Abstract: During operation, an interface circuit in an electronic device may receive, from a second electronic device (such as an access point in a WLAN), an uplink trigger frame that may specify an access category. In response to the uplink trigger frame, the electronic device may first include data associated with the specified access category in one or more frames, and then may transmit the one or more frames to the second electronic device. Moreover, when all the data associated with the specified access category has been transmitted or when there is no data associated with the specified access category, and when there is leftover time in an allocation associated with the uplink trigger frame, the interface circuit may transmit the one or more frames to the second electronic device with additional data associated with another access category that is different from the specified access category.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for conducting multilink communications between a user equipment device (UE) and a wireless access point (AP) over a wireless local area network (WLAN). The UE establishes a connection with an access point through a WLAN, wherein the connection utilizes a plurality of links. The UE transmits an indication to the access point through a first link of the plurality of links, where the indication specifies one or more available links of the plurality of links that are available for the UE to receive downlink (DL) communications from the access point. The UE receives one or more DL communications from the access point through at least one of the one or more available links.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for identity obscuration of a station (STA) connected to a wireless network to prevent the tracking of the STA. Embodiments include a STA configured to establish a security association with an access point (AP) based on an original long term identity for the station and an identity of the AP. The STA can transmit a new long term identity for the STA to the AP based on the security association. The STA can then transmit a request frame to change the original short term identity assigned to the STA to the AP. The STA can receive a response frame from the AP. The response frame can include a new short term identity assigned to the station by the AP. The STA can then map its new long term identity to its new short term identity assigned by the AP.

Abstract: In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate according to Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)—direct communication with neighboring wireless stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to NAN datapath scheduling and NAN pre-datapath operation setup and scheduling. The NAN datapath embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can communicate and provide services. Aspects of the datapath development include datapath scheduling, including datapath setup and scheduling attributes, as well as pre-datapath operation triggering and scheduling. Scheduling attributes may include a native scheduler rank and a NAN data cluster scheduler rank. NAN data cluster base schedules may be scheduled as equal-sets or subsets of datapath schedules. The datapath model may be implemented for unicast and multicast communication between wireless stations, including mobile stations.

Abstract: Wireless stations may operate to configure direct communication with neighboring wireless stations (direct communication between wireless stations without an intermediate access point). Mechanisms for near-field device-to-device communications are disclosed. A wireless station may be configured to determine a minimum power level for a near-field device-to-device datapath. The wireless device may determine an average channel interference for a first discovery channel and compare the average channel interference to a first threshold. If the average channel interference is less than the first threshold, the wireless device may select a first transmission mode associated with a first power level and determine a maximum data rate for the first transmission mode.

Abstract: A basic bandwidth wireless local area network (WLAN) device or station (STA) is assigned to a secondary channel. The basic bandwidth STA may be a 20 MHz STA. On the secondary channel, the basic bandwidth STA operates in a wideband mode recovering received data transmitted from an access point (AP) as part of a high bandwidth physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU). The STA and the AP can be members of a basic service set (BSS). The high bandwidth PPDU may be, for example, a 40 MHz, 60 MHz, or 80 MHz PPDU. Once on the secondary channel, the STA relies on the AP to perform channel sensing and scheduling activities, thus reducing power consumption at the STA and increasing the efficiency of the BSS. Several signaling formats are provided for indicating the secondary channel that the STA is assigned to or requests to move to.

Abstract: Antenna diversity for beacons. An access point device may include multiple antenna arrays. A series of beacons may be transmitted using each of the antenna arrays in sequence. The beacons may include configuration information usable by wireless devices to determine when to respond to the beacons. The access point may receive responses during a series of response periods, using each of the antenna arrays.

Abstract: A wireless local area network station (STA) changes a receiver operating mode (ROM) and saves power by influencing when a ROM-conforming access point (AP) transmission takes place. The STA evaluates candidate delay regimes after a negotiation exchange with the STA. The STA then instructs the AP of a selected delay regime which the AP is permitted to use when transmitting data according to the changed ROM. The ROM can involve a change in the system bandwidth demodulated by the STA and/or the number of spatial streams demodulated by the STA. The delay regime can allow the AP to transmit with little or no delay based on the changed ROM, or the delay regime may require a fixed time delay before the AP transmits according to the changed ROM.

Abstract: An access point establishes target wakeup times (TWTs) with one or more associated electronic devices in a WLAN. The access point transitions to a power-saving mode outside of the one or more TWTs. The access point maintains synchronization with the one or more electronic devices, during at least a first TWT in the one or more TWTs, by transmitting, to the one or more electronic devices, a TWT beacon that includes, or in conjunction with, synchronization information. Alternatively or additionally, during at least the first TWT, the access point transmits a multi-user trigger frame that includes the synchronization information to the one or more electronic devices. In response to the multi-user trigger frame, the access point receives data frames from the one or more electronic devices, transmits one or more acknowledgments, and transitions into the power-saving mode during a remainder of at least the first TWT.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to grouping electronic devices into contention groups to reduce uplink Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) random access (OFDMA-RA) collisions. An access point may explicitly assign an electronic device to a contention group, or the electronic device may implicitly determine an assignment to the contention group. To explicitly assign a device to a contention group, the access point may randomly assign or assign based on a criteria of the electronic device. Examples of criteria include an association identifier (AID), a traffic type/quality of service (QoS) category, a power saving preference, and an association status. The electronic device may implicitly determine a contention group assignment based on the total number of contention groups. The electronic device may use the explicitly or implicitly assigned contention group number to determine whether the electronic device may contend for a given trigger frame random access (TF-R) frame.

Abstract: In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure direct communication with neighboring mobile stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a mechanism for peer NAN devices to assist one another in receiving communications from an access point common to the peer NAN devices. In some embodiments, a wireless station may establish a communication link with a Wi-Fi access point and establish a peer-to-peer communication link with one or more neighboring wireless stations. In addition, the wireless station may receive transmissions intended for at least one neighboring wireless station of the one or more neighboring wireless stations from the Wi-Fi access point and relay the transmissions to the at least one wireless station on behalf of the Wi-Fi access point.

Abstract: One or more wireless stations may operate to configure direct communication with neighboring mobile stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. A mechanism for a wireless station to transmit a paging beacon outside of a paging window may include establishing a paged data link with a peer station, determining that one or more data frames associated with the paged data link are pending transmission, and transmitting a beacon to the peer station outside of a scheduled paging window of the paged data link. The beacon may include a paging attribute indicating there are pending data frames.

Abstract: Communicating wireless devices collaborate and utilize waveforms to enable secure channel estimation. To protect against a repetitive replay attack, some embodiments include Single Carrier Physical Layer (SC-PHY) waveforms and/or interpolated OFDM waveforms that do not include a repeatable or predictable structure. The waveforms are transmitted in ranging packet structures that are compatible with legacy 802.11 technologies that do not utilize secure channel estimation. The ranging packets are received in combination with the information previously exchanged to enable the receiving wireless system to securely determine a channel estimate (e.g., determine a channel estimate without an interloper transmission that is not an authentic first arrival path in a multi-path channel between the wireless systems). Thus, one or both of the wireless systems can estimate the distance between them (or range). Devices utilizing legacy 802.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for performing multiuser block acknowledgement in a wireless communication protocol. Embodiments include receiving a control frame from an access point (AP). A transmission mode can be determined based on a trigger information field in the control frame. Further, a data frame to acknowledge can be determined based on a block acknowledgement request (BAR) field in the control frame. A block acknowledgment (BA) frame can be generated based on the data frame to acknowledge. The BA frame can then be transmitted to the AP based on the transmission mode, e.g., at the same time another BA frame is transmitted to the AP by another station.

Abstract: In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure direct communication with neighboring wireless stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a mechanism for a device to transmit, via a BTLE (or Bluetooth) interface, a first message indicating an operation associated with a Wi-Fi service (e.g., a service available via a Wi-Fi interface and/or Wi-Fi related interface parameters) to a peer device. The first message may include a service hash that indicates the operation. The service hash may be included in a first data structure. The first data structure may indicate availability of the Wi-Fi service. The device may receive a second message from the peer device indicating that the neighboring wireless station intends to subscribe to or provide the Wi-Fi service, e.g., via Wi-Fi peer-to-peer communications.

Abstract: Wireless stations may operate to configure direct communication with neighboring wireless stations (direct communication between wireless stations without an intermediate access point). Mechanisms for near-field device-to-device communications are disclosed. A wireless station may be configured to determine a minimum power level for a near-field device-to-device datapath. The wireless device may determine an average channel interference for a first discovery channel and compare the average channel interference to a first threshold. If the average channel interference is less than the first threshold, the wireless device may select a first transmission mode associated with a first power level and determine a maximum data rate for the first transmission mode.

Abstract: An electronic device communicates frames with an access point (AP) by receiving, from the AP, a frame header that includes information specifying a first set of tones of an OFDMA communication, the first set of tones associated with first resource block subchannels having a first bandwidth used by the AP to transmit a frame payload. The electronic device obtains a second set of tones associated with second resource block subchannels having a second bandwidth that differs from the first bandwidth, and receives the frame payload using the OFDMA communication, the second resource block subchannels, and the second set of tones. Alternatively, an electronic device dynamically switches a channel-access mode when communicating a frame with the AP depending on whether the communication includes a primary 20 MHz channel. In a technique, an MU-PPDU is communicated using a frame via a non-primary 20 MHz channel without using the primary 20 MHz channel.

Abstract: Methods for performing error recovery during a ranging procedure may include negotiation one or more ranging parameters, including a set of secure training sequences and receipt of a first ranging frame that may include a first dialog token and may have an appended first secure training sequence. The first ranging frame may be decoded based on the first dialog token but not correlated based on the first secure training sequence. A first acknowledgment that may include an appended second secure training sequence may be transmitted. The second secure training sequence may be associated with a prior dialog token. A second ranging frame that may include a second dialog token and may have an appended third secure training sequence may be received. The second ranging frame may be decoded based on the third dialog token and correlated based on the third secure training sequence.

Abstract: In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure direct communication with one or more neighboring mobile stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a mechanism for a wireless station to transmit a pause indication to one or more neighboring peer wireless stations, indicating a pause in direct communication.

Abstract: In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure direct communication with neighboring mobile stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a mechanism for a device to request synchronization assistance from one or more neighboring peer devices.