Wireless LAN Adapter Channel Search Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, the search for an access point can cause delays or interruptions in direct wireless communication when all channels are scanned dynamically, especially when a connection to the access point is not established, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in search time across different channels.

Innovation Solution

The control unit configures a dynamic combination of channels to be searched based on the communication state, including factors like waiting time, communication amount, and number of terminals, to minimize search time and prevent interruptions in direct wireless communication, while sharing an antenna for both indirect and direct wireless communication to reduce interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dynamic scan is performed on all channels to search for access point, then the access point search coverage is improved, but the direct wireless communication is delayed or interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess point search coverageVSAvoiddirect wireless communication delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel search process by dividing all available channels into multiple groups. Instead of scanning all channels sequentially, the system scans one group at a time while maintaining direct wireless communication on other channels, thereby reducing communication delays while preserving search coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic channel scanning where the wireless LAN adapter periodically switches to scan different channel groups in a cyclic manner. This periodic action allows the system to maintain ongoing direct wireless communication while intermittently searching for access points across all channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If channel search is performed frequently to ensure access point availability, then the access point connection reliability is improved, but the direct wireless communication stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess point connection reliabilityVSAvoiddirect wireless communication stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the channel search into segmented phases corresponding to different channel groups. By searching one group at a time rather than all channels continuously, the system maintains more stable direct wireless communication while still achieving reliable access point detection through repeated periodic searches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If all channels are scanned sequentially to ensure complete access point detection, then the search thoroughness is improved, but the communication efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess point detection thoroughnessVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel search process into multiple parallelizable groups. This segmentation allows the system to maintain better communication efficiency by reducing the time spent continuously scanning all channels while still achieving thorough detection through periodic repetition of the segmented search process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses periodic scanning of channel groups to achieve thorough access point detection without continuously interrupting communication. The periodic repetition ensures comprehensive coverage over time while maintaining higher average communication efficiency compared to continuous full-channel scanning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3220710B1Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3220710B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3220710B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3220710B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wireless communication apparatus includes an indirect wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication that involves an access point; a direct wireless communication unit that performs direct wireless communication that does not involve the access point; and a control unit that controls a search for the access point that is performed sequentially on a plurality of channels, in which the control unit controls the number of channels that are used by the indirect wireless communication unit for the search for the access point, according to a communication state of the direct wireless communication.