Multi-AP Channel Bonding for Cell-Edge Station Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, particularly in high-density areas, cell-edge stations (CE STAs) experience lower physical data rates due to propagation loss and interference, leading to underperformance compared to non-cell-edge stations, necessitating improvements in throughput and performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) strategy with joint precoding among multiple access points (APs) and utilizing multi-AP channel bonding (MACB) techniques, where data is transmitted over multiple channels, and duplicate frames are sent over narrower bandwidths to mitigate interference and enhance signal strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a STA connects to the nearest AP in a high-density area, then the connection setup is simple and fast, but the physical data rate becomes much lower due to propagation loss and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple APs into a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) system where multiple APs jointly serve a cell-edge STA. The CoMP-eNodeB aggregates signals from multiple APs (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3, AP4) to provide combined signal strength that overcomes propagation loss and interference, enabling the STA to achieve higher data rates despite being at the network edge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a CoMP-eNodeB as an intermediary controller that coordinates between multiple APs and the STA. This mediator manages the CoMP transmission process, including signal combining, interference coordination, and resource allocation, enabling the system to transform the harmful interference and propagation loss into beneficial combined signal strength.
2Productivity
If multiple APs transmit data simultaneously to a cell-edge STA, then the throughput increases significantly, but the system complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action through channel bonding preparation and pre-coordination. The CoMP-eNodeB pre-establishes bonding between multiple channels (e.g., primary and secondary channels) and pre-coordinates transmission parameters with multiple APs before actual data transmission. This preparation enables efficient multi-AP simultaneous transmission without real-time coordination complexity during data transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the transmission system into independent but coordinated units: multiple APs transmit independently on different channels while the CoMP-eNodeB coordinates overall. The segmentation allows each AP to operate semi-independently while the macro-coordination handles the complexity, dividing the coordination burden into manageable parts.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If duplicate frames are transmitted over narrower bandwidths, then interference is reduced and signal strength is enhanced, but the transmission time and channel access opportunities are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bandwidth parameter dynamically - transmitting duplicate frames over narrower bandwidths (e.g., 20 MHz) instead of full bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz). This parameter change reduces interference and enhances signal strength for cell-edge STAs while the CoMP system compensates for any time loss through parallel transmission across multiple channels and APs.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless device, system and method. The device includes a processing circuitry is configured to decode duplicate Request to Send (RTS) frames from a first access point (AP) that is part of an Extended Service Set (ESS) including a second AP, the first AP and the second AP buffering data for the device. The processing circuitry is further to cause transmission of duplicate multi-AP channel bonding (MACB) Trigger frames to the first AP and to the second AP in response to the duplicate RTS frames. Each of the duplicate RTS frames and duplicate Trigger frames have a legacy preamble portion over a first bandwidth of a corresponding wireless channel, and a MACB portion over a second narrower bandwidth of the corresponding wireless channel. The processing circuitry is further to decode a first data frame portion from the first AP and a second data frame portion from the second AP.