Dual-Modem Power Management via Network Service Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cellular modems in wireless communication devices consume excessive power due to managing multiple radio access technologies and maintaining continuous connectivity, leading to high battery drain and increased data costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual-modem system where one modem operates in a sleep state when connected to a secondary network, using a communication service to forward incoming communications, allowing the primary modem to conserve power by reducing scanning frequency and maintaining registration only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cellular modem continuously monitors and scans multiple radio access technologies to maintain connectivity, then the reliability of communication is improved, but the power consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the communication system into two separate modems: a cellular modem and a WiFi modem. Each modem handles specific communication tasks independently, allowing the cellular modem to reduce its monitoring activities and enter low-power states while the WiFi modem handles data communications, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable connectivity and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The cellular modem performs scanning and monitoring activities periodically rather than continuously. It enters sleep modes between scanning periods, significantly reducing power consumption while still maintaining the ability to detect and respond to network changes when needed, thereby balancing reliability and energy usage.
2Speed
If the modem maintains frequent scanning and monitoring activities to ensure network availability, then the speed of detecting network changes is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network monitoring function between two modems. The cellular modem performs periodic scanning at reduced frequency to detect network changes, while the WiFi modem maintains active connection for data communications. This segmentation allows the system to maintain adequate network detection capability while significantly reducing the power consumption associated with continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a network service as an intermediary that receives notifications from the cellular modem about network changes and relays this information to applications. This mediator approach allows the cellular modem to reduce its scanning frequency and enter low-power states while still ensuring that network change information is promptly delivered to the system, thus balancing detection speed with power savings.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the modem manages multiple radio access technologies simultaneously, then the adaptability of the communication system is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adaptability by segmenting the multi-RAT functionality across two separate modems. Each modem is dedicated to specific radio access technologies (cellular and WiFi), which simplifies the management of each individual modem while maintaining overall system versatility. The dual-modem architecture allows the system to support multiple RATs without the complexity of managing multiple access technologies within a single modem.
4Reliability
If the modem performs independent scanning and cell reselection for each radio connection, then the reliability of each connection is improved, but the loss of time for managing multiple connections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scanning and cell reselection activities between two separate modems. Each modem independently manages its own radio connection with periodic scanning, but because they operate in parallel rather than sequentially, the overall system does not experience additive time losses. The cellular modem performs its scanning while the WiFi modem maintains its connection, thus maintaining reliability for both connections without proportionally increasing the time required for management activities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes: a wireless communication device (WCD) receiving information indicating that a second user device that is close-by is actively running a messaging application, which establishes an active communication channel with a communication service that is responsible for routing incoming voice and data communication to the WCD. The method also includes: establishing a short range communication between the communication device and the second user device; in response to receiving the information and establishing the short range communication, placing at least a first modem of the WCD in a sleep state; and in response to at least one subsequent trigger event, awakening the first modem to an active state to enable use of the first modem to complete communication. The messaging service is configured to redirect incoming calls to the second user device while the messaging service is active and the devices are within short-range communication of each other.