MoCA Network Power-Save Coordination via Bandwidth Reservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-home networks consume excessive power, leading to inefficiencies and increased energy costs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for power-save operation in in-home communication networks, where a network coordinator manages devices to transition into and out of power-saving states, reserving bandwidth for always-on traffic and utilizing virtualization to support continuous connectivity while minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices operate continuously to maintain connectivity and data transmission, then network reliability and data transmission quality are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic wake-up cycles where devices transition between sleep and active states. Devices wake up at predetermined intervals to check for buffered data, transmit data in bursts, and then return to sleep mode. This periodic operation maintains network connectivity while dramatically reducing average power consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network coordinator buffers incoming data for sleeping devices before they wake up. This preliminary buffering action ensures that when devices do wake up, they can quickly transmit or receive data without needing to remain continuously active, thereby reducing their active time and power consumption while maintaining reliable data delivery.
2Use of energy by moving object
If devices enter power-saving states to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but network response time and data transmission speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The network coordinator maintains continuous monitoring and data buffering operations even when individual devices are sleeping. This ensures that the network as a whole remains active and responsive, allowing devices to wake up and immediately continue data transmission without significant delay, thus maintaining effective transmission speed while reducing device power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The network coordinator acts as an intermediary that maintains continuous network operation on behalf of sleeping devices. It buffers incoming data, manages wake-up schedules, and coordinates data transmission, thereby decoupling the device's power-saving state from the network's operational continuity and maintaining effective data transmission speed.
3Reliability
If devices remain always-on to ensure immediate data transmission, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sleeping devices rely on the network coordinator to perform data buffering and management tasks on their behalf. This self-service arrangement allows devices to remain in low-power states while the coordinator maintains data integrity and transmission readiness, ensuring reliable data transmission without requiring continuous device operation and thereby reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The network coordinator serves as an intermediary that ensures reliable data transmission for sleeping devices by buffering incoming data and coordinating wake-up events. This intermediary function maintains transmission reliability while allowing devices to power down, resolving the contradiction between always-on reliability and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A first device of a multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA) network may grant a second device of the MoCA network permission to enter a power-saving state. While the second device is in the power-saving mode, the first device may grant bandwidth to the second device during one or more predetermined timeslots. The bandwidth may be granted without a corresponding reservation request from the second device. While the second device is in the power-saving state, it may track time utilizing a clock that is synchronized to the system time of the MoCA network, and transmit during one or more of the predetermined timeslots without first transmitting a corresponding reservation request. The second device may utilize a first modulation profile when not operating in the power-saving state, and utilize a second modulation profile when operating in the power-saving state.