Mobile Terminal Sleep Mode Interface Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dual mode mobile terminals with both cellular and ad-hoc interfaces face increased power consumption during sleep mode, leading to shorter battery life due to the need to periodically wake up for both interfaces, which complicates power management and reaction time.

Innovation Solution

Implement a method where one interface is completely switched off during sleep mode and only activated upon receiving a predefined signaling message from the other interface, allowing the terminal to conserve power and reduce unnecessary wake-ups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If both cellular and ad-hoc interfaces wake up periodically during sleep mode, then incoming calls can be detected on both interfaces, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall detection capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the wake-up function from one interface (ad-hoc) and consolidates it to only the cellular interface. The ad-hoc interface remains completely dormant during sleep mode, while the cellular interface handles all wake-up detections. This eliminates redundant power consumption from the ad-hoc interface while maintaining complete call detection capability through the cellular interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having both interfaces independently wake up and check for calls, the patent inverts the approach by having the cellular interface exclusively handle wake-up operations. The ad-hoc interface is activated only when explicitly triggered by the cellular interface through inter-interface signaling, reversing the conventional parallel wake-up model to a sequential, dependency-based model.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If both interfaces wake up periodically, then no calls are missed, but reaction time becomes unpredictable due to multiple wake-up schedules

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall reception guaranteeVSAvoidreaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the wake-up timing decision from the ad-hoc interface and centralizes it in the cellular interface. All wake-up timing, scheduling, and call detection decisions are made solely by the cellular interface based on its network-configured parameters, eliminating the complexity and unpredictability of coordinating multiple independent wake-up schedules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cellular interface acts as an intermediary between the network and the ad-hoc interface. It receives paging information from the network, processes wake-up decisions, and only then triggers the ad-hoc interface if needed. This intermediary role creates a single, predictable wake-up timeline while maintaining the ability to utilize both interfaces for call reception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If the ad-hoc interface remains active during sleep mode, then direct ad-hoc calls can be received immediately, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvead-hoc call reception speedVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cellular interface performs preliminary wake-up detection and filtering before activating the ad-hoc interface. It first checks for incoming calls through the cellular network, and only if a call is detected does it then activate the ad-hoc interface. This preliminary action prevents unnecessary ad-hoc interface activation and associated power consumption while ensuring calls are not missed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The ad-hoc interface transitions from a static always-active or fixed-period wake-up state to a dynamic state where its activation is conditionally determined by cellular interface detections. This dynamic behavior allows the ad-hoc interface to remain dormant during most sleep periods, consuming minimal power, while still being能够快速 activated when needed based on real-time call conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8099047B2Method for controlling the sleep mode on a mobile terminal, corresponding mobile terminal, and corresponding radio access node

Publication Date: 2012.01.17 ALCATEL-LUCENT USA LNC

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for controlling sleep mode in a terminal comprising at least two network interfaces.According to the present invention, the method comprises the steps of:Switching off one of the two interfaces;Activating the switched off interface for a predefined time window upon reception of a predefined signaling message on the other interface.