Multi-User Acknowledgment Frame Format Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication protocols for multi-user communications in WLANs do not efficiently manage block acknowledgment techniques and formats, as they do not require all devices to support defined subsets of techniques and formats, leading to inefficiencies in data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for generating and transmitting packets with acknowledgment information in wireless communication networks, where subfields with different formats are arranged in groups based on supported formats by individual communication devices, allowing devices to process only recognized formats and enhancing system throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all devices are required to support all defined block acknowledgment techniques and formats, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and protocol overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the block acknowledgment techniques and formats into distinct subsets, where each device only needs to support a specific subset rather than all possible techniques. This segmentation allows devices to have reduced complexity while maintaining reliable communication within their supported subset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic format indication fields that allow devices to signal which specific format subset they support. This dynamic indication mechanism enables flexible adaptation where devices can choose appropriate complexity levels while ensuring communication reliability through proper format matching between transmitting and receiving devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple block acknowledgment formats are supported for different devices, then adaptability is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides multiple block acknowledgment formats into separate subsets, where each subset corresponds to specific device capabilities. This segmentation allows devices to process only the formats in their supported subset, reducing processing complexity while maintaining adaptability to different device types through the format indication mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different devices to have different format support characteristics based on their capabilities. Each device is configured with specific format subsets appropriate to its capabilities, and format indication fields locally signal which subset should be used, enabling adaptability without requiring all devices to handle all formats.
3Productivity
If format indication fields are included in acknowledgment packets, then communication efficiency is improved, but packet size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the format indication information into separate, dedicated fields within the acknowledgment packet structure. This extraction allows the format information to be efficiently encoded and processed without bloating the entire packet, as the indication fields are compact and only contain necessary format identification data rather than full format descriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by encoding format information in a compact manner using efficient bit representation. The format indication fields use optimized parameter encoding that conveys the necessary format subset information with minimal bits, thereby improving communication efficiency while minimizing the increase in packet size.
Data Source
AI summary
A first communication device generates a packet associated with acknowledgment of frames corresponding to multiple second communication devices. Generating the packet includes generating a frame that includes a field having respective acknowledgment information for the multiple second communication devices in respective subfields. The subfields have a plurality of different formats. The subfields are arranged within the field in groups of adjacent subfields such that each group includes only subfields of a same format and/or includes only subfields corresponding to second communication devices that have communicated to the first communication device a same set of supported formats of the subfields. The first communication device transmits the packet to the multiple second communication devices.