Distributed TXOP Sharing in High-Density WLANs
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density wireless communication scenarios in Wi-Fi networks face interference issues due to overlapping access points, leading to decreased quality of service and limited performance improvements despite increased bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A distributed scheduling and coordination scheme that allows multiple users to share transmission opportunities (TXOPs) using a seed generation and sharing algorithm, prioritizing high-priority communication pairs and adjusting sharing based on network conditions and interference levels, while maintaining low computational overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-density wireless access points are deployed to serve overlapping service areas, then network coverage and capacity are improved, but interference levels increase leading to deterioration in quality of service
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shared transmission opportunity (TXOP) into multiple sub-intervals, allowing different communication pairs to transmit in different time slots. This time-division segmentation reduces interference between overlapping access points while maintaining high network capacity in dense deployments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic TXOP sharing where the number of shared TXOPs is adjusted based on network conditions, priority levels, and interference measurements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize performance in high-density scenarios while managing interference levels.
2Productivity
If transmission opportunities are shared among multiple communication pairs, then network efficiency is improved, but complexity of coordination and scheduling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs distributed scheduling where each access point autonomously determines TXOP sharing decisions based on locally available information such as priority levels and interference measurements. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex centralized coordination while maintaining network efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies coordination complexity by changing key parameters to discrete, pre-defined values such as priority levels (high/normal/low) and fixed TXOP sharing ratios. This parameterization reduces the computational complexity of scheduling decisions while preserving network efficiency.
3Reliability
If carrier-sensing and collision avoidance techniques are used to allow collision-free media access, then reliability is improved, but loss of time due to waiting and backoff increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having access points sense the medium and reserve TXOPs in advance before actual data transmission is needed. This advance reservation reduces waiting time and backoff delays while maintaining collision-free access through pre-coordinated transmission opportunities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of a high-efficiency WLAN (HEW) station (STA) and methods for communication between HEW access points (APs) and STAs in a wireless network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a HEW STA initiates communications with a second STA in the wireless communication network to form a first communication pair with the second STA. The HEW STA can determine a threshold for a maximum percentage of available transmission opportunities (TXOPs) that will be permitted to be shared with another communication pair in the wireless communication network. The HEW STA can initialize a shared count value, based on the threshold, for counting shared TXOPs. The HEW STA can configure a sharing notification message to initiate sharing of a TXOP of the available TXOPs subsequent to receiving the TXOP, based on the shared count value. Other embodiments and methods are also described.