Abstract: A preamble of a physical layer (PHY) data unit that conforms to a first communication protocol is generated. The preamble includes a legacy field that is formatted according to a second communication protocol, and a signal field having a first orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol and a second OFDM symbol. The first OFDM symbol (i) immediately follows the legacy field and (ii) is modulated using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation, whereas a third communication protocol specifies that an OFDM symbol, defined by the third communication protocol, that immediately follows the legacy field is modulated using BPSK modulation rotated by 90 degrees (Q-BPSK). The second OFDM symbol (i) immediately follows the first OFDM symbol and (ii) is modulated using Q-BPSK to indicate to a receiver device that conforms to the first communication protocol that the data unit conforms to the first communication protocol.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of multi-link communications involves at an access point (AP) multi-link device, allocating Association IDs (AIDs) to non-AP multi-link devices, including allocating one of the AIDs to each of the non-AP multi-link devices, and at the AP multi-link device, generating a first indication element for the AIDs to indicate a buffered data configuration at the AP multi-link device for the non-AP multi-link devices.

Abstract: A first communication device allocates respective portions of a communication channel, that includes at least one primary component channel and one or more non-primary component channels, to a plurality of second communication devices, including a bandwidth-limited second communication device configured to operate with a maximum bandwidth that is less than a full bandwidth of the communication channel. The bandwidth-limited second communication device is operating in a particular component channel, and allocation of a frequency portion to the bandwidth-limited second communication device is restricted to the particular component channel.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a beamforming training initiator packet for transmission in a wireless communication network. The beamforming training initiator packet indicates a start of a beamforming training session, and includes a plurality of fields that respectively and individually identify multiple second communication devices that are to process beamforming training packets transmitted by the first communication device during the beamforming training session. The first communication device transmits the beamforming training initiator packet, and then transmits a plurality of beamforming training packets during the beamforming training session.

Abstract: A first communication device determines assignment of at least a first orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) tone block and a second OFDM tone block for communication with a second communication device in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The first OFDM tone block is separated from the second OFDM tone block by a gap in frequency. The first communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission to the second communication device, including generating a data portion of the PHY data unit that spans the first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block. The first communication device transmits the PHY data unit to the second communication device via the first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block such that no data is transmitted in the third OFDM tone block for the data portion of the PHY data unit.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a first ranging frame for transmission to a set of second communication devices, and transmitting the first ranging frame during an multi-user (MU) ranging measurement procedure for estimating respective distances between respective second communication devices, among the set of second communication devices, and the first communication device based on measuring times of flight of transmissions between the first communication device and the respective second communication devices. The first communication device then generates a second ranging frame to include timing information corresponding to transmission of the first ranging frame, the timing information indicative of a time of transmission of the first ranging frame by the first communication device.

Abstract: A first communication device determines which one or more types of feedback information, from among a plurality of types of feedback information associated with a range measurement exchange session, a second communication device is to provide to the first communication device in a feedback packet transmitted as part of the range measurement exchange session. The first communication device transmits to the second communication device one or more indications of the determined one or more types of feedback information that the second communication device is to provide to the first communication device in the feedback packet. The first communication device performs the range measurement exchange, including receiving the feedback packet from the second communication device, wherein the feedback packet includes the determined one or more types of feedback information.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provides a system for detecting data received in a low power low rate (LPMR) data frame format. The system includes a receiver and control circuitry. The receiver is configured to receive a data frame comprising an LPLR preamble portion and an LPLR data portion following the LPLR preamble portion. The LPLR preamble portion and the LPLR data portion occupy a bandwidth that is less than an allowed bandwidth. The control circuitry is configured to determine a mode of the data frame based on whether the data frame has an additional portion, and detect data field in the LPLR preamble portion from the data frame based on the mode of the data frame.

Abstract: A first communication device generates and transmits a first communication frame corresponding to a request to participate in a block acknowledgment procedure. The first communication frame includes: a first field indicating a number of buffers requested to be allocated at a second communication device for buffering data units to be transmitted by the first communication device, and a second field indicating a first maximum bitmap length supported by the first communication device. The first communication device receives a second communication frame corresponding to a response to the first communication frame. The second communication frame includes: a third field indicating a number of buffers allocated at the second communication device for buffering the data units transmitted by the first communication device, and a fourth field indicating a second maximum bitmap length supported by the second communication device.

Abstract: A first communication device generates and transmits a first trigger frame. One or more trigger type information fields of the first trigger frame are set to a first one or more respective values that indicates the first trigger frame is for: i) a multi-user (MU) ranging measurement procedure, and ii) causing multiple second communication devices to simultaneously transmit first null data packets (NDPs) as part of a first MU transmission associated with the MU ranging measurement procedure. The first communication device generates and transmits a second trigger frame. One or more trigger type information fields of the second trigger frame are set to a second one or more respective values that indicates the second trigger frame is for i) an MU ranging measurement procedure, and ii) causing the multiple second communication devices to simultaneously transmit feedback packets to the first communication device as part of a second MU transmission associated with the MU ranging measurement procedure.

Abstract: A first communication device receives one or more aggregate medium access control (MAC) data units from respective one or more second communication devices. Respective aggregate MAC data units include multiple MAC data units from respective ones of the one or more second communication devices. The first communication device generates one or more acknowledgement information fields, including a first acknowledgement information field corresponding to a particular second communication device includes i) a length indication that indicates a length of an acknowledgement field, and ii) the acknowledgment field of the indicated length. The acknowledgement field includes respective acknowledgement information for at least some of the multiple MAC data units received from the particular second communication device.

Abstract: A communication device determines an overall bandwidth of an operating channel for a wireless local area network (WLAN), where the overall bandwidth spans a plurality of sub-channels. The communication device determines that one or more sub-channels within the overall bandwidth will not be used for the operating channel, and generates a packet that includes i) a first subfield that indicates the overall bandwidth of the operating channel, and ii) a second subfield that indicates the one or more sub-channels within the overall bandwidth that will not be used for the operating channel. The communication device transmits the packet to inform one or more other communication devices in the WLAN of the operating channel for the WLAN, the operating channel.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a media access control (MAC) protocol data unit (MPDU) delimiter having i) a feedback indication field and ii) a feedback content field. The feedback indication field is generated to include a first value that indicates the MPDU delimiter includes the feedback content field rather than an MPDU length field corresponding to a second value of the feedback indication field. The feedback content field is generated to include feedback information such as acknowledgement information regarding a communication frame previously transmitted by a second communication device, or control, management, and/or status information regarding the first communication device that was previously requested by the second communication device. The first communication device then transmits a packet that includes the MPDU delimiter to the second communication device.

Abstract: A communication device generates a first data unit that spans a first bandwidth, and transmits the first data unit during a transmit opportunity (TXOP) to at least one other communication device. The communication device subsequently determines, based on respective values of TXOP duration fields included in respective physical layer (PHY) preambles of one or more data units previously transmitted during the TXOP, whether a second bandwidth of a second data unit to be transmitted by the communication device during the TXOP can be greater than the first bandwidth of the first data unit. In response to determining that the second bandwidth of the second data unit can be greater than the first bandwidth of the first data unit, the communication device generates the second data unit to span the second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth, and transmits the second data unit during the TXOP.

Abstract: An access point generates a management communication frame, that includes information indicating network parameters of a wireless communication network, for transmission in an operating channel of the wireless communication network. The operating channel including i) at least one primary component channel used at least for synchronizing with client stations associated with the access point and ii) at least one scanning channel specified, by the first communication protocol, to be used for scanning by client stations not associated with the access point. The access point generates a physical layer data unit to include the management communication frame, and transmits the physical layer data unit in the at least one scanning channel, specified by the first communication protocol, to allow discovery of the wireless communication network by client stations that are not associated with the access point.

Abstract: A first communication device prompts a plurality of second communication devices to transmit, during a contiguous time period reserved for a range measurement exchange, respective first null data packets (NDPs) at respective times. The first communication device receives first NDPs from at least some of the second communication devices during the contiguous time period, and transmits one or more second NDPs to the plurality of second communication devices. The first communication device uses reception of the first NDPs and transmission of the one or more second NDPs to determine respective ranges between the first communication device and respective second communication devices.

Abstract: A method for simultaneously communicating with multiple communication devices in a wireless local area network is described. Multiple uplink data units are received that are simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices. The multiple uplink data units include a management data unit and a traffic data unit. An acknowledgment data unit is generated to acknowledge receipt of the multiple data units. The acknowledgment data unit includes (i) an indication that indicates that the acknowledgment data unit is intended for the multiple second communication devices, and (ii) respective acknowledgment information fields for the multiple second communication devices. The respective acknowledgment information fields include a first acknowledgment information field for the management data unit and a second acknowledgment information field for the traffic data unit.

Abstract: Multiple trigger frames are generated at a first communication device to trigger an uplink orthogonal frequency multiple access (OFDMA) transmission by multiple second communication devices. The multiple trigger frames include a broadcast trigger frame that includes information to indicate transmission parameters for a first subset of the second communication devices, and one or more unicast trigger frames, each of the one or more unicast trigger frame including information to indicate transmission parameters for a particular second communication device in a second subset of the second communication devices. The broadcast trigger frame is transmitted, in a first frequency portion of a downlink OFDMA transmission, to the first subset of the second communication devices, and respective unicast trigger frames are transmitted, in respective second frequency portions of the downlink OFDMA transmission, to the second subset of the second communication devices.

Abstract: A first communication device transmits a trigger frame transmission to multiple second communication devices to prompt the multiple second communication devices to simultaneously transmit in multiple communication sub-channels. The first communication device receives one or more transmissions from one or more of the second communication devices in less than all of the communication sub-channels. The first communication device generates acknowledgment information for the one or more transmissions from the one or more of the second communication devices, and transmits the acknowledgment information via all of communication sub-channels.

Abstract: A method for operation of a first communication device in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication channel between the first communication device and one or more second communication devices is described for a WLAN communication channel that has a plurality of component channels. A first component channel of the plurality of component channels is designated as a first primary channel and a second component channel of the plurality of component channels is designated as a second primary channel by the first communication device. A backoff timer that corresponds to the second component channel is suspended by the first communication device while utilizing the first component channel and without utilizing the second component channel. The backoff timer is resumed by the first communication device when utilization of the first component channel has completed.