MAC Layer Frame Acknowledgment for Wireless Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving high reliability and low latency in frame acknowledgment, particularly in centralized scheduling systems like IEEE 802.16 and LTE, where HARQ mechanisms increase complexity and reduce reliability, while ARQ strategies lead to inefficiencies and higher latency.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for frame acknowledgment at the MAC layer that employs an immediate-type ACK strategy, allowing for group aggregation of frames with minimal fragmentation, scheduling ACK transmission in short signaling channels to minimize time delay and maximize reliability, and optimizing uplink and downlink channel configurations for timely resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HARQ mechanism is employed in centralized scheduling systems, then timeliness and validity of acknowledgment are guaranteed, but device complexity increases and reliability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the acknowledgment function from the complex HARQ mechanism at the physical layer and implements it independently at the MAC layer. This separates the ACK functionality from the complex segmentation and recombination procedures of HARQ, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining acknowledgment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of implementing acknowledgment at the physical layer through HARQ (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by implementing MAC layer acknowledgment. This reversal allows the system to avoid HARQ complexity while achieving reliable frame-level acknowledgment through MAC protocol mechanisms.
2Productivity
If ARQ strategy is employed in 802.16 systems, then device complexity is reduced, but acknowledgment efficiency decreases and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements immediate-type acknowledgment where the receiving station sends ACK frames immediately after successfully receiving data frames, without waiting for scheduled uplink opportunities. This preliminary action eliminates unnecessary delays and significantly improves acknowledgment efficiency compared to deferred ARQ strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous acknowledgment transmission by allowing stations to send ACK frames in both uplink and downlink directions as soon as data is received, maintaining continuous feedback flow rather than intermittent acknowledgment based on scheduled opportunities, thus improving productivity.
3Productivity
If ARQ-BLOCK segmentation is required for acknowledgment, then frame-level acknowledgment is achieved, but acknowledgment efficiency decreases due to additional segmentation overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the segmentation requirement from the acknowledgment process by implementing MAC layer acknowledgment that operates on complete frames rather than requiring ARQ-BLOCK segmentation. This eliminates the need for additional segmentation procedures while maintaining frame-level acknowledgment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the acknowledgment function from the data transmission function, allowing independent MAC layer ACK frames to be transmitted separately from data frames. This segmentation of functions eliminates the need for ARQ-BLOCK segmentation of data frames, reducing device complexity while improving acknowledgment efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method for frame acknowledgement, the method comprising: upon completion of downlink service data scheduling and resource allocation, allocating feedback resources in the uplink of the present physical frame; or, upon comple - tion of the uplink service data scheduling and resource allocation, allocating feedback resources in the downlink of the next frame for sending a Group ACK response; according to the allocated feedback resources, encapsulating the corresponding control signaling used for indicating feedback resource allocation; sending the feedback resource control signaling in a control channel of the physical frame. Also disclosed is a device for frame acknowledgement. In a centralized wireless communication system having an uplink and downlink frame structure, the method and device of the present invention realize data packet sending and acknowledgement in the form of MAC frames at the MAC level, and achieve the least acknowledgement delay and high reliability by providing group acknowledgement with minimum complexity, thus facilitating resource scheduling and retransmission scheduling.