Power efficient communications

• US 9,461,689 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise Micro Devices, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sunrise Micro Devices, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Callaway, Edgar H. Jr., Gorday, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): KASSA, ZEWDU A
• Application Number:
  US13/649,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20130058423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/260, 375/316, 375/219, 375/295
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2614 Peak power aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/748 Negotiation of resources, e.g. modification of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method, system, and device provide power-efficient communications within the context of available power. Transmission and receipt data rates are scalable in accordance with output power available from a power source. Data is transmitted at a data rate determined, at least in part, by the available output power.

Claims

1. A wireless system, comprising:

an energy harvesting electrical power source, capable of producing an available output power for an indefinite period of time and having a defined peak power characteristic; and

a power efficient receiver configured in operation to enable a ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be minimized and to enable energy consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be maximized per unit time, the receiver capable of a data reception rate determined, at least in part, by the available output power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data reception rate is determined such that a reception range of the receiver is constant as the available output power varies.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

an electrical power monitoring circuit coupled to the receiver and operable to monitor a power level of the available output power supplied to the receiver by the electrical power source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a controller coupled to the receiver that controls the receiver such that the power drawn by the receiver is less than the available output power.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system further comprises:

a power efficient transmitter configured in operation to enable the ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be minimized and to enable energy consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be maximized per unit time, the transmitter operable to transmit to the receiver the data received by the receiver at the data reception rate, wherein the data transmission rate of the transmitter is determined, at least in part, by the available output power from the electrical power source, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the controller and the controller controls the transmitter to keep the power drawn by the transmitter from the electrical power source less than the available output power.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a power efficient transmitter configured in operation to enable the ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be minimized and to enable energy consumption of the available output power of the energy harvesting power source to be maximized per unit time, the transmitter operable to transmit data at a data transmission rate to the receiver, wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a range between the transmitter and the receiver is estimated from the data reception rate of the receiver.