Channel Access via Shared Occupancy Time for Legacy Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication devices that do not support channel access mechanisms are unable to autonomously occupy channels for data transmission, particularly in unlicensed spectrum scenarios, leading to issues with channel access and potential collisions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for channel access that involves a first device transmitting a frame with a field to indicate channel occupation time, determining channel access parameters, and communicating with devices that do not support channel access mechanisms, allowing them to use the obtained channel time for communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a channel access mechanism is implemented to ensure fair channel usage, then channel fairness and collision reduction are improved, but devices without channel access capabilities cannot communicate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a first device as an intermediary that performs channel access on behalf of first-type devices. This mediator device acquires channel occupation time and shares it with first-type devices, enabling them to communicate without implementing the channel access mechanism themselves. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by decoupling the channel access function from the first-type devices while maintaining channel fairness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the channel access function into two parts: the channel access mechanism itself (performed by the first device) and the channel usage right (shared with first-type devices). By separating these functions, the system allows first-type devices to benefit from channel access without implementing the complex mechanism, thus improving both reliability and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If channel occupation time is allocated to support devices without channel access capabilities, then device versatility is improved, but channel access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first device acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of channel access mechanisms. It performs channel access, acquires channel occupation time, and manages the sharing of this time with first-type devices. This intermediary approach consolidates complexity in a single device while keeping first-type devices simple and versatile.
Solution Approach 2:
The first device performs preliminary channel access actions before first-type devices need to communicate. By acquiring channel occupation time in advance and sharing it with first-type devices, the system avoids requiring first-type devices to implement complex real-time channel access mechanisms, thus reducing their complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Ease of operation
If all devices perform autonomous channel access, then device independence is improved, but channel collision probability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first device serves as an intermediary that performs channel access centrally for first-type devices. Instead of each first-type device independently attempting channel access (which would cause collisions), the intermediary device manages channel access and shares the acquired time slots, thereby eliminating collisions while maintaining ease of operation for first-type devices.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present application provide a channel access method and apparatus and a communication device. The method comprises: a first device sends a first frame, the first frame comprising a first field, and the first field being used for indicating a channel occupancy time of a first channel; the first field is used for a second device to set or update a network allocation vector (NAV), and the NAV is used for the second device to determine a busy time of the first channel; all or part of the channel occupancy time is used for a first type of devices or a third device to perform communication on the first channel, and the third device belongs to the first type devices.