Uplink Multi-User Retry Counter Fairness Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless local area networks (WLANs), the existing retry counter mechanisms for uplink multi-user transmission systems can lead to unfairness among devices, as those triggered by the access point for transmission failures reach a retry limit and reset their contention window to a shorter value, gaining precedence over other devices, even if those devices have not experienced failures.

Innovation Solution

The enhanced retry count system introduces quality of service (QoS) short and long retry counters, as well as drop-eligible counters, which are managed differently based on the presence of the dot11RobustAVStreamingImplemented value, preventing devices from updating their retry counters when triggered by the access point for data transmission failures, thus maintaining fair channel access among all devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the existing retry counter mechanism is used for uplink multi-user transmission, then devices that experience transmission failures can reset their contention window to a shorter value to improve their transmission success rate, but this causes unfairness to other devices that have not experienced failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission success rateVSAvoidchannel access fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the retry counter mechanism into two distinct types: traditional retry counters and enhanced retry counters. The enhanced retry counters are specifically designed for uplink multi-user transmissions triggered by access point trigger frames, while traditional retry counters continue to operate for other transmission scenarios. This segmentation allows the system to apply different retry handling rules to different transmission types, preventing the unfairness issue from affecting all devices uniformly while still providing improved reliability for the specific multi-user transmission case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making the retry counter behavior dependent on the specific transmission context. The enhanced retry counters are activated only when devices are triggered by access point trigger frames for uplink multi-user transmissions. In this specific local context, the retry counter is prevented from being reset to a shorter value even after transmission failures. This localized application of the quality improvement ensures that fairness is maintained in the specific scenario where it was problematic, without affecting other transmission scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of time

If the retry counter is reset to a shorter contention window value after transmission failures, then the device can access the channel more quickly in future attempts, but this gives unintentional priority to devices that experienced failures over devices that have not

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel access delayVSAvoidchannel access priority fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional retry counter behavior by preventing the reset to shorter contention window values for enhanced retry counters. Instead of allowing devices to gain priority through failure-based resets (the traditional approach), the enhanced mechanism maintains the original contention window size even after failures. This inversion ensures that devices do not gain unintentional priority through failures, while still allowing them to retry transmissions. The inversion resolves the contradiction by making the system less adaptive to failure patterns, thereby maintaining fairness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Productivity

If multiple devices share the same wireless resources, then network efficiency is improved, but devices with different hardware bandwidths and protocol capabilities experience unequal access opportunities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork throughputVSAvoidequal access opportunity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal retry counter mechanism that handles both traditional and enhanced retry scenarios through a unified framework. The system can operate in different modes depending on the transmission type: traditional retry counters for legacy or non-triggered transmissions, and enhanced retry counters for uplink multi-user transmissions triggered by access point trigger frames. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain network efficiency through shared resources while applying appropriate fairness rules for each transmission scenario, thereby serving multiple functions with a single mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11581986B2Enhanced retry count for uplink multi-user transmission

Publication Date: 2023.02.14 INTEL CORP

AI summary

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to an enhanced retry count for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission. A device may identify a trigger frame received from a first device on a wireless communication channel. The device may determine a quality of service counter associated with an access category. The device may cause to send a frame to the first device based at least in part on the trigger frame. The device may determine an error condition associated with the frame. The device may refrain from incrementing the quality of service counter based on the error condition.