Talkgroup Server Sleep Cycle Management for Battery Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subscriber units in land mobile radio systems face significant battery power consumption due to continuous monitoring of the outbound control channel, leading to reduced battery life, especially during low activity periods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a synchronized sleep/wakeup cycle for subscriber units based on their activity levels and affiliations with talkgroups, balanced with infrastructure processing to ensure timely reception of call grants while minimizing battery drain, using a talkgroup server to manage sleep cycles and traffic load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If subscriber units continuously monitor the outbound control channel to ensure receipt of all call grants, then call grant reception reliability is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring intervals where subscriber units monitor the control channel at scheduled times rather than continuously. The monitor interval parameter controls the frequency of monitoring, allowing units to enter low-power states between monitoring periods while still receiving call grants reliably through the periodic synchronization mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-synchronizing subscriber units to specific monitor intervals and pre-coordinating call grant transmissions to occur at known monitoring times. This allows SUs to know in advance when to wake up and monitor, eliminating the need for continuous monitoring while ensuring they don't miss call grants.
2Duration of action of moving object
If subscriber units reduce monitoring frequency to save battery power, then battery life is extended, but call grant reception reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the system determines whether an SU missed a call grant based on monitoring patterns and activity levels. When misses are detected, the system adjusts future monitor intervals to ensure reliable reception, dynamically optimizing the balance between battery life and reliability based on actual performance feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitor interval is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adjusts monitoring frequency based on SU activity levels, talkgroup activity, and historical patterns. Highly active SUs monitor more frequently while inactive ones monitor less often, allowing the system to adapt monitoring behavior to current conditions and optimize both battery life and reliability.
3Loss of energy
If subscriber units enter sleep mode to minimize battery consumption, then battery power saving is improved, but ability to receive timely call grants deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization to establish predetermined monitor intervals before SUs enter sleep mode. Call grants are scheduled to be transmitted at these known monitoring times, so SUs wake up exactly when needed to receive grants without delay, eliminating both unnecessary wake-ups and missed grants.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous control channel transmission by the base station, ensuring call grants are always available for immediate transmission. SUs maintain periodic monitoring capability that ensures they remain synchronized with the continuous control channel, allowing them to enter sleep mode while the useful action of control channel monitoring continues in the background infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and talkgroup server for extending a battery life in a subscriber unit is provided. A time sync at a triple TSBK boundary is maintained, the triple TSBK boundary being associated with a talkgroup. The triple TSBK window is calculated based on the time sync and configuration data. A talkgroup call request is granted for the talkgroup using a talkgroup call grant. A first transmission of the talkgroup call grant is targeted in the triple TSBK window associated with the talkgroup.