Probe Request Excluded SSID Lists for Wireless Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols face inefficiencies due to the high volume and length of probe response frames, which increase power consumption, latency, and the likelihood of collisions, thereby degrading system performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an identifier field in the probe request frame that instructs corresponding access points to forgo or reduce the transmission of probe response frames, thereby reducing redundant information and the length of probe response frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If access points transmit probe response frames containing Reduced Neighbor Report elements with information about multiple access points, then stations can discover details about nearby access points, but the volume and length of probe response frames increase
Solution Approach 1:
The probe response frame is segmented into essential information (access point identifiers and operational channels) and optional information (reduced neighbor report elements). The invention selectively includes only the essential information in the basic probe response, with the option to include additional neighbor report elements only when necessary and relevant to the scanning station's interests.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe response frame adapts its content based on the specific needs of the scanning station. By including a field that indicates supported or preferred communication channels, the system customizes the neighbor report to include only information relevant to those channels, reducing unnecessary data transmission for stations that don't need comprehensive multi-channel information.
2Productivity
If stations receive many probe response frames from nearby access points, then channel bandwidth is utilized for discovery, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes redundant neighbor report elements from probe response frames when they are not needed. By using the channel indication field to determine which neighbor reports are relevant, the system selectively excludes unnecessary information, reducing the amount of data stations must receive and process, thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining effective discovery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing complete neighbor report information for all access points, the system provides partial information (only for channels indicated as supported or preferred) when the scanning station expresses interest in specific channels. This partial action approach reduces overall data transmission volume and processing requirements while still enabling effective network discovery.
3Loss of information
If probe response frames contain comprehensive information about multiple access points, then stations receive detailed network information, but latency in ongoing traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe response frame is divided into a core component (access point identifiers and channel information) and an optional component (detailed neighbor reports). The core component is always transmitted to ensure basic information completeness, while detailed neighbor reports are selectively added only when the scanning station indicates interest in specific channels, minimizing latency for most cases while maintaining information completeness when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning station performs preliminary indication of its channel interests before receiving the full probe response. By including a field that specifies supported or preferred channels in advance, the station enables the access point to prepare and transmit only the relevant neighbor report information, reducing processing time and latency while ensuring complete information is provided when required.
4Adaptability or versatility
If high volume of probe response frames is transmitted, then access point information is discovered, but collisions increase and some frames are not received
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes redundant and unnecessary neighbor report elements from probe response frames. By using channel indication fields to determine relevance, the system selectively excludes neighbor reports for channels that are not supported or preferred by the scanning station, reducing the overall frame volume and collision probability while maintaining reliable reception of essential discovery information.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for reducing power consumption and latency in wireless communications includes reducing communications of redundant or unwanted information during a discovery operation of a wireless communications protocol. The technique includes an excluded identifier field in a probe request frame to instruct an access point to forgo sending a probe response frame or to reduce information included in a probe response frame. The technique reduces the number of probe response frames communicated over the air or total amount of information communicated during the discovery operation, thereby reducing power consumption and likelihood of collisions that would impact system performance.