WLAN Association Scheduling via Preliminary Action
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless local area networks (WLANs), the association process for a large number of stations (STAs) with an access point (AP) can be severely congested due to channel contentions, leading to excessively long association times, which is problematic for applications requiring timely service, such as health monitoring and fire alarm sensors.
Innovation Solution
The method involves sending an association message to a group of STAs with identifier information and a scheduling sequence, allowing STAs to send response messages sequentially without channel contention, reducing the number of contentions and accelerating the association process by using a scheduling sequence and interframe spaces (SIFS) to coordinate message transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large number of STAs associate with the AP simultaneously using traditional channel contention methods, then the association process can be completed, but severe collision problems cause system congestion and excessively long association times
Solution Approach 1:
The AP performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing multiple response messages corresponding to different STAs before the actual association process. When an association request is received, the AP can immediately select and send the appropriate pre-prepared response message, eliminating the need for time-consuming channel contentions and collisions during the association process.
Solution Approach 2:
The association process is segmented into multiple parallel channels or streams. Instead of all STAs contending for a single communication channel, the system divides the association traffic into multiple segments that can be handled concurrently, reducing collisions and improving overall association speed.
2Reliability
If traditional association processes are used for hundreds to thousands of STAs, then all STAs can eventually be associated, but the process takes tens of minutes to several hours or even longer
Solution Approach 1:
The AP pre-generates response messages for multiple STAs in advance, so when association requests arrive, the responses are already prepared and can be sent immediately without waiting for channel contention to resolve, dramatically reducing the total association time while ensuring all STAs are successfully associated.
Solution Approach 2:
The association process maintains continuous useful action by eliminating idle waiting time caused by channel contentions. The AP continuously processes and responds to association requests without interruption, keeping the system busy with productive operations rather than stalled by collisions and retransmissions.
3Speed
If multiple STAs send response messages simultaneously in response to an association message, then the association process can proceed quickly, but channel collisions increase the possibility of failure and require retransmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The AP prepares multiple response messages in advance, each tailored to a specific STA. When association requests are received, the AP can immediately send the appropriate pre-prepared response without requiring STAs to contend for the channel, thus maintaining high response speed while eliminating collisions and ensuring reliable message delivery.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an access point, and a station for establishing an association in a WLAN. The method includes: sending an association message to a group of stations STAs including a plurality of STAs in the wireless local area network WLAN; sending a first notification to the group of STAs, where the first notification carries identifier information of each STA and information about a scheduling sequence for each STA; and receiving response messages sequentially sent, according to the scheduling sequence in the first notification, in response to the association message by the group of STAs. According to the embodiments of the present invention, in a process of associating STAs with an AP, the AP arranges a scheduling sequence for a selected group of STAs, so that the group of STAs may sequentially send response messages to the AP without having to contend for a channel, thereby reducing the number of channel contentions, accelerating the process of associating the STAs with the AP, and ensuring that a STA used for a key application can establish an association with the AP quickly.