Bluetooth Link Cluster Control for Power and Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard limits a central device from establishing more than one link to a single peripheral, restricting the formation of link clusters that could optimize power consumption, reduce latency, and increase system throughput.
Innovation Solution
The method involves connecting a first Bluetooth device to a second device via one or more links within a link cluster, allowing for the modification of link connection parameters and the management of power save modes to optimize power consumption and system performance, enabling the establishment and termination of link clusters through coordinated signaling and parameter management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a central device is limited to establishing only one link to a peripheral device, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but power consumption optimization is restricted and system throughput is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single link connection into multiple parallel links within a link cluster, allowing the central device to establish multiple independent links to the same peripheral device. Each link can be independently managed and optimized, enabling selective suspension of unused links while maintaining active links for data transmission, thus reducing overall power consumption without requiring complete connection termination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic link management where links within a cluster can be selectively activated or suspended based on current operational needs. The system dynamically adjusts the number of active links rather than maintaining a fixed single-link configuration, allowing optimization of power consumption by suspending idle links while preserving the capability to rapidly reactivate them when needed.
2Productivity
If multiple links are established within a link cluster, then system throughput is increased and latency is reduced, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual link management operations into a unified link cluster management framework. By grouping related links into a single cluster entity, the system can manage multiple links through coordinated control mechanisms, reducing the operational complexity that would otherwise arise from managing each link independently while still achieving the throughput benefits of multiple simultaneous connections.
3Use of energy by moving object
If links are suspended during power save mode, then power consumption is reduced, but connection responsiveness and system agility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares link clusters in advance by establishing the underlying connection infrastructure and maintaining cluster-level awareness even when individual links are suspended during power save mode. This preliminary setup allows for rapid link reactivation and restoration of full functionality without requiring complete connection re-establishment procedures, thus maintaining system responsiveness while achieving power savings.
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a method includes connecting a first BLUETOOTH device to a second BLUETOOTH device via one or more links within a link cluster. The method also includes receiving a request at the first BLUETOOTH device from the second BLUETOOTH device to change one or more link connection parameters of a link within the link cluster. The method includes, responsive to receiving the request, changing the link connection parameter of the link within the link cluster.