Aggregate Data Unit Duration Negotiation in WLAN Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems in wireless local area networks (WLANs) face inefficiencies in power saving techniques, particularly in scheduling communications, which leads to suboptimal resource utilization and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating aggregate data units with negotiated parameters, such as maximum burst duration and PHY data rate, to efficiently transmit and receive MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) or MAC service data units (MSDUs), allowing for optimized power management and resource allocation by determining the duration of aggregate data units and using trigger frames to manage communication device sleep times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If aggregate data units are transmitted without negotiated duration parameters, then data transmission completeness is improved, but power consumption increases due to extended wake times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by negotiating and dynamically adjusting the duration parameter of aggregate data units between the access point and communication devices. This allows the system to optimize the balance between transmission completeness and power consumption by adapting the wake time duration to actual data transmission needs rather than using fixed or overly conservative time allocations.
2Productivity
If aggregate data units include multiple component data units with respective MAC headers, then transmission efficiency is improved, but overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements merging by combining multiple component data units into a single aggregate data unit for transmission. While each component retains its MAC header for identification and processing purposes, the aggregation allows these units to be transmitted together in one physical transmission event, improving overall transmission efficiency by reducing the number of separate transmission operations required.
3Reliability
If communication devices remain awake to receive aggregate data units, then data reception reliability is improved, but power saving performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the device wake state dynamic rather than static. Devices transition to awake state only when needed to receive negotiated aggregate data units, then return to sleep mode. The duration of the awake state is dynamically controlled based on the negotiated parameter, allowing the system to maintain reception reliability for necessary data while minimizing power consumption by limiting wake time to only what is required.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method in a communication network includes receiving a data unit that includes a request to transmit an aggregate data unit to a communication device, and, in response to receiving the data unit, generating an aggregate data unit for transmission to the communication device, where the aggregate data unit includes a plurality of component data units, each having a respective media access channel (MAC) header, and a duration of the aggregate data unit is determined using a parameter negotiated with the communication device.