Bluetooth LE Interface Power Management for Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart devices with multiple wireless communication interfaces, such as smartphones and smartwatches, face challenges in managing power consumption as they maintain a wake-up state for various interfaces, leading to continuous power usage, especially in energy-constrained devices, due to the difficulty in anticipating when connections are generated through different interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to control and manage the power states of devices, where only the Bluetooth LE interface remains active, and other interfaces are activated only when needed, by exchanging messages and operation codes to activate or deactivate main power and other wireless communication interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all wireless communication interfaces are maintained in Wake-up state continuously, then connection establishment is quick and reliable, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining only the Bluetooth Low Energy interface in Wake-up state continuously, while other wireless communication interfaces remain in sleep mode. When a connection is needed, the system activates the required interface before establishing the connection, thus balancing power savings with connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication system is segmented into different operational states: the Bluetooth Low Energy interface operates continuously in Wake-up state, while other interfaces (Wi-Fi, NFC, etc.) are segmented into sleep mode and activated only when needed. This segmentation allows the system to reduce overall power consumption while maintaining connection capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If main power is turned off to save energy, then power consumption is reduced, but the device cannot respond to connection requests
Solution Approach 1:
The Bluetooth Low Energy interface serves as an intermediary that remains active in Wake-up state even when main power is off. It can receive connection requests and trigger the activation of the main power and other wireless communication interfaces, thus maintaining connection response capability while enabling power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by keeping the Bluetooth Low Energy interface in Wake-up state before main power is fully activated. This allows the device to detect connection requests early and activate main power only when necessary, reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining responsiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wireless communication interfaces are activated simultaneously, then connection versatility is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically activates wireless communication interfaces based on the specific connection needs. Instead of keeping all interfaces statically active, the system activates only the required interface (Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth Classic) when a connection request is received via Bluetooth Low Energy, thus maintaining versatility while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The Bluetooth Low Energy interface serves as a universal control mechanism that manages multiple other wireless communication interfaces. It can trigger activation of different interfaces based on the connection requirements, providing multi-functionality without requiring all interfaces to be continuously active.
4Use of energy by moving object
If Bluetooth Low Energy is used to control power states, then power consumption is reduced, but connection establishment time increases due to activation procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary activation of the required wireless communication interface immediately when a connection request is received via Bluetooth Low Energy. This minimizes the delay between detecting the connection request and establishing the actual connection, reducing the overall connection establishment time while still maintaining power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically activates the required interface as quickly as possible upon receiving a Bluetooth Low Energy connection request. By optimizing the activation timing and process, the system minimizes the time penalty associated with activating interfaces from sleep mode while still achieving significant power savings compared to keeping all interfaces continuously active.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for establishing a connection of a wireless communication interface between a client and a server using Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). According to the present invention, a client, receives, from the server, a first advertising message including at least one of first state information indicating a state of main power of the server and second state information indicating a state of a specific wireless communication interface, performs an activation procedure of the main power based on the first state information, transmits, to the server, a first write request message requesting writing of a first operation code of control point property for activating the specific wireless communication interface; receiving a first write response message in response to the first write request message, receives, from the server, a first indication message including a first result code indicating whether the specific wireless communication interface is activated, and establishes a connection with the specific wireless communication interface, when the specific wireless communication interface is activated.