Multicast Relay Device for WLAN Reliability and Air Interface Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current WLAN protocols, such as 802.11n/802.11ac, face challenges in supporting multicast transmission due to low transmission rates and high packet loss, which affects large-scale applications like video streaming and increases air interface occupancy time, impacting other devices on the same channel.
Innovation Solution
A multicast method that receives multicast service data through a unicast transmission protocol and forwards it to a multicast group via a multicast transmission protocol, using MAC addresses to ensure efficient and reliable delivery, potentially through both WLAN and wired networks, with the option for cascaded relay devices to enhance service reach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a low physical layer rate is used to transmit multicast messages to ensure transmission reliability, then packet loss is reduced, but transmission rate decreases and air interface occupancy time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution segments the transmission path into two parts: unicast transmission from transmitter to relay device (high reliability) and multicast transmission from relay device to receivers (high efficiency). This segmentation allows each segment to use the most appropriate transmission mode for its specific requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device acts as an intermediary that receives multicast messages via unicast and forwards them to multiple receivers. This intermediary enables the system to combine the reliability of unicast with the efficiency of multicast without directly transmitting at low rates over the air interface.
2Reliability
If a low physical layer rate is used for multicast transmission, then transmission reliability is improved, but air interface occupancy time increases and other wireless devices are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission path is segmented so that the time-consuming reliable transmission occurs over wired connections rather than wireless air interface. The air interface is only used for brief control signaling, dramatically reducing occupancy time and interference to other devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device serves as an intermediary that handles the time-consuming transmission tasks through wired connections, freeing the wireless air interface from prolonged occupancy and reducing interference to other wireless devices in the network.
3Reliability
If multicast-to-unicast conversion is performed in the AP, then transmission reliability is improved, but air interface occupancy bandwidth increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device acts as an intermediary that performs the multicast-to-unicast conversion function, but does so through wired connections rather than wireless. This eliminates the bandwidth overhead of transmitting multiple unicast streams over the air interface while maintaining transmission reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a multicast method for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a multicast relay device, and a multicast system. The method includes: receiving multicast service data forwarded by an Access Point (AP) through a unicast transmission protocol; and forwarding the received multicast service data to a multicast group through a multicast transmission protocol.