Multi-AP Channel Sounding Notification Signaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-AP coordinated transmission scenarios, the larger bandwidth and increased number of spatial streams lead to higher overheads and complexity in channel sounding procedures, making efficient signaling design necessary to coordinate and schedule channel sounding effectively.

Innovation Solution

A communication method where a first access point generates notification information indicating a station to send a channel sounding physical layer protocol data unit, including identification information of the station and the second access point, and sends this information to both the second access point and the station, allowing for direct scheduling and reduced channel sounding overheads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multi-AP coordinated transmission with larger bandwidth and more spatial streams is implemented, then throughput and transmission efficiency are improved, but channel sounding overhead and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidchannel sounding overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple channel sounding operations into a single unified procedure. Multiple APs and STAs perform channel sounding simultaneously using a shared sounding resource, merging what would otherwise be separate sequential operations. This reduces the total number of sounding transmissions required while maintaining the ability to support multiple spatial streams and high bandwidth configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal channel sounding mechanism that serves multiple APs and STAs concurrently. A single sounding resource can be utilized by multiple participants in the coordinated transmission system, making the channel sounding procedure multi-functional. This universal approach allows the system to support D-MIMO and multi-AP coordinated transmissions without requiring separate dedicated sounding resources for each AP-STA pair.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidchannel sounding procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the channel sounding procedures of multiple APs and STAs into a single coordinated operation. Instead of each AP independently managing separate sounding procedures with multiple STAs, the system combines these into unified sounding transmissions that serve multiple participants simultaneously, thereby reducing procedural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary channel sounding where APs and STAs perform channel measurement and feedback in advance before the actual data transmission. This preliminary action allows the system to establish channel state information beforehand, simplifying the real-time transmission coordination and reducing the complexity of dynamic resource management during active data transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If traditional channel sounding procedure is used in multi-AP coordinated transmission, then channel state information can be obtained, but multiple scheduling steps are required which reduce efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel state information accuracyVSAvoidscheduling time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the scheduling of channel sounding for multiple APs and STAs into a single coordinated scheduling action. Rather than requiring separate scheduling steps for each AP-STA pair, the system uses unified scheduling that triggers simultaneous sounding operations across all participants, maintaining channel state information accuracy while eliminating redundant scheduling delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous channel sounding operations where multiple APs and STAs perform sounding transmissions back-to-back without idle gaps between operations. This continuous action ensures that channel state information remains current and accurate while minimizing the total time required for the scheduling and execution of sounding procedures across the multi-AP system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS20250070947A1Communication method and communication apparatus applied to wireless communication system

Publication Date: 2025.02.27 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a communication method and a communication apparatus applied to a wireless communication system, to provide a signaling design solution applicable to a scenario of multi-AP coordinated transmission. An embodiment of this application provides a communication method, including: a first access point (AP) generates notification information, where the notification information indicates a station (STA) that is to send a channel sounding physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the notification information includes identification information of the STA and identification information of a second AP, the identification information of the STA indicates the STA, and the identification information of the second AP indicates the second AP. The first AP sends the notification information to the second AP and to the STA.