Dynamic Traffic Inactivity Timer for Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication devices use static traffic inactivity timers that do not account for varying network conditions and traffic profiles, leading to unnecessary power consumption and potential impacts on user experience due to inappropriate timeout periods.
Innovation Solution
Implement a dynamic traffic inactivity timer that adapts based on observed device usage conditions, using implicit criteria such as activity levels on the wireless network interface to adjust timeout periods, allowing for longer timeouts during bursty traffic and shorter timeouts during periodic low-bandwidth traffic to conserve power without affecting user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a static, one-size-fits-all inactivity timeout period is applied to all traffic types, then the WLAN interface can be kept awake indefinitely for periodic low bandwidth traffic, but this unnecessarily consumes power without offering commensurate improvement in user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static inactivity timeout period to a dynamic one that adapts based on observed traffic patterns. The system monitors whether traffic follows a periodic pattern (like voice calls every 20ms) or bursty pattern, and adjusts the timeout period accordingly - using shorter timeouts for periodic traffic to save power and longer timeouts for bursty traffic to maintain responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of inactivity timeout period from a fixed value to a variable value that depends on traffic characteristics. By detecting whether traffic is periodic or bursty, the system selects appropriate timeout values, thereby optimizing the balance between power consumption and user experience for different traffic types.
2Loss of time
If a longer inactivity timeout period is used to reduce latency for bursty high bandwidth traffic, then user experience is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the timeout period parameter dynamically based on traffic pattern detection. For bursty high bandwidth traffic, longer timeout periods are used to reduce latency and improve user experience. For periodic low bandwidth traffic, shorter timeout periods are used to conserve power. This selective parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between latency and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating different traffic types with different timeout periods rather than applying a uniform timeout to all traffic. By locally optimizing the timeout parameter for each traffic pattern (periodic vs. bursty), the system achieves low latency where needed while conserving power where possible.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a shorter inactivity timeout period is used to conserve power for periodic low bandwidth traffic, then power consumption is reduced, but latency increases for bursty high bandwidth traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the timeout period based on real-time observation of traffic patterns. Rather than using a fixed short timeout that would harm bursty traffic performance, the system adapts the timeout length according to whether traffic is periodic or bursty, thereby avoiding the latency penalty for bursty traffic while still achieving power savings for periodic traffic.
4Device complexity
If a static inactivity timeout period is applied regardless of network conditions, then device complexity is minimized, but adaptability to different traffic patterns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by having the timer mechanism automatically observe traffic patterns and adjust its own timeout period without external intervention. The timer monitors whether traffic is periodic or bursty and autonomously selects the appropriate timeout value, thereby achieving adaptability while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through self-configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by having the system continuously monitor traffic patterns and use this information to adjust the inactivity timeout period. The observed traffic characteristics feed back into the timer configuration, enabling the system to adapt to different traffic patterns automatically while maintaining relatively simple implementation through rule-based adjustment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for dynamically adapting a traffic inactivity timer is disclosed. The method can include a wireless communication device determining a data traffic level on a wireless network interface and determining whether the data traffic level exceeds a threshold data traffic level. The method can further include the wireless communication device using a first inactivity timeout period for the traffic inactivity timer in an instance in which it is determined that data traffic level does not exceed the threshold data traffic level. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device using a second inactivity timeout period for the traffic inactivity timer in an instance in which it is determined that the data traffic level exceeds the threshold data traffic level. The second inactivity timeout period can define a longer time period than the first inactivity timeout period.