Abstract: An electronic device may transmit beacons associated with multiple access points that are cohosted by the electronic device, and that provide concurrent links in different bands of frequencies. The electronic device may include an access-point multi-link device (AP MLD). Moreover, the beacons may include: a basic service set identifier (BSSID) associated with the access points in the AP MLD, a service set identifier (SSID) associated with the access points in the AP MLD, and a MLD media access control (MAC) address associated with the access points in the AP MLD. Furthermore, a given beacon may be associated with a given access point and may include: information specifying a channel of a given link, a reduced neighbor report (RNR) providing information about at least the access points in the AP MLD, and a field that indicates when the given access point is included in the AP MLD.

Abstract: An electronic device (such as an access point) is described. This electronic device transmits an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame to a recipient electronic device (such as a client or a station). The OFDMA frame includes multiple predefined resource units (RUs) allocated to the recipient electronic device in a set of predefined RUs having associated frequency bandwidths. Moreover, the multiple predefined RUs include two or more first predefined RUs having a first number of tones less than a predefined amount, or two or more second predefined RUs having a second number of tones greater than or equal to the predefined amount. For example, the predefined amount may include 242 tones. Note that the multiple predefined RUs may have the same or different numbers of tones. Moreover, the electronic may receive an acknowledgment or a block acknowledgment from the recipient electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device that communicates frames is described. During operation, the electronic device may transmit the frames addressed to a recipient electronic device and associated with multiple links between the electronic device and the recipient electronic device. Then, the electronic device may receive block acknowledgments for at least a subset of the frames, where a given block acknowledgment is associated with the recipient electronic device and indicates received frames on a given link in the links. Moreover, the electronic device may control an amount of traffic conveyed on the links based at least in part on the block acknowledgments. Next, the electronic device may store a remainder of the frames based at least in part on the block acknowledgments, where the frames include the subset of the frames and the remainder of the frames. Note that the frames may have a common traffic identifier.

Abstract: A first wireless communication device receives a packet from a second wireless communication device, the packet having information indicating that the second wireless communication device is relinquishing control of a wireless communication medium. The first wireless communication device determines whether the packet was transmitted in a wireless network to which the first wireless communication device belongs, and determines whether a network allocation vector (NAV) timer of the first wireless communication device was most recently set in connection with a transmission from the wireless network to which the first wireless communication device belongs. When i) the packet was transmitted in the wireless network to which the first wireless communication device belongs, and ii) the NAV timer was most recently set in connection with a transmission from another wireless network to which the first wireless communication device does not belong, the NAV timer is not reset.

Abstract: Some embodiments of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing block acknowledgment (BA) operations for multi-link wireless communication networks. For example some embodiments relate to an electronic device including a transceiver and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The one or more processors transmit, using the transceiver and to a second electronic device, a first set of one or more frames on a first link and a second set of one or more frames on a second link. The one or more processors receive, using the transceiver and from the second electronic device, a first block acknowledgment (BA) frame on the first link and a second BA frame on the second link. The one or more processors further determine, based on received first BA frame and the second BA frame, a failed or missing frame of the first set of one or more frames transmitted on the first link.

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: Embodiments are disclosed for group cast with retries (GCR) in a multi-link wireless communications system. In some embodiments, an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) can exchange information with a non-AP MLD to establish a GCR-multi-link operation (MLO) agreement corresponding to a group address, wherein the information includes, but is not limited to: a GCR primary link or a GCR primary link set of the AP MLD, an association identifier (AID) that corresponds to the group address. In some embodiments, the AP MLD can transmit a GCR frame subject to the GCR-MLO agreement, where the GCR frame includes a sequence number assigned from sequence number space (SNS)_GCR_MLO defined at a MLD level, and generate a Group Temporal Key (GTK)_GCR_ML at the MLD level, where the GTK_GCR_ML enables encryption and decryption of the GCR frame.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for group cast with retries (GCR) in a multi-link wireless communications system. In some embodiments, an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) can exchange information with a non-AP MLD to establish a GCR-multi-link operation (MLO) agreement corresponding to a group address, wherein the information includes, but is not limited to: a GCR primary link or a GCR primary link set of the AP MLD, an association identifier (AID) that corresponds to the group address. In some embodiments, the AP MLD can transmit a GCR frame subject to the GCR-MLO agreement, where the GCR frame includes a sequence number assigned from sequence number space (SNS)_GCR_MLO defined at a MLD level, and generate a Group Temporal Key (GTK)_GCR_ML at the MLD level, where the GTK_GCR_ML enables encryption and decryption of the GCR frame.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for performing a channel validation by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and non-AP MLD are described. An AP MLD may transmit information about multiple affiliated APs. A non-AP MLD and AP MLD may validate multiple links for communication.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses for performing a channel switch by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and non-AP MLD are described. An AP MLD may transmit information about parameters of an AP that will be implemented following an upcoming channel switch. The non-AP MLD may use the information to implement the channel switch.

Abstract: An electronic device that communicates frames is described. During operation, the electronic device may transmit the frames addressed to a recipient electronic device and associated with multiple links between the electronic device and the recipient electronic device. Then, the electronic device may receive block acknowledgments for at least a subset of the frames, where a given block acknowledgment is associated with the recipient electronic device and indicates received frames on a given link in the links. Moreover, the electronic device may control an amount of traffic conveyed on the links based at least in part on the block acknowledgments. Next, the electronic device may store a remainder of the frames based at least in part on the block acknowledgments, where the frames include the subset of the frames and the remainder of the frames. Note that the frames may have a common traffic identifier.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to broadcast and multicast in a wireless communication system. In some implementations, an announcement frame indicating a broadcast or multicast service period to multiple second wireless devices is transmitted by a first wireless device. The announcement frame indicates (i) an end time of the broadcast or multicast service period and (ii) an order of a sequence of frames to be directed to the multiple second wireless devices. Each of the sequence of frames is transmitted at the first wireless device using a directional antenna pattern to a respective one of the multiple second wireless devices, according to the order of the sequence of frames indicated in the announcement frame. An acknowledgement frame in response to the each of the sequence of frames is received at the first wireless device from the respective one of the multiple second wireless devices.

Abstract: A method for securing a Wi-Fi link in a wireless communication system includes configuring an existing agent with a controller, wherein the existing agent is configured as a first Basic Service Set (BSS). An enrollee agent is onboarded with a Push Button Configuration (PBC) method to establish an 1905 layer security between the existing agent and the enrollee agent. The enrollee agent is configured with the controller, including the controller transmitting a Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) Bootstrapping Information Request to the enrollee agent and the controller receiving a DPP Bootstrapping Information Response from the enrollee agent, wherein the enrollee agent is configured as a second BSS.

Abstract: A method for grouping a plurality of client stations in a wireless local area network is disclosed herein. An access point (AP) determines the channel correlation and a distance to the AP for each of the client stations. The AP selects a smaller subset of client stations that meet a threshold requirement determined based on the respective distances between the client stations and the AP.

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: A method for transmitting a resource request for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission is described. A High Throughput (HT) Control field that includes buffer information corresponding to media access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) that are queued for transmission by a first communication device is generated by the first communication device. The buffer information indicates a number of bytes for the MPDUs that are queued for transmission. A resource request MPDU that includes the HT Control field is generated by the first communication device. The resource request MPDU is transmitted by the first communication device to a second communication device via a wireless communication channel to request an allocation of radio resources for the UL MU transmission by the second communication device.

Abstract: In a wireless communication network that operates according to a communication protocol that defines one or more first transmission modes that provide extended range communications as compared to one or second transmission modes defined by the communication protocol, a communication device generates a communication frame that includes information indicating that the one or more first transmission modes should not be used when transmitting in the wireless communication network. The communication device transmits the communication frame to instruct one or more other communication devices in the wireless communication network to not use the one or more first transmission modes when transmitting in the wireless communication network.

Abstract: In a method for simultaneously communicating with multiple communication devices in a wireless local area network a first communication device receives a plurality of uplink a data units simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices. The first communication device generates an acknowledgement data unit to acknowledge receipt of the multiple data units simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices. The acknowledgement data unit includes (i) an indication that indicates that the acknowledgement data unit is intended for multiple second communication devices and (ii) respective acknowledgement information for the multiple second communication devices. The acknowledgement data unit is transmitted from the first communication device to the multiple second communication devices.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) system includes a multi-access point (multi-AP) controller configured to onboard, authenticate, and configure respective basic service sets (BSSs) of access points in a multi-AP network. A plurality of access points (APs), including at least a first AP and a second AP, communicate with the multi-AP controller over a backhaul network, and in response to instructions conveyed by the multi-AP controller over the backhaul network, associate and communicate with client stations (STAs) over wireless fronthaul links in the WLAN system using the respective BSSs configured by the multi-AP controller. The first AP and the second AP are configured to request and receive at least one cryptographic value from the multi-AP controller, and to apply the at least one cryptographic value in securing a message transmitted over the backhaul network from the first AP to the second AP.

Abstract: A method for communication in a WLAN includes onboarding, authenticating, and configuring respective BSSs of multiple access points in a multi-AP network. Respective cryptographic keys are generated for the multi-AP agents in the network by carrying out a handshaking procedure between the multi-AP controller and the multi-AP agents over the backhaul network. Upon detecting a predefined rekeying event in communications between the multi-AP controller and any given multi-AP agent, a new cryptographic key is generated for the given multi-AP agent by repeating the handshaking procedure, and applying the new cryptographic key in encrypting and authenticating messages following the rekeying event.