/Patent Tracker
SonyPatent applicationNetworks & wirelessInterest 3/10

Sony patents Wi-Fi method to share channel time for low-lag traffic

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Sony describes a way for Wi-Fi devices to reserve channel access time that overlaps with scheduled low-power periods. This allows devices to handle urgent data transfers without waiting for the scheduled slot to end, sharing the available time with the router.

Why it mattersIt improves how Wi-Fi networks manage timing for quick data transfers, which could help reduce lag in video calls or gaming.

In the filing’s own words

Wireless IEEE 802.11 communication mechanisms are described for a member STA of a R-TWT SP to gain TXOP channel access before the R-TWT SP, which does not need to end before the start time of the R-TWT SP. On trigger based R-TWT SP, the TXOP time is shared to overlap the R-TWT SP; allowing the AP to behave as the TXOP holder for the frame exchange of latency sensitive traffic during the R-TWT SP. Thus, the R-TWT scheduling AP and member STAs of a R-TWT SP can contend for the channel together before the scheduled start time of the R-TWT SP. When one of these STAs gains channel access, it can reserve a TXOP until the scheduled end time of the R-TWT SP, which may extend beyond the normal TXOP limit.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless communication circuit as a wirelss station (STA), configured for transmitting frames to other STAs using a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism on a wireless local area network (WLAN) in which enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) is utilized for random channel access; (b) a processor coupled to the STA for operating on the WLAN; (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor; and (d) wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps of a wireless communications protocol for the STA in reserving channel resources for frame exchanges of latency sensitive traffic with members of restricted-target wake time (R-TWT) service periods (SPs), comprising: (i) contending for and gaining channel access to reserve a transmit opportunity (TXOP), (ii) responsive to determining that the STA requires TXOP time that overlaps an R-TWT SP, the STA reserves TXOP time as follow: (A) if the STA does not require obtaining the TXOP outside of the R-TWT SP, it reserves the TXOP that is covering the remaining time of the R-TWT SP; (B) otherwise, if the STA does require obtaining the TXOP outside of the R-TWT SP it reserves the TXOP covering the entire duration of the R-TWT SP, and the STA operates as the TXOP holder before the scheduled start time of the R-TWT SP; by the STA, on the channel whose duration overlaps the R-TWT SP; and (iii) sharing the TXOP with an access point station (AP), wherein the AP is allowed to operate as the TXOP holder.

Facts

Company
Sony (SONY GROUP CORPORATION)
Official title
TRANSMIT OPPORTUNITY SHARING IN A RESTRICTED TARGET WAIT TIME
Publication number
US20260333439A1
Application number
19722807
Filed
Jun 27, 2026
Published
Oct 22, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
17

Classified under

H04W 74/0816 Electricity & electronicsH04W 72/1268 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Sony in Networks & wireless

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.