Compressed Wireless Beacons with Shortened Network Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in transmitting beacon signals due to the large amount of overhead data, which consumes bandwidth and increases power consumption, especially in low-data-rate environments and mobile networks.
Innovation Solution
The system compresses beacon frames by creating a shortened network identifier and transmitting a compressed beacon, allowing devices to discard or process the beacon based on matching identifiers, thereby reducing the overhead and improving power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full network identifiers are transmitted in beacon frames, then network identification reliability is improved, but beacon frame size and bandwidth usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of network identifier length by creating shortened identifiers (e.g., hashing full BSSID or SSID into shorter forms). This reduces beacon frame size while maintaining sufficient reliability through hash-based matching mechanisms that allow devices to verify network identity without processing complete identifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential identifying characteristics from full network identifiers and transmits only these extracted features in beacon frames. Devices perform matching based on these extracted short identifiers rather than comparing complete identifiers, thereby reducing overhead while preserving identification functionality.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive beacon information is transmitted, then network information completeness is improved, but power consumption and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments beacon information into two parts: short identifiers transmitted frequently in compressed beacons for quick matching, and full identifiers transmitted less frequently in full beacons. Devices can enter low-power modes between full beacon transmissions, checking only short identifiers during active periods, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic transmission of full beacons interspersed with compressed beacons containing short identifiers. Devices wake periodically to process full beacons and can remain in low-power states during intervals, checking only compressed beacons. This periodic structure reduces average power consumption while ensuring devices receive complete network information periodically.
3Quantity of substance
If short identifiers are used in beacons, then beacon frame size is reduced, but identifier matching complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary hashing or encoding of full network identifiers into short identifiers before beacon transmission. Devices pre-compute hash values of their known network identifiers and store them for comparison. This preliminary preparation simplifies the matching process during beacon reception, as devices only need to compare short hash values rather than process full identifiers in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices for communicating a compressed beacon are described herein. In some aspects, a method of communicating in a wireless network. includes creating a shortened network identifier having a first length from a full network identifier having a second length. The first length is shorter than the second length. The method further includes generating a compressed beacon including the shortened network identifier. The method further includes transmitting, at an access point, the compressed beacon.