Power efficient communications

• US 9,544,004 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• 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:
  US13/045,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20110222613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/260, 375/295, 375/316, 375/219
• 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 transmitting 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;

a power efficient transmitter, 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 and capable of a data transmission rate, wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power; and

a power efficient receiver 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 and operable to receive data at a data reception rate determined, at least in part, by the output power available to the receiver from the electrical power source;

wherein a range between the transmitter and the receiver is determined from the data transmission rate of the transmitter, and

wherein a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value is not needed to estimate the range.

2. A wireless transmitting 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 transmitter, 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 and capable of a data transmission rate;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power, and

wherein the ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the output power available from the electrical power source by the transmitter to transmit the data is minimized in order to maximize a portion of the available output power used by the transmitter to transmit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein minimization of the ratio of peak-to-average power consumed by the transmitter provides for an increased data transmission rate.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein minimization of the ratio of peak-to-average power consumed by the transmitter increases a transmission range of the transmitter.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein minimization of the ratio of peak-to-average power consumed by the transmitter provides for available output power used by the transmitter to transmit the data to be reduced.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the data transmission rate of the transmitter is increased.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a transmission range of the transmitter is increased.

8. A wireless transmitting system, comprising:

an electrical power source, capable of producing an available output power; and

a transmitter, capable of a data transmission rate;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power,

wherein a ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the output power available from the electrical power source by the transmitter to transmit the data is minimized in order to maximize a portion of the available output power used by the transmitter to transmit, wherein minimization of the ratio of peak-to-average power consumed by the transmitter provides for the power used by the transmitter to transmit the data to be reduced and

wherein the transmitter further comprises;

a synthesizer;

a controlled oscillator; and

a sequencer operable to generate a plurality of enable signals that control operation of the synthesizer, the controlled oscillator, and a transmit signal path of the transmitter,

wherein the sequencer is operable to selectively control operation of the transmitter to prevent simultaneous operation of the synthesizer and the transmit signal path during a transmit period of the transmitter.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sequencer operable to generate a first enable signal that enables the synthesizer, a second enable signal that enables the controlled oscillator, and a third enable signal that enables the transmit signal path of the transmitter and wherein during a warm-up period of the transmitter the sequencer is operable to activate the first enable signal to enable the synthesizer and the second enable signal to enable the controlled oscillator, wait until the synthesizer is locked, and deactivate the first enable signal and activate the third enable signal to enable the transmit signal path during the transmit period of the transmitter, and deactivate the second enable signal and the third enable signal following the transmit period of the transmitter.

10. A wireless transmitting system, comprising:

an electrical power source, capable of producing an available output power; and

a transmitter, capable of a data transmission rate;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power,

wherein a ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the output power available from the electrical power source by the transmitter to transmit the data is minimized in order to maximize a portion of the available output power used by the transmitter to transmit, wherein minimization of the ratio of peak-to-average power consumed by the transmitter provides for the power used by the transmitter to transmit the data to be reduced, and

wherein the transmitter is operable to reduce the power used by the transmitter to transmit the data by selective control of the operation of a microcomputer and the transmitter to prevent simultaneous operation of the microcomputer and the transmitter during a transmit period of the transmitter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the microcomputer places a prepared data packet in a transmit buffer while the transmitter is in a transmitter sleep mode and goes into a microcomputer sleep mode after placement of the prepared data packet in the transmit buffer and herein the transmitter wakes up and transmits the prepared data packet and returns to the transmitter sleep mode following transmittal of the prepared data packet.

12. A wireless transmitting 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 transmitter, 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 and capable of a data transmission rate;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power and

wherein the transmitter is operable to predict a future value of the available output power and in accordance with the predicted change in available output power to change one or more of the transmit power of the transmitter and the data transmission rate of the transmitter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein prior to transmitting data the transmitter is operable to change one or more of the transmit power of the transmitter and a data transmission rate of the transmitter in accordance with the predicted future value of the available output power of the electrical power source.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further operable to notify a receiver of the system of the changed data transmission rate of the transmitter.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitter predicts a future value of the available output power of the electrical power source using a plurality of prior values of the available output power of the electrical power source.

16. A wireless transmitting system, comprising:

an electrical power source, capable of producing an available output power; and

a transmitter, capable of a data transmission rate;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power,

wherein the transmitter is operable to predict a future value of the available output power and in accordance with the predicted change in available output power to change one or more of the transmit power of the transmitter and the data transmission rate of the transmitter, and

wherein the transmitter predicts a future value of the available output power of the electrical power source using a predictive algorithm comprising one or more of a one curve-fitting technique, a linear extrapolation, a non-linear extrapolation, and a heuristic.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein in accordance with the predictive algorithm, the transmitter is operable to collect at a plurality of times T₋

n the available output power P<sub>−

n</sub> of the electrical power source, determine a linear rate of change m of the available output power in accordance with

18. A wireless transmitting system, comprising:

an electrical power source, capable of producing an available output power; and

a transmitter, capable of a data transmission rate and configured in operation to enable a ratio of peak-to-average power consumption of the available output power of the electrical power source to be minimized and to enable energy consumption of the available output power of the electrical power source to be maximized per unit time;

wherein the data transmission rate is determined, at least in part, by the available output power;

wherein to optimize the data transmission over a communication link the transmitter is operable to transmit a plurality of consecutive data packets over the communication link at a test data transmission rate and determine whether each data packet of the plurality of consecutive data packets was successfully transmitted at the test data transmission rate, wherein if each data packet of the plurality of consecutive data packets was successfully transmitted at the test data transmission rate, the transmitter is operable to increase the test data transmission rate by a predetermined multiplier to an increased test data transmission rate if the test data transmission rate is not a maximum data transmission rate of the communication link and

wherein if one or more of the data packets of the plurality of consecutive data packets was not successfully transmitted at the test data transmission rate, then upon determination that a first data packet of the one or more of the data packets of the plurality of consecutive data packets was not successfully transmitted the transmitter is operable to reduce the test data transmission rate by a predetermined divider to a reduced test data transmission rate and transmit the first data packet of the one or more data packets of the plurality of consecutive data packets at the reduced test data transmission rate.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the transmitter determines whether the plurality of consecutive data packets were successfully transmitted by determining whether an acknowledge message is received for each data packet of the plurality of consecutive data packets transmitted.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein before transmitting the plurality of data packets over the communication link, the transmitter is operable to determine a maximum data transmission rate of the communication link and transmit the plurality of data packets over the communication link at the maximum determined data transmission rate.