IP Library Granted Patent US 12,376,136
Granted Patent B2
US 12,376,136 · App. 18/203,272 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Bandwidth selection in Wi-Fi 7 access points

Inventor: Vijayakumar V (Ulsoor, IN)
Assignee: Fortinet, Inc.
H04W72/52H04L5/0007H04L5/0035H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,376,136
App. No.
18/203,272
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A threshold usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth is detected exceeding a predetermined value, triggering a second mode. Responsive to reaching the threshold usage detection, a puncturing pattern is activated to transmit data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth while continuing to transmit management frames over the primary channel transmission bandwidth. Responsive to reaching the threshold usage detection, data packets are separated using RU allocations for multiple wireless clients over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth. Data packets are then transmitted according to bandwidth limitations and spectral limitations.

Claims (29)

1. A method in a Wi-Fi 7 access point, deployed within a plurality of access points on a data communication network and the Wi-Fi 7 access point having multiple basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) on a common channel, for using dynamic puncturing of data frames to manage Wi-Fi 7 channel transmission bandwidths, the method comprising:

monitoring a usage of a primary channel transmission bandwidth within an entire channel transmission bandwidth;

occupying the entire channel transmission bandwidth for transmissions, including the primary channel transmission bandwidth and the remaining channel transmission bandwidth, to transmit and receive management frames and the data frames to and from multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices along with the plurality of access points having the multiple BSSIDs;

responsive to detecting a first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a first predetermined value, activating a puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth while continuing to transmit the management frames over the primary channel transmission bandwidth;

responsive to detecting a second usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a second predetermined value, separating the data frames using a combination of sizes of resource unit (RU) allocations for the multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth;

transmitting the data frames according to bandwidth limitations and spectral limitations; and

responsive to detecting the first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth falling back below the first predetermined value, deactivating the puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the data frames comprises a header.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a primary channel corresponding to the primary channel transmission bandwidth comprises a channel number of 36.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary channel transmission bandwidth comprises 20 Mhz.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remaining channel transmission bandwidth comprises 60 Mhz.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the puncturing pattern comprises disabling a Subchannel bitmap in an EHT (Extremely High Throughput) Operation subfield of an EHT Operation Element.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium in a Wi-Fi 7 access point deployed within a plurality of access points on a data communication network and the Wi-Fi 7 access point having multiple basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) on a common channel, for using dynamic puncturing of data frames to manage Wi-Fi 7 channel transmission bandwidths, the method comprising:

monitoring a usage of a primary channel transmission bandwidth within an entire channel transmission bandwidth;

occupying the entire channel transmission bandwidth for transmissions, including the primary channel transmission bandwidth and the remaining channel transmission bandwidth, to transmit and receive management frames and the data frames to and from multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices along with the plurality of access points having the multiple BSSIDs;

responsive to detecting a first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a first predetermined value, activating a puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth while continuing to transmit the management frames over the primary channel transmission bandwidth;

responsive to detecting a second usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a second predetermined value, separating the data frames using a combination of sizes of resource unit (RU) allocations for the multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth;

transmitting the data frames according to bandwidth limitations and spectral limitations; and

responsive to detecting the first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth falling back below the first predetermined value, deactivating the puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth.

8. A Wi-Fi 7 access point deployed within a plurality of access points on a data communication network and the Wi-Fi 7 access point having multiple basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) BSSIDs on a common channel, for using dynamic puncturing of data frames to manage Wi-Fi 7 channel transmission bandwidths, the network device comprising:

a processor;

a network communication interface module, communicatively coupled to the processor and to the data communication network; and

a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor and storing:

a channel monitoring module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to monitor a usage of a primary channel transmission bandwidth within an entire channel transmission bandwidth;

a bandwidth control module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to occupy the entire channel transmission bandwidth for transmissions, including the primary channel transmission bandwidth and the remaining channel transmission bandwidth, to transmit and receive management frames and the data frames to and from multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices along with the plurality of access points having the multiple BSSIDs,

wherein responsive to the channel monitoring module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to detect a first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a first predetermined value, the bandwidth control module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to activate a puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth while continue to transmit the management frames over the primary channel transmission bandwidth;

responsive to the channel monitoring module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to detect a second usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth exceeding a second predetermined value, a spectral control module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to separate the data frames using a combination of sizes of resource unit (RU) allocations for the multiple Wi-Fi 7 client devices over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth;

a transmission module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to transmit the data frames according to bandwidth limitations and spectral limitations; and

responsive to the channel monitoring module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to detect the first usage of the primary channel transmission bandwidth falling back below the first predetermined value, the bandwidth control module that, when executed by the processor, causes the network device to deactivate the puncturing pattern to transmit the data frames over the remaining channel transmission bandwidth.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2023
From: V, VIJAYAKUMAR
To: FORTINET, INC.
Reel/Frame 063794/0550 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 18092297 · Dec 31, 2022
Related Publication 20240224311A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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