Power State Switching for Restart-Aware Energy Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy-consuming devices, such as computers and air conditioners, consume significant energy when restarting, making it inefficient to turn them off temporarily for energy-saving purposes.
Innovation Solution
A power management method that determines the energy consumption of operating, shutdown, and standby states, allowing the device to automatically switch to the most energy-efficient state based on pre-stored power values and user-defined time periods, ensuring minimal energy usage when the user is away.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the energy-consuming device is turned off to save energy, then energy consumption during absence is reduced, but significant energy is consumed when restarting the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the power state adjustable and adaptable based on time duration. The system dynamically switches between shutdown state and operating state depending on the predicted absence time, rather than using a fixed power management approach. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing energy consumption based on real-time conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of power state (between shutdown and operating states) based on the time period parameter. By comparing the time period against threshold values and calculating energy consumption for different states, the system selects the optimal power state to minimize total energy consumption while avoiding the high restart energy cost.
2Loss of energy
If the device remains in operating state, then restart energy consumption is avoided, but continuous energy consumption increases during user absence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by receiving and processing user input about absence time before making the power state decision. The system calculates energy consumption for both shutdown and operating states in advance, and determines the optimal state before the user actually leaves, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback by comparing the calculated energy consumption of different power states and selecting the state with minimum energy consumption. The system continuously monitors the time period and adjusts the power state based on this feedback, ensuring optimal energy efficiency.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the device switches to shutdown state frequently, then energy consumption during absence is minimized, but device responsiveness and usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the power state decision adaptive rather than static. The system dynamically determines whether to shutdown or remain operational based on the specific time period input by the user, ensuring that shutdown occurs only when it truly benefits energy consumption without compromising responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the power state parameter based on the time period parameter. By establishing threshold values and comparing the predicted absence time against these thresholds, the system ensures that shutdown state is activated only when the absence duration justifies the energy savings, thereby maintaining device responsiveness for shorter absences.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of power management to be implemented by an energy-consuming device includes the steps of: while the energy-consuming device is in an operating state, receiving an input associated with a time period; determining first energy consumption for operation in the operating state for the time period; determining second energy consumption for switching to a shutdown state; determining a smaller one between the first and second energy consumptions; maintaining operation in the operating state when it is determined that the first energy consumption is the smaller one; and switching to the shutdown state when it is determined that the second energy consumption is the smaller one.