Clustered AP Beacon Synchronization for Coverage and Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-frequency radio communication networks, especially in millimeter-wave systems, the high path loss leads to limited beacon signal coverage, and existing solutions like omni-directional antennas or beamforming require high power consumption and cause interference at cell edges.
Innovation Solution
Clustering multiple access points (APs) to broadcast a synchronized beacon signal, achieving energy and diversity gains through coordinated transmission, thereby enlarging coverage while reducing power consumption and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If beamforming antennas are used to broadcast beacon signal, then broadcasting coverage is enlarged, but antenna power consumption increases notably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the network into multiple AP clusters, where each cluster contains multiple access points. Each AP within a cluster broadcasts beacon signals using beamforming, but the clusters are geographically separated and operate semi-independently. This segmentation allows beamforming to be used effectively in localized areas without requiring all APs in the entire network to consume high power simultaneously, thus resolving the contradiction between coverage enlargement and power consumption.
2Area of stationary object
If all beamforming antennas broadcast beacon signal periodically, then coverage is improved, but interference occurs at cell edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a periodic action principle by having different AP clusters broadcast beacon signals in different time periods. Specifically, during a first time period, first APs in a first cluster broadcast their beacon signals, while second APs in a second cluster remain silent. In a second time period, the roles are reversed. This time-division multiplexing approach allows each cluster to achieve full coverage during its active period while preventing inter-cluster interference at cell edges, thus resolving the contradiction between coverage improvement and interference reduction.
Data Source
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AI summary
The embodiments disclose a method in an AP for broadcasting a beacon signal in a high frequency radio communication network. The method comprises joining an AP cluster in the high frequency radio communication network, the AP cluster contains two or more APs; and broadcasting a same beacon signal together with other APs in the AP cluster synchronously, the broadcasted same beacon signal contains an identification of the AP cluster. The embodiments also disclose a method in a communication device for deriving a beacon signal in a high frequency radio communication network.