Selective Wireless Link Muting Based on Device Power Status

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Solution Overview

Problem

Low-power communication devices in wireless networks are unable to notify other devices of their battery status, leading to inefficient communication resource usage, higher power consumption, and potential interference due to unscheduled communications.

Innovation Solution

A control message is transmitted to mute communications between devices based on power status or reliability metrics, using identifiers to specify the communication links affected, allowing devices to refrain from communicating for a time duration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If low-power communication devices continue to communicate without notification, then communication continuity is maintained, but power consumption increases and communication resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by notifying other devices about upcoming communication interruptions before they occur. The network entity or communicating devices send notifications to relevant parties in advance, allowing them to prepare for the communication pause and reschedule transmissions, thereby maintaining overall communication reliability while enabling the low-power device to enter sleep mode and conserve energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If low-power communication devices notify other devices of their battery status, then communication reliability is improved, but signaling overhead and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The network entity serves as an intermediary that centralizes the management of communication notifications. Instead of multiple devices exchanging numerous notification signals with each other, the network entity receives battery status information from low-power devices and coordinates the notifications to other devices, thereby reducing redundant signaling overhead while maintaining communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If communications are muted based on power status, then power consumption is reduced, but communication latency may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Use of energy by moving object

If all communication links are muted, then power consumption is maximally reduced, but communication flexibility and adaptability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The muting mechanism is applied locally and selectively to specific communication links rather than globally to all communications. The network entity or devices can identify which communication links involve low-power devices and mute only those specific links, while allowing other communication links to continue operating normally. This selective approach reduces power consumption for affected links while maintaining flexibility and adaptability of the overall communication system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12376179B2Muting and cancelation techniques

Publication Date: 2025.07.29 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A first user equipment (UE) may receive a control message that includes an indication to mute communications between the first UE and a second UE. The indication may be applicable to at least one communication link between the first UE and the second UE. The indication may include an identifier of the first UE, an identifier of the second UE, or an identifier of the at least one communication link. The first UE may receive the indication based on a power status of the first UE, a power status of the second UE, a reliability metric associated with the at least one communication link, or an interference metric associated with a network entity. Accordingly, the first UE may determine that the at least one communication link is muted for a time duration based on the indication.