WIFI7 wireless router channel competition optimization method and system, and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of wireless communication, in particular to a WIFI7 wireless router channel competition optimization method and system and a storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: a shared AP initiates a request for creating a coordination group, at least one other AP serves as the shared AP to join the coordination group, and a multi-AP cooperation cluster comprising a unique shared AP and at least one shared AP is formed and used for constructing a multi-AP cooperation architecture. According to the method, the collaborative architecture of the multi-AP coordination group is constructed, and the unique shared AP executes the exclusive channel competition, so that repeated backoff and conflicts of the multiple APs in the group are fundamentally avoided, a channel competition main body is concentrated into a single node from multiple dispersed nodes, and the signaling overhead and the time delay in the competition process are remarkably reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, specifically to a method, system, and storage medium for optimizing channel contention in a Wi-Fi 7 wireless router. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of wireless communication technology, the WIFI 7 (IEEE 802.11be) protocol achieves channel contention through Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Backoff (CSMA / CA) mechanism, allowing terminals to determine the transmission timing through a backoff algorithm after detecting that the channel is idle. In existing technologies, although multiple terminals can share the channel within a single access point (AP) through OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) / MUMO (Multi-User Multiple Input / Output), the scope of this coordination is limited to within a single AP, failing to solve the inefficiency problem of channel contention in multi-AP environments. When multiple APs exist in space, each AP independently executes the CSMA / CA mechanism, leading to a large amount of invalid contention—even with low channel load, APs that have not acquired channel access rights remain in a passive waiting state, resulting in idle and wasted channel resources. Furthermore, under traditional contention mechanisms, the lack of unified coordination among multiple APs and the frequent backoff processes significantly increase transmission latency, especially in high-terminal-density scenarios, where channel contention overhead increases non-linearly with the number of nodes, restricting the access performance and quality of service (QoS) of wireless local area networks (WLANs). How to overcome the limitations of the existing protocol's competition mechanism and achieve efficient sharing of channel resources across APs in a multi-AP collaborative architecture has become an urgent technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure proposes a method, system, and storage medium for optimizing channel contention in a Wi-Fi 7 wireless router, with the aim of overcoming at least one of the defects in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution disclosed in this invention is as follows:

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a method for optimizing channel contention in a Wi-Fi 7 wireless router is provided, characterized in that the method includes the following steps:

[0006] A coordination group creation request is initiated by the shared AP, and at least one other AP joins the coordination group as a shared AP, forming a multi-AP collaborative cluster containing a unique shared AP and at least one shared AP, which is used to build a multi-AP collaborative architecture;

[0007] The APs within the coordination group exchange information via MAP-RTS frames and MAP-CTS frames. The shared AP obtains the radio configuration information and buffer information of each shared AP and evaluates the required channel resources, so that the shared AP can understand the resource requirements of the APs within the group.

[0008] Only the shared AP executes the Carrier Sense Multiple Access and Backoff mechanism (CSMA / CA) of the IEEE 802.11be protocol to compete for the right to use the channel. The shared AP does not participate in channel contention within the coordination group, which is used to avoid invalid contention by multiple APs.

[0009] Once the shared AP obtains the right to use the channel, it allocates appropriate network vectors (NAVs) or subcarrier resources to the shared AP according to the channel resources, forming a time-frequency resource allocation scheme for shared transmission opportunities (TXOPs) to share channel resources.

[0010] The shared AP sends a MAP trigger frame (MAP-TF) to the shared APs in the coordination group. The MAP trigger frame carries the time parameters of the TXOP and the subcarrier resource allocation information, instructing each shared AP to synchronously transmit data on the allocated time and frequency resources.

[0011] Furthermore, the shared AP initiates the creation of a coordination group by broadcasting a group creation request frame containing a group identifier, a shared AP identifier, and coordination rules. The shared AP joins the coordination group by replying with a join confirmation frame carrying its own capability parameters. This is used to clarify the composition of the coordination group and the basic capabilities of each AP to ensure the compatibility of coordinated transmission. The own capability parameters include supported subcarrier bandwidth, maximum transmission power, and buffer capacity.

[0012] Furthermore, the MAP-RTS frame at least includes the current buffered data amount of the shared AP, the supported subcarrier allocation mode and the available TXOP duration, and the MAP-CTS frame at least includes the priority of the data to be transmitted for the corresponding shared AP, the required number of subcarriers and the expected transmission time window.

[0013] The shared AP adopts a Coordinated Time Packet Multiple Access (TDMA) or Coordinated Subcarrier Access (TDMA / SR) strategy to generate a resource allocation table containing each shared AP. The resource allocation table specifies the transmission start time, duration, and allocated subcarrier group of each shared AP to ensure that the shared AP can accurately match the transmission needs of APs within the group, thereby avoiding resource allocation conflicts.

[0014] Furthermore, when the shared AP executes the CSMA / CA mechanism, it waits for the DIFS time after detecting that the channel is idle, and then starts a backoff counter. The backoff counter only decrements when the channel is continuously idle, and obtains the right to use the channel when the counter reaches zero and the channel is still idle.

[0015] If the channel is occupied during the backoff process, the counter is updated according to the remaining backoff time to enter the next round of competition. By centralizing the competing nodes, the backoff conflict of multiple APs is reduced, thereby reducing the channel contention overhead.

[0016] Furthermore, the allocation of the network vector (NAV) includes setting a dedicated channel occupancy time window for each shared AP, wherein the time windows do not overlap and the total duration does not exceed the total TXOP duration acquired by the shared AP;

[0017] The subcarrier resource allocation includes dividing the shared AP into orthogonal subcarrier groups according to the service type of each shared AP. The service type includes voice service, video service, or data service. Voice service is allocated to low-latency subcarrier groups, video service is allocated to high-bandwidth subcarrier groups, and data service is allocated to flexible resource subcarrier groups. This differentiated resource allocation is used to meet the quality of service (QoS) requirements of different services.

[0018] Furthermore, the MAP trigger frame also includes the transmission power control parameters and synchronization timing offset of each shared AP. The shared AP adjusts its transmission power according to the transmission power parameters to avoid intra-group interference, and calibrates its local clock according to the timing offset to achieve transmission synchronization, thereby avoiding co-frequency interference and timing synchronization in multi-AP collaborative transmission.

[0019] Furthermore, when any AP in the coordination group detects that the channel utilization exceeds a preset threshold, the coordination group reconstruction process is triggered. The shared AP re-collects the real-time cache information and channel status information of each shared AP and dynamically adjusts the resource allocation strategy to adapt to the real-time changes in network load in order to maintain efficient channel utilization.

[0020] Furthermore, when allocating TXOPs, the shared AP reserves at least 10% of idle time resources as a protection interval to cope with transmission conflicts caused by sudden channel occupancy or clock skew.

[0021] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a Wi-Fi 7 wireless router channel contention optimization system is provided for implementing the Wi-Fi 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method described above, the system comprising:

[0022] The coordination group management module is used to perform coordination group creation operations, including initiating group creation requests from shared APs, receiving confirmation of joining from shared APs, and maintaining the list of members in the coordination group and the capability parameters of each AP.

[0023] The information interaction module is used to transmit MAP-RTS frames and MAP-CTS frames within the coordination group, obtain the radio configuration information, buffer information and service requirement information of each AP, and transmit the information to the resource evaluation unit.

[0024] The channel contention module is used to allow only the shared AP to compete for the right to use the channel through the CSMA / CA mechanism, generate a channel occupancy status signal and transmit it to the resource allocation module;

[0025] The resource allocation module is used to generate an NAV or subcarrier resource allocation table based on the AP information obtained by the information interaction module and the channel occupancy status obtained by the channel contention module, and to specify the transmission time and frequency resources of each shared AP.

[0026] The trigger frame sending module is used to generate MAP trigger frames containing resource allocation information and send them to the shared APs in the coordination group to instruct each AP to transmit data synchronously.

[0027] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the WIFI7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described above.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0029] This invention constructs a collaborative architecture for a multi-AP coordination group, in which a single shared AP performs exclusive channel contention. This fundamentally avoids repeated backoff and conflict among multiple APs within the group, and concentrates the channel contention subject from multiple dispersed nodes into a single node, significantly reducing the signaling overhead and time delay of the contention process.

[0030] After acquiring channel usage rights, the shared AP allocates appropriate network vectors (NAVs) or subcarrier resources to other APs in the group through the TXOP (Transmission Opportunity) sharing mechanism, forming a time-frequency dimension resource allocation scheme, enabling multiple APs to transmit data synchronously under unified signaling triggering. This mechanism breaks through the limitation of resource sharing within a single AP, and through cross-AP collaborative scheduling, transforms multiple APs that were originally competing independently into an organically cooperative transmission cluster, effectively improving the time and space utilization of channel resources.

[0031] Compared to the resource waste caused by multiple APs competing independently in existing technologies, this invention optimizes both centralized competition and collaborative allocation, reducing the time loss of the backoff process and achieving seamless resource sharing among multiple APs. Thus, without changing the underlying protocol architecture, it significantly improves the throughput of WLAN and reduces data transmission latency, providing an efficient channel contention solution for high-density wireless access scenarios.

[0032] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the following describes the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a channel contention optimization method for a WIFI7 wireless router according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the channel contention mode after using TXOP sharing in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a logic diagram of a channel contention optimization method for a WIFI7 wireless router according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] In embodiments of the present invention, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0038] refer to Figures 1 to 3 The present invention provides the following preferred embodiments:

[0039] Example 1

[0040] To address the issues of inefficient channel contention, resource waste, and high latency in multi-AP environments, this embodiment proposes a channel contention optimization method for Wi-Fi 7 wireless routers. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the method flow is as follows:

[0041] S100: The shared AP initiates a request to create a coordination group, and at least one other AP joins the coordination group as a shared AP, forming a multi-AP collaborative cluster containing a unique shared AP and at least one shared AP, which is used to build a multi-AP collaborative architecture.

[0042] S200: APs within the coordination group exchange information via MAP-RTS and MAP-CTS frames, allowing shared APs to obtain radio configuration and buffer information from each shared AP and assess the required channel resources, enabling shared APs to understand the resource needs of APs within the group.

[0043] S300: Only the shared AP executes the Carrier Sense Multiple Access and Backoff mechanism (CSMA / CA) of the IEEE 802.11be protocol to compete for channel access rights. The shared AP does not participate in channel contention within the coordination group, which is used to avoid invalid contention among multiple APs.

[0044] S400: After the shared AP obtains the right to use the channel, it allocates appropriate network vector (NAV) or subcarrier resources to the shared AP according to the channel resources, forming a time-frequency resource allocation scheme for shared transmission opportunities (TXOP) to share channel resources.

[0045] S500: The shared AP sends a MAP trigger frame (MAP-TF) to the shared APs in the coordination group. The MAP trigger frame carries the time parameters of TXOP and subcarrier resource allocation information, instructing each shared AP to transmit data synchronously on the allocated time and frequency resources.

[0046] First, during the coordination group creation phase, the shared AP, as the initiator, initiates the construction of the cooperative architecture by broadcasting a group creation request frame. This frame carries a globally unique group identifier, the shared AP's device identifier, and preset cooperative rules. These rules include core cooperative parameters such as channel contention subjects, resource allocation priorities, and transmission synchronization mechanisms. Upon receiving the request frame, the AP to be joined determines whether it belongs to the same cooperative network by parsing the group identifier. If it confirms its joining, it replies with a joining confirmation frame containing its own capability parameters. These capability parameters include supported subcarrier bandwidth (configurable options such as 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz), maximum transmission power adjustment range, and buffer queue capacity, thus forming a cooperative cluster containing a unique shared AP and at least one shared AP, laying the architectural foundation for subsequent cooperative transmission.

[0047] Furthermore, information exchange within the coordination group is achieved through customized MAP-RTS and MAP-CTS frames. The shared AP first sends a MAP-RTS frame, which includes its current buffered data volume, supported subcarrier allocation modes (such as continuous allocation and discrete allocation), and the estimated available TXOP duration based on historical transmission data, to announce its resource status to other APs in the group. Upon receiving the MAP-RTS frame, each shared AP generates a MAP-CTS frame in response based on its own service load. This frame carries the priority level of the data to be transmitted, the required number of subcarriers, and the expected transmission time window calculated based on the buffer queue length. By parsing this information and combining it with a pre-defined resource assessment algorithm, such as a weighted fair allocation algorithm based on queue length, the shared AP establishes a channel resource requirement model for each shared AP. This model clarifies the specific requirements of different APs in the time dimension (transmission start time, duration) and frequency dimension (subcarrier group allocation), providing quantitative data support for subsequent channel allocation.

[0048] Furthermore, in the channel contention phase, only the shared AP executes the CSMA / CA mechanism of the IEEE 802.11be standard. Specifically, after detecting that the channel is idle, the shared AP first waits for the DIFS (Distributed Coordination Function Inter-Frame Interval) time, and then starts a backoff counter. This counter decrements only by the symbol period while the channel remains idle. When the counter reaches zero and the channel is still idle, the shared AP determines that it will acquire the right to use the channel; if the channel is occupied by other nodes during the backoff process, the counter is updated based on the remaining backoff time and the channel occupation duration, and the next round of contention begins. This exclusive contention mechanism transforms multi-AP contention into single-node contention, avoiding the problem of accumulating conflict probabilities caused by independent backoff of multiple APs in traditional methods, and reducing the time loss caused by invalid contention at the signaling interaction level.

[0049] Furthermore, once the shared AP successfully acquires channel usage rights, it enters the TXOP sharing allocation phase. Based on the resource demand model obtained from previous information exchange, the shared AP allocates appropriate NAV (Network Allocation Vector) and subcarrier resources to each shared AP according to the currently available total TXOP duration and channel bandwidth. NAV allocation is achieved by setting a dedicated channel occupancy time window for each shared AP. These windows do not overlap on the time axis, and their total duration does not exceed the total TXOP duration, ensuring the orthogonality of AP transmission timing within the group. Subcarrier resource allocation is differentiated based on the service type (e.g., voice, video, data) reported by the shared AP. For example, low-latency-sensitive voice services are allocated to the low-interference subcarrier group in the center of the channel, while high-bandwidth-demand video services are allocated to continuous wideband subcarrier groups, forming a two-dimensional time-frequency resource allocation scheme that improves resource utilization efficiency while ensuring service QoS.

[0050] Finally, the shared AP initiates cooperative transmission by sending a MAP trigger frame (MAP-TF). This frame carries precise time parameters (such as transmission start timestamp and duration) and subcarrier resource allocation information (such as subcarrier group number and bandwidth configuration), as well as a synchronization timing offset based on channel estimation (used to compensate for differences in the local clocks of each AP). After receiving the MAP-TF frame, each shared AP adjusts its local transmission timing according to the parameters therein, synchronously transmitting data using the allocated subcarrier groups within a specified time window. This unified signaling triggering mechanism ensures strict synchronization of multi-AP transmission, avoiding signal collisions caused by clock deviations in traditional distributed transmission, thereby achieving efficient cooperative transmission at the physical layer.

[0051] It is important to understand that in the above implementation process, the information interaction, resource allocation, and signaling triggering between the shared AP and the shared AP all follow a customized protocol process, and the parameter transmission and logic control of each link form a closed-loop cooperation mechanism. For example, the interaction of capability parameters ensures the compatibility of APs within the group and avoids cooperation failure caused by factor carrier bandwidth mismatch; the joint allocation of NAV and subcarriers realizes the orthogonal utilization of time and frequency resources, maximizing the channel space multiplexing efficiency; and the introduction of synchronization timing offset solves the transmission timing problem caused by the clock difference of multiple devices, improving the reliability of signal transmission.

[0052] The benefits of this embodiment lie in transforming traditional decentralized multi-AP contention into centralized scheduling-based collaborative transmission by constructing a multi-AP collaborative cluster and defining a clear collaborative process. This reduces the number of participants in channel contention at the architectural level, achieves spatiotemporal resource reuse across APs at the resource allocation level, and ensures synchronous transmission across multiple devices at the signaling interaction level. Consequently, it systematically optimizes the channel contention efficiency of Wi-Fi 7 wireless routers in multi-AP environments, providing a feasible technical solution for improving the overall performance of wireless LANs. Through the coordinated efforts of each stage, this implementation effectively reduces channel contention overhead and improves resource utilization efficiency without changing the underlying protocol architecture, providing a practical optimization path for high-density wireless access scenarios.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] To address the issues of unclear member composition and mismatched device capabilities in multi-AP cooperative transmission, this embodiment further refines the creation process of the coordination group and the capability parameter interaction mechanism. The shared AP, as the initiating entity of the cooperative architecture, initiates the coordination group formation during the initialization phase by broadcasting a group creation request frame. This frame follows the frame structure extension of the IEEE 802.11be protocol and contains three core fields: a globally unique group ID used to distinguish different cooperative networks, generated using a 64-bit random number to avoid ID conflicts; a shared AP ID containing the device's MAC address and version information, used for device identification within the group; and a cooperative rules field defining the basic cooperative framework, including core parameters such as channel contention subjects, resource allocation cycles, and signaling interaction timing.

[0055] Upon receiving a group creation request frame, the AP to be joined verifies the group identifier at the physical layer to confirm whether it belongs to the preset cooperative network. If it meets the joining conditions, it generates a joining confirmation frame in response. This confirmation frame carries its own capability parameters, including supported subcarrier bandwidths covering WIFI 7 standard configurations such as 20MHz, 40MHz, and 80MHz, used to identify the minimum and maximum channel bandwidth that the device can support; the maximum transmission power parameter includes the hardware-supported power adjustment range (e.g., 10dBm to 30dBm), providing a data basis for subsequent power control; and the buffer capacity parameter is read in real time through the queue depth register, reflecting the device's current data buffering capacity. After receiving all joining confirmation frames, the shared AP verifies the parameters based on a preset compatibility algorithm, such as requiring the intersection of subcarrier bandwidths supported by APs in the group to be no less than 20MHz, ensuring frequency resource adaptability during cooperative transmission, ultimately forming a cooperative cluster containing a unique shared AP and several shared APs.

[0056] It's important to understand that the interaction between the group creation request frame and the join confirmation frame establishes the basic communication link for the cooperative group. The standardized reporting mechanism of capability parameters provides hardware capability constraints for subsequent resource allocation. For example, if a shared AP only supports 40MHz subcarrier bandwidth, the shared AP will avoid scheduling an 80MHz bandwidth subcarrier group for it when allocating resources, thus avoiding transmission failures caused by hardware capability mismatch. This precise definition of membership and interaction of capability parameters ensures the compatibility of devices within the cooperative group in key dimensions such as frequency resources, power control, and data buffering, laying a reliable foundation for subsequent signaling interaction and resource allocation.

[0057] The benefits of this embodiment lie in that, through a standardized group creation process and capability parameter reporting mechanism, the composition of the multi-AP collaborative cluster and the boundaries of device capabilities are clearly defined, resolving the collaborative failure problem caused by device heterogeneity in traditional multi-AP networks. The standardized frame structure design and compatibility verification algorithm ensure collaborative adaptation of APs within the group at the physical and data link layers, providing a prerequisite for cross-AP channel resource sharing and improving the feasibility and stability of multi-AP collaborative transmission from the architecture construction stage.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] To address the issues of inaccurate resource allocation and potential conflicts in multi-AP collaborative transmission, this embodiment further optimizes the information exchange content and resource allocation strategy. During the signaling interaction within the coordination group, the shared AP first sends a MAP-RTS frame. This frame extends the traditional RTS frame with three key fields: the current buffered data volume is obtained in real-time through the queue status register, reflecting the backlog of data to be transmitted by the shared AP; supported subcarrier allocation modes include continuous allocation and discrete allocation, indicating the granularity and flexibility of resource allocation; and the available TXOP duration is based on historical channel occupancy data and current network load estimation, providing constraints for subsequent time-based resource allocation.

[0060] After receiving the MAP-RTS frame, each shared AP generates a MAP-CTS frame response based on its own service queue status. The frame contains the priority of the data to be transmitted (using the service category defined by 802.1D, such as voice services being marked as the highest priority), the required number of subcarriers (calculated based on the service data rate), and the expected transmission time window (determined based on the cached data aging time). After collecting all MAP-CTS frames, the shared AP generates a resource allocation table using either Coordinated Time Packet Multiple Access (TDMA) or Coordinated Subcarrier Access (TDMA / SR) strategies. For TDMA, non-overlapping transmission time windows are allocated to each shared AP in priority order, with the window start time and duration satisfying the matching relationship between data cache capacity and transmission rate. For TDMA / SR, frequency resources are further allocated based on the time window division and the subcarrier allocation mode; for example, continuous subcarrier groups are allocated to high-bandwidth video services, and discrete subcarrier groups are allocated to low-latency-sensitive voice services.

[0061] The resource allocation table clearly defines the transmission start time (accurate to the symbol period), duration, and allocated subcarrier groups for each shared AP (using the subcarrier index identifier defined by IEEE 802.11be). Intra-group resource conflicts are avoided through time-frequency two-dimensional scheduling. It's important to understand that this differentiated allocation mechanism based on service characteristics ensures both the latency requirements of high-priority services and improves the utilization efficiency of spectrum resources. For example, voice services have a smaller expected transmission time window, so shared APs prioritize allocating earlier time windows and low-interference subcarrier groups to ensure the quality of service for real-time services; while data services allow for a certain degree of flexible transmission time, so remaining time resources and flexible subcarrier combinations are allocated.

[0062] The advantage of this embodiment lies in achieving precise quantitative interaction of AP resource requirements within a group by expanding the signaling frame content. Combined with the resource allocation table generated by TDMA / TDMA / SR strategies, an orthogonal allocation mechanism in the time and frequency dimensions is established. This refined resource scheduling method effectively solves the resource allocation conflict problem caused by independent competition in traditional multi-AP networks, enabling shared APs to dynamically adjust their allocation strategies according to real-time service requirements. While ensuring the QoS of different services, it maximizes the spatiotemporal multiplexing efficiency of channel resources, providing crucial support for the high efficiency of multi-AP collaborative transmission.

[0063] Example 4

[0064] To address the issues of high collision probability and large contention overhead caused by independent backoff of multiple access points (APs), this embodiment further clarifies the specific process of shared APs implementing the CSMA / CA mechanism. When a shared AP is competing for channel space, it first detects the channel state through the physical layer carrier sensing module. When the channel idle duration reaches the DIFS (Distributed Coordination Function Inter-Frame Interval, set to 34μs@WIFI 7 standard), a backoff counter is activated. The initial value of this counter is randomly selected from the backoff window, and the backoff window size follows the increment rules specified in the IEEE 802.11be protocol to avoid contention bias caused by fixed values.

[0065] During the backoff process, the shared AP continuously monitors the channel status: if the channel remains idle, the counter decreases by a symbol period (1 / 30GHz, corresponding to the smallest time unit in WIFI 7); if the channel is detected to be occupied (e.g., receiving transmission signals from other nodes), the counter is immediately frozen, the remaining backoff time is recorded, and the counter continues to decrease from the frozen value after the channel becomes idle again (DIFS time). When the counter reaches zero and the channel is still idle, the shared AP determines that it has the right to use the channel and immediately sends subsequent signaling frames to preempt the channel; if the channel is occupied multiple times during the counter decrement process, the remaining backoff time will be accumulated to the next round of contention, avoiding the time loss caused by repeated randomization.

[0066] This centralized competition mechanism transforms distributed backoff in a multi-AP environment into single-node backoff, fundamentally eliminating backoff conflicts between APs within the group. It's important to understand that the shared AP, as the sole competing entity, directly reflects the competition status of the entire coordination group through changes in its backoff counter, avoiding the probabilistic conflict aggregation caused by independent backoff by multiple APs in traditional methods. For example, when there are 3 APs in the group, the conflict probability under the traditional mechanism is 1 - (1 - p)^3 (where p is the single AP backoff conflict probability), while this embodiment reduces the conflict probability to p, significantly reducing the number of invalid competitions.

[0067] The advantage of this embodiment lies in its strict adherence to the backoff mechanism of the IEEE 802.11be protocol and centralized execution, effectively reducing the number of backoff conflicts and signaling overhead in multi-AP environments without altering the underlying protocol architecture. The exclusive contention mode of the shared AP avoids backoff overlap caused by synchronization issues within the group, improving channel acquisition efficiency from the contention mechanism perspective. This creates a low-overhead channel usage prerequisite for subsequent resource allocation and coordinated transmission, systematically reducing contention latency and resource waste in multi-AP networks.

[0068] Example 5

[0069] To address the issues of inefficient resource allocation and insufficient QoS guarantees in multi-AP collaborative transmission, this embodiment further refines the differentiated allocation mechanism for NAV and subcarrier resources. In the NAV allocation phase, the shared AP sets a dedicated channel occupancy time window for each shared AP according to the resource allocation table. These windows are strictly orthogonal (i.e., non-overlapping) on ​​the time axis, and the total duration of all windows does not exceed the total TXOP duration acquired by the shared AP. The start time and duration of the time window are calculated based on service priority and data volume. For example, high-priority voice services are allocated smaller time windows to reduce latency, while low-priority data services are allocated larger windows to improve throughput.

[0070] Subcarrier resource allocation is differentiated based on the service type (voice, video, and data) reported by each shared AP: For voice services, which are sensitive to latency, low-interference subcarrier groups in the center band of the channel are allocated (e.g., subcarrier indices 100-200, avoiding adjacent channel interference in the edge bands); video services require high bandwidth support, so continuous wideband subcarrier groups are allocated (e.g., 200 consecutive subcarriers forming an 80MHz bandwidth); data services have relatively flexible latency and bandwidth requirements, so flexible resource subcarrier groups in the edge bands are allocated (e.g., non-contiguous subcarrier combinations, utilizing fragmented spectrum resources). This allocation method combines the OFDMA technology features of WIFI 7, achieving dynamic allocation of subcarrier groups through the flexible combination of resource units (RUs).

[0071] It's important to understand that the joint allocation of NAV time windows and subcarrier groups forms a two-dimensional time-frequency resource scheduling space. This ensures both the timing orthogonality of AP transmissions within a group and the service-adaptive utilization of spectrum resources. For example, when a shared AP simultaneously carries voice and data services, the shared AP allocates two independent time windows to it, corresponding to a low-latency subcarrier group and a flexible resource subcarrier group respectively, ensuring that the service quality requirements of different services are met. This refined allocation mechanism avoids the resource waste or QoS degradation problems caused by the traditional "one-size-fits-all" allocation method.

[0072] The advantage of this embodiment lies in constructing a multi-dimensional resource allocation system through the orthogonal setting of the NAV time window and the differentiated allocation of subcarrier resources for different services. This system, while ensuring low latency for voice services and high bandwidth for video services, improves the utilization efficiency of fragmented spectrum for data services, thus solving the problem of uneven service quality caused by mixed services in multi-AP collaborative transmission from the resource allocation perspective. Precise matching of time and frequency resources ensures that the transmission needs of each AP within the group are met specifically, significantly improving the overall efficiency and reliability of collaborative transmission.

[0073] Example 6

[0074] To address the transmission reliability issues caused by co-channel interference and timing asynchrony in multi-AP cooperative transmission, this embodiment further optimizes the signaling content and synchronization mechanism of the MAP trigger frame. When generating the MAP trigger frame, the shared AP, in addition to carrying time parameters and subcarrier allocation information, adds two key control fields: transmission power control parameters and synchronization timing offset. The transmission power control parameters are calculated based on the positional relationship of the APs within the group and the channel fading model. For example, by comparing the measured Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) value with a preset interference threshold, the optimal transmit power for each shared AP is determined (e.g., APs that are closer together reduce their transmit power by 10 dBm to reduce adjacent channel interference).

[0075] The synchronization timing offset is obtained through an intra-group clock synchronization algorithm. The shared AP acts as a time reference node and periodically broadcasts clock synchronization signals. Each shared AP receives these signals and calculates the deviation between its local clock and the reference clock. This deviation is smoothed using a Kalman filter algorithm and then embedded as the synchronization timing offset into the MAP trigger frame. Upon receiving the MAP trigger frame, each shared AP first adjusts the transmit power of its RF module according to the transmission power parameters to ensure that the intra-group transmission signal strength meets coverage requirements while suppressing co-channel interference within an acceptable range. Secondly, it calibrates its local transmission clock according to the synchronization timing offset, aligning the data transmission start time with the shared AP's time reference, with the error controlled within 1 / 4 of the symbol period to meet the phase synchronization requirements of WIFI 7.

[0076] It's important to understand that the combination of transmission power control and timing synchronization mechanisms ensures the reliability of collaborative transmission from both the power and time domains. Dynamic adjustment of power parameters prevents mutual interference between APs within the group due to excessive transmit power, significantly reducing adjacent channel interference-to-noise ratio, especially in densely deployed scenarios. Precise calibration of the timing offset ensures phase consistency of multiple AP signals during spatial propagation, reducing inter-symbol interference (ISI) caused by clock skew and improving demodulation success rate at the receiver.

[0077] The advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that by integrating power control and timing synchronization signaling into the MAP trigger frame, an interference suppression and synchronization mechanism for multi-AP collaborative transmission is constructed. This mechanism effectively solves the signal collision and interference problems caused by device clock differences and improper power configuration in traditional distributed transmission, enabling APs within the group to transmit synchronously with optimized transmission power under a unified time reference. This improves the reliability of data transmission at the physical layer and provides key technical support for stable communication in high-density wireless access scenarios.

[0078] Example 7

[0079] To address the resource allocation lag caused by dynamic changes in network load during multi-AP collaborative transmission, this embodiment further refines the coordination group dynamic reconfiguration mechanism. During coordination group operation, any AP within the group collects channel energy values ​​in real time through the physical layer channel monitoring module. The channel occupancy rate per unit time is calculated using a sliding window algorithm. When the channel utilization rate exceeds a preset threshold (e.g., 70%) for three consecutive monitoring cycles (50ms each), the coordination group reconfiguration process is triggered. At this time, the shared AP, acting as the control center, first broadcasts an information collection request frame to all APs in the group. This frame carries a timestamp field to synchronize data collection times, ensuring the real-time consistency of cached information and channel status.

[0080] Upon receiving a request frame, each shared AP immediately feeds back real-time buffer information, including the amount of data to be transmitted in the queue depth register, the service type distribution of data packets (e.g., the proportion of voice / video / data services), and parameters such as the current frequency band signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and adjacent channel interference power spectral density obtained through the channel state information (CSI) feedback mechanism. After receiving the feedback information, the shared AP initiates a dynamic resource allocation algorithm: First, it evaluates the queue delay under the current load based on a queuing theory model. If the voice service queue delay exceeds the 10ms threshold, it prioritizes adjusting the time window allocation for high-priority services. Second, it identifies interfering frequency bands based on CSI data, marks the interfered subcarrier groups as unavailable, and re-divides available resource units (RUs) in the subcarrier allocation table.

[0081] Furthermore, the reconfiguration process employs an incremental update strategy, rescheduling resources only for APs whose load changes exceed 20%, thus avoiding the signaling overhead of resetting the entire group's strategy. For example, if the increase in the cached data volume of a shared AP does not reach a threshold, its original time window and subcarrier allocation are retained, with only edge parameters adjusted to match the overall load change. It's important to understand that this dynamic reconfiguration mechanism based on real-time load awareness, through quantified channel utilization monitoring and differentiated update strategies, achieves dynamic adaptation of cooperative group resource allocation and network status. This avoids performance degradation of fixed strategies under high loads and prevents a surge in control plane overhead caused by excessive reconfiguration.

[0082] The advantage of this embodiment lies in its ability to enable the multi-AP collaborative system to respond to network load changes in real time by constructing a closed-loop control mechanism for dynamic monitoring of channel utilization and adaptive reconfiguration of the coordination group. Standardized information collection processes and differentiated resource adjustment strategies ensure the efficiency and accuracy of the reconfiguration process, providing continuous assurance of service quality for different service types under load fluctuation scenarios, and improving the dynamic adaptability of channel resource utilization and the stability of collaborative transmission at the system level.

[0083] Example 8

[0084] To address transmission conflicts caused by burst channel occupancy and clock skew in multi-AP collaborative transmission, this embodiment further optimizes the TXOP time resource allocation strategy. When generating the time allocation table, the shared AP allocates at least 10% of the total TXOP duration as a protection interval based on a preset protection interval reservation mechanism. The time granularity of this protection interval is aligned with the symbol period of the WIFI 7 physical layer (approximately 33.3ns), ensuring that the detection and response to burst signals have the adaptability of the smallest time unit.

[0085] Specifically, the shared AP first calculates the total basic transmission time based on the service requirements of each shared AP, including the start and end times of each time window. Then, a 10% redundancy time is added to the total duration. This redundancy time is distributed as discrete guard intervals between transmission windows and at the end of the TXOP phase. For example, if the total duration of a TXOP is 1ms, the guard interval is no less than 100μs, with 50μs as an inter-window isolation band and 50μs as an end-of-window buffer band. After receiving a MAP trigger frame containing guard interval information, each shared AP synchronizes its local transmission timer with the guard interval marker to ensure that data transmission stops 5μs before the end of the allocated time window, reserving adjustment space for possible clock offset errors.

[0086] Furthermore, the dynamic adjustment mechanism of the guard interval is linked to the clock synchronization module: when the clock deviation of the AP within the group exceeds 1 / 8 of the symbol period through the synchronization timing offset, the shared AP automatically increases the guard interval ratio to 15%, compensating for phase errors by adding redundant time. It's important to understand that this reservation mechanism not only provides a buffer for sudden channel occupancy events (such as random access from non-group devices), but also reduces the risk of overlapping transmission windows caused by crystal oscillator drift through the clock deviation compensation mechanism. The precise symbol-level division of the guard interval, in synergy with the efficient time-frequency resource scheduling framework of WIFI 7, ensures minimal resource occupancy and maximized utility.

[0087] The advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that, through a standardized guard interval reservation mechanism, a buffer system for dealing with sudden conflicts is constructed without significantly increasing time resource overhead. Symbol-level time granularity control and dynamic adjustment strategies enable the guard interval to accurately adapt to the physical layer transmission characteristics, effectively reducing signal collisions caused by clock asynchrony or external interference, improving the time synchronization robustness of the cooperative transmission process, and providing time resource-level guarantees for reliable data transmission in high-density wireless environments.

[0088] Example 9

[0089] To address the issues of unclear functional module division and low information exchange efficiency in multi-AP cooperative transmission systems, this embodiment provides a structured channel contention optimization system. The modules of this system achieve data exchange and control signaling transmission through standardized interfaces, forming a hierarchical cooperative control architecture.

[0090] Specifically, the coordination group management module is integrated into the control plane of the shared AP and is responsible for the lifecycle management of the coordination group: during the initialization phase, it generates a 64-bit random group ID, broadcasts network information through a group creation request frame conforming to the IEEE 802.11be extended frame structure, receives joining confirmation frames containing capability parameters (subcarrier bandwidth support range, maximum transmission power, and buffer capacity), and maintains a dynamic member list. This module uses a hash table data structure to store the capability parameters of each AP, supporting fast lookup and update with O(1) complexity.

[0091] Furthermore, the information interaction module implements bidirectional data transmission based on the MAC layer signaling mechanism: the transmitting end encapsulates information such as the current buffered data volume and subcarrier allocation mode preference of the shared AP into MAP-RTS frames, and the receiving end extracts service parameters such as the priority of the data to be transmitted and the number of subcarriers required by parsing the MAP-CTS frames responded by each shared AP. The module has a built-in data verification mechanism that marks parameters exceeding the preset range (such as the number of subcarriers exceeding the total available resources) as abnormal, ensuring the accuracy of the information input to the resource evaluation unit.

[0092] Furthermore, the channel contention module exclusively uses the CSMA / CA mechanism execution unit of the shared AP. After detecting that the channel has been idle for DIFS duration, it generates a backoff counter according to the IEEE 802.11be protocol. The state changes (freeze, decrement, return to zero) are fed back to the resource allocation module in real time through hardware interrupt signals, forming an accurate perception of the channel occupancy status. This module uses a hardware acceleration unit to implement the backoff algorithm, controlling the counter update delay within the symbol period to ensure the real-time performance of the contention process.

[0093] Furthermore, the resource allocation module integrates capability parameters, service requirements, and channel state information to generate a two-dimensional resource allocation table using TDMA or TDMA / SR algorithms. Each entry contains the transmission start symbol, duration symbol count, and subcarrier index set for each shared AP. The time parameters are accurate to the symbol period, and the frequency parameters follow the RU partitioning rules defined in IEEE 802.11be. The module includes a built-in collision detection subunit that automatically corrects entries with overlapping time windows or subcarrier allocation conflicts, ensuring the orthogonality of the allocation results.

[0094] Furthermore, the trigger frame transmission module encodes the resource allocation table into a MAP trigger frame conforming to the 802.11be frame format, embeds transmission power control parameters and synchronization timing offset, and transmits it to each shared AP through the RF front end. The module supports a dynamic power adjustment algorithm, which calculates the optimal transmit power for each node based on the AP location information stored in the coordination group management module, suppressing co-channel interference while ensuring coverage.

[0095] It's important to understand that the modules achieve asynchronous collaboration through an event-driven mechanism: when the channel contention module acquires channel usage rights, it triggers the resource allocation module to generate an instant allocation table; when the information interaction module detects a sudden change in service parameters, it sends a reconfiguration request to the coordination group management module. This modular design achieves functional decoupling, facilitating subsequent protocol upgrades and hardware expansion, while standardized interface definitions ensure system compatibility across different Wi-Fi 7 devices.

[0096] The advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that a highly efficient and collaborative system architecture is constructed through hierarchical module division and standardized interface design. The specialized division of labor and data interaction mechanism of each functional unit ensures the orderly execution of core processes such as coordination group management, information collection, channel contention, resource allocation, and command sending. This provides a reusable hardware-software collaborative architecture for the systematic implementation of multi-AP collaborative transmission, improving the engineering feasibility and technical scalability of the entire optimization system.

[0097] Example 10

[0098] To address the compatibility issue of multi-AP cooperative transmission methods across different hardware platforms, this embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program capable of implementing full-process control of the aforementioned channel contention optimization method. This storage medium includes, but is not limited to, non-volatile storage devices such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and NAND flash memory chips, supports collaboration with ARM or x86 architecture processors, and the program code is written in a combination of C and assembly language to ensure high efficiency in underlying hardware operations.

[0099] The computer program contains executable code for five functional modules, corresponding to coordination group management, information exchange, channel contention, resource allocation, and trigger frame processing logic, respectively. The coordination group management module generates group creation request frames, parses join confirmation frames, and maintains the member list. It uses a finite state machine (FSM) model to manage the lifecycle states of the coordination group (initialization, member joining, stable operation, and reconfiguration). The information exchange module encapsulates the encoding and decoding functions for MAP-RTS / MAP-CTS frames, supports direct data interaction with the MAC layer driver, and enables real-time acquisition of service parameters and reliable transmission of control signaling.

[0100] The channel contention module's code implementation strictly adheres to the CSMA / CA mechanism of the IEEE 802.11be protocol, including sub-functions for backoff counter initialization, channel state monitoring, counter freezing and recovery, etc., implemented through hardware timer interrupts. The advantage of this embodiment is that by transforming the channel contention optimization method into a standardized computer program, it achieves hardware independence and cross-platform adaptability. The modular code design and efficient implementation of underlying hardware operations ensure stable operation of the algorithm in embedded devices, providing a unified software solution for the mass production and technological upgrades of WIFI 7 routers, and promoting the engineering implementation of multi-AP collaborative transmission technology from theoretical architecture to actual products.

[0101] Although the present invention has been specifically described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and such modifications and variations should fall within the scope defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing channel contention in a WIFI 7 wireless router, characterized in that, The steps of the method include: A coordination group creation request is initiated by the shared AP, and at least one other AP joins the coordination group as a shared AP, forming a multi-AP collaborative cluster containing a unique shared AP and at least one shared AP, which is used to build a multi-AP collaborative architecture; The APs within the coordination group exchange information via MAP-RTS frames and MAP-CTS frames. The shared AP obtains the radio configuration information and buffer information of each shared AP and evaluates the required channel resources, so that the shared AP can understand the resource requirements of the APs within the group. Only the shared AP executes the Carrier Sense Multiple Access and Backoff mechanism (CSMA / CA) of the IEEE 802.11be protocol to compete for the right to use the channel. The shared AP does not participate in channel contention within the coordination group, which is used to avoid invalid contention by multiple APs. Once the shared AP obtains the right to use the channel, it allocates appropriate network vectors (NAVs) or subcarrier resources to the shared AP according to the channel resources, forming a time-frequency resource allocation scheme for shared transmission opportunities (TXOPs) to share channel resources. The shared AP sends a MAP trigger frame (MAP-TF) to the shared APs in the coordination group. The MAP trigger frame carries the time parameters of the TXOP and the subcarrier resource allocation information, instructing each shared AP to synchronously transmit data on the allocated time and frequency resources.

2. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The shared AP initiates the creation of a coordination group by broadcasting a group creation request frame containing a group identifier, a shared AP identifier, and coordination rules. The shared AP joins the coordination group by replying with a join confirmation frame carrying its own capability parameters. This is used to clarify the composition of the coordination group and the basic capabilities of each AP to ensure the compatibility of coordinated transmission. The own capability parameters include supported subcarrier bandwidth, maximum transmission power, and buffer capacity.

3. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The MAP-RTS frame contains at least the current buffered data amount of the shared AP, the supported subcarrier allocation mode and the available TXOP duration, and the MAP-CTS frame contains at least the priority of the data to be transmitted for the corresponding shared AP, the required number of subcarriers and the expected transmission time window. The shared AP adopts a Coordinated Time Packet Multiple Access (TDMA) or Coordinated Subcarrier Access (TDMA / SR) strategy to generate a resource allocation table containing each shared AP. The resource allocation table specifies the transmission start time, duration, and allocated subcarrier group of each shared AP to ensure that the shared AP can accurately match the transmission needs of APs within the group, thereby avoiding resource allocation conflicts.

4. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the shared AP executes the CSMA / CA mechanism, it waits for the DIFS time after detecting that the channel is idle, and then starts the backoff counter. The backoff counter only decrements when the channel is continuously idle, and obtains the right to use the channel when the counter reaches zero and the channel is still idle. If the channel is occupied during the backoff process, the counter is updated according to the remaining backoff time to enter the next round of competition. By centralizing the competing nodes, the backoff conflict of multiple APs is reduced, thereby reducing the channel contention overhead.

5. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The allocation of the network vector (NAV) includes setting a dedicated channel occupancy time window for each shared AP, wherein the time windows do not overlap and the total duration does not exceed the total TXOP duration acquired by the shared AP; The subcarrier resource allocation includes dividing the shared AP into orthogonal subcarrier groups according to the service type of each shared AP. The service type includes voice service, video service, or data service. Voice service is allocated to low-latency subcarrier groups, video service is allocated to high-bandwidth subcarrier groups, and data service is allocated to flexible resource subcarrier groups. This differentiated resource allocation is used to meet the quality of service (QoS) requirements of different services.

6. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The MAP trigger frame also includes the transmission power control parameters and synchronization timing offset of each shared AP. The shared AP adjusts its transmission power according to the transmission power parameters to avoid interference within the group, and calibrates its local clock according to the timing offset to achieve transmission synchronization, thereby avoiding co-frequency interference and timing synchronization in multi-AP collaborative transmission.

7. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When any AP in the coordination group detects that the channel utilization exceeds a preset threshold, the coordination group reconstruction process is triggered. The shared AP re-collects the real-time cache information and channel status information of each shared AP and dynamically adjusts the resource allocation strategy to adapt to the real-time changes in network load in order to maintain efficient channel utilization.

8. The WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When allocating TXOPs, the shared AP reserves at least 10% of idle time resources as a protection interval to cope with transmission conflicts caused by sudden channel occupancy or clock skew.

9. A channel contention optimization system for a WIFI 7 wireless router, used to implement the channel contention optimization method for a WIFI 7 wireless router as described in claims 1-8, characterized in that, The system includes: The coordination group management module is used to perform coordination group creation operations, including initiating group creation requests from shared APs, receiving confirmation of joining from shared APs, and maintaining the list of members in the coordination group and the capability parameters of each AP. The information interaction module is used to transmit MAP-RTS frames and MAP-CTS frames within the coordination group, obtain the radio configuration information, buffer information and service requirement information of each AP, and transmit the information to the resource evaluation unit. The channel contention module is used to allow only the shared AP to compete for the right to use the channel through the CSMA / CA mechanism, generate a channel occupancy status signal and transmit it to the resource allocation module; The resource allocation module is used to generate an NAV or subcarrier resource allocation table based on the AP information obtained by the information interaction module and the channel occupancy status obtained by the channel contention module, and to specify the transmission time and frequency resources of each shared AP. The trigger frame sending module is used to generate MAP trigger frames containing resource allocation information and send them to the shared APs in the coordination group to instruct each AP to transmit data synchronously.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the WIFI 7 wireless router channel contention optimization method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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