BLE Connection Priority Control for Earbud Charging Cases
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Bluetooth devices face challenges in efficiently determining the priority of connections between multiple external devices when multiple devices are within range, leading to user inconvenience due to incorrect connection establishment.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with control circuitry and communication circuits identifies the priority of connections based on reception strength and distance from external devices, transmitting signals to other devices to establish the highest priority connection first using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic device establishes connections with multiple external devices simultaneously, then the device can communicate with more devices, but the connection priority determination becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device performs preliminary actions by measuring reception strengths of advertising signals from multiple external devices before connection establishment. This advance measurement and comparison of signal strengths allows the device to pre-determine connection priorities, avoiding complex real-time decision-making during the connection process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/connection management logic with a straightforward signal strength measurement and comparison mechanism. Instead of using complicated algorithms or user interventions to determine connection priority, the system simply measures reception strengths and connects to the device with the strongest signal, substituting complex control logic with a simple physical measurement approach.
2Measurement precision
If the electronic device uses complex algorithms to determine connection priority, then connection accuracy improves, but processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential factor for connection priority determination - the reception strength of advertising signals - and ignores other complex factors. By taking out just this single critical parameter and using it directly for comparison, the system achieves accurate connection priority determination without the need for complex multi-factor algorithms, thereby reducing processing time and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from using multiple parameters or complex algorithms to using a single parameter - reception strength of advertising signals. This parameter change simplifies the determination process while maintaining accuracy, as the strongest signal naturally indicates the most suitable connection target.
3Measurement precision
If the electronic device continuously monitors advertising signals from multiple devices, then connection priority determination becomes more accurate, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device performs periodic monitoring of advertising signals rather than continuous monitoring. It measures reception strengths at specific intervals when advertising signals are broadcast, compares these measurements to determine connection priorities, and then establishes connections. This periodic approach reduces power consumption compared to continuous monitoring while still maintaining sufficient measurement accuracy for correct priority determination.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may comprise: a housing; at least one communication circuit within the housing; a power management circuit within the housing configured to charge rechargeable batteries of one or more other electronic devices accommodated within a portion of the housing; and a control circuit within the housing. The control circuit may be configured to cause the electronic device to, while the one or more other electronic devices are accommodated within the housing, identify reception of an advertising signal broadcast from a first external electronic device and another advertising signal broadcast from a second external electronic device, and based on a reception strength of the advertising signal, being greater than a reception strength of the other advertising signal, transmit, to the one or more other electronic devices, a signal indicating a connection attempt between the first external electronic device and the one or more other electronic devices, which is to be executed prior to another connection attempt between the second electronic device and the one or more other electronic devices.