VLC Controller Splitting MAC Functionality for High Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing demand for wireless bandwidth from mobile devices exceeds the capacity of conventional WLAN systems, leading to network congestion, and deploying additional WiFi/WLAN Access Points is costly and may increase interference, while wireless service provider connectivity is costly and offers lower bandwidth.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of Visible Light Communications (VLC) Personal Area Network (VPAN) controller and Access Point systems that enable low-cost, low-power, and small form factor VLC APs to provide network connectivity concurrently with illumination, using a VLC controller to split Media Access Control (MAC) functionality between VLC APs and a centralized controller for efficient frame processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If more WiFi/WLAN Access Points are deployed to meet increasing bandwidth demand, then network connectivity capacity is improved, but cost increases and interference increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork connectivity capacityVSAvoidnumber of Access Points

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the radio-frequency based WiFi/WLAN system with a visible light communication system that uses optical carriers. This substitution allows the network to achieve high bandwidth capacity without deploying additional Access Points, as light-based communication provides vastly superior spectral capacity compared to traditional RF wireless systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional RF spectrum utilization to three-dimensional optical spectrum utilization. By operating in the visible light spectrum rather than confined to radio frequencies, the system accesses a vastly larger bandwidth resource space, enabling high capacity without proportionally increasing the number of Access Points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If more WiFi/WLAN Access Points are deployed to meet increasing bandwidth demand, then network connectivity capacity is improved, but interference increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork connectivity capacityVSAvoidinterference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes RF-based wireless communication with optical-based communication. Since visible light operates in a completely different spectrum dimension than RF waves, it avoids RF interference entirely while providing superior bandwidth capacity. The optical medium naturally confines light propagation, reducing cross-channel interference compared to RF systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If wireless service provider connectivity (3G, 4G LTE) is used instead of WLAN, then connectivity is provided, but cost increases and bandwidth decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnectivity availabilityVSAvoidbandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces cellular wireless communication (3G/4G LTE) with visible light communication. Optical communication provides vastly superior bandwidth capacity compared to cellular RF systems, while the system can be deployed locally without requiring wireless service provider infrastructure, thereby reducing cost while maintaining high bandwidth availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Productivity

If VLC APs are used to provide network connectivity, then bandwidth is increased and cost is reduced, but device complexity is reduced through centralized controller

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the VLC system into two functional components: simple distributed APs that handle only optical transmission and reception, and a centralized controller that performs complex MAC layer functions including frame assembly, error correction, and protocol management. This segmentation allows the APs to remain simple and cost-effective while the centralized controller provides the necessary intelligence for high-bandwidth operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The centralized controller acts as an intermediary between the simple VLC APs and the network. It receives frames from APs, performs necessary processing and error correction, then forwards to the network, and vice versa. This intermediary approach allows the APs to maintain simplicity while achieving high bandwidth throughput through coordinated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9806811B2Visible light communications personal area network controller and access point systems and methods

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 EXTREME NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A network, a Visible Light Communications controller (120), and a method relate to a network architecture splitting frame processing functionality between Light Fidelity Access Points (130) and the Visible Light Communications controller or a virtualized controller. In such configurations, the Light Fidelity Access Points are so-called thin devices that may be widely deployed through an infrastructure to concurrently provide illumination and network access via Visible Light Communications protocols such as IEEE 802.15.7 or variants thereof.