Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to grouping electronic devices into contention groups to reduce uplink Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) random access (OFDMA-RA) collisions. An access point may explicitly assign an electronic device to a contention group, or the electronic device may implicitly determine an assignment to the contention group. To explicitly assign a device to a contention group, the access point may randomly assign or assign based on a criteria of the electronic device. Examples of criteria include an association identifier (AID), a traffic type/quality of service (QoS) category, a power saving preference, and an association status. The electronic device may implicitly determine a contention group assignment based on the total number of contention groups. The electronic device may use the explicitly or implicitly assigned contention group number to determine whether the electronic device may contend for a given trigger frame random access (TF-R) frame.

Abstract: A wireless access point transmits a protocol data unit (PDU) that includes data and signaling for a plurality of user devices. The PDU spans a channel in frequency and an interval in time, and includes a first signaling section, a second signaling section and a traffic action. For each of a plurality of subchannels of the channel: the first signaling section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding redundant copy of common signaling information for the user devices associated with the access point; the second signaling section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding set of user-specific signaling information for a corresponding group of one or more of the user devices; and the traffic section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding set of traffic data for the corresponding group of one or more user devices. Subchannels sizes may be configurable. A signaling set CRC may be included per subchannel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for enabling a spatial reuse opportunity at a high efficiency (HE) station and a network allocation vector (NAV) reset capability at a legacy station using a Request to Send and/or Clear to Send (RTS and/or CTS) frame. For example, the method can include receiving a RTS frame with a redefined field that specifies spatial reuse information. The NAV can be set based on the RTS frame. The method can determine whether a second frame was received within a threshold time after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS). Finally, the method can reset the NAV based on whether the second frame was received within the threshold time.

Abstract: During operation, an interface circuit in an electronic device may receive, from a second electronic device (such as an access point in a WLAN), an uplink trigger frame that may specify an access category. In response to the uplink trigger frame, the electronic device may first include data associated with the specified access category in one or more frames, and then may transmit the one or more frames to the second electronic device. Moreover, when all the data associated with the specified access category has been transmitted or when there is no data associated with the specified access category, and when there is leftover time in an allocation associated with the uplink trigger frame, the interface circuit may transmit the one or more frames to the second electronic device with additional data associated with another access category that is different from the specified access category.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for selectively decoding a multicast subframe in a multi-user frame for a wireless communications protocol. Embodiments include transmitting a request frame including a multicast group address for a multicast group to an access point (AP). The AP can determine a multicast identifier for the multicast group based on the multicast group address in the request frame. The AP can also transmit a response frame including the determined multicast identifier to a station (STA). The STA can receive a multi-user frame containing a multicast subframe from the AP. The STA can determine whether the multicast subframe is destined for the STA based on the determined multicast identifier and a multicast identifier stored in a preamble of the multi-user frame. The STA can determine whether to decode the multicast subframe based on the determination of whether the multicast subframe is destined for the STA.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing an efficient way to signal a tone mapping in a wireless communication protocol. Embodiments operate by receiving a frame for a wireless communications protocol. The embodiments extract a unique value from a tone mapping field in a preamble of the frame. The embodiments look up a resource block allocation for a portion of the tone space in a lookup table using the unique value. The embodiments map the tones of the portion of the tone space to one or more resource blocks based at least in part on the determined resource block allocation.

Abstract: An interface circuit in an electronic device may receive, from an access point associated with the electronic device, a frame with management information that enables the electronic device to use a spatial-reuse technique, where the electronic device, through the spatial-reuse technique, adjusts a transmit power and a channel-availability sensing threshold. Moreover, the management information may specify parameters for the spatial-reuse technique. Then, the electronic device may transmit, using the spatial-reuse technique, one or more frames to the access point based on the parameters. Furthermore, the electronic device may transmit, to the access point, feedback information that indicates communication performance during the communication between the electronic device and the access point. For example, the feedback information may include a retry rate and, more generally, communication-performance information. This feedback information may be used by the access point to modify the parameters.

Abstract: A wireless access point transmits a protocol data unit (PDU) that includes data and signaling for a plurality of user devices. The PDU spans a channel in frequency and an interval in time, and includes a first signaling section, a second signaling section and a traffic action. For each of a plurality of subchannels of the channel: the first signaling section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding redundant copy of common signaling information for the user devices associated with the access point; the second signaling section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding set of user-specific signaling information for a corresponding group of one or more of the user devices; and the traffic section includes (within the subchannel) a corresponding set of traffic data for the corresponding group of one or more user devices. Subchannels sizes may be configurable. A signaling set CRC may be included per subchannel.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to low energy communication techniques. According to some embodiments, a wireless transmission may be received by a wireless device. The wireless transmission may include a physical layer (PHY) preamble and PHY data. The PHY preamble may include destination information indicating a destination and length information indicating a length (or duration) of the wireless transmission. The destination and length information may be included prior to a portion of the PHY preamble configured for channel estimation. The wireless device may determine whether the wireless transmission is destined to the wireless device based on the destination information. If the wireless transmission is not destined to the wireless device, the wireless device may drop a remainder of the wireless transmission.

Abstract: An access point selects a channel access policy for an electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN). During operation, an interface circuit of the access point receives a channel access preference from the electronic device. The channel access preference includes: a multi-user trigger-based channel access technique, a single-user contention-based channel access technique, or both. The interface circuit selects the channel access policy for the electronic device based, at least in part, on the received channel access preference. The channel access policy can also be selected based at least in part on a communication performance metric associated with communication in the WLAN. The interface circuit communicates the selected channel access policy to the electronic device, which subsequently accesses a communication channel and communicates packets with the access point in accordance with the channel access policy.

Abstract: Time, frequency and waveform division multiplex schemes are used to efficiently estimate multiple uplink channels in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and multi-user Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) approaches provide efficient uplink data transmission. An Access Point (AP) communicates with multiple Stations (STAs) in the WLAN. In some approaches, two or more STAs are addressed and the two or more STAs respond at the same time. The AP receives a composite signal and separates the responses to estimate the uplink channel from each STA. After the AP learns the uplink channels, the AP triggers data transmission from one or more of the WLAN STAs by sending a synchronizing trigger message. In some embodiments, the STAs respond simultaneously with data transmissions to the AP.

Abstract: A station (STA) of a wireless local area network (WLAN) transitions implicitly between power management (PM) modes or PM states, without providing an explicit indication of the PM mode/state change to an access point (AP) of the WLAN. Transitions include changes between an active mode and a power save (PS) mode, or between an awake state and a doze state of the PS mode. Transitions occur immediately after receipt of a beacon indicating pending data for the STA, after an offset time indicated in the beacon, or at a specific wake time negotiated with the AP. After data reception is complete, the STA transitions implicitly to the PS mode or a doze state of the PS mode, after a power save inactivity timeout period or after receiving an indication that data transmission is complete.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method, computer program product, and system for grouping electronic devices into contention groups to reduce uplink Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) random access (OFDMA-RA) collisions. An access point may explicitly assign an electronic device to a contention group, or the electronic device may implicitly determine an assignment to the contention group. To explicitly assign a device to a contention group, the access point may randomly assign or assign based on a criteria of the electronic device. Examples of criteria include an association identifier (AID), a traffic type/quality of service (QoS) category, a power saving preference, and an association status. The electronic device may implicitly determine a contention group assignment based on the total number of contention groups.

Abstract: Managing orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) uplink acknowledgements is described herein. An example system can include an interface circuit to generate a physical layer convergence protocol data unit (PPDU) including a physical layer preamble, a first sub-channel field corresponding to a first station, and a second sub-channel field corresponding to a second station. The first sub-channel field can carry a first unicast trigger corresponding to the first station, and the second sub-channel field can carry a second unicast trigger corresponding to the second station. The interface circuit can also transmit the PPDU to the first and second stations.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to providing reduced power consumption in wireless communication systems, such as 802.11 WLAN systems. Timing information regarding power save opportunities (PSOPs) may be provided in communication frames, which may inform mobile devices of expected frame exchange periods during which they may transition to a Doze state. Additional PSOP information may be included in beacon frames, which may inform mobile devices of expected multicast periods during which they may transition to a Doze state. This may operate to provide improvements in terms of power consumption.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to low energy communication techniques. According to some embodiments, a wireless transmission may be received by a wireless device. The wireless transmission may include a physical layer (PHY) preamble and PHY data. The PHY preamble may include destination information indicating a destination and length information indicating a length (or duration) of the wireless transmission. The destination and length information may be included prior to a portion of the PHY preamble configured for channel estimation. The wireless device may determine whether the wireless transmission is destined to the wireless device based on the destination information. If the wireless transmission is not destined to the wireless device, the wireless device may drop a remainder of the wireless transmission.

Abstract: Determining wireless local area network (WLAN) channel medium usage information by WLAN access points (APs) and WLAN stations (STAs) is disclosed. A new medium access control (MAC) duration field in a request to send (RTS) message provides a duration value to be conveyed in a subsequent clear to send (CTS) message. A channel or bandwidth can then be quickly used if an addressed STA does not respond to the RTS message. Also, a STA recognizes an unexpected silence and accesses the medium when a trigger frame is followed by a CTS timeout interval. In a third embodiment, an AP requests that STAs monitor particular channels to obtain network allocation vector (NAV) information. The STAs then respond (or informatively, do not respond) to RTS messages; thus, allowing the AP and other listening devices to determine channel medium information. The AP can then schedule data exchanges based on the determined information.

Abstract: Mixed mode operations within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Certain communication systems can include wireless communication devices of various capabilities therein (e.g., IEEE Task Group ac (TGac VHT), IEEE 802.11 amendment TGn, IEEE 802.11 amendment TGa, and/or other capabilities, etc.). In one manner of classification, wireless communication devices having legacy and newer/updated capabilities may inter-operate with one another, operate within a common region, and/or communicate via a common access point (AP). Coordination of such wireless communication devices (e.g., legacy and newer/updated) provides for their respective operation on a same set of clusters in accordance with various operational modes including: (1) time dividing medium access between the wireless communication devices of various capabilities, (2) assigning primary cluster(s) for a first capability set and assigning non-primary cluster(s) for a second capability set, etc.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) mechanism for wireless communication devices of a wireless local area network (WLAN) are disclosed. Methods and apparatus to determine whether a packet is an original, first transmission or a retransmission of a previously transmitted packet without decoding the payload of the packet are disclosed. Medium access control (MAC) addresses of a transmitter, such as an access point (AP), and a receiver, such as a station (STA), of a WLAN are encoded separately with a retransmission bit to indicate whether the packet is retransmitted. For an aggregated MAC protocol data unit (A-MPDU), a sequence number is included to determine which MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) of the A-MPDU are retransmitted. When retransmission is indicated, the receiver of the STA performs a hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) process to combine the retransmitted packet with previously received packets.

Abstract: In embodiments, a wireless device, such as a Wi-Fi device, transmits communication signals on secondary channels within an operational bandwidth of a wireless network, concurrent with a transmission from another wireless device on a primary channel. The wireless device may detect that a first frequency band within an operating bandwidth of a wireless network is occupied by a first transmission transmitted by a second wireless device, and determine that a second, different frequency band within the operating bandwidth of the wireless network is not occupied. In response, the wireless device may transmit a second transmission occupying the second frequency band concurrent with the first transmission. The wireless device may set a duration of the second transmission based at least in part on a determination of whether the second wireless device is configured to assess the state of all frequency bands within the operating bandwidth before beginning a subsequent transmission.