Short Control Frames in Wireless PHY Preambles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication systems face significant network and processing overhead due to the size of control frames, which include control information and payload data, leading to increased latency and processing burdens.

Innovation Solution

The system generates and transmits short control frames by omitting unnecessary information and encoding control frames within the Signal (SIG) field of the Physical Layer (PHY) preamble, reducing the size of control frames and minimizing additional fields, thereby reducing network overhead and processing latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If control frames include control information and payload data, then communication functionality is improved, but network overhead and processing latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication functionalityVSAvoidprocessing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the payload data portion from control frames, retaining only the essential control information. This extraction principle directly reduces frame size and eliminates unnecessary processing of payload content, thereby reducing processing latency while maintaining core communication functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs short control frames as simplified, disposable communication units that carry only essential control information without persistent payload data. These short-lived control frames reduce network overhead and processing requirements, allowing receivers to quickly process and discard them after extracting control information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Adaptability or versatility

If control frames include control information and payload data, then communication functionality is improved, but network overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication functionalityVSAvoidnetwork overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the payload data portion from control frames, retaining only the essential control information. This extraction principle directly reduces frame size and eliminates unnecessary processing of payload content, thereby reducing processing latency while maintaining core communication functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs short control frames as simplified, disposable communication units that carry only essential control information without persistent payload data. These short-lived control frames reduce network overhead and processing requirements, allowing receivers to quickly process and discard them after extracting control information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If control frames are transmitted with full structure, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidframe processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs short control frames as simplified, disposable communication units that carry only essential control information without persistent payload data. These short-lived control frames reduce network overhead and processing requirements, allowing receivers to quickly process and discard them after extracting control information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of frame structure by transmitting control information in a condensed format within the PHY preamble rather than using traditional MAC layer framing. This parameter change reduces the complexity of frame processing while maintaining communication reliability through the use of established PHY layer protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2798761B1Systems and methods for generating and decoding short control frames in wireless communications
Publication Date: 2019.04.03 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2798761B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2798761B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2798761B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

Systems, methods, and devices for communicating short control frames are described herein. In some aspects, a method of wireless communication includes generating a control frame comprising a physical layer preamble having a signal field, the signal field including an indicator indicating the control frame is a control frame type of frame. The method further includes transmitting the control frame.