Patents by Inventor Liwen Chu

Liwen Chu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9838963
    Abstract: A IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system of an access point (AP) and one or more stations (STAs) reduces power consumption and increases battery life of power efficient low power STAs by decreasing the amount of time that a power efficient low power STA remains in an awake state. After indicating power efficient low power operation during association with an AP supporting such operation, the power efficient low power STA may enter the doze state from the time that the power efficient low power STA sends a PS-Poll until the power efficient low power STA receives the buffered DATA frame from the AP. While implementing the power efficient PS-Poll method, the AP can send the buffered DATA frame to the STA SIFS after the AP sends an ACK to the received PS-Poll from the STA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, George A. Vlantis
  • Publication number: 20170338867
    Abstract: A first communication device receives plurality of uplink data units simultaneously transmitted by multiple second communication devices, and generates an acknowledgement data unit to acknowledge receipt of the plurality of uplink data units. Each of at least some of a plurality of acknowledgment fields includes: a first field that includes an indicator of a corresponding one of the second communication devices, a second field that indicates whether the acknowledgment field corresponds to i) an acknowledgment corresponding to a single data unit, or ii) a block acknowledgment corresponding to multiple data units, wherein when the second field that indicates a block acknowledgment, the acknowledgment field further includes a third field having a bitmap that indicates which data units in the group are being acknowledged, and wherein when the second field that indicates acknowledgment of a single data unit, the acknowledgment field does not include the third field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Jinjing JIANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Publication number: 20170338914
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Jinjing JIANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Patent number: 9826532
    Abstract: A method for transmitting a resource request for an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission is described. A resource request field that indicates buffer information corresponding to queued media access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) that are queued for transmission by a first communication device is generated. The resource request field includes i) a scale factor subfield that indicates a scale value, and ii) a resource subfield that indicates a base resource value. A resource request MPDU including the resource request field is generated. The resource request MPDU is transmitted to a second communication device via a wireless communication channel to request an allocation of radio resources for the OFDMA transmission. The buffer information is i) a number of bytes indicated by the scale value multiplied by the base resource value, or ii) a transmission opportunity duration indicated by the scale value multiplied by the base resource value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, Hongyuan Zhang, Lei Wang, Yakun Sun, Jinjing Jiang, Hui-Ling Lou
  • Patent number: 9826434
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for the operation of wireless communication networks, in which communication channels can have possibly overlapping bandwidths of different sizes, including sensor networks operating by the IEEE 802.11ah standard. A first method of signaling to negotiate the channel bandwidth conveys the needed information in the SIG field of the PPDUs of duplicate RTS/CTS frames, and uses the SIG field of PPDUs of duplicated data, control and management frames to perform transmit opportunity protection. A second method of signaling to negotiate the channel bandwidth conveys the needed information in the scrambling sequence field of PPDUs of duplicate RTS, and uses the scrambling sequence field of PPDUs of duplicated data, control and management frames to perform transmit opportunity protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, George A. Vlantis
  • Patent number: 9825678
    Abstract: A method for selecting members of a client uplink group is described. An uplink traffic characteristic information signal is received from each of a plurality of communication devices. Multiple communication devices of the plurality of communication devices are selected as members of a client uplink group based at least on traffic information indicated by the respective uplink traffic characteristic information signals. An uplink group definition frame is transmitted to each member of the client uplink group. The uplink group definition frame indicates an uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmission schedule for the client uplink group for members of the client uplink group to simultaneously transmit to an access point. The members of the client uplink group are triggered to transmit uplink data frames simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, Hongyuan Zhang, Hui-Ling Lou
  • Publication number: 20170325233
    Abstract: A communication device assigns a plurality of different orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) tone blocks for a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication channel to a plurality of devices. At least a first assigned OFDM tone block has a first frequency bandwidth that is less than a smallest bandwidth of a legacy WLAN communication protocol. The communication device generates an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission in the WLAN communication channel. The OFDMA PHY data unit is generated to include: a preamble portion that includes a legacy signal field having a bandwidth equal to the smallest bandwidth of the legacy WLAN communication protocol; and a data portion that includes respective independent data for the plurality of devices modulated to respective OFDM tone blocks, including data for a first communication device modulated to the first assigned OFDM tone block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Hongyuan ZHANG, Yakun SUN, Hui-Ling LOU, Liwen CHU
  • Publication number: 20170303164
    Abstract: A first communication device determines one or more parameters related to a format of a media access control layer (MAC) data unit for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission. The format of the MAC data unit for the UL MU transmission is different than a format of a MAC data unit for an UL single user (SU) transmission. The first communication device generates one or more data units that include the one or more parameters. The first communication device transmits the one or more data units to a plurality of second communication devices to inform the plurality of second communication devices of the format of the MAC data unit for UL MU transmissions by the plurality of second communication devices to the first communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Leilei SONG, Ken Kinwah HO, Tianan Tim MA, Li-Fu JENG, Seong Yong PARK, Foo Keong TANG
  • Publication number: 20170302422
    Abstract: A first communication device receives a first data unit from a second communication device via one or more communication channels. The first data unit includes an indication of a first set of one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device, and the first data unit is configured to prompt the first communication device to transmit channel availability information as part of a subsequent orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission. The first communication device determines channel availability information for the one or more communication channels, and when the first communication device determines that at least one of the communication channels is idle, the first communication device transmits a second data unit to the second communication device in one or more sub-channels allocated to the first communication device as part of the OFDMA transmission, the second data unit including the channel availability information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Yakun SUN, Leilei SONG, Ken Kinwah HO, Tianan Tim MA, Li-Fu JENG, Seong Yong PARK, Foo Keong TANG
  • Publication number: 20170303311
    Abstract: A first communication device associated with a first communication network determines that a second communication device associated with a second communication network is located proximate to the first communication device. The first communication device generates a data unit that includes information indicating i) a color identifier of the second communication network, the color identifier usable to identify transmissions from the second communication network, and ii) that a dynamic clear channel assessment (CCA) procedure should not be used for transmissions from the second communication network. The first communication device transmits the data unit to at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network such that the at least one other communication device associated with the first communication network does not use the dynamic CCA procedure for transmissions identified as being from the second communication network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Jinjing JIANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Yakun SUN, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Publication number: 20170294992
    Abstract: A method for transmitting a subchannel availability for an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) transmission is described. An availability of one or more subchannels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) channel are determined by a first communication device for the UL MU transmission. A High Throughput (HT) Control field of a media access control (MAC) header that includes an indication of the determined availability of the one or more subchannels is generated by the first communication device. A MAC protocol data unit (MPDU) that includes the HT Control field is generated by the first communication device. The MPDU is transmitted by the first communication device to a second communication device via the OFDM channel for a subsequent allocation of radio resources for the UL MU transmission by the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Jinjing JIANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Yakun SUN, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Publication number: 20170295571
    Abstract: A first communication device generates a first physical layer (PHY) data unit that includes information indicating a capability to use a channel bandwidth greater than a maximum channel bandwidth of the first communication device, and transmits the first PHY data unit to a second communication device during an association process with the second communication device. The first communication device generates a second PHY data unit that includes information indicating a capability to use at most the maximum channel bandwidth of the first communication device, and transmits the second PHY data unit to the second communication device when the first communication device is associated with the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Yakun SUN, Jinjing JIANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Publication number: 20170280343
    Abstract: A first communication device generates a range measurement packet (or a packet that includes a probe response frame, a TIM frame, etc.) associated with a range measurement signal exchange session between the first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device records a time value of a first timer corresponding to a time of transmission of the packet, and includes timing information corresponding to the recorded time value in the packet. The first communication device transmits the packet to the second communication device. The timing information in the packet is useable by a third communication device to adjust time values corresponding to a second timer, which the third communication device includes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Sagar TAMHANE, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Patent number: 9768921
    Abstract: A method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit includes generating a first signal field to include multiple copies of first signal field content, wherein the first signal field content spans one sub-band of a plurality of sub-bands of the PHY data unit, and wherein the multiple copies collectively span the plurality of sub-bands of the PHY data unit; generating a second signal field to include multiple copies of second signal field content, wherein the second signal field content spans multiple ones of the plurality of sub-bands of the PHY data unit, and wherein the multiple copies of the second signal field collectively span the plurality of sub-bands of the PHY data unit; generating a preamble of the PHY data unit to include at least the first signal field and the second signal field; generating the PHY data unit to include at least the preamble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Yakun Sun, Lei Wang, Jinjing Jiang, Liwen Chu, Hongyuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20170257189
    Abstract: A first communication device receives an aggregated data unit from a second communication device. The aggregated data unit aggregates (i) one or more sets of multiple data units, each set of multiple data units to be acknowledged by a respective block acknowledgement and (ii) one or more single data units, each single data unit to be acknowledged by a respective single acknowledgement. The first communication device generates a block acknowledgment frame that includes (i) block acknowledgement information to acknowledge the one or more sets of multiple data units, and (ii) single acknowledgment information to acknowledge the one or more single data units, where the block acknowledgement frame omits an indication that the block acknowledgement frame includes the single acknowledgement information. The first communication device causes the block acknowledgement frame to be transmitted to the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Jinjing JIANG, Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Yakun SUN, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Patent number: 9749975
    Abstract: An access point including a generation module, a transceiver, and an acknowledgment module. The generation module is configured to generate a synchronization signal. The transceiver is configured to (i) transmit the synchronization signal to a station, (ii) receive a medium access control protocol data unit based on the synchronization signal during a transmit opportunity period for the station. The acknowledgment module is configured to generate an acknowledgment signal based on the reception of the medium access control protocol data unit. The synchronization signal or the acknowledgment signal includes a null data packet frame. The null data packet frame includes a legacy signal field. The legacy signal field comprises a length of a portion of the null data packet frame subsequent to the legacy signal field. The transceiver is configured to transmit the acknowledgment signal to the station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, Lei Wang, Hongyuan Zhang, Hui-Ling Lou, Yakun Sun
  • Publication number: 20170244531
    Abstract: A first communication device receives a physical layer (PHY) data unit from a second communication device. The PHY data unit includes multiple medium access control (MAC) data units aggregated in an aggregate MAC data unit. The first communication device generates an acknowledgment data unit to acknowledge receipt of the multiple MAC data units. The acknowledgment data unit includes (i) a length indication that indicates a length of an acknowledgement field, and (ii) the acknowledgment field of the indicated length. The acknowledgement field includes respective acknowledgement information for the multiple MAC data units. The first communication device transmits the acknowledgment data unit to the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Jinjing JIANG, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Patent number: 9729214
    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 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Liwen Chu, Lei Wang, Jinjing Jiang, Hongyuan Zhang, Hui-Ling Lou
  • Publication number: 20170223730
    Abstract: A communication device determines, in connection with a prior uplink multi-user (UL MU) communication in which the communication device participated, whether the communication device is to use one or more first channel access parameters, or one or more second channel access parameters for accessing a communication medium for a single user (SU) transmission by the communication device, where using the one or more first channel access parameters is associated with a greater probability of obtaining access to the communication medium as compared to using the one or more second channel access parameters. Depending on the determination made, the communication device uses the one or more first channel access parameters, or the one or more second channel access parameters to attempt to access the communication medium. In response to accessing the communication medium, the communication device transmits the SU transmission via the communication medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Jinjing JIANG, Liwen CHU, Lei WANG, Yakun SUN, Hongyuan ZHANG, Hui-Ling LOU
  • Patent number: 9717086
    Abstract: A method for generating an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit is described. A plurality of different orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) tone blocks for a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication channel are assigned to a plurality of devices including a first device and second device. The plurality of different OFDM tone blocks includes at least a first OFDM tone block assigned to the first device and a second OFDM tone block assigned to the second device. The first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block together span a bandwidth equal to a smallest channel bandwidth of a legacy WLAN communication protocol. An OFDMA data unit is generated for the WLAN communication channel. The OFDMA unit includes a preamble portion and a data portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyuan Zhang, Yakun Sun, Hui-Ling Lou, Liwen Chu