Antenna Pattern Selection Using ACK Signal Quality Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart antenna-based communication systems face issues with selecting optimal antenna patterns, leading to high packet losses, service delays, and low accuracy due to reliance on packet error rates and physical throughput alone for antenna pattern selection and reselection.
Innovation Solution
An antenna pattern selection method that determines a dominant pattern based on signal quality of acknowledgment frames, followed by training and selecting an optimal pattern using both physical throughput and signal quality, with retraining triggered by signal and throughput changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the smart antenna uses traditional selection algorithm based on packet error rate and physical throughput, then the antenna pattern selection can be performed, but a large number of packet losses occur causing service delay and stalling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs antenna pattern selection before actual data transmission by using acknowledgment frames sent in advance. The network device evaluates different antenna patterns using preliminary acknowledgment frames rather than waiting for data packet transmissions, thus avoiding service delays while still achieving reliable pattern selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acknowledgment frames as an intermediary element to evaluate antenna pattern quality. Instead of using actual data packets for evaluation, the system uses acknowledgment frames as a mediator that can be sent and received without affecting normal communication, thereby preventing packet losses and service delays while still providing reliable feedback for pattern selection
2Adaptability or versatility
If the smart antenna reselects antenna pattern when traffic constantly decreases, then the antenna can adapt to changing conditions, but this causes additional packet losses and communication interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the network device continuously monitors the quality of acknowledgment frames received from the terminal device. Based on this feedback, the system determines whether to reselect antenna patterns, enabling adaptability to changing communication conditions while maintaining reliability through informed decision-making rather than arbitrary reselection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs antenna pattern reselection based on preliminary evaluation of acknowledgment frame quality rather than waiting for actual communication degradation. This allows the system to adapt to changing conditions proactively while avoiding the packet losses that would occur with reactive reselection triggered by traffic decreases
3Measurement precision
If the system tests multiple antenna patterns to find optimal pattern, then the accuracy of pattern selection improves, but this causes communication interruptions and packet losses during testing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acknowledgment frames as an intermediary to test multiple antenna patterns without interrupting normal data communication. The network device can evaluate different patterns using acknowledgment frames while maintaining data transmission, thus achieving high measurement precision for pattern selection without sacrificing communication productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the antenna pattern evaluation function from the data transmission function. By using acknowledgment frames specifically for pattern evaluation while maintaining separate data channels, the system can test multiple patterns for accurate selection without causing communication interruptions or packet losses in the actual data transmission
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna pattern selection method includes a first communication device sending a plurality of packets to a second communication device. Then, the first communication device measures, in each of a plurality of antenna patterns, signal quality of a plurality of acknowledgment frames with which the second communication device separately responds to the plurality of packets, and finally selects a dominant antenna pattern from the plurality of antenna patterns based on signal quality corresponding to each of the plurality of antenna patterns. According to the antenna pattern selection method, when normal communication is not affected, the first communication device may determine, based on signal quality of an acknowledgment frame, whether an antenna pattern used by the first communication device is proper.