Power savings within communication systems
View Patent ↗A communication device is implemented to perform signal processing based on different dynamic ranges at different times. The device can operate with a first, relatively larger dynamic range during normal operations, and with a second, relatively smaller dynamic range during reduced power or sleep mode operations. The relatively smaller dynamic range may have a relatively higher noise floor than the larger dynamic range. Generally, any desired number of different dynamic ranges may be used at different times and based on different operating conditions. The communication device can include functionality associated with two or more transceivers to support communications based on two or more power modes (e.g., a full power mode, a reduced power mode or a sleep mode, etc.). The communication device may alternatively include two or more separate transceivers to support such communications. An unused transceiver or transceiver functionality may be turned off to provide power savings.
1. A communication device comprising:
a communication interface configured to support communications with another communication device based on a plurality of dynamic ranges and based on time slice broadcasting; and
a processor configured to:
direct the communication interface to operate based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges when the communication interface receives a first burst of the time slice broadcasting; and
direct the communication interface to operate based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges that is smaller than the first dynamic range when the communication interface receives a second burst of the time slice broadcasting.
2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
receive the first burst of the time slice broadcasting based on a first service flow provided from the another communication device at a first rate and the second burst of the time slice broadcasting based on a second service flow provided from the another communication device at a second rate that is lower than the first rate.
3. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to:
perform digital sampling of the communications based on the first dynamic range using a first number of bits; and
perform digital sampling of the communications based on the second dynamic range using a second number of bits that is fewer than the first number of bits.
4. The communication device of claim 1 further comprising:
a cable modem, wherein the another communication device is a cable headend transmitter or a cable modem termination system (CMTS).
5. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
support the communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
6. A communication device comprising:
a first transceiver configured to support first communications with another communication device based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range, wherein the first transceiver includes a first analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to perform digital sampling of the first communications based on the first dynamic range using first number of bits;
a second transceiver configured to support second communications with the another communication device when the first transceiver operates in a reduced power mode or a sleep and based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range that is smaller than the first dynamic range, the second transceiver includes a second ADC configured to perform digital sampling of the second communications based on the second dynamic range using a second number of bits that is fewer than the first number of bits; and
a processor configured to awaken the first transceiver from the reduced power mode or the sleep mode to the first power mode when the second transceiver receives a control signal from the another communication device.
7. The communication device of claim 6 further comprising:
a cable modem, wherein the another communication device is a cable headend transmitter or a cable modem termination system (CMTS).
8. The communication device of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first transceiver or the second transceiver is further configured to:
support the communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
9. A method for execution by a communication device, the method comprising:
via a communication interface of the communication device, supporting first communications with another communication device based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range of a plurality of dynamic ranges and based on the first power mode when receiving a first burst of a time slice broadcast; and
via the communication interface of the communication device, supporting second communications with the another communication device based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges that is smaller than the first dynamic range and based on the second power mode when receiving a second burst of the time slice broadcast.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
operating an analog to digital converter (ADC) of the communication interface to perform digital sampling of the first communications based on the first dynamic range using a first number of bits; and
operating the ADC of the communication interface to perform digital sampling of the second communications based on the second dynamic range using a second number of bits that is fewer than the first number of bits.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the communication device is a cable modem, and the another communication device is a cable headend transmitter or a cable modem termination system (CMTS).
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
operating the communication interface of the communication device to support at least one of the first communications or the second communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
13. A communication device comprising:
a communication interface configured to support communications with another communication device based on a plurality of dynamic ranges, wherein the communication interface includes a first transceiver configured to support first communications based on a first service flow with the another communication device and a second transceiver configured to support second communications based on a second service flow with the another communication device; and
a processor configured to:
direct the communication interface to operate based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges; and
direct the communication interface to operate based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges that is smaller than the first dynamic range.
14. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
awaken the second transceiver from a reduced power mode or a sleep mode to the first power mode when the first transceiver receives a control signal from the another communication device via a control channel.
15. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
support the communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
16. A communication device comprising:
a first transceiver configured to support first communications with another communication device based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range and based on a first service flow with the another communication device that has a first rate;
a second transceiver configured to support second communications with the another communication device when the first transceiver operates in a reduced power mode or a sleep and based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range that is smaller than the first dynamic range and based on a second service flow with the another communication device that includes synchronization with the another communication device via a control channel that has a second rate that is lower than the first rate; and
a processor configured to awaken the first transceiver from the reduced power mode or the sleep mode to the first power mode when the second transceiver receives a control signal from the another communication device.
17. The communication device of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first transceiver or the second transceiver is further configured to:
support the communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.
18. A method for execution by a communication device, the method comprising:
via a communication interface of the communication device, supporting first communications with another communication device based on a first power mode that uses a first dynamic range of a plurality of dynamic ranges;
via the communication interface of the communication device, supporting second communications with the another communication device based on a second power mode that uses a second dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges that is smaller than the first dynamic range;
operating a first transceiver of the communication device to support the first communications based on a first service flow with the another communication device; and
operating a second transceiver of the communication device configured to support the second communications based on a second service flow with the another communication device.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
awakening the second transceiver from a reduced power mode or a sleep mode to the first power mode when operating the first transceiver to receive a control signal from the another communication device via a control channel.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
operating the communication interface of the communication device to support at least one of the first or second communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.