Access Point Trigger Frame Allocation for Wi-Fi Uplink

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radio communication systems, particularly in the context of IEEE 802.11be, face inefficiencies in allocating transmission opportunities across multiple stations, leading to potential collisions and reduced throughput due to complex scheduling and overlapping transmission/reception timings.

Innovation Solution

An access point generates a control signal using a Trigger frame that allocates transmission opportunities to multiple stations through Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) or Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), allowing stations to determine their own radio parameters and transmission timings, thereby simplifying the scheduling process and preventing overlapping timings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the access point performs centralized scheduling for transmission opportunities, then the allocation can be controlled, but the scheduling complexity increases and throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission opportunity allocation controlVSAvoidscheduling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables terminals to autonomously determine their transmission opportunities by decoding trigger frames and identifying their own allocation information, eliminating the need for complex centralized scheduling by the access point. Each terminal independently extracts its transmission parameters from the trigger frame and performs uplink transmission without requiring complex coordination from the access point.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If multiple terminals transmit simultaneously without proper allocation, then throughput may increase, but collisions occur and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidtransmission reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmission opportunity into multiple orthogonal resources (time, frequency, spatial) and allocates specific segments to different terminals through trigger frames. This segmentation allows multiple terminals to transmit simultaneously in different resources without collision, achieving both high throughput and reliable transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the access point allocates transmission opportunities to multiple terminals, then resource utilization improves, but the risk of overlapping transmission/reception timings increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidtransmission timing precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves timing conflicts by introducing additional orthogonal dimensions for resource allocation, including spatial dimensions (multiple antennas, beamforming) and frequency dimensions (subcarriers, resource units). This multi-dimensional allocation allows the access point to simultaneously serve multiple terminals without timing overlaps by separating them in different spatial or frequency domains.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS20240373456A1Access point, terminal, and communication method

Publication Date: 2024.11.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

AI summary

This access point comprises a control circuit that generates a control signal for allocating at least a portion of time of an acquired transmission opportunity to uplink transmissions of a plurality of terminals; and a transmission circuit that transmits the control signal.