IP Library › Granted Patent US 12677216

Granted Patent B2

US 12677216 · App. 18/529,833 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Systems and methods for management of network congestion

Inventor: Ryan Michael Cunningham (Haddon Heights, NJ)

Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

H04W52/0209 G01S5/0284 H04B17/336 H04W74/0808

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12677216
App. No.: 18/529,833
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Methods and systems are for managing congestion in a network of devices are disclosed. A method may comprise identifying one or more battery-operated devices. A signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) for each battery-operated device may be determined. Based on the SNR and SIR of each battery-operated device, a battery loss using clear channel assessment (CCA) and a battery savings using CCA may be determined. A total battery savings may be compared to a total battery loss to determine that the total battery savings is greater than the total battery loss. Based on the determination that the total battery savings is greater than the total battery loss, a noise may be generated to block transmission from the one or more battery-operated devices.

Claims (81)

1 . A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, that at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in a clear channel assessment (CCA) mode, is associated with a battery savings;

determining, by the computing device, that at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with a battery loss; and

causing, based on the battery savings being greater than the battery loss, generation of a noise to cause the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device to operate in the CCA mode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery savings, comprises determining that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy a first threshold associated with the at least one first battery-operated device, and

wherein determining that the at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery loss, comprises determining that at least one of a SNR or a SIR associated with the at least one second battery-operated device does not satisfy a second threshold associated with the at least one second battery-operated device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the SNR and the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy the first threshold comprises:

comparing the SNR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold; and

based on the SNR satisfying the first threshold, comparing the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one first battery-operated device, and wherein the second threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one second battery-operated device.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the battery savings by subtracting an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device during normal transmission from an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device operating in CCA mode.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the SNR and the SIR for the at least one first battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device; and

determining the SNR and the SIR for the at least one second battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the computing device comprises two or more antennas, and wherein the distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device is determined by:

determining an angle between the at least one first battery-operated device and the computing device, wherein the angle is determined using an angle of arrival (AoA) for a signal transmitted from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device, and wherein the distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device is determined by:

determining an angle between the at least one second battery-operated device and the computing device, wherein the angle is determined using an AoA for a signal transmitted from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device comprises at least one of a Wi-Fi device, a ZigBee device, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device, or a Thread device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the noise comprises a continuous waveform.

10 . A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:

determine that at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in a clear channel assessment (CCA) mode, is associated with a battery savings;

determine that at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with a battery loss; and

cause, based on the battery savings being greater than the battery loss, generation of a noise to cause the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device to operate in the CCA mode.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine that the at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery savings, cause the device to determine that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy a first threshold associated with the at least one first battery-operated device, and

wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine that the at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery loss, cause the device to determine that at least one of a SNR or a SIR associated with the at least one second battery-operated device does not satisfy a second threshold associated with the at least one second battery-operated device.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine that the SNR and the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy the first threshold cause the device to:

compare the SNR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold; and

based on the SNR satisfying the first threshold, compare the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the first threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one first battery-operated device, and wherein the second threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one second battery-operated device.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to determine the battery savings by subtracting an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device during normal transmission from an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device operating in CCA mode.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to determine the SNR and the SIR for the at least one first battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the device; and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to determine the SNR and the SIR for the at least one second battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the device.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the device comprises two or more antennas, and wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine the distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the device cause the device to:

determine an angle between the at least one first battery-operated device and the device, wherein the angle is determined using an angle of arrival (AoA) for a signal transmitted from the at least one first battery-operated device to the device, and

wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine the distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the device cause the device to:

determine an angle between the at least one second battery-operated device and the device, wherein the angle is determined using an AoA for a signal transmitted from the at least one second battery-operated device to the device.

17 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device comprises at least one of a Wi-Fi device, a ZigBee device, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device, or a Thread device.

18 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the noise comprises a continuous waveform.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:

determining, by a computing device, that at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in a clear channel assessment (CCA) mode, is associated with a battery savings;

determining, by the computing device, that at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with a battery loss; and

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein determining that the at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery savings, comprises determining that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy a first threshold associated with the at least one first battery-operated device, and

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein determining that the SNR and the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy the first threshold comprises:

comparing the SNR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold; and

based on the SNR satisfying the first threshold, comparing the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold.

22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the first threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one first battery-operated device, and wherein the second threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one second battery-operated device.

23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause determining the battery savings by subtracting an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device during normal transmission from an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device operating in CCA mode.

24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

determining the SNR and the SIR for the at least one first battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device; and

determining the SNR and the SIR for the at least one second battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device.

25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the computing device comprises two or more antennas, and wherein the distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device is determined by:

wherein the distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device is determined by:

26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device comprises at least one of a Wi-Fi device, a ZigBee device, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device, or a Thread device.

27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the noise comprises a continuous waveform.

28 . A system comprising:

a plurality of battery-operated devices; and

a computing device configured to:

determine that at least one first battery-operated device of the plurality of battery-operated devices, when operating in a clear channel assessment (CCA) mode, is associated with a battery savings;

determine that at least one second battery-operated device of the plurality of battery-operated devices, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with a battery loss; and

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine that the at least one first battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery savings by determining that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy a first threshold associated with the at least one first battery-operated device, and

wherein the computing device is configured to determine that the at least one second battery-operated device, when operating in the CCA mode, is associated with the battery loss by determining that at least one of a SNR or a SIR associated with the at least one second battery-operated device does not satisfy a second threshold associated with the at least one second battery-operated device.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein determining that the SNR and the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device both satisfy the first threshold comprises:

comparing the SNR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold; and

based on the SNR satisfying the first threshold, comparing the SIR associated with the at least one first battery-operated device to the first threshold.

31 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the first threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one first battery-operated device, and wherein the second threshold is determined based on a modulation used by the at least one second battery-operated device.

32 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the computing device is further configured to determine the battery savings by subtracting an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device during normal transmission from an energy use associated with the at least one first battery-operated device operating in CCA mode.

33 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine the SNR and the SIR for the at least one first battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device; and

determine the SNR and the SIR for the at least one second battery-operated device based on a distance from the at least one second first battery-operated device to the computing device.

34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the computing device comprises two or more antennas, and wherein the computing device is configured to determine the distance from the at least one first battery-operated device to the computing device by:

wherein the computing device is configured to determine the distance from the at least one second battery-operated device to the computing device by:

35 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the at least one first battery-operated device and the at least one second battery-operated device comprises at least one of a Wi-Fi device, a ZigBee device, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device, or a Thread device.

36 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the noise comprises a continuous waveform.