Wireless Hotspot Clustering for Network Load Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication networks face challenges in managing the increased demand for wireless data services in densely populated areas, leading to overburdened capabilities and degraded signal strengths at the edges, particularly in venues with large crowds and machine-to-machine communication scenarios.

Innovation Solution

The method involves designating wireless devices as master and slave devices within clusters, with the master device acting as a hotspot to provide service to slave devices, reducing the load on access points and allowing for more efficient use of frequency bands through centralized network control and resource allocation based on channel quality information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If wireless devices communicate directly with access points in densely populated areas, then wireless data services can be provided, but the access points become overburdened and network performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewireless data service capacityVSAvoidnetwork performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network into clusters, each with a master wireless device that aggregates traffic from multiple slave devices. This segmentation reduces the burden on access points by introducing intermediate coordination points (master devices) that handle local traffic management, thereby maintaining network performance in densely populated areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The master wireless device acts as an intermediary between slave devices and the access point. It receives data from multiple slave devices, aggregates their traffic, and communicates with the access point, thereby reducing the direct communication burden on the access point and improving overall network capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If more wireless devices are served by access points, then wireless data access is improved, but signal strength degrades at the network edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewireless data accessVSAvoidsignal strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by allowing master devices to serve slave devices locally within clusters. This local service model ensures that devices at the network edge can communicate through nearby master devices rather than relying solely on distant access points, thereby maintaining signal strength while improving wireless data access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If frequency bands are used for wireless communication in dense areas, then data transmission is enabled, but spectral efficiency decreases due to interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmissionVSAvoidspectral efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into multiple clusters that can operate semi-independently. This segmentation reduces interference between clusters and improves spectral efficiency by allowing localized resource allocation and frequency reuse across different clusters, thereby enabling data transmission while minimizing spectral loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2713668B1Signaling to enable network controlled tethering of wireless devices
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 FUJITSU CONNECTED TECH LTD
  • EP2713668B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP2713668B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2713668B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of signaling to enable tethering among wireless devices may include receiving, at a master wireless device, assignment information from a wireless communication access point. The assignment information may indicate that the master wireless device is designated as a hotspot for a slave wireless device. The method also may include determining an availability of an open frequency band for wireless communications, communicating an enabling signal to the slave wireless and receiving a confirmation of receipt of the enabling signal. Further, the method may include determining an allocation of a wireless communication resource over the open frequency band for the master wireless device to act as the hotspot for the slave wireless device. The allocation may be based on the confirmation of receipt of the enabling signal and on a parameter requirement associated with the master wireless device acting as the hotspot for the slave wireless device.