Wake-Up Receiver D2D Signaling Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless local area networks (WLANs), the device-to-device (D2D) communication efficiency is low due to heavy signaling overheads and long information delays caused by the need for an access point (AP) to forward each step of the tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) procedure, making it unclear about the state of other stations.

Innovation Solution

Stations receive Target Wake Time (TWT) indication information from the AP to determine their wake-up times, allowing direct communication without AP intermediation, reducing signaling overheads and shortening delays by enabling direct wake-up of main radio transceivers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the TDLS procedure uses AP forwarding for D2D communication setup, then the communication can be established between stations, but signaling overheads increase and information delay lengthens

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveD2D communication establishmentVSAvoidsignaling overheads
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the D2D communication setup process from the AP-forwarding mechanism and enables direct peer-to-peer communication between stations. The TDLS procedure is modified to allow stations to exchange setup messages directly without AP intermediation, thereby removing the source of excessive signaling overheads while maintaining reliable D2D link establishment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a wake-up receiver (WUR) as an intermediary component that enables stations to detect each other's wake-up states and initiate direct communication. The WUR allows stations to learn about each other's state without requiring continuous AP forwarding, reducing signaling overhead while ensuring reliable D2D setup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the TDLS procedure uses AP forwarding for D2D communication setup, then the communication can be established between stations, but information delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveD2D communication establishmentVSAvoidinformation delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the AP forwarding step from the TDLS procedure, allowing stations to exchange setup messages directly. This extraction of the intermediary forwarding function eliminates the time delay associated with AP message relay, while direct station-to-station messaging ensures reliable D2D communication establishment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a wake-up receiver that allows stations to preliminarily detect each other's wake-up states before initiating the TDLS procedure. This preliminary detection enables stations to prepare for direct communication in advance, reducing the overall information delay by eliminating the need for AP-mediated state verification during the setup process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If stations use main radio transceiver for continuous monitoring, then communication responsiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication responsivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the radio transceiver functionality into two independent components: a wake-up receiver (WUR) for low-power monitoring and a main radio transceiver for full communication. The WUR operates continuously at low power to detect wake-up frames, while the main radio transceiver remains dormant and activates only when needed, thereby maintaining communication responsiveness without continuous high energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wake-up receiver autonomously monitors for wake-up frames and triggers the main radio transceiver only when necessary. This self-service mechanism allows the system to maintain responsiveness to communication requests while avoiding the energy waste of keeping the main radio transceiver continuously active, as the WUR independently handles the monitoring function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3522612B1Information transmission method and station
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3522612B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3522612B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3522612B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide an information transmission method and a station. The information transmission method in this application includes: receiving, by a first station, TWT indication information of the first station that is sent by an AP; and determining, by the first station, a TWT of a WUR of the first station based on the TWT indication information of the first station, where the TWT of the WUR of the first station includes an awake time of the WUR of the first station. In this application, signaling overheads can be reduced, an information delay can be shortened, and communication efficiency can be improved.