Data Transmission Scheduling for Power Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In modular systems like mobile phones, the idle time between data transmissions is not sufficiently contiguous, leading to inefficient power management and increased power consumption due to frequent requests for data transmission.

Innovation Solution

Aligning Best Effort (BE) traffic with Guaranteed Throughput (GT) traffic bursts to minimize fragmentation of idle intervals, allowing for postponed BE data transmission until after GT data transmission is complete or before GT data starts, and using flow control to manage data acceptance and power down states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If BE data transmission is performed immediately when data is available, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but idle time fragmentation increases and power down capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of the idle time interval before initiating BE data transmission. By checking whether the idle time is sufficient to maintain a power down state, the system decides in advance whether to postpone transmission, thereby preserving power down capability while maintaining transmission efficiency when conditions permit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts BE data transmission timing based on real-time conditions including the duration of idle intervals, GT traffic schedules, and power management requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize between transmission efficiency and power consumption by flexibly postponing or executing transmissions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If BE data transmission is postponed to maintain power down states, then power consumption is reduced, but data transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddata transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial postponement rather than complete delay of BE data transmissions. By postponing only when necessary to maintain power down states and using flow control credits to manage timing, the system achieves partial power savings without excessive transmission delays, balancing both requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If multiple small idle intervals are created between GT traffic, then BE data can be transmitted more frequently, but power down capability is eliminated

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveBE data transmission frequencyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses flow control credits as feedback mechanism to monitor receiver buffer status and adjust BE data transmission timing. This feedback allows the system to coordinate BE transmissions with GT traffic patterns, ensuring that transmissions occur in a manner that preserves sufficient idle time for power down while maintaining acceptable transmission frequency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1882224B1A system and method for transmitting data
Publication Date: 2011.07.20 ST ERICSSON SA
  • EP1882224B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1882224B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1882224B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

A device (D1) for transmitting data to a further device (D2) is arranged for transmitting a first class of data (GT) as a guaranteed stream of data-units, and for transmitting a second class of data-units (BE) on a best effort basis. The device (D1) starts the transmission of a burst of data-units which belong to the second class (BE) at a point in time (t2_start) where the remaining time interval (t1_start) until the start of the next burst of first-class data (GT) minus the required time (t2_burst) for transmitting the burst of second- class of data is less than a predetermined time (Tp).