Abstract: In a non-limiting and example embodiment, a method is provided for arranging multi-channel wireless communications, including detecting, by a communications apparatus, information on available bandwidth for a transmission opportunity applying multiple channels, and controlling duration of channel occupancy for at least one of channels available for the transmission opportunity on the basis of the information on available bandwidth.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program for providing a physical layer convergence protocol header for the frame, wherein the physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) header is arranged to comprise information identifying a subset of group-addressed frames to which the frame belongs. The identification of the subset enables a receiver to determine from the PLCP header whether or not to process the frame.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program for acquiring transmission resources during a transmission period is provided. A first communication apparatus is arranged to utilize at least one other communication apparatus to reserve at least one additional transmission band for the first communication apparatus during the transmission period of the first communication apparatus. Upon reception of a message indicating availability of additional transmission band(s) from the at least one other communication apparatus, the first communication apparatus is configured to increase its transmission band during the transmission period.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program for protecting transmissions are provided. A wireless communication apparatus receives a physical layer convergence protocol header of a transmission on a frequency band and determines from header information included in the header, whether or not there are further transmissions associated with the transmission and after the transmission on the frequency band. In response to determining on the basis of the header information that there will be at least one other transmission after the transmission on the frequency band, channel access of the wireless communication apparatus is suspended on the frequency band for a determined time period after the transmission, the determined time period including a transmission time interval of the at least one other transmission.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a method may include receiving, by a broker station in a wireless network, a broker activation request message from a first client station, the broker activation request message comprising wireless networking capabilities of the first client station. The method may also include sending a networking capability message to at least one other client station, the network capability message comprising identifier and wireless network capabilities of the first client station, the networking capability message being based at least partly on the broker activation request message.

Abstract: A system and method for more efficiently scheduling and implementing unscheduled automatic power save delivery service periods between a terminal and an access point. An triggering interval is set for an untrigger flag, the untrigger flag not permitting the implementation of an automatic power save delivery period. Automatic triggering is used unless a plurality of criteria are met, in which case the triggering interval is calculated based upon a plurality of variables. Untrigger flags are set for selected frames based upon the triggering interval, and unscheduled automatic power save delivery service periods are implemented for frames for which the untrigger flag is not set and for which the terminal receives an indication of additional data from a remote source such as an access point.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and unique method and apparatus for communicating information between two nodes, points or terminals in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein multicast diagnostic information is allowed between the two nodes, points or terminals in the wireless LAN network. The two nodes, points or terminals may include an access point (AP) or other suitable network node or terminal and a station (STA) or other suitable network node or terminal in the WLAN.

Abstract: In one embodiment, in absence of transmitting from an apparatus a reservation request frame, the apparatus receives a reservation response frame on an assigned channel. The reservation response frame indicates a duration of a frame transmission. In response to receiving the reservation response frame, the apparatus transmits a frame on the assigned channel during the frame transmission. In another embodiment, in response to receiving a reservation request frame on a first channel at an apparatus, the apparatus transmits a reservation response frame on the first channel and on at least one second channel. The reservation request frame indicates a duration of a frame transmission. The reservation response frame indicates the duration of the frame transmission. After transmitting the reservation response frame, this apparatus receives during the frame transmission a first frame on the primary channel and a second frame on the at least one secondary channel.

Abstract: Channel reservation in time division duplex for devices in systems involving, for example user devices and access points, may be accomplished using channel reservation request messages, such as request-to-send (RTS) messages and channel reservation grant messages, such as clear-to-send (CTS) messages. A method for channel reservation may include preparing a frame including at least one channel reservation request message and at least one channel reservation grant message. The preparing may include multiplexing the at least one channel reservation request message and the at least one channel reservation grant message at least by frequency-division multiplexing. The method may also include transmitting the frame from a first node to a second node, wherein the channel reservation request message and the channel reservation grant message relate to communications between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to enhance capacity of a wireless communication network through spatial reuse of the shared communication medium, using an autonomous parallel operation without central coordination and header frames. Example embodiments of the invention include a signaling method that defines and sets up a Simultaneous Transmissions mode between two pairs of devices to reuse a transmission opportunity (TXOP). In example embodiments of the invention, an arrangement may be made between device pairs (each pair comprising a transmitter device and a receiver device) to allow selected pairs to communicate at a same time. The example signaling method defines example signaling for setting up simultaneous transmitter/receiver pairs in a network and operating the transmitter/receiver pairs in simultaneous transmission.

Abstract: Service discovery for services on a wireless network is presented. It is determined (e.g., from a received Layer 2 message) that an offering apparatus h made a service available to entities joined to a wireless network. Then in a message, that is available to entities not joined to the network, is placed information about the services and also at least one of location information about the offering apparatus and link metric information about a network path to the offering apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus determines a wireless traffic load; generates at least one timer value based at least in part on the determined traffic load; and initiates a wireless transmission at a time based at least in part on the at least one timer value. The at least one timer value indicates a time for initiating a transmission after changing from a lower power state to a higher power state. In an exemplary embodiment the wireless traffic load is determined via continuous monitoring and initiating the transmission includes obtaining a transmission opportunity for sending a trigger frame or a power save poll frame. Various exemplary techniques are detailed as to how to determine the traffic load. The generated at least one timer value is a maximum time, which may be truncated for example after the apparatus receives a data unit by which to obtain a network allocation vector.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve power conservation and efficiency in wireless mesh networks, by limiting the number of sources of group addressed frames that a peer mesh station receives. In an example embodiment of the invention, a portal wireless peer mesh device transmits a Portal Announcement frame in a wireless mesh network to create unidirectional paths from wireless mesh devices within the network to the portal. The Portal Announcement frame is relayed from one wireless peer mesh device to another to flood the network. Each wireless peer mesh device that receives the Portal Announcement frame receives the network address of the portal and the network address of the wireless peer mesh device that transmitted the frame to the receiving transmitting device. The receiving device may have received a plurality of Portal Announcement frames from a plurality of transmitting devices.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve power conservation and efficiency in wireless mesh networks. An example embodiment of the invention receives at a wireless mesh device a plurality of messages from other wireless mesh devices in a wireless mesh network and determines from the messages if there is one or more wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode. If there is no wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then the example embodiment transmits group addressed frames in any order. If there is at least one wireless peer mesh device in the network that is in a power save mode, then the example embodiment arranges a transmission order of group addressed frames that have a source different from a designated wireless mesh device in the network followed by group addressed frames that have the designated wireless mesh device as a source.

Abstract: In response to receiving a capability advertisement message which comprises role capabilities, an activation message which requests at least one role capability of the capability is sent to a device on a bearer; and in response to the activation message, from the device on the bearer is received a notification message which indicates whether the role capability of the activation message was accepted. In another embodiment, a capability advertisement message which comprises role capabilities is sent; in response there is received on a bearer an activation message which requests at least one role capability of the advertisement message; and then in response to the activation message there is sent to the device on the bearer a notification message which indicates whether the role capability of the activation message is accepted.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve the channel switching in communication protocols, by simplifying transmission of only a single, acknowledged switching message to trigger off channel—or base channel switching after an initial off channel configuration and set-up of the direct link. The single message off channel switching indication in direct link is based on two specific timeout timers that serve as a basis for channel switching between the devices in TDLS direct link. An immediate fallback transition is provided to the base channel in the event that the communication in the off-channel does not succeed. The timeouts in the fallback procedure allow continuing the planned data transfer immediately in the base channel of the TDLS direct link if the switching to the off channel has not succeeded.

Abstract: A flexible transmission resource reservation scheme and data transmission scheme is provided for a wireless network. A source node transmits a data transfer reservation request for a transmission resource to at least one neighboring node including at least one target node of the wireless network. The source node may have data to be transmitted or may anticipate data reception from at least one of the target nodes. Then, the source node receives from the at least one neighboring node an acknowledgment to reserve the requested transmission resource for data transfer between the source node and the at least one target node. Thereafter, data is transferred between the source node and the at least one target node within the reserved transmission resource.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve network performance for ad hoc network initiation. Example embodiments include a new operational sequence for wireless devices initiating the use of an ad hoc network. The example embodiments require appropriately enabled wireless devices to only respond to probe request frames from other similarly appropriately enabled wireless devices. In this manner, two devices may avoid the time consuming effort of combining two different ad hoc networks into a single ad hoc network so that the two devices can communicate.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to enable power save modes of operation between wireless devices for direct data transfer in an infrastructure basic service set. The embodiments are an enhancement to the peer U-APSD power save mechanism. The embodiments provide additional operation for peer U-APSD mechanism with two stations operating in power save mode.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer program products provide quality of service and power aware forwarding rules for mesh points in wireless mesh networks by monitoring frame flow to and from a first mesh point in the wireless mesh network; and in dependence on the monitored frame flow, setting a power management mode of the first mesh point. The first mesh point monitors, for example, the power save mode and mesh deterministic access status of peer modes and selects power save and frame transmission modes in dependence on the monitored information.