# US 2019/0246353 A1 · Methods and apparatus to control communication data rates of low-energy devices

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- Number: US 2019/0246353 A1
- Document ID: US20190246353A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/372,364
- Filed: 2019-04-01
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-02
- Assignees: Fisher Controls International LLC
- Applicants: Fisher Controls International LLC
- Inventors: Kurtis K. Jensen; Kenneth William Junk; Gregory Robert Bulleit
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246353A1

## CPC

- H04W 52/0225: {using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal}
- G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence)
- G06F 9/4893: {taking into account power or heat criteria (power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206)}
- H04B 1/40: Circuits
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- H04L 67/62: Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- H04W 8/04: Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
- G05B 2219/25186: Bluetooth®
- G05B 2219/2639: Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
- H04L 69/18: Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
- H04W 12/10: Integrity
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to control communication data rates of low-energy devices. An example apparatus includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio, and a power manager to determine whether to divide a first computation task into at least a second and a third computation task based on (1) energy stored in a power supply associated with the BLE radio and (2) a charging rate of the power supply, and when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio and the first computation task is divided based on the determination, instruct the BLE radio to enter a sleep mode after the second computation task is executed, and invoke the BLE radio to transition from the sleep mode to an operating mode to execute the third computation task, the invoking in response to a measurement associated with the power supply satisfying an energy threshold.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus to manage a power profile of a network bridge of a field device in a process control environment, the apparatus comprising:
a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio; and
a power manager to:
determine whether to divide a first computation task into at least a second computation task and a third computation task based on (1) energy stored in a power supply associated with the BLE radio and (2) a charging rate of the power supply; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio and the first computation task is divided based on the determination:
instruct the BLE radio to enter a sleep mode after the second computation task is executed; and
invoke the BLE radio to transition from the sleep mode to an operating mode to execute the third computation task, the invoking in response to a measurement associated with the power supply satisfying an energy threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement is a first measurement and the energy threshold is a high-energy threshold, and further including:
an input/output interface to:
obtain a first interrupt from a first comparator, the first comparator is to compare the first measurement to the high-energy threshold; and
obtain a second interrupt from a second comparator, the second comparator is to compare a second measurement associated with the power supply to a low-energy threshold; and
the power manager is to:
instruct the BLE radio to enter the operating mode when the first interrupt indicates the first measurement satisfies the high-energy threshold; and
direct the BLE radio to enter the sleep mode when the second interrupt indicates the second measurement does not satisfy the low-energy threshold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, further including a BLE stack handler to:
assign a first data rate to the BLE radio when the charging rate is a first charging rate;
adjust the first data rate to a second data rate for the BLE radio when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the second data rate less than the first data rate; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio, facilitate communication of data between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device based on the second data rate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the BLE stack handler is to adjust the first data rate to the second data rate by adjusting at least one of (1) a first data quantity to a second data quantity to be communicated during a radiofrequency operation, or (2) a first data interval to a second data interval, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the field device is to charge the power supply, and the power manager is to:
determine a first charging rate of the power supply based on first data in a data buffer, the field device to write the first data to the data buffer;
determine a power budget associated with the BLE radio based on the first charging rate; and
adjust the power budget when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate when the field device writes second data to the data buffer, the second charging rate different from the first charging rate, the second data different from the first data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further including a BLE stack handler to:
instruct the BLE radio to execute the second computation task by facilitating communication of a first data quantity between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device at a first data interval when the charging rate is a first charging rate; and
instruct the BLE radio to execute the second computation by facilitating communication of a second data quantity between the BLE radio and the device at a second data interval when the charging rate is a second charging rate, the second data quantity less than the first data quantity, the second data interval longer than the first data interval, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy threshold is a first energy threshold corresponding to a first energy quantity stored by the power supply, the first computation task is not to be executed by the BLE radio, and the power manager is to:
determine that a first task queue having a first priority includes the first computation task;
determine that a second task queue having a second priority includes a fourth computation task, the first priority greater than the second priority;
calculate a second energy quantity to execute the first computation task;
calculate a third energy quantity to execute the fourth computation task;
determine a difference between the first energy quantity and a sum of the second energy quantity and the third energy quantity; and
when the difference is greater than a fourth energy quantity associated with a second energy threshold, invoke a platform manager to execute the first computation task and the fourth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at a first time, the fourth computation task to be executed at a second time after the first time, the fourth energy quantity less than the first energy quantity.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, when the difference is not greater than the fourth energy quantity, the power manager is to:
divide the fourth computation task into at least a fifth computation task and a sixth computation task;
instruct the platform manager to execute the first computation task and the fifth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at the first time, the fifth computation task to be executed at the second time; and
instruct the platform manager to execute the sixth computation task, the sixth computation task to be executed at a third time after the second time, the platform manager in the sleep mode from the second time to the third time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second computation task and the third computation task are radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio, and the power manager is to:
identify a fourth computation task to be executed, the fourth computation task not to be executed by the BLE radio;
invoke a platform manager to execute the fourth computation task when at least one of (i) the BLE radio is in a first BLE state or (ii) the power supply is in a first power supply state when the energy stored satisfies the energy threshold; and
invoke the platform manager to defer execution of the fourth computation task when at least one of (iii) the BLE radio is in a second BLE state different from the first BLE state or (iv) the power supply is in a second power supply state when the energy stored does not satisfy the energy threshold, wherein the fourth computation task is to be deferred until at least one of the BLE radio is in the first BLE state or the power supply is in the first power supply state.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of a network bridge of a field device in a process control environment to at least:
determine whether to divide a first computation task into at least a second computation task and a third computation task based on (1) energy stored in a power supply associated with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio of the network bridge and (2) a charging rate of the power supply; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio and the first computation task is divided based on the determination:
instruct the BLE radio to enter a sleep mode after the second computation task is executed; and
invoke the BLE radio to transition from the sleep mode to an operating mode to execute the third computation task, the invoking in response to a measurement associated with the power supply satisfying an energy threshold.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the measurement is a first measurement and the energy threshold is a high-energy threshold, and the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
obtain a first interrupt from a first comparator, the first comparator is to compare the first measurement to the high-energy threshold;
obtain a second interrupt from a second comparator, the second comparator is to compare a second measurement associated with the power supply to a low-energy threshold;
instruct the BLE radio to enter the operating mode when the first interrupt indicates the first measurement satisfies the high-energy threshold; and
direct the BLE radio to enter the sleep mode when the second interrupt indicates the second measurement does not satisfy the low-energy threshold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
assign a first data rate to the BLE radio when the charging rate is a first charging rate;
adjust the first data rate to a second data rate for the BLE radio when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the second data rate less than the first data rate; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio, facilitate communication of data between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device based on the second data rate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to adjust the first data rate to the second data rate by adjusting at least one of (1) a first data quantity to a second data quantity to be communicated during a radiofrequency operation, or (2) a first data interval to a second data interval, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the field device is to charge the power supply, and the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
determine a first charging rate of the power supply based on first data in a data buffer, the field device to write the first data to the data buffer;
determine a power budget associated with the BLE radio based on the first charging rate; and
adjust the power budget when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate when the field device writes second data to the data buffer, the second charging rate different from the first charging rate, the second data different from the first data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
instruct the BLE radio to execute the second computation task by facilitating communication of a first data quantity between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device at a first data interval when the charging rate is a first charging rate; and
instruct the BLE radio to execute the second computation by facilitating communication of a second data quantity between the BLE radio and the device at a second data interval when the charging rate is a second charging rate, the second data quantity less than the first data quantity, the second data interval longer than the first data interval, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the energy threshold is a first energy threshold corresponding to a first energy quantity stored by the power supply, the first computation task is not to be executed by the BLE radio, and the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
determine that a first task queue having a first priority includes the first computation task;
determine that a second task queue having a second priority includes a fourth computation task, the first priority greater than the second priority;
calculate a second energy quantity to execute the first computation task;
calculate a third energy quantity to execute the fourth computation task;
determine a difference between the first energy quantity and a sum of the second energy quantity and the third energy quantity; and
when the difference is greater than a fourth energy quantity associated with a second energy threshold, execute the first computation task and the fourth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at a first time, the fourth computation task to be executed at a second time after the first time, the fourth energy quantity less than the first energy quantity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, when the difference is not greater than the fourth energy quantity, the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
divide the fourth computation task into at least a fifth computation task and a sixth computation task;
execute the first computation task and the fifth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at the first time, the fifth computation task to be executed at the second time; and
execute the sixth computation task, the sixth computation task to be executed at a third time after the second time, the at least one processor in the sleep mode from the second time to the third time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the second computation task and the third computation task are radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio, and the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
identify a fourth computation task to be executed, the fourth computation task not to be executed by the BLE radio;
execute the fourth computation task when at least one of (i) the BLE radio is in a first BLE state or (ii) the power supply is in a first power supply state when the energy stored satisfies the energy threshold; and
defer execution of the fourth computation task when at least one of (iii) the BLE radio is in a second BLE state different from the first BLE state or (iv) the power supply is in a second power supply state when the energy stored does not satisfy the energy threshold, wherein the fourth computation task is to be deferred until at least one of the BLE radio is in the first BLE state or the power supply is in the first power supply state.

### Claim 19

A method to manage a power profile of a network bridge of a field device in a process control environment, the method comprising:
determining whether to divide a first computation task into at least a second computation task and a third computation task based on (1) energy stored in a power supply associated with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio of the network bridge and (2) a charging rate of the power supply; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio and the first computation task is divided based on the determination:
instructing the BLE radio to enter a sleep mode after the second computation task is executed; and
invoking the BLE radio to transition from the sleep mode to an operating mode to execute the third computation task, the invoking in response to a measurement associated with the power supply satisfying an energy threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the measurement is a first measurement and the energy threshold is a high-energy threshold, and further including:
obtaining a first interrupt from a first comparator, the first comparator to compare the first measurement to the high-energy threshold;
obtaining a second interrupt from a second comparator, the second comparator to compare a second measurement associated with the power supply to a low-energy threshold;
instructing the BLE radio to enter the operating mode when the first interrupt indicates the first measurement satisfies the high-energy threshold; and
directing the BLE radio to enter the sleep mode when the second interrupt indicates the second measurement does not satisfy the low-energy threshold.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further including:
assigning a first data rate to the BLE radio when the charging rate is a first charging rate;
adjusting the first data rate to a second data rate for the BLE radio when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the second data rate less than the first data rate; and
when the first computation task is to be executed by the BLE radio, facilitating communication of data between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device based on the second data rate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting the first data rate to the second data rate includes adjusting at least one of (1) a first data quantity to a second data quantity to be communicated during a radiofrequency operation, or (2) a first data interval to a second data interval, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the field device is to charge the power supply, and further including:
determining a first charging rate of the power supply based on first data in a data buffer, the field device to write the first data to the data buffer;
determining a power budget associated with the BLE radio based on the first charging rate; and
adjusting the power budget when the first charging rate is changed to a second charging rate when the field device writes second data to the data buffer, the second charging rate different from the first charging rate, the second data different from the first data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further including:
instructing the BLE radio to execute the second computation task by facilitating communication of a first data quantity between the BLE radio and a device separate from the field device at a first data interval when the charging rate is a first charging rate; and
instructing the BLE radio to execute the second computation by facilitating communication of a second data quantity between the BLE radio and the device at a second data interval when the charging rate is a second charging rate, the second data quantity less than the first data quantity, the second data interval longer than the first data interval, the second charging rate less than the first charging rate, the first data interval and the second data interval corresponding to time durations between radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio.

### Claim 25 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the energy threshold is a first energy threshold corresponding to a first energy quantity stored by the power supply, the first computation task is not to be executed by the BLE radio, and further including:
determining that a first task queue having a first priority includes the first computation task;
determining that a second task queue having a second priority includes a fourth computation task, the first priority greater than the second priority;
calculating a second energy quantity to execute the first computation task;
calculating a third energy quantity to execute the fourth computation task;
determining a difference between the first energy quantity and a sum of the second energy quantity and the third energy quantity; and
when the difference is greater than a fourth energy quantity associated with a second energy threshold, executing the first computation task and the fourth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at a first time, the fourth computation task to be executed at a second time after the first time, the fourth energy quantity less than the first energy quantity.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, when the difference is not greater than the fourth energy quantity, further including:
dividing the fourth computation task into at least a fifth computation task and a sixth computation task;
executing the first computation task and the fifth computation task, the first computation task to be executed at the first time, the fifth computation task to be executed at the second time; and
executing the sixth computation task, the sixth computation task to be executed at a third time after the second time, the network bridge in the sleep mode from the second time to the third time.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the second computation task and the third computation task are radiofrequency operations of the BLE radio, and further including:
identifying a fourth computation task to be executed, the fourth computation task not to be executed by the BLE radio;
executing the fourth computation task when at least one of (i) the BLE radio is in a first BLE state or (ii) the power supply is in a first power supply state when the energy stored satisfies the energy threshold; and
deferring execution of the fourth computation task when at least one of (iii) the BLE radio is in a second BLE state different from the first BLE state or (iv) the power supply is in a second power supply state when the energy stored does not satisfy the energy threshold, wherein the fourth computation task is to be deferred until at least one of the BLE radio is in the first BLE state or the power supply is in the first power supply state.