Abstract: As part of a beamforming training procedure, a first communication device transmits a beamforming training packet. The first device then receives a plurality of respective beamforming feedback packets from a plurality of second communication devices. The first device then uses the plurality of beamforming feedback packets to select a group of multiple communication devices from among the plurality of second communication devices, wherein the group is selected for simultaneous transmissions to the first communication device. The first device then transmits a synchronization signal to the group to prompt second communication devices in the group to simultaneously transmit to the first communication device at a particular time. The first device then receives simultaneous transmissions from the group responsive to the synchronization signal.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a first wireless access point, and a first set of at least one first station in wireless communication with the first wireless access point. The first wireless access point controls power for communications with a first station in the set of at least one first station. The first wireless access point may control power in a time-domain, announcing a power level for use during a time window. The first wireless access point may control power levels in a frequency-domain, announcing different power levels for different frequency subchannels within a frequency channel. The wireless communication system may further include an additional wireless access point, and an additional set of at least one additional station in wireless communication with the additional wireless access point. The first and additional wireless access points control power to avoid interference between the first and additional wireless access points.

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.

Abstract: Multiple trigger frames are generated at a first communication device to trigger an uplink orthogonal frequency multiple access (OFDMA) transmission by multiple second communication devices. The multiple trigger frames include a broadcast trigger frame that includes information to indicate transmission parameters for a first subset of the second communication devices, and one or more unicast trigger frames, each of the one or more unicast trigger frame including information to indicate transmission parameters for a particular second communication device in a second subset of the second communication devices. The broadcast trigger frame is transmitted, in a first frequency portion of a downlink OFDMA transmission, to the first subset of the second communication devices, and respective unicast trigger frames are transmitted, in respective second frequency portions of the downlink OFDMA transmission, to the second subset of the second communication devices.

Abstract: One or more trigger frames are generated at a first communication device to trigger an uplink orthogonal frequency multiple access (OFDMA) transmission by multiple second communication devices. Each of the one or more trigger frames (i) includes an indication of a trigger type and (ii) is formatted according to the indicated trigger type. The first communication device transmits the one or more trigger frames to the multiple second communication devices. The first device then receives the triggered uplink OFDMA transmission that includes respective transmissions from the multiple second communication devices.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed specifying the arrangement and content of the fields in data and management frames, which allow for greater payload efficiency in frame-based communication networks. The content of the fields is changed from the standard 802.11 arrangement to meet of the needs of networks such as Sub-1 GHz networks, including those of the 802.11ah standard, and sensor networks with a large number of stations transmitting at low data rates. In some embodiments, MAC header fields are reduced from standard 802.11 header fields by using only two fields for addressing and eliminating standard fields that are not used in sensor networks.

Abstract: A first signal field to be included in a preamble of a physical layer (PHY) data unit is generated. The first signal field includes formatting information for a second signal field to be included in the PHY data unit. The formatting information includes an indication of a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in the second signal field. The second signal field is generated according to the formatting information in the first signal field. The second signal field includes formatting information for a data portion of the PHY data unit. The data portion is generated according to the formatting information in the second signal field. The preamble is generated to include at least the first signal field and the second signal field, The PHY data unit is generated to include the preamble and the data portion.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a multi-user (MU) physical layer (PHY) data unit having independent data for multiple second communication devices. The first communication device also generates respective control frames to prompt second communication devices to transmit an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) PHY data unit to acknowledge that the second communication devices received the MU PHY data unit. The MU PHY data unit and the respective control frames are transmitted to the multiple second communication devices. The first communication device receives the OFDMA PHY data unit from at least some of the second communication devices. The first communication device processes the OFDMA PHY data unit to determine whether the multiple second communication devices received the MU PHY data unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for reduced power consumption in communication networks, including sensor networks implemented according to IEEE 802.11ah, by organizing stations into groups having long sleep periods. By organizing the stations of the network into groups, the access point can match each group's traffic identification map with its target beacon transmit time. One embodiment organizes the stations sequentially by AID numbers. Other embodiments organize the stations by similar power save requirements and/or nearby geographical location. Forms of an Extended Traffic Identification Map are matched with an awaken Target Beacon Transmit Time of the group.

Abstract: This invention relates to switching power saving modes and rescheduling communication frames for various periods of a beacon interval (BI) defined under WGA Draft Specification 0.8 for the personal basic service set (PBSS) and infrastructure BSS to achieve further power savings and other advantages. Stations can be awake during a contention-based period (CBP) if it is in active state and can schedule frames during a service period (SP) to allow the assigned receiver to transmit to the assigned initiator. Stations in a group can schedule a group address frame to be sent during the CBP and group SP of a specific periodic BI. Stations in peer-to-peer connection may directly notify its peer stations of its power saving mode and wakeup schedule. Stations of an infrastructure basic service set (BSS) can also use the same power saving mechanism as stations of a PBSS noting a difference where each BI will be an access point's (AP's) awake BI.

Abstract: A first communication device transmits a first control frame to multiple second communication devices via a wireless communication medium, wherein the first control frame i) indicates to other communication devices that the wireless communication medium is reserved for a first time period, and ii) indicates that the second communication devices are requested to simultaneously transmit respective second control frames to the first communication device via the wireless communication medium, wherein the second control frames are to include information indicating to other communication devices that the wireless communication medium is reserved for a second time period that is a subset of the first time period.

Abstract: A plurality of different OFDM tone blocks for a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication channel are assigned to a plurality of devices. An OFDMA data unit is generated, the OFDMA unit including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion having at least i) a first legacy portion that corresponds to at least a first OFDM tone block, ii) a second legacy portion that corresponds to a second OFDM tone block, iii) a first non-legacy portion that corresponds to the first OFDM tone block, iv) a second non-legacy portion that corresponds to the second OFDM tone block, and v) a third non-legacy portion that corresponds to a third OFDM tone block. The first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block are separated in frequency by at least the third OFDM tone block.

Abstract: A communication device of a client uplink group transmits an enhanced request to send (E-RTS) message to an access point of a wireless local area network, wherein the E-RTS message includes i) a length of a TXOP of the communication device and ii) an indication of a data unit size for an uplink MU-MIMO data unit to be transmitted by the communication device simultaneously with transmissions of other members of the client uplink group. The communication device receives a communication frame from the access point, the communication frame including a prompt to transmit an uplink MU-MIMO data unit having the indicated data unit size. The communication device generates the uplink MU-MIMO data unit having the indicated data unit size, and transmits, in response to the communication frame, the uplink MU-MIMO data unit to the access point during the TXOP simultaneously with transmissions of other members of the client uplink group.

Abstract: Multiple virtual MAC addresses may be added to WGA devices that may have different traffic streams to another device that requires different services, thus creating distinct MAC and device level implications. Beamforming training can be done at the device level for all virtual MAC addresses. Wakeup, doze, and ATIM power save can be done at the device level depending on the frames received. Authentication, deauthentication, association, and deassociation can be done variously at both levels. Further MSDUs can be aggregated for the multiple MAC addresses.

Abstract: A wireless local area network system establishes a PASSPOINT™ connection between a mobile station and a hotspot using an enhanced single SSID method or an enhanced dual SSID method. In the dual SSID method, an access point associates and authenticates a mobile device to a secondary SSID of the access point during enrollment and provisioning. After enrollment, the access point authenticates the mobile station to a primary SSID of the access point using the credential that the mobile station received from an online sign-up (“OSU”) server in connection with the secondary SSID. In the single SSID method, an access point performs two levels of authentication. During authentication, communications are limited to an 802.1x controlled port running on the mobile station and access point. After a first authentication, communications between the OSU server and the mobile station are unblocked. After the second authentication, all traffic from the mobile station is unblocked.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for enabling spontaneous location determination in a scheduled wireless communication environment. For example embodiments, a first wireless communication device includes a transceiver and a multiple recipient communication system. The transceiver is configured to receive from a second wireless communication device a request to participate in a location determination procedure (LDP) that is to occur at least partially during a communication period that is assigned to a third wireless communication device. The multiple recipient communication system is configured to generate a multiple recipient frame that encapsulates (i) data that is destined for the third wireless communication device and (ii) a response to the request to participate in the LDP.

Abstract: An high efficiency wireless local area network access point including a channel access module and a scheduling module. The channel access module accesses a channel of an unlicensed frequency band, which includes a plurality of subchannels. The scheduling module generates a schedule for a plurality of high efficiency wireless local area network client stations to transmit data to the access point via the channel of the unlicensed frequency band. The schedule includes information for the plurality of client stations regarding (i) a time slot in which to access the channel without contention to transmit data to the access point via the channel, (ii) a subchannel of the plurality of subchannels to use during the time slot to transmit data to the access point, and (iii) one or more spatial streams to use on the subchannel and during the time slot to transmit data to the access point.

Abstract: This invention relates to switching power saving modes and rescheduling communication frames for various periods of a beacon interval (BI) defined under WGA Draft Specification 0.8 for the personal basic service set (PBSS) and infrastructure BSS to achieve further power savings and other advantages. Stations can be awake during a contention-based period (CBP) if it is in active state and can schedule frames during a service period (SP) to allow the assigned receiver to transmit to the assigned initiator. Stations in a group can schedule a group address frame to be sent during the CBP and group SP of a specific periodic BI. Stations in peer-to-peer connection may directly notify its peer stations of its power saving mode and wakeup schedule. Stations of an infrastructure basic service set (BSS) can also use the same power saving mechanism as stations of a PBSS noting a difference where each BI will be an access point's (AP's) awake BI.

Abstract: In a wireless network, a first access point includes a transmitter to transmit a first frame to a first device and a receiver to receive a second frame from the first device. The first and second frames are also received by second and third devices, which are separated from the first access point by predetermined distances. A timing module generates timing information including times of departure and arrival of the first and second frames at the first access point. At the first access point, a feedback module receives feedback information from the second and third devices including times of arrival of the first and second frames at the second and third devices, and a location determining module determines a location of the first device based on the timing and feedback information and predetermined locations of the first access point and the second and third devices in the wireless network.