Distributed MIMO Scheduling via Temporal Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, especially those employing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, there is a need for effective techniques to manage interference between devices sharing the same communication resource, particularly in scenarios where beamforming is used, as existing methods fail to efficiently coordinate transmissions to minimize interference between access points and stations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a distributed MIMO communication system that utilizes a processing system to generate frames based on a communication schedule, allowing multiple wireless nodes to share a communication resource by specifying timeslots for different nodes to communicate with specific access points, thereby reducing interference through coordinated beamforming and nulling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple devices transmit on a shared communication resource using beamforming, then communication capacity is improved, but interference between devices occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shared communication resource by dividing it into multiple timeslots, with each timeslot assigned to specific access points and stations. This temporal segmentation allows multiple devices to communicate on the same frequency resource without interfering with each other, as transmissions are separated in time rather than space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through scheduled transmissions in repeating timeslots. Access points and stations follow a periodic communication pattern where specific APs transmit to specific STAs in designated timeslots, then repeat the pattern. This periodic scheduling ensures that interference is avoided while maintaining high communication capacity through efficient resource reuse.
2Reliability
If distributed MIMO communication is implemented across multiple access points, then communication performance is improved, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordination mechanism where a controlling access point acts as an intermediary to manage distributed MIMO operations. The controlling AP coordinates beamforming and nulling operations across multiple APs, simplifying the complexity by centralizing control while still achieving the performance benefits of distributed MIMO through cooperative transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the operations of multiple access points into a coordinated distributed MIMO system. By combining the transmitting and receiving capabilities of multiple APs and STAs, the system achieves improved communication performance through spatial diversity and beamforming, while the timeslot scheduling merges resource management into a unified coordination framework.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the disclosure relate to distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication such as coordinated beamforming or Joint MIMO. In some aspects, distributed MIMO is used to support communication in a cluster of wireless nodes (e.g., access points). A distributed MIMO scheduling scheme as taught herein is used to schedule the wireless nodes (e.g., access points and/or stations) operating within the cluster. For example, selected stations may be triggered to communicate with respective access points.