Communication Line Power Allocation Reducing Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for reducing power consumption in digital subscriber lines, such as the L2 mode, cause significant noise power variations that lead to signal losses and high error rates on neighboring lines, disrupting communication.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines two groups of carriers, where the power of one group remains unchanged and the other group's power is reduced if the information volume is below a threshold, minimizing disturbances by alternating full and reduced power carriers, and optimizing power distribution to reduce consumption while limiting noise impact on adjacent lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the power of all carriers is reduced (L2 mode) to save energy, then electrical consumption is reduced, but noise power variations on neighboring lines increase causing signal losses and high error rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical consumptionVSAvoidsignal quality on neighboring lines
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the power treatment of carriers based on their position and characteristics. Specifically, it identifies and maintains power for pilot carriers and guard bands while reducing power for data-carrying carriers. This localized differentiation allows energy reduction in non-critical carriers while preserving signal integrity and minimizing noise impact on neighboring lines through selective power maintenance in critical carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the set of carriers into distinct groups: pilot carriers, guard bands, and data-carrying carriers. This segmentation enables independent power control for each group, allowing the system to reduce power consumption in data carriers while maintaining adequate power levels in pilot and guard band carriers to prevent excessive noise variations on neighboring lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Use of energy by moving object

If the power of all carriers is reduced to save energy, then electrical consumption is reduced, but the number of disturbances (signal losses, errors, resynchronization) on neighboring lines increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical consumptionVSAvoidnoise power variations
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the power treatment of carriers based on their position and characteristics. Specifically, it identifies and maintains power for pilot carriers and guard bands while reducing power for data-carrying carriers. This localized differentiation allows energy reduction in non-critical carriers while preserving signal integrity and minimizing noise impact on neighboring lines through selective power maintenance in critical carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of power reduction into benefit by strategically maintaining power in specific carriers (pilot and guard bands) while reducing it in others. The reduced power in data carriers still provides sufficient signal for communication while the maintained power in guard bands and pilots actually reduces harmful noise variations on neighboring lines, turning a potentially harmful action into a beneficial one.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If carrier power is reduced to minimize noise on neighboring lines, then disturbances are reduced, but the ability to transmit data at high rates is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise on neighboring linesVSAvoiddata transmission rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the power treatment of carriers based on their position and characteristics. Specifically, it identifies and maintains power for pilot carriers and guard bands while reducing power for data-carrying carriers. This localized differentiation allows energy reduction in non-critical carriers while preserving signal integrity and minimizing noise impact on neighboring lines through selective power maintenance in critical carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic power allocation where the power level of each carrier is adjusted based on real-time traffic conditions and signal quality requirements. The system dynamically determines which carriers can have reduced power while maintaining adequate data transmission capacity, allowing flexible adaptation between power consumption and data rate based on current operational needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2507962B1Method and device for reducing the electricity consumption associated with a communication line
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 ORANGE SA
  • EP2507962B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2507962B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2507962B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for reducing the electricity consumption associated with a communication line (LA) including a predetermined set of N power carriers suitable for transmitting information to a receiver device (TA). According to the invention, said method is suitable for determining a first and second group respectively including at least one carrier of the set N; determining a volume of information to be transmitted over the N carriers during a unit of time; and, if the predetermined volume is lower than a predetermined threshold, attributing a power that is lower than the predetermined power to the carriers of the second group, the power of the carriers of the first group being maintained. The invention also relates to a device (D) implementing the method for reducing electricity consumption.