Full Duplex Opportunity Discovery in Asymmetric WLANs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems are limited to either transmitting or receiving data at a particular time due to hardware isolation limitations, hindering the implementation of full-duplex communication, where interference from primary transmissions can affect the reception of secondary transmissions.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a full-duplex transmission opportunity discovery mechanism and corresponding setup procedures in a wireless 802.11 network, where a station receives a TxOP setup frame, transmits measurement frames, and provides feedback to an access point to facilitate simultaneous transmission and reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If full-duplex transmission is implemented, then spectrum utilization is improved, but interference from primary transmissions hinders reception of secondary transmissions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespectrum utilizationVSAvoidinterference from primary transmissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary compatibility discovery before full-duplex transmission by having stations transmit measurement frames and report interference levels. This advance assessment allows the access point to identify compatible station pairs that can engage in full-duplex communication without harmful interference, thus enabling spectrum utilization improvement while preventing interference-related reception failures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Stations transmit feedback reports containing measurement results and interference information to the access point. This feedback mechanism enables the system to continuously monitor and adjust full-duplex transmission decisions, maintaining high spectrum utilization while dynamically managing interference levels to prevent reception degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If measurement frames are transmitted for compatibility discovery, then full-duplex opportunity identification is improved, but additional transmission overhead is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefull-duplex opportunity identificationVSAvoidtransmission overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system transmits measurement frames selectively only for stations that are candidates for full-duplex communication, rather than performing exhaustive measurements for all possible station pairs. This partial action approach enables adequate full-duplex opportunity identification while minimizing unnecessary transmission overhead from redundant measurement frames

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If simultaneous transmission and reception are enabled, then network performance is improved, but hardware isolation limitations prevent effective implementation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidhardware isolation limitations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The access point acts as an intermediary that coordinates full-duplex communication between station pairs. By centralizing the control and compatibility assessment function at the access point, the system enables simultaneous transmission and reception to improve network performance while avoiding the complexity of implementing sophisticated isolation and coordination mechanisms in each individual station's hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12207304B2Full duplex opportunity discovery and transmission for asymmetric full duplex wireless local area networks (WLANS)

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS INC

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses are described herein for full-duplex transmission opportunity discovery and transmission in a wireless 802.11 network. A station (STA) may receive a transmission opportunity (TxOP) setup frame from an access point (AP), the TxOP setup frame including information enabling the STA to transmit a first measurement frame and another STA to transmit a second measurement frame. The STA may transmit the first measurement frame to the other STA, receive the second measurement frame from the other STA, and transmit feedback to the AP based on the received second measurement frame. The STA may receive, based on the feedback, a trigger frame from the AP to communicate during a TxOP and receive, during the TxOP, downlink data from the AP.