HE-SIG-B RU Allocation Subfield for WLAN Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In high-efficiency wireless local area networks (WLANs), the communication of bandwidth allocation information in the HE-SIG-B field increases overhead, particularly in multi-user OFDMA operations with a large number of stations, leading to performance degradation.

Innovation Solution

An Access Point (AP) determines resource unit allocations and generates a High Efficiency Signal B (HE-SIG-B) field by providing a RU Allocation Subfield in the common info field, indicating unallocated subchannels to reduce transmission power and overhead, thereby optimizing bandwidth allocation information transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If bandwidth allocation information is communicated in the HE-SIG-B field for MU OFDMA operations with many stations, then bandwidth allocation accuracy is improved, but frame overhead increases and WLAN performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth allocation accuracyVSAvoidframe overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary bandwidth allocation information for unallocated subchannels and places it in the HE-SIG-B field, rather than transmitting complete allocation details for all subchannels. This selective extraction reduces overhead while maintaining accurate allocation information where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting dummy information for unallocated subchannels or providing complete allocation maps, the patent inverts the approach by explicitly indicating only the unallocated subchannels and their associated power levels. This inversion allows receivers to infer allocated subchannels by default, significantly reducing the information that must be transmitted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Loss of information

If dummy information is transmitted in unallocated subchannels, then bandwidth allocation information is complete, but transmission power is wasted and overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth allocation information completenessVSAvoidtransmission power

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by not transmitting dummy information for unallocated subchannels. Instead, it explicitly indicates which subchannels are unallocated and provides power level information only for those unallocated subchannels, allowing receivers to understand the allocation without transmitting unnecessary dummy data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and transmits only the power level information for unallocated subchannels rather than transmitting complete allocation information for all subchannels. This selective extraction maintains information completeness for the critical unallocated portions while eliminating redundant transmissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If complete bandwidth allocation information is transmitted for all subchannels, then allocation accuracy is maintained, but frame size increases and transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveallocation information accuracyVSAvoidtransmission efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential power level information for unallocated subchannels from the complete allocation map and transmits only this extracted information in the HE-SIG-B field. This maintains accuracy for the critical unallocated portions while dramatically reducing the overall frame size and improving transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the transmission strategy by not providing complete allocation information for all subchannels. Instead, it inverts the approach by explicitly indicating unallocated subchannels and their power levels, allowing receivers to infer the allocated portions and maintaining accuracy where it matters most.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10219271B1Bandwidth allocation signalling

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An Access Point (AP) may allocate Resource Units (RUs) of a bandwidth of a Multi-User (MU) frame, including determining that an RU is not allocated to a station; determine a value of an RU Allocation Subfield according to the allocation of the RUs, the value of the RU Allocation Subfield indicating that the RU is not allocated; and generate a High Efficiency Signal B (HE-SIG-B) field including the RU Allocation Subfield in a common info field thereof. An AP may perform an MU transmission by transmitting a length to a station; determining identifiers each having the length; and transmitting an HE-SIG-B field including one of the identifiers to the station after transmitting the length. An AP may perform an MU transmission by allocating RUs and responding to receiving a frame from a station by transmitting a Multi-User Acknowledgement (MU-ACK) frame that includes information on the allocation of the RUs.