Energy-aware communications for a multi-radio system

• US 20040266493A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir, Adya, Atul, Padhye, Jitendra D., Wolman, Alastair
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Described herein is an implementation that reduces the battery consumption of an energy-constrained computing device that is capable of communicating over a wireless network. As conditions and circumstances warrant, the implementation selects one of multiple radios (e.g., two)—with each having a unique combination of characteristics (in terms of power-consumption, data-rate, range and/or frequency band of operation) for wireless communications to and from a wireless device. The implementation selects one radio to minimize power-consumption while maintaining effective wireless data communication. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising;

obtaining a status indication of the remaining power still available from a power resource of the energy-constrained computing device, the power resource having a limited maximum power capacity;

switching active communication from the HPR to the LPR when the status indication indicates that the remaining power is relatively low.

2. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein a “

relatively low”

status indication indicates that the remaining power is twenty-five percent or less of the limited maximum power capacity of the power resource.

3. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 1.

4. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising;

obtaining an indication of the rate at which the device is generating data for communication over the wireless network;

switching active communication from the HPR to the LPR when the indicated rate is at or below a defined threshold.

5. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 4.

6. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising;

receiving a permissive indication from a wireless access point (AP) on a wireless network, the indication indicating that the AP permits an energy-constrained computing device on the network to utilize a LPR channel of the LPR;

switching active communication from the HPR to the LPR upon receiving the permissive indication.

7. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 6.

8. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising switching active communication from the HPR to the LPR when at least one of follow conditions arises;

a permissive indication is received from a wireless access point (AP) on a wireless network, the indication indicating that the AP permits an energy-constrained computing device on the network to utilize a LPR channel of the LPR;

a rate indication is received that indicates that the rate at which the device is generating data for communication of the wireless network is at or below a defined threshold;

a status indication is received that indicates that remaining power still available from a power resource of the energy-constrained computing device is relatively low, the power resource having a limited maximum power capacity;

a channel-congestion indication is received that indicates that the LPR channel employed by the LPR is uncongested;

a HPR timer which indicates how long the HPR has been active is at or above a specified period of time;

a user-demand indication is received that indicates that the user demands that the LPR be activated.

9. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 8.

10. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising switching active communication from the LPR to the HPR when at least one of follow conditions arises;

a rate indication is received that indicates that the rate at which the device is generating data for communication of the wireless network is at or above a defined threshold;

a status indication is received that indicates that the device is connected to an effectively limitless power source;

a channel-congestion indication is received that indicates that the LPR channel employed by the LPR is congested;

a LPR timer which indicates how long the LPR has been active is at or above a specified period of time;

a user-demand indication is received that indicates that the user demands that the HPR be activated;

a pending-request indication is received that indicates that a wireless access point (AP) has requests from other wireless devices on the wireless network for access to the LPR channel employed by the LPR.

11. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 10.

12. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an energy-constrained computing device having at least two radios—

a low-power radio (LPR) and a high-power radio (HPR)—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising selectively activating communications via the LPR or the HPR, where the LPR is selected to minimize power consumption for communications over the wireless network and the LPR is selected to maximize data-rate of communications over the wireless network.

13. An energy-constrained computing device comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a medium as recited in claim 12.

14. A system facilitating efficient power-consumption for data communications over a wireless network, the system comprising:

a low-power radio (LPR) configured to wirelessly communicate data at a low-data rate over a wireless network;

a high-power radio (HPR configured to wirelessly communicate data at a high-data rate over the wireless network, when doing so, it consumes significantly more power than the LPR;

a multiplexer configured to selectively activate either the LPR or HPR to enable data communications via either the LPR or HPR over the wireless network.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising a network interface configured to direct the multiplexer to selectively activate either the LPR or HPR.

16. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising a network interface configured to direct the multiplexer to selectively activate either the LPR or HPR, wherein the network interface directs the multiplexer to selectively activate the LPR and deactivate the HPR when at least one of follow conditions arises:

a permissive indication is received from a wireless access point (AP) on a wireless network, the indication indicating that the AP permits an energy-constrained computing device on the network to utilize a LPR channel of the LPR;

a rate indication is received that indicates that the rate at which the device is generating data for communication of the wireless network is at or below a defined threshold;

a status indication is received that indicates that remaining power still available from a power resource of the energy-constrained computing device is relatively low, the power resource having a limited maximum power capacity;

a channel-congestion indication is received that indicates that the LPR channel employed by the LPR is uncongested;

a HPR timer which indicates how long the HPR has been active is at or above a specified period of time;

a user-demand indication is received that indicates that the user demands that the LPR be activated.

17. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising a network interface configured to direct the multiplexer to selectively activate either the LPR or HPR, wherein the network interface directs the multiplexer to selectively activate the HPR and deactivate the LPR when at least one of follow conditions arises:

a rate indication is received that indicates that the rate at which the device is generating data for communication of the wireless network is at or above a defined threshold;

a status indication is received that indicates that the device is connected to an effectively limitless power source;

a channel-congestion indication is received that indicates that the LPR channel employed by the LPR is congested;

a LPR timer which indicates how long the LPR has been active is at or above a specified period of time;

a user-demand indication is received that indicates that the user demands that the HPR be activated;

a pending-request indication is received that indicates that a wireless access point (AP) has requests from other wireless devices on the wireless network for access to the LPR channel employed by the LPR.

18. An energy-constrained computing device comprising a system as recited in claim 14.

19. A computer-readable medium having a program module with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a wireless access point (AP) employing at least two radio channels—

a low-power radio (LPR) channel and a high-power radio (HPR) channel—

for wireless data communications over a wireless network, performs a method comprising

receiving a request from a wireless computing device for permission to use a LPR channel;

responding to the request.

20. A medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the response grants permission to the device to use the LPR channel.