Wireless Buffer Priority Scheduling for Throughput Fairness
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems using a random access scheme like CSMA/CA, the scheduling of downlink data transmission from a wireless access point (AP) to multiple wireless stations (STAs) leads to unfairness in throughput among users due to hidden terminal issues, resulting in decreased system performance and repeated failures in data frame transmission.
Innovation Solution
A control unit in the wireless communication system dynamically adjusts the priority order of data frames in the transmission buffer based on the transmission status, shifting frames destined for STAs with RXOP access to lower priority and those with TXOP access to higher priority, ensuring fair throughput distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If downlink data transmission is performed based on transmission opportunity acquired by AP (TXOP access), then system throughput is improved, but throughput fairness among users deteriorates due to hidden terminal issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffer scheduling that adapts transmission opportunities based on real-time transmission status. The AP dynamically determines whether to use TXOP or RXOP access for each data frame based on whether the destination STA is in a hidden terminal relationship, making the system flexible rather than static in its buffer management approach
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the AP monitors transmission status and uses this information to adjust buffer scheduling decisions. The transmission status feedback enables the AP to identify hidden terminal relationships and accordingly switch between TXOP and RXOP access modes to maintain both throughput and fairness
2Ease of operation
If transmission opportunity is acquired by STA and granted to AP (RXOP access), then throughput fairness is improved, but system productivity decreases due to repeated transmission failures in hidden terminal scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between RXOP and TXOP access modes based on transmission status. When hidden terminal issues are detected through feedback, the AP transitions from RXOP to TXOP access for affected STAs, preventing repeated transmission failures while maintaining fairness for other users
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the buffer scheduling parameter (access mode) based on transmission status. By monitoring whether transmissions succeed or fail, the system adjusts the access mode parameter to optimize both fairness and throughput, preventing the productivity degradation caused by repeated failures
3Device complexity
If fixed buffer scheduling is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different transmission scenarios deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffer scheduling that adapts to different transmission scenarios based on real-time status feedback. Rather than using a fixed scheduling approach, the system dynamically adjusts buffer management strategies to match current channel conditions and hidden terminal relationships, significantly improving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses transmission status feedback to inform buffer scheduling decisions. This feedback mechanism enables the AP to adapt its buffer scheduling to different transmission scenarios, identifying when hidden terminal issues occur and adjusting access modes accordingly, thereby achieving high adaptability without excessive complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wireless communication system which performs downlink data transmission based on a transmission opportunity acquired by a wireless access point (hereinafter referred to as TXOP access) or a transmission opportunity acquired by a wireless station and granted to the wireless access point (hereinafter referred to as RXOP access), when performing the downlink data transmission from the wireless access point to the wireless station based on a random access scheme, in which the wireless access point includes a control unit performing, on a transmission buffer which sequentially stores data frames to be transmitted for each of wireless stations, processing which lowers an order of priority of the data frames which are to be destined for the wireless station A by the TXOP access at the transmission buffer according to a transmission status of the data frames destined for a wireless station A by the RXOP access.