iB86/docs/WiFiKeepAliveFeature.md

WiFi Keep-Alive Feature

Overview

This document describes the implementation of the WiFi keep-alive feature in the robot application. The feature prevents frequent WiFi disconnections by using Android's WifiLock mechanism to keep the WiFi radio awake even when the device is idle.

Implementation Details

WiFiKeepAliveManager

The core component of this feature is the WiFiKeepAliveManager class, which manages the WifiLock lifecycle:

1. Initialization: Acquires WifiManager and creates WifiLock
2. Network Monitoring: Listens to network state changes using NetworkStateMonitor
3. WifiLock Management: Acquires lock when WiFi is connected, releases when disconnected
4. Resource Cleanup: Properly releases resources when destroyed

Integration

The WiFiKeepAliveManager is integrated into the MainActivity and is initialized during the application startup. It's destroyed when the application is terminated.

Permissions

The following permissions were added to AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />

The following permissions were already present:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE" />

Key Components

WiFiKeepAliveManager.java

Located at: app/src/main/java/com/ismart/ib86/feature/network/WiFiKeepAliveManager.java

Main methods:

• initialize(): Sets up network state monitoring
• acquireWifiLock(): Acquires the WiFi lock when WiFi is connected
• releaseWifiLock(): Releases the WiFi lock when WiFi is disconnected
• destroy(): Cleans up resources

Integration in MainActivity.java

The WiFiKeepAliveManager is initialized in the initNetworkStateManager() method and destroyed in the onDestroy() method of MainActivity.

Testing

A unit test class WiFiKeepAliveManagerTest.java has been created to test the functionality:

• Test creation of the manager
• Test acquiring WiFi lock
• Test releasing WiFi lock
• Test destroying the manager

Located at: app/src/test/java/com/ismart/ib86/feature/network/WiFiKeepAliveManagerTest.java

Benefits

1. Stable WiFi Connection: Prevents frequent WiFi disconnections
2. Continuous Network Communication: Ensures stable network connectivity for robot functionalities
3. Automatic Management: Automatically acquires and releases WiFi lock based on network state
4. Resource Efficient: Only holds WiFi lock when WiFi is connected

Performance Considerations

1. Battery Impact: Using WifiLock will increase battery consumption as WiFi radio remains active
2. Optimization: Only acquire WifiLock when WiFi is connected, release when disconnected
3. Android Version Compatibility: Handles differences in WiFi management across Android versions

Error Handling

The implementation includes proper error handling:

• Handles cases where WifiLock cannot be acquired
• Gracefully handles missing permissions
• Logs errors for debugging and monitoring