Edge Resource Manager Stream Consolidation for Power Savings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Edge devices, such as EQAMs, consume energy unnecessarily during non-peak hours due to active internal components even when utilization is low, as conventional systems do not efficiently power down inactive hardware components.

Innovation Solution

An Edge Resource Manager (ERM) intelligently distributes streams over the RF channel interface of an Edge Quadrature Amplitude Modulator (EQAM), consolidating active streams during non-peak hours and powering down inactive components, including RF ports and upstream hardware, to optimize power savings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If internal components remain active during non-peak hours, then the edge device can quickly resume full functionality when demand increases, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereadiness to resume full functionalityVSAvoidenergy consumption during non-peak hours

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The edge device is divided into multiple independent line cards, each capable of being powered down individually. The resource manager segments the device's functionality across these modular line cards, allowing selective power down of inactive ones while maintaining readiness to activate them when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The power state of line cards is made dynamic rather than static. The resource manager continuously monitors utilization and dynamically adjusts the power state of line cards between active and powered-down states based on real-time demand, enabling the system to adapt its energy consumption to actual workload requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If all line cards remain active, then the edge device can handle peak load demands immediately, but power consumption increases during low activity periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle peak load demandsVSAvoidpower consumption during low activity periods

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different line cards have different power states based on their utilization. The resource manager applies local quality control by keeping only the necessary line cards active while powering down others, optimizing the power consumption characteristics of each individual component based on local demand rather than treating the entire system uniformly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Quantity of substance

If streams are distributed across multiple RF ports, then bandwidth capacity is maximized, but the number of active components increases reducing power saving opportunities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth capacityVSAvoidpower saving opportunities

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The resource manager consolidates multiple streams onto fewer RF ports and line cards by intelligently routing and combining traffic. Instead of distributing streams across all available ports, the system merges them onto a subset of active components, maximizing the utilization of active hardware while enabling more components to be powered down for energy savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9143819B2Reducing energy consumption of an edge device

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

In one example, a resource manager for an edge device is configured to intelligently distribute streams over the RF channel interface of the edge device. As a result of this intelligent stream distribution by the resource manager, the likelihood that the edge device can power down inactive internal components is significant, especially during periods of low activity.