Next-generation high-efficiency WLAN

Abstract

Currently, the exponential growth of mobile data traffic has put an increasingly heavy burden on the cellular network, and results in severe overload problem. As a cost-effective Internet access solution, WiFi networks consume a major portion of the global Internet traffic, and greatly offload the cellular network. However, with the increasing demands for WLAN and the deployment of carrier-WiFi networks, the number of WiFi public hotspots worldwide is expected to increase dramatically. To face this huge increase in the number of densely deployed WiFi networks, and the massive amount of data to be supported by these networks in indoor and outdoor environments, it is necessary to improve the current WiFi standard and define specifications for high-efficiency wireless local area networks (HEWs). In this chapter, the emerging HEW technology is introduced and discussed, including typical use cases, environments, and potential techniques that can be applied for HEWs. We first give the typical HEW use cases, and analyze the main requirements from these use cases and environments. Then, potential techniques, including enhanced medium access, and spatial frequency reuse, are presented and discussed.