Portable Terminal RF Power Reduction via Buffering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable terminals consume excessive power while supporting communication services, particularly during multimedia functions and data communication, due to their limited power supply, necessitating more efficient power management.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for a portable terminal that activates a radio frequency (RF) communication unit, downloads data, buffers it, and then reduces or terminates the power supply during idle times, adjusting buffer sizes based on RF environment and data characteristics to minimize power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RF communication unit operates continuously to support communication services, then communication service quality is maintained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication service qualityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The RF communication unit operates in periodic cycles, alternating between active communication periods and idle periods with reduced power supply. The controller monitors buffer status and activates the RF unit only when data needs to be transmitted or received, rather than maintaining continuous operation, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining service quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Data is pre-buffered in the buffer memory before RF transmission is needed. The controller prepares data packets in advance and stores them in the buffer, allowing the RF communication unit to operate intermittently rather than continuously, reducing power consumption during idle periods while ensuring communication service readiness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the buffer size is increased to store more data, then power consumption during idle time is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidbuffer size management

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The buffer size is dynamically adjusted based on communication conditions and power availability. The controller monitors the state of the buffer and the RF communication unit, and adapts the buffer allocation and power supply levels in real-time, rather than using a fixed buffer size, thereby managing complexity through adaptive control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller implements feedback mechanisms to monitor buffer status, RF unit state, and power consumption levels. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts buffer management strategies and power supply to the RF unit, optimizing the balance between power consumption and communication service quality without requiring excessive buffer capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2509369B1Method for operating portable terminal to reduce power during support of communication service and portable terminal supporting the same

Publication Date: 2018.05.30 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

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AI summary

A method for operating a portable terminal so as to reduce power consumption during the support of a communication service and a portable terminal supporting the same is provided. The method includes activating a Radio Frequency (RF) communication unit, downloading a part of data of predetermined contents through the RF communication unit, buffering the downloaded part of the data in a buffer so as to output the buffered downloaded part of the data, and executing an idle time for terminating or reducing a power supply of the RF communication unit when the downloading of the part of the data of the predetermined contents is completed.