Event Clustering for Dual-Mode BLE-Mesh Power Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dual-mode BLE devices that support both mesh and BLE operations face significant power consumption issues due to the need for increased power usage when enabling BLE connectivity for mesh communications, which is particularly problematic for battery-powered devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an event clustering algorithm that synchronizes BLE events with mesh events in dual-mode BLE-Mesh devices, reducing the number of transitions between active and sleep modes by clustering these events into continuous BLE/Mesh events, thereby lowering the duty cycle and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dual-mode BLE devices enable BLE connectivity for mesh communications, then interoperability with legacy devices is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges BLE events and mesh events into unified continuous events, allowing the device to handle both BLE and mesh communications in a coordinated manner. By clustering these events together in time, the device can process multiple communication protocols during single wake periods, reducing the total number of times the device needs to wake from sleep mode and thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining full interoperability capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dual-mode BLE devices support both mesh and BLE operations, then communication versatility is improved, but the number of transitions between active and sleep modes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by organizing BLE and mesh events into clustered event groups that occur at regular intervals. The device wakes periodically to handle a batch of clustered events (both BLE and mesh) together, then returns to sleep mode. This periodic clustering approach reduces the frequency of transitions compared to handling BLE and mesh events separately, as multiple protocol events are consolidated into single wake-sleep cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates continuous BLE/Mesh events by clustering discrete BLE and mesh events together in time. This continuity allows the device to maintain communication functionality across both protocols during extended active periods, reducing the need for frequent transitions between sleep and active states. The clustered events form continuous communication windows that improve efficiency while preserving full dual-mode operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of BLE-Mesh communications includes providing a dual-mode BLE-Mesh device including dual-mode RF driver, dual-mode manager, a BLE stack for BLE operations, and a mesh stack for mesh operations in a BLE-mesh network having a BLE relay device and a functional end BLE device. The BLE-mesh device has a periodic set of time indexed data slots common throughout the BLE-mesh network which provides a BLE event timeline for BLE connection events. The dual-mode BLE device implements an event clustering algorithm that delays or advances mesh events with respect to a timing the BLE connection events for clustering together their respective occurrences into continuous BLE/Mesh events to reduce a duty cycle by reducing a number of transitions from active mode to sleep mode and from sleep mode to active mode. The BLE-Mesh device communicates in the BLE-mesh network using the continuous BLE/Mesh events with at least one mesh device.