Wireless Communication Device Dynamic Resource Unit Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-user wireless communication systems, existing methods for uplink Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) face inefficiencies due to resource unit allocation issues, leading to decreased communication resource usage and fairness problems, particularly when terminals transition to sleep mode or have no transmission requests, and in scenarios where random access to unspecified resource units results in frame collisions.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device and method that includes a transmitter for sending a trigger frame specifying multiple frequency components and controlling circuitry to determine responses based on received frames, with a mechanism to adjust the contention window value for terminals that fail in transmission, ensuring fair access to resource units by prioritizing terminals that successfully transmit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a trigger frame specifies terminals for UL-OFDMA, then transmission timing is synchronized, but resource units are not efficiently used when terminals are in sleep mode or have no transmission requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of resource unit allocation from fixed terminal-specific assignment to dynamic unspecified resource units. The trigger frame specifies resource units without binding them to specific terminals, allowing flexible reallocation based on actual transmission needs, thus improving resource efficiency while maintaining synchronization through the trigger frame mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If terminals select resource units randomly from unspecified resource units, then resource flexibility is improved, but frame collisions occur when multiple terminals select the same resource unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the base station transmits acknowledgment frames to inform terminals whether their frame transmissions were successful. When collisions occur, terminals receive negative feedback and are instructed to retry after a backoff period, thereby resolving the reliability issue caused by random selection while preserving the flexibility of unspecified resource units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a backoff mechanism that requires terminals to wait for a random period before retrying failed transmissions. This beforehand cushioning prevents immediate re-collisions and distributes retry attempts over time, reducing the probability of repeated frame collisions while maintaining the random access flexibility.
3Device complexity
If the contention window is set the same for all terminals, then implementation is simple, but fairness is compromised when some terminals succeed and others fail in transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating contention window settings based on terminal-specific transmission outcomes. Terminals that fail to transmit successfully are assigned larger contention windows to increase their retry opportunities, while successful terminals use smaller windows. This localized adjustment ensures fairness without requiring complex centralized control.
Data Source
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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.