OFDMA Resource Unit Layout for Wider AP Coverage

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In existing Wi-Fi protocols like Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, the contiguous allocation of subcarriers to terminals results in low Power Spectral Density (PSD) and limited cell coverage due to low energy availability, leading to imbalanced uplink and downlink transmission power and susceptibility to signal attenuation affecting overall data transmission quality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a data transmission method where subcarriers within Resource Units (RUs) are divided into spaced subcarrier groups, creating Distributed Resource Units (dRUs) to disperse subcarrier distribution, enhancing signal coverage and balancing uplink and downlink power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If subcarriers are allocated contiguously to terminals in OFDMA mode, then resource allocation efficiency is improved, but Power Spectral Density (PSD) decreases and cell coverage is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidcell coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the contiguous subcarriers into multiple spaced subcarrier groups within the Resource Unit. Instead of allocating all subcarriers contiguously to a terminal, the subcarriers are divided into several groups with gaps between them, which increases the Power Spectral Density in specific frequency regions and extends cell coverage while maintaining resource allocation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If subcarriers are allocated contiguously to terminals, then transmission power distribution is simplified, but uplink and downlink transmission power become imbalanced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower distribution complexityVSAvoiduplink-downlink power balance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating different subcarrier group configurations for uplink and downlink transmissions. The spaced subcarrier groups allow different power distribution patterns to be applied in different frequency regions, enabling independent optimization of uplink and downlink power balance while maintaining manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Speed

If contiguous subcarrier allocation is used, then data transmission speed is maintained, but signal attenuation affects overall data transmission quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoiddata transmission quality
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting contiguous subcarriers into spaced subcarrier groups, the patent ensures that signal attenuation in one frequency region does not affect all subcarriers allocated to a terminal. The gaps between subcarrier groups provide frequency diversity, maintaining data transmission quality while preserving transmission speed through efficient use of available subcarriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4708791A1Data transmission method and apparatus, AP, and terminal
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 NEW H3C TECH CO LTD
  • EP4708791A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4708791A1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP4708791A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The examples of the present disclosure provide a data transmission method, an Access Point (AP), a terminal, and a device, which relate to the field of communication technology. The method is applied to an AP, and includes: performing data transmission with a terminal through subcarriers contained in a Resource Unit (RU) corresponding to the terminal; wherein, RUs corresponding to different terminals are different, the subcarriers contained in the RU are divided into one or more subcarrier groups, each subcarrier group contains a first preset number of subcarriers, and the subcarriers contained in each subcarrier group are spaced by other subcarriers that do not belong to that subcarrier group. Implementing the examples of the present disclosure can achieve data transmission between the AP and the terminal based on the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) mode, improve data transmission stability, enhance the coverage radius of the AP's cell, and improve the balance of uplink and downlink power.