Real-Time Clock Wake-Up Adjustment for Network Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for maintaining network connections during power saving modes in computer systems are inefficient, as they either incur high design costs or lead to unnecessary power consumption due to improper setting of real-time clock wake-up times, which can result in network interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically adjusts the real-time clock wake-up time based on the actual connection time maintained by the computer system in power saving mode, ensuring the network connection remains stable while minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the real-time clock counting time is set too long, then the power consumption is reduced and hardware service life is prolonged, but the network interruption cannot be effectively prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the RTC counting time adjustable rather than fixed. The system dynamically modifies the RTC counting time based on actual network connection duration and power saving mode performance, allowing optimization between power consumption and network stability for different scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by monitoring whether network interruptions occur during power saving mode and using this information to adjust the RTC counting time. The system detects network connection status and feeds this information back to modify the wake-up interval, creating a closed-loop control mechanism
2Reliability
If the real-time clock counting time is set too short, then the network connection is maintained more reliably, but the power consumption is increased and hardware service life is decreased due to too frequent wakeup
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the RTC counting time based on actual network conditions and power saving mode performance, rather than using a conservative fixed short interval. This allows the system to extend the counting time when network stability is achieved, reducing wake-up frequency and power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-optimization by automatically adjusting the RTC counting time based on its own operational experience and network connection status, eliminating the need for manual configuration or external intervention to find the optimal balance between reliability and power consumption
3Reliability
If the network card automatically recovers from power saving mode is used, then the network connection can be maintained, but the design cost of the network card is relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive network card automatic recovery mechanism with a simpler, cheaper solution using the real-time clock for periodic wake-ups. The RTC is a low-cost component that can achieve the same network maintenance function without requiring expensive network card features
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the complex network card-based automatic recovery mechanism with a simpler time-based RTC wake-up mechanism. This replaces a hardware-dependent solution with a software-controlled, time-based approach that is easier and cheaper to implement
Data Source
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AI summary
A maintenance method for network connection and a computer system are provided. The method is adapted to a computer system having a real-time clock. The real-time clock is configured to regularly wake up the computer system to check whether a network connection is working normally. In the method, a wake up operation to wake up the computer system is received from a user. It is determined whether a connection time of maintaining the network connection so far from a last time of entering a power saving mode is greater than a counting time for the real-time clock to wake up the computer system. It is tested whether the network connection is working normally when the connection time is greater than the counting time. The counting time of the real-time clock is updated to the connection time when the network connection is working normally.