Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for establishing a virtual communication link including at least a first and second physical link between two devices. A single virtual packet queue of a device may receive one or more data packets to be transmitted via the virtual communication link. The single virtual packet queue may attach a virtual sequence number to each of the one or more data packets and send the one or more data packets to one or more of the first or the second physical link according to the assigned virtual sequence numbers. The one or more packets may then be communicated via the first and/or second physical links according to link specific sequence numbers, such as medium access control (MAC) sequence numbers, assigned to the one or more data packets by the first and/or second physical links.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for power conservation in a wireless communications system through efficient transmissions and acknowledgements of information between an AP and a station. The time between a determination by a station to enter a power saving mode and entering network sleep mode by the station may be reduced through a transmission, by an AP, of an MPDU to the station successive to an SIFS after transmission of an acknowledgement to the station of a PS-Poll frame from the station. The time to enter a power saving mode by a station may also be reduced through transmission of A-MPDUs in which a last MPDU of the A-MPDU has an indicator bit cleared to indicate no additional data is to be transmitted. An AP may prevent a retransmission of an MPDU to the station in the absence of an acknowledgement from the station, to further enhance efficiency.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for providing closed-loop power control during a short inter-frame space (SIFS) burst are described herein. A method includes receiving feedback associated with transmit power used to transmit a first data packet in a SIFS burst. The method also includes adjusting at least the transmit power, or a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or a combination thereof, used to transmit a second data packet of the SIFS burst based at least in part on the received feedback.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for preferentially locating a candidate channel likely to have an active network during a WLAN scanning process. A portion of a first incoming packet on a first wireless channel is received and analyzed to determine whether an active network is available on the first wireless channel. The reception of the first incoming packet is selectively aborted based at least in part on the analysis. The portion of the first incoming packet may be a header of the first incoming packet. The reception of the first incoming packet may be aborted in response to a trigger condition. The trigger condition may correspond to a determination that the first incoming packet is not a packet of interest, a determination that the first incoming packet is not a beacon, or a determination that a signal strength on the first incoming packet is below a threshold level.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication. A wireless device may identify an upcoming interference period, determine a receive end time based on when the interference period will begin to disrupt incoming messages, and transmit a scheduling outlook message to a transmitter to schedule around the interference in response to receiving a packet (request-to-send (RTS) or data). The wireless device may hash a receiver address (RA) associated with the packet exchange message such as a clear-to-send message or a block acknowledgement to make room for the scheduling outlook message. An example scheduling outlook field (in the place of the full RA field) may include a shortened RA, a number of supported spatial streams, a supported bandwidth, a set of tone allocation units (TAUs), a receive end time (or receive duration), and an interference level.

Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption in a communication device. The method includes determining, by the communication device, that a packet transmitted on a communication medium is not intended for the communication device and estimating a length of the packet. If the length is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, selecting a first group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power. If the length is greater than the second threshold, selecting a second group of components of the communication device to which to reduce power. The second group of components includes the first group of components. The method includes reducing power to the selected group of components.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communication at a wireless device. A wireless device (e.g., station or access point) may adapt short inter-frame space (SIFS) burst parameters to improve the performance of the overall network while providing enriched user experience. A wireless device may monitor traffic conditions on the network and dynamically adapt the SIFS burst parameters associated with one or more stations based at least in part on detected variations on the traffic channel. In other examples, the wireless device may allocate a common SIFS burst parameter to be used by a plurality of wireless devices in the basic service set (BSS).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for content optimization of a physical layer preamble. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for encapsulating a payload for transmission through a network is disclosed. The method comprises the step of programming a legacy physical layer length value in a legacy physical layer preamble. The legacy physical layer preamble is configured such that it can be received by any legacy stations that may be on the network, and such that a separate physical layer length value can be derived from the legacy physical layer preamble. Using such a system, content optimization of a physical layer preamble is provided.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for using a shortened block acknowledgement (BlockAck) frame capable of acknowledging fragments. Such a shortened BlockAck frame may include a bitmap field having a shorter length than that of a basic BlockAck frame in the IEEE 802.11 standard (i.e., <128 octets). One example method for wireless communications generally includes receiving a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs) (e.g., media access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs)); determining whether each of the PDUs was successfully received and whether each of the PDUs is associated with a non-fragmented service data unit (SDU) (e.g., MAC service data unit (MSDU)) or a fragmented SDU; and outputting for transmission a shortened BlockAck frame comprising a bitmap field indicating a receive status for the non-fragmented and fragmented SDUs based on the determination.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for wireless communications. More particularly, the described features relate to techniques for adjusting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to account for different airtime utilizations (available airtime actually utilized by a device for transmissions) resulting from different MCSs. In one example, a method for wireless communication may involve: determining a media access control (MAC) efficiency for a station of a plurality of stations based at least in part on a real-time multi-user (MU) physical protocol data unit (PPDU) length, a real-time physical layer service data unit (PSDU) length of each of the plurality of stations, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the station; adjusting a goodput estimate of the station using the MAC efficiency; and, adjusting the MCS of the station using the adjusted goodput estimate.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for wireless communication by an access point (AP) may involve communicating with a station using a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS). An under-utilization of a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (MPDU) aggregation of the station while using the first MCS may be identified. The under-utilization may be caused by packet error rate (PER)-induced head of line (HOL) blocking. The MCS may be switched to a second MCS that is lower than the first MCS.

Abstract: This disclosure includes systems and methods for determining the location of each of a plurality of STAs of a WLAN where an AP measures the round-trip time (RTT) and the angle of arrival (AOA) to each STA from implicit packet exchange, such as data frame and ACK frame. The AP may then report the RTT and AOA measurements to each STA using a dedicated beacon information element (IE) which multicasts RTT and AOA measurements to the STAs. By employing an additional parameter, namely, angle of arrival AOA, a single AP may compute the two-dimensional location of each associated STA. Further, another beacon IE may multicast mapping of the AIDs to MAC addresses so that the associated STAs can understand such mapping for STAs in a network so that one STA may know the location of other STAs. Encryption may be employed to achieve privacy.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for adapting blind reception duration for range and congestion. A wireless station may measure channel conditions (e.g., range to an access point (AP) and channel congestion), and adjust one or more sleep timers based on the conditions. The sleep timers may each be associated with a window for reception of an expected transmission. If the transmission is not received in the window, the station may enter a sleep state to conserve power. In one example, a beacon miss timer is adjusted, and the expected wireless transmission is a delivery traffic indication message (DTIM). In another example, a content after beacon (CAB) timer is adjusted and the expected wireless transmission is the CAB. In some cases, the station may measure a delay for a number of beacons and determine the adjustment based on the delays.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for operating a client device to communicate with a wireless access point to validate data within a frame by comparing channel quality metrics and duration metrics to thresholds. Information received within a validity window may be treated as correctly received even if the frame fails a subsequent verification process or if reception of the frame is terminated prior to the end of the frame.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a first device, a packet from a second device. The method also includes detecting receipt of the packet at a detection circuit. The method further includes, in response to detecting the receipt of the packet, capturing a time of arrival timestamp corresponding to the packet at a capture circuit. The method also includes receiving, at the first device, a time of departure timestamp corresponding to the packet from the second device. The time of departure timestamp indicates a time when the packet is sent from the second device. The method further includes performing a comparison of the time of arrival timestamp and the time of departure timestamp.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for operating a client device to communicate with a wireless access point to validate data within a frame by comparing channel quality metrics and duration metrics to thresholds. Information received within a validity window may be treated as correctly received even if the frame fails a subsequent verification process or if reception of the frame is terminated prior to the end of the frame.

Abstract: As one example, an apparatus for wireless communications includes a processing system configured to communicate with several receivers including a first receiver and a second receiver. The processing system is configured to generate an aggregate data packet including several data packets that include a first data packet and a second data packet. The first data packet is destined for the first receiver and the second data packet is destined for the second receiver. The aggregate data packet includes a delimiter that includes a group identifier for determining, at the first receiver, that at least one of the data packets, including the first data packet, is destined for the first receiver. The group identifier is also for determining, at the second receiver, that at least one of the data packets, including the second data packet, is destined for the second receiver.

Abstract: A communication device receives at least a portion of a packet. Power is reduced to a subset of components of a communication device. The subset of components for which power is reduced is determined based, at least in part, on a length of the packet. The power is reduced for a time period based, at least in part, on the length of the packet.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for performing ranging operations between two wireless devices without employing cyclic shift diversity (CSD) compensation techniques. For some embodiments, a first wireless device sends a negotiation request frame requesting the second wireless device to respond to subsequently received frames of a specified type using a selected one of the transmit chains in the second wireless device. Thereafter, the first wireless device sends a data frame to the second wireless device to initiate a ranging operation. The second wireless device sends a response frame of the specified type to the first wireless device using the selected one of the transmit chains.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for operating an interface of an electronic device in an active mode or a power save mode based, at least in part, on a condition of a data exchange module buffer. When buffer space is available, incoming data may be stored locally and the interface used to access remote memory storage may be in a power save mode. The interface may revert to active mode to transfer data to the remote memory, such as after a configurable reception interval. Outgoing data may also be stored in a buffer, allowing the interface to be in a power save mode with information transmitted from the buffer.