Abstract: This disclosure relates to determining load and estimating throughput of wireless networks by a wireless device. According to some embodiments, the numbers of active downlink and uplink nodes in a wireless network may be determined. Channel utilization of the wireless network may also be determined. An uplink data rate and a downlink data rate of the wireless device in the wireless network may be estimated. Based on the numbers of active downlink and uplink nodes, channel utilization, and the uplink data rate and a downlink data rate of the wireless device, the maximum possible uplink throughput and downlink throughput of the wireless device in the wireless network may be estimated. Such throughput estimates may be used to select a wireless network to join from among multiple available wireless networks.

Abstract: Passive and active scanning for extended range wireless networking. The choice between legacy and extended range signaling can depend on one or more factors. For passive scanning, an electronic device may transmit a combination of legacy beacons and extended range beacons for network discovery by receiving electronic devices. For active scanning, an electronic device may transmit extended range probe requests in addition to legacy probe requests to discover all of the access points within its transmission range. Responses to probe requests can use extended range, legacy, single user, and/or multi user protocols.

Abstract: Wireless communication devices (UEs) may include multiple receive (RX) chains and associated antennas, and at least one transmit (TX) chain co-located with one of the RX chains. The UE may track instant fading of the antenna gain(s) during reception of packets from an associated access point (AP) device to which the UE intends to transmit packets. The UE may also track long term antenna gain(s), using any packets received at the multiple RX chains within the UE. At a switching occasion, a decision is made by the UE whether to switch antennas. If the instant fading detection is based on packets received no later than a specified time period prior to the switching occasion, then the UE may make the switching decision based on the results of the instant fading tracking. Otherwise, the UE may make the switching decision based on the results of the long term antenna gain tracking.

Abstract: An access point establishes target wakeup times (TWTs) with one or more associated electronic devices in a WLAN. The access point transitions to a power-saving mode outside of the one or more TWTs. The access point maintains synchronization with the one or more electronic devices, during at least a first TWT in the one or more TWTs, by transmitting, to the one or more electronic devices, a TWT beacon that includes, or in conjunction with, synchronization information. Alternatively or additionally, during at least the first TWT, the access point transmits a multi-user trigger frame that includes the synchronization information to the one or more electronic devices. In response to the multi-user trigger frame, the access point receives data frames from the one or more electronic devices, transmits one or more acknowledgments, and transitions into the power-saving mode during a remainder of at least the first TWT.

Abstract: An electronic device that transmits a frame to a second electronic device is described. In particular, during operation, an interface circuit in the electronic device (such as an access point in a WLAN) may transmit the frame to the second electronic device using a Wi-Fi communication protocol. The frame may include information cancelling a previously specified NAV protected time in a preamble of the frame. For example, the information may include a CF-End indication. Moreover, the information may be included in a MAC header of the frame and, more generally, in a preamble of a high efficiency (HE) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU). Furthermore, the electronic device may transmit the frame in response to a block acknowledgment (BA) from the second electronic device.

Abstract: An access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) uses a protocol to determine frequency/time resource allocations of resource units (RUs) in parallel with data transfer to and from WLAN stations (STAs). The AP generates a sounding table associating STAs with RUs for uplink (UL) and downlink (DL). The AP processes the sounding table to create a channel map table and then the AP allocates particular RUs to particular STAs. The STAs then receive and transmit data from and to the AP over the allocated RUs. This approach achieves good throughput while reducing the use of signaling and pilot overhead associated with channel sounding. To avoid interruption of ongoing transmissions, a newly arriving STA is grouped and sounded with other STAs. The protocol includes a joint sounding and data epoch followed by a determination of the channel map table.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are method, system, and computer program product embodiments for utilizing multiple traffic identifiers (TIDs) in a single user (SU) transmission. Some embodiments may operate by forming a SU multiple TID data unit that includes first data associated with a first access category and a first TID and second data associated with a second access category and a second TID. Some embodiments may further operate by transmitting the SU multiple TID data unit during a transmission opportunity based on configuration parameters associated with the transmission opportunity.

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: 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: Wireless communication devices (UEs) may include multiple receive (RX) chains and associated antennas, and at least one transmit (TX) chain co-located with one of the RX chains. The UE may track instant fading of the antenna gain(s) during reception of packets from an associated access point (AP) device to which the UE intends to transmit packets. The UE may also track long term antenna gain(s), using any packets received at the multiple RX chains within the UE. At a switching occasion, a decision is made by the UE whether to switch antennas. If the instant fading detection is based on packets received no later than a specified time period prior to the switching occasion, then the UE may make the switching decision based on the results of the instant fading tracking. Otherwise, the UE may make the switching decision based on the results of the long term antenna gain tracking.

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: 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 electronic device communicates frames with an access point (AP) by receiving, from the AP, a frame header that includes information specifying a first set of tones of an OFDMA communication, the first set of tones associated with first resource block subchannels having a first bandwidth used by the AP to transmit a frame payload. The electronic device obtains a second set of tones associated with second resource block subchannels having a second bandwidth that differs from the first bandwidth, and receives the frame payload using the OFDMA communication, the second resource block subchannels, and the second set of tones. Alternatively, an electronic device dynamically switches a channel-access mode when communicating a frame with the AP depending on whether the communication includes a primary 20 MHz channel. In a technique, an MU-PPDU is communicated using a frame via a non-primary 20 MHz channel without using the primary 20 MHz channel.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) station (STA) reports, with a medium access control (MAC) frame, a buffer status of an urgent traffic identifier (TID) to a second STA. In some embodiments, the second STA is also an access point (AP). The delay in reporting is reduced by providing a buffer status report for the urgent TID in a data frame being transmitted to carry data for a current TID. The buffer status report, in some embodiments, provides the value of the urgent TID. In some embodiments, the buffer status report provides an indication of the amount of data in a buffer corresponding to the urgent TID. In some embodiments, the buffer status report is based on an aggregated measure of more than one buffer with data awaiting transmission. The transmission of the MAC frame, in some embodiments, is unsolicited.

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: 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: A system and method for partial bandwidth communication. The system includes a device that has a transceiver configured to connect to a network, a memory storing an executable program and a processor. The program causes the processor to perform operations including receiving data to be transmitted to second device, determining if the data uses less than a predetermined bandwidth used as a unit for a carrier aggregation, determining a plurality of sub-bands in the predetermined bandwidth, each sub-band including at least one pilot and a plurality of frequency tones, receiving network information from the second device, the network information indicating a preferred sub-band of the sub-bands, assigning one of the sub-bands to the second device based upon the network information, generating a packet including an indication, the indication indicating the assigned sub-band; transmitting the packet to the second device and transmitting the data in the assigned sub-band.

Abstract: Uplink resource assignment in a wireless local area network (WLAN) by an access point (AP) to wireless stations (STAs) is herein provided using opportunistic feedback from the STAs. The AP sends a message to a first STA; the message is also observed by a second STA. Each STA can determine if it wishes to opportunistically send information concerning the message to the AP. The second STA can perform power measurements on the message and send subcarrier signal to noise ratio (SNR) or ranking information to the AP. Thus, the AP can receive, possibly without expectation, encoded or compressed information describing radio channels of the first STA and/or the second STA. Based on the received channel information the AP improves operation of a dynamic resource allocation algorithm which determines uplink grants of resource units (RUs) to the STAs.

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 performing retransmissions in a wireless communication system by a wireless device. A wireless device may receive a first transmission of a data frame according to a wireless communication technology. The wireless device may attempt to decode the data frame. It may be determined that attempting to decode the data frame is unsuccessful. A retransmission of the data frame may be received at a retransmission interval after the first transmission of the data frame. The retransmission interval may be less than a minimum interframe interval for contending for medium access for new transmissions according to the wireless communication technology.