Sensor Data Throttling Mechanism for Bandwidth Optimization

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies between electronic devices, such as mobile computing devices and accessories, face inefficiencies in transmitting sensor data, leading to bandwidth consumption and processing limitations, as they often transmit all available sensor data continuously, which is not always necessary or desirable.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a throttling mechanism that allows the receiving device to specify criteria for sending sensor data, such as time intervals, magnitude changes, or rate of change, enabling the transmission of only relevant data based on predefined categories and parameters, thereby reducing unnecessary data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all sensor data is transmitted continuously, then the receiving device has access to complete information, but bandwidth consumption increases and processing demands increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor data completenessVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary sensor data for transmission by implementing a throttling mechanism that filters continuous sensor data based on specified criteria. The receiving device requests specific data types and transmission rates, and the sending device selectively transmits only data meeting those criteria, rather than sending all available sensor data continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting sensor data at controlled intervals and only when specific conditions are met (such as when data changes exceed a threshold or time-based throttling criteria are satisfied). This partial transmission approach provides sufficient data for the receiving device's needs while significantly reducing overall bandwidth consumption compared to continuous transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Loss of information

If all sensor data is transmitted continuously, then the receiving device has access to complete information, but processing demands increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor data completenessVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary sensor data for transmission by implementing a throttling mechanism that filters continuous sensor data based on specified criteria. The receiving device requests specific data types and transmission rates, and the sending device selectively transmits only data meeting those criteria, rather than sending all available sensor data continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting sensor data at controlled intervals and only when specific conditions are met (such as when data changes exceed a threshold or time-based throttling criteria are satisfied). This partial transmission approach provides sufficient data for the receiving device's needs while significantly reducing overall bandwidth consumption compared to continuous transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of energy

If sensor data transmission is throttled based on criteria, then bandwidth usage is optimized, but data transmission completeness may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth efficiencyVSAvoidsensor data completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic throttling where the data transmission rate and criteria can be adjusted based on the receiving device's current needs and conditions. The throttling parameters (such as time intervals, data change thresholds, or priority levels) are not fixed but can be modified to balance bandwidth efficiency with data completeness requirements, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9501100B2Communicating sensor data between electronic devices

Publication Date: 2016.11.22 APPLE INC

AI summary

Sensor data is communicated between two electronic devices under control of the receiving device. For example, one device is equipped with one or more sensors that can produce a stream of real-time readings. The other device can request the sensor data from the first device and can also specify to the first device one or more throttling criteria to control or limit the amount of sensor data that is sent. Each throttling criterion can specify both a category of criterion (e.g., time-based, value-based, etc.) and a throttling parameter specific to the category. The first device can monitor the sensor data to determine when a throttling criterion specified by the second device is satisfied; when the throttling criterion is satisfied, the first device can send the current sensor reading as sensor data to the second device.