Directional Antenna Wireless Device Discovery Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless devices using directional antennas face challenges in discovering and communicating with each other due to the difficulty and cost of coordinating antenna directivity and beacon transmission without a common time-domain reference point.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that enable wireless devices to discover and communicate with each other by using a protocol for coordinated beacon transmission and reception through directional antennas, where additional secondary beacon time slots are added to accommodate multiple devices in a sector, allowing for flexible adjustment of beacon periods and slot lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If directional antennas are used to extend transmission range, then communication distance is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for coordination protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon period is segmented into multiple time slots, each dedicated to a specific antenna sector. This segmentation allows devices to transmit beacons in organized intervals without simultaneous transmission conflicts, eliminating the need for complex coordination protocols while maintaining directional antenna benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes a beacon period structure with designated time slots for each antenna sector before communication begins. This preliminary organization of transmission timing eliminates the need for real-time coordination between devices, reducing protocol complexity while enabling extended transmission range through directional antennas.
2Reliability
If pre-coordination of antenna directivity is implemented, then communication reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to synchronization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Each device autonomously transmits beacons in its designated antenna sector during allocated time slots without requiring coordination with other devices. The system self-organizes through the time slot structure, eliminating synchronization requirements while maintaining reliable communication through directional antenna transmission.
3Reliability
If beacon transmission is coordinated across multiple antenna sectors, then communication reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to coordination overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon transmission process is segmented into distinct time slots assigned to different antenna sectors. This segmentation enables simultaneous independent beacon transmissions across multiple sectors without coordination overhead, maintaining reliability while eliminating time loss associated with coordination protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A wireless device (A) in a first antenna sector (40) is discovered using a directional antenna (322), which sends and receives signals in multiple antenna sectors. Multiple primary beacons are transmitted in corresponding primary beacon time slots (1P - 4P), which correspond to the antenna sectors (10 - 40) and have associated secondary beacon time slots (1s - 4s). A secondary beacon is received from the wireless device in a first secondary beacon time slot (4sA) associated with a first primary beacon time slot (4P) corresponding to the first sector, the secondary beacon being responsive to a first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot. An additional first secondary beacon time slot (4s) is added in association with the first primary beacon time slot. The additional first secondary beacon time slot enables an additional wireless device in the first sector to send an additional secondary beacon in response to a subsequent first primary beacon included in the first primary beacon time slot.