Wireless Beacon Segmentation for Power Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in transmitting and receiving beacon messages, particularly in low-power radio environments, where long beacon messages require devices to remain in an awake state for extended periods, consuming more power and resources.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that transmits a sequence of beacon messages with a first message containing timing and content information for subsequent messages, allowing devices to decode only the necessary subset and enter a low-power state during transmission of irrelevant messages, using shortened beacon messages with compressed fields and relative position identifiers to reduce overhead and improve power efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices receive and decode complete beacon messages continuously, then network synchronization and information completeness are improved, but power consumption and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon message is divided into multiple segments transmitted in sequence. Each segment contains a portion of the complete beacon information, allowing devices to receive and process only the necessary segments rather than the entire beacon message continuously, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining synchronization reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The first beacon message includes timing information that specifies when subsequent beacon messages will be transmitted. This allows devices to advance their wake-up schedules and process beacon messages in advance, reducing the time devices need to remain awake and lowering overall power consumption
2Loss of information
If devices remain in awake state for extended periods to receive complete beacon messages, then information completeness is improved, but power efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon message is segmented into multiple smaller messages transmitted at different times. This allows devices to receive complete information across multiple brief wake-up periods rather than remaining awake continuously, improving power efficiency while maintaining information completeness
Solution Approach 2:
Beacon messages are transmitted periodically in a sequence rather than continuously. Devices can synchronize to this periodic transmission pattern and wake up only at the expected times to receive each segment, reducing the total awake time while receiving complete beacon information
3Loss of information
If full-length beacon messages are transmitted, then data completeness is improved, but transmission time and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon message is divided into multiple shorter segments that can be transmitted and processed in smaller batches. This reduces the transmission time for each individual beacon message while the sequence of segments collectively provides complete beacon data, improving overall efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The first beacon message in the sequence includes timing information about subsequent messages. This allows receiving devices to prepare for and efficiently process subsequent beacon messages at the correct times, reducing total processing time while maintaining data completeness
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for wireless devices to efficiently receive communications by transmitting and receiving specialized beacon messages. Particularly, a wireless device may await reception of a synchronizing beacon message from a transmitting device. A relative position identifier within the synchronizing beacon message may then allow the wireless device to anticipate future beacon message transmissions and to synchronize its reception pattern with the transmitter. In this manner the wireless device need only receive and decode beacon messages germane to its operation.