Probe-Before-Talk Control Frames for Coexistence Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.11, lack efficient mechanisms for stations to provide coexistence feedback and unavailability information to access points, leading to potential interference and inefficiencies in network resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an initial control frame (ICF) and initial control response (ICR) frames that support coexistence feedback, allowing stations to provide unavailability information and additional feedback types, such as buffer status reports, through multi-station block acknowledgments (M-BA) frames, enabling flexible and efficient network resource management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If existing wireless communication protocols are used without coexistence feedback mechanisms, then the protocol structure remains simple, but network interference increases and resource allocation efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidprotocol structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines coexistence feedback information with existing block acknowledgment frames, merging multiple functions (acknowledgment and coexistence feedback) into a single frame structure. This allows stations to report unavailability information and buffer status without requiring separate feedback mechanisms, thereby improving network resource allocation efficiency while minimizing additional protocol complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The block acknowledgment frame is designed to serve multiple purposes: traditional acknowledgment functionality and coexistence feedback reporting. By making the frame universal, the patent enables a single structure to handle both data acknowledgment and unavailability information transmission, resolving the contradiction between improved productivity and increased complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If coexistence feedback mechanisms are implemented, then interference reduction and resource allocation improvement are achieved, but frame structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoexistence feedback accuracyVSAvoidframe structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent nests coexistence feedback information within the existing block acknowledgment frame structure. By embedding unavailability information and buffer status reports inside the familiar BA frame format, the invention achieves reliable coexistence feedback transmission while leveraging the existing frame structure to minimize the perceived complexity increase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces specific parameters (unavailability start time, unavailability duration, buffer status) into the feedback mechanism. By defining clear parameter structures and using bitmaps for efficient representation, the invention achieves high reliability in coexistence feedback while maintaining manageable frame complexity through structured parameter organization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple feedback types are supported in ICF, then network operation optimization is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeedback type flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic feedback mechanism where the ICF can request different feedback types (per-STA, per-TID, or both) based on current network conditions and requirements. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize network operations for specific scenarios while the standardized request and response structures keep processing complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments feedback information into organized structures (per-STA information fields, per-TID information fields, bitmap representations). By dividing complex feedback data into manageable segments with clear organizational patterns, the invention achieves high versatility in supporting multiple feedback types while reducing processing complexity through structured data organization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20260032726A1Coexistence Initial Control Frame and Multi-Block Acknowledgement Design for Probe Before Talk

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 APPLE INC

AI summary

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable medium to perform operations decoding, for a probe before talk (PBT) session, an initial control frame (ICF) indicating a request for coexistence feedback indicating a future unavailability start time and a future unavailability duration for a coexistence transmission; and encoding, responsive to decoding the ICF, an initial control response (ICR) frame comprising the coexistence feedback.