Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention transmit fragmented frames using a sequence control field in a MAC header that includes an extended 15-bit sequence number for tracking the order of frames, and a 1-bit PF field that indicates the position of a fragmented frame in conjunction with a 1-bit MF field carried in a frame control subfield of the MAC header. The fragmented frames can be received by a wireless device and defragmented according to the MF field, the PF field, and the sequence control number. The frames can be discarded if any are not received successfully.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and device for multi-AP beamforming (e.g., nulling) and spatial reuse to mitigate interference and improve the performance of MAP wireless networks. According to one embodiment, multiple APs agree to collaborate in multi-AP beamforming, transmissions of received PDDUs are measured to determine interference information, the APS generate interference maps, and the APs perform joint and Multi-AP beamforming in a first and second BSS to avoid/mitigate interference of the MAP wireless network. An RTS and CTS frame exchange sequence can be performed prior to Multi-AP beamforming between BSSs using a flag/indicator in the RTS frame to indicate coordinated transmission, or an UL trigger frame can be used to indicate a coordinated UL transmission.

Abstract: A physical protocol data unit (PPDU) transmission method includes: setting parameters of each of a plurality of links for enabling the plurality of links to have different capacity for PPDU transmission, wherein parameters of one link are different from parameters of another link, and highest capacity supported by the one link is higher than highest capacity supported by the another link; aligning an ending time instant of transmission of a first PPDU transmitted via the one link with an ending time instant of transmission of a second PPDU transmitted via the another link through setting a content that is carried by the first PPDU transmitted via the one link; and transmitting PPDUs via the plurality of links, wherein one PPDU is transmitted via each of the plurality of links, and the PPDUs include the first PPDU and the second PPDU.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention prevent interference caused by the simultaneous transmission and reception of data in a constrained multi-link operation of a wireless network. According to one embodiment, a frame from a first affiliated AP of a multi-band wireless AP is transmitted for receipt by an STA, and a second affiliated wireless AP of the multi-band wireless AP is scheduled to transmit a trigger frame to the wireless STA over a second wireless link. Accordingly, the trigger frame is transmitted from the second affiliated wireless AP to the wireless STA over the second wireless link, and the response frame solicited by the frame is scheduled for transmission after the predetermined value has expired following an end of the PPDUs containing the trigger frame.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for a MAP wireless network that includes a collaborative channel sounding measurement phase to determine channel state information between devices (e.g., the channel state between an STA and a collaborative AP) for efficient configuration of the MAP wireless network and to improve the performance of the MAP wireless networks. The wireless AP and wireless STAs associated with the collaborative APs can simultaneously transmit by applying collaborative beamforming where the interferences between channels nullify each other (e.g., nulling), and the beamforming is performed based on a sounding phase performed by the collaborative APs. The sounding protocol can include a collaborative sounding measurement phase and a collaborative sounding feedback report phase, using Null Data Packets (NDPs), for example, as described herein according to embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: A first access point (AP), which is affiliated with a AP multi-link device (MLD) operating on a non-simultaneous-transmission-and-reception (NSTR) link pair comprising a primary link and a non-primary link, generates a beacon frame or probe response frame. The first AP then transmits the beacon frame or probe response frame on a link that is not the non-primary link to indicate that a second AP affiliated with the NSTR AP MLD and operating on the non-primary link is unavailable, quiet or disabled.

Abstract: A station (STA) affiliated with a non-simultaneous-transmission-and-reception (NSTR) multi-link device (MLD) obtains a transmission opportunity (TXOP) on a first link of an NSTR link pair as a TXOP initiator while a medium synchronization delay timer of the STA is non-zero. STA determines that an intended TXOP responder has lost medium synchronization. The STA then transmits a control frame as an initial frame in the TXOP to the intended TXOP responder on the first link responsive to the determining.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, apparatus and methods that provide transmission information of different APs to a wireless device during link discovery. The transmission information is used to determine AP coverage/link reachability information for performing channel association, channel switching, multi-AP coordination, or groupcast transmission and reception, for example. The transmission information can correspond to APs affiliated with the same AP MLD or APs affiliated with different AP MLDs. In this way, wireless devices can identify a link with sufficient coverage according to reachability information determined for different APs without having to scan each BSS directly, which advantageously reduces power consumption and improves wireless network performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for synchronous independent channel access in a wireless network. The synchronous independent channel access can be performed by a wireless station having multiple transceivers for simultaneous communication over multiple wireless bands. A wireless station can connect wirelessly to a wireless access point to access a first primary wireless band during a transmission opportunity, and can use early access on a second primary wireless band without receiving a transmission opportunity. The transmission and reception of data frames over the different primary channels are synchronized to prevent or mitigate inter-channel interference. According to some embodiments, the channels are synchronized using back-off procedures and/or padding to align the ending time of transmitted and received data frames, for example.

Abstract: A first station (STA) and a second STA perform bandwidth negotiation with a bandwidth extension indication. Then the first STA and the second STA communicate wirelessly according to the bandwidth negotiation.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transmitting a multi-user (MU) wake-up packet in FDMA. In the wake-up setup stage, an STA informs the AP that it can resolve an MU wake-up packet transmitted in FDMA. Accordingly, AP allocates a frequency channel to the STA in a WUR setup response frame which indicates a channel offset relative to the primary channel. Moreover, if a WUR channel allocated to an STA is inaccessible or there is on pending wake-up signal for the STA, no wake-up signal is included in the MU wake-up packet while any other accessible allocated channels may still be utilized for transmitting the scheduled wake-up signals. During such a transmission, an inaccessible channel may be punctured; and an accessible channel having no pending wake-up signal may be used to carry an invalid wake-up signal or a legacy preamble followed with no wake-up signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and methods for announcing a BSS parameter updates for a wireless link that can be received by a MLD even when the MLD is not listening for parameter updates on that specific link by employing a different wireless link to broadcast, receive, and/or signal the BSS parameter update. An MLD can update the BSS parameters of the wireless link and use the wireless link according to the updated BSS parameters (e.g., after performing a channel switch). According to some embodiments, an STA within an AP MLD transmits an information elements (IE) including BSS parameter updates associated with a different STA (operating on a different wireless link) within the AP MLD.

Abstract: A physical protocol data unit (PPDU) transmission method includes aligning parameters of a plurality of links for constraining the plurality of links to have same capacity for PPDU transmission, and transmitting PPDUs via the plurality of links. Highest capacity supported by one of the plurality of links is different from highest capacity supported by another of the plurality of links. Each of the PPDUs is generated and transmitted under the same parameters. Ending time instants of transmission of the PPDUs are aligned.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for coordinated multi-AP channel access in a wireless network. A wireless AP that obtains a transmission opportunity (TXOP) (a “coordinator AP”) can grant one or more STAs or APs under control of the coordinator AP the use of some of the bandwidth granted by the TXOP. The STAs or APs that are granted the use of the bandwidth are referred to as “coordinated APs.” Thereafter, a coordinator AP or a coordinated AP can create a new basic service set (BSS) of devices for coordinating data transmissions. For example, the coordinated AP may serve as a relay, where the coordinated AP services devices in a new BSS by sending and receiving data with a coordinator AP in a different BSS.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide A TID-based RTWT SP that can be configured for either trigger-based transmission or EDCA-based transmission for time sensitive traffic to reduce the chance of contention/collision on time sensitive traffic caused by non-time sensitive traffic using an EDCA mechanism. This can also reduce the chance of contention on time sensitive traffic when both trigger-based transmission and EDCA-based-transmission are used in the same TID-based RTWT SP. The AP MLD can dynamically adjust the schedule of TID-SPs for ether trigger-based or EDCA-based transmission and announce the new schedule of the TID-SPs according to the requirements of time sensitive traffic and/or traffic load condition, and can prioritize time sensitive transmission to meet QoS requirements.

Abstract: A control link switch method is employed by a wireless fidelity (WI-FI) multi-link device (MLD). The control link switch method includes: sending a request frame to another WI-FI MLD for requesting a switch process of switching a current control link to a new control link, and receiving a response frame from another WI-FI MLD. After the response frame is received, the new control link is selectively enabled at the WI-FI MLD.

Abstract: An apparatus (e.g., an access point (AP) establishes a plurality of links comprising a primary link and at least a secondary link. The apparatus transmits a management frame on the primary link to indicate a multi-link capability of the AP. The apparatus configures the secondary link for one or more non-AP stations (STAs), which are capable of operating on the primary link and the secondary link, with multi-link capability and operating parameters through an association procedure on the primary link.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a punctured preamble enabling wireless devices to efficiently use a channel (e.g., an 80 or 160 MHz channel) where a primary service is operating. A Wideband Channel Access Mechanism for 20 MHz/80 MHz operating STAs is provided so that a 20 MHz/80 MHz operating STA can dynamically move to a secondary channel to improve wireless performance of the STA. An AP coordinates the operating channel switch of the 20 MHz/80 MHz operating STA. An EHT cooperative multi-band operation can be applied to the preamble punctured PPDU for simultaneous multi-band operation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention prevent interference caused by the simultaneous transmission and reception of data in a constrained multi-link operation of a wireless network. According to one embodiment, first and second trigger frames are received from a wireless access point (AP) at a wireless station (STA) over first and second wireless links, respectively. First and second data frames are transmitted responsive to the first and second trigger frames over the first and second wireless links, respectively, when the difference between the ending time of the data frame transmitted responsive to the first trigger frame and the ending time of the second trigger frame is greater than a predetermined value to prevent interference.

Abstract: An apparatus (e.g., a station (STA) in a wireless local area network (WLAN)), receives, from an access point (AP), a frame comprising a multi-link configuration information element (IE) that indicates one or more enabled links as a subset of one or more supported links for a traffic identifier (TID). Accordingly, the apparatus transmits, to the AP, data over at least one of the one or more enabled links corresponding to the TID.