Wireless LAN Responder Frame Exchange via SIFS
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current IEEE 802.11 WLAN systems experience slow responsiveness in exchanging management and action frames due to the need for responders to contend for the wireless medium after sending an ACK packet, leading to delayed feedback and potential invalid information delivery.
Innovation Solution
The system allows responders to send response frames instead of ACK packets, accessing the wireless medium only after a short SIFS, and enables piggybacking or aggregation of these frames with other packets, eliminating the long delay associated with contenting for the medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If responders send ACK packets and then contend for the wireless medium to send response frames, then the IEEE 802.11 standard protocol is followed, but the responsiveness and timeliness of feedback is significantly delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the response frame transmission from the conventional ACK-based sequence. Instead of sending an ACK packet followed by contending for medium access to send the response frame, the system directly transmits the response frame within the SIFS period after receiving the request frame. This extraction eliminates the unnecessary ACK packet and the subsequent medium contention delay, achieving both protocol compliance and reduced latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention prepares and sends the response frame in advance within the SIFS period, before the responder would normally need to contend for medium access. By performing the response transmission as a preliminary action during the protected SIFS interval, the system ensures timely delivery of feedback information without waiting for medium availability through contention.
2Reliability
If responders wait for medium access after sending ACK to send response frames, then medium access control is maintained, but the timeliness of critical information exchange deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses the SIFS period as a protective cushion that guarantees medium access for response frame transmission before any other station can contend for the medium. This beforehand cushioning ensures that critical feedback information is exchanged during a protected time interval, maintaining medium access control while eliminating delays associated with subsequent contention.
3Reliability
If ACK packets are sent before response frames, then acknowledgment protocol is fulfilled, but overall communication efficiency is reduced due to additional medium access delays
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the acknowledgment function with the response frame transmission. Instead of separating the ACK packet and response frame into two distinct medium access events, the system combines these functions by transmitting the response frame directly after SIFS, which inherently acknowledges receipt of the request frame while carrying the actual response data. This merging eliminates redundant medium access operations and improves communication efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for improving responsiveness in exchanging management and control frames in a wireless local area network are disclosed. An initiator sends a frame (action frame, management frame, CSI frame, control frame, or data frame) to a responder. Upon correctly receiving the frame, the responder sends a response frame to the initiator instead of directly sending an acknowledgement (ACK) packet. The responder preferably accesses the wireless medium to send the response frame in a short inter-frame spacing (SIFS). With this scheme, a long delay associated with having to contend for the wireless medium to send the response frame is avoided and therefore, the responsiveness and timeliness of the feedback mechanism is significantly enhanced. The response frame may be piggybacked on or aggregated with another packet.