Wireless Network Packet Buffering via Coordinator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low speed wireless communication devices, such as those using the ZigBee protocol, face limitations in coverage and power-saving efficiency due to restricted radio wave strength and the need for frequent node wake-ups, leading to packet loss and increased memory requirements or reduced power-saving benefits.
Innovation Solution
A power-saving wireless network method where packets are temporarily stored in a coordinator until the receiving node wakes from sleep mode, allowing for extended sleep periods and reduced memory needs in nodes, thereby enhancing coverage and battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If nodes frequently enter sleeping mode to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but packet transmission reliability deteriorates due to packet loss
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitting node checks the sleep status of the receiving node before transmission and performs preliminary actions by storing packets in the coordinator's buffer if the receiving node is sleeping. This preliminary check and buffer storage action prevents packet loss when the receiving node wakes up, resolving the contradiction between power saving and transmission reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator acts as an intermediary between transmitting and receiving nodes. It provides a buffer storage function that decouples the transmission timing from the receiving node's wake-up timing. The coordinator mediates the packet delivery process, allowing transmitting nodes to send packets anytime while ensuring reliable delivery when receiving nodes are available, thus resolving the power consumption vs. reliability trade-off.
2Reliability
If access nodes increase memory size to store packets temporarily, then packet loss is reduced, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the packet buffer storage function from individual access nodes and concentrates it in the coordinator node. This extraction allows access nodes to have minimal or no buffer memory, reducing their complexity and cost, while the coordinator handles all packet buffering operations, maintaining reliability without increasing memory requirements at the access node level.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinator is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a network management node and as a centralized packet buffer. By making the coordinator universal in its functions, the system achieves reliable packet storage without requiring each access node to have large memory capacity, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
3Reliability
If receiving nodes shorten sleep periods to receive packets, then packet reception reliability is improved, but power-saving efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitting node performs a preliminary check of the receiving node's sleep status before transmission. Based on this preliminary information, it decides to store packets in the coordinator's buffer rather than attempting immediate transmission. This preliminary action eliminates the need for receiving nodes to frequently wake up to check for packets, maintaining both reliability and power-saving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where transmitting nodes receive status information about receiving nodes' sleep states. This feedback allows transmitting nodes to adapt their transmission strategy by using the coordinator's buffer when receiving nodes are sleeping, ensuring reliable packet delivery without requiring receiving nodes to reduce their sleep periods, thus maintaining power-saving efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A power-saving wireless network, a packet transmitting method for use in the wireless network, and computer readable medium therefor are provided. The wireless network comprises a PAN coordinator, a receiving node and a transferring node. When the transmitting node has a packet planed to be transmitted to the receiving node which is in a sleep mode, the packet is alternatively transmitted to the PAN coordinator. As soon as the receiving node wakes from the sleep mode, all packets are transmitted to the receiving node from the PAN coordinator. After the packets are all successfully transmitted, the receiving node turns back to the sleep mode subsequently. Thereby, the performance of the wireless network would not be restricted to the sleep period and memory capacity. Thus, the nodes in the wireless network would greatly facilitate saving power.