RF Receiver Wake-Up Frame Detection via Partial Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Radio frequency communication devices face high power consumption during periods of intermittent communication, and existing power-saving methods, such as coordinated sampled listening (CSL) mode, can be improved to reduce energy use further while maintaining low latency for resuming communications.

Innovation Solution

A radio frequency receiver monitors for wake-up frames in sample windows with durations shorter than the wake-up interval, arranged in a pattern to ensure detection of at least one wake-up frame, allowing for reduced sampling duty cycles and power usage while maintaining communication latency within acceptable limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the receiver monitors for wake-up frames in periodic sample windows to ensure detection, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases due to extended listening periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake-up frame detection reliabilityVSAvoidreceiver power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having the receiver monitor only for a portion of the wake-up frame (partial wake-up frame) rather than the complete frame. This allows the receiver to detect the presence of a wake-up signal with reduced sampling duration, thereby lowering power consumption while still achieving reliable detection of communication resumption requests

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The receiver operates in periodic sample windows rather than continuous monitoring, switching the radio off between samples to save power. The patent optimizes this periodic action by reducing the sample window duration and strategically positioning samples to maximize detection probability of partial wake-up frames within the periodic structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Use of energy by moving object

If sample window duration is reduced to save power, then energy consumption decreases, but wake-up frame detection reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereceiver power consumptionVSAvoidwake-up frame detection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential detection function from complete wake-up frame reception. By designing the system to detect partial wake-up frames (extracting the critical identification portion), the receiver can achieve reliable detection with shorter sample windows, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining detection reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The receiver performs partial monitoring by listening for only a portion of the wake-up frame structure. This partial action is sufficient to determine whether a wake-up event is occurring, allowing the receiver to avoid the full power cost of monitoring entire frame durations while maintaining reliable detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If the receiver switches radio off between sample windows to save power, then energy consumption is reduced, but communication resumption latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereceiver power consumptionVSAvoidcommunication resumption latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver performs preliminary detection by monitoring for partial wake-up frames during periodic sample windows before full communication resumption is needed. This preliminary action allows the system to detect wake-up requests early and prepare for communication resumption, reducing the effective latency while the radio remains off between samples

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The receiver skips the intermediate state of continuous monitoring by using brief periodic samples. When a partial wake-up frame is detected during these skipped intervals, the system rushes through the resumption process by having the transmitter send remaining wake-up frames and the receiver activate fully, achieving low latency without sustained radio operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS20240334328A1Radio frequency communications

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 NORDIC SEMICONDUCTOR

AI summary

A radio frequency receiver arranged to monitor for wake-up frames in a plurality of sample windows is provided. The wake-up frames are transmitted by a radio frequency transmitter in a sequence according to one or more sequence parameters including a wake-up interval between each wake-up frame of the sequence, and each sample window has a sample duration that is less than the wake-up interval. The sample windows occur in a pattern based on at least one of the one or more sequence parameters, such that the radio frequency receiver is arranged to detect at least one of the sequence of wake-up frames.