Dockee Carrier Sense Threshold Adjustment for Wireless Link Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless docking systems face performance degradation due to interference from other devices using the same wireless channel, especially in dense environments like open-plan offices, where the carrier sense mechanism's high sensitivity leads to reduced link quality and increased dropout rates.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an antenna efficiency reduction device in the dockee, which reduces the sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism when physically docked, allowing the dockee to operate with a higher carrier sense threshold and minimize interference from other devices, thereby improving link budget and reducing temporary connection drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the carrier sense mechanism operates with high sensitivity to detect all wireless signals, then interference from other devices is detected, but link quality and connection stability deteriorate due to excessive channel access restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the carrier sense threshold based on the operational state of the dockee. When physically docked, a first (higher) threshold is applied to prioritize stable connection to the docking station. When undocked or portably used, a second (lower) threshold is applied to detect interference from other devices. This state-dependent threshold adjustment resolves the contradiction by optimizing interference detection and link stability for each specific operational context.
2Productivity
If the dockee maintains high antenna efficiency for optimal wireless communication, then data rate is improved, but susceptibility to interference from other devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the carrier sense threshold parameter based on the dockee's physical state. By adjusting this critical parameter, the system dynamically balances antenna efficiency and interference susceptibility. When docked, the higher threshold effectively reduces susceptibility to interference while maintaining adequate data rates for the stable connection. When portably used, the lower threshold increases interference detection capability to protect the data rate. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between productivity and harmful factor susceptibility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the carrier sense threshold is lowered to detect more interference signals, then interference from other devices is minimized, but link budget and connection stability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the carrier sense threshold adjustable rather than fixed. The threshold dynamically changes based on whether the dockee is physically docked or portably used. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by applying a higher threshold (better link budget) when docked and a lower threshold (better interference detection) when portably used, optimizing both reliability and interference protection for each operational mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless docking system in a shared radio spectrum environment including: a docking station (320) configured with a radio (322) connected to an antenna (324); a dockee (310) configured with a radio (312) connected to an antenna (314) and using a radio standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station; and an antenna efficiency reduction device (328) that reduces the sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism in the dockee when the dockee is physically docked with the docking station.