LoRaWAN Frame Acknowledgment Using MIC Extraction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LoRaWAN networks face inefficiencies in frame acknowledgment processes, which result in excessive data exchange between electronic devices and application servers, leading to increased bandwidth usage and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method for fast frame acknowledgment that reduces data exchange by sending only the integrity code in the acknowledgment frame, rather than the full header and payload, allowing for a more compact acknowledgment frame and conserving bandwidth and energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a full acknowledgment frame with header and payload is sent, then the acknowledgment is complete and reliable, but the bandwidth usage and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacknowledgment reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential integrity verification element (MIC field) from the complete acknowledgment frame structure. Instead of transmitting the full MHDR, MACpayload, and MIC fields, the system sends only the 4-byte MIC field, removing redundant header and payload data while preserving the core acknowledgment function of verifying data integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the traditional acknowledgment approach by having the receiving device calculate the expected MIC locally and comparing it with the received MIC, rather than having the transmitting device send back the entire original frame for verification. This inversion eliminates the need for retransmitting full frame data while maintaining verification reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If a full acknowledgment frame with header and payload is sent, then the acknowledgment is complete and reliable, but the bandwidth usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacknowledgment reliabilityVSAvoiddata volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential integrity verification element (MIC field) from the complete acknowledgment frame structure. Instead of transmitting the full MHDR, MACpayload, and MIC fields, the system sends only the 4-byte MIC field, removing redundant header and payload data while preserving the core acknowledgment function of verifying data integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The receiving device creates a local copy of the transmitted data and independently calculates the MIC from this copy. This local copying and verification approach eliminates the need to transmit the original data again, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining verification reliability through the copied data comparison

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If the traditional acknowledgment method is used, then data integrity can be verified, but the transmission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrity verificationVSAvoidtransmission time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential integrity verification element (MIC field) from the complete acknowledgment frame structure. Instead of transmitting the full MHDR, MACpayload, and MIC fields, the system sends only the 4-byte MIC field, removing redundant header and payload data while preserving the core acknowledgment function of verifying data integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The receiving device performs preliminary local calculation of the expected MIC value immediately upon receiving the data frame, before the acknowledgment frame is transmitted. This preliminary action allows for rapid comparison with the received MIC, significantly reducing the time required for integrity verification compared to waiting for and processing a full acknowledgment frame

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3588827B1Method for quick acknowledgement of a frame

Publication Date: 2021.04.28 SAGEMCOM ENERGY & TELECOM SAS

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AI summary

The invention relates to a method, for a long-range extended communication network comprising at least one electronic device and an application server, for acknowledging an exchanged frame, the method being executed by the electronic device and comprising the steps of: - transmitting, to the application server, a first frame, the first frame comprising data, - determining, based on the data of the first frame, a first integrity code, - receiving a second frame called an acknowledgment frame from the application server, the acknowledgment frame comprising a second integrity code, - if the first integrity code determined by the electronic device and the second integrity code are equal, then validating the acknowledgment by the application server of the first frame transmitted by the electronic device.