Anti-Motion And Anti-Interference Frame Exchange Sequences In Wireless Communications

Techniques pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications are described. A station (STA), such as a Wi-Fi equipment, determines to enable a frame exchange sequence (FES). The STA then communicates with one or more other STAs by utilizing the FES in which preamble puncturing sounding and data transmission are performed in a same transmission opportunity (TXOP).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to wireless communications and, more particularly, to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications.

BACKGROUND

With evermore deployment of wireless networks, such as WiFi (Wi-Fi) and wireless local area networks (WLANs) in accordance with one or more Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards, more and more wireless devices suffer interference in environment in which wireless networking is densely deployed. In the IEEE 802.11ax/be specifications, sounding, data transmission and preamble puncturing are different and independent mechanisms. In case that sounding and data puncturing are not synchronized, data may be corrupted due to inappropriate sounding being applied. For example, when sounding puncturing is in one non-orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (non-OFDMA) multi-resource unit (MRU) (e.g., non-OFDMA MRU 2) while data puncturing is in another non-OFDMA MRU (e.g., non-OFDMA MRU 3), data may be corrupted the sounding puncturing profile is applied to that data. Therefore, there is a need for a solution of anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications.

SUMMARY

An objective of the present disclosure is to provide schemes, concepts, designs, techniques, methods and apparatuses pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications. It is believed that implementations of one or more schemes proposed herein may mitigate impacts of motion and/or interference in wireless devices (e.g., Wi-Fi equipment). Thus, it is believed that various schemes proposed herein may address or otherwise alleviate the aforementioned issue(s), such as reduction in performance overhead.

In one aspect, a method may involve a station (STA) determining to enable a frame exchange sequence (FES). The method may also involve the STA communicating with one or more other STAs by utilizing the FES in which preamble puncturing sounding and data transmission are performed in a same transmission opportunity (TXOP).

In another aspect, an apparatus implementable in a STA may include a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly and a processor coupled to the transceiver. The processor may determine to enable a FES. The processor may also communicate, via the transceiver, with one or more other STAs by utilizing the FES in which preamble puncturing sounding and data transmission are performed in a same TXOP.

It is noteworthy that, although description provided herein may be in the context of certain radio access technologies, networks and network topologies such as, Wi-Fi, the proposed concepts, schemes and any variation(s)/derivative(s) thereof may be implemented in, for and by other types of radio access technologies, networks and network topologies such as, for example and without limitation, Bluetooth, ZigBee, 5th Generation (5G)/New Radio (NR), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, Internet-of-Things (IOT), Industrial IoT (IIoT) and narrowband IoT (NB-IOT). Thus, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Overview

Implementations in accordance with the present disclosure relate to various techniques, methods, schemes and/or solutions pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications. According to the present disclosure, a number of possible solutions may be implemented separately or jointly. That is, although these possible solutions may be described below separately, two or more of these possible solutions may be implemented in one combination or another.

FIG.1illustrates an example network environment100in which various solutions and schemes in accordance with the present disclosure may be implemented.FIG.2˜FIG.6illustrate examples of implementation of various proposed schemes in network environment100in accordance with the present disclosure. The following description of various proposed schemes is provided with reference toFIG.1˜FIG.6.

Referring toFIG.1, network environment100may involve at least a first STA, or STA110, communicating wirelessly with a second STA, or STA120. Either of STA110and STA120may function an access point (AP) STA or a non-access point (non-AP) STA. In some cases, STA110and STA120may be associated with a basic service set (BSS) in accordance with one or more IEEE 802.11 standards (e.g., IEEE 802.11be and future-developed standards). Each of STA110and STA120may be configured to communicate with each other by utilizing the techniques pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications in accordance with various proposed schemes described below. It is noteworthy that, while the various proposed schemes may be individually or separately described below, in actual implementations some or all of the proposed schemes may be utilized or otherwise implemented jointly. Of course, each of the proposed schemes may be utilized or otherwise implemented individually or separately.

Under various proposed schemes in accordance with the present disclosure, a new FES may utilize preamble puncturing sounding with data frame in a same TXOP. Under the proposed schemes, the new FES may achieve improved channel measurement physically in a TXOP, thereby mitigating impacts of motion and interference while increasing data rate physically. Under the proposed schemes, data transmission may be applied with a best sounding steering matrix since the sounding steering matrix may be applied immediately in the following data. Moreover, the issue of data corruption may be solved since sounding and data puncturing may be independently implemented under the proposed schemes.

FIG.2illustrates an example scenario200under a proposed scheme in accordance with the present disclosure. Scenario200may pertain to preamble puncturing sounding with a data frame in the same TXOP. Based on the IEEE 802.11be specification, non-OFDMA MRU may be supported to realize single-user multiple-input-multiple-output (SU-MIMO) and multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) preamble puncturing (PP) in extremely high-throughput (EHT) physical-layer protocol data units (PPDUs). Preamble puncturing may help avoid interference in an environment with dense wireless communications.

FIG.3AandFIG.3Beach illustrates a respective portion of an example scenario300under a proposed scheme in accordance with the present disclosure. Scenario300may pertain to data transmission in the context of SU-MIMO in which an AP communicates with a single STA (e.g., STA 1). According to current IEEE 802.11 specifications, sounding, data and preamble puncturing FESs are performed or otherwise carried out independently. Referring to part (A1) ofFIG.3A, data transmission may be performed without protection. Although sounding channel measurement may have been performed initially, channel condition may change (e.g., due to motion by a user and/or interference) sometime after such sounding channel measurement, and such change in channel condition may lead to data corruption due to sounding partial bandwidth (BW) profile being different from a data puncturing frequency. Referring to part (A2) ofFIG.3A, data transmission may be performed with protection (e.g., data transmission occurring after an exchange of request-to-send (RTS) and clear-to-send (CTS)). Although sounding channel measurement may have been performed initially, channel condition may change (e.g., due to motion by a user and/or interference) sometime after such sounding channel measurement, and such change in channel condition change may lead to data corruption due to sounding partial BW profile being different from the data puncturing frequency.

Under the proposed scheme, in a new FES, preamble puncturing sounding and data frame transmission may be performed in the same TXOP. Referring to part (B1) ofFIG.3B, data transmission may be performed without protection. As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on beamforming feedback provided by STA 1, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedback). Referring to part (B2) ofFIG.3B, data transmission may be performed with protection (e.g., data transmission occurring after an exchange of RTS and CTS). As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on beamforming feedback provided by STA 1, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedback).

FIG.4AandFIG.4Beach illustrates a respective portion of an example scenario400under a proposed scheme in accordance with the present disclosure. Scenario400may pertain to data transmission in the context of MU-MIMO in which an AP communicates with multiple STAs (e.g., STA 1 and STA 2). Under the proposed scheme, in a new FES, preamble puncturing sounding and data frame transmission may be performed in the same TXOP.

Referring to part (A1) ofFIG.4A, data transmission may be performed without protection. As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on the beamforming feedbacks from STA 1 and STA 2, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedbacks). In the example shown in part (A1) ofFIG.4A, each of STA 1 and STA 2 provides respective beamforming feedback in response to a beamforming feedback report poll transmitted by the AP. Referring to part (A2) ofFIG.4Adata transmission may be performed with protection (e.g., data transmission occurring after an exchange of RTS and CTS). As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on the beamforming feedbacks provided by STA 1 and STA 2, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedbacks). In the example shown in part (A2) ofFIG.4A, the exchange of RTS and CTS between AP and STA1 provides protection on the data transmission that occurs after the RTS/CTS exchange.

Referring to part (B1) ofFIG.4B, data transmission may be performed without protection. As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on beamforming feedbacks provided by STA 1 and STA 2, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedbacks). In the example shown in part (B1) ofFIG.4B, each of STA 1 and STA 2 provides respective beamforming feedback separately in response to a respective beamforming feedback report poll transmitted by the AP. Referring to part (B2) ofFIG.4Bdata transmission may be performed with protection (e.g., data transmission occurring after an exchange of RTS and CTS). As sounding channel measurement and data transmission are performed in the same TXOP, a sounding steering matrix may be applied to data transmission based on the beamforming feedbacks provided by STA 1 and STA 2, thereby avoiding data corruption even though channel condition may change after sounding channel measurement (as the data condition change may be accounted for in the sounding steering matrix based on the beamforming feedbacks). In the example shown in part (B2) ofFIG.4B, each of STA 1 and STA 2 provides respective beamforming feedback separately in response to a respective beamforming feedback report poll transmitted by the AP.

Under a proposed scheme in accordance with the present disclosure, the new FES, in which preamble puncturing sounding and data frame transmission are performed in the same TXOP, may be enabled based on a trigger or indication. For instance, the new FES may be enabled or otherwise implemented in response to one or more of the following parameters reaching or exceeding its respective threshold: adjacent channel interference, packet error rate, and received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

In view of the above, it is believed that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that various proposed schemes of the present disclosure may mitigate impacts of motion and/or interference on Wi-Fi equipment. It is noteworthy that the proposed schemes may be applied or implemented in environments with motion and without interference, so that Wi-Fi equipment may attain the optimal channel measurement physically in a given TXOP. The various proposed schemes may be implemented in hardware form (e.g., a processor with electronic circuitry) that applies a sounding steering matrix in data transmission that follows sounding channel measurement in the same TXOP. The various proposed schemes may be applied to multi-user PPDU (MU-PPDU) and/or trigger-based (TB) PPDU for both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) traffics. The various proposed schemes may also be applied to single-link and multi-link scenarios, including multi-link operation (MLO) scenarios. Moreover, the various proposed schemes may be applied or otherwise implemented in future-generation Wi-Fi deployments including those after Wi-Fi4. It is also noteworthy that, although examples described above and depicted in the figures may be in the context of an AP STA communicating with one or more non-AP STAs, various proposed schemes of the present disclosure may also be implemented in scenarios in which one non-AP STA communicates one or more other non-AP STAs as well as other scenarios in which one AP STA communicating with one or more other AP STAs.

Illustrative Implementations

FIG.5illustrates an example communication system500having at least an example apparatus510and an example apparatus520in accordance with an implementation of the present disclosure. Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may perform various functions to implement schemes, techniques, processes and methods described herein pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications, including the various schemes described above with respect to various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems and methods described above as well as processes described below. For instance, apparatus510may be implemented in STA110and apparatus520may be implemented in STA120, or vice versa.

Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be a part of an electronic apparatus, which may be a non-AP STA or an AP STA, such as a portable or mobile apparatus, a wearable apparatus, a wireless communication apparatus or a computing apparatus. When implemented in a STA, each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be implemented in a smartphone, a smart watch, a personal digital assistant, a digital camera, or a computing equipment such as a tablet computer, a laptop computer or a notebook computer. Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may also be a part of a machine type apparatus, which may be an IoT apparatus such as an immobile or a stationary apparatus, a home apparatus, a wire communication apparatus or a computing apparatus. For instance, each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart fridge, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker or a home control center. When implemented in or as a network apparatus, apparatus510and/or apparatus520may be implemented in a network node, such as an AP in a WLAN.

In some implementations, each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be implemented in the form of one or more integrated-circuit (IC) chips such as, for example and without limitation, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more reduced-instruction set computing (RISC) processors, or one or more complex-instruction-set-computing (CISC) processors. In the various schemes described above, each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be implemented in or as a STA or an AP. Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may include at least some of those components shown inFIG.5such as a processor512and a processor522, respectively, for example. Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may further include one or more other components not pertinent to the proposed scheme of the present disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device and/or user interface device), and, thus, such component(s) of apparatus510and apparatus520are neither shown inFIG.5nor described below in the interest of simplicity and brevity.

In some implementations, apparatus510may also include a transceiver516coupled to processor512. Transceiver516may include a transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting and a receiver capable of wirelessly receiving data. In some implementations, apparatus520may also include a transceiver526coupled to processor522. Transceiver526may include a transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting and a receiver capable of wirelessly receiving data. It is noteworthy that, although transceiver516and transceiver526are illustrated as being external to and separate from processor512and processor522, respectively, in some implementations, transceiver516may be an integral part of processor512as a system on chip (SoC) and/or transceiver526may be an integral part of processor522as a SoC.

In some implementations, apparatus510may further include a memory514coupled to processor512and capable of being accessed by processor512and storing data therein. In some implementations, apparatus520may further include a memory524coupled to processor522and capable of being accessed by processor522and storing data therein. Each of memory514and memory524may include a type of random-access memory (RAM) such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), thyristor RAM (T-RAM) and/or zero-capacitor RAM (Z-RAM). Alternatively, or additionally, each of memory514and memory524may include a type of read-only memory (ROM) such as mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM) and/or electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). Alternatively, or additionally, each of memory514and memory524may include a type of non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) such as flash memory, solid-state memory, ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) and/or phase-change memory.

Each of apparatus510and apparatus520may be a communication entity capable of communicating with each other using various proposed schemes in accordance with the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes and without limitation, a description of capabilities of apparatus510, as STA110, and apparatus520, as STA120, is provided below. It is noteworthy that, although a detailed description of capabilities, functionalities and/or technical features of apparatus520is provided below, the same may be applied to apparatus510although a detailed description thereof is not provided solely in the interest of brevity. It is also noteworthy that, although the example implementations described below are provided in the context of WLAN, the same may be implemented in other types of networks.

Under various proposed schemes pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications in accordance with the present disclosure, with apparatus510implemented in or as STA110and apparatus520implemented in or as STA120in network environment100, processor512of apparatus510may determine to enable a FES. Moreover, processor512may communicate, via transceiver516, with one or more other STAs by utilizing the FES in which preamble puncturing sounding and data transmission are performed in a same TXOP.

In some implementations, in determining, processor512may determine to enable the FES responsive to an adjacent channel interference exceeding a respective threshold. Alternatively, or additionally, in determining, processor512may determine to enable the FES responsive to a packet error rate exceeding a respective threshold. Alternatively, or additionally, in determining, processor512may determine to enable the FES responsive to a RSSI exceeding a respective threshold.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, processor512may perform certain operations. For instance, processor512may perform the preamble puncturing sounding. Additionally, processor512may receive a respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs to generate a sounding steering matrix. Moreover, processor512may apply the sounding steering matrix to the data transmission which occurs within the same TXOP as the preamble puncturing sounding.

In some implementations, in receiving the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs, processor512may receive the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs responsive to transmitting a single beamforming feedback report poll. Alternatively, processor512may receive the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs responsive to transmitting a separate beamforming feedback report poll to each of the one or more other STAs.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, processor512may also exchange, prior to performing the preamble puncturing sounding, a RTS frame and a CTS frame with the one or more other STAs.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, processor512may communicate a MU-PPDU with the one or more other STAs in a DL or UL traffic. Alternatively, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, processor512may communicate a TB-PPDU with the one or more other STAs in a DL or UL traffic.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, processor512may communicate in a single-link operation or MLO.

Illustrative Processes

FIG.6illustrates an example process600in accordance with an implementation of the present disclosure. Process600may represent an aspect of implementing various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems and methods described above. More specifically, process600may represent an aspect of the proposed concepts and schemes pertaining to anti-motion and anti-interference frame exchange sequences in wireless communications in accordance with the present disclosure. Process600may include one or more operations, actions, or functions as illustrated by one or more of blocks610and620. Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks of process600may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation. Moreover, the blocks/sub-blocks of process600may be executed in the order shown inFIG.6or, alternatively, in a different order. Furthermore, one or more of the blocks/sub-blocks of process600may be executed repeatedly or iteratively. Process600may be implemented by or in apparatus510and apparatus520as well as any variations thereof. Solely for illustrative purposes and without limiting the scope, process600is described below in the context of apparatus510implemented in or as STA110functioning as a non-AP STA (or an AP STA) and apparatus520implemented in or as STA120functioning as an AP STA (or a non-AP STA) of a wireless network such as a WLAN in network environment100in accordance with one or more of IEEE 802.11 standards. Process600may begin at block610.

At620, process600may involve processor512communicating, via transceiver516, with one or more other STAs by utilizing the FES in which preamble puncturing sounding and data transmission are performed in a same TXOP.

In some implementations, in determining, process600may involve processor512determining to enable the FES responsive to an adjacent channel interference exceeding a respective threshold. Alternatively, or additionally, in determining, process600may involve processor512determining to enable the FES responsive to a packet error rate exceeding a respective threshold. Alternatively, or additionally, in determining, process600may involve processor512determining to enable the FES responsive to a RSSI exceeding a respective threshold.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, process600may involve processor512performing certain operations. For instance, process600may involve processor512performing the preamble puncturing sounding. Additionally, process600may involve processor512receiving a respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs to generate a sounding steering matrix. Moreover, process600may involve processor512applying the sounding steering matrix to the data transmission which occurs within the same TXOP as the preamble puncturing sounding.

In some implementations, in receiving the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs, process600may involve processor512receiving the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs responsive to transmitting a single beamforming feedback report poll. Alternatively, process600may involve processor512receiving the respective beamforming feedback from each of the one or more other STAs responsive to transmitting a separate beamforming feedback report poll to each of the one or more other STAs.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAS, process600may further involve processor512exchanging, prior to performing the preamble puncturing sounding, a RTS frame and a CTS frame with the one or more other STAs.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, process600may involve processor512communicating a MU-PPDU with the one or more other STAs in a DL or UL traffic. Alternatively, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, process600may involve processor512communicating a TB-PPDU with the one or more other STAs in a DL or UL traffic.

In some implementations, in communicating with the one or more other STAs, process600may involve processor512communicating in a single-link operation or MLO.

Additional Notes