Multi-User MAC Packing to Cut Wireless Packet Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless networks, the overhead from MAC headers and CRCs in MAC PDUs is substantial, making it desirable to reduce packet overhead.

Innovation Solution

Transmitting concatenated MAC management messages with a common connection ID and optional sub-CRCs within a single MAC PDU, reducing redundant headers and CRCs, and allowing for efficient error detection and transmission of multiple messages with a single header and CRC.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate MAC PDUs are transmitted for each management message, then each message can be independently error-checked, but the packet overhead becomes substantial due to redundant MAC headers and CRCs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror detectionVSAvoidpacket overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple management messages are combined into a single MAC PDU with a common MAC header and CRC, eliminating redundant headers and error-checking codes while maintaining individual message integrity through concatenation and sequencing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single MAC header and CRC serve multiple management messages simultaneously, making the error detection mechanism universal across all messages in the concatenated PDU rather than requiring separate error-checking for each message

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of energy

If multiple management messages are concatenated in a single MAC PDU, then packet overhead is reduced, but the complexity of message routing and error detection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket overheadVSAvoidmessage routing

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The MAC PDU is segmented into multiple management messages with individual identifiers and sequencing information, allowing each message to be independently routed and processed while maintaining the benefits of concatenation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A common connection ID field acts as an intermediary identifier that groups multiple management messages together while maintaining their individual routing information, simplifying the routing process rather than increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20110010610A1Multi-User Packing Techniques for Wireless Network

Publication Date: 2011.01.13 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY

AI summary

Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, a method may include transmitting a Media Access Control Protocol Data Unit (MAC PDU) via a wireless link to one or more mobile stations, the MAC PDU including a plurality of MAC management messages as a pay load, at least some of the MAC management messages directed to different mobile stations, the KIAC PDU including a MAC header having a connection ID field identifying a connection for all (or at least one, or a plurality) of the MAC management messages included in the MAC PDU.