Bluetooth Advertising Version Adaptation for Interoperability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bluetooth communication devices face challenges in interoperability and power consumption due to the lack of backward compatibility between Bluetooth version 4 (BT4) and version 5 (BT5), as central devices supporting only BT4 cannot receive BT5 advertising packets, and vice versa, leading to inefficient advertising processing across different versions.

Innovation Solution

A communication apparatus that registers the supported Bluetooth version of a partner device and transmits signals accordingly, either in BT4 or BT5 format, or both, to ensure interoperability and reduce power consumption by adapting advertising processing based on the partner device's supported version.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a peripheral device performs advertising processing according to both BT4 and BT5, then device interoperability improves, but power consumption increases and network resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice interoperabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The peripheral device performs advertising processing according to both BT4 and BT5 in advance to register central devices before determining their supported versions. This preliminary action allows the device to later switch to version-specific advertising processing, reducing power consumption while maintaining interoperability during the initial connection phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising processing mode dynamically changes based on the registered Bluetooth version of the central device. The peripheral device transitions from dual-version advertising (BT4 and BT5 simultaneously) to version-specific advertising (only BT4 or only BT5) based on the partner device's capabilities, optimizing power consumption while maintaining compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a peripheral device performs advertising processing according to both BT4 and BT5, then device interoperability improves, but network resource usage efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice interoperabilityVSAvoidnetwork resource usage efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary advertising processing in both BT4 and BT5 to register central devices and determine their supported versions before settling into efficient version-specific communication mode, ensuring both interoperability and resource efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising processing dynamically adapts from a dual-version mode (consuming more network resources) to a version-specific mode (efficient resource usage) based on the registered central device's Bluetooth version, optimizing network resource utilization while maintaining compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Use of energy by moving object

If advertising processing is unified to a single Bluetooth version, then power consumption reduces, but device interoperability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddevice interoperability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The peripheral device is designed to support multiple Bluetooth versions (BT4 and BT5) and can perform advertising processing according to either version based on the central device's capabilities. This multi-functionality ensures both power efficiency through version-specific processing and broad interoperability across different Bluetooth versions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically selects the appropriate advertising version (BT4 or BT5) based on the registered central device's supported version, achieving power efficiency by avoiding unnecessary dual-version processing while maintaining universal compatibility with both BT4 and BT5 devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11057951B2Communication apparatus, method of controlling communication apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2021.07.06 CANON KK

AI summary

A communication apparatus operable to perform communication with another communication apparatus that supports a first version of a predetermined communication method or a second version of the predetermined communication method different to the first version, registers a version of the communication method that the other communication apparatus supports, transmits, in a case where the version of the communication method that the other communication apparatus supports is registered, a signal according to the first version or the second version that is registered, and transmits, in a case where the version of the communication method that the other communication apparatus supports is not registered, both a signal according to the first version and a signal according to the second version.