Block Acknowledgement Threshold Control for Airtime Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless local area networks, the underutilization of block acknowledgement window size due to a low number of frames in aggregated frame units leads to inefficient airtime usage, as the transmission of multiple block acknowledgements and buffer intervals consumes significant airtime, especially when the number of frames is far less than the block acknowledgement window size.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an aggregate block acknowledgement method where the transmitting device requests an immediate block acknowledgement only when the count of unacknowledged frames reaches a predetermined threshold value, such as 75% of the block acknowledgement window size, thereby utilizing a major portion of the window size and reducing frequent block acknowledgement transmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If immediate block acknowledgement is transmitted for every aggregated frame unit, then frame acknowledgment reliability is improved, but airtime efficiency deteriorates due to frequent block acknowledgement transmissions and buffer intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple block acknowledgement transmissions into a single consolidated block acknowledgement by accumulating unacknowledged frames until the BA window size is reached or a timeout occurs. This combining approach reduces the number of separate acknowledgement transmissions and their associated buffer intervals, thereby improving airtime efficiency while maintaining reliable frame acknowledgment through the consolidated BA transmission.
2Productivity
If the block acknowledgement window size is increased to improve airtime efficiency, then airtime efficiency is improved, but the window size is underutilized when the number of frames in aggregated frame units is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic approach where the effective block acknowledgement window size adapts to the actual number of unacknowledged frames. Instead of using a fixed large BA window size that may be underutilized, the system dynamically adjusts the accumulation threshold based on the current frame count, ensuring optimal utilization of the BA window while maintaining improved airtime efficiency compared to traditional methods.
3Productivity
If frame aggregation is used to improve network throughput, then network throughput is improved, but the number of frames per aggregated frame unit remains limited due to various constraints, leading to BA window size underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the block acknowledgement mechanism to accumulate frames until a threshold is reached, rather than transmitting acknowledgements immediately after each aggregated frame unit. This preliminary accumulation strategy allows the system to prepare for optimal BA window utilization in advance, ensuring that when acknowledgements are transmitted, the BA window size is fully utilized, thereby improving overall network throughput efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein relate to a method of handling block acknowledgements. A transmitting device transmits a first packet to a receiving device in response to determining that a count of unacknowledged frames is smaller than a threshold value. In particular, the transmitting device configures the first packet such that the receiving device does not need to send a block acknowledgement (BA) immediately after receiving the first packet. Further, before transmitting any additional packet to the receiving device, the transmitting device may again ascertain whether the count of the unacknowledged frames is smaller than the threshold value. In response to determining that the count of the unacknowledged frames is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the transmitting device transmits a second packet requesting an immediate BA. The transmitting device may receive a BA for the unacknowledged frames in response to receipt of the second packet by the receiving device.