Home Automation Receiver Synchronization for Power Saving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing home automation systems face high power consumption issues in battery-operated devices due to continuous or frequent communication, leading to short battery life, especially in devices using 2.4 GHz, 868 MHz, and 433 MHz frequency bands, and existing burst wakeup methods do not adequately minimize energy consumption for both transmitters and receivers.

Innovation Solution

A home automation control system where the receiver is synchronized with the transmitter using a common zero point in time, with a time offset and interval parameters, allowing the receiver to listen to specific radio channels only during defined times, reducing the need for a lengthy burst preamble and minimizing power consumption by waking up only when necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the receiver continuously or frequently communicates with the transmitter, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver wakes up periodically at predetermined time intervals to check for incoming data, rather than continuously monitoring. This periodic wake-up mechanism significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining acceptable data transmission reliability, as the receiver is awake only during specific windows when transmitters are likely to send data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a beacon signal transmitted by the transmitter before the receiver wakes up. The beacon contains timing information that allows the receiver to synchronize its wake-up schedule with the transmitter's transmission schedule. This preliminary synchronization action enables the receiver to wake up at optimal moments for data reception, improving reliability without continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the receiver uses burst wakeup method with fixed wake-up intervals, then power consumption is reduced, but latency for spontaneous data transmission increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the receiver's wake-up schedule based on real-time communication needs. When data is transmitted spontaneously, the transmitter sends a beacon signal that triggers the receiver to wake up immediately from its sleep state, minimizing latency. The receiver then processes the data and returns to sleep mode, creating a flexible response mechanism that adapts to varying communication patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If the receiver listens to radio channels continuously to detect communication signals, then communication responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication responsivenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver transitions between sleep mode and active listening mode periodically. During sleep mode, the receiver consumes minimal power. When the predetermined wake-up time arrives, the receiver briefly activates its radio receiver to listen for beacon signals or data transmissions, then returns to sleep mode. This periodic listening approach maintains communication responsiveness while dramatically reducing average power consumption compared to continuous listening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2629458B1Home automation control system and a method for controlling a home automation system
Publication Date: 2020.01.22 LEMONBEAT GMBH
  • EP2629458B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2629458B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2629458B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The home automation control system has receiver for receiving the communication signal on radio channel in a power saving mode. The receiver is synchronized on a time base with respect to the transmitter. The starting of the time base with time delay is programmed in the receiver. The receiver is provided to listen energy saving operation on the radio channel defined by the time base and the time offset at power saving mode. An independent claim is included for method for performing operation of home automation control system.