BLE Connection Sharing via Time-Shared Multiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices face limitations in the number of simultaneous connections they can maintain, leading to overhead in packet exchange and energy consumption when handling multiple devices, which restricts network capacity and battery life.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a time-sharing multiplexing scheme for connection parameters, such as connection interval, transmit window size, and slave latency, allows a single connection to be shared among multiple secondary devices, enabling more than 10 devices to remain connected to a master device without the need for constant connection re-establishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a master device maintains multiple simultaneous connections to handle more secondary devices, then network capacity is improved, but energy consumption and packet exchange overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple secondary devices into a single shared connection with the master device. Instead of maintaining separate connections for each secondary device, the system allows multiple slaves to share one connection through time-division multiplexing, where the master alternates communication with different slaves during connection events. This reduces the total number of connections from N (one per slave) to 1, directly addressing the energy consumption problem while maintaining network capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic connection events where the master device periodically switches between different secondary devices. The connection parameters include connection interval and slave latency that define periodic time slots for each slave to communicate with the master. This periodic action allows multiple devices to share the single connection efficiently, reducing continuous packet exchange overhead while maintaining the ability to serve multiple devices.
2Quantity of substance
If connection limits are increased to support more devices, then network capacity is improved, but packet exchange overhead and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple secondary devices into a single logical connection entity. The master device maintains only one connection state rather than N separate connection states, significantly reducing connection management complexity. The system uses a single connection handle to manage communications with multiple slaves, eliminating the need to track and manage individual connection parameters for each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the time domain into distinct connection events allocated to different secondary devices. Each slave is assigned specific time slots within the periodic connection events where it can communicate with the master. This temporal segmentation allows multiple devices to share the single connection without conflict, managing device complexity through structured time division rather than through complex connection state management.
3Adaptability or versatility
If frequent connection re-establishment occurs to handle device limits, then network adaptability is improved, but energy consumption and time loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a continuous single connection that persists indefinitely, eliminating the need for frequent connection re-establishment. Unlike traditional approaches where connections must be closed and reopened when device limits are reached, this system maintains continuous communication with multiple slaves through the shared connection. The connection parameters (connection interval, slave latency) are configured once and remain valid, allowing seamless addition of secondary devices without connection teardown and re-establishment overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of sharing an established connection between a primary device in a network and one of a plurality of secondary devices. The method comprising the steps of receiving from an unconnected secondary device said plurality of secondary devices, an advertising packet for identifying said unconnected secondary device, sending, to said unconnected secondary device, a connection request based on said received advertising packet for establishing a connection between said unconnected secondary device and said primary device, said connection being shared among said unconnected secondary device and said one of said plurality of secondary devices, and transmitting, to secondary devices sharing an established connection, connection parameters, wherein said connection parameters define a time shared multiplexing scheme thereby facilitating sharing of said established connection. A complementary method and device for performing a method according to the present disclosure are also presented herein.