Signaling Subfield Type Indication for Wireless Frame Decoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems lack an effective method for early termination of decoding processes in receivers, as existing solutions only provide limited benefits by not differentiating between frame types, such as null data, control, and management frames, leading to inefficient energy conservation in battery-powered devices.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a signaling subfield in the physical layer header includes a type indication field and a sub-type indication field to specify whether the information carried is from the MAC or PHY layer, allowing for early termination based on frame type, enabling enhanced functionality in wireless communication networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a full or partial station association identifier (AID) is included in the physical layer header of all frame types, then receiving devices can terminate decoding earlier when the AID does not belong to them, but this approach does not differentiate between frame types (null data, control, management frames) and thus provides limited energy saving benefit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidframe type differentiation
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frame types into different categories (null data frames, control frames, management frames) and applies different AID inclusion strategies to each segment. Specifically, AID is included only in certain frame types (e.g., null data frames) where early termination is most beneficial, while excluding it from other frame types where it is not needed, thereby optimizing energy consumption while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the presence of AID in the physical layer header based on the frame type. Rather than statically including AID in all frames, the system dynamically determines whether to include AID based on the specific frame type being transmitted, allowing for optimized energy consumption while preserving the ability to handle diverse frame types effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If AID is included in all frame types to facilitate early termination, then decoding can be stopped earlier for non-matching devices, but the energy saving is limited because it cannot differentiate between frame types with different processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding timeVSAvoidpower saving efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the AID inclusion decision specific to each frame type rather than uniformly across all frames. Different frame types receive different treatments regarding AID inclusion based on their specific characteristics and the potential for early termination, thereby reducing decoding time efficiently while optimizing power saving where it matters most.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of AID inclusion based on frame type. By dynamically adjusting whether AID is present in the physical layer header according to the specific frame type being transmitted, the system optimizes both decoding time and power consumption efficiency, avoiding unnecessary processing for frame types where early termination is not applicable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2823666B1Method for signaling payload type in signaling field of frame
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE LTD
  • EP2823666B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2823666B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2823666B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~5C

AI summary

A method of overloading a signaling subfield for different MAC frame types is proposed to provide enhanced functionality for the wireless communications network. In one embodiment, a transmitter encodes and transmits a bit stream into a frame having one or more subfields including a signaling subfield in a physical layer header of the bit stream. The signaling subfield has a type indication field that specifies the information carried in the one or more subfields is MAC layer or PHY layer information. The signaling subfield also has a sub- type indication field that specifies a type of MAC or PHY information. A receiver that receives the bit stream and decodes information carried in the one or more subfields in accordance with the type indication field and the sub-type indication field.