Enhancing IEEE 802.11ax Network Performance Through Optimized Trigger Frame Access Parameters: A Comprehensive Analysis of AC_VO versus AC_BE for Uplink Throughput in High-Density Deployments

This article investigates the optimization of uplink throughput in IEEE 802.11ax networks through a modified trigger frame access mechanism. While the current standard requires Access Points to contend for medium access using Best Effort (AC_BE) parameters when transmitting trigger frames, this article proposes an enhanced approach utilizing Voice (AC_VO) parameters instead. By reducing the contention window and arbitration inter-frame space for trigger frames, this scheme significantly decreases channel access latency, particularly under high medium congestion. This article demonstrates that this optimization can overcome the inherent overhead of trigger-based transmissions, resulting in improved uplink efficiency compared to conventional approaches. The proposed modification preserves the fairness benefits of centralized scheduling while enhancing overall system performance, making it particularly valuable for dense network deployments where medium contention is a critical limiting factor.