Access Point TXOP Sharing Thresholds for WLAN Fairness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Excessive transmit opportunity (TXOP) sharing between access points in wireless local area networks (WLANs) can lead to unfairness and reduced quality of service (QoS) for non-access point stations, such as reduced throughput and latency.
Innovation Solution
Electronic devices determine parameters for TXOP sharing based on threshold values and selective participation to ensure fairness, allowing participation only when certain access categories like voice and video are involved, and providing feedback through frames like CTS or BSR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access points share transmit opportunities (TXOPs) with neighboring access points, then the quality of service for low-latency traffic is improved, but fairness between basic service sets deteriorates and throughput for non-access point stations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of TXOP sharing by introducing threshold values that limit the amount of time an access point can share with neighboring access points. This parameter control ensures that while some TXOP sharing occurs to improve low-latency traffic QoS, the sharing is constrained to prevent excessive resource allocation to neighboring BSSs, thereby maintaining fairness and protecting the throughput of non-AP stations in the home BSS.
2Reliability
If access points share transmit opportunities (TXOPs) with neighboring access points, then the quality of service for low-latency traffic is improved, but fairness between basic service sets deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where access points monitor and report their TXOP sharing status using frame structures that include indicators of shared TXOP time. This feedback allows the access point to track how much time it has shared with neighboring access points and compare it against threshold values, enabling it to make informed decisions about future TXOP sharing participation to maintain fairness between BSSs.
3Ease of operation
If access points selectively participate in TXOP sharing based on threshold values, then fairness is maintained, but the complexity of managing TXOP parameters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring threshold values for TXOP sharing before the access point operates. These threshold values are established in advance and stored in the access point, allowing it to automatically compare actual TXOP sharing time against these pre-set limits without requiring complex real-time calculations or negotiations, thereby simplifying the management complexity while maintaining fairness.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is described. This electronic device can include: an antenna node communicatively coupled to an antenna; and an interface circuit, communicatively coupled to the antenna node, that communicates with a second electronic device. During operation, the interface circuit can determine at least a parameter indicating an amount of time the electronic device shares with at least the second electronic device in one or more TXOPs of at least the electronic device, and a second amount of time the electronic device receives from at least the second electronic device in one or more second TXOPs of at least the second electronic device. Then, the interface circuit can selectively participate in transmit opportunity sharing (TXS) during a subsequent TXOP of the second electronic device based at least in part on at least the parameter and a threshold value.