Wireless Terminal Token Splitting for Fair Channel Access

Solution Overview

Problem

In contention-based wireless access networks, existing technologies fail to ensure fair use of the medium among terminals, leading to channel monopolization by greedy terminals, causing starvation for other devices, despite providing traffic prioritization.

Innovation Solution

A terminal splits an allocated token based on the balance between transmission probability and the number of transmissions, determining priority for data frames, and communicates with a wireless access point using the split token to ensure fairness and quality of service.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traffic prioritization is implemented using DCF and HCF in 802.11, then higher-priority traffic can be transmitted more frequently, but greedy terminals may monopolize the channel causing starvation for other terminals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission rate for high-priority trafficVSAvoidfairness of channel access among terminals

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel access mechanism into two distinct parts: (1) Token allocation phase where the access point distributes tokens to terminals based on priority, and (2) Contention phase where terminals use split tokens for probabilistic channel access. This segmentation allows high-priority terminals to receive more tokens while still subject to contention, preventing monopoly while ensuring priority service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic token splitting at the terminal side, where the token value is dynamically adjusted based on network conditions, terminal priority, and contention state. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to balance between ensuring priority transmission and maintaining fairness among terminals under varying network conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If terminals use contention-based channel access, then fair opportunity is provided to all terminals, but transmission efficiency for priority traffic is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefairness of channel access among terminalsVSAvoidtransmission rate for priority traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel access mechanism into two distinct parts: (1) Token allocation phase where the access point distributes tokens to terminals based on priority, and (2) Contention phase where terminals use split tokens for probabilistic channel access. This segmentation allows high-priority terminals to receive more tokens while still subject to contention, preventing monopoly while ensuring priority service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter distribution of token values among terminals based on priority levels. High-priority terminals receive tokens with parameters that give them higher transmission probability, while low-priority terminals receive tokens with parameters that limit their transmission probability. This parameter differentiation maintains fairness while enabling priority transmission efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9204458B2Method and apparatus for providing fairness-assured quality of service in contention-based wireless network

Publication Date: 2015.12.01 ELECTRONICS & TELECOMM RES INST

AI summary

A method of assuring QoS in consideration of fairness in a contention-based wireless network and a terminal for the same are provided. When a token is allocated by a wireless access point, the terminal determines priority of a data frame which the terminal intends to use in communication, through a scheme of splitting the allocated token. Therefore, fairness can be assured by selection of the terminal.