Wireless Communication Device with Dynamic Contention Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-user communication systems face inefficiencies in resource utilization due to terminals transitioning to sleep mode or having no uplink transmission requests, leading to decreased communication resource efficiency and lack of fairness in random access protocols, particularly in uplink OFDMA scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device that transmits a first frame specifying frequency components and determines the response based on the number of received frames, adjusting the contention window value range to ensure fair access and efficient resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a trigger frame specifies terminals for uplink transmission, then transmission timing is coordinated, but resource units are wasted when specified terminals are in sleep mode or have no transmission requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the trigger frame into two types: trigger frames that specify individual terminals (for coordinated transmission) and trigger frames that specify only resource units without terminal identification (for random access). This segmentation allows the system to flexibly choose the appropriate frame type based on terminal states, avoiding resource waste while maintaining coordination when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different trigger frame types based on real-time terminal states. When terminals are in sleep mode or have no transmission requests, the system uses random access trigger frames instead of terminal-specific trigger frames, making the system adaptive to changing conditions and improving resource utilization efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If terminals select resource units randomly from STA-unspecified RUs, then access flexibility is improved, but collisions occur when multiple terminals select the same resource unit simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The base station performs preliminary actions by transmitting trigger frames that pre-allocate resource units to specific terminals before the actual transmission occurs. This preliminary allocation prevents multiple terminals from selecting the same resource unit simultaneously, eliminating collisions while maintaining the flexibility of random access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where terminals receive acknowledgment responses from the base station after transmission. Terminals that fail to receive acknowledgment (indicating collision or sleep mode status) can retry with different resource units, improving transmission success rate while maintaining access flexibility.
3Reliability
If the contention window is reset to initial value upon receiving trigger frame, then fairness is improved for new terminals, but terminals that succeeded in transmission are treated unfairly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different contention window handling strategies to different terminal groups: terminals that successfully transmitted in the current trigger frame are excluded from the contention window reset, while new terminals or those that failed receive the reset. This local differentiation ensures fairness for new terminals while maintaining transmission efficiency for successful terminals.
Solution Approach 2:
The contention window mechanism is made dynamic by adjusting the reset behavior based on terminal transmission history and success status. The system dynamically determines which terminals should have their contention window reset and which should maintain their current window size, optimizing both fairness and efficiency under different operational conditions.
4Reliability
If terminals wait for acknowledgment before retrying, then transmission reliability is improved, but time is lost when terminals in sleep mode do not respond
Solution Approach 1:
The base station performs preliminary identification of terminal states by monitoring which terminals respond to trigger frames. Terminals that do not respond (indicating sleep mode or failure) are identified in advance, and the base station adjusts the trigger frame transmission strategy accordingly, reducing unnecessary waiting time while maintaining reliable transmission confirmation for active terminals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation by using random access trigger frames that can be transmitted repeatedly without requiring terminal acknowledgment. This allows the base station to continuously allocate resource units to active terminals while ignoring terminals in sleep mode, eliminating time loss from waiting for non-responsive terminals while maintaining reliable confirmation for those that are active.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication device includes a transmitter configured to transmit a first frame including information to specify a plurality of frequency components; and controlling circuitry configured to determine whether a second frame is received via each of the plurality of frequency components. The transmitter is configured to transmit a third frame including first information concerning a first value range which is used to determine whether to respond to the first frame, the first value range being dependent on a number of frequency components via which the second frame has been received.