Wireless Mesh Backhaul Throughput via Priority Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless mesh networks, the existing IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol introduces delays and potential catastrophic failures when transmitting large streams of short data packets due to the need for acknowledgement packets, especially in networks with multiple wireless access points, leading to increased processing and retransmissions that can overload the mesh backhaul.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a modified priority queue configuration process, backhaul conversion process, and mesh edge process to assign and adjust priority levels for data packets, eliminating acknowledgement packets on the backhaul and optimizing wait time parameters to ensure higher priority packets traverse the network quickly, thereby reducing delays and preventing overloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol with acknowledgement packets is used, then data transmission reliability is improved, but network delay increases and mesh backhaul becomes overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the acknowledgement packet mechanism from the backhaul transmission path. Intermediate mesh nodes forward data packets without generating acknowledgement packets, eliminating the time-consuming ACK/NAK exchange that causes network delay and backhaul overload, while still maintaining reliability through end-to-end acknowledgement at the final destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the acknowledgement function into two parts: (1) intermediate nodes perform silent forwarding without acknowledgements, and (2) the final destination node performs end-to-end validation and sends acknowledgements only to the original source. This segmentation reduces the number of acknowledgement transactions from multiple hops to a single end-to-end exchange.
2Reliability
If IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol with acknowledgement packets is used, then data transmission reliability is improved, but mesh backhaul overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the acknowledgement packet generation function from intermediate mesh nodes, preventing the exponential growth of acknowledgement traffic that overloads the backhaul. By having only the final destination send acknowledgements to the source, the backhaul carries only data packets in one direction, eliminating the bidirectional acknowledgement traffic that causes overload.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a silent forwarding mechanism as an intermediary process at intermediate nodes. These nodes act as transparent relays that forward data packets without processing acknowledgements, effectively mediating between the source and destination while preventing acknowledgement traffic from propagating through the backhaul.
3Productivity
If priority queue configuration is implemented, then content throughput is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality treatments to different parts of the network: source nodes implement full priority queue management with multiple queues and priority assignments, while intermediate nodes perform simple priority-based forwarding without complex queue management. This local differentiation improves throughput at critical points while minimizing complexity elsewhere in the network.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an inbound data packet over a wireless link at a wireless intermediate network node. The inbound data packet indicates the packet was transmitted by a node at an edge of the mesh. The inbound data packet is associated with a low priority minimum wait interval and a low priority maximum wait interval for reducing contention on the wireless link. An outbound data packet based on the first data packet is transmitted over the wireless link after a wait time. The wait time is based on a high priority minimum wait interval and a high priority maximum wait interval for reducing contention. The low priority minimum wait interval is greater than the high priority minimum wait interval. These techniques allow long packet queues at the edge but quickly clear packets already forwarded by the mesh.