Ultra Low Power Wake-Up Receiver for Wireless Station Energy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network receivers consume significant power during packet reception and waiting periods, necessitating improved power management techniques to reduce energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a wireless station with a processing circuit and wake-up circuit that processes signals indicating a target wake-up time, allowing the receiver to transition to an awake state only when an activation signal is expected, using ultra-low power signals and scheduled power save modes to conserve energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the receiver remains in an awake state continuously to receive packets, then the reliability of packet reception is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is divided into two functional parts: a low-power wake-up receiver that remains active and a main receiver that operates intermittently. The wake-up receiver continuously monitors for activation signals while consuming minimal power, and only triggers the power-intensive main receiver when actually needed, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous reception reliability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection using the low-power wake-up receiver before activating the main receiver. By预先 monitoring for activation signals and preparing for potential data reception, the system ensures reliable packet reception only when necessary, avoiding continuous high-power operation while maintaining reception readiness.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the receiver transitions to sleep mode frequently to save power, then the power consumption is reduced, but the response time to receive packets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver architecture segments functionality between a permanently active wake-up receiver and an intermittently active main receiver. The wake-up receiver's continuous operation eliminates response delays while the main receiver's selective activation maintains power savings, resolving the time-power tradeoff.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up receiver acts as an intermediary between the external activation signals and the main receiver. It continuously monitors the channel and immediately triggers the main receiver upon detecting an activation signal, ensuring rapid response without requiring the main receiver to remain continuously active.
3Productivity
If the main receiver is activated continuously, then the communication efficiency is maintained, but the battery life of wireless devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting receiver functionality into continuous wake-up monitoring and intermittent main receiver operation, the system maintains communication efficiency through the always-active wake-up receiver while extending battery life by limiting main receiver activation to only when data is actually being transmitted.
Solution Approach 2:
The main receiver operates periodically based on activation signals from the wake-up receiver rather than continuously. This periodic activation pattern maintains necessary communication functionality while dramatically reducing average power consumption and extending battery operational duration.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and stations for wireless communication are described herein. In some aspects, the station may include a processing circuit configured to process a first signal transmitted to the station, the first signal indicating a target wake up time when an activation signal is expected to be received. The station may further include a wake-up circuit configured to transition a first receiver to an awake state based on the indicated target wake up time. The first receiver is configured to receive the activation signal at the indicated target wake up time. The station may further include a second receiver configured to transition to an awake state based on the first receiver receiving the activation signal and receive a second signal while in the awake state.