Network Application Proxy Offloading for Mobile Battery Runtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless mobile devices face battery runtime limitations due to high power consumption by host processors, which restrict deeper sleep modes to maintain latency-sensitive network applications, leading to excessive battery drain during wait states for incoming events like VOIP calls.
Innovation Solution
Offloading host processor network communication sequences to a networking device processor, allowing incoming packets to be filtered and responded to while the host processor sleeps, enabling deeper and longer sleep states without compromising network latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the host processor maintains active state to handle network applications, then network latency is reduced, but battery runtime is decreased due to high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network processor as an intermediary component that handles network packet filtering and initial processing independently from the host processor. This mediator allows the host processor to sleep while the network processor monitors incoming packets, wakeing the host only when necessary, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining low latency and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The network processor performs preliminary actions by pre-filtering and pre-processing network packets before they reach the host processor. By handling routine packet filtering and generating wake-up triggers in advance, the system avoids unnecessary host processor activations, extending battery runtime while maintaining responsive network handling.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the host processor enters deep sleep mode to save battery, then battery runtime is extended, but network application latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network processor serves as a mediator that remains active during host processor sleep, monitoring incoming network packets and triggering host wake-up only when relevant events occur. This eliminates unnecessary wake-up cycles and reduces application startup latency while maintaining deep sleep states for battery savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the network processor continuously monitors network traffic and provides wake-up triggers to the host processor based on actual network events. This event-driven feedback approach ensures the host processor wakes up only when necessary, minimizing latency while maximizing battery runtime.
3Speed
If the host processor is frequently woken up to handle network packets, then network responsiveness is improved, but battery drain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network processor acts as an intermediary that filters and prioritizes network packets, triggering host processor wake-up only for relevant events. This selective triggering mechanism maintains network responsiveness by ensuring timely host activation while reducing unnecessary wake-ups that would drain the battery.
Solution Approach 2:
The network processor performs partial processing of network packets independently, handling filtering and basic protocol validation without requiring full host processor activation for every packet. This partial action approach maintains network responsiveness while significantly reducing the frequency of energy-consuming host wake-up cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods disclosed herein receive a network application proxy (NAP)-extended API function call issued by a networking-aware host application. The NAP-extended API function call provides parameter values associated with a host off-loadable packet exchange sequence. Using the parameter values, a NAP module intercepts and responds to one or more incoming network packets associated with the host off-loadable packet exchange sequence while the host processor is in a sleep mode state or is transitioning between sleep mode states.