Ultra-Low Power Wireless Transceiver for Low-Power Peripheral Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless peripheral devices face challenges in maintaining low power consumption while allowing wireless communication with main devices, as standard-compliant transceivers consume high power, leading to trade-offs between latency and battery life.
Innovation Solution
Implementing ultra-low power (ULP) wireless transceivers that are not fully compliant with standard protocols, enabling backchannel communication by modulating standard wireless signals to convey information without requiring demodulation of the protocol, allowing for reduced power consumption and extended battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard-compliant transceivers are used to ensure interoperability, then communication compatibility is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two distinct transceiver types: a standard-compliant transceiver in the wireless communication device that handles full protocol compliance and interoperability, and a simplified transceiver in the wireless peripheral device that uses a customized protocol for low-power operation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between compatibility and power consumption.
2Loss of time
If the wireless transceiver on the peripheral device is frequently turned on to reduce latency, then communication responsiveness is improved, but average power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic wake-up cycles where the peripheral device's transceiver activates at predetermined intervals to check for incoming communications, then returns to sleep mode. This periodic action balances latency reduction with power conservation, as the device remains responsive at scheduled times while minimizing overall power consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication device performs preliminary actions by buffering incoming messages and queuing them for transmission during periods when the peripheral device is in sleep mode. The device predicts when the peripheral device will wake up and prepares communications in advance, eliminating the need for the peripheral device to remain continuously active and reducing its power consumption while maintaining responsiveness.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the wireless transceiver on the peripheral device is turned off to reduce power consumption, then power savings are improved, but communication reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the wireless communication device monitors the operational state of the peripheral device and adjusts its communication strategy accordingly. When the peripheral device is in sleep mode, the communication device buffers messages and schedules transmissions for when the peripheral device is active, ensuring reliable delivery without requiring the peripheral device to remain continuously powered on.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a message buffering mechanism as an intermediary between the wireless communication device and the wireless peripheral device. This buffer stores incoming messages when the peripheral device is unavailable, allowing the peripheral device to remain in low-power mode while ensuring no communications are lost, thus maintaining reliability without continuous power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include methods and apparatus for wireless network communication between a device that operates a radio in compliance with a wireless communication standard and another device that may not be capable of complying with the wireless communication standard. In an embodiment the non-complaint device is a receiver only. Information is broadcast or advertised or otherwise transmitted by the compliant device according to the protocol and embodiments encode information on top of the protocol for decoding by the receiving device, which does not decode the protocol.