Wireless Channel Sharing for Multi-Network Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Switching between different wireless communication protocols on computing devices can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, degrading performance when communicating with multiple devices simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A computing device determines if it can connect to a first wireless network using the same channel as a second wireless network, allowing it to switch to that channel to improve resource utilization and performance by eliminating the need for frequent channel changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a computing device switches between different wireless communication protocols to connect to multiple wireless networks, then the device can communicate with multiple devices using different protocols, but the switching process consumes time and resources, degrading communication performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to communicate with multiple devices using different protocolsVSAvoidtime consumed for channel switching
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the communication channels of two different wireless networks (infrastructure and P2P) by configuring them to operate on the same channel. This allows the computing device to maintain connections to both networks simultaneously without needing to switch channels, thereby eliminating channel switching time and resource consumption while preserving the ability to communicate with multiple devices using different protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a computing device switches between different wireless communication protocols to connect to multiple wireless networks, then the device can communicate with multiple devices using different protocols, but the switching process consumes computing resources, degrading performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to communicate with multiple devices using different protocolsVSAvoidcomputing resources consumed for channel switching
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the operation of two wireless networks on a single shared channel, allowing the computing device to maintain both infrastructure and P2P connections simultaneously. This eliminates the need for resource-intensive channel switching operations while preserving protocol diversity and communication versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a computing device uses different channels for different wireless networks, then it can maintain connections to multiple networks, but frequent channel changes are required, degrading communication performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stability to multiple networksVSAvoidcommunication performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the channel allocation for infrastructure and P2P wireless networks into a single shared channel. This allows the computing device to maintain stable connections to both networks simultaneously without requiring frequent channel changes, thereby improving communication performance while preserving connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3491880B1Roaming to share a communication channel
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3491880B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3491880B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3491880B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computing device is able to communicate wirelessly with other devices using different types of wireless networks, such as infrastructure networks and peer-to-peer networks. Situations can arise in which a computing device is connected to different types of networks at the same time. In such situations a check is made as to whether the computing device can connect to a first of the wireless networks using the same channel as is used by the computing device to connect to a second of the wireless networks. If so, then the computing device connects to the first wireless network using the same channel as is used by the computing device to connect to the second wireless network, resulting in the computing device sharing the same channel for the multiple wireless networks.