Access Point Pre-emptive Protection of Data Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, particularly in IEEE 802.11-based systems, there is a challenge in ensuring timely transmission of high-priority data, such as low-latency data, without causing delays due to ongoing transmissions to other devices, especially when higher priority data becomes available during the transmission of lower priority data.
Innovation Solution
An access point employs a method where it sends a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS) frame to request clear-to-send (CTS) frames from both a first and a second device, allowing it to suspend transmission to the first device and promptly send higher priority data to the second device upon receiving the CTS frame, thereby preempting the lower priority data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the access point sends data to multiple devices simultaneously using MU-RTS/CTS, then the throughput and resource utilization are improved, but the ability to prioritize and transmit high-priority data promptly is worsened due to ongoing transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic transmission scheduling by allowing the access point to adjust transmission priorities in real-time. When high-priority data arrives for a second device during an ongoing transmission to a first device, the system dynamically suspends the lower-priority transmission and allocates the channel to the high-priority data, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining throughput and reducing transmission delays
Solution Approach 2:
The access point sends MU-RTS frames to multiple devices in advance before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary action reserves channel access rights for multiple devices, allowing the system to quickly switch between transmissions when priority changes occur, thereby preventing delays without sacrificing overall throughput
2Loss of time
If the access point suspends ongoing transmission to send high-priority data, then the latency for high-priority data is reduced, but the transmission efficiency and resource utilization are worsened due to interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the transmission parameters dynamically by adjusting priority levels based on data urgency. When high-priority data is detected, the access point modifies the transmission schedule to allocate more channel time to high-priority streams, effectively changing the time allocation parameter to reduce latency while maintaining overall efficiency through better resource matching
3Reliability
If the access point uses traditional RTS/CTS handshaking for each transmission, then the channel access reliability is improved, but the overhead and complexity increase for multi-device communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual RTS/CTS handshaking sequences into a single MU-RTS/CTS exchange that serves multiple devices simultaneously. The access point sends one MU-RTS frame containing information for multiple devices, and receives CTS responses from all targeted devices, thereby maintaining reliable channel access confirmation while significantly reducing protocol overhead and complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An access point may communicate with one or more computing devices. A data unit may be divided into smaller data units for transmission. One or more smaller data units may be replaced by another data unit, which may have a higher priority. After the access point sends the higher priority data unit to a computing device, transmission of the remaining data units may resume.