Wireless AP Power Management via Dynamic Rate and Broadcast Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless Access Point devices have high power consumption due to continuous high transmission rates and power amplifier usage, leading to short operating times when powered by batteries, especially in idle states and during data transmission.

Innovation Solution

The method involves transmitting broadcast frames with full power initially and then switching to low power, establishing data connections at the lowest compatible transmission rate, and dynamically adjusting transmission rates based on actual throughput to minimize power usage and prolong battery life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wireless AP transmits broadcast frames continuously at high power to maintain coverage and connectivity, then the signal coverage and station association are improved, but the power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal coverageVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic transmission of broadcast frames at full power followed by low power transmission. The AP transmits broadcast frames at full power for N consecutive times, then switches to low power transmission for M consecutive times, creating a periodic pattern that maintains coverage while reducing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the transmission power of broadcast frames based on the operational state. The system switches between full power and low power transmission modes according to the timing parameters N and M, allowing the power amplifier to be activated only when necessary while maintaining reliable signal coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If the wireless AP uses high-order modulation mode to achieve high transmission rates during data transmission, then the data transmission speed is improved, but the system resource occupation and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission rateVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the transmission rate based on actual data transmission needs. The system establishes data connections at the lowest compatible transmission rate and only increases the transmission rate when the current rate is insufficient to meet actual throughput requirements, thereby avoiding unnecessary high-power consumption during low-demand periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the transmission rate parameter dynamically during operation. The system monitors actual throughput and adjusts the transmission rate accordingly, switching between different modulation modes and data rates to optimize the balance between transmission speed and power consumption based on real-time network conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2858455B1Operating method of wireless access point device and wireless access point device
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 HUAWEI DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP2858455B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2858455B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2858455B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

In the field of communications technologies, an operating method of a wireless Access Point AP device and the wireless AP device are provided according to the embodiments of the present invention, to decrease the power consumption and prolong the operating time when a battery is used for power supply. In the absence of data connection, after transmitting N broadcast frame signals with full power, transmitting (S101) M broadcast frame signals with low power, where M is an integer greater than 0, N is an integer greater than 1 or N is an integer greater than 0, and a sum of M and N remains unchanged in a certain time span. :In the presence of data connection (S301), establishing a connection with a lowest one of all compatible transmission rates; judging (S302) whether a current transmission rate is greater than or equal to a sum of a current actual throughput and a preset system parameter; and if the current transmission rate is smaller than the sum of the current actual throughput and the preset system parameter, increasing the transmission rate; while if the current transmission rate is greater than or equal to the sum of the current actual throughput and the preset system parameter, maintaining the current transmission rate unchanged.