Rotating Data Block Capture Protocol for Energy-Efficient Wireless Sensor Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic devices for biomedical applications, such as wireless sensor nodes, face energy efficiency challenges due to the need for accurate jitter-free timing references, which are costly in terms of energy, especially in devices with limited power supply and long operation times.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device receives a data packet from an external device by capturing a block of data of predetermined length without waiting for a header, rotating it to place the header at a predetermined position, allowing for reduced energy consumption and eliminating the need for accurate timing synchronization, using a communication protocol where the external device transmits the same data packet repeatedly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If accurate jitter-free timing reference is used for receiving data packets, then packet reception reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external device performs preliminary action by repeating the data packet multiple times in advance before the electronic device needs to receive it. This repetition creates multiple opportunities for successful reception without requiring the electronic device to maintain complex timing synchronization, thereby reducing its energy consumption while maintaining reliable packet reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The external device creates copies of the data packet and transmits them repeatedly. Instead of relying on precise timing to receive a single accurate copy, the electronic device can capture any copy from the repeated transmissions, eliminating the need for expensive jitter-free timing references and reducing energy consumption.
2Measurement precision
If receiver remains active longer to locate header portion, then packet capture accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By receiving multiple copies of the data packet, the system can use simple capture mechanisms without complex header detection. The receiver can capture data for a fixed short duration and rely on the repeated transmissions to ensure at least one complete packet is captured, eliminating the need for long active periods and reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of packet transmission by repeating the same packet multiple times rather than transmitting unique packets sequentially. This allows the receiver to use a fixed capture window without needing to dynamically adjust or extend its active time to locate packet headers, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining capture accuracy.
3Use of energy by moving object
If data packet is transmitted repeatedly from external device, then electronic device energy efficiency is improved, but bandwidth utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The energy efficiency improvement is applied locally to the electronic device (the implanted sensor) while the external device accepts the bandwidth cost. This local optimization is valid because the electronic device has severe energy constraints whereas the external device has abundant power supply, making it acceptable for the external device to consume more bandwidth to enable the electronic device to save energy.
Data Source
AI summary
A protocol for transmitting data from an external device to an electronic device is provided in which the external device transmits a data stream which includes the same data packet repeated multiple times. The data packet has a predetermined length and has a header portion at a predetermined position. A receiver at the electronic device captures a block of data having the predetermined length from the transmitted data stream, and a decoder rotates the captured block of data to place the header portion at the predetermined position within the data packet. This eliminates the need for an accurate jitter-free clock reference at the electronic device. By shifting power consumption and system complexity to the external unit where power is typically not constrained, the energy efficiency of the electronic device can be increased.