Low Power Networked Device With Secondary Processor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing devices lose network connectivity when powered down or suspended, leading to missed events like VoIP calls and delayed message receipt, and periodic wake-ups are inefficient, especially for mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A computing device with a processing element in a separate power domain from the main processor maintains network connectivity by monitoring events and waking the main processor based on pre-configured criteria, using a network interface to send and receive data and keep connections alive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the main processor is powered down to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but network connectivity is lost and events are missed
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate power domains: a first power domain containing the main processor and associated hardware, and a second power domain containing the network interface device and second processor. This segmentation allows independent power management of each domain, enabling the main processor to be powered down while the network interface domain remains active to maintain connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The network interface device and second processor act as intermediaries between the external network and the main processor. When the main processor is in sleep mode, these intermediaries receive, analyze, and respond to network messages, and can wake the main processor when predefined criteria are met, thus maintaining network connectivity without requiring the main processor to remain active.
2Reliability
If the device is kept fully operational to maintain network connectivity, then network connectivity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into separate power domains, the network interface domain can operate at low power while the main processor domain is powered down, achieving both connectivity and power savings simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of keeping the entire system fully operational, only the necessary partial functionality (network interface and message analysis) is maintained in the second power domain, which consumes significantly less power than full system operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the main processor is in a separate power domain from the processing element, then power management flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements separate power domains with distinct processors, which initially increases structural complexity but provides significant power management flexibility. The complexity is justified by the ability to independently control power states of different functional domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The second processor in the network interface domain is designed to perform multiple functions: maintaining network connectivity, analyzing incoming messages, determining whether to wake the main processor, and transferring state information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods of reducing power consumption of networked devices are described. When a main processor and associated hardware in a computing device is powered down, a processing element, with lower power consumption than the main processor, performs networking functions on behalf of the main processor. The processing element monitors events and wakes the main processor when defined criteria are satisfied. In an embodiment, these network functions may be to maintain existing network connections and/or establish new network connections and the defined criteria may relate to messages received by the device which are analyzed by the processing element running the application layer code and these criteria may be configurable by a user of the device.