Sub-1GHz MAC frame header compression

摘要

Methods and systems are disclosed specifying the arrangement and content of the fields in data and management frames, which allow for greater payload efficiency in frame-based communication networks. The content of the fields is changed from the standard 802.11 arrangement to meet of the needs of networks such as Sub-1 GHz networks, including those of the 802.11ah standard, and sensor networks with a large number of stations transmitting at low data rates. In some embodiments, MAC header fields are reduced from standard 802.11 header fields by using only two fields for addressing and eliminating standard fields that are not used in sensor networks.

主权项

1. A method of operating a communication network which comprises an access point (AP) in communication with a plurality of stations (STAs), the method comprising:
receiving and transmitting information in frames; transmitting and receiving a data frame and a management frame by using compressed header medium access control (CH_MAC) fields; wherein the CH_MAC fields comprise:
a Medium Access Control Address (MAC Address) field of 6 octets, and an Association Identifier (AID) field of 2 octets, which are used for identifying the addresses of the transmitter and the receiver of the data frame, andother CH_MAC fields of a combined size no more than 8 octets; transmitting and receiving Physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) frames, each comprising a signal (SIG) field, wherein a bit of the SIG field indicates whether the management frame is compressed and another bit indicates whether the data frame is compressed; and signaling, by use of action frames transmitted between the STAs and the AP, to negotiate the information that each value of a Compressed Header Identifier (CH Identifier) can match, wherein the action frames comprise a CH Identification Request frame and a CH Identification Response frame.