Energy based communication path selection

• US 20060034252A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for determining an information communication path based on energy requirements. Various aspects of the present invention provide a method that comprises identifying a plurality of information communication paths that may be utilized to communicate information (e.g., one or more units of information). A communication path identification module may perform such identification. Respective amounts of energy to communicate the information may be estimated for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths. A communication energy estimation module may perform such estimation. An information communication path may be selected from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy. A communication path selection module may perform such selection.

Claims

1. In a communication system, a method for determining an information communication path, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of information communication paths that may be utilized to communicate information with at least a second communication system;

estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate at least a portion of the information for at least a portion of the identified plurality of communication paths; and

selecting an information communication path from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first communication network, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second communication network in place of at least a portion of the first communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths in place of at least a portion of the first set of communication multipaths.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a plurality of information communication paths that may be utilized to communicate information comprises identifying information communication paths that communicatively couple the communication system and the second communication system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate at least a portion of the information for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths comprises estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on transmission power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate at least a portion of the information for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths comprises estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on signal processing power.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating respective amounts of energy to communicate at least a portion of the information for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths comprises estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on energy required to re-transmit information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on operating mode characteristics of at least one of:

the communication system and the second communication system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on operating cost.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of at least one of:

the communication system and the second communication system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an information communication path comprises selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.

17. In a communication system, a system that determines an information communication path, the system comprising:

at least one module that identifies a plurality of information communication paths that may be utilized to communicate information with at least a second communication system;

at least one module that estimates respective amounts of energy to communicate at least a portion of the information for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths; and

at least one module that selects an information communication path from the identified plurality of information communication paths based, at least in part, on the estimated respective amounts of energy.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one module comprises first, second and third modules, and:

the first module comprises a communication path identification module;

the second module comprises a communication energy estimation module; and

the third module comprises a communication path selection module.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first communication network, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second communication network in place of at least a portion of the first communication network.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connectionless communication path, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a connection-oriented communication path in place of at least a portion of the connectionless communication path.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein a first information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a first set of communication multipaths, and a second information communication path of the plurality of information communication paths comprises a second set of communication multipaths in place of at least a portion of the first set of communication multipaths.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module identifies a plurality of information communication paths that may be utilized to communicate the information by identifying communication paths that communicatively couple the communication system and the second communication system.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module estimates respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of communication paths based, at least in part, on transmission power.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module estimates respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of communication paths based, at least in part, on signal processing power.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module estimates respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of information communication paths by estimating respective amounts of energy for at least a portion of the identified plurality of communication paths based, at least in part, on energy required to re-transmit information.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path with the lowest estimated respective amount of energy.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on one or more communication quality goals.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on signal-to-noise ratio.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on user command.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on operating mode characteristics of at least one of:

the communication system and the second communication system.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on operating cost.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module selects an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on power supply characteristics of at least one of:

the communication system and the second communication system.

33. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one module identifies an information communication path by selecting the information communication path based, at least in part, on negotiations with the second communication system.