Fabric Network Wake Packet Broadcasting for Device Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for network-connected devices, such as hazard detection systems, face challenges in efficiently waking up low-power devices and disseminating messages across a fabric network, particularly in ensuring all devices are awake and ready to communicate within a fixed time period while minimizing energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The system employs wake packets with a reason and wake time signaling, broadcasted in both non-clear channel assessment (NCCA) and clear channel assessment (CCA) modes, to wake up devices and facilitate message propagation, allowing devices to rebroadcast messages selectively to ensure full network penetration without oversaturating the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wake packets are broadcasted continuously to ensure all devices are awakened, then device wake-up reliability is improved, but network energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic wake packet broadcasting with specific intervals and duration limits. Devices wake up at predetermined intervals to check for wake packets, and the broadcasting continues for a limited number of intervals or until a condition is met, rather than continuously. This periodic approach ensures devices are awakened reliably while limiting energy consumption by stopping transmissions after a predetermined number of intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where devices that wake up send acknowledgment packets or where the broadcasting device monitors network responses to determine when all devices have been successfully awakened. This feedback allows the system to stop broadcasting wake packets once the wake-up condition is satisfied, preventing unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring complete device activation.
2Reliability
If wake packets are broadcasted for extended periods to ensure network-wide propagation, then message dissemination completeness is improved, but network saturation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Wake packet broadcasting occurs in periodic intervals with predetermined duration limits. The system broadcasts wake packets for a specific number of intervals or until a time threshold is reached, ensuring network-wide propagation without continuous transmission that would saturate the network. This periodic approach balances complete message dissemination with maintaining network productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary wake packet broadcasting before normal message transmission begins. By completing the wake-up phase in advance with predetermined limits, the system ensures all devices are ready to receive messages without subsequent network saturation from prolonged wake packet transmissions. Normal message traffic can then proceed without interference.
3Speed
If devices remain in active state to ensure immediate message response, then communication responsiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices alternate between active and low-power states periodically. During active intervals, devices can immediately respond to messages. During low-power intervals, devices enter sleep mode to conserve energy but can still be awakened by wake packets. This periodic cycling maintains communication responsiveness during active periods while significantly reducing energy consumption during low-power periods.
Solution Approach 2:
Devices autonomously manage their own power states, transitioning to low-power mode after completing communication tasks and waking up only when necessary. This self-service approach allows devices to minimize energy consumption by remaining in low-power states as much as possible while still being capable of immediate response when wake packets are received or when normal communication is required.
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.