KR100798925B1 - Resorce allocation method on pca period of mboa mac - Google Patents

Abstract

A resource allocation method in a PCA(Prioritized Contention Access) of an MBOA MAC(Multiband OFDM Alliance MAC) is provided to use the MBOA MAC for a multi-protocol by allocating a resource contention to be adapted to an environment using the multi-protocol. A resource allocation method in a PCA(Prioritized Contention Access) of an MBOA MAC(Multiband OFDM Alliance MAC) includes the steps of: receiving a resource use request from a plurality of external devices(S400); confirming an application protocol of the external devices and allocating an AIFS(Arbitration Inter Frame Space) value to the external devices according to sorts of the application protocol(S405); waiting the supply of the resource to the external devices for a corresponding time to the AIFS value(S410); starting a back-off timer interval after the waiting time is passed(S415); allocating an idle time value based on data types of the resource requested from the external devices in the back-off timer interval(S420); and providing the resource to the device which is out of from the allocated idle time(S435).

Description

Resource allocation method in the PCA section of MCA OMCA {RESORCE ALLOCATION METHOD ON PCA PERIOD OF MBOA MAC}

1 is a structural diagram for explaining the structure of a superframe;

2 is a view for explaining a resource use process through competition in the PCA interval according to the conventional MBOA MAC technology,

3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a contention window value defined for an access category according to a data type used in an MBOA MAC in a conventional MBOA MAC;

4 is a flowchart for schematically illustrating a process of competing for resource use in a PCA interval according to an MBOA MAC technology in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

5 illustrates an AIFS value defined for an access category according to a protocol according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a contention process for resource usage in a PCA interval according to the present invention MBOA MAC technology.

The present invention relates to a resource usage method, and more particularly, to a resource distribution method through contention in a PCA interval according to MBOA MAC technology for resource competition between protocols in a home network environment using multiple protocols. .

Recently, as the home network environment of the future has to support various protocols simultaneously, a technology called MBOA MAC (Multiband OFDM Alliance MAC) is drawing attention.

In all data communication using MBOA MAC, superframe is used as a basic unit. For example, if one superframe is for 65000 microseconds, the superframe is repeated every 65000 microseconds, and all kinds of data communication are performed every superframe.

1 is a structural diagram for explaining the structure of a superframe. Referring to FIG. 1, one superframe consists of two parts. One is a beacon period for transmitting a beacon frame for the purpose of synchronization and management of the network formed by the MBOA MAC. In this section, general data communication should not be performed. Only beacon frames can be exchanged. The other is a data section, which is divided into a DRP (Distributed Reservation Protocol) section, which reserves and uses resources without contention, and a PCA (Prioritized Contention Access) section, which uses resources through contention.

In this case, the PCA section divides the priority of the resource request from the external device for each external device based on the data type of the resource, and then causes the external devices to differentiate idle time according to the priority. Resources competition by having them.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a resource usage process through contention in a PCA section according to the conventional MBOA MAC technology.

Referring to FIG. 2, first, an AIFS (Arbitration Inter Frame Space) value, which specifies a time that the device should be idle before competition, is allocated to each of the external devices that have requested the resource according to priority. Therefore, all devices requesting the use of the resource attempt to use the corresponding resource after rest by each AIFS value.

The priority for determining the AIFS value is defined according to the data type of the resource requested by the device, and is divided into four categories. This classification is called an access category. 3 is a diagram illustrating an AIFS value defined for an access category according to a data type in a conventional MBOA MAC. As shown in Fig. 3, the four categories are AC_VO representing voice data, AC_VI representing video data, AC_BE representing best effort data, and AC_BK representing background data. In the MBOA MAC technology, a device using a high priority access category has a shorter AIFS time than a low priority device. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, video data has a lower contention window value because it has a higher priority than background data. Devices that use higher priority data will have a smaller contention window than devices that use lower priority data. Devices with small contention window values take less rest and try to use resources, so that devices with higher priority data are more likely to win the resource race.

However, the future home network environment is dominated by environments that use multiple protocols simultaneously, rather than using a single protocol. Indeed, the current standardization body is trying to make it possible to use protocols such as IEEE1394, USB, Bluetooth, and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) simultaneously. However, the conventional PCA method is inefficient in a multiprotocol environment because it uses a competitive method based on more efficient data types in a single protocol environment. For example, assuming that there are two protocols 1394 and USB that use the same data type, applications that use the IEEE1394 protocol are primarily used for AV devices that deal with high-capacity multimedia, so they have higher priority than PC applications that use the USB protocol. Nevertheless, since the idle time value is determined only by the data type, there is a problem that it is difficult to guarantee the priority of resource use in competition with the USB protocol when the same data type is used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a resource distribution method that allows resource contention between protocols to be based on a protocol rather than a data type in a home network environment using multiple protocols.

In order to achieve the object of the present invention as described above, the resource distribution method in the PRI (Prioritized Content Access) section of the multiband OFDM Alliance MAC (MBOA) of the present invention,

A first step of receiving a resource use request from a plurality of external devices;

Identifying an application protocol of the plurality of external devices requesting the resource, and then allocating an AIFS (Arbitration Inter Frame Space) value to each of the plurality of external devices according to a type thereof;

Waiting for provision of the resources for the plurality of external devices for a period corresponding to the AIFS value;

A fourth step of entering a backoff timer section after the waiting time of the third step has elapsed;

A fifth step of allocating an idle time value according to data types of resources requested from the plurality of external devices in a backoff timer period; And,

And a sixth step of providing a corresponding resource to a device which first exits the idle time allocated in the fifth step.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in describing in detail the operating principle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that the detailed description of the related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, the same reference numerals are used for parts having similar functions and functions throughout the drawings.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of competing for resource usage in a PCA interval according to an MBOA MAC technology according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a protocol type used in an MBOA MAC according to the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a contention window value defined for an access category according to FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4, first, a resource use request is received from an external device (S400). In this case, the plurality of external devices may request the provision of resources using a single protocol, as well as request the provision of resources using two or more different protocols. Preferred examples of the protocol applicable to the present invention include any one or more selected from IEEE 1394, USB, Bluetooth or UPnP.

Next, after checking application protocols of the plurality of external devices requesting the resource, an AIFS (Arbitration Inter Frame Space) value is assigned according to the type (S405). In other words, the devices assigned to the AIFS value attempt to use resources after rest as much as the value indicated by each AIFS. Therefore, a device using a higher priority application protocol takes a shorter break and enters the next idle time interval, the backoff timer interval, faster. Thus, devices using high priority application protocols are shorter than devices using low priority protocols, which is advantageous in competition for resource usage.

The AIFS value in step S405 is assigned using the contention window value based on the protocol of the external devices. To this end, first, what is the application protocol of a plurality of external devices using the resource. Once the application protocol that is used is identified, the corresponding competition window value is selected for each protocol. Next, an AIFS value is assigned based on the contention window value.

5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a contention window value defined as an access category of MBOA MAC according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, for example, in step S405, if the application protocol, which is the subject of use, is an IEEE 1394 protocol, the contention window has a value of 1 as a contention window value and a UPnP protocol has a contention window value of 8. The device enters the backoff timer section faster and is in a favorable position for resource competition.

When the AIFS value is allocated through the step S405, resource provision for the corresponding device is waited for as long as the value corresponding to the AIFS (S410).

When the waiting in step S410 ends, the process enters the backoff timer section (S415).

An idle time value is allocated to the plurality of external devices according to data types of resources requested from the plurality of external devices in the backoff timer period (S420). In this case, in step S420, the priority that is the basis for determining the idle time value is preferably defined in advance according to the data type of the resource requested by the device. In particular, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to be divided into four categories: AC_VO, which represents video data, AC_BE, which represents best effort data, and AC_BK, which represents background data.

In the determining of the idle time value in step S420, first, a contention window value defined together with the priority is identified based on a priority defined according to a data type of a resource requested by the device. Although FIG. 3 illustrates one of the contention window values corresponding to the data type, the contention window value preferably has two values, a minimum value and a maximum value, for the corresponding data type. Next, one value is arbitrarily selected between the maximum contention window value and the minimum contention window value to determine an idle time value. High priority data types have a relatively small contention window value compared to low priority data types, and thus have a maximum value and a minimum value. Therefore, since a random value is selected among a smaller range of values, a lower priority has a higher probability of using a smaller value than a randomly selected value in a relatively high maximum and minimum range.

In the present invention, despite the multi-protocol environment, the idle time value is determined according to the data type because the service provided to the user is actually a data service, and thus the data type used by the application cannot be ignored. In this case, isochronous data service should be processed as early as possible with higher priority than isochronous data service.

The provision of resources for the corresponding device is waited for the time allocated in step S420 (S425).

If the request for the same resource between the plurality of devices collide after going through step S425 (S430), repeating from step S420 again, and if the request for the same resource between the multiple devices does not collide (S430), the idle time value is determined. First, provide a resource to the device that came out (S435).

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a contention process for resource usage in a PCA interval according to the present invention MBOA MAC technology.

Referring to FIG. 6, before attempting to use a resource, the devices have an idle period without attempting to use a resource for an idle time called AIFS. The AIFS value is obtained using the contention window value based on the protocol proposed by the present invention. Therefore, it is first distinguished what application protocol is used in the device. Once the application protocol that is the subject of use is identified, the contention window value corresponding to each protocol is selected as defined in FIG. 5, and the value becomes the AIFS value.

The devices rest for a time corresponding to the AIFS value for each and then enter the next idle interval, the backoff timer interval.

Devices entering the back-off timer period obtain idle time values using contention window values based on four access categories classified according to data types, and the devices are idle for a time corresponding to the idle time values for the respective devices. It becomes a state. For example, if the idle time value is 4 and the basic slot time (pSlotTime) is 9 ms, the idle time is 36 ms (4 x 9 ms).

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and it is common in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

According to the present invention, the MBOA MAC for the multi-protocol is provided by modifying a method of using resources through competition used by the MBOA MAC in a method more suitable for an environment using the multi-protocol.

Claims (7)

In the resource distribution method in the PRI (Prioritized Content Access) section of the MBOA MAC (Multiband OFDM Alliance MAC), A first step of receiving a resource use request from a plurality of external devices; Identifying an application protocol of the plurality of external devices requesting the resource, and then allocating an AIFS (Arbitration Inter Frame Space) value to each of the plurality of external devices according to a type thereof; Waiting for provision of the resources for the plurality of external devices for a period corresponding to the AIFS value; A fourth step of entering a backoff timer section after the waiting time of the third step has elapsed; A fifth step of allocating an idle time value according to data types of resources requested from the plurality of external devices in a backoff timer period; And, And a sixth step of providing a corresponding resource to a device which first exits the idle time allocated in the fifth step. The method of claim 1, And defining each contention window value according to a data type item of a resource requested by the plurality of external devices and a protocol item used in the plurality of external devices before the first step. Resource distribution method. The method of claim 1, If it is confirmed that the request for the same resource between the plurality of devices even after going through the sixth step, repeating the fifth step and the sixth step, characterized in that the repeating step. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The resource use request received in the first step is received from devices using two or more different protocols. The method of claim 4, wherein The protocol is any one or more selected from among IEEE1394, USB, Bluetooth or UPnP. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The second step, Identifying an application protocol used by the plurality of external devices; Checking the contention window value corresponding to each protocol when the application protocol is identified; And, And assigning an AIFS value based on the contention window value. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The fifth step, Identifying a contention window value defined together with the priority, based on priorities according to data types of resources requested by the plurality of external devices; And, And determining an idle time value based on the maximum contention window value.

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