Beamforming Training for 60GHz Association and Collision Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication systems in the 60GHz frequency range suffer from high path loss and beam alignment challenges during the association phase, leading to reduced antenna gain, coverage issues, and increased collision probability among stations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing double directive beamforming training that allows communication devices to use directive beams for both transmission and reception, enabling long-range association and reducing collision probability by employing variable beam widths and reciprocity principles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If STAs transmit directive beams to the AP during association phase, then antenna gain is improved, but collision probability increases due to multiple STAs transmitting simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The AP performs preliminary omnidirectional listening to detect and identify STAs before the association phase. The AP stores information about detected STAs and uses this knowledge to schedule their association transmissions, preventing collisions by ensuring only one STA transmits at a time.
Solution Approach 2:
The AP provides feedback to STAs about their detection status and schedules their association transmissions. The AP listens to STA transmissions and provides acknowledgment or scheduling decisions, enabling coordinated access that reduces collisions while maintaining high antenna gain.
2Power
If STAs transmit directive beams during association phase, then antenna gain is improved, but coverage area decreases due to narrow beam width
Solution Approach 1:
The AP performs preliminary omnidirectional listening to detect STAs from all directions before association. This preliminary phase ensures that STAs at various distances and angles are identified, and the AP schedules their associations sequentially, maintaining wide effective coverage despite using narrow directive beams during actual transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The association process is divided into periodic time slots, with the AP listening omnidirectionally in each slot to detect new STAs. This periodic omnidirectional listening ensures continuous coverage awareness, allowing the system to maintain wide coverage while using directional beams for actual data transmission.
3Area of stationary object
If AP listens omnidirectionally during association phase, then coverage is improved, but collision probability increases due to inability to filter directional transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The AP performs preliminary omnidirectional listening to detect and identify STAs before the association phase. The AP stores information about detected STAs and uses this knowledge to schedule their association transmissions, preventing collisions by ensuring only one STA transmits at a time.
Solution Approach 2:
The AP dynamically switches between omnidirectional listening mode during detection phases and directional reception mode during scheduled transmissions. This dynamic adaptation allows the AP to maintain wide coverage awareness while filtering out unscheduled transmissions, reducing collisions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication device, e.g. an access point, for RF-based communication with another communication device, e.g. a station, comprises antenna circuitry configured to transmit and receive RF signals and beamforming circuitry configured to perform beamforming. The beamforming circuitry controls the antenna circuitry to transmit data, in a beacon transmission phase prior to the beamforming training phase, using a set of third directive transmit beams in subsequent time slots and to listen, in the beamforming training phase, using a set of first directive receive beams in subsequent time slots that is different from the set of third directive transmit beams.