Abstract: An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to select a group of contiguous communications channels having a specified number of channels, a center channel, and a control channel. Some embodiments may operate to select a group of contiguous communications channels having a specified control channel and a signed extension channel offset.

Abstract: Methods and structures are disclosed for use in implementing downlink spatial division multiple access (SDMA) in a wireless network.

Abstract: During a training phase in a network using spatial division multiple access (SDMA) techniques, frame types that trigger network allocation vectors may be used in the training phase to prevent unwanted devices from transmitting during the training phase.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system to manage distributed channel access with time reservation are generally presented. In this regard, a reservation agent is introduced to reserve access to a wireless network channel for an amount of time greater than necessary to transmit to another station(s) and to transmit to the other station(s).

Abstract: An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to reserve access to one or more overlapping channels having a resource allocation (e.g., a frequency range) overlapping a resource allocation of at least two overlapped channels by reserving access to the overlapped channels. Reservation of the overlapped channels may occur in a substantially simultaneous, serial, or semi-serial fashion.

Abstract: In a base station using spatial division multiple access communications, different length transmissions directed from a base station to different multiple mobile devices substantially simultaneously may have their start times adjusted so that the transmissions end at approximately the same time. The mobile devices may then respond during a response period with acknowledgments at approximately the same time. Thus all the acknowledgments may be received within the same time period from the end of the transmissions, reducing the likelihood of missed acknowledgments in responses to the shorter transmissions.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for managing wireless network channel width capabilities are generally presented. In this regard, a manager agent is introduced to determine if there is a better channel available for use in response to an indication associated with an arrival of a co-channel wireless network.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a technique is provided that coordinates transmission of frames to reduce collisions. Frames are coordinated according to, for example, operation type, frame length, and solicited response. A base station gains access to a wireless medium and transmits multiple coordinated frames to multiple communication units. The transmissions to the multiple communication units may be substantially simultaneous in that at least a portion of the different frames are transmitted at the same time. The different frames may be substantially back-end aligned where the maximum difference between the termination time instances of the frame transmissions is controlled to reduce collisions.

Abstract: A method may include sampling a receive frequency at which information received over a communication link is played. The method may also include sampling a system frequency related to the communication link and computing a first value based on the sampled receive frequency and the sampled system frequency. A second value may be received via the communication link. The receive frequency may be adjusted based on the first value and the second value.

Abstract: When initiating SDMA training sequences, a base station may poll multiple mobile devices with the same multicast training poll, and the polled mobile stations may respond separately at different times based on an assigned delay period for each mobile station.

Abstract: An access point in a wireless network communicates with multiple mobile stations simultaneously using spatial-division multiple access.

Abstract: Channel access techniques are provided for use in a high throughput wireless network that utilizes multiple wireless channels within a single service set.

Abstract: A base station poll mobile devices with the same multicast poll, and the polled mobile stations may respond separately at different times based on an assigned delay period for each mobile station that was specified in the poll message.

Abstract: An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to send a selected data type without self-definition information to a receiver if a state capable of interpreting the selected data type has been maintained by the receiver, and to send the selected data type with the self-definition information to the receiver if the state capable of interpreting the selected data type has not been maintained by the receiver.

Abstract: An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to receive a request associated with a specification at a first access point, and to locate a second access point capable of supporting the specification. A handoff from the first access point to the second access point may be effected.

Abstract: In Spatial Division Multiple Access (SDMA) communications, mobile devices that are transmitting to a base station substantially simultaneously during a predetermined communications phase may wait until after an end of the predetermined communications phase to receive acknowledgments to their transmissions, so that a mobile device making a relatively short transmission does not experience an acknowledgment timeout while another mobile device is still completing a relatively long transmission. In some embodiments, the mobile devices may transmit a non-immediate block acknowledgment request during the communications phase.

Abstract: A network comprising a base station and multiple mobile devices may use a training phase for the base station to develop parameters that enable spatial division multiple access (SDMA) techniques to be used for communications with the mobile devices, and to subsequently use those parameters in a data phase, thus permitting substantially simultaneous transmissions to, and substantially simultaneous receptions from, the multiple mobile devices on the same frequency.

Abstract: A frame format provides for wideband wireless local area network communications and informs narrower-band communication units when the channels are occupied by wider-band communication units. In some embodiments, the frame format includes a channelization field identifying channels that are used for communicating subsequent wideband fields of a packet, and a wideband-header field communicated on the identified channels. The wideband-header field may identify sub-fields that may be present in the wideband-header field, and may identify the presence of a wideband-data field. A long-compatibility field may be present that provides protection at the MAC level. The long-compatibility field may transport MAC frames that may include medium-reservation information compatible with narrower-band communication units.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) device transmits multiple data packets within a data burst. In various embodiments, after the first packet is transmitted, subsequent packets are transmitted before expiration of an Interframe Space (IFS). The subsequent packets may have a full-length preamble, a partial preamble or no preamble at all.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) device transmits a header over an air interface, at a first modulation rate. The header may include an indication of a second modulation rate that will be used to transmit a consolidated payload. In one embodiment, the header includes information that enables a receiver to determine when an end of each of the multiple data units will occur. The device further transmits the consolidated payload at the second modulation rate. The consolidated payload includes multiple data units. In one embodiment, the consolidated payload includes information that enables the receiver to determine when an end of each of the multiple data units will occur.