Power Management in Hybrid Networks

• US 20130003746A1
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klein, Philippe, Kliger, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 9,350,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for power management in hybrid networks. In one embodiment, a network power manager is configured to manage power consumption in a hybrid network by controlling an operational state of a plurality of ports in a plurality of nodes of the hybrid network. The hybrid network comprises a plurality of interconnected networks, where each interconnected network employs a corresponding one of a plurality of communication mediums, and each of the communication mediums is unique with respect to each other.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor circuit;

a network power manager executable by the processor circuit manage power consumption in a hybrid network by controlling an operational state of a plurality of ports in a plurality of nodes of the hybrid network, wherein the hybrid network comprises a plurality of interconnected networks, each interconnected network employing a corresponding one of a plurality of communication mediums, each of the communication mediums being unique with respect to each other.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power manager further comprises logic that periodically determines whether to update a current operational topology of the hybrid network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic that periodically determines whether to update the current operational topology of the hybrid network further comprises logic that applies at least one rule to determine whether the current operational topology of the hybrid network should be updated.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network topology stored in a memory accessible to the network power manager.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network power manager further comprises logic that identifies at least one possible operational topology of the hybrid network that may be employed to update a current operational topology of the network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one possible operational topology of the hybrid network is required to meet at least one predefined operational constraint.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one possible operational topology further comprises a plurality of possible operational topologies, and the logic that identifies further comprises logic that determines an optimal one of the possible operational topologies based at least upon at least one factor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a rate of power consumption of each of the possible operational topologies.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a latency associated with at least one data pathway in each of the possible operational topologies.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a wake-up latency associated with at least one node in each of the possible operational topologies.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a buffering capability associated with at least one node in each of the possible operational topologies.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one factor further comprises a plurality of factors, and the logic that determines the optimal one of the possible operational topologies based at least upon the plurality of factors further comprises a cost function that generates a value for each of the possible operational topologies based upon the factors, respectively, where the factors considered for each of the possible operational topologies include a rate of power consumption.

13. A method implemented in a hybrid network comprising a plurality of interconnected networks, each interconnected network employing a corresponding one of a plurality of communication mediums, each of the communication mediums being unique with respect to each other, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a current network topology of the hybrid network is to be updated by application of at least one rule;

identifying a plurality of possible network topologies of the hybrid network if the at least one rule dictates that the current network topology is to be altered;

selecting one of the possible network topologies of the hybrid network that meets predefined operational constraints and that presents a lowest rate of power consumption; and

implementing the selected one of the possible network topologies in the hybrid network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one rule specifies that, if possible, first data traffic over a link in the hybrid network that falls below a predefined threshold must be consolidated with second data traffic on an alternative pathway in the hybrid network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one rule specifies that if data traffic over a first link in the hybrid network that exceeds a predefined threshold, then at least one second link must be activated, where at least a portion of the data traffic is rerouted from the first link to the second link.

16. A system, comprising:

a hybrid network comprising a plurality of interconnected networks, each interconnected network employing a corresponding one of a plurality of communication mediums, each of the communication mediums being unique with respect to each other;

a gateway associated with the hybrid network, the gateway coupling the hybrid network to an external network, the gateway including a processor circuit; and

means, located in the gateway, for managing power consumption in the hybrid network by controlling an operational state of a plurality of ports in a plurality of nodes of the hybrid network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interconnected networks further comprise an Ethernet network and a wireless network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication mediums further comprise a coaxial cable.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication mediums further comprise an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) of wire.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication mediums further comprise a power line.