Combo-Endpoint Wireless Scheduling for Multi-Protocol Conflict Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication devices struggle to efficiently communicate according to multiple protocols without conflicts, particularly in low-power networks like ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy, leading to increased energy consumption and interference.

Innovation Solution

A combo-endpoint device with radio-communication circuitry and data-communication scheduling circuitry that monitors communication patterns between a wireless router and itself, configuring a frequency-hopping protocol to avoid conflicts by defining connection periods and frequencies that do not overlap with the router's communication times, allowing simultaneous communication with both ZigBee and Bluetooth Low Energy devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a combo-endpoint device communicates with both ZigBee router and BLE devices using shared radio-communication circuitry, then the device can support multiple communication protocols and networks, but communication conflicts and interference occur between the different protocols

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-protocol communication capabilityVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic time-division multiplexing where the shared radio-communication circuitry alternates between ZigBee and BLE communications in scheduled time slots. The data-communication scheduling circuitry monitors communication patterns and establishes periodic time windows for each protocol, ensuring that ZigBee and BLE operations occur in distinct periodic intervals to avoid interference while maintaining both protocol capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts communication schedules based on monitored communication patterns. The data-communication scheduling circuitry continuously observes actual ZigBee communication times and adaptively configures BLE connection periods and frequencies to avoid conflicts. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliable communications while supporting multiple protocols, resolving the contradiction between versatility and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the combo-endpoint device monitors and coordinates communication patterns to avoid conflicts, then interference between protocols is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to additional scheduling circuitry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference between protocolsVSAvoidscheduling circuitry complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data-communication scheduling circuitry as an intermediary layer between the shared radio-communication circuitry and the multiple protocol interfaces. This intermediary component monitors communication patterns from the ZigBee router and actively coordinates BLE connection parameters, serving as a mediator that reduces interference through intelligent scheduling while managing the complexity through a dedicated control module rather than distributed complexity across multiple components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If communication time windows are established to avoid conflicts between ZigBee and BLE, then energy consumption is reduced by avoiding retransmissions, but the loss of time increases due to scheduled waiting periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidcommunication delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of ZigBee communication patterns to predict future communication times before BLE communications are scheduled. By advance-detecting when the ZigBee router will be active, the data-communication scheduling circuitry can pre-configurable BLE connection periods and frequencies that avoid conflicts, thereby reducing energy-wasting retransmissions while minimizing delays through proactive rather than reactive scheduling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10891248B2Configuring wireless communications according to multiple communication protocols

Publication Date: 2021.01.12 NXP BV

AI summary

A method for communicating between a combo-endpoint device, wireless router and a wireless communication device includes monitoring communication patterns of wireless data communications between a wireless router and radio-communication circuitry of a combo-endpoint device, and storing data indicative of communication times of the wireless router based on the monitored communication patterns. The method further includes configuring a frequency-hopping(FH)-based protocol by defining connection periods according to time windows and selected frequencies for wireless communication of data between the wireless communication device and the radio-communication circuitry, and by establishing the time windows to not substantially conflict with the communication times of the wireless router.