Hybrid Sleep Controller for Multi-System Mobile Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hybrid terminals require multiple sleep controllers for each communication system, leading to increased hardware complexity, reduced extensibility, and significant software overhead due to the need for multiple interfaces and frequent state reporting, which complicates sleep and wake-up processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a single Hybrid Sleep Controller (HSC) to manage sleep and wake-up operations for multiple systems, distinguishing between real and virtual sleep modes based on shared hardware availability, allowing for efficient control of shared hardware resources and reducing the number of interfaces needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sleep controllers are used for each communication system, then each system can independently control sleep and wake-up operations, but hardware complexity increases and extensibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent sleep controllers into a single shared sleep controller that serves multiple communication systems. The sleep controller receives sleep requests from different systems (e.g., 2G, 3G, WCDMA) and coordinates their sleep and wake-up operations centrally, eliminating the need for separate controllers for each system while maintaining independent control capability through software management.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleep controller is designed as a universal multi-functional component that can handle sleep control for various communication systems (2G, 3G, WCDMA, etc.) through a standardized interface. It dynamically adapts to different system requirements by receiving sleep requests from any system and managing their respective sleep intervals, wake-up times, and hardware resource allocation without requiring system-specific controller instances.
2Reliability
If multiple sleep controllers are used for each communication system, then each system can independently manage sleep operations, but software overhead increases due to multiple interfaces and state reporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple independent sleep management interfaces into a single unified interface. Instead of each system having its own sleep controller interface, all systems communicate through one shared sleep controller using standardized request and response messages, significantly reducing the number of interfaces and associated software overhead while maintaining independent sleep management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleep controller acts as an intermediary between multiple communication systems and the shared hardware resources. It receives sleep requests from different systems, coordinates their requirements, manages hardware resource allocation, and sends unified control signals, thereby reducing the complexity of direct system-to-hardware interfaces and minimizing software overhead through centralized mediation.
3Reliability
If multiple sleep controllers are used, then each system can independently control sleep operations, but the number of interfaces and control paths increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate control paths into a single unified control path that flows through the shared sleep controller. Instead of each system having its own dedicated controller and interface path, all sleep control operations converge at the sleep controller, which manages all systems through standardized protocols, thereby reducing the total number of interfaces and simplifying the control architecture while preserving independent operation capability.
4Use of energy by moving object
If sleep controller turns off main clock at PN boundary, then power consumption is reduced, but wake-up timing precision must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The sleep controller performs preliminary actions by calculating and setting the wake-up time in advance before entering sleep mode. It determines the exact wake-up moment based on the sleep request timing and required sleep interval, then sets a timer or interrupt mechanism to trigger wake-up at the precise moment. This preliminary calculation ensures that when the main clock is turned off to save power, the system can still wake up at the correct time without compromising timing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleep controller uses a copy or representation of timing information (such as a timer counter or interrupt schedule) that persists during sleep mode. Instead of relying on the main clock during sleep, it uses a simplified timing mechanism or stored timing data to track sleep duration and trigger wake-up at the precise predetermined moment, maintaining timing precision while allowing the main clock to remain off for power savings.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a slotted mode of several systems using one sleep controller enhanced a hybrid sleep controller that performs sleep/wake-up interface of system protocol stacks (PSs) in a hybrid terminal including at least two system PSs used for different communication networks of a mobile communication system. The method includes determining whether there is a shared hardware-waiting system according to a sleep request from a system PS; if there is no shared hardware-waiting system, turning off a clock of the sleep controller and power of shared hardware to enable operation in a real sleep mode; and if there is a shared hardware-waiting system, sending an active command to a corresponding system and simultaneously driving a sleep timer until a time that other systems wake up, to enable operation in a virtual sleep mode.