Fabric Network Message Dissemination via Periodic Wake Packets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for disseminating messages among low-power or 'sleepy' devices in a fabric network face challenges in efficiently waking up devices and ensuring full network penetration without oversaturating the network.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method where devices broadcast wake packets with a reason and a wake time signaling period, transitioning from non-clear channel assessment (NCCA) to clear channel assessment (CCA) modes to ensure all devices are awakened, and a selective rebroadcasting scheme is used to manage message dissemination, allowing each device to control its rebroadcasting to ensure full penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wake packets are broadcast continuously to ensure all devices are awakened, then device wake-up reliability is improved, but network saturation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic wake packet broadcasting with specific time intervals (e.g., 15-minute intervals) rather than continuous broadcasting. Devices wake up at scheduled intervals to check for messages, ensuring reliable wake-up while limiting network message volume through controlled periodic transmission cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The originator device determines the wake-up time in advance and broadcasts wake packets with predetermined timing information. Devices use this preliminary timing information to schedule their wake-up periods, ensuring they are awakened at the correct time without requiring continuous message flooding.
2Reliability
If wake packets are broadcast with extended time periods to ensure network penetration, then message dissemination coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices enter sleep mode between periodic wake-up intervals, consuming minimal energy. The wake packet includes a predetermined time period that schedules when devices should wake up, allowing them to remain in low-power state for extended periods while still ensuring comprehensive network penetration through coordinated periodic activations.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake packet contains predetermined timing information that allows devices to calculate their wake-up time in advance. This preliminary scheduling enables devices to plan their active periods efficiently, minimizing energy consumption by staying asleep as long as possible while ensuring they wake up at the appropriate time for message reception.
3Loss of time
If devices wake up frequently to check for messages, then message response time is improved, but device energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices wake up at predetermined periodic intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) to check for messages rather than continuously monitoring. This periodic wake-up schedule ensures messages are detected within acceptable time frames while allowing devices to remain in low-power sleep mode between intervals, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational state parameter of devices between active and sleep modes based on predetermined time schedules. By dynamically adjusting the wake-up frequency and timing parameters, the system optimizes the balance between message response time and energy consumption, allowing devices to operate efficiently in sleep mode while still responding to messages within acceptable time windows.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for waking a fabric network of devices and communicating messages among the devices are described herein. An electronic device can communicate with other electronic devices of a fabric network broadcasting a wake message to the fabric network in response to an awakening event. The wake message can include a reason for triggering a wakeup of each device in the fabric network and a wake time signaling period. After the wake time signaling period lapses, a fabric message can be broadcasted to the fabric network, and the fabric message can be selectively rebroadcasted.