Multi-BSS Uplink Time Alignment via Trigger Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems lack a mechanism for synchronizing uplink transmissions from stations (STAs) belonging to different basic service sets (BSSs), leading to inefficiencies in air-time usage and spectral efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for multi-basic service set (multi-BSS) time alignment, where an uplink controller determines transmission parameters for trigger transmissions, allowing STAs in different BSSs to synchronize their transmissions by using time-separated, frequency-separated, or spatially-separated trigger transmissions, enabling synchronized uplink communications across multiple BSSs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If STAs in different BSSs transmit independently without synchronization mechanism, then each BSS can operate autonomously, but air-time efficiency and spectral efficiency deteriorate due to unsynchronized transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
An uplink controller is introduced as an intermediary entity that coordinates trigger transmissions across multiple BSSs. The controller receives trigger transmissions from APs in different BSSs, determines transmission parameters, and sends control messages to synchronize uplink transmissions. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling synchronized transmissions without requiring complex direct synchronization between all BSSs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses downlink trigger transmissions sent before uplink data transmissions to preliminarily coordinate timing. The uplink controller determines transmission parameters in advance based on received triggers, and STAs prepare their uplink transmissions accordingly. This preliminary coordination enables synchronized uplink transmissions while maintaining operational autonomy of individual BSSs.
2Productivity
If STAs in different BSSs transmit simultaneously, then spectral efficiency improves, but time alignment between BSSs becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The uplink controller receives feedback in the form of trigger transmissions from APs in different BSSs, measures timing relationships and channel conditions, and adjusts transmission parameters accordingly. This feedback loop enables precise time alignment by continuously monitoring and correcting transmission timing based on actual system conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters including timing offsets, power levels, and resource allocations based on channel conditions and interference measurements. The uplink controller modifies these parameters to achieve optimal time alignment and simultaneous transmissions, resolving the contradiction between spectral efficiency and timing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems, devices, apparatus and methods, including computer programs encoded on storage media, for multi-basic service set (BSS) time alignment. In one implementation, an access point (AP) may determine a first transmission parameter for a first trigger transmission to be sent to a station (STA) belonging to the first BSS. The first transmission parameter may include a transmission order for time-separated trigger transmissions, non-overlapping bandwidths for frequency-separated trigger transmissions, trigger data precoding information for spatially-separated trigger transmissions, or a combination thereof. The AP may transmit the first trigger transmission to the first STA, and in response, receive a first synchronized transmission from the first STA. The first synchronized transmission may be synchronized, for example, aligned in time, with a second synchronized transmission from a second STA of a second set of STAs in a second BSS.