Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for reducing channel correlation between wireless nodes are disclosed. An apparatus may receive channel state information (CSI) from each of a plurality of wireless nodes and determine, for each of the plurality of wireless nodes, a level of channel correlation with other wireless nodes based, at least in part, on the received CSI. The apparatus may identify one or more of the plurality of wireless nodes for which the determined level of channel correlation is greater than or equal to a value, and then generate, for at least one of the identified wireless nodes, an instruction requesting at least one of the identified wireless nodes to adjust a parameter by an amount based on the determined level of channel correlation. The apparatus may provide the instruction for transmission to the at least one of the identified wireless nodes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for wireless communications. More particularly, an access point (AP) identifies a plurality of multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) groups associated with a wireless station (STA). The AP determines a communication metric associated with each of the plurality of MU-MIMO groups. The communication metric provides an indication of the compatibility of the STAs in the MU-MIMO group. The AP prioritizes at least one of the plurality of MU-MIMO groups based at least in part on the communication metric associated with the prioritized MU-MIMO group. The AP creates a preferred group list and/or a blacklisted group list and included the prioritized MU-MIMO group in the appropriate group list.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for wireless communication are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus may be configured to determine a scheduling metric for each respective station of a plurality of stations. The scheduling metric for each station may be based on an effective spatial-time-frequency physical layer (PHY) capability for the station and a consumption rate of spatial-time-frequency resources by the respective station. The effective spatial-time-frequency PHY capability for the station may be a product of a target percentage of spatial-time resources allocated to the station, an effective number of spatial streams supported by the respective station, and a maximum bandwidth. The consumption rate of spatial-time-frequency resources may be a transmit opportunity (TXOP) moving average of consumption rate by the station.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. An access point (AP) may sequentially receive beamforming information for a channel from a plurality of wireless stations, the beamforming information comprising a first portion of beamforming information and a second portion of beamforming information. The AP may determine, before receiving all of the second portion of beamforming information, a first set of grouping metrics for the plurality of wireless stations indicating correlations between transmissions made by the plurality of wireless stations over the channel. The AP may determine a second set of grouping metrics for the wireless stations, and select a grouping metric from the first set of grouping metrics or the second set of grouping metrics. The AP may then transmit, over the channel, a multiple user transmission associated with the selected grouping metric.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes determining a transmit time metric associated with each transmission group of a number of transmission groups based at least in part on an amount of data in a transmit queue and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) data rate for at least one wireless communication device in the transmission group. The method also includes scheduling a transmission to a first transmission group of the number of transmission groups based at least in part on the transmit time metric for the first transmission group.

Abstract: The disclosure provides techniques for sounding sequence protection in multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communications for wireless local area networks (WLANs). An access point (AP) may select a station (STA) from multiple STAs in a MU-MIMO group. The AP may then transmit a request-to-send (RTS) frame, where the RTS is addressed to the selected STA. The AP may receive a clear-to-send (CTS) frame from the selected station and may perform, in response to receiving the CTS frame, a sounding sequence with the MU-MIMO group. After completion of the sounding sequence, the AP may transmit MU-MIMO data communications to at least one of the STAs in the MU-MIMO group.

Abstract: A method for multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communications between a communications device and a client station (STA). The communications device may initiate MU-MIMO transmissions to the STA according to a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS) and a first transmission power. The device may monitor packet error rates (PERs) associated with the MU-MIMO transmissions to the STA and select a second MCS to be used for subsequent MU-MIMO transmissions to the STA based, at least in part, on the PERs and the first transmission power. The device may determine a target transmission power associated with the first MCS and compare the target transmission power with the first transmission power. The selection of the second MCS may be based, at least in part, on the comparison. The device may record PERs associated with the MU-MIMO transmissions, in a PER table, in relation to the first transmission power.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described for multiple-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) grouping for large numbers of MU-MIMO clients. In one example, a method for wireless communication includes identifying, from a compressed beamforming (CBF) report, a noise parameter for communications with a user equipment (UE). The method may also include determining at least one of an initial MU-MIMO group size and an initial modulation and coding scheme (MCS) based at least in part on the noise parameter. The method may also include transmitting data based on at least one of the initial MU-MIMO group size and the initial MCS.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to efficient optimal group identification (GID) management for multiple user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes a processing system configured to: for each GID of a plurality of GIDs, assign a plurality of devices to positions within one or more groups associated with that GID and generate GID management frames for transmission to active devices of the assigned plurality of devices indicating, for each of the active devices, a position of that active device within each of the plurality of GID; and an interface configured to output the GID management frames for transmission to the active devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes receiving, by a wireless device, beamforming information from a plurality of stations. The beamforming information includes feedback signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values and beamforming feedback matrices. The method further includes determining a metric associated with a candidate group of the plurality of stations based at least in part on the received feedback SNR values and the received beamforming feedback matrices. The metric indicates a correlation between spatial streams of multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmissions intended for the stations of the candidate group.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes receiving, by a first wireless device, beamforming information from a station over a period of time, the beamforming information including a feedback signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value and compressed feedback matrix. The method also includes determining one or more SNR gradient metrics for the station based at least in part on the received feedback SNR values and the received compressed feedback matrices.

Abstract: Wireless node selects modulation coding schemes (MCS) and number of spatial streams for transmitting data to devices via a MU-MIMO transmission based on the total number of spatial streams. In one implementation, a wireless node selects first MCS, first number of spatial stream(s) for a first device, and total number of spatial streams to be used in the MU-MIMO transmission so as to maximize the data rate to the first device, then selects a second MCS and a second number of spatial stream(s) for a second device based on the selected total number of spatial streams. In another implementation, the wireless node toggles the first selection of the MCS and spatial stream(s) between the first and second devices for fairness purposes. In another implementation, a wireless selects the MCS and the spatial streams for the receiving nodes so as to maximize the aggregate data rate for the MU-MIMO transmission.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes selecting, by a wireless device, a first subset from a first set of candidate multi-user groups of stations. The first subset is based at least in part on first-level grouping metrics associated with the first set of candidate multi-user groups. The method further includes determining second-level grouping metrics associated with a second set of candidate multi-user groups. The second set corresponds to candidate multi-user groups having a greater number of stations or channel vectors than the first set, and the second set is based at least in part on the first subset.

Abstract: Wireless node selects modulation coding schemes (MCS) and number of spatial streams for transmitting data to devices via a MU-MIMO transmission based on the total number of spatial streams. In one implementation, a wireless node selects first MCS, first number of spatial stream(s) for a first device, and total number of spatial streams to be used in the MU-MIMO transmission so as to maximize the data rate to the first device, then selects a second MCS and a second number of spatial stream(s) for a second device based on the selected total number of spatial streams. In another implementation, the wireless node toggles the first selection of the MCS and spatial stream(s) between the first and second devices for fairness purposes. In another implementation, a wireless selects the MCS and the spatial streams for the receiving nodes so as to maximize the aggregate data rate for the MU-MIMO transmission.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for managing multi-user multiple-input multiple-out (MU-MIMO) groups by a wireless device. For at least some embodiments, a wireless communication device may determine a MU-MIMO group by identifying a plurality of MU-MIMO capable stations, determine a plurality of MU-MIMO group candidates from the plurality of MU-MIMO capable STAs based, at least in part, on a predicted data throughput of an MU-MIMO group including at least one of the plurality of MU-MIMO capable STAs, and create a MU-MIMO group from the plurality of MU-MIMO candidates. The predicted data throughput may be based, at least in part, on media access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) layer parameters. In some embodiments, the PHY layer parameters may include historic group size and/or historic multi-user signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio data.

Abstract: A small cell controller for switching and aggregating wireless data between a cellular network and a noncellular network is disclosed. The small cell controller may include a cellular interface to communicate data with the cellular network, a noncellular interface to communicate data with the noncellular network, and an analyzer configured to determine whether a portion of the wireless data may be transferred from the cellular network to the noncellular network, and determine a first portion of the noncellular network to be allocated to the portion of the wireless data when the portion of the wireless data may be transferred.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may include a processing system configured to determine whether to initiate scheduler probing based on a condition and to perform scheduler probing by determining whether to transmit in SU mode and by determining a set of transmission parameters. The apparatus may include an interface configured to, when the scheduler probing is initiated, output a frame for transmission based on the set of transmission parameters.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a robust and systematic multi-user (MU) grouping and scheduling scheme. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes a processing system configured to: assign devices to one or more groups, wherein each group has at least a number of devices and schedule MU multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmissions to one or more sets of devices, each scheduled set of devices comprising a subset of devices of one of the groups; and an interface configured to output data for simultaneous transmissions to the scheduled sets of devices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes receiving, by a first wireless device, compressed beamforming information from each of a plurality of stations, the compressed beamforming information including a feedback signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value and compressed feedback matrix. The method also includes determining a multi-user signal-to-interference-plus noise ratio (SINR) metric for each of the plurality of stations based at least in part on the received feedback SNR values and the received compressed feedback matrices.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication includes selecting, by a wireless device, a first subset from a first set of candidate multi-user groups of stations. The first subset is based at least in part on first-level grouping metrics associated with the first set of candidate multi-user groups. The method further includes determining second-level grouping metrics associated with a second set of candidate multi-user groups. The second set corresponds to candidate multi-user groups having a greater number of stations or channel vectors than the first set, and the second set is based at least in part on the first subset.