Wireless Interface Power Control at Low Battery Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices experience significant power consumption due to active wireless interfaces, leading to rapid battery depletion, necessitating manual and inconvenient user intervention to disable unused interfaces.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a wireless state controller and transmission power controller to automatically adjust transmission power levels and disable wireless interfaces based on battery charge levels, using threshold-based power saving actions to extend operational time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless interfaces are actively maintained for communication sessions, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the state of wireless interfaces based on battery charge levels. At high charge levels, interfaces remain actively connected for reliable communication. When charge drops below thresholds, the system transitions interfaces between active, idle, and disabled states, optimizing the balance between communication reliability and power consumption throughout the battery discharge cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters of wireless interfaces based on battery charge level. This includes adjusting transmission power levels, modifying connection states (connected, disconnected, roaming), and changing interface activation status. These parameter changes reduce power consumption while maintaining adequate communication functionality across different battery states.
2Use of energy by moving object
If wireless interfaces are disabled to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but communication availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of completely disabling all wireless interfaces, the system applies partial action by selectively maintaining certain interfaces in active state while disabling others. The system also applies excessive action by disabling interfaces earlier than absolutely necessary, accepting some reduction in communication availability to achieve greater power savings, with the threshold configurable to balance these effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the wireless interface management into multiple independent controllable units. Each wireless interface can be independently monitored, evaluated, and controlled based on its specific usage patterns and the current battery state. This segmentation allows granular power management where only necessary interfaces remain active while others are disabled for power savings.
3Use of energy by moving object
If user manually monitors and disables wireless interfaces, then power consumption is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically monitoring battery charge levels and autonomously controlling wireless interface states without requiring user intervention. The controller continuously evaluates battery status and automatically transitions interfaces between active, idle, and disabled states, freeing the user from manual monitoring and control tasks while achieving power conservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the controller continuously monitors battery charge level and uses this feedback to automatically adjust wireless interface states. The system also provides feedback to the user through notifications about battery status and interface state changes, maintaining transparency while automating the power management process.
4Reliability
If transmission power is increased for better signal strength, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes transmission power parameters based on battery charge levels and signal conditions. When battery charge is high, transmission power is maintained at higher levels for reliable communication. As charge decreases, the system reduces transmission power to lower levels, accepting some degradation in communication reliability to achieve power savings. This creates a dynamic trade-off curve between transmission power and reliability throughout the battery cycle.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of reducing power consumption of a first wireless communication device is described. A charge level of a battery associated with the first wireless communication device is monitored. A wireless communication session between the first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device is maintained. Based at least in part on the charge level of the battery being within a low battery threshold range, a wireless signal strength associated with the wireless communication session is monitored. Based at least in part on the wireless signal strength reaching a power saving threshold that is above a minimum connection threshold for maintaining the wireless communication session, a power saving action associated with a wireless interface that supports the wireless communication session is performed.