Shared Memory Protocol for Low Power Wireless Data Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless devices face challenges in power savings during predictable and periodic data exchanges due to difficulties in synchronizing data exchanges between subsystems without waking up at the wrong time, leading to increased power consumption and latency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that uses a shared memory and timer to synchronize data exchanges between processing entities, allowing them to independently schedule low power state exits and reduce system clock rates, thereby minimizing power usage and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If processing entities frequently wake up to check for messages in shared memory, then message delivery latency is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sending processing entity writes messages to the shared memory buffer and sets a message available flag in advance before the receiving entity needs to process them. This preliminary action allows the receiving entity to sleep longer and wake up only when messages are actually available, reducing both latency and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a message available flag as feedback mechanism that informs the receiving processing entity whether messages are present in the shared memory. This feedback allows the receiver to intelligently decide whether to wake up and process messages or remain in low-power state, optimizing the trade-off between latency and power consumption.
2Reliability
If processing entities use high clock rates to ensure timely message processing, then processing reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing entities dynamically adjust their operational state based on message availability. When messages are present, they wake up and process at full clock rate to ensure reliability. When no messages are available, they enter low-power state with reduced clock rates, thus maintaining reliability only when necessary while minimizing power consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving processing entity periodically wakes up to check for messages in the shared memory buffer. This periodic action with optimized interval allows the system to maintain processing reliability by checking for messages at appropriate intervals while spending most time in low-power state with reduced clock rates.
3Measurement precision
If processing entities synchronize wake-up times precisely, then message delivery accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sending processing entity autonomously manages message placement in the shared memory buffer and sets the message available flag without requiring complex synchronization with the receiver. The receiving entity simply checks the flag upon waking to determine if messages are available. This self-service approach achieves precise message delivery timing while minimizing synchronization complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for processing (e.g., such as tasks for wireless communications and/or multimedia). According to certain aspects, a method for low power low latency data exchange generally includes providing timing information from a first processing entity to a second processing entity indicating when the second processing entity is to next process a message exchange between the first and second entities using a shared memory space, taking action to exit a low power state, based on the timing information, to access the shared memory space to process the message exchange, and entering the low power state after processing the message exchange.