Wake-Up Frame Communication With Payload Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wireless communication technologies, such as those using IEEE 802.11 standards, face challenges in reducing power consumption and latency due to the need to frequently transition main radios from lower-power to higher-power modes, which increases energy usage and delays in communication.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a wake-up frame communication method that includes a payload field with data, allowing the wake-up radio to selectively transition the main radio from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode only when necessary, and specifying how acknowledgments should be communicated, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the main radio is frequently transitioned from lower-power to higher-power modes to communicate with the access point, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radio system is segmented into two distinct components: a wake-up radio for low-power operation and a main radio for high-performance communication. The wake-up radio handles preliminary communication tasks and wake-up signaling, while the main radio remains dormant until needed. This segmentation allows the system to maintain communication reliability through the main radio's superior capabilities while minimizing its power consumption by keeping it off most of the time.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up radio performs preliminary actions by first detecting the presence of an access point and then sending wake-up frames to the main radio before actual data communication begins. This preliminary action ensures the main radio is properly initialized and ready for communication, eliminating the need for frequent power transitions while maintaining reliable connection establishment.
2Speed
If the main radio is frequently transitioned from lower-power to higher-power modes, then communication responsiveness is improved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the radio functionality into a always-on wake-up radio and a dormant main radio, the system eliminates the latency associated with power transitions. The wake-up radio handles immediate wake-up signaling and coordination, while the main radio remains in a low-power state until explicitly activated by the wake-up radio, thus reducing overall system latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up radio serves as an intermediary between the access point and the main radio. It receives wake-up frames from the access point and translates them into appropriate activation signals for the main radio, enabling responsive communication without the main radio undergoing power transitions. This intermediary role eliminates the latency that would otherwise result from the main radio's power-up sequence.
3Productivity
If the wake-up frame includes a payload field with data, then communication efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wake-up frame structure is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both wake-up signaling and data payload transmission within a single frame format. This universal design allows the wake-up radio to handle multiple tasks (wake-up signaling, data communication, acknowledgment) without requiring separate complex protocols, thus improving communication efficiency while limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the wake-up signaling function and data payload transmission into a single integrated wake-up frame structure. By combining these functions, the system eliminates the need for separate wake-up frames and data frames, reducing the number of protocol handlers and simplifying the overall device architecture while improving communication efficiency through reduced frame overhead and fewer transition cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A recipient electronic device that receives a wake-up frame is described. This recipient electronic device may include an interface circuit that communicates with an electronic device, where the interface circuit includes a main radio and a wake-up radio (WUR) that at least selectively transitions the main radio from a lower-power mode to a higher-power mode. During operation, the WUR receives the wake-up frame intended for the recipient electronic device, where the wake-up frame comprises a payload field with data. For example, the wake-up frame may specify: a total size of the wake-up frame, and/or a size of the payload field. In response to the wake-up frame, the WUR selectively transitions the main radio from the lower-power mode to the higher-power mode. Moreover, the main radio provides an acknowledgment associated with the recipient electronic device that indicates that the recipient electronic device received the wake-up frame.