Energy-harvesting devices in wireless networks

• US 9,271,242 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Vannithamby, Rath
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/127,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe communication techniques and configurations for energy-harvesting devices in a wireless communication network. An apparatus may include circuitry to receive, by a network device of a wireless communication network, a message from user equipment, the message including an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device and circuitry to differentiate the energy-harvesting device from other non-energy-harvesting devices in the wireless communication network based on the indication. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to receive, by a network device of a wireless communication network, a message from user equipment, the message including an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device; and

circuitry to differentiate the energy-harvesting device from other non-energy-harvesting devices in the wireless communication network based on the indication,

wherein the message identifies an energy-harvesting pattern of the energy-harvesting device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message identifies an energy source of the energy-harvesting device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message identifies an energy storage capability of the energy-harvesting device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the message identifies an energy storage capacity of the energy-harvesting device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry to receive is to receive the message during device capability negotiation between the energy-harvesting device and the wireless communication network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry to differentiate is to differentiate the energy-harvesting device by modifying a schedule for communication with the energy-harvesting device based on the indication.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry to differentiate is to differentiate the energy-harvesting device by using a Device Type to identify the energy-harvesting device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the circuitry to differentiate is to differentiate the energy-harvesting device by allocating a portion of a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) to identify the energy-harvesting device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to receive, by a network device of a wireless communication network, a message from user equipment, the message including an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device;

circuitry to differentiate the energy-harvesting device from other non-energy-harvesting devices in the wireless communication network based on the indication; and

circuitry to schedule communication with the energy-harvesting device over the wireless communication network based on a scheduling policy that considers energy storage capacity or energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scheduling policy considers energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device and further considers instantaneous data rate of the energy-harvesting device and an average data rate of the energy-harvesting device.

12. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to receive, by a network device of a wireless communication network, energy storage information of an energy-harvesting device; and

circuitry to schedule communication with the energy-harvesting device over the wireless communication network based on a scheduling policy that considers the energy storage information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the circuitry to receive is to receive the energy storage information by receiving signaling sent by the energy-harvesting device;

the energy storage information includes energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device; and

the scheduling policy considers the energy storage capacity and the energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the circuitry to receive is to receive the energy storage information by receiving the energy storage information periodically in scheduled slots.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the circuitry to receive is to receive the energy storage information by receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message including the energy storage information based on occurrence of an event.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the energy storage information comprises one or more bits that correspond with a nominal value of an energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

17. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to send energy storage information of user equipment to a network device of a wireless communication network, wherein the energy storage information includes an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device; and

circuitry to receive communication over the wireless network, wherein the communication is scheduled with the energy-harvesting device based on a scheduling policy that considers the energy storage information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the energy storage information identifies an energy source of the energy-harvesting device, an energy-harvesting pattern of the energy-harvesting device, an energy storage capability of the energy-harvesting device or an energy storage capacity of the energy-harvesting device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the circuitry to send is to send the energy storage information during device capability negotiation between the energy-harvesting device and the wireless communication network.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the circuitry to send is to send the energy storage information in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the energy storage information includes energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device; and

the scheduling policy considers energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the scheduling policy further considers instantaneous data rate of the energy-harvesting device or an average data rate of the energy-harvesting device;

the scheduling policy applies a first weight factor for considering the energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device; and

the scheduling policy applies a second weight factor for considering the instantaneous date rate or the average data rate of the energy-harvesting device.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a cellular network configured to operate in accordance with a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) protocol.

24. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a network device of a wireless communication network to:

receive a message from user equipment, the message including an indication that the user equipment is an energy-harvesting device; and

differentiate the energy-harvesting device from other non-energy-harvesting devices in the wireless communication network based on the indication,

wherein the message identifies an energy-harvesting pattern of the energy-harvesting device.

25. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the message identifies an energy source of the energy-harvesting device.

26. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the message identifies an energy storage capability or capacity of the energy-harvesting device.

27. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

28. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:

differentiate the energy-harvesting device by;

modifying a schedule for communication with the energy-harvesting device based on the indication;

using a Device Type to identify the energy-harvesting device;

or

allocating a portion of a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) to identify the energy-harvesting device.

29. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:

schedule communication with the energy-harvesting device over the wireless communication network based on a scheduling policy that considers energy storage capacity or energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

30. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 29, wherein the scheduling policy considers energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device and further considers instantaneous data rate of the energy-harvesting device and an average data rate of the energy-harvesting device.

31. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a network device of a wireless communication network to:

receive energy storage information of an energy-harvesting device; and

schedule communication with the energy-harvesting device over the wireless communication network based on a scheduling policy that considers the energy storage information.

32. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein the energy storage information includes energy storage capacity and energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device;

and

the scheduling policy considers the energy storage capacity and the energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.

33. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to receive the energy storage information by receiving the energy storage information periodically in scheduled slots.

34. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein the energy storage information comprises one or more bits that correspond with a nominal value of an energy storage level of the energy-harvesting device.