Unsynchronized Beacon Group Merging via Dynamic Response Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless devices with fixed directional antennas in wireless networks often form unsynchronized beacon groups, making it difficult for them to discover and communicate with each other, leading to network partitioning and inefficient use of medium time.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that allow unsynchronized beacon groups to be merged by determining whether the directional antennas are steerable or fixed, relocating response beacons to synchronize the timing of beacons, enabling wireless devices to communicate within a single synchronized beacon group.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If wireless devices use fixed directional antennas to extend transmission range, then transmission range is improved, but network discoverability and communication reliability deteriorate due to inability to discover devices outside fixed antenna beam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a beacon mechanism that dynamically adjusts the transmission approach: devices send beacons in a predetermined direction using fixed antennas, and receiving devices respond with their own beacons in their fixed directions. This dynamic exchange allows devices to discover each other and establish communication without changing physical antenna orientations, thus maintaining extended transmission range while improving network discoverability.
2Reliability
If wireless devices use steerable directional antennas to discover devices by scanning, then network discoverability is improved, but device complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication process into distinct phases: beacon transmission phase where devices send beacons in predetermined directions, and beacon reception phase where devices listen for beacons. This segmentation allows fixed directional antennas to be used without requiring complex coordinated scanning, as each device operates independently in its fixed direction while still achieving network discovery through the structured beacon exchange mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If multiple unsynchronized beacon groups form in the network, then devices can maintain their fixed directional orientations, but medium time efficiency deteriorates due to repeated beacon transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where receiving devices respond to received beacons by sending their own beacons back to the transmitting devices. This feedback loop allows devices in different beacon groups to become aware of each other's presence and synchronize their operations. The feedback ensures that devices can maintain fixed directional orientations while improving medium time efficiency by reducing redundant beacon transmissions through coordinated awareness.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and wireless device merge multiple unsynchronized beacon groups in a wireless network, each beacon group including at least one wireless device. A first beacon is received from at least one first wireless device in a first beacon group (S514), the first wireless device having a first directional antenna. A second beacon is received from at least one second wireless device in a second beacon group that is not synchronized with the first beacon group (S516), the second wireless device having a second directional antenna. A first response beacon is relocated (S520) and sent (S522) to the first wireless device in the first beacon group. The relocated first response beacon instructs the first wireless device to relocate the first beacon. Accordingly, the second beacon, the relocated first response beacon, and the relocated first beacon are synchronized.