SIG-B Resource Indication for WLAN Energy Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless local area networks (WLANs) based on orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology, efficiently indicating time-frequency resources to stations is challenging, leading to suboptimal channel utilization and increased energy consumption due to unscheduled stations searching for communication resource indication fields.
Innovation Solution
A resource indication method where an access point generates a data frame with a preamble containing a signaling indication part (SIG-B) divided into a common part and a user part, where the common part indicates the end location or end time and identification information of scheduled stations, and the user part provides communication resource information, allowing stations to quickly determine if they are scheduled and jump to the relevant resource information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the SIG-B field contains detailed communication resource information for all stations, then the resource indication completeness is improved, but the decoding time and energy consumption increase for unscheduled stations
Solution Approach 1:
The SIG-B field is segmented into a common part (containing resource allocation information applicable to all stations) and a user-specific part (containing detailed communication resource information only for scheduled stations). This segmentation allows unscheduled stations to decode only the common part and stop, while scheduled stations continue to decode their specific resource information, thus reducing unnecessary decoding time for unscheduled stations while maintaining complete resource indication for those that need it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the station identification information from the user-specific part and places it in the common part of SIG-B. This extraction enables stations to quickly check whether they are scheduled by decoding only the common part, without needing to decode the entire SIG-B field. This directly reduces the decoding time for unscheduled stations while preserving complete resource indication information for scheduled stations.
2Reliability
If unscheduled stations decode the entire SIG-B field to ensure no resource information is missed, then the resource indication reliability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by placing station identification information and resource allocation indicators in the common part of SIG-B, before the detailed user-specific resource information. This preliminary arrangement allows stations to determine in advance whether they are scheduled by decoding only the common part, enabling them to stop decoding if not scheduled, thus significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable resource indication for scheduled stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables stations to self-determine whether they are scheduled by including their identification information in the common part of SIG-B. Scheduled stations can automatically continue to decode their specific resource information, while unscheduled stations automatically stop after the common part, allowing each station to serve itself according to its scheduling status without requiring external control, thus reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the SIG-B field structure is simplified to reduce decoding complexity, then the ease of operation is improved, but the amount of communication resource information that can be indicated is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The SIG-B field is divided into a common part and a user-specific part, where the common part contains streamlined information for quick decoding by all stations (resource allocation indicators, common parameters), and the user-specific part contains detailed communication resource information only for scheduled stations. This segmentation reduces decoding complexity for unscheduled stations while preserving full information capacity for scheduled stations through the extended user-specific section.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional structure to SIG-B by organizing information hierarchically: the common part provides a first layer of information accessible to all stations, while the user-specific part provides a second layer of detailed information only for scheduled stations. This dimensional organization reduces the effective decoding depth required for unscheduled stations while maintaining full information capacity in the extended structure, thus reducing complexity without sacrificing information capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A resource indication method in a wireless local area network is provided, where the method includes generating, by an access point, a data frame that includes a preamble, where the preamble includes a signaling indication part B (SIG-B), the SIG-B includes a common part and a user part following the common part. The common part is used to indicate a quantity of scheduled stations, identification information of the scheduled station, and a location of communication resource information of the scheduled station in the user part, the user part is used to indicate the communication resource information of the scheduled station, and the communication resource information includes resource indication information, MCS information of a data part, spatial flow quantity information, or power control information; and sending the data frame.