Wireless Client Station Path Loss AP Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless client stations face inefficiencies in battery power consumption when associating with access points based solely on received signal strength indicators (RSSI), as this approach can lead to increased power usage due to incorrect distance calculations, resulting in suboptimal communication paths.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control module within the wireless client station to estimate signal strengths and determine path losses based on both signal strengths and transmit power signals, allowing the station to associate with the access point having the lowest path loss, thereby optimizing power usage and communication efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the STA associates with the AP having the strongest RSSI, then the STA assumes it has a better quality communication path, but this can lead to increased battery power consumption due to incorrect distance calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for AP selection from RSSI alone to a combination of RSSI and transmit power information. By calculating path loss using both parameters (path loss = transmit power - RSSI), the system obtains more accurate distance estimates and selects APs based on actual communication efficiency rather than just signal strength, thereby reducing battery consumption while maintaining reliable communication
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having APs transmit their transmit power information to the STA. The STA uses this feedback information along with RSSI measurements to calculate path loss and make informed AP selection decisions, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes power consumption based on actual communication conditions
2Ease of operation
If the STA uses RSSI to determine distance to APs, then the selection process is simple, but the distance calculation is inaccurate when APs have different transmit powers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the measurement by incorporating transmit power as an additional parameter. Instead of relying solely on RSSI for distance estimation, the system calculates path loss by combining RSSI with transmit power data, providing accurate distance calculations even when APs operate at different power levels while maintaining computational simplicity
3Productivity
If the STA selects AP based on highest RSSI, then the association process is fast, but the STA may consume more power transmitting to farther APs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of path loss during the AP selection process by combining RSSI measurements with transmit power information from AP beacons. This preliminary assessment allows the STA to identify the most energy-efficient AP before association, ensuring fast connection establishment while minimizing future power consumption during data transmission
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless client station including a transmitter to transmit data, a receiver having a sensitivity, a signal strength module, and a control module. The sensitivity of the receiver corresponds to a minimum signal strength that the receiver is able to detect. The signal strength module is configured to estimate signal strengths of signals received from a plurality of access points. Each signal received from the plurality of access points respectively indicates a power being dissipated by access point that transmitted the signal. The control module is configured to, for each access point, determine a path loss based on i) the strength of the signal received from the access point, and ii) the power indicated as being dissipated by the access point, and to adjust a minimum transmit power level of the transmitter based on i) a lowest one of the path losses and ii) the sensitivity of the receiver.