MAC Header Integrity Protection Using Aggregated Control Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in protecting the integrity of media access control headers in wireless local area networks without significantly degrading communication efficiency through excessive signaling overhead.
Innovation Solution
Implementing control frame-based integrity protection for media access control header content, where integrity-protected control frames are aggregated with media access control protocol data units and transmitted together in a physical layer protocol data unit, reducing the need for per-MPDU protection and lowering overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If per-MPDU integrity protection is implemented, then security and reliability are improved, but signaling overhead and implementation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges integrity protection from individual MPDUs into a single control frame that protects multiple MPDUs collectively. The control frame contains a MAC header integrity protection field that covers the MAC headers of multiple aggregated MPDUs, eliminating the need for separate integrity protection mechanisms for each MPDU and reducing overall implementation complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control frame serves multiple functions simultaneously: it carries control information for the receiver and provides integrity protection for multiple MPDUs' MAC headers through a single integrity protection mechanism. This multi-functional approach replaces what would otherwise require separate protection mechanisms for each MPDU
2Reliability
If per-MPDU integrity protection is implemented, then security is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple integrity protection functions are merged into a single control frame structure. The MAC header integrity protection field in the control frame collectively protects the MAC headers of multiple MPDUs, reducing the total amount of integrity protection signaling compared to individual per-MPDU protection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the integrity protection function from the individual MPDUs and consolidates it into a separate control frame. This segmentation allows the integrity protection to be applied once at the control frame level rather than repeatedly at each MPDU level, reducing redundant signaling overhead
3Ease of operation
If control frames are transmitted separately from MPDUs, then control signaling is simplified, but communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control frames and MPDUs into a single aggregated transmission unit. The control frame is aggregated with multiple MPDUs and transmitted together in one physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), improving communication efficiency by reducing the number of separate transmissions while maintaining simplified control signaling through the unified control frame structure
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to methods for control frame-based media access control header integrity protection in a wireless local area network. One or more media access control protocol data units can be generated. A control frame that includes media access control header content associated with the media access control protocol data unit(s) can be generated. The control frame can also include sequence number range information for the media access control protocol data unit(s). The control frame can also include integrity protection information for the media access control header content and sequence number range information. The control frame and the media access control protocol data unit(s) can be wirelessly transmitted.