Directional Beacon Transmission Deferral in Millimeter Wave Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In millimeter wave networks, especially 60GHz networks, the existing distributed beacon transmission rules fail to ensure that only a single STA's beacon is sent within each beacon interval due to the directionality of transmissions, leading to multiple STAs transmitting beacons simultaneously, which is inefficient and energy burdensome, particularly in battery-powered devices.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves establishing a beacon time (BT) based on the directional beacon transmission characteristics, determining a delay time that allows a STA to send multiple directional beacon transmissions, and employing a random delay time distribution to ensure fair energy consumption among STAs, with different minimum contention window values for beacon generation and medium access to optimize deferral times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If distributed architecture allows any STA to transmit beacon frames, then network autonomy and flexibility are improved, but multiple STAs may transmit beacons simultaneously causing energy waste and inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a deferral mechanism where STAs wait for a predetermined duration (deferral time) before transmitting beacons. This pre-planned waiting period prevents simultaneous transmissions by ensuring that if a STA detects another STA's beacon during its deferral period, it will cancel its own transmission, thus avoiding energy waste while maintaining distributed architecture benefits
2Area of stationary object
If directional transmissions are used to reach full coverage extent, then transmission coverage is improved, but beacon transmission complexity increases requiring multiple repetitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by transmitting beacons in structured intervals with specific timing patterns. Instead of random or continuous transmissions, STAs send beacons at periodic intervals with calculated deferral times, allowing the system to achieve full directional coverage through organized repetition rather than chaotic multiple transmissions, thus reducing complexity while maintaining coverage
3Reliability
If deferral time is extended to prevent simultaneous beacons, then collision avoidance is improved, but time efficiency and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the deferral time parameter based on network conditions and STA characteristics. Rather than using a fixed long deferral time that reduces productivity, the system calculates optimal deferral durations that provide sufficient collision avoidance while minimizing waiting time, thus balancing reliability and productivity through parameter optimization
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for the generation of beacons are disclosed. For instance, embodiments may establish a delay time that is based at least on a directional beacon transmission characteristic of a wireless communications device. In turn, embodiments may determine whether a beacon transmission is received from a remote device during a time period. This time period begins at a start of a beacon interval in a distributed wireless communications network, and has a duration of the delay time. When a beacon transmission is not received from a remote device during the time period, one or more directional beacon transmissions may be sent upon completion of the time period.