Abstract: Embodiments of a method and apparatus for communications are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for wireless communications involves, in a punctured transmission, encoding, bits in a non-legacy preamble portion of a packet to include bandwidth information and resource allocation information, and signaling, in the packet, the bandwidth information and resource allocation information for at least one of a single-user-multiple-input multiple-output (SU-MIMO) technique, a multiple-user-multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technique, and an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) technique.

Abstract: A first client station receives a multi-user physical layer (PHY) data unit from an access point. The multi-user PHY data unit includes i) a PHY preamble, and ii) a multi-user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmission. The PHY preamble includes a subfield that indicates respective numbers of spatial streams allocated to respective client stations among a plurality of client station that includes the first client station. The subfield has been encoded according to an encoding that supports allocating up to sixteen spatial streams to up to eight intended receivers, and the subfield consists of six or fewer bits. The first client station decodes the subfield to determine a number of spatial streams allocated to the first client station and processes the determined number of spatial streams in the MU-MIMO transmission.

Abstract: A communication device performs a first backoff operation to determine when the communication device can begin a first simultaneous transmission via multiple channel segments. The first backoff operation includes counting down a first backoff timer in connection with a first channel segment. In response to the first backoff timer expiring, the communication device performs the first simultaneous transmission via the multiple channel segments. After performing the first simultaneous transmission via the multiple channel segments, the communication device performs a second backoff operation to determine when the communication device can begin a second simultaneous transmission via the multiple channel segments. The second backoff operation includes counting down a second backoff timer in connection with a second channel segment. In response to the second backoff timer expiring, the communication device performs the second simultaneous transmission via the multiple channel segments.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for wireless operations are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for wireless operations involves a first wireless device transmitting to a second wireless device, a management frame having a multi-link device (MLD) level Quality of Service Management Frame (QMF) Policy field that identifies an MLD level QMF Policy and a link level QMF Policy field that identifies a link level QMF Policy for a corresponding link, where the MLD level QMF Policy indicates an Access Category (AC) for each MLD level QMF management frame and each link level QMF Policy field indicates the AC for each link level QMF management frame, receiving, at the second wireless device, the management frame with the MLD level QMF Policy field and link level QMF Policy field for each corresponding link, and operating the second wireless device according to the AC indicated by the first wireless device.

Abstract: A communication device generates a legacy portion of a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a PHY data unit. The legacy portion includes a plurality of legacy training fields and a legacy signal field that indicates a duration of the PHY data unit. The communication device generates a non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble to include a multi-bit signal field header to indicate at least one of i) a particular wireless communication protocol from among the multiple wireless communication protocols, and ii) a particular version of the particular wireless communication protocol. The communication device generates the non-legacy portion of the PHY preamble to also include a non-legacy signal field having a field format that conforms to the at least one of the i) particular wireless communication protocol and ii) the particular version of the particular wireless communication protocol.

Abstract: One example discloses a relay device, including: a controller configured to receive an original WLAN (wireless local area network) standards compliant message signal, that includes an embedded WLAN message, from a receiver; wherein the controller is configured to command a transmitter to transmit a copy of the original WLAN message signal, if the original message signal or the embedded WLAN message has a set of predetermined attributes; and wherein the controller is configured to command the transmitter without decoding select portions of the embedded WLAN message.

Abstract: A first communication device selects respective sets of medium access control (MAC) layer data units for transmission via respective channel segments of a communication channel, where the first channel segment and the second channel segment are non-overlapping frequency segments of the communication channel. The first communication device generates respective aggregate MAC layer data units to include the respective sets of MAC layer data units, generates respective physical (PHY) layer data units to include the respective aggregate MAC layer data units, and transmits the respective PHY layer data units in the respective channel segments to one or more second communication devices, where transmissions of the respective aggregate MAC layer data units in the respective channel segment overlap in time.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and apparatus for wireless communications are disclosed. In an embodiment, a wireless relay device includes a wireless transceiver configured to receive, from a source wireless device, communications data, and a controller configured to decode and forward the received communications data to at least one destination wireless device.

Abstract: A wireless communication device generates physical layer (PHY) protocol service data units (PSDUs), and, in response to determining that the PHY data unit is to be transmitted according to a HARQ process, generates HARQ coding units of a common length, each of the HARQ coding units including a respective set of one or more PSDUs, and individually encodes the HARQ coding units. The wireless communication device also generates a HARQ signal field to the included in a PHY preamble of the PHY data unit. The HARQ signal field includes i) a common information subfield to indicate one or more parameters that commonly apply to each of at least some of the one or more HARQ coding units and ii) a respective HARQ coding unit information subfield for each of the HARQ coding units to indicate one or more parameters that apply to only the corresponding HARQ coding unit.

Abstract: A reduced neighbor report (RNR) element is generated. The generated RNR element includes multi-link device operation (MLO) information of least one neighboring wireless device to a reporting wireless device. In examples, the MLO information defines information of a respective multi-link device (MLD) which each at least one neighboring wireless device to the reporting wireless device is affiliated. A multilink (ML) element is also generated. The generated ML element includes basic service set (BSS) information of each of at least one wireless device affiliated to an MLD where the reporting wireless device is affiliated to the same MLD. The reporting wireless device transmits a frame which comprises the generated RNR element and the generated ML element, where the generated ML element does not include any other RNR element.

Abstract: An access point manages a first wireless local area network (WLAN) in a 6 GHz radio frequency (RF) band and ii) a second WLAN operating in another RF band. The access point generates a physical layer (PHY) data unit to include a management frame having i) first information indicating first network parameters of the first WLAN, and ii) second information indicating second network parameters of the second WLAN. The AP transmits the PHY data unit in the other RF band to provide, to any client stations that are operating in the other RF band and that are also capable of operating in the 6 GHz band: the first information indicating the first network parameters of the first WLAN operating in the 6 GHz RF band to assist the any client stations that are operating in the other RF band with joining the first WLAN operating in the 6 GHz RF band.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to wireless communications based on a restricted TWT SP and buffer status. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, frames are transmitted based on a restricted TWT SP and buffer status for communications between wireless circuits. Control data for the communications traffic may be processed in response to the restricted TWT SP, with a TXOP ending at the beginning of a restricted TWT SP of a another link, in response to the restricted TWT SP being negotiated in a different link. Such an approach may be carried out where one of the wireless circuits has no STR configuration. A protected duration time for the TWT SP may be set to a time that is less than a duration of the TWT SP in response to the TWT SP being protected by a quiet element duration period.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for wireless communications are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for wireless communications involves connecting, by a first multi-link device (MLD) to a second MLD via at least two links, mapping, by the first MLD, a Traffic Identifier (TID) to at least one of the two links associated with the first MLD and the second MLD, transmitting, by the first MLD to the second MLD, frames that correspond to the TID on at least one of the two links according to the mapping by the first MLD, and receiving, by the first MLD from the second MLD, subsequent frames on at least one of the two links according to the mapping by the first MLD.

Abstract: In a method for simultaneously communicating with multiple communication devices in a wireless local area network a first communication device receives a plurality of uplink data units simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices. The first communication device generates an acknowledgement data unit to acknowledge receipt of the multiple data units simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices. The acknowledgement data unit includes (i) an indication that indicates that the acknowledgement data unit is intended for multiple second communication devices and (ii) respective acknowledgement information for the multiple second communication devices. The acknowledgement data unit is transmitted from the first communication device to the multiple second communication devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for wireless communications are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for wireless communications involves transmitting, by a first multi-link device (MLD) to a second MLD, a management frame on at least one of two links associated with the first MLD and the second MLD in a multi-link operation, receiving, by the second MLD from the first MLD, the management frame on at least one of the two links, and operating the second MLD according to the management frame received on at least one of the two links.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for multi-link operations are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of multi-link operations involves, at a multi-link station device that has a non-simultaneous transmission and reception capability (NSTR STA MLD) that supports multiple links, exchanging frames on multiple links with a multi-link access point device (AP MLD) that has at least one of a simultaneous transmission capability and a simultaneous transmission and reception (STR) capability, and maintaining, at the NSTR STA MLD, at least one of a frame exchange and a link state on multiple links with the AP MLD that has at least one of the simultaneous transmission capability and the STR capability.

Abstract: A first communication device in a wireless local area network (WLAN) determines one or more frequency division, full duplex (FDFD) parameters for an FDFD operation that includes FDFD communications via a first frequency segment and a second frequency segment. The first frequency segment and the second frequency segment are separated by a gap in frequency. The one or more FDFD parameters include a parameter indicating a duration of the FDFD operation. The first communication device generates a communication frame that includes one or more indications of the one or more FDFD parameters. The one or more indications in the communication frame include an indication of the duration of the FDFD operation. The first communication device transmits the communication frame to prompt a plurality of second communication devices to participate in the FDFD operation.

Abstract: A first communication device transmits a null data packet (NDP) to a second communication device as part of a multi-user beamforming training transmission sequence and receives a first packet from the second communication device responsive to transmitting the NDP. The first packet includes an aggregate media access control protocol data unit (A-MPDU) having a plurality of fragments of beamforming training information that was generated by the second communication device based on the NDP. The first communication device determines that one or more of the fragments were not correctly received by the first communication device and generates a bitmap to indicate a set of at least one fragment that is to be retransmitted by the second communication device. The first communication device transmits a second packet having the bitmap to the second communication device to prompt the second communication device to retransmit the set of at least one fragment.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of multi-link communications involves at an access point (AP) multi-link device, allocating Association IDs (AIDs) to non-AP multi-link devices, including allocating one of the AIDs to each of the non-AP multi-link devices, and at the AP multi-link device, generating a first indication element for the AIDs to indicate a buffered data configuration at the AP multi-link device for the non-AP multi-link devices.

Abstract: An access point (AP) allocates a broadcast resource unit (RU), and ii) one or more other RUs for a multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MU PPDU). The AP generates the MU PPDU to include i) a physical layer (PHY) preamble, and ii) a management medium access control layer (MAC) frame in the broadcast RU. When the AP device is allowing unassociated stations to associate with the AP device, the AP device sets a station identifier in the PHY preamble corresponding to the broadcast RU to a first value that indicates the AP device is allowing unassociated stations to associate with the AP device. When the AP device is not allowing unassociated stations to associate with the AP device, the AP device sets the station identifier to a second value that indicates the AP device is not allowing unassociated stations to associate with the AP device.