Communications Device Active Mode Scheduling for TCP Power Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communications networks face challenges in optimizing sleep periods for devices using TCP protocols due to unknown Round Trip Time (RTT), leading to inefficient power usage and unreliable data delivery, especially in scenarios where devices need to be responsive for bi-directional communication.
Innovation Solution
A method where a communications device indicates its active mode periods to the network, allowing it to temporarily wake up and receive data without needing to know the RTT, thereby optimizing power usage and ensuring responsiveness for bi-directional communication protocols like TCP.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a device enters sleep mode to conserve energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the device cannot reliably receive downlink data responses
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary actions by indicating its upcoming active mode periods to the network before actually entering sleep mode. This allows the network to schedule downlink data transmissions to coincide with these pre-announced active periods, ensuring reliable data delivery while the device remains in low-power state for the majority of time.
Solution Approach 2:
The device provides feedback to the network about its sleep wake schedule by indicating active mode periods. This feedback mechanism enables the network to adapt its downlink scheduling to match the device's availability, creating a coordinated system where energy savings and data reliability are both achieved through continuous information exchange.
2Reliability
If a device stays in active mode to ensure responsive communication, then data delivery reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of remaining continuously in active mode, the device employs periodic action by entering sleep mode for extended periods and only temporarily waking up for pre-announced active mode periods. This periodic activation pattern maintains communication responsiveness when needed while dramatically reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous active operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary scheduling of its active mode periods before entering sleep mode, allowing the network to prepare and queue downlink data transmissions. This preliminary coordination ensures that the device can stay asleep longer while still maintaining reliable communication, as the network proactively schedules data arrivals to match the device's periodic wake times.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a device uses long sleeping cycles to maximize energy savings, then energy consumption is reduced, but the device misses time-sensitive data transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses feedback by continuously indicating its active mode periods to the network, even when using long sleeping cycles. This ongoing feedback allows the network to adaptively schedule downlink data transmissions to arrive precisely during these announced active periods, eliminating timing losses while the device enjoys the energy benefits of long sleep cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary announcement of its active mode periods before entering long sleep cycles. This preliminary action gives the network advance knowledge of when the device will be available, allowing the network to buffer and schedule data transmissions appropriately, thus preventing any data loss despite the extended sleep duration.
4Device complexity
If a device does not know RTT to calculate wake-up times, then protocol complexity is reduced, but power optimization is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the traditional approach where the device calculates wake-up times based on knowing RTT values, this invention inverts the approach by having the device indicate its active mode periods to the network. The network then adapts to the device's schedule rather than the device adapting to network timing requirements, eliminating the need for RTT knowledge while maintaining power optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The device serves itself by autonomously determining and indicating its own active mode periods based on its internal power management needs, without requiring external assistance or knowledge of network timing parameters like RTT. This self-service approach allows the device to optimize its own power consumption independently while the network adapts to accommodate this self-determined schedule.
Data Source
AI summary
A first communications device and a method therein for handling of active mode operation after transmitting data to a second communications device. The first and the second communications devices are operating in a wireless communications network. The first communications device transmits a first data transmission to the second communications device and enters a sleep mode. At a number of points in time, the first communications device temporarily wakes up from the sleep mode to an active mode for an active mode period. Further, the first communications device indicates, to the second communications device, a point of time of the active mode period.