WLAN Antenna Pattern Switching During Single PPDU Reception
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current antenna pattern switching in WLAN systems relies on RTS/CTS mechanisms, limiting flexibility and applicability, especially in scenarios where these mechanisms are not used, and causing high training overheads.
Innovation Solution
An antenna pattern switching method that allows switching during the reception of a single PPDU without relying on RTS/CTS, enabling the access point to use multiple patterns sequentially and adjust AGC accordingly based on signal quality, reducing training overheads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If antenna pattern switching depends on RTS/CTS mechanism, then the switching can be coordinated between sender and receiver, but the flexibility and applicability are limited and training overheads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the antenna pattern switching function from the RTS/CTS mechanism dependency. The receiver independently determines and switches antenna patterns based on received signal quality metrics (RSSI, SNR) without requiring RTS/CTS coordination, thereby reducing training overhead while maintaining switching capability
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver performs self-service by autonomously selecting and switching antenna patterns based on real-time signal quality assessment. This self-determined switching eliminates the need for complex RTS/CTS-based coordination, improving both flexibility and reducing overhead
2Reliability
If antenna pattern switching is performed during PPDU reception, then receiving performance is improved, but the switching timing must be precisely controlled to avoid disrupting AGC and synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs antenna pattern switching in advance during the preamble period before the data payload. The receiver switches patterns based on preamble signal quality assessment, ensuring the optimal pattern is established before actual data reception begins, thereby improving receiving performance without disrupting AGC
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the PPDU structure into distinct phases (preamble vs. data payload) and performs antenna pattern switching only during the preamble phase. This temporal segmentation allows switching without interfering with AGC and synchronization operations that occur during data reception
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(a)~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
An antenna pattern switching method and an apparatus may be applied to the field of WLAN technologies, for example, a WLAN communication system supporting 802.11 series protocols. In the method, before a first moment, an AP receives a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU by using a first antenna pattern; and after the first moment, receives the PPDU by using a second antenna pattern. Based on the solution, during receiving of a single PPDU, the AP may sequentially use two antenna patterns to receive a same PPDU, in other words, the AP may perform antenna pattern switching during receiving of the single PPDU. The switching process does not need to depend on an RTS/CTS mechanism, in other words, a sender of the PPDU does not need to be learned of, to improve flexibility and applicability of the antenna pattern switching, and further improve receiving performance in a plurality of scenarios (for example, a scenario in which the RTS/CTS mechanism is not used and a scenario in which the RTS/CTS mechanism is used).