Ethernet Device Controlling Non-Ethernet Energy Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy-efficient Ethernet technologies face challenges in achieving synchronized energy-saving states between Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, leading to unpredictable performance and unnecessary complexity due to lack of synchronization and overlap in energy-efficiency functionality.
Innovation Solution
An energy-efficient Ethernet device is designed to control energy-efficiency functionality within a non-Ethernet device by transmitting an energy-efficiency control signal, creating a unified energy-efficiency policy domain that coordinates energy-saving operations across both Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, using in-band or out-of-band signals to manage power consumption and link utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If energy-efficient Ethernet technologies are implemented independently in Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, then energy savings can be achieved in each device separately, but synchronized energy-saving states cannot be achieved leading to unpredictable performance and unnecessary complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges energy-efficiency control functionality into a single domain controller (Ethernet device) that manages both Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate independent control mechanisms in each device, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining coordinated energy savings across the entire network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The Ethernet device is designed with universal energy-efficiency control capability that can manage multiple types of devices (both Ethernet and non-Ethernet) through a unified control interface. This multi-functionality allows a single device to perform energy management across heterogeneous network equipment, simplifying the overall control architecture.
2Loss of energy
If energy-efficient Ethernet technologies are implemented independently in Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, then energy savings can be achieved in each device separately, but synchronized energy-saving states cannot be achieved leading to unpredictable performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the domain controller continuously monitors link utilization and traffic patterns from both Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices. Based on this real-time feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts energy-saving states to maintain synchronized operation, ensuring predictable performance while achieving coordinated energy savings across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-coordinating energy-saving transitions between Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices. The domain controller proactively manages state transitions to ensure both devices enter energy-saving modes simultaneously, preventing performance unpredictability that would arise from unsynchronized independent operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate energy-efficiency control mechanisms are used in Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, then each device can operate independently, but overlap in energy-efficiency functionality creates unnecessary complexity and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the energy-efficiency control logic from individual non-Ethernet devices and consolidates it into the Ethernet domain controller. This extraction eliminates redundant control functionality in non-Ethernet devices while preserving their ability to respond to energy-saving commands, thereby reducing overall system complexity without sacrificing independent operation capability.
4Loss of energy
If unsynchronized energy-saving states are allowed in Ethernet and non-Ethernet devices, then maximum energy savings can be achieved independently in each device, but latency and packet loss increase due to lack of coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The domain controller implements periodic monitoring of link utilization and traffic patterns to determine optimal moments for transitioning devices to energy-saving states. This periodic action ensures that energy-saving transitions occur at coordinated intervals when traffic demand is low, minimizing latency and packet loss while maintaining maximum energy savings.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for using energy-efficient Ethernet to control energy efficiency in lower layers. In one example, an energy-efficiency control policy in a first Ethernet device can be configured to determine a need for transitioning of at least a part of the first Ethernet device into an energy saving state. Based on such a determination, an energy-efficiency control signal can be transmitted from the first Ethernet device to a first non-Ethernet device. The receipt of the energy-efficiency control signal by the first non-Ethernet device is used to initiate a transition by the first non-Ethernet device into an energy saving state, which in turn may initiate a transition by downstream non-Ethernet devices into an energy saving state. This process creates a single unified energy-efficiency policy domain.