Gateway Transmit Power Control for Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless home gateways face significant heat dissipation challenges when transmitting large amounts of data, leading to increased temperatures and reduced EVM and sensitivity due to direct power reductions in existing methods.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for controlling transmit power in a gateway device by acquiring temperature values and adjusting transmit power based on current transmission modes, allowing for rate reductions or mode switching to manage heat while maintaining EVM and sensitivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If transmit power is directly reduced to lower temperature, then temperature decreases, but EVM and sensitivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway device temperatureVSAvoidEVM and sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the transmission mode adjustable and switchable based on temperature conditions. The system dynamically switches between different transmission modes (first mode with higher rate and second mode with lower rate) depending on whether the temperature exceeds the threshold, allowing flexible adaptation to thermal conditions while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters by switching transmission modes that have different transmit rates and power characteristics. When temperature is high, the system transitions to a mode with lower transmit rate and correspondingly lower power consumption, effectively using parameter changes to resolve the contradiction between temperature reduction and performance maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If transmit power is reduced using empirical values, then temperature decreases, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway device temperatureVSAvoiddata transmission rate
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the transmission mode based on real-time temperature monitoring. Instead of using fixed empirical power reduction values, the system switches between predefined transmission modes that have different productivity-temperature characteristics, allowing optimal balance between cooling and data transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the gateway device temperature and using this information to determine whether to switch transmission modes. The temperature sensor provides feedback to the controller, which then adjusts the transmission mode accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains temperature within thresholds while maximizing data transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Temperature

If transmission mode is switched to reduce power, then temperature decreases and EVM is maintained, but data transmission rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway device temperatureVSAvoiddata transmission rate
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses dynamic mode switching to adapt transmission rate to thermal conditions. The controller selects between different transmission modes based on temperature feedback, allowing the data transmission rate to vary dynamically - higher rates when cool, lower rates when hot - thereby resolving the contradiction between temperature control and speed maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3089523B1Method and device for controlling transmission power
Publication Date: 2018.03.21 HUAWEI DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP3089523B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3089523B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3089523B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for controlling transmit power and an apparatus, which relate to the communications field and are used to ensure EVM and sensitivity that are of a gateway device while lowering a temperature of the gateway device. The method includes: acquiring, by a gateway device, a temperature value of an electronic component; acquiring, by the gateway device, a current transmission mode when the gateway device determines that the temperature value is greater than or equal to a preset temperature value, where the transmission mode is a mode used by the gateway device to send a signal; and adjusting, by the gateway device, transmit power according to the transmission mode, where adjusted transmit power is less than the transmit power before the adjustment. The present invention is applicable to a wireless home gateway scenario.