Sleepy Functionality in Wireless Mesh Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IEEE Standard 802.15.4 networks, such as Thread networks, the constant enablement of transceivers in routers and end devices leads to high power consumption and network traffic, causing wireless coexistence issues and impeding performance and bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
Implementing 'sleepy functionality' by coordinating communication between electronic devices to occur only during specific time slots, where devices enter a low power state outside of these time slots and exit to transmit or receive wireless signals during designated times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transceivers are constantly enabled to provide secure commissioning services and receive/forward data packets, then network security and reliability are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic wake-up cycles where the transceiver alternates between active and low-power states. The transceiver wakes up at predetermined intervals to perform commissioning services and data transmission, then returns to low-power mode. This periodic operation maintains network security and reliability by ensuring the transceiver is periodically available while dramatically reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous operation.
2Reliability
If transceivers are constantly enabled to receive or transmit data, then data communication reliability is improved, but network traffic increases causing coexistence issues
Solution Approach 1:
The transceiver operates in periodic wake-up cycles, being active only during predetermined time windows for data transmission and reception. During low-power states, the transceiver remains inactive, reducing overall network traffic density. This approach maintains data communication reliability by ensuring periodic availability while minimizing continuous network presence that causes coexistence issues with other wireless systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to techniques for wireless communication between electronic devices in a wireless network, such as a mesh wireless network. For example, a first electronic device may include processing circuitry that is configured to cause a transceiver of the first electronic device to transmit to a second electronic device in a wireless network an indication of time slots. The processing circuitry may cause at least a portion of the transceiver to enter a low power state during one or more times outside the time slots and cause the transceiver to exit the low power state to transmit or receive wireless signals during the time slots.