service-providing devices capable of performing a similar or a same lighting service. The schedule indicates for each service-providing device of the group in which time period the service-providing device is able to receive messages such that at least one device of the determined group of service-providing devices is able to receive messages. The electronic service providing device is configured to transmit the schedule to the service-providing devices and wherein the service is at least one of: an audio reproduction service, an audio capture service, a video reproduction service, and a video capture service.