Link Restoration Method Using Timed Blockage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing 802.11ad standard for link restoration in wireless local area networks is blind to the actual situation of current link quality degradation, leading to low accuracy in restoring links when quality degrades, often resulting in unnecessary overheads due to immediate beam tracking, beam refinement, or redo-beamforming operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that detect link restoration within a timed blockage duration specific to user movement, using a null data packet to determine if the link is restored, and adjust operations accordingly, such as skipping beam tracking or redo-beamforming when the link is quickly restored due to temporary blockages, thereby reducing unnecessary restoration efforts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beam tracking or beam refinement is immediately performed when link quality degradation is detected, then link restoration is attempted, but unnecessary operations are performed when degradation is temporary, increasing overhead and reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a first timer that counts down a preset first duration before triggering beam tracking or beam refinement operations. When link quality degradation is detected, the system starts the first timer and only performs restoration operations if the timer expires without link recovery, allowing temporary degradations to resolve naturally without unnecessary overhead
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the link restoration process adaptive based on the duration of degradation. The system dynamically adjusts whether to perform beam tracking or beam refinement based on whether the first timer expires, transforming a static immediate-response mechanism into a dynamic time-based decision process that adapts to the actual degradation scenario
2Reliability
If redo-beamforming is performed immediately when link quality degradation persists, then link restoration is achieved, but operations are performed unnecessarily when link recovers naturally, increasing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a second timer that counts down a preset second duration before triggering redo-beamforming operations. When link quality degradation persists after the first timer expires, the system starts the second timer and only performs redo-beamforming if this timer also expires without natural recovery, preventing unnecessary redo-beamforming operations and improving system efficiency
3Reliability
If beam tracking or beam refinement is performed for every link quality degradation, then link restoration is attempted, but overhead increases due to operations during temporary blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using the first timer as a preliminary waiting period before initiating energy-consuming beam tracking or beam refinement operations. This preliminary timing mechanism allows temporary blockages to resolve naturally without wasting energy on unnecessary restoration operations, while still providing reliable restoration when degradation persists
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a link restoration method and apparatus, and a device. The method includes: if quality of a link between a first communications device and a second communications device does not meet a preset condition, detecting, by the first communications device within timing duration of a first timer, whether the link is restored, and obtaining a detection result, where the timing duration of the first timer is blockage duration of a link blockage resulting from a user movement; and determining, by the first communications device based on the detection result, whether to perform a link restoration operation, where the link restoration operation includes at least one of a beam tracking operation, a beam refinement operation, or a redo-beamforming operation.