Parallel WLAN Channel Access Across Unequal STA Bandwidths

The patent segments the frequency bandwidth into multiple channels of different widths (e.g., 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 4 MHz, 8 MHz, 16 MHz). Each STA is assigned to communicate on channels matching its operating bandwidth capability. The AP segments the available spectrum and manages multiple simultaneous transmissions on different channel widths, allowing STAs with limited bandwidth capabilities to communicate without restricting the overall system bandwidth utilization.

The patent transitions from single-channel sequential access to multi-channel parallel access. Multiple STAs simultaneously transmit on different frequency channels (different dimensional space) rather than competing on a single channel. This dimensional expansion allows the system to maintain collision avoidance through channel separation while dramatically increasing throughput by utilizing multiple channels in parallel.

The patent applies local quality by assigning different channel widths to different STAs based on their capabilities. Each STA communicates on channels with bandwidth properties matched to its local capabilities (e.g., 1 MHz STAs use 1 MHz channels, 16 MHz STAs use 16 MHz channels). This localized adaptation allows the system to support a large quantity of STAs with diverse capabilities while maintaining optimal performance for each STA type.

The patent segments the frequency band into multiple independent channels, each with its own carrier sensing and NAV setting. Instead of a single primary channel controlling the entire band, each channel operates semi-independently. When one channel is busy, only that specific channel is blocked, while other channels remain available for transmission. This segmentation resolves the inefficiency of treating the entire band as busy and maintains manageable control complexity through distributed channel management.