Battery-Powered Device Power Cycling Without Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery-powered electronic devices require costly and complex transmitter-receiver synchronization to save power, which increases complexity and consumption.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where battery-powered devices are power-cycled at predetermined intervals, with a transceiver transmitting signals for durations equal to or greater than the power cycle time, eliminating the need for synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If transmitter-receiver synchronization is implemented to enable power cycling, then power savings are achieved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsynchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the synchronization requirement from the power cycling mechanism. Instead of requiring the receiver to synchronize with the transmitter for power cycling to work, the system allows the receiver to power cycle independently at predetermined intervals without synchronization, thereby eliminating the complex synchronization circuitry while maintaining power savings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the receiver the active controller of its own power cycling rather than being controlled by transmitter synchronization. The receiver autonomously determines when to wake up and when to sleep based on predetermined time intervals, reversing the traditional master-slave control dynamic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Loss of energy

If receiver power cycling is implemented to save power, then energy consumption decreases, but signal reception reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignal reception reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the receiver wake up at predetermined time intervals before the actual signal transmission is needed. The receiver proactively checks for incoming signals at scheduled intervals rather than waiting to be triggered by the transmitter, ensuring it is ready to receive signals without requiring continuous operation or complex synchronization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic action by establishing a regular rhythm where the receiver cycles between power-saving mode and active signal reception mode at predetermined intervals. This periodic wake-up schedule ensures consistent signal monitoring while maintaining low power consumption, with the period duration optimized to balance power savings with reception reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS9137350B2Method and apparatus for communicating with battery-powered electronic devices
Publication Date: 2015.09.15 UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC
  • US9137350B2 patent drawing
  • US9137350B2 patent drawing
  • US9137350B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An apparatus, system and method for communicating with a battery-powered electronic device having a wireless receiver, wherein the receiver is power-cycled once every predetermined time period. In one embodiment, the method comprises, determining a power cycle time of the battery-powered electronic device, the power cycle time comprising a time period over which the battery-powered electronic device completes a cycle of operating in a dormant state of operation and operating in an active mode of operation, defining a transmission time duration equal to or greater than the power cycle time, storing the transmission time duration in a memory, and transmitting a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device, the signal lasting for at least the transmission time duration.