Submerged Wireless Device Cellular Connectivity Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless devices, especially those submerged underwater, face energy wastage due to continuous attempts to reestablish cellular connections that are unlikely to succeed, leading to reduced battery life and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that determines when a wireless device is submerged, deactivates its baseband component to prevent futile connection attempts, and reactivates it when resurfaced, using sensors and timers to manage cellular connectivity based on depth and activity type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless device continuously attempts to reestablish cellular connections while submerged, then connection reliability is maintained, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the baseband component's operational state based on environmental conditions (submerged vs. non-submerged). When submerged, the baseband component is deactivated to save energy; when not submerged, it is activated to maintain connection reliability. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system's behavior context-dependent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of the baseband component (active/inactive state) based on the submersion condition. By monitoring depth or water presence and adjusting the baseband component's state accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between connection reliability and energy consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the wireless device deactivates the baseband component while submerged, then energy consumption is reduced, but connection establishment capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches the baseband component between active and inactive states based on submersion detection. When the device is submerged, the baseband is deactivated to conserve energy; when surfaced, it is reactivated to restore connection capability. This dynamic state transition resolves the contradiction adaptively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of submersion conditions and proactively deactivates the baseband component before connection attempts are made. This preliminary action prevents futile energy expenditure on impossible connections while maintaining the ability to reestablish connections when conditions improve.
3Reliability
If the wireless device maintains cellular connection attempts while submerged, then connection availability is preserved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameter of the baseband component based on environmental parameters (submersion depth/detection). By adjusting the baseband state according to whether the device is submerged, the system optimizes both connection availability and battery life without compromise in either direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system autonomously manages its own baseband component activation/deactivation based on sensor input from its environment. This self-service approach allows the device to automatically optimize its energy consumption and connection behavior without external intervention, extending battery life while maintaining connection availability when appropriate.
Data Source
AI summary
This Application sets forth techniques for managing the cellular connectivity state of a submerged wireless device. The wireless device can include sensors that analyze environmental conditions to determine when the wireless device is (or is not) submerged underwater as well as at what depth the wireless device is submerged underwater. The sensors can also determine different types of aquatic activity in which a user of the wireless device is currently engaged, such as swimming, snorkeling, free diving, and scuba diving. In turn, the wireless device can utilize this information to manage its cellular connectivity state in order to avoid wasteful consumptions of energy. In particular, the techniques enable the submerged wireless device to eliminate any existing cellular connection as well as connection reattempts so long as they are unlikely to succeed. Moreover, the techniques enable the wireless device to execute connection reattempts when they are appropriate and likely to succeed.