Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for transmission preemption in a wireless local area network. An access point wireless device may establish a wireless association with another wireless device. A first data transmission may be initiated. The transmitting wireless device may determine to preempt the first data transmission prior to its completion. The transmitting wireless device may transmit signaling indicating that the first data transmission is preempted.

Abstract: Multiuser (MU) Multi-TID (multi-traffic-identifier) transmission may be enabled in a resource unit (RU). To transmit an urgent payload as soon as possible, the urgent payload may be injected/included into the ongoing MU physical protocol data unit (MU PPDU), if possible. This may be accomplished by indicating to the latency-sensitive wireless station (STA) the ID of a companion (or buddy) station that has an assigned resource unit (RU) on which the STA may expect to receive the urgent payload, also referred to as the “overloaded RU.” Alternatively, an extra user field in the preamble of the MU PPDU may be used to indicate to the STA its station ID as well as the location of the overloaded RU. A receiver operating on an A-MPDU may select the RU it receives, and may identify (or determine) a wrong transmission based on the transmitter address.

Abstract: Payload transmission of multiple stations on a single resource unit may be performed. New and/or updated signaling may be introduced to enable a transmitter, e.g., an access point (AP), to include information/signaling in the preamble or in other frames. A receiver (e.g., a wireless station) that receives this information/signaling may accordingly determine in which RU it should decode to receive its allocated data or payload, allowing multiple receivers or STAs to share a single resource unit (RU). The new/updated signaling may include modified hybrid downlink multiuser signaling in Ultra High Reliability Signal (UHR-SIG), a group association identifier (gAID), a predefined special AID corresponding to an RU with use of a Bloom filter, multiple predefined special AIDs each corresponding to a non-overlapping group of wireless stations, and/or signaling announcing time sharing of single RUs.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for multi-access point association in a wireless local area network. Multiple access point wireless devices may establish a multi-access point system. Other access point wireless devices may subsequently join the multi-access point system. Non-access point wireless devices may form an association with the multi-access point system, which may include links with multiple different access point wireless devices in the multi-access point system.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for multi-access point association in a wireless local area network. Multiple access point wireless devices may establish a multi-access point system. Other access point wireless devices may subsequently join the multi-access point system. Non-access point wireless devices may form an association with the multi-access point system, which may include links with multiple different access point wireless devices in the multi-access point system.

Abstract: Some aspects of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing backup link establishment and operation for multi-link wireless communication networks such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). Some aspects relate to an electronic device including a transceiver configured to communicate over a wireless network and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor receives a message including information associated with a backup link from a second electronic device. The processor further receives data associated with data traffic from the second electronic device on a primary link of the wireless network. In response to a quality of the primary link being below a threshold, the processor receives a notification frame from the second electronic device on the backup link and receives additional data associated with the data traffic from the second electronic device on the backup link or on an other link informed by the notification frame.

Abstract: An electronic device (such as an access point) that receives a modified response frame is described. During operation, an interface circuit in the electronic device may provide a trigger frame addressed to a second electronic device, where the trigger frame includes a trigger-frame variant that is compatible with an IEEE 802.11 standard (such as IEEE 802.11ax or a subsequent IEEE 802.11 standard). Then, the interface circuit may receive a modified response frame associated with the second electronic device, where the modified response frame is different from a response frame associated with the trigger frame specified by the IEEE 802.11 standard. When the second electronic device indicates support for the modified response frame during association with the electronic device, the interface circuit may define parameters associated with the modified response frame in an association response.

Abstract: Some embodiments include utilizing a multilink media access control (MAC) address structure to support multilink devices (MLDs) that can operate concurrently in more than one link such as extremely high throughput (EHT) access points (APs) and EHT stations (STA), where the multilink MAC address structure is compatible with legacy devices. An EHT AP can utilize a multilink basic service set (BSS) identification (BSSID) MAC address to communicate with an EHT STA identified by a multilink MAC address. Values of the multilink BSSID and the multilink MAC address of the EHT STA are independent of which of the multiple links are used in the communication. In addition, to utilizing a multilink BSSID, the EHT AP can also support unique link-specific MAC addresses to concurrently support legacy and MLD stations. The EHT STA can also utilize unique link-specific MAC addresses that can be different than the EHT AP's link-specific MAC addresses.

Abstract: An electronic device (such as an access point) that receives a modified response frame is described. During operation, an interface circuit in the electronic device may provide a management frame addressed to a second electronic device. Then, the interface circuit may provide a trigger frame addressed to the second electronic device, where the trigger frame includes a trigger-frame variant that is compatible with an IEEE 802.11 standard. Next, the interface circuit may receive a modified response frame associated with the second electronic device, where the modified response frame is different from a response frame associated with the trigger frame specified by the IEEE 802.11 standard, and modifications to the modified response frame are specified in the management frame.

Abstract: Some aspects of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing a hibernation mode for multi-link wireless communication networks such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). For example, some aspects relate to a multi-link device (MLD) including a first station (STA) associated with a first link of a wireless network and configured to communicate with a second MLD over the first link. The MLD also includes a second STA associated with a second link of the wireless network. The second STA is in a hibernation mode. The MLD also includes one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to control operations of the first and second STAs.

Abstract: Some embodiments of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing a target wake time (TWT) technique for multicast communication. For example, some embodiments relate to a method including configuring a target wake time (TWT) process for delivering one or more multicast packets to a group of electronic devices. The method further includes determining that a service period associated with the TWT process has started and transmitting, in accordance with the TWT process, the one or more multicast packets during the service period, where the one or more transmitted multicast packets are addressed to the group of electronic devices.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for obfuscation in a privacy beacon. An example method includes a first communication device creating a beacon field to be included in a beacon frame. The first communication device can generate a timing synchronization field to be included in the beacon frame. The first communication device can apply an offset to the timing synchronization field of the beacon frame. The first communication device can transmit the beacon frame to a second communication device, the beacon frame comprising the offset timing synchronization field and the beacon field.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for obfuscation in a privacy beacon. An example method includes the first device receiving, from a second communication device, a beacon frame comprising a medium access control (MAC) header and an encrypted beacon frame field, the MAC header comprising an obfuscated timing synchronization field (TSF). The first device can select a key for de-obfuscating the TSF based at least in part on information associated with the beacon frame. The first device can de-obfuscate the TSF based at least in part on the key. The first device can decrypt the encrypted beacon frame field of the beacon frame based at least in part on information associated with the de-obfuscated TSF.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for medium access control header obfuscation. One example method includes a first device encrypting a data payload using a first encryption algorithm. The first device can encrypt a field of a medium access control (MAC) header using a second encryption algorithm, different from the first encryption algorithm. The first device can generate a data frame comprising the encrypted MAC header field and the encrypted payload. The first device can transmit the data frame to a second communication device.

Abstract: Techniques are directed toward secure scrambling. An example method includes receiving, by a first communication device a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) frame from a second communication device. The first communication device can determine a PPDU frame type based at least in part on a preamble of the PPDU frame. The first communication device can apply a PPDU frame type-based key and a determined service field value to implement a descrambling process for a medium access control (MAC) header of the PPDU frame. The first communication device can descramble a payload based at least in part on de-obfuscating the MAC header. The first communication device selecting a scrambler seed for scrambling an acknowledgement (ACK) message. The first communication device scrambling the ACK message based on the selected scrambler seed.

Abstract: Techniques are directed toward secure scrambling. An example method includes a first device encrypting a payload to be included in a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) frame. The determining a PPDU frame type based at least in part on an association with a second device. The first device can select a key based at least in part on the association with second device. The first device can encrypt a payload to be included in a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) frame. The first device can determine a PPDU frame type based at least in part on an association with a second communication device. The first device can obfuscate the field of the MAC header. The first device can scramble the encrypted payload using a service field value. The first device can transmit the PPDU frame to the second device.

Abstract: An interface circuit in an electronic device (such as an access point) may receive a setup request associated with the recipient electronic device. The setup request may specify a group address for which the recipient electronic device wants to receive associated frames and a proposed transmission interval. Based at least in part on the proposed transmission interval, the electronic device may determine a transmission schedule and/or may assign, based at least in part on the group address, the recipient electronic device to an aggregated group having a flexible multicast service identifier (FMSID). Then, the electronic device may provide a wake-up frame for the recipient electronic device, where the wake-up frame includes an identifier of the aggregated group for which a group-addressed frame will subsequently be transmitted by the electronic device. Moreover, the wake-up frame may be provided at a transmission time based at least in part on the transmission schedule.

Abstract: A multilink access point may communicate with a legacy device. The multilink access point identifies an attempt, by at least one legacy station, to connect to the access point, determines that the at least one legacy station does not support multilink communications, broadcasts a beacon identifying information for a basic communication link that can be used by the at least one legacy station and associates with the at least one legacy station based at least on information included in the beacon, wherein the at least one legacy station communicates exclusively on the basic communication link with the access point.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for station (STA) identifier opt-in. Some embodiments include a STA that can associate with an access point (AP) of a wireless network, where the STA is configured to opt-in to being identified by the AP. The STA can transmit a first message 2 (M2) of a 4-way handshake protocol during the association, where the first M2 includes a Device Identifier (ID) Key Data Encapsulation (KDE) that includes an Opt-in Control field, where a first value of the Opt-in Control field indicates the STA opts-in to being identified by the AP. The STA can receive a first message 3 (M3) of the 4-way handshake protocol including a Device ID KDE and an ID Blob, where the ID Blob corresponds to the STA. The STA can communicate with the AP, where the first value enables the AP to collect data about the STA during the communication.

Abstract: Some aspects include apparatuses and methods for implementing a target wake time (TWT) scheme (or technique) for multi-link wireless communication networks. For example, a multi-link device (MILD) includes a first station (STA) associated with a first link of a wireless network and configured to communicate with a second MLD over the first link using a multi-link target wake time (TWT) process. The MLD also includes a second STA associated with a second link of the wireless network and configured to communicate with the second MLD over the second link using the multi-link TWT process. The MLD further includes one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to control the operations of the first and second STAs to perform the multi-link TWT process.