Gateway Communications Window for Battery Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered gateways in wireless networks face limitations in handling IP packets due to battery life, leading to inefficient power consumption as they constantly activate and deactivate their cellular radio connections for each packet transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine and signal a communications window to served nodes, allowing them to synchronize their packet transmissions and delay packets until the designated time, thereby reducing the frequency of activating the cellular radio interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gateway constantly activates its cellular radio to transmit packets, then packet transmission reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway activates its cellular radio interface periodically according to scheduled communications windows rather than continuously. The network device provides timing information that defines when the gateway should be active, allowing it to enter low-power states between these periodic activation intervals while maintaining reliable packet transmission during active windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The network device provides advance timing information about upcoming communications windows to the gateway. This preliminary action allows the gateway to prepare for activation in advance and schedule its radio interface operations beforehand, optimizing power consumption by knowing exactly when it needs to be active without continuously monitoring for packets.
2Speed
If the gateway activates its cellular radio for each packet transmission, then communication responsiveness is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway operates in periodic activation cycles based on scheduled communications windows received from the network device. During each active window, the gateway can handle multiple packets efficiently, then enters a low-power state. This periodic operation maintains communication responsiveness during active periods while extending battery life through reduced activation frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple packet transmissions are merged into single communications window activations. Instead of activating the radio interface separately for each packet, the gateway consolidates packet handling into batch operations during scheduled windows, reducing the total number of activations and extending battery life while maintaining overall communication responsiveness.
3Productivity
If the gateway remains constantly connected to the network, then packet handling capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway maintains network connectivity through periodic activation during scheduled communications windows rather than remaining constantly connected. The network device provides timing information that defines these periodic windows, allowing the gateway to handle packets during active periods while consuming minimal power during inactive periods, thus improving overall power efficiency without sacrificing packet handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway autonomously manages its activation schedule based on timing information received from the network device. It self-regulates its radio interface operations to activate only when needed for packet transmission, eliminating the need for continuous network monitoring and reducing power consumption while maintaining effective packet handling through scheduled communications windows.
Data Source
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AI summary
Various methods are described for determining a communications window for served nodes and internal applications in order to optimize power consumption. One example method may comprise determining a communications window for a plurality of served nodes. The method of this embodiment may also include causing the communications window to be signaled to the plurality served nodes. The method of this embodiment may also include causing a communications interface to be activated during the communications window in an instance in which at least one packet is received for at least one served node of the plurality of served nodes.