Multicast Acknowledgement Mechanism for Wireless Local Access Network Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current WLAN standards lack effective mechanisms for ensuring reliable multicast traffic transmission, retransmission, and fairness in throughput among terminals, leading to inferior reliability and fairness compared to unicast traffic.
Innovation Solution
A multicast procedure and device that includes a method for receiving and transmitting multicast data with acknowledgement requests, using a predetermined timing scheme to deconflict acknowledgement transmissions, and implementing a negative or block acknowledgement mechanism to request retransmissions, thereby improving transmission reliability and fairness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If open-loop multicast transmission is used without feedback mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but transmission reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces feedback mechanisms where reception terminals send acknowledgement frames to the transmission terminal. The transmission terminal receives these acknowledgements and determines whether to retransmit multicast frames based on the feedback received, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through selective feedback processing
2Reliability
If retransmission mechanisms are implemented for multicast frames, then transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic retransmission where the transmission terminal adaptively determines whether to retransmit multicast frames based on received acknowledgements from reception terminals. The system dynamically adjusts transmission behavior rather than using fixed retransmission protocols, optimizing the balance between reliability and complexity
3Reliability
If physical layer rate adaptation is implemented for multicast traffic, then transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission terminal autonomously determines the appropriate physical layer rate for multicast transmission by evaluating feedback from reception terminals and channel conditions. The system self-adjusts transmission parameters without requiring complex external control mechanisms, improving reliability while keeping device complexity manageable
4Productivity
If exponential backoff protocol is applied to multicast transmission, then fairness of throughput is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the exponential backoff protocol, originally designed for unicast transmissions, to multicast transmissions as well. This universal application of the backoff mechanism ensures fair throughput distribution among multiple reception terminals while maintaining a relatively simple access control structure that leverages existing protocol functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for multicasting data in a wireless network. The method includes receiving multicast data at a specific node of the wireless network, the multicast data including a multicast acknowledgement request; and determining by the specific node whether or not the specific node is requested to send an acknowledgement to the multicast acknowledgement request. Also, a device and method for multicasting data in a wireless network. The method includes transmitting multicast data, the multicast data including a multicast acknowledgement request, the multicast acknowledgement request including information configured to enable a specific node of the wireless network to determine whether or not the specific node is requested to send an acknowledgement to the multicast acknowledgement request.