Wake Pattern Management for Network Interface Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for managing network traffic in computing devices are inefficient, leading to significant resource consumption and limited functionality, as they often require constant network interface device activity, which affects battery life and resource usage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a network broker module that includes a wake pattern manager, network device manager, and keep alive manager to monitor and manage network traffic, allowing specific applications to be woken only when necessary, reducing power consumption by transitioning the network interface device to low power modes and maintaining notification channels efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network interface device remains active to maintain continuous network connectivity, then the 'always on/always connected' user experience is achieved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network interface device into different operational states (active and low-power modes) and divides network traffic management into selective wake-up mechanisms. The wake pattern manager analyzes incoming packets and determines whether to wake the entire system or only specific applications, enabling fine-grained control over power consumption while maintaining connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions the network interface device between active and low-power states based on real-time traffic patterns and application requirements. The network device manager adjusts the operational state of the network interface device according to current network conditions, allowing the system to adapt power consumption to actual connectivity needs rather than maintaining a static active state.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the network interface device is placed in low power mode to reduce power consumption, then battery life is extended, but network connectivity and responsiveness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The wake pattern manager pre-configures traffic patterns and application associations before the network interface device enters low-power mode. When data arrives, the manager can immediately determine which applications need to be woken based on pre-established patterns, enabling rapid transition from low-power state without delaying connectivity establishment.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake pattern manager acts as an intermediary between the low-power network interface device and the applications. It receives incoming network traffic, analyzes it against registered patterns, and selectively wakes only the necessary applications while keeping the network interface device in low-power state, thus mediating between power saving and connectivity requirements.
3Speed
If all applications are woken when network traffic is detected to ensure immediate response, then network responsiveness is maintained, but unnecessary resource consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating different applications differently based on their specific traffic patterns and wake requirements. Instead of uniform wake-up for all applications, the system customizes wake behavior for each application based on its registered traffic characteristics, waking only the specific application(s) that match the incoming traffic pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial action by waking only the necessary portion of the system (specific applications) rather than the entire system. The wake pattern manager analyzes incoming packets and determines the minimum required wake-up action needed to handle the traffic, avoiding excessive wake-ups of applications that do not require notification.
4Use of energy by moving object
If traffic patterns are monitored and analyzed in real-time to enable selective wake-ups, then power consumption is reduced, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Applications register their traffic patterns with the wake pattern manager in advance before entering suspended state. This preliminary configuration allows the manager to use simple pattern matching algorithms during runtime rather than complex real-time analysis, reducing processing complexity while maintaining effective selective wake-up capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Wake pattern management techniques are described. In one or more implementations, network traffic received by a network interface device of a computing device is monitored and a traffic pattern is recognized in the monitored network traffic. An application of the computing device is identified that corresponds to the recognized traffic pattern and responsive to this identification, at least a portion of the identified application is woken.