Local Timer Management for Power Saving in Idle Electronic Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-powered electronic devices, such as machine-type communication devices, face challenges in extending battery life due to high power consumption, especially when the service provider network does not support power saving mode or provide necessary timing information for entering and exiting power-saving modes without losing connection.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device determines a local timer value for idle and power-saving modes, allowing it to autonomously manage transitions between these modes, ensuring continuous registration with the service provider network and minimizing power consumption by shutting down non-essential operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the electronic device enters power saving mode to reduce power consumption, then battery life is extended, but the device may lose network registration and service connectivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidnetwork registration

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs preliminary actions by determining and storing a local timer value before entering power saving mode. This local timer value represents a duration for which the device can remain in idle mode without updating tracking area, allowing the device to pre-calculate the optimal idle time based on network parameters and device attributes, thus maintaining network registration while maximizing power savings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The device serves itself by autonomously determining the local timer value without requiring continuous network interaction. The device uses its own attributes and stored network parameters to calculate the timer value, enabling it to self-manage the transition to and from power saving mode while maintaining network registration, thus reducing power consumption without sacrificing connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Use of energy by moving object

If the device stays in idle mode longer to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but the device cannot update tracking area timely to maintain registration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidtracking area update timing

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device changes the timer parameter from network-provided values to a locally determined timer value that is optimized for both power saving and network registration requirements. This local timer value is calculated based on idle mode duration, power saving mode duration, and tracking area update periodicity, allowing the device to adjust the timing parameters dynamically while maintaining proper network registration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the device frequently updates tracking area to maintain registration, then network connectivity is maintained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork connectivityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The device implements periodic tracking area updates based on the locally determined timer value. Instead of frequent updates, the device updates tracking area periodically at intervals defined by the local timer value, which is calculated to be sufficient for maintaining network registration while minimizing the frequency of wake-up events and power consumption associated with updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS9699728B2Method and apparatus for power saving

Publication Date: 2017.07.04 MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE LTD

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for power reduction in an electronic device. The method includes determining a local timer value corresponding to an idle time for the electronic device to stay in an idle mode. The electronic device is registered to a service provider to provide service to the electronic device. Further, the method includes starting, upon entering the idle mode, a specific timer with the local timer value, and another timer to track a next update time for the electronic device to update tracking area to the service provider for maintaining the electronic device to be registered to the service provider, exiting the idle mode and entering the power saving mode when the specific timer expires, exiting the power saving mode when the other timer expires, and updating the tracking area to the service provider to keep the electronic device being registered to the service provider.