Availability Information Element for Wireless Network Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless network protocols, such as MBOA Draft 5.0, lack support for sharing availability information in distributed wireless networks with asynchronous traffic, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption management and delayed connection establishment, resulting in reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an Availability Information Element (AIE) during the beacon period, which allows devices to share their availability for the impending superframe, enabling efficient scheduling of traffic transmission and reception among devices in the network, using protocols like MBOA Draft 0.5, CSMA/CA, or TDMA.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If traditional MAC protocols (MBOA Draft 5.0, CSMA/CA, EDCA, DRP) are used without availability information sharing, then device complexity is reduced, but power consumption efficiency deteriorates and throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having devices advertise their availability status in advance during beacon periods before actual data transmission occurs. This allows receiving devices to proactively schedule transmissions during available time windows, avoiding power-wasting continuous monitoring and enabling devices to enter sleep mode during unavailable periods, thus improving power efficiency without requiring complex real-time negotiation protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The availability information element (AIE) acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between transmitting and receiving devices. Instead of requiring complex direct negotiation or continuous channel sensing, the AIE provides a standardized information structure that both parties can use to coordinate transmissions, simplifying the interaction while enabling efficient power management through advance availability advertising
2Productivity
If availability information is shared using AIE during beacon periods, then throughput is improved through better scheduling, but device complexity increases due to additional information elements and scheduling logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the availability information into structured elements (AIE) that are transmitted during existing beacon periods. The availability information is segmented into specific time windows and status indicators that can be easily parsed and processed, allowing devices to implement scheduling logic based on discrete, manageable data units rather than continuous complex state tracking, thus improving throughput with controlled complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The AIE structure serves multiple functions: it advertises availability status, provides scheduling information for future transmissions, and enables power management decisions. This multi-functionality allows a single information element to drive multiple performance improvements (throughput, power efficiency, scheduling accuracy) without requiring separate complex protocols for each function, thereby achieving high productivity with manageable device complexity
3Loss of time
If continuous monitoring and contention-based access (EDCA) are used, then network access flexibility is maintained, but delay efficiency deteriorates due to lack of availability information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces connection establishment delay by having devices perform preliminary availability advertising during beacon periods. When a device needs to establish a connection, it can immediately check the AIE for available time windows and schedule transmission without waiting for contention resolution or repeated probing, thus significantly reducing delay while maintaining flexibility through the structured availability windows that accommodate different traffic types and QoS requirements
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an example embodiment, method of wireless communication includes sending a beacon frame (300), which includes at least one availability information element (AIE) (400, 404). The method also includes scheduling transmission and reception of traffic among a plurality of devices (101, 103), or systems (101, 103), or both based on the AIES from the receivers. A wireless network (100) is also disclosed.