Abstract: A first communication device receives a data unit transmitted by the second communication device. The data unit includes a basic service set (BSS) indicator, the BSS indicator indicating a BSS associated with the second communication device and a duration indicator, the duration indicator indicative of a duration of time for which a shared communication medium is expected to be busy. The first communication device sets a channel access counter based on the duration of time indicated by the duration indicator. The first communication device associates the channel access counter with the BSS indicated by the BSS indicator.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques relating to a link layer service platform (LSP) that provides, among other things, assisted multi-band wireless communications are described. A described device includes a first radio to transmit and receive based on a first wireless protocol; a second radio to transmit and receive based on a second wireless protocol, the second wireless protocol being different from the first wireless protocol; and a controller to use the first radio to assist communications via the second radio. The controller can be configured to cause the first radio to transmit, receive, or both one or more control frames associated with the second wireless protocol using the first wireless protocol, and cause the second radio to transmit or receive one or more data frames using the second wireless protocol in accordance with the one or more control frames.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus for wireless communication. The apparatus includes a transceiver and a processing circuit. The transceiver is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The processing circuit is configured to configure a field within a data unit for buffer information report, determine a first scale factor for scaling a first value indicative of buffered traffic of a first category, and a second scale factor for scaling a second value indicative of buffered traffic of a category, configure the field to include the first scale factor with the first value and the second scale factor with the second value, and provide the data unit to the transceiver for transmitting to another apparatus that allocates resources for transmission between the two apparatuses.

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes systems and methods for performing spatial reuse using the following techniques at access points and stations. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to spatial reuse of medium with a spatial reuse opportunity announcement provided to STAs by an AP, opportunistic directional sensing performed by STAs, and a channel access method with a new backoff procedure performed by the STAs. An AP may provision a spatial reuse opportunity announcement in a beacon interval, and STAs may perform opportunistic directional sensing based on the announcement and perform channel access after performing opportunistic directional sensing.

Abstract: A first communication device generates respective media access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) that include respective data for a respective second communication devices, and determines respective resource units (RUs) via which at least some of the second communication devices are to transmit as part of an uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) physical layer (PHY) transmission to respectively acknowledge receipt of the respective MPDUs. The first communication device generates respective control frames that are configured to prompt the at least some of the second communication devices to transmit the UL OFDMA PHY transmission, and that include indicators of the RUs via which the at least some of the second communication devices are to transmit as part of the UL OFDMA PHY transmission. The first communication device generates and transmits a single multi user (MU) PHY data unit that includes i) the MPDUs, and ii) the control frames.

Abstract: A method for acknowledging a first medium access control (MAC) service data unit (MSDU) is described. A first aggregate MAC protocol data unit (A-MPDU) of a first orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit is received at a first communication device from a second communication device. The first A-MPDU includes a first fragment of a plurality of fragments of the first MSDU. A second A-MPDU of a second OFDMA data unit is received at the first communication device from the second communication device. The second A-MPDU includes a second fragment of the plurality of fragments and the second fragment is an end fragment of the plurality of fragments. A fragment acknowledgment data unit is generated by the first communication device to acknowledge receipt of each of the plurality of fragments of the first MSDU. The fragment acknowledgment data unit is caused to be transmitted to the second communication device.

Abstract: A method for rate adaptation in a communication device includes, during a time interval, transmitting over a wireless channel to a peer communication device both (i) communication packets that carry user data, at a communication data rate, and (ii) channel-probing packets for probing channel conditions, at a channel-probing data rate that is derived from the communication data rate. A first statistical performance of the communication packets, and a second statistical performance of the channel-probing packets, are estimated over the time interval. The communication data rate is set for a subsequent time interval based on at least one of the first statistical performance and the second statistical performance.

Abstract: A first medium access control (MAC) service data unit (MSDU), intended for a communication device of multiple communication devices, is divided into a plurality of fragments. First and second groups of MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) intended for the multiple communication devices are generated and one or more transceivers are controlled to transmit first and second orthogonal frequency division multiple access data units that include the first and second groups, respectively, to the multiple communication devices. The first group includes a first MPDU that includes a first fragment of the plurality of fragments and is an only MPDU of the first group intended for the communication device. The second group includes a second MPDU that includes the first MSDU in its entirety and is included in the second group in response to determining that the first fragment was not properly received and/or decoded by the communication device.

Abstract: An access point generates a trigger frame to trigger an uplink multi-user (MU) transmission by multiple client stations. The access point generates the trigger frame to include a common information field and multiple per-station information fields. The access point generates the common information field to include (i) a subfield that indicates a bandwidth of the uplink MU transmission, and (ii) information that indicates a guard interval and a long training field (LTF) mode to be used by the multiple client stations for the uplink MU transmission, and generates each per-station field to include respective frequency allocation information that indicates respective frequency resources to be used by the respective client station for the uplink MU transmission. The access point transmits the trigger frame to the multiple client stations to trigger the uplink MU transmission by the multiple client stations.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a media access control (MAC) frame that includes an indication of a change in a block acknowledgment (BA) session that was previously established between the first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device transmits the MAC frame to the second communication device. The MAC frame is configured to cause the second communication device to adopt the change in the BA session in response to receiving the MAC frame.

Abstract: A client station of a wireless local area network (WLAN) determines respective availabilities at the client station of a plurality of subchannels for a multi-user (MU) transmission, and generates a media access control (MAC) data unit (MPDU) that includes a MAC header. The MAC header includes a control field, and the control field includes a subfield having i) an identification (ID) that indicates the subfield includes subchannel availability information, and ii) a bitmap that indicates the respective availabilities at the client station of the plurality of subchannels. The client station transmits the MPDU to an access point of the WLAN for a subsequent allocation by the access point of wireless bandwidth for the MU transmission.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to controlling access to a shared communication medium in a wireless communication system. In some implementations, a first communication device associated with a first basic service set (BSS) identified by a first BSS indicator receives a data unit transmitted by a second communication device. The data unit includes (i) a second BSS indicator indicating a second BSS associated with the second communication device and (ii) a duration indicator indicating a duration of time for which the shared communication medium is expected to be busy. An inter-BSS channel access counter is set based on the duration of time indicated by the duration indicator if the second BSS is different from the first BSS. An intra-BSS channel access counter is set based on the duration of time indicated by the duration indicator if the second BSS is the same as the first BSS.

Abstract: A communication device of a first wireless network determines that a first value of a first basic service set (BSS) color identifier is the same as a value of a second BSS color identifier corresponding to a neighboring second wireless network. In response, the communication device determines a second value of the first BSS color identifier. The communication device transmits one or more packets that each include i) an indication that the first BSS color identifier is changing, ii) the second value of the first BSS color identifier, and iii) a respective integer number of remaining beacon intervals corresponding to a start time when the second value of the first BSS color identifier will supersede the first value of the first BSS color identifier. Based on the start time, the communication device begins to use the second value of the first BSS color identifier with communications in the first wireless network.

Abstract: A client station receives from an access point (AP) a downlink packet that includes a trigger frame that is configured to prompt the client station to transmit an uplink packet to the AP. The trigger frame includes an indication of whether the client station is required to perform a channel sensing procedure to determine if one or more subchannels are not idle prior to transmitting the uplink packet. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is required to perform the channel sensing procedure: the client station does not transmit the uplink packet in response to determining that the one or more subchannels are not idle. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is not required to perform the channel sensing procedure, the client station transmits the uplink packet without measuring the one or more energy levels in the one or more subchannels.

Abstract: A beamforming training packet is transmitted from a first communication device to multiple second communication devices. A trigger frame is generated at the first communication device to trigger an uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission of beamforming training feedback from at least some of the multiple second communication devices. After transmission of the beamforming training packet by the first communication device, the trigger frame is transmitted to the at least some of the multiple communication devices. The uplink OFDMA transmission is then received at the first communication device. The uplink OFDMA transmission includes respective beamforming training feedback packets generated based on the beamforming training packet by respective ones of the at least some of the multiple second communication devices. The respective beamforming training feedback packets are simultaneously transmitted by the at least some of the multiple second communication devices.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a block acknowledgement (BA) frame that includes (i) acknowledgement information to indicate, to a second communication device, whether the first communication device successfully received multiple media access control (MAC) frames transmitted by the second communication device, and (ii) an indication of a change in a BA session between the first communication device and the second communication device. The first communication device transmits the BA frame to the second communication device, where the BA frame causes the second communication device to adopt the change in the BA session in response to receiving the BA frame.

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 first communication device receives an aggregate medium access control data unit (MAC) protocol data unit (A-MPDU) that aggregates multiple MAC protocol data units from a second communication device. The first communication device generates an acknowledgment data unit that includes a length indication that indicates a length of an acknowledgement field and the acknowledgment field of the indicated length. The length of the acknowledgement field is selected from a subset of predetermined lengths, among a set predetermined lengths, that includes multiple predetermined lengths that do not exceed a maximum number of MAC protocol data units that can be included in the A-MPDU. The maximum number of MAC protocol data units is limited by a buffer size negotiated in an acknowledgement setup procedure previously conducted between the first communication device and the second communication device. The first communication device transmits the acknowledgment data unit to the second communication device.

Abstract: A transmission opportunity (TXOP) owner transfer request is received at a first communication device from a second communication device. The TXOP transfer request indicates that the second communication device is requesting to transfer ownership of a first TXOP to the first communication device, wherein the first TXOP is owned by the second communication device. In response to receiving the TXOP owner transfer request, the first communication device initiates a second TXOP which is owned by the first communication device.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a PHY data unit. A signal field of the PHY preamble includes i) a common block of information bits having information for multiple second communication devices and ii) a plurality of user blocks of information bits, each user block having information for a respective one of the multiple second communication devices. The common block includes a frequency resource unit allocation field that defines a plurality of frequency resource units corresponding to a PHY payload of the PHY data unit. The user blocks respectively correspond to frequency resource units defined by the frequency resource unit allocation field. Each user block includes an indication of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used in the corresponding frequency resource unit. Each group of two user blocks is encoded as a respective second encoded block to allow the multiple second communication devices to efficiently decode the signal field.