Neighbor Awareness Networking Proxy Mode for Lower Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face increased power consumption due to failed data transmission and reception within discovery windows in neighbor awareness networking (NAN) communication, particularly when operating as proxy clients or servers, leading to inefficient power management.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device can switch to a second communication mode with lower power consumption by synchronizing with NAN cluster information, searching for a proxy server, and registering as a proxy client, thereby offloading functions to the proxy server to reduce its own power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic device operates in the first communication mode to transmit and receive data within discovery windows, then data communication capability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device dynamically switches between first communication mode (active discovery window operation) and second communication mode (proxy client operation) based on communication needs and power status. This dynamic mode adjustment allows the device to maintain data communication capability when necessary while reducing power consumption during extended operations by offloading to proxy servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces proxy servers as intermediary devices that handle data transmission and reception on behalf of proxy clients. The proxy server receives data from external devices and forwards it to the proxy client, eliminating the need for the proxy client to continuously operate radio circuits and discovery windows, thus significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining communication capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic device performs additional functions directly (e.g., post initiation communication, NDP, ranging), then service functionality is enhanced, but power consumption further increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts power-intensive functions (post initiation communication, NDP, ranging) from the proxy client device and relocates them to the proxy server. The proxy client only performs lightweight proxy registration and receives service results, while the proxy server handles the resource-intensive operations, thus enhancing service functionality without proportionally increasing the client's power consumption.
3Reliability
If the electronic device transmits and receives data during additional periods between discovery windows, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy server acts as an intermediary that stores and forwards data during periods when the proxy client is in low-power state. Instead of requiring the proxy client to be active between discovery windows to receive data, the proxy server maintains data buffers and delivers data during scheduled discovery windows, ensuring reliable transmission without requiring continuous client operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include a communication circuit; and a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit, wherein the processor may be configured to perform synchronization with neighbor awareness networking (NAN) based on NAN cluster information included in a signal broadcast by an external electronic device included in the NAN, to determine whether to switch to a second communication mode operable with lower power than that of the first communication mode based on a state of the electronic device while operating in the first communication mode capable of transmitting and/or receiving data each interval having a first value, to search for an external electronic device capable of performing a function of a proxy server among external electronic devices included in the NAN corresponding to determining to switch to the second communication mode, to transmit a proxy registration request signal to the found external electronic device, and to operate in the second communication mode corresponding to completion of registration to the external electronic device, wherein the proxy registration request signal may include information related to a function to be performed by the external electronic device instead of the electronic device while operating in the second communication mode. In addition, various embodiments are possible.