Abstract: One example discloses a wireless Access Point (AP) device, configured to operate within a wireless local area network (WLAN), including: a controller configured to generate a reserve slot time trigger frame and a request to transmit trigger frame; wherein the controller is configured to be coupled to an antenna; wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the trigger frames over a physical media to a set of user station devices (STAs) and exchange traffic with the set of STAs over the physical media; wherein the reserve slot time trigger frame is configured to reserve a slot time on the physical media; and wherein the request to transmit trigger frame is configured to command a first STA from the set of STAs to transmit data buffered in the first STA to the AP device.

Abstract: One example discloses a wireless Access Point (AP) device, within a wireless local area network (WLAN), including: a controller configured to generate a reserve slot time trigger frame to a selected set of wireless devices; wherein the controller is configured to be coupled to an antenna; wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the reserve slot time trigger frame over a physical media to the selected set of user station devices (STAs) and exchange traffic with the selected set of STAs over the physical media; wherein the reserve slot time trigger frame is configured to reserve a slot time on the physical media; and wherein the controller is configured to transmit a burst of downlink (DL) traffic from the AP device during the slot time.

Abstract: A first communication device receives a first data unit from a second communication device via one or more communication channels. The first data unit includes an indication of a first set of one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device, and the first data unit is configured to prompt the first communication device to transmit channel availability information as part of a subsequent orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission. The first communication device determines channel availability information for the one or more communication channels, and when the first communication device determines that at least one of the communication channels is idle, the first communication device transmits a second data unit to the second communication device in one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device as part of the OFDMA transmission, the second data unit including the channel availability information.

Abstract: A first communication device determines one or more parameters related to a format of a media access control layer (MAC) data unit for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission. The format of the MAC data unit for the UL MU transmission is different than a format of a MAC data unit for an UL single user (SU) transmission. The first communication device generates one or more data units that include the one or more parameters. The first communication device transmits the one or more data units to a plurality of second communication devices to inform the plurality of second communication devices of the format of the MAC data unit for UL MU transmissions by the plurality of second communication devices to the first communication device.

Abstract: A first communication device determines one or more parameters related to a format of a media access control layer (MAC) data unit for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission. The format of the MAC data unit for the UL MU transmission is different than a format of a MAC data unit for an UL single user (SU) transmission. The first communication device generates one or more data units that include the one or more parameters. The first communication device transmits the one or more data units to a plurality of second communication devices to inform the plurality of second communication devices of the format of the MAC data unit for UL MU transmissions by the plurality of second communication devices to the first communication device.

Abstract: A first communication device receives a first data unit from a second communication device via one or more communication channels. The first data unit includes an indication of a first set of one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device, and the first data unit is configured to prompt the first communication device to transmit channel availability information as part of a subsequent orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission. The first communication device determines channel availability information for the one or more communication channels, and when the first communication device determines that at least one of the communication channels is idle, the first communication device transmits a second data unit to the second communication device in one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device as part of the OFDMA transmission, the second data unit including the channel availability information.

Abstract: A method of operating an access point includes storing, for each of a plurality of channels, a corresponding first value and second value. A first channel is selected according to a channel polling scheme. A first beacon is transmitted over the first channel to announce commencement of communication over the first channel. Subsequent to the first beacon but prior to a second beacon, data is exchanged with a wireless client over the first channel. The method includes, in response to a first time period based on the first value corresponding to the first channel expiring, transmitting the second beacon over the first channel to announce conclusion of communication over the first channel. The method includes, in response to a second time period based on the second value corresponding to the first channel expiring, transmitting a third beacon over the first channel to announce commencement of communication over the first channel.

Abstract: A network device configured to determine a transmit delay interval for the transmission of data over a wireless network. The network device includes an adaptive access control circuit configured to determine, during a predetermined time interval, an amount of data transmitted by the network device over the wireless network, determine, during the predetermined time interval, an amount of data received by the network device over the wireless network, determine a difference between the amount of data transmitted by the network device over the wireless network and the amount of data received by the network device over the wireless network, and adjust the transmit delay interval based on the difference.

Abstract: A method including: receiving, over a first wireless channel, a first beacon specifying a time interval during which a first wireless client is to communicate with a wireless access point according to an infrastructure network model; in response to receiving the first beacon, causing the first wireless client to exchange packets of data with the wireless base station over the first wireless channel for the time interval specified in the first beacon, and in response to expiration of the time interval specified in the first beacon, (i) causing the first wireless client to exchange packets of data with a second wireless client over a second wireless channel according to an ad hoc network model, or (ii) causing the first wireless client to enter a sleep state.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for a wireless local-area network comprises a transmit circuit to transmit first data; a transmit counter to count an amount of the first data transmitted by the transmit circuit during a predetermined monitoring interval; a receive circuit to receive second data; a receive counter to count an amount of the second data received by the receive circuit during the predetermined monitoring interval; and an adaptive access control circuit to generate an access trigger signal at a time determined by the amount of the first data counted by the transmit counter during the predetermined monitoring interval and the amount of the second data counted by the receive counter during the predetermined monitoring interval; and wherein the transmit circuit transmits third data according to the access trigger signal.

Abstract: A device includes a first transmit circuit to transmit first data, a first receive circuit to receive second data and an adaptive access control circuit to calculate a transmit delay interval based on a first amount of the first data transmitted by the transmit circuit during a predetermined monitoring interval and a second amount of the second data received by the receive circuit during the predetermined monitoring interval. The first transmit circuit transmits third data based on the transmit delay interval.

Abstract: A wireless network apparatus includes an infrastructure controller to exchange packets of data with a wireless base station over a wireless channel, and receives start beacon packets and stop beacon packets from the wireless base station. An ad hoc controller exchanges packets of data with one or more wireless end stations over the wireless channel. A master controller causes the infrastructure controller to exchange packets of data with the wireless base station over the wireless channel only after receiving one of the start beacon packets and before receiving a next one of the stop beacon packets, and causes the ad hoc controller to exchange packets of data with the one or more wireless end stations over the wireless channel only after receiving one of the stop beacon packets and before receiving a next one of the start beacon packets.

Abstract: A wireless network apparatus and corresponding method and computer program comprises channel queues each to store packets of data to be transmitted on a respective wireless channel in one of a plurality of frequency bands; a memory to store a channel access time value and a return to channel value for each of the wireless channels; and a controller to select one of the wireless channels according to a channel polling scheme, and on that channel, cause a start beacon packet to be sent, exchange packets of data for an interval specified by the channel access time value, cause a stop beacon packet to be sent at the end of the interval specified by the channel access time value, and cause a further start beacon packet to be sent at the end of an interval specified by the return to channel value.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for a wireless local-area network comprises a transmit circuit to transmit first data; a transmit counter to count an amount of the first data transmitted by the transmit circuit during a predetermined monitoring interval; a receive circuit to receive second data; a receive counter to count an amount of the second data received by the receive circuit during the predetermined monitoring interval; and an adaptive access control circuit to generate an access trigger signal at a time determined by the amount of the first data counted by the transmit counter during the predetermined monitoring interval and the amount of the second data counted by the receive counter during the predetermined monitoring interval; and wherein the transmit circuit transmits third data according to the access trigger signal.