Abstract: A method of communicating in a wireless network includes transmitting, by a station, a null data packet (NDP) power save (PS)-Poll frame including a short training field and a long training field. Also, the NDP PS-Poll frame includes a signaling field including a message type indicator, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). Additionally, the method includes receiving, by the station, buffered data in accordance with the NDP PS-Poll frame.

Abstract: A method for communicating in a wireless communications system includes receiving, by a first station, an uplink scheduling information and a first frequency resource usage indicator from an access point, the first frequency resource usage indicator indicating a utilization of a first set of network resources for carrying acknowledgement information from the access point. The method also includes transmitting, by the first station, a first data packet to the access point in accordance with the uplink scheduling information and also transmitting, by the first station, a second frequency resource usage indicator to a second station that is not served by the access point, the second frequency resource usage indicator indicating that the first set of network resources are being utilized by the first station.

Abstract: A method of communicating in a wireless system includes receiving resource scheduling information indicating a location of a resource for transmitting a packet, an indication of a target power level, and an indication of a first bandwidth, receiving an indication of a first transmission power level, determining a second transmission power level in accordance with the target power level, and at least one of the first bandwidth and the first transmission power level, and transmitting the packet at the location of the resource with the second transmission power level.

Abstract: A method for communicating in a wireless communications system includes receiving an indicator indicating a utilization of network resources for carrying an acknowledgement information, and determining whether the station is permitted to transmit a packet. The method includes when the station is permitted to transmit the packet, determining a first location of a first network resource in accordance with the indicator, and transmitting the packet at the first location of the first network resource.

Abstract: A method of communicating in a wireless network includes transmitting, by a station, a null data packet (NDP) power save (PS)-Poll frame including a short training field and a long training field. Also, the NDP PS-Poll frame includes a signaling field including a message type indicator, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). Additionally, the method includes receiving, by the station, buffered data in accordance with the NDP PS-Poll frame.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for efficient channel synchronization. The embodiments enable a reduction in a stations power consumption and reduce network overhead for transmitting synchronization frames by refraining from sending the synchronization frame when it is not needed. In an embodiment, a method in an access point (AP) for synchronizing a station (STA) associated with the AP includes sending, by the AP, a first management frame that indicates a time slot that is allocated for the STA and sending a synchronization frame at a boundary of the time slot allocated for the STA if the AP determines that a channel is idle at the boundary of the time slot allocated for the STA and if the time slot that is allocated for the STA is longer than a first threshold value.

Abstract: A method for method for waking up one of a plurality of radio communications modules (RCMs) of a first station includes receiving a wake-up configuration from a second station, placing the plurality of RCMs into a sleeping mode, receiving a wake-up signal from the second station on an auxiliary low-power radio receiver of the first station, determining a first RCM of the plurality of RCMs to wake up in accordance with the wake-up configuration, and waking up the first RCM from the sleeping mode to communicate with the second station.

Abstract: A method for operating an access point (AP) includes scheduling, by the AP, first resources for a first periodic restricted access window (PRAW), and generating, by the AP, a first PRAW indicator including first information associated with the scheduled first resources for the first PRAW. The method also includes determining, by the AP, a next PRAW indication time in accordance with the first PRAW, and transmitting, by the AP, the first PRAW indicator and the next PRAW indication time in a first frame.

Abstract: A method for indicating a frame structure in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is provided. A sending device generates a transmission frame. The transmission frame includes a physical header. The physical header includes a frame structure indication field. A subcarrier polarity of the frame structure indication field is used to indicate the frame structure of the transmission frame. The sending device sends the transmission frame to a receiving device. In the transmission frame, a first subcarrier polarity indicates the transmission frame has a first frame structure, and a second subcarrier polarity indicates the transmission frame has a second frame structure, so that the receiving device determines the frame structure of the transmission frame according to the subcarrier polarity of the frame structure indication field.

Abstract: A data transmission protection method includes: receiving, by a station, resource allocation information sent by an access point; obtaining, according to a status of mutual overlap between an allocated transmission channel and multiple subchannels, at least one overlapping subchannel used by the station to send a transmission protection message; and sending the transmission protection message on a current overlapping subchannel according to a status of whether each overlapping subchannel in the at least one overlapping subchannel used by the station to send the transmission protection message is used only by the station to send the transmission protection message, where the transmission protection message is used to protect downlink data transmission from the access point to the station, the transmission protection message includes duration, and the duration is used to indicate an exclusive time of the station for the transmission channel allocated to the station.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a first time, by a first user equipment (UE) from a first device, a request to send (RTS) frame including a first duration and receiving, at a second time, by the first UE from a second device, a clear to send (CTS) frame including a second duration. The method also includes determining a duration of a speed frame exchange (SF) exchange in accordance with the first duration and the second duration.

Abstract: A method for transmitting to a direct mobile communications (DMC) device by a user equipment operating in both a cellular mode and a DMC mode includes estimating a first pathloss of a first channel from the user equipment to a base station according to a difference between a known base station transmit power level and a received base station power level, and estimating a second pathloss of a second channel from the user equipment to the DMC device according to a difference between a known DMC device transmit power level and a received DMC device power level. The method also includes setting a transmit power level for transmission to the DMC device according to the first pathloss and the second pathloss, and transmitting a signal to the DMC device at the transmit power level.

Abstract: A method for operating a station during a discovery process includes transmitting a first Layer 2 frame to an access point (AP), the first Layer 2 frame including a first version number associated with first higher layer information and an identifier of a protocol associated with both the first higher layer information and the first version number, receiving a second Layer 2 frame from the AP including an indication that a second version number associated with a second higher layer information is the same as the first version number, and deciding whether to perform a network selection process in accordance with the first higher layer information.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes an access point (AP) and at least a station. The AP transmits a periodic scheduling indicator, a compression indicator and scheduling information to a station. The periodic scheduling indicator indicates whether a periodic transmission is scheduled for a station, and wherein the compression indicator indicates whether the scheduling information for the station is compressed scheduling information. The station determines full scheduling information in accordance with the periodic scheduling indicator, the compression indicator and the scheduling information. Then, the station transmits a packet in accordance with the full scheduling information to the AP. Reduction in signaling overhead is achieved.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes an access point (AP) and multiple stations. The AP transmits a reference indicator indicating a target receive power reference of the AP and an adjustment indicator indicating an adjustment to the target receive power reference for a station. When the station receives the reference indicator and the adjustment indicator, the stations determines a transmission power level in accordance with the target receive power reference and the adjustment to the target receive power reference. The stations transmits a packet at the transmission power level to the AP. Reduction in signaling overhead is achieved.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for nearby channel measurement. The embodiments enable identifying stations that are hidden from one another. In an embodiment, a method in a wireless access point (AP) for identifying channel quality between a first and second group of STAs associated with the AP includes transmitting a first packet to the first group of STAs, wherein the first packet comprises information on measurement time window within which the first group of STAs is to measure a received signal; transmitting scheduling information to the second group of STAs, wherein the scheduling information indicates a time to send a reference packet during the measurement time window; and receiving a measurement report from the first group of STAs after the measurement time window, wherein measurement report includes information on received signal quality at the first group of STAs of a signal transmitted by the second group of STAs.

Abstract: A method for operating a first device includes transmitting a conflict query frame including a first address field containing a first locally assigned identifier associated with the first device, wherein the conflict query frame further includes a second address field and has a structure of a first legacy frame, and determining if a conflict notification corresponding to the conflict query frame is received within a specified time interval after transmitting the conflict query frame. The method also includes discontinuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is received within the specified time interval, and continuing use of the first locally assigned identifier if the conflict notification is not received within the specified time interval.

Abstract: A method for operating a station during a discovery process includes transmitting a first Layer 2 frame to an access point (AP), the first Layer 2 frame including a first version number associated with first higher layer information and an identifier of a protocol associated with both the first higher layer information and the first version number, receiving a second Layer 2 frame from the AP including an indication that a second version number associated with a second higher layer information is the same as the first version number, and deciding whether to perform a network selection process in accordance with the first higher layer information.

Abstract: A method for transmitting to a direct mobile communications (DMC) device by a user equipment operating in both a cellular mode and a DMC mode includes estimating a first pathloss of a first channel from the user equipment to a base station according to a difference between a known base station transmit power level and a received base station power level, and estimating a second pathloss of a second channel from the user equipment to the DMC device according to a difference between a known DMC device transmit power level and a received DMC device power level. The method also includes setting a transmit power level for transmission to the DMC device according to the first pathloss and the second pathloss, and transmitting a signal to the DMC device at the transmit power level.

Abstract: A method for operating a sharing station includes receiving, by the sharing station, a request to send (RTS) frame on a wireless channel, wherein the RTS frame is not addressed to the sharing station, and wherein the RTS frame including a transmit only indicator indicating that a transmitting station of the RTS frame will only transmit frames without receiving frames until expiration of a first time value in a first duration field of the RTS frame. The method also includes determining, by the sharing station, if a clear to send (CTS) frame corresponding to the RTS frame is received within a specified time period after receiving the RTS frame, and transmitting, by the sharing station, a frame when the CTS frame corresponding to the RTS frame is not received within the specified time period.