Abstract: Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are described to implement WLAN uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output (UL MU-MIMO) communication in an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 based system, using an IEEE 802.11 station (STA). The STA may receive a downlink poll frame from an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP) including one or more of a request for reporting of a transmit power, a request for a timestamp of a response frame, or a request for an estimated carrier frequency offset (CFO) value. The STA may send an uplink response frame. The uplink response frame may include one or more of transmit power parameters, timestamp parameters, or an estimated CFO value to an AP. The STA may receive a schedule frame, wherein the schedule frame may include indication to adjust one or more of a transmit power, a timing correction value, or a CFO correction value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for transmitting a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame in response to data packets received from multiple stations in wireless communication. A recipient may be include at least one processor, a receiver and a transmitter. The processor is configured to establish a group of stations. The receiver is configured to receive packets from the group of stations over a delay period, and the at least one processor configured to generate a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on successful receipt of the packets over the delay period. The transmitter is configured to transmit the delayed multi-user ACK frame to the group of stations following the delay period.

Abstract: A medical body area network (MBAN) system comprises network nodes intercommunicating via short range wireless communication. A primary user database contains information pertaining to usage of a restricted spectrum by primary users wherein the MBAN systems are secondary users of the restricted spectrum. An electronic key generation engine comprises a digital processing device configured to generate an electronic key (E-key) indicative of whether the MBAN system is allowed to use the restricted spectrum based on content of the primary users database. An MBAN application server is configured to distribute the E-key to the MBAN system. The MBAN system includes a spectrum control sub-module comprising a digital processor configured to select an operating channel or frequency for the short range wireless communication based at least in part on whether the E-key authorizes the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for identifying different types of reception failures of a packet. A station (STA) may receive a packet from a transmitting STA and determine whether it is properly received by performing at least one check of a plurality of checks. The STA may determine that reception of the packet was not properly received due to a reception failure based on the at least one check and may generate a negative acknowledgement signal (NACK) signal including an indication of the reception failure cause to enable the transmitting STA to remediate the reception failure cause. The least one check includes determining whether a frame check sequence (FCS) passes, whether a CSMA wireless medium remains busy immediately after an expected packet transmission time, whether there is a power spike during reception of the signal, or whether there are Short training field (STF) and Long Training Field (LTF) correlations.

Abstract: A method of authentication and authorization of cognitive radio devices comprises generating a registration request message; sending the registration request to a spectrum manager; receiving a registration response message from the spectrum manager; generating an authorization request message; upon receiving of an authorization response message, generating a verification response message; and sending the verification response message to the cognitive radio device to be authenticated, such that the cognitive radio device is authenticated and authorized to communicate on channels designated in the verification response message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting acknowledgements in response to data packets in wireless communication are disclosed. A recipient may receive a plurality of data packets from a plurality of stations and transmit acknowledgements for the data packets to the originating stations in a single transmission. The acknowledgements may be transmitted using multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO). Alternatively, the acknowledgements may be aggregated and transmitted in the single transmission. A short acknowledgement (ACK) frame may be sent in response to a received frame. The short ACK frame may include an ACK sequence corresponding to a sequence identity (ID) included in the received frame. The short ACK frame may include a short training field (STF) and the ACK sequence. The short ACK frame may be transmitted with a short ACK indication. The short ACK frame may be sent in response to an indication included in the received frame.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus may perform dual-band or multi-band mesh operations. A dual-band mesh station (MSTA) capable of operating in an O-band and a D-band may seek to join a mesh network, and may receive O-band beacons from at least one MSTA in the mesh network, where the O-band beacons may include D-band mesh information. The joining MSTA may transmit D-band beacons in a time-period specified by the O-band beacon, and on a condition that a beacon response message is received, may further transmit D-band association information via O-band management frames to join mesh network on the D-band. The joining MSTA may perform contention-free scheduled access in the D-band while sharing D-band transmission information in the O-band to enable concurrent communication in the D-band by neighboring multi-band MSTAs.

Abstract: A medical body area network (MBAN) system (10) comprises network nodes (12, 14) intercommunicating via short range wireless communication. A primary user database (46) contains information pertaining to usage of a restricted spectrum by primary users wherein the MBAN systems are secondary users of the restricted spectrum. An electronic key generation engine (44) comprises a digital processing device configured to generate an electronic key (E-key) (50) indicative of whether the MBAN system is allowed to use the restricted spectrum based on content of the primary users database. An MBAN application server (40) is configured to distribute the E-key to the MBAN system. The MBAN system includes a spectrum control sub-module (52) comprising a digital processor configured to select an operating channel or frequency for the short range wireless communication based at least in part on whether the E-key authorizes the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for improving the efficiency of resource usage while facilitating transmission by multiple providers in a WLAN system. Information elements (lEs) may be used to coordinate among providers. Provider(s) may use an auction based method to contend for the channel. A provider may elect an auctioneer or auctioneers (e.g., Provider Coordinator(s)) that may broadcast a utility metric, performance-based (e.g., Network Throughput, Network Energy Level, Network Interference Level, Channel Selection Cost,etc.) or non-performance based (e.g., bid, payment, charge, preferred provider,etc). A granting entity, e.g., a central controller, may compare the utility metrics to determine a most favorable utility metric and grant access based on the most favorable utility metric, for example, to a provider associated with the most favorable utility metric. The provider with the most favorable utility metric may gain access (e.g., be granted access and gain access) to the channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a block-based communication system header. A physical layer header and a medium access control header of the block-based communication system header are encoded to generate parity bits, wherein the PHY layer header includes at least cyclic prefix mode bits. Parity bits are appended to the PHY layer header and the MAC layer header to generate a bit vector. The bit vector is divided into at least two data blocks, wherein a first data block includes at least the CP mode bits. A predefined number of tail bits are appended to each data block. The two data blocks are mapped into at least two symbols, wherein the first data block is mapped to a first symbol, such that the first symbol is a first header symbol being transmitted.

Abstract: A method for use in an IEEE 802.11 station (STA) for receiving data from an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP) via a coordinated orthogonal block resource allocation (COBRA) is described. The STA may receive a COBRA schedule from the AP and transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) to the AP in the COBRA TXOP. The STA may receive a first data packet in the COBRA TxOP based on the COBRA schedule. The STA may determine whether the first data packet is received successfully and on a condition that the first data packet is not received successfully, the STA may transmit a negative acknowledgement (NACK) to the AP in the COBRA TxOP.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described herein for adapting clear channel assessment (CCA) thresholds with or without Transmit Power Control (TPC) are disclosed. An IEEE 802.11 station (STA) may dynamically calculate a STA specific transmit power control (TPC) value and a STA specific clear channel assessment (CCA) value based on a target TPC parameter and a target CCA parameter. The target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter may be received from an IEEE 802.11 cluster head configured to control TPC and CCA for a plurality of STAs associated with the BSS. The target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter also may be related. The STA may then determine whether a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) wireless medium of a wireless local area network (WLAN) basic service set (BSS) is occupied or idle based on the STA specific CCA value.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses may provide multi-user parallel channel access (MU-PCA). For example, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is provided that belongs to a MU-PCA group of a plurality of WTRUs that are configured to simultaneously communicate via a plurality of channels managed by an access point (AP). The WTRU may include a receiver configured to receive a data message, from the AP, over a channel associated with the WTRU of the plurality of channels, wherein the data message is one of a group of multiple data messages transmitted simultaneously by the AP over the plurality of channels; and a transmitter configured to transmit a message to the AP over the channel associated with the WTRU, wherein the message includes an indication bit for notifying the AP whether the WTRU has uplink (UL) data to transmit to the AP.

Abstract: A first wireless device communicates data to a second wireless device. The first wireless device employs at least one of a first interleaving scheme and a first sub-carrier mapping scheme to produce a first data packet from a first plurality of data bits, and transmits the first data packet to the second wireless device. When the first data packet is not received correctly by the second wireless device, then the first wireless device employs at least one of a second interleaving scheme and a second sub-carrier mapping scheme to create a second data packet from the first plurality of data bits, and transmits the second data packet to the second wireless device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for communicating in a multi-band cluster. A multi-band member access point (MMAP) may be capable of communicating with a multi-band control access point (MCAP) using a first frequency band, and capable of communicating with associated stations (STAs) using a second frequency band. The MMAP may transmit data in the second frequency band to the associated STA, may transmit a request for interference information in the second frequency band to at least one associated STA, may receive an interference report in the second frequency band from the at least one associated STA, may transmit information in the first frequency band to the MCAP, wherein the information is based on the interference report received from the at least one associated STA in the second frequency band, and may receive, from the MCAP in the first frequency band, information regarding radio resource management of the second frequency band.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may be used to support coordinated and cooperative sectorized transmissions. Power control and clear channel assessment for sectorized transmissions may be used, along with sectorized beacon and associated procedures. Transmissions in a network may be protected by a first access point (AP) sending an omni-directional transmission and a beamformed or sectorized transmission to a station (STA), an overlapping basic service set (OBSS) confirming a spatially orthogonal (SO) condition based on the omni-directional transmission, and a second AP monitoring the omni-directional transmission and confirming the SO condition. The STA may be configured to receive a request-to-send (RTS) frame indicating data is available for transmission, and transmit a cooperative sectorized (CS) clear-to-send (CTS) frame indicating an ability for multiple AP reception.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for WiFi sectorization and beamforming. In one embodiment, an access point (AP) may send a Request to Send (RTS) to a first station (STA), receive a Sectorized Coordinated Beam (CB/S)-Clear to Send (CTS) from the first STA, and receive a CBS-CTS from a second STA. The AP may then send a Null Data Packet (NDP) Announcement (NDPA), followed by a NDP. The NDP may be sent using sub-sector beamforming. The AP may receive feedback from the first STA, and may create a targeted beam to transmit data to the first STA. The AP may determine sector order and timing based on the feedback. The AP may also identify whether the STA is a sector-edge STA or non-sector-edge (or sector center) STA. The AP may allow the STA to transmit based on whether the STA is assigned to the sector-edge or non-sector edge group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may provide multi-user parallel channel access (MU-PCA) and/or single-user parallel channel access (SU-PCA) using transmit and/or receive with symmetrical bandwidth, in the downlink (DL), uplink (UL), or combined DL and UL. SU-PCA and MU-PCA may support unequal modulation and coding schemes (MCS) and unequal transmit power. Medium access control (MAC) layer, Physical layer (PHY), and mixed and PHY layer methods and procedures may support UL, DL and combined UL and DL SU-PCA and MU-PCA using transmit and/or receive with symmetrical bandwidth. MU-PCA and/or SU-PCA may also be supported by MAC and PHY layer designs and procedures for downlink, uplink and combined uplink and downlink using transmit/receive with asymmetrical bandwidth.

Abstract: A method (300) of authentication and authorization of cognitive radio devices comprises generating a registration request message (S320); sending the registration request to a spectrum manager; receiving a registration response message from the spectrum manager (S330); generating an authorization request message (S360); upon receiving of an authorization response message, generating a verification response message (S370); and sending the verification response message to the cognitive radio device to be authenticated, such that the cognitive radio device is authenticated and authorized to communicate on channels designated in the verification response message (S380).

Abstract: A method of authentication and authorization of cognitive radio devices comprises generating a registration request message; sending the registration request to a spectrum manager; receiving a registration response message from the spectrum manager; generating an authorization request message; upon receiving of an authorization response message, generating a verification response message; and sending the verification response message to the cognitive radio device to be authenticated, such that the cognitive radio device is authenticated and authorized to communicate on channels designated in the verification response message.