Multi-Link Group-Addressed Traffic Signaling via Shared TIM
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high energy consumption in station multi-link devices due to periodic listening for downlink group addressed traffic in wireless local area networks is a challenge, especially with the introduction of multi-link cooperation technology in IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for generating and transmitting group addressed traffic indication information among multiple access points in a multi-link device, allowing stations to efficiently determine which access points have group addressed traffic, reducing the need for continuous listening and thus lowering power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-link cooperation technology is used to aggregate multiple links for downlink group addressed traffic transmission, then transmission rate is improved, but power consumption increases due to periodic listening requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a traffic indication map (TIM) element as an intermediary mechanism that carries group addressed traffic indication information. This TIM element acts as a mediator between the access point and station, allowing the station to learn about buffered group addressed traffic without needing to continuously monitor all links. The TIM element is transmitted on a specific link and provides centralized traffic indication across multiple links, resolving the contradiction by enabling efficient traffic notification while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the traffic indication map (TIM) element universal across multiple links by having a single TIM element indicate group addressed traffic status for all links. Instead of requiring separate monitoring mechanisms for each link, the TIM element serves all links simultaneously, allowing stations to determine buffered traffic status across the entire multi-link system through a single indication mechanism, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining high transmission rates.
2Reliability
If stations periodically stay in working state to observe downlink group addressed traffic on each access point, then traffic notification reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The TIM element serves as an intermediary that provides reliable traffic notification without requiring continuous station monitoring. The access point uses the TIM element to reliably indicate the presence of group addressed traffic across multiple links, and stations can reliably determine traffic status by checking this single indication mechanism rather than monitoring each link separately, thus maintaining reliability while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic transmission of the traffic indication map (TIM) element at specified intervals. This periodic action allows stations to remain in low-power states between TIM transmissions while still receiving reliable traffic notifications when the TIM is transmitted. The periodic nature of TIM transmission balances the need for reliable traffic notification with the need to reduce power consumption by avoiding continuous monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If continuous listening is performed on multiple access points for group addressed traffic, then traffic detection accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic indication map (TIM) element acts as an intermediary that provides accurate traffic detection information without requiring continuous listening. The TIM element集中ly indicates which access points have buffered group addressed traffic for specific stations, allowing accurate traffic detection through a single indication rather than requiring the station to monitor multiple access points continuously, thus maintaining detection accuracy while reducing power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
This application is applicable to a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method and an apparatus. A first access point (AP) of an AP multi-link device (MLD) sends group addressed traffic indication information indicating whether each AP of other APs of the AP MLD has a group addressed traffic, so that a station (STA) can learn whether the multiple APs have a group addressed traffic. In this way, each STA of the STA MLD does not need to listen to each AP whether each AP has a group addressed traffic. This reduces power consumption of the STA MLD. This application may be applied to a wireless local area network system that supports an IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi EHT protocol, for example, 802.11 series protocols such as 802.11be.