Wireless Channel Allocation via Segmentation and Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks face interference issues leading to imperfect communication environments and increased latency due to unreliable channels, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
The method involves randomly or pseudorandomly allocating available channels to wireless devices, determining relatively reliable channels through local analysis, and transmitting this information to ensure both transmitter and receiver select the best channel for communication, thereby favoring more reliable channels and preventing collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless networks use available channels for communication, then communication between nodes is enabled, but interference occurs leading to increased latency and unreliable transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the available channels into multiple subsets and assigns different subsets to different wireless devices. This segmentation ensures that devices transmit on different channels simultaneously, avoiding interference and improving communication reliability in the wireless network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic channel selection where devices can switch between channels based on transmission success. The network manager monitors transmission outcomes and adjusts channel assignments dynamically, allowing the system to adapt to changing interference conditions and maintain reliable communication.
2Reliability
If retransmission is used to handle interference, then communication reliability improves, but latency increases within the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the network manager pre-assign different channel subsets to different devices before communication begins. This prevents collisions and interference from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for retransmission and reducing latency while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the network manager monitors transmission success and adjusts channel assignments accordingly. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from transmission outcomes and optimize future channel selections, reducing the need for retransmission and minimizing latency over time.
3Productivity
If channel selection is optimized, then network performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network manager as an intermediary component that centralizes channel management functions. The network manager handles complex channel selection and assignment decisions, freeing individual devices from the complexity of autonomous channel optimization while maintaining high network performance through coordinated channel usage.
Data Source
AI summary
In a channel hopping network, some channels are typically less reliable than others due to interference and multipath effects. It is beneficial to favour the more reliable channels. Examples of the present disclosure achieve this by (1) randomly or pseudorandomly allocating multiple channels to a transmitter-receiver pair; (2) adaptively determining, by the transmitter, relatively reliable channels which the transmitter-receiver pair should ideally use for communication; (3) transmitting this information to the receiver; and (4) comparing the allocated channels with the determined channels to enable both the transmitter and the receiver to select the best channel to communicate on.