Wi-Fi Link Adaptation Feedback for In-Device Coexistence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication devices face in-device coexistence issues due to interference between different wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, leading to degraded performance and communication inefficiencies, particularly when non-Wi-Fi technologies exceed their allocated time for shared resources, causing overlap and misdiagnosis of communication issues.

Innovation Solution

The technical solutions enhance feedback mechanisms to manage in-device coexistence by generating schedules for Wi-Fi transmissions to avoid overlap with non-Wi-Fi bursts, utilizing delayed acknowledgments, and incorporating channel quality information to adjust modulation and coding schemes, ensuring efficient resource sharing and improved link adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If non-Wi-Fi wireless communication bursts exceed their allocated time for shared resource usage, then the communication throughput of non-Wi-Fi technologies is improved, but Wi-Fi communications experience interference and performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication throughputVSAvoidWi-Fi communication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic transmission opportunities (TXOP) for Wi-Fi communications, where the Wi-Fi module is granted specific time intervals to transmit data. This periodic structure allows non-Wi-Fi technologies to operate during other intervals, creating a rhythmic alternation that prevents continuous interference while ensuring Wi-Fi gets regular access to the shared medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the Wi-Fi transmission schedule based on feedback about interference conditions. When interference from non-Wi-Fi technologies is detected, the system modifies TXOP timing and duration to avoid overlapping with non-Wi-Fi bursts, making the Wi-Fi communication pattern adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If Wi-Fi transmissions are scheduled to avoid overlap with non-Wi-Fi bursts, then in-device coexistence is improved, but transmission latency increases due to waiting for scheduled slots

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvein-device coexistenceVSAvoidtransmission latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action by having the Wi-Fi module notify the shared resource controller in advance about upcoming transmissions or interference conditions. This advance notification allows the system to pre-coordinate transmission schedules, reducing the need for reactive delays and enabling more efficient timing that minimizes latency while avoiding interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the Wi-Fi module reports transmission status and interference conditions to the shared resource controller. This feedback loop enables the controller to adjust future TXOP schedules based on actual performance, optimizing the balance between avoiding interference and minimizing latency over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If delayed acknowledgments are used to allow completion of non-Wi-Fi bursts, then resource sharing efficiency is improved, but acknowledgment timing precision is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource sharing efficiencyVSAvoidacknowledgment timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the shared resource controller as an intermediary that mediates between Wi-Fi and non-Wi-Fi technologies. This controller receives delayed acknowledgments from the Wi-Fi module and coordinates with the non-Wi-Fi scheduler to determine optimal retransmission timing. The intermediary absorbs the timing imprecision and transforms it into coordinated scheduling decisions that maintain overall system efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4486056A1Enhancements of feedback in 802.11 to enhance the performance of link adaptation, latency-sensitive traffic and in-device coexistence

Publication Date: 2025.01.01 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD

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AI summary

A solution for providing improvements in performance of latency sensitive traffic, multi-link operation, link adaptation and in-device coexistence is disclosed. A device (102) with a Wi-Fi transceiver (120) and a second transceiver (110) sharing at least one antenna (142) can detect a burst of communications received by the second transceiver (110) exceeding a time period allocated for second communications. The device (102) can be in communication with a Wi-Fi AP to receive Wi-Fi communications. The device (102) can determine, responsive to the detection, a schedule (136) for the AP to transmit Wi-Fi communications to the device (102), the schedule (136) comprising a burst limit of a first time period on a periodic basis of a second time period. The device (102) can communicate the schedule (136) to the access point (104).