Coordinated Multi-AP Wireless ACK Collection for Reliable Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless LAN systems where identical data is transmitted from multiple access points (APs) to a single station (STA), the STA struggles to determine which AP to send receipt acknowledgments (ACKs) to, and retransmissions can occur unnecessarily if one AP fails to receive the ACK.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device and method that coordinates data transmission among multiple APs, including a wireless transmission unit to transmit data with specified receipt acknowledgment timings and a reception unit to collect ACKs from STAs, ensuring synchronized data delivery and efficient retransmission management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If identical data is simultaneously transmitted from multiple APs to one STA, then data transmission reliability is improved, but it becomes difficult for the STA to determine which AP to return the receipt acknowledgment to
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ACK return process by introducing a designated receiving AP that collects ACKs from STAs. Instead of each AP expecting direct ACKs, the system divides the acknowledgment collection function to a specific AP (the one that transmitted the trigger frame), making it clear which AP should receive the ACK without confusing the STA about the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a trigger frame as an intermediary mechanism. The trigger frame is transmitted by a designated AP and contains information that guides the STA on which AP should receive the ACK. This intermediary frame acts as a mediator that resolves the ambiguity of ACK destination in coordinated multi-AP transmissions.
2Productivity
If multiple APs transmit identical data simultaneously, then data delivery efficiency is improved, but unnecessary retransmissions occur when an AP fails to receive the receipt acknowledgment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the designated receiving AP collects ACKs from STAs and shares this feedback information with other participating APs. This allows all APs to have a unified view of which STAs successfully received data, preventing unnecessary retransmissions by APs that would otherwise assume their transmissions failed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the ACK collection function into a single designated AP rather than having each AP independently collect ACKs. This consolidation ensures that there is a single source of truth for transmission status, preventing duplicate retransmissions while maintaining the efficiency benefits of coordinated multi-AP data transmission.
3Loss of information
If the STA returns receipt acknowledgments to each AP independently, then each AP can track its own transmission status, but the system complexity increases and coordination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the trigger frame and ACK mechanism universal across all participating APs. The same trigger frame format and ACK return procedure are used regardless of which AP is the designated receiver, simplifying the STA's operation while enabling centralized coordination. The designated AP then performs multiple functions including collecting ACKs and distributing status information to other APs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology relates to a wireless communication device and method, and a wireless communication terminal and method that enable a plurality of access points to efficiently collect receipt acknowledgments of data from respective communication terminals. The wireless communication device coordinately transmits, with one or more first other wireless communication devices, data addressed to the wireless communication terminals each including information indicating a transmission timing of a receipt acknowledgment of each of the plurality of wireless communication terminals. Furthermore, the wireless communication device receives the receipt acknowledgment from each of the wireless communication terminals after transmitting the data. The present technology can be applied to a wireless communication system.