Concurrent Multi-MAC Wireless Association for URLLC

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication technologies face challenges in achieving low latency and high reliability required for applications like industrial internet, smart grids, and autonomous driving, as they struggle to meet stringent packet loss and latency metrics.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves allowing client devices to establish concurrent Wi-Fi associations using multiple MAC addresses and introducing a simulcasting property in a mapping system, which enables bi-casting of traffic to multiple Routing Locators, leveraging dynamic MAC address usage and efficient Wi-Fi6 radios to reduce packet loss and delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional wireless communication technologies are used, then device compatibility and ease of operation are maintained, but latency and packet loss meet无法满足 stringent URLLC requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket loss rateVSAvoidcommunication latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The client device establishes a first concurrent association with a first Access Point and a second concurrent association with a second Access Point. The system segments traffic into first packets transmitted through the first AP and second packets transmitted through the second AP, enabling parallel communication paths that reduce overall latency and provide redundancy against packet loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces multiple Access Points (first AP and second AP) as separate spatial nodes in the wireless network. By distributing communication across multiple spatial dimensions rather than a single channel, the patent creates redundant paths that simultaneously improve reliability and reduce latency through geometric diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If multiple concurrent associations are established with multiple Access Points, then URLLC reliability and latency are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveURLLC connection reliabilityVSAvoidconcurrent association management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A controller is introduced to centrally manage the first client device, first Access Point, second Access Point, and second client device. The controller handles authentication, configuration, and coordination of all concurrent associations, consolidating the complexity of managing multiple wireless connections into a single centralized system rather than distributing complexity across multiple devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The controller serves as an intermediary entity that coordinates between the first client device, second client device, first Access Point, and second Access Point. It mediates the concurrent association establishment process, managing the complexity of multiple simultaneous wireless connections while allowing individual devices to operate with simpler local logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4088444B1Ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) support for wireless access
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP4088444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4088444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4088444B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Low latency wireless communications may be provided. A client device may be authorized for a first association in response to the client device making a first concurrent association request that may include a first Media Access Control (MAC) address. In response to authorizing the client device for the first association, an Endpoint Identifier (EID) associated with the client device may be registered with a first Routing Locator (RLOC) in a map server, the first RLOC being associated with the first MAC address. The client device may then be authorized for a second association in response to the client device making a second concurrent association request that includes a second MAC address. In response to authorizing the client device for the second association, the EID associated with the client device may be registered with a second RLOC in the map server, the second RLOC being associated with the second MAC address.