BLE Remote Control Polling Modes for Lower Power Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless remote control systems for materials handling vehicles suffer from inefficiencies in communication protocols, leading to unnecessary power consumption and potential operational delays due to excessive communication attempts when switches are not activated.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a communication operating mode that adjusts based on the activation status of switches, allowing the peripheral device to respond only when necessary, with defined latency periods and hysteresis intervals to optimize power usage and reduce unnecessary communication requests.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the peripheral device responds to every connection event request, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the communication response behavior based on the activation state of switches. When switches are activated, the peripheral device responds to every connection event request to ensure reliable communication. When switches are not activated, the peripheral device skips responding to connection event requests to reduce power consumption. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining communication reliability and reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the communication parameter (response behavior) based on the switch activation state. In the first communication operating mode (switches not activated), the peripheral device does not respond to connection event requests. In the second communication operating mode (switches activated), the peripheral device responds to every connection event request. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between reliability and power consumption based on operational context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the peripheral device skips responding to connection requests to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but communication responsiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by checking the switch activation state before determining the communication response behavior. This preliminary check allows the system to pre-establish the appropriate communication mode (first or second operating mode) based on whether switches are activated, avoiding unnecessary communication attempts and reducing power consumption while maintaining responsiveness when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the switch activation state to control the communication response behavior. The peripheral device monitors the activation state of switches and uses this feedback to determine whether to respond to connection event requests. This feedback mechanism ensures that communication responsiveness is maintained when switches are activated while reducing power consumption when they are not.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Stability of the object's composition

If the system uses hysteresis time interval to prevent rapid mode switching, then system stability is improved, but response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a hysteresis time interval when transitioning from the second communication operating mode (switches activated) to the first communication operating mode (switches not activated). This hysteresis period prevents rapid or oscillatory switching between modes by requiring that switches remain in the deactivated state for the entire hysteresis time interval before mode switching occurs. This stabilizes the system by preventing premature mode transitions while the latency amount ensures timely response when switches are genuinely deactivated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP4295596B1Power savings for remote control device

Publication Date: 2025.11.05 CROWN EQUIP CORP

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AI summary

A method is provided for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication between a remote control device comprising a peripheral BLE device and a controller on a materials handling vehicle comprising a central BLE device. The method comprises: polling via a plurality of connection requests, by the central BLE device, communicated with the peripheral BLE device with which the central BLE device is paired. The peripheral BLE device comprising one or more activatable switches. Based on the status of the one or more activatable switches, the peripheral BLE device sending reply messages to at least a portion of the plurality of connection requests in accordance with at least one of a first or a second communication operating mode. When operating in the first communication operating mode, the peripheral BLE device replies to only a portion of the plurality of connection requests, wherein each reply message is indicative of the status of the one or more activatable switches.