Distant Media Converter Wake-Up via Independent Transmission Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for waking up a distant device through media converters result in high power consumption, as the physical layer units of media converters remain active, and existing solutions do not efficiently reduce power consumption or maintain wake-up propagation times comparable to 'Wake-On-Lan' methods.
Innovation Solution
A method that utilizes an independent transmission line to send an electrical wake-up signal to an electrical consumption unit within the distant media converter, which generates a detectable variation, allowing the processing layer unit to wake up without activating the physical or link layer units, thereby reducing power consumption and maintaining short wake-up times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the physical layer units of media converters remain active to enable wake-up functionality, then the distant device can be woken up, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media converter into distinct functional units: the physical layer unit (PHY) and the electrical consumption unit. By separating these functions, the PHY can be turned off while the electrical consumption unit remains in low-power mode, detecting wake-up signals through electrical consumption variations without requiring the full PHY to be active.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from physical layer signal detection to electrical consumption variation detection. The electrical consumption unit detects wake-up signals by monitoring changes in its own power consumption when receiving electrical signals, allowing the PHY to remain inactive and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining wake-up functionality.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the physical layer units are turned off to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but the wake-up propagation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical consumption unit is kept in a ready state in low-power mode, continuously monitoring for wake-up signals through electrical consumption variations. This preliminary preparation allows immediate detection and response to wake-up signals without requiring the PHY to be fully active, thus reducing wake-up propagation time while maintaining low power consumption.
3Reliability
If traditional Wake-On-Lan methods are used, then wake-up functionality is achieved, but the physical layer units must remain powered on, preventing further power reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism: the electrical consumption unit acts as a mediator between the external wake-up signals and the processing layer unit. It detects wake-up signals through electrical consumption variations and triggers the processing layer unit to wake up, eliminating the need for the PHY to remain active and enabling further power reduction while maintaining wake-up functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for waking up a distant device from a local device, through a transmission medium and distant and local media converters. Initially, at least one of the physical and link layer units (17, 19) of the distant device is off, and its processing layer unit (20) is off or in Low Power mode. The transceiver (27) of the distant media converter is on. When receiving an initial wake-up signal from the local device, the transceiver of the distant media converter generates an electrical wake-up signal resulting from the conversion of the initial wake-up signal. The distant media converter sends the electrical wake-up signal, or a wake-up information derived from it, to the processing layer unit of the distant device, through a transmission line which is independent of the physical and link layer units of the distant device. When receiving the electrical wake-up signal or the wake-up information, the processing layer unit of the distant device turns on.