Coordinated Transmission Acknowledgment via Uplink OFDMA

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques struggle with efficiently acknowledging data receipt from multiple originator communication devices to a single receiver, as existing methods do not provide a reliable mechanism for the receiver to send acknowledgement signals to each originator device, leading to inefficiencies and potential data loss.

Innovation Solution

A communication method where multiple transmission-side devices coordinate to transmit data to a reception-side device, utilizing uplink OFDMA multiplex communication to simultaneously distribute acknowledgement signals to each transmission-side device, ensuring reliable data receipt acknowledgement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the receiver communication device returns acknowledgement signals to multiple originator communication devices simultaneously, then the acknowledgement reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacknowledgement reliabilityVSAvoidreceiver device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the acknowledgement signal transmission by dividing the frequency spectrum into multiple resource units (RUs), with each RU allocated to a specific originator communication device. This allows the receiver to send simultaneous acknowledgements to multiple devices without requiring complex sequential processing, as each device receives its acknowledgement on a dedicated frequency segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from time-based sequential acknowledgement transmission to frequency-based parallel transmission. By utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDMA), the system adds a frequency dimension to the communication, allowing multiple acknowledgement signals to be transmitted simultaneously across different frequency resources without interference.

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

2Device complexity

If conventional acknowledgement methods are used for multiple originator devices, then the device complexity is reduced, but the acknowledgement efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication method simplicityVSAvoidacknowledgement efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual acknowledgement transmissions into a single combined OFDMA-based acknowledgement signal. The receiver transmits one unified acknowledgement frame that simultaneously reaches multiple originator devices through frequency division, consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate transmission cycles into a single parallel operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The OFDMA acknowledgement mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides acknowledgement to multiple originator devices, enables parallel processing of acknowledgement signals, and maintains backward compatibility with existing wireless communication standards. This multi-functional approach improves efficiency without requiring entirely new communication protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4293927B1Acknowledging after coordinated transmission performed
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4293927B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4293927B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4293927B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present technology relates to a communication device and a communication method capable for enabling more reliable acknowledgment of data receipt. The present technology provides a communication device including a control unit that performs control to: transmit data to a reception-side communication device, when coordinated transmission is performed to transmit the data simultaneously from a plurality of transmission-side communication devices to the reception-side communication device; generate a request signal including coordinated transmission information regarding the coordinated transmission, and acknowledgement return information for returning an acknowledgement of the coordinately transmitted data simultaneously to the plurality of transmission-side communication devices; transmit the generated request signal to the reception-side communication device; and receive an acknowledgement signal including the acknowledgement, the acknowledgement signal being transmitted from the reception-side communication device that has received the request signal. The present technology can be applied to a wireless LAN system, for example.