Auxiliary Activity Synchronization in Bluetooth Low Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth Low Energy, lack explicit synchronization mechanisms, limiting the robustness and efficiency of communication between radio devices, particularly in auxiliary activities that require synchronized operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a three-way handshake process using connectionless modes for radio devices to transmit advertising messages, scan requests, and scan responses, allowing for synchronized initiation of auxiliary activities by adjusting starting times based on measured latency and uncertainty, ensuring synchronized operation without altering the underlying protocol specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing wireless communication protocols (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy) are used, then compatibility with established specifications is maintained, but synchronization capability for auxiliary activities is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds a synchronization mechanism within the existing Bluetooth Low Energy advertising protocol structure. The three-way handshake process (advertising message, scan request, scan response) is nested within the standard BLE connectionless mode, allowing synchronization functionality to be integrated without creating a separate protocol layer. This resolves the contradiction by providing enhanced reliability through synchronization while maintaining protocol simplicity and compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary synchronization mechanism that mediates between the existing BLE protocol and the auxiliary activity requirements. The handshake messages act as intermediaries that carry timing information and coordinate the start of auxiliary activities between devices without requiring fundamental changes to the underlying BLE specification. This allows improved synchronization capability while avoiding increased protocol complexity.
2Reliability
If a three-way handshake process is implemented for synchronization, then synchronized operation for auxiliary activities is achieved, but additional message exchanges increase communication overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary synchronization actions through the three-way handshake before the actual auxiliary activity begins. The advertising message, scan request, and scan response exchange establishes timing references and coordinates device clocks in advance. This preliminary action ensures synchronized operation during the auxiliary activity without requiring continuous communication overhead, as the synchronization is established once before the activity starts.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization mechanism is self-service in that the timing information is embedded within the existing advertising protocol messages themselves. The devices use their own local clocks and measure time intervals between message exchanges to autonomously determine synchronization parameters. This eliminates the need for separate synchronization signaling, reducing communication overhead while achieving reliable synchronized operation.
3Measurement precision
If timing adjustments based on measured latency are performed, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but measurement and adjustment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback-based timing adjustment where devices measure the latency between message exchanges (advertising message transmission, scan request reception, scan response transmission) and use these measurements to adjust their local timing references. The scan response includes timing information that feedbacks to the advertising device about the measured intervals. This feedback mechanism improves timing accuracy without requiring complex external measurement equipment, as the feedback is embedded in the protocol exchange itself.
Solution Approach 2:
Each device performs self-measurement of timing intervals using its own local clock and processor. The advertising device measures the time from transmitting the advertising message to receiving the scan response, while the scanning device measures the time from receiving the advertising message to transmitting the scan response. These self-measured values are used to calculate latency and adjust timing without requiring external measurement infrastructure, thereby improving measurement precision while keeping device complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect, there is provided a first radio device comprising means for performing the following. The first radio device transmits, using a connectionless mode, an advertising message. Subsequently, the first radio device receives, from a second radio device at a second reception time instance measured by the first radio device using the connectionless mode, a scan request. The first radio device transmits, to the second radio device, the scan response using the connectionless mode. Finally, the first radio device performs an auxiliary activity involving wireless communication between the first and second radio devices. The performing of the auxiliary activity is initiated at a first starting time defined to occur at a pre-defined time interval following an anchor point corresponding to the second reception time instance or to a subsequent timestamp generated in response to the receiving of the scan request at the second reception time instance.