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US-12628202-B2 - Transmitting and receiving via remote radio head

US12628202B2US 12628202 B2US12628202 B2US 12628202B2US-12628202-B2

Abstract

An enhanced protocol for addressing communication issues arising from using a Remote Radio Head (RRH). An Access Point (AP), denoted as Remote Radio Head (RRH) AP, consists of a Central Unit (CU) and at least one RRH that can be located remotely. The functionalities of the Medium Access Control (MAC) and the Physical (PHY) layers of the RRH AP are split between the CU and RRH; with the CU exchanging frames between the MAC layers, and the RRH transmitting and receiving the physical signals through the channel.

Inventors

  • Liangxiao Xin
  • Li-Hsiang Sun
  • QING XIA

Assignees

  • Sony Group Corporation
  • SONY CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230516

Claims (17)

  1. 1 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) wherein RRH AP transmitting to a STA: (a) CU forwards the frames to RRH; and (b) RRH encapsulates the frames to PPDUs and transmits the PPDUs through the channel.
  2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein RRH performs transmission of PPDUs between the PHY layer of the IEEE 802.11 network.
  3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein RRH AP receiving from a STA comprising: (a) RRH receives PPDU from the channel; and (b) RRH decodes the PPDU and forwards the frames in the PPDU to the CU.
  4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an RRH obtaining a TXOP generates and transmits a reservation PPDU to occupy the channel and obtains the frames from the CU to transmit during the reservation PPDU.
  5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein multiple RRHs obtaining a TXOP at a same time perform transmitting reservation PPDUs to occupy the channel and the CU determines how to transmit PPDUs through those RRHs.
  6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA commences to forward frames in the PPDU when it receives the PPDU signal and awaits a decision from the CU on whether the RRH should continue receiving.
  7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA starts to forward the frames in the PPDU when receiving the PPDU signal and awaits a decision from the CU of whether the RRH is to transmit an immediate response for the PPDU.
  8. 8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA decodes the frames in the PPDU and generates an immediate response to send within a SIFS time.
  9. 9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU with packet extension (PE) that is longer than a round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH forwards the frames in the PPDU to the CU and awaits response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU.
  10. 10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein multiple RRH receiving a PPDU with packet extension (PE), that is longer than round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH, proceed to forward the frames in the PPDU to the CU and await the response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU.
  11. 11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the defined RRH AP performs as a non-AP STA.
  12. 12 . A method of performing wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) communicating between stations of a wireless network having stations (STAs) configuring as remote radio head (RRHs), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH Access Point (AP) having at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) configured for being located at a different geographic location, for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through channel; (c) splitting functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP between CU and RRH, with the CU performing an exchange of frames between the MAC layers, and the RRH performing transmissions and receiving physical signals through the channel; and (d) wherein one or more RRHs occupy the channel and: (a) wherein responsive to determining it is a single RRH obtaining a TXOP, the RRH generates and transmits a reservation PPDU to occupy the channel and obtains the frames from the CU to transmit during the reservation PPDU; or (b) wherein responsive to determining that multiple RRHs are obtaining a TXOP at a same time, these RRHs perform transmitting reservation PPDUs to occupy the channel and the CU determines how to transmit PPDUs through those RRHs.
  13. 13 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) wherein RRH AP receiving from a STA comprising: (a) RRH receives PPDU from the channel; and (b) RRH decodes the PPDU and forwards the frames in the PPDU to the CU.
  14. 14 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) (a) wherein an RRH obtaining a TXOP generates and transmits a reservation PPDU to occupy the channel and obtains the frames from the CU to transmit during the reservation PPDU; or (b) wherein multiple RRHs obtaining a TXOP at a same time perform transmitting reservation PPDUs to occupy the channel and the CU determines how to transmit PPDUs through those RRHs.
  15. 15 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA commences to forward frames in the PPDU when it receives the PPDU signal and awaits a decision from the CU on whether the RRH should continue receiving, or wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA starts to forward the frames in the PPDU when receiving the PPDU signal and awaits a decision from the CU of whether the RRH is to transmit an immediate response for the PPDU.
  16. 16 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA decodes the frames in the PPDU and generates an immediate response to send within a SIFS time, or wherein a RRH receiving a PPDU with packet extension (PE) that is longer than a round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH forwards the frames in the PPDU to the CU and awaits response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU, or wherein multiple RRH receiving a PPDU with packet extension (PE), that is longer than round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH proceed to forward the frames in the PPDU to the CU and awaits the response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU.
  17. 17 . An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station (STA) configured as a remote radio head (RRH), with at least one RRH having a central unit (CU) as an RRH access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating over links to a channel with other wireless STAs and RRHs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism following a distributed coordination function (DCF) or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism for random channel access on all the links; (b) a processor coupled to said wireless STA for operating on the WLAN for performing transmission of frames between medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and a physical (PHY) layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through a channel; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs; and (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for said STA circuit, comprising: (i) wherein said RRH AP and at least one of its remote radio heads (RRHs) are configured for being located at different geographic locations; (ii) wherein the functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP are split between CU and RRH; (iii) wherein the CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; (iv) wherein the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel; and (v) wherein the defined RRH AP performs as a non-AP STA.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/366,055 filed on Jun. 8, 2022, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable NOTICE OF MATERIAL SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT PROTECTION A portion of the material in this patent document may be subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other countries. The owner of the copyright rights has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office publicly available file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The copyright owner does not hereby waive any of its rights to have this patent document maintained in secrecy, including without limitation its rights pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.14. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The technology of this disclosure pertains generally to wireless communications when using a Remote Radio Head (RRH), and more particularly to an enhanced protocol for addressing associated communication issues. 2. Background Discussion Current technologies do not consider the function split of the Medium Access Control (MAC) and the Physical (PHY) layers across two separate devices. As a result, many communication issues arise in regard to the delays associated with this function split when transmitting and receiving via remote radio heads. Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus and protocol which overcomes these communication issues. The present disclosure fulfills that need and provides additional benefits over existing systems. BRIEF SUMMARY An apparatus and method is described for performing transmission of frames, either MAC Protocol Data unit (MPDU) or Aggregated-MPDU (A-MPDU) between the MAC layers of the IEEE 802.11 network, wherein frames are encapsulated as Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDUs) and the PHY layer of the IEEE 802.11 network transmits and receives the physical signal of the PPDU through the channel with Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) is used for channel contention which follows the Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) or the Enhanced DCA (EDCA) mechanism for timing relationship of the IEEE 802.11 network. This disclosure describes use of an Access Point (AP), denoted as Remote Radio Head (RRH) AP, which consists of a Central Unit (CU) and at least one RRH. One of more of the RRH are located at different geographic locations. The functionalities of the MAC and PHY layer of the RRH AP is split between the CU and RRH. The CU performs exchanging frames between the MAC layers; and the RRH transmits and receives the physical signal through the channel. There are numerous modes and variations of the present disclosure, a few of which include the following. When the RRH AP is transmitting to a STA, the CU forwards the frames to the RRH; and the RRH encapsulates the frames to PPDUs and transmits the PPDUs through the channel. When an RRH AP is receiving from a STA, the RRH receives a PPDU from the channel; and decodes the PPDU and forwards the frames in the PPDU to the CU. When an RRH obtaining a TXOP can generate and transmit a reservation PPDU to occupy the channel until it obtains the frames from the CU to transmit during the reservation PPDU. When multiple RRHs obtain a TXOP at the same time they can transmit reservation PPDUs to occupy the channel and await a decision from the CU on how to transmit PPDUs through those RRHs. When an RRH receiving a PPDU from a STA can start to forward the frames in the PPDU when receiving the PPDU signal and await the decision from CU on whether the RRH continues receiving. When an RRH is receiving a PPDU from a STA it can begin to forward the frames in the PPDU when receiving the PPDU signal and await a decision from CU of whether the RRH should transmits an immediate response for the PPDU. When an RRH is receiving a PPDU from a STA it can decode the frames in the PPDU and generate an immediate response to send within a SIFS time. When an RRH is receiving a PPDU with a Packet Extension (PE) that is longer than the round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH, it can forward the frames in the PPDU to the CU and wait for response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU. When multiple RRHs are receiving a PPDU with packet extension (PE) that is longer than the round-trip time (RTT) between CU and RRH, then the frames can be forwarded in PPDUs to the CU and wait for the response frames from the CU in response to the PPDU. In at least one embodiment/mode/option, a defined RRH AP can be used as a non-AP STA. Further aspects of the technology described herein will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments