6 GHz RLAN Channel Allocation Under AFC PSD Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for wireless communications in the 6GHz spectrum do not efficiently utilize available resources due to power spectral density (PSD) limitations imposed by automatic frequency controllers (AFC) to protect incumbent devices, leading to suboptimal throughput.
Innovation Solution
An access point (AP) and station (STA) manage PSD levels differently across frequency ranges by identifying and communicating sets of channels or resource units subject to lower PSD constraints, allowing efficient transmission and reception based on AFC authorization, thereby optimizing data throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the RLAN device operates at the lowest specified PSD level across its entire operational bandwidth to satisfy AFC PSD limitations, then interference to incumbent devices is avoided, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating PSD levels across different frequency portions within the operational bandwidth. The AP identifies a first portion of the bandwidth subject to lower PSD constraints and a second portion subject to normal PSD constraints, then transmits at different power levels in each portion. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining low PSD only where incumbents are present while using higher PSD in unaffected frequency ranges, thus protecting incumbents without sacrificing overall resource utilization efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the RLAN device uses uniform PSD level across all frequencies, then implementation complexity is reduced, but throughput optimization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the operational bandwidth into distinct frequency portions - a first portion subject to lower PSD constraints and a second portion subject to normal PSD constraints. The AP separately identifies and manages these portions, transmitting at different PSD levels in each. This segmentation enables throughput optimization by allowing higher power transmission in the second portion while maintaining compliance in the first portion, without requiring complex continuous adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
An access point (AP) communicates to one or more stations (STAs) information indicating a set of channels and/or resource units (RUs), corresponding to a wideband basis service set (BSS) for an authorized unlicensed radio local area network (RLAN) using 6GHz spectrum, which are subject to a lower power spectral density (PSD) level than other portions of the BSS frequency range or are not to be used for transmission. In some, but not necessarily all, embodiments, the AP and the STAs do not encode data on the identified channels or RUs, but do encode data on other channels and/or other RUs, which are not subject to the lower PDS constraint.