Communication Terminal Periodic Beacon Scanning for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable communication terminals face high battery consumption when continuously scanning for nearby devices, making it inconvenient for users to establish ad hoc networks without manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a standby mode where communication terminals alternate between transmission and reception modes, reducing power consumption by limiting the operation to simple beacon signal transmissions and monitoring, allowing automatic detection of nearby devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous scanning is performed to detect nearby communication terminals, then detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The communication terminal performs scanning operations periodically at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. The control unit switches between scanning operations that detect beacon signals from other terminals and standby operations that consume minimal power, creating a periodic cycle that balances detection capability with power conservation.
2Ease of operation
If automatic search function is implemented to locate communication partners, then ease of operation is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides automatic search functionality by periodically executing scanning operations at predetermined intervals without requiring user intervention. The control unit automatically switches between active scanning and low-power standby states, enabling hands-free operation while controlling power consumption through the periodic nature of the scanning cycles.
3Reliability
If beacon signals are transmitted frequently to notify presence, then notification effectiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission control unit sends beacon signals periodically at predetermined intervals during scanning operations rather than continuously. This periodic transmission approach ensures that the terminal's presence is notified to other devices effectively while consuming minimal power during the standby periods between transmissions.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication terminal is provided with a transmission control unit for controlling a transmission mode in which a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times, and a reception control unit for controlling a reception mode in which the broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored. The transmission control unit and the reception control unit execute the transmission mode and the reception mode cyclically and alternately. To achieve power saving, time reserved for execution of the transmission mode in a cycle is set to be longer than time reserved for execution of the reception mode in the cycle.