EHT WLAN Control Signaling for Multi-RU Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication apparatuses and methods lack efficient control signaling solutions for assigning multiple contiguous or non-contiguous resource units (RUs) in Extremely High Throughput (EHT) WLAN, which is necessary for improving spectral efficiency beyond IEEE 802.11ax high efficiency (HE) WLAN.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves communication apparatuses and methods that support control signaling for assigning multiple contiguous or non-contiguous RUs to a single communication apparatus, utilizing enhanced EHT MU PPDUs and EHT Trigger frames to optimize resource allocation and reduce signaling overhead in EHT WLAN.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple contiguous or non-contiguous RUs are assigned to a single communication apparatus, then spectral efficiency is improved, but control signaling complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol signaling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control signaling is segmented into a common field containing RU allocation information and multiple user-specific fields, each corresponding to a specific communication apparatus. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently assign multiple RUs to single apparatuses while maintaining organized and manageable signaling structures, resolving the contradiction between improved spectral efficiency and increased control signaling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimension in resource allocation by allowing one-to-many mapping between user-specific fields and RUs, breaking away from the traditional one-to-one correspondence. This dimensional change enables multiple RUs to be assigned to a single communication apparatus, improving spectral efficiency while the structured field organization manages the signaling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If multiple RUs are assigned to a single communication apparatus, then data transmission capability is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the allocation information for multiple RUs into a single common field, which contains RU allocation information that applies to multiple communication apparatuses. This merging reduces redundant signaling and minimizes overhead while still enabling multiple RUs to be assigned to single apparatuses, thus improving data transmission capability without proportionally increasing signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common field serves multiple functions by containing RU allocation information that can be applied to multiple different communication apparatuses simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate signaling for each apparatus, decreasing overall signaling overhead while maintaining improved data transmission capability through multiple RU assignments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If EHT MU PPDUs are used for resource allocation, then resource allocation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidapparatus complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing targeted user-specific fields that contain allocation information tailored to each specific communication apparatus. This localized approach allows efficient resource allocation through EHT MU PPDUs while keeping the complexity manageable by only processing relevant information for each apparatus rather than handling all possible allocations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4055957B1Communication apparatus and communication method for control signaling
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA
  • EP4055957B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4055957B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4055957B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

The present disclosure provides communication apparatus and communication method for control signaling. A communication apparatus comprises circuitry which, in operation, generates a transmission signal comprising a plurality of user fields and a data field, the data field comprising a plurality of resource units (RUs); a transmitter, which, in operation, transmits the generated transmission signal; wherein a single transmission scheme is applied to one or more RUs of the plurality of RUs, which are assigned to another communication apparatus; and wherein one or more user fields of the plurality of user fields are addressed to the another communication apparatus and a number of the one or more user fields addressed to the another communication apparatus is equal to a number of the one or more RUs assigned to the another communication apparatus; and the one or more user fields addressed to the another communication apparatus correspond to the one or more RUs assigned to the another communication apparatus respectively.