Wireless interference mitigation method, device and program product

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method, device and program product. The method comprises: a first device comprising a WiFi module and a Zigbee module, such as a wireless router, an AP or a Zigbee-enabled FTTR product, etc., sending a negotiation request comprising beacon frame period information to a Zigbee terminal; receiving information of one or more target periods determined by the Zigbee terminal according to the information and returned by the Zigbee terminal; reducing the transmission power of the beacon frame in the target period, and receiving signaling and / or data sent by the Zigbee terminal in the beacon frame of the target period. The present disclosure determines the target period by negotiation and reduces the power of the beacon frame, so that WiFi and Zigbee can communicate simultaneously, suppress sidelobe interference, and improve communication efficiency without sacrificing WiFi throughput.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a wireless interference suppression method, device, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] Zigbee is a low-power wireless communication technology designed for the Internet of Things (IoT), based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard; WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) is a wireless local area network technology based on the IEEE 802.11 series. With the development of IoT, operators tend to integrate Zigbee gateway functionality into WiFi routers or access points (APs) to reduce deployment costs and simplify management. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method, apparatus, and program product.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a wireless interference suppression method, applied to a first device including a WiFi module and a Zigbee module, comprising:

[0005] Send a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal. The negotiation request includes the beacon frame period information of the WiFi module.

[0006] Receive negotiation response sent by Zigbee terminal, the negotiation response including information of one or more target periods determined by Zigbee terminal from beacon frame periods of WiFi module based on beacon frame period information;

[0007] Reduce the transmit power of the WiFi module during one or more target periods, and receive signaling and / or data sent by the Zigbee terminal during the target periods.

[0008] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a wireless interference suppression method applied to a Zigbee terminal, comprising:

[0009] A negotiation request is received from a first device, which includes a WiFi module and a Zigbee module. The negotiation request includes beacon frame period information of the WiFi module.

[0010] One or more target periods are determined from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information;

[0011] Send a negotiation response to the first device, the negotiation response containing information about one or more target periods;

[0012] During one or more target cycles, signaling and / or data are sent to the first device.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a network device, including a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the first aspect.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal device, including a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the second aspect.

[0015] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the first aspect, or implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the second aspect.

[0016] Based on the wireless interference suppression method, device, and program products provided in this disclosure, a first device (such as a router or access point) and a Zigbee terminal negotiate to determine a target period within the beacon frame period of WiFi. During the target period, the first device reduces the beacon frame transmission power of the WiFi module to reduce sidelobe interference to the Zigbee channel. Simultaneously, the Zigbee terminal transmits signaling and / or data within the beacon frames of the target period. Therefore, WiFi and Zigbee communication can occur simultaneously, solving the sidelobe interference problem of WiFi signals to Zigbee signals without sacrificing WiFi throughput, thereby improving overall communication efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments disclosed herein:

[0018] Figure 1 A flowchart of a wireless interference suppression method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a target period provided for an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 3 A flowchart of another wireless interference suppression method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0021] Figure 4 A flowchart of some steps in another wireless interference suppression method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0022] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram illustrating the transmission of Zigbee signaling and / or data within a target period, provided by an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 6 A flowchart of another wireless interference suppression method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0024] Figure 7 A block diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a block diagram of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 9 An interactive flowchart of another wireless interference suppression method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this disclosure, the wireless interference suppression method, device, and program products provided in the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the embodiments shown may be embodied in different forms, and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth below. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the disclosure.

[0029] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the detailed embodiments to explain this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. These and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of detailed embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Unless otherwise specified, each embodiment and feature of this disclosure may be used individually or in combination with other embodiments and features thereof.

[0031] Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to the embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the scope of this disclosure as set forth by the appended claims.

[0032] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. The term "and / or" as used in this disclosure includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated enumerated entries. The singular forms "a" and "the" as used in this disclosure are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprising," "made of," etc., as used in this disclosure specify the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0033] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used in this disclosure (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless expressly so defined in this disclosure.

[0034] Zigbee is a low-power, low-cost, low-data-rate wireless communication technology designed specifically for the Internet of Things (IoT), based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. WiFi is a wireless local area network (WLAN) technology based on the IEEE 802.11 series. With the development of IoT, operators tend to integrate Zigbee gateway functionality into WiFi routers or access points (APs) to reduce deployment costs and simplify management. However, both Zigbee and WiFi operate in the 2.4GHz frequency band, and their channels overlap. Even after channel offsetting, the isolation between the channels is still relatively small, making them prone to mutual interference.

[0035] Taking a 20MHz bandwidth WiFi 2.4GHz 11-channel signal as an example, outside the 20MHz channel range, the side lobes on both sides will produce side effects, which will interfere with the weaker Zigbee channel. In existing technologies, most solutions to the coexistence interference of WiFi and Zigbee adopt the idea of ​​time division multiplexing, allocating the air interface to WiFi and Zigbee at different times. For example, by modifying the Request to Send / Clear to Send (RTS / CTS) mechanism, Zigbee nodes can be aware of the existence of WiFi communication and back off. Alternatively, the Guarded Time Slot (GTS) mechanism in the IEEE 802.15.4 standard can be introduced to allocate dedicated communication periods between WiFi and Zigbee. Or, time can be divided into periodic "WiFi periods" and "Zigbee periods" through active negotiation. The core idea behind these solutions is to allocate air interface resources to WiFi and Zigbee at different times, which means that WiFi and Zigbee cannot communicate simultaneously even on different channels. This sacrifices WiFi throughput, impacts real-time services in WiFi, and affects communication efficiency.

[0036] To address the aforementioned issues, this disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method, device, and storage medium. A first device (such as a router or access point) and a Zigbee terminal negotiate to determine a target period within the beacon frame cycle of WiFi. During the target period, the first device reduces the beacon frame transmission power of the WiFi module to decrease sidelobe interference to the Zigbee channel. Simultaneously, the Zigbee terminal transmits signaling and / or data within the beacon frames of the target period. Therefore, WiFi and Zigbee communication can occur simultaneously, resolving the sidelobe interference problem of WiFi signals on Zigbee signals without sacrificing WiFi throughput, thereby improving overall communication efficiency.

[0037] The wireless interference suppression method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Firstly, reference Figure 1 This disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method applied to a first device comprising a WiFi module and a Zigbee module.

[0039] In some embodiments, the first device may be a wireless router, an access point (AP), or an FTTR (Fiber to the Room) product with Zigbee functionality.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0041] S101, a negotiation request is sent to the Zigbee terminal. The negotiation request includes the beacon frame period information of the WiFi module.

[0042] In some embodiments, a beacon frame is a management frame periodically sent by the first device in the WiFi module at certain time intervals to announce the existence of the wireless network. The period of the beacon frame is, for example, 100ms, meaning a beacon frame is sent once every 100ms.

[0043] In this embodiment, the beacon frame period information is used by the Zigbee terminal to understand the beacon frame transmission pattern of the WiFi module, so as to select a suitable target period as the transmission window. In some embodiments, the beacon frame period information includes at least one of the following: timing information of the WiFi module, beacon frame period, beacon frame air interface occupancy duration, or the minimum number of beacon frame periods N that the WiFi module is allowed to reduce beacon frame power.

[0044] The timing information of the WiFi module, such as its absolute timestamp, is used for clock synchronization between the Zigbee terminal and the WiFi module, ensuring that the Zigbee terminal sends signals at the correct time. The beacon frame period is used by the Zigbee terminal to determine the timing pattern of beacon frame transmission by the WiFi module. The beacon frame air interface occupancy duration limits the length of signaling and / or data transmitted by the Zigbee terminal to avoid excessive air interface resource consumption and save power. The minimum number of beacon frame periods that the WiFi module allows to reduce beacon frame power, for example, two beacon frame periods, meaning at least two beacon frame periods between adjacent target periods, ensures that the WiFi module has sufficient time to recover to normal transmission power, avoids affecting WiFi throughput due to excessively frequent power reduction, and can meet the communication needs of remote WiFi terminals.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the beacon frame period information is used by the Zigbee terminal to learn the beacon frame transmission pattern of the WiFi module, so as to select a suitable transmission window (beacon frames of the target period). The specific content of this beacon frame period information is not limited to the examples above. For example, it may include some or all of the following: WiFi module timing information, WiFi module beacon frame air interface occupancy duration, WiFi module beacon frame period, and the minimum number of beacon frame periods for which the WiFi module is allowed to reduce beacon frame power. Furthermore, in actual implementation, the beacon frame period information may also include other parameters related to the beacon frame timing, such as beacon frame timing offset parameters, period count information, or even any combination or variation of the above information. This embodiment does not limit this. Any information that enables the Zigbee terminal to understand the WiFi beacon frame timing and accordingly select a target period, determine the transmission start time, or control the transmission duration can be considered part of the beacon frame period information.

[0046] In some embodiments, in S101, sending a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal includes:

[0047] If the signal strength received by the Zigbee module from the Zigbee terminal is less than or equal to the strength threshold, a negotiation request is sent to the Zigbee terminal.

[0048] In some embodiments, the received signal strength can be measured using a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Specifically, the Zigbee module of the first device periodically detects the signal strength of all Zigbee terminals. On one hand, when the signal strength of a Zigbee terminal is greater than a strength threshold (at which point the received signal is relatively strong compared to the WiFi sidelobes and does not affect reception), the first device considers that the WiFi module does not affect the communication of that Zigbee terminal and no special processing is required; it can continue to periodically detect the signal strength of that Zigbee terminal. On the other hand, when the signal strength received by the Zigbee module from a Zigbee terminal is less than or equal to the strength threshold (e.g., signal strength below -60dBm), it indicates that the Zigbee terminal is far away, and its transmitted Zigbee signal is weak when it reaches the first device, making it susceptible to sidelobe interference from the WiFi signal transmitted by the first device. In this case, the first device is triggered to send a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal.

[0049] By using the above method, the negotiation mechanism is only triggered when a remote Zigbee terminal (with a weak signal) is detected, avoiding unnecessary signaling overhead and improving communication efficiency.

[0050] S102, Receive the negotiation response sent by the Zigbee terminal.

[0051] In some embodiments, the negotiation response includes information about one or more target periods determined by the Zigbee terminal from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on beacon frame period information.

[0052] In some embodiments, after receiving a negotiation request, the Zigbee terminal can determine one or more target periods from multiple beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information carried therein. The target period refers to the beacon frame period selected by the Zigbee terminal for transmitting signaling and / or data. The Zigbee terminal can determine the number and location of target periods based on the urgency of its own services.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a target period provided for an embodiment of this disclosure. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the WiFi module periodically sends beacon frames, such as one beacon frame every 100ms. Each beacon frame period corresponds to a beacon frame transmission time. For example, in beacon frame period number 1, the transmission time of the beacon frame is T0. Here, T0 is the start time of the WiFi timing, which the Zigbee terminal obtains from the WiFi module's timing information. The Zigbee terminal selects a subset of beacon frame periods starting from T0 as the target period. For example, it can select beacon frame periods numbered 2, 7, 12, ... as the target period.

[0054] In some embodiments, when there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods M between any two adjacent target periods is greater than or equal to the minimum number of beacon frame periods N.

[0055] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 2 Assuming the minimum beacon frame period number N=4, a Zigbee terminal can select beacon frame periods numbered 2, 7, 12, ... as target periods. The number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is M=5, which is greater than the minimum beacon frame period number N=4, i.e., M>N. Alternatively, a Zigbee terminal can also select beacon frame periods numbered 2, 6, 10, ... as target periods. The number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is M=4, which is equal to the minimum beacon frame period number N=4, i.e., M=N.

[0056] In other words, the interval between adjacent target cycles cannot be less than the minimum number of beacon frame cycles that the WiFi module is allowed to reduce beacon frame power, so as to ensure that the WiFi module has enough time to restore normal transmission power and meet the communication needs of remote WiFi terminals.

[0057] In some embodiments, when there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods M between any two adjacent target periods is negatively correlated with the urgency of the Zigbee terminal's service. That is, the more urgent the Zigbee terminal's service, the smaller the interval between adjacent target periods (higher transmission frequency); the less urgent the service, the larger the interval between adjacent target periods (lower transmission frequency). Taking a beacon frame period of 100ms as an example, for low-urgency services such as door magnetic sensors, sending a message once per second is sufficient, and a larger interval can be chosen, M = 1000ms / 100ms = 10, meaning reporting once every 10 beacon frame periods. For high-urgency services such as security alarms, a smaller interval is needed to ensure timely reporting, for example, reporting once every 400ms, in which case M = 400ms / 100ms = 4, meaning reporting once every 4 beacon frame periods.

[0058] With the above solution, Zigbee terminals can flexibly select the target period according to their own business needs, ensuring business transmission requirements while minimizing the impact on normal WiFi communication.

[0059] S103, reduces the transmit power of the WiFi module during one or more target periods, and receives signaling and / or data sent by the Zigbee terminal during the target period.

[0060] In some embodiments, after receiving the negotiation response from the Zigbee terminal, the first device reduces the transmit power of the WiFi module within the corresponding target period based on the target period information carried in the negotiation response, thereby reducing sidelobe interference of the WiFi signal to the Zigbee signal. Simultaneously, the Zigbee terminal transmits signaling and / or data within the beacon frame of the target period, and the Zigbee module of the first device receives this signaling and / or data, thus enabling the coexistence of WiFi communication and Zigbee communication.

[0061] In some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 2 In S103, reducing the transmit power of the WiFi module during one or more target cycles includes:

[0062] The transmit power of the beacon frame is reduced from a first power to a second power during one or more target periods, where the first power is the transmit power of the beacon frame of the WiFi module during non-target periods.

[0063] The first power is the beacon frame transmission power of the WiFi module under normal conditions, and the second power is the reduced beacon frame transmission power. By reducing the beacon frame transmission power, the signal strength of the sidelobe interference of the WiFi signal will also be reduced accordingly, thereby reducing interference with the Zigbee signal.

[0064] In some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 2 The difference between the first and second power is positively correlated with the urgency of the Zigbee terminal's service; and / or,

[0065] The second power level is negatively correlated with the urgency of the Zigbee terminal's services.

[0066] In other words, the more urgent the service from the Zigbee terminal, the greater the power reduction can be (i.e., the larger the difference between the first and second power, the lower the second power), to provide better interference suppression and ensure reliable transmission of urgent services; conversely, the less urgent the service, the smaller the power reduction can be (i.e., the smaller the difference between the first and second power, the higher the second power), to reduce the impact on the normal operation of the WiFi module. The specific power value can be flexibly configured according to the actual application scenario.

[0067] In some embodiments, the second power can be various values ​​such as 80%, 70%, 50%, 40% of the first power, and the corresponding difference, that is, the reduction of the second power relative to the first power, is 20%, 30%, 50%, 60%, respectively. Specifically, it can be determined according to the urgency of the Zigbee service. That is, the more urgent the Zigbee service, the greater the reduction and the smaller the value of the second power. Conversely, the less urgent the Zigbee service, the smaller the reduction and the larger the value of the second power.

[0068] It should be noted that within the target period's data frames and outside the target period, the first device will not reduce its WiFi transmission power to ensure WiFi throughput and communication efficiency to the greatest extent possible. Please continue to refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 Taking beacon frame periods numbered 2, 7, 12... as an example, the first device reduces its WiFi transmission power from the first power to the second power within these target period beacon frames. However, within the data frames of these target periods, as well as within the beacon frames and data frames outside the target periods, the first device still transmits WiFi signals at the first power.

[0069] In this way, the first device negotiates with the Zigbee terminal to determine the target period. Within the target period, the beacon frame transmission power of the WiFi module is reduced to decrease the sidelobe interference of the WiFi signal on the Zigbee signal. This allows the Zigbee terminal to send signaling and / or data within the beacon frame of the target period. Both WiFi and Zigbee communication can be carried out simultaneously without having to allocate all air interface time to one of them. This solves the interference problem without sacrificing WiFi throughput, thereby improving the overall communication efficiency.

[0070] Specifically, when the urgency level of the Zigbee service is at its highest, the transmission of WiFi signals can be paused within the beacon frame of the target period, i.e., the second power is 0 at this time, in order to ensure the reliability of Zigbee communication as much as possible.

[0071] Secondly, refer to Figure 3 This disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method applied to Zigbee terminals.

[0072] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal can be various IoT devices, such as door magnetic sensors, smart switches, temperature and humidity sensors, etc.

[0073] like Figure 3 As shown, the method includes:

[0074] S301, Receive negotiation request from the first device.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first device includes a WiFi module and a Zigbee module, and the negotiation request includes beacon frame periodicity information of the WiFi module. This beacon frame periodicity information is used by the Zigbee terminal to understand the beacon frame transmission pattern of the WiFi module.

[0076] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 Before S301 receives the negotiation request from the first device, the method further includes:

[0077] S401, a Zigbee signal is sent to the first device. The Zigbee signal is used by the first device to measure the signal strength, thereby triggering the first device to send a negotiation request.

[0078] In some embodiments, after successful registration, the Zigbee terminal sends a Zigbee signal to the first device. Upon receiving this signal, the Zigbee module of the first device measures its signal strength (RSSI). When the signal strength is less than or equal to a strength threshold, the first device determines that the Zigbee terminal is a remote terminal and triggers a negotiation request. In this way, the Zigbee terminal actively sends a signal to trigger the negotiation mechanism, enabling the first device to promptly discover remote terminals and initiate interference suppression procedures.

[0079] S302, determine one or more target periods from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information.

[0080] In some embodiments, after receiving a negotiation request, the Zigbee terminal parses the beacon frame period information carried therein and selects one or more beacon frame periods from multiple beacon frame periods of the WiFi module as the target period based on the information.

[0081] In some embodiments, the beacon frame period information includes the beacon frame period of the WiFi module. Accordingly, in S302, determining one or more target periods based on the beacon frame period information includes:

[0082] Based on the beacon frame period, determine the location of one or more target periods from multiple beacon frame periods of the WiFi module.

[0083] The beacon frame period refers to the time interval between two consecutive beacon frame transmissions by the WiFi module. Based on this period information, the Zigbee terminal can determine the start time of each beacon frame period and thus select certain periods as the target period.

[0084] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 2 The Zigbee terminal can select beacon frame periods numbered 2, 7, 12, ... as the target period, or select beacon frame periods numbered 2, 6, 10, ... as the target period. The specific scheme can be flexibly determined according to actual needs, and the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto.

[0085] In some embodiments, the beacon frame period information includes the minimum number of beacon frame periods N that the WiFi module allows to reduce beacon frame power;

[0086] When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is greater than or equal to the minimum number of beacon frame periods; and / or,

[0087] When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is negatively correlated with the service urgency of the Zigbee terminal.

[0088] The minimum beacon frame period number N represents the minimum interval number of periods at which the WiFi module can continuously reduce the beacon frame power. For example, if the minimum beacon frame period number is 2, i.e., N=2, it means that the WiFi module can only reduce the power again after at least 2 beacon frame periods.

[0089] It should be noted that the first beacon frame period, such as Figure 2 The beacon frame period numbered 1 will not reduce WiFi power to meet the connection needs of remote WiFi terminals. When selecting a target period, the Zigbee terminal needs to ensure that the number of beacon frame periods M between adjacent target periods is not less than the minimum number of beacon frame periods N, i.e., M ≥ N.

[0090] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal determines the target period interval based on the urgency of its service: the more urgent the service, the smaller the interval (higher the sending frequency); the less urgent the service, the larger the interval (lower the sending frequency). For example, a door magnetic sensor only needs to send a message once per second, so a larger interval can be selected; high-urgency services such as security alarms choose a smaller interval.

[0091] In this way, Zigbee terminals can flexibly and autonomously determine the target period, ensuring both the transmission needs of their own services and the normal operation of the WiFi module.

[0092] S303, send a negotiation response to the first device.

[0093] In some embodiments, the negotiation response includes information about one or more target periods. After receiving the negotiation response, the first device reduces the transmit power of the WiFi module within the beacon frame of the corresponding target period, based on the target period information therein.

[0094] S304, within one or more target cycles, sends signaling and / or data to the first device.

[0095] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal sends signaling and / or data to the Zigbee module of the first device within a defined target period. Because the first device has reduced the transmit power of its WiFi module within the target period, WiFi sidelobe interference is reduced, and the weak signal sent by the Zigbee terminal can be successfully received by the Zigbee module of the first device.

[0096] In some embodiments, the beacon frame periodicity information includes timing information of the WiFi module, such as the WiFi module's clock information, which can be an absolute timestamp. (See reference...) Figure 5 In S302, one or more target periods are determined from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information, including:

[0097] S501 determines the start time of one or more target cycles based on the timing information of the WiFi module.

[0098] In some embodiments, the timing information of the WiFi module is used for clock synchronization between the Zigbee terminal and the WiFi module. Based on this timing information, the Zigbee terminal can accurately determine the start time of each target cycle to ensure that the Zigbee terminal sends signals at the correct time.

[0099] Accordingly, in S304, signaling and / or data are sent to the first device within one or more target cycles, including:

[0100] S502, starting from the start time of one or more target cycles, sends signaling and / or data to the first device.

[0101] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal begins sending signaling and / or data at the start of the target period, or after a certain delay from the start time.

[0102] Please refer to Figure 6 The Zigbee terminal may start sending Zigbee signaling and / or data 1 or 2 at the beginning of the target period, or the Zigbee terminal may start sending Zigbee signaling and / or data 3 or 4 after a certain delay from the beginning of the target period. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0103] In some embodiments, the beacon frame period information includes the air interface occupancy duration of the WiFi module's beacon frames. Accordingly, in S304, within one or more target periods, sending signaling and / or data to the first device includes:

[0104] The air interface duration occupied by control signaling and / or data is less than or equal to the air interface duration occupied by beacon frames.

[0105] The beacon frame air interface time refers to the air interface time occupied by the WiFi module to send a beacon frame, for example, approximately 2.8ms. When the Zigbee terminal sends signaling and / or data within the target period, it needs to control the transmission length of the Zigbee signal to not exceed this time to avoid occupying too much air interface resources and ensure compatibility with the WiFi beacon frame transmission time.

[0106] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 6 The air interface duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data 1 sent by the Zigbee terminal within the target period is equal to the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame, while the duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data 2 / 3 / 4 sent by the Zigbee terminal within the target period is less than the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame.

[0107] It should be noted that the sum of the start time of Zigbee signaling and / or data and the air interface duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data must not exceed the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame, and the specific combination of these two values ​​can be determined based on the amount of service data and the urgency level of the Zigbee terminal. For example, when the amount of service data in Zigbee is large, the air interface duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data will also be larger (but of course, it cannot exceed the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame), and when the amount of service data in Zigbee is small, the air interface duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data will also be smaller (less than the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame).

[0108] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 6When the air interface duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data is less than the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame, an offset can be set before and after the beacon frame. That is, Zigbee signaling and / or data can start to be transmitted after a certain delay at the beginning of the target period, such as Zigbee signaling and / or data 3 and 4. And / or, Zigbee signaling and / or data can stop being transmitted a certain amount of time before the end of the beacon frame period of the target period, such as Zigbee signaling and / or data 2 and 4.

[0109] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal can send the delay time (delay offset) between the start time of sending Zigbee signaling and / or data and the start time of the target period, and the air interface duration of the Zigbee signaling and / or data as part of the negotiation response to the first device. The first device can precisely control the working time of the Zigbee module based on the above two pieces of information, as well as the beacon frame period, the air interface duration occupied by the beacon frame, etc., in order to reduce power consumption.

[0110] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0111] Remain silent outside of beacon frames contained in one or more target cycles.

[0112] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 6 The Zigbee terminal remains silent during non-target periods (i.e., the beacon frame period when the first device's WiFi module is transmitting at normal power), refraining from sending any Zigbee signaling and / or data. Similarly, the Zigbee terminal remains silent during data frames in the target period (i.e., the beacon frame period when the first device's WiFi module is transmitting at reduced power), also refraining from sending any Zigbee signaling and / or data. This avoids interference with the WiFi signal caused by sending Zigbee signals during normal WiFi module power transmission, and also prevents disruption to the normal operation of the WiFi module.

[0113] By employing the above method, Zigbee terminals can send signals during the window of reduced WiFi power within the target period and remain silent during non-target periods, thus ensuring reliable signal transmission while minimizing the impact on the normal operation of the WiFi module.

[0114] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a network device, including a memory 702 and a processor 701; the memory 702 stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor 701, and when the computer program is executed by the processor 701, it implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the first aspect.

[0115] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal device, including a memory 802 and a processor 801; the memory 802 stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor 801, and when the computer program is executed by the processor 801, it implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the second aspect.

[0116] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the first aspect, or implements the wireless interference suppression method described in any implementation of the second aspect.

[0117] Sixth aspect, refer to Figure 9 This disclosure provides a wireless interference suppression method applied to communication between a router or access point (AP) including a WiFi module and a Zigbee module and a Zigbee terminal. The router or AP is used to implement the functions of the first device described above.

[0118] like Figure 9 As shown, taking a router as an example, the method includes:

[0119] S901, the Zigbee terminal sends a Zigbee signal to the router.

[0120] The Zigbee signal is used by the router to measure signal strength, triggering the router to send a negotiation request. Specifically, after successful registration, the Zigbee terminal sends a Zigbee signal to the router.

[0121] S902, the router's Zigbee module determines that the signal strength from the Zigbee terminal is less than or equal to the strength threshold.

[0122] In some embodiments, the router's Zigbee module periodically checks the signal strength of all Zigbee devices and identifies those with signal strength less than or equal to a strength threshold. When the signal strength is greater than the threshold (at which point the received signal is relatively strong compared to WiFi sidelobes and does not affect reception), it is assumed that the WiFi module does not affect the communication of that Zigbee device, and no special processing is required; the signal strength of that Zigbee device can continue to be periodically checked subsequently. When the signal strength is below the threshold, for example -60dBm, an anti-interference mechanism is activated.

[0123] S903, the router's Zigbee module sends a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal.

[0124] The negotiation request includes beacon frame period information from the WiFi module.

[0125] In some embodiments, the beacon frame period information includes at least one of the following: timing information of the WiFi module, beacon frame period, beacon frame occupancy time over the air interface, or the minimum number of beacon frame periods N that the WiFi module is allowed to reduce beacon frame power.

[0126] The timing information of the WiFi module, such as its clock, is used for clock synchronization by Zigbee terminals. The beacon frame period, such as the WiFi Beacon interval, is 100ms by default. The air interface usage time for the beacon frame is approximately 2.8ms. The minimum number of beacon frame periods that the WiFi module allows to reduce beacon frame power is, for example, the interval between two Beacons (200ms). In this mode, the first Beacon period will not reduce power, which can meet the connection needs of remote WiFi terminals.

[0127] S904, the Zigbee terminal determines one or more target periods from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information.

[0128] In some embodiments, the Zigbee terminal can choose to send messages in one or more target periods based on the urgency of its service. For example, assuming the beacon frame period is 200ms, and the Zigbee terminal is a door magnetic sensor that can send a message every 1 second, it can choose one of the 5 beacon frame periods (1s / 200ms = 5) as the target period. Simultaneously, the Zigbee terminal determines its packet length based on the duration the WiFi module beacon frame occupies the air interface; that is, the duration of Zigbee signaling and / or data occupies the air interface cannot exceed the duration of the beacon frame occupies the air interface. The beacon frame occupies the air interface approximately 2.8 milliseconds, as sent by the router in step S903. Further, the Zigbee terminal can determine the packet length of Zigbee signaling and / or data based on the Zigbee signaling and / or data occupies the air interface, as well as the Zigbee terminal's bandwidth and the adopted modulation & coding scheme (MCS), where the packet length can be represented in bits.

[0129] S905, the Zigbee terminal sends a negotiation response to the router's Zigbee module.

[0130] In some embodiments, the negotiation response includes information about one or more target periods determined by the Zigbee terminal from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information. For example, in step S904, the negotiation involves sending Zigbee signaling and / or data once every 5 beacon frame periods (1 second).

[0131] S906: The router reduces the transmit power of the WiFi module during one or more target cycles.

[0132] In some embodiments, after receiving the negotiation response from Zigbee, the router reduces the transmit power of the beacon frame every certain number of beacon frame cycles. For example, in step S905, the negotiated power reduction is every 5 beacon frame cycles (1 second). For instance, within the beacon frame of the 5th beacon frame cycle, the router's WiFi module converts the signal strength to dBm and then reduces the transmit power to half of its original value (this value is configurable). Assuming the normal transmit power is 20dBm, the WiFi 2.4GHz transmit power can be reduced to -30dBm (minimum -80dBm), and this reduced power can be used to transmit beacon frames.

[0133] S907, Zigbee terminals send signaling and / or data to the router's Zigbee module within the beacon frame of the target period.

[0134] In some embodiments, at the same moment the WiFi module of the aforementioned router reduces its transmission power, within the same beacon frame of the same target period, if the remote Zigbee terminal has a message to send (such as an access control system sending a door open message), it will begin sending, allowing a maximum air interface occupation time of 2.8 milliseconds. If there is no message to send, it can remain silent.

[0135] It is easy to understand that Zigbee terminals remain silent during data frames in the target period, as well as during non-target periods (including beacon frames and data frames), in order to reduce their own power consumption and avoid affecting communication in remote WiFi.

[0136] Specifically, if multiple remote Zigbee terminals negotiate the same target period and have signaling and / or data to send within the same target period, resulting in a conflict, a backoff mechanism similar to Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Avoidance (CSMA / CA) can be used to handle packet transmission failures. That is, each Zigbee terminal randomly backs off for a period after detecting channel congestion and then retryes transmission, such as postponing transmission after one or more target periods. For cases where negotiation fails but the service is highly urgent, normal Zigbee operation mode can be used to save time and improve efficiency.

[0137] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein prevent sidelobe interference of WiFi signals to Zigbee signals by reducing the beacon frame transmission power. An alternative approach is to avoid interference to Zigbee signals by pausing the transmission of beacon frames during the target period, thereby freeing up the air interface time occupied by the corresponding beacon frames. That is, the transmission power of the beacon frames is reduced to 0 during the target period, and the Zigbee terminal transmits signaling and / or data during the air interface time originally occupied by the beacon frames.

[0138] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the processor is a device with data processing capabilities, including but not limited to a central processing unit (CPU); the memory is a device with data storage capabilities, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), more specifically such as SDRAM, DDR, etc., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory (FLASH); the I / O interface, or read-write interface, is connected between the processor and the memory, enabling information exchange between the memory and the processor, including but not limited to a data bus (Bus).

[0139] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps, systems, and devices disclosed above, as functional modules / units, can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or suitable combinations thereof.

[0140] In hardware implementations, the division between functional modules / units mentioned in the above description does not necessarily correspond to the division of physical components; for example, a physical component may have multiple functions, or a function or step may be executed by several physical components working together.

[0141] Some or all of the physical components may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Such software may be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include computer storage media and communication media. In embodiments of this disclosure, computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, and any other media that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by a computer. In embodiments of this disclosure, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0142] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless interference suppression method, applied to a first device comprising a WiFi module and a Zigbee module, characterized in that, include: Send a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal, the negotiation request including the beacon frame period information of the WiFi module; Receive a negotiation response sent by a Zigbee terminal, the negotiation response including information of one or more target periods determined by the Zigbee terminal from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information; Reduce the transmit power of the WiFi module within one or more beacon frames of the target period, and receive signaling and / or data sent by the Zigbee terminal within the beacon frames of the target period.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The beacon frame period information includes at least one of the following: The timing information of the WiFi module, the beacon frame period, the duration of the beacon frame occupying the air interface, or the minimum number of beacon frame periods that the WiFi module allows to reduce the beacon frame power.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is greater than or equal to the minimum number of beacon frame periods; and / or, When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is negatively correlated with the service urgency of the Zigbee terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of reducing the transmit power of the WiFi module within one or more beacon frames of the target period includes: During one or more of the target periods, the transmit power of the beacon frame is reduced from a first power to a second power, where the first power is the beacon frame transmit power of the WiFi module during non-target periods.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The difference between the first power and the second power is positively correlated with the urgency of the service at the Zigbee terminal; and / or, The second power is negatively correlated with the urgency of the services provided by the Zigbee terminal.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Sending a negotiation request to the Zigbee terminal includes: If the signal strength received by the Zigbee module from the Zigbee terminal is less than or equal to the strength threshold, the negotiation request is sent to the Zigbee terminal.

7. A wireless interference suppression method applied to a Zigbee terminal, characterized in that, include: A negotiation request is received from a first device, the first device comprising a WiFi module and a Zigbee module, the negotiation request containing beacon frame period information of the WiFi module; One or more target periods are determined from the beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period information; Send a negotiation response to the first device, the negotiation response containing information about one or more of the target periods; During one or more of the target cycles, signaling and / or data are sent to the first device.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The beacon frame period information includes the timing information of the WiFi module; The step of sending signaling and / or data to the first device within one or more of the target periods includes: The start time of one or more of the target periods is determined based on the timing information of the WiFi module; Signaling and / or data are sent to the first device starting from the stated start time.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The beacon frame period information includes the air interface occupancy duration of the beacon frames of the WiFi module; The step of sending signaling and / or data to the first device within one or more of the target periods includes: The air interface duration for the signaling and / or data is controlled to be less than or equal to the air interface duration for the beacon frame.

10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The beacon frame period information includes the beacon frame period of the WiFi module; Determining one or more target periods based on the beacon frame period information includes: The location of one or more target periods is determined from multiple beacon frame periods of the WiFi module based on the beacon frame period.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The beacon frame period information includes the minimum number of beacon frame periods that the WiFi module is allowed to reduce beacon frame power; When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is greater than or equal to the minimum number of beacon frame periods. And / or, When there are multiple target periods, the number of beacon frame periods between any two adjacent target periods is negatively correlated with the service urgency of the Zigbee terminal.

12. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: Remain silent outside of the beacon frames contained in one or more of the target cycles.

13. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that, Prior to receiving the negotiation request from the first device, the method further includes: A Zigbee signal is sent to the first device, the Zigbee signal being used by the first device to measure signal strength, thereby triggering the first device to send the negotiation request.

14. A network device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the wireless interference suppression method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A terminal device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the wireless interference suppression method according to any one of claims 7 to 13.

16. A computer program product, characterized in that, The method includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the wireless interference suppression method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or implements the wireless interference suppression method according to any one of claims 7 to 13.

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