Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing an efficient way to assign resource blocks to user receiver devices in a wireless communications protocol. For example, the method can receive a frame for a wireless communications protocol. The method can also extract a unique value from a tone mapping field in a preamble of the frame. The method can also look up a resource block allocation for a portion of the tone space in a lookup table using the unique value. Further, the method can extract an assignment field from the preamble based on the determined resource block allocation. The method can also determine an assigned resource block number based on the assignment field. The method can also assign a resource block corresponding to the assigned resource block number to a user receiver device.

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: A method for receiving feedback on a quality of multicast transmissions in a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN) including a source electronic device (e.g., an access point) and a plurality of electronic devices is disclosed, according to some embodiments. The method can include (i) transmitting a plurality of multicast packets addressed to a subset of the plurality of electronic devices by the source electronic device; (ii) concurrently polling the subset of the plurality of electronic devices by the source electronic device; and (iii) receiving a plurality of block acknowledgements (BAs) from at least the subset of the plurality of electronic devices by the source electronic device. Each BA may include information on a quality of reception of two or more multicast packets received at an electronic device.

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.

Abstract: Transmission coordination within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Within wireless communication systems, there can be various wireless communication devices therein that are not all compliant with a common capability set, communication protocol, communication standard, recommended practice, etc. For example, some communication systems may have some wireless communication devices characterized as ‘legacy’ wireless communication devices, and other wireless communication devices therein may be newer and compliant with newer capability sets, communication protocols, communication standards, recommended practices, etc. In such instances, coordination of transmissions among the various wireless communication devices may be made, when performing simultaneous transmissions, by ensuring that transmissions of devices on different channels is made when aligned on a common boundary of an OFDM symbol.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a first wireless device initializes a first threshold and sends a first frame transmission to a second wireless device. When the first wireless device determines that the first frame transmission was successful, it adjusts the first threshold to a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold. Additionally, when the first wireless device determines that the first frame transmission was not successful, the first wireless device adjusts the first threshold to a third threshold that is less than the first threshold. The thresholds can be associated with any measure, including carrier sensitivity and/or energy detection.

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: 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: Explicit feedback format within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A beamformer provides a first communication to a beamformee, and based thereon, the beamformee may ascertain certain characteristics associated with the type and format of feedback to be provided to the beamformee via a second communication from the beamformee to the beamformer. For example, the first communication may include indication of a current operational mode, such as whether it is in accordance with single-user multiple input multiple output (SU-MIMO) or multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO). Also, the first communication may indicate a requested steering matrix's rank to be employed in accordance with subsequent beamforming by the beamformer. Also, additional information such as that pertaining to per-tone SNR values for each respective space-time stream, per-tone or per-sub-band eigen-values, the particular channel width being employed (e.g., 20, 40, 80, or 160 MHz), etc.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer program product embodiments for processing an A-MPSDU frame structure. An example system can include an interface circuit to combine a plurality of media access control (MAC) headers corresponding to a plurality of media access control service data units (MSDUs) into an aggregated MAC header. The aggregated MAC header can include length information for each of the MSDUs. The interface circuit can also insert the aggregated MAC header into a frame and transmit the frame using an antenna.

Abstract: A multi-user super-frame (MU-SF), as controlled by a MU-SF owner, is used to govern the manner by which various wireless communication devices have access to the communication medium. When various wireless communication devices operate within a wireless communication system, communication medium access can be handled differently for wireless communication devices having different capabilities. Per the MU-SF, those having a first capability may get medium access in accordance with a first operational mode (e.g., carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA)), while those having a second capability may get medium access in accordance with a second operational mode (e.g., scheduled access). The respective durations for each of the first operational mode and the second operational mode within various MU-SFs need not be the same; the respective durations thereof may be adaptively modified based on any number considerations.

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: This disclosure relates to orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication in wireless local area networks (WLANs). According to some embodiments, a downlink OFDMA frame may be transmitted. An uplink OFDMA frame including acknowledgements associated with the downlink OFDMA frame may be received. The uplink OFDMA frame may be processed, in some instances including determining which devices receiving the downlink OFDMA frame transmitted an acknowledgement associated with the downlink OFDMA frame in the uplink OFDMA frame.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication in wireless local area networks (WLANs). According to some embodiments, an indication may be transmitted to receiving devices that a first frame is an OFDMA frame. Channel information indicating allocation of bandwidth portions of the first frame to respective receiving devices may also be transmitted to the receiving devices. The first frame may be transmitted to the receiving devices, including transmitting data to each respective receiving device on the bandwidth portion(s) allocated to the respective receiving device.

Abstract: A device and method generates a hopping scheme for mobile stations of a wireless network. The method includes receiving a number of channels N of the wireless network. The method includes generating a shuffling matrix as a function of the number of channels N, each row of the shuffling matrix being indicative of a respective one of the mobile stations, each column of the shuffling matrix being indicative of a respective broadcast time of a discovery signal in a hopping scheme. The method includes generating the hopping scheme for the mobile stations in the channels as a function of the shuffling matrix. The hopping scheme maximizes an interval between two consecutive broadcast times that any two of the mobile stations are assigned to transmit discovery signals on adjacent channels.

Abstract: Transmission coordination within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Within wireless communication systems, there can be various wireless communication devices therein that are not all compliant with a common capability set, communication protocol, communication standard, recommended practice, etc. For example, some communication systems may have some wireless communication devices characterized as ‘legacy’ wireless communication devices, and other wireless communication devices therein may be newer and compliant with newer capability sets, communication protocols, communication standards, recommended practices, etc. In such instances, coordination of transmissions among the various wireless communication devices may be made, when performing simultaneous transmissions, by ensuring that transmissions of devices on different channels is made when aligned on a common boundary of an OFDM symbol.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a system and method for providing flexible receiver configuration in wireless communication systems, such as 802.11 WLAN systems. In one embodiment, a wireless device may transmit a first data frame including first configuration information specifying a first configuration of the receiver to notify a remote device that the wireless device intends to configure its receiver according to the first configuration. After receiving an acknowledgement frame confirming the first configuration information, the wireless device may configure the receiver according to the first configuration. In another embodiment, a wireless device may receive a first data frame including first configuration information and further including a request that the wireless device configure its receiver according to the first configuration. In response, the wireless device may configure the receiver according to the first configuration.

Abstract: Explicit feedback format within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A beamformer provides a first communication to a beamformee, and based thereon, the beamformee may ascertain certain characteristics associated with the type and format of feedback to be provided to the beamformee via a second communication from the beamformee to the beamformer. For example, the first communication may include indication of a current operational mode, such as whether it is in accordance with single-user multiple input multiple output (SU-MIMO) or multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO). Also, the first communication may indicate a requested steering matrix's rank to be employed in accordance with subsequent beamforming by the beamformer. Also, additional information such as that pertaining to per-tone SNR values for each respective space-time stream, per-tone or per-sub-band eigen-values, the particular channel width being employed (e.g., 20, 40, 80, or 160 MHz), etc.

Abstract: Multi-user null data packet (MU-NDP) sounding within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Within communication systems including multiple wireless communication devices (e.g., one or more APs, STAs, etc.), channel sounding of the selected communication links between the various wireless communication devices is performed. A MU-NDP announcement frame is transmitted to and received by various wireless communication devices indicating which of those wireless communication devices (e.g., one, some, or all) are being sounded. Then, respective NDP sounding frames are transmitted via the communication links corresponding to those wireless communication devices (e.g., one, some, or all) are being sounded, and sounding feedback signals are subsequently sent back to the original transmitting wireless communication device.

Abstract: Scheduled clear to send (CTS) for multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Before sending transmissions, a request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) exchange takes place between a transmitting wireless communication device and multiple receiving wireless communication devices may take place therein. The transmitting wireless communication device (e.g., an AP) may generate and transmit a multi-user request to send (mRTS) frame to a number of receiving wireless communication devices (e.g., STAs). The mRTS frame can include information and instructions therein to direct the manner by which all or a subset of the receiving wireless communication devices are to provide CTS responses back to the transmitting wireless communication device. The mRTS frame may be an OFDMA frame, a MU-MIMO frame, or a combination thereof. The CTS responses may be received in accordance with any one or combination of OFDM signaling, OFDMA signaling, and MU-MIMO signaling.