Abstract: Systems and methods related to partial beam correspondence may be used to address potential limitations of beamforming wireless networks. A user equipment electronic device and/or wireless network identifies a subset of available transmitter beams for the user equipment electronic device that are indicated as similar to a downlink reference signal received at the user equipment electronic device from a wireless network node. The user equipment electronic device sweeps the subset of available transmitter beams for communication with the wireless network node and uses a best beam from the sweep to communicate with the wireless network node.

Abstract: Methods and systems include beamformed wireless communications to and from a user equipment electronic device. During operation of the user equipment electronic device, a change in slot aggregation is made. Using the aggregated slots, the user equipment electronic device and/or a wireless network utilize beam sweeps to determine a best beam pairing by repeating a shared channel in the aggregated slots with a beam sweep of multiple beams between the user equipment electronic device and the wireless network.

Abstract: A client station receives from an access point (AP) a downlink packet that includes a trigger frame that is configured to prompt the client station to transmit an uplink packet to the AP. The trigger frame includes an indication of whether the client station is required to perform a channel sensing procedure to determine if one or more subchannels are not idle prior to transmitting the uplink packet. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is required to perform the channel sensing procedure: the client station does not transmit the uplink packet in response to determining that the one or more subchannels are not idle. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is not required to perform the channel sensing procedure, the client station transmits the uplink packet without measuring the one or more energy levels in the one or more subchannels.

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: A first communication device transmits a trigger frame transmission to multiple second communication devices to prompt the multiple second communication devices to simultaneously transmit in multiple communication sub-channels. The first communication device receives one or more transmissions from one or more of the second communication devices in less than all of the communication sub-channels. The first communication device generates acknowledgment information for the one or more transmissions from the one or more of the second communication devices, and transmits the acknowledgment information via all of communication sub-channels.

Abstract: An interface circuit in an electronic device may perform wireless link adaptation. During operation the interface circuit may transmit at least two data streams, where a first data stream of at least the two data streams has a higher quality-of-service (QoS) criterion and a lower modulation coding scheme (MCS), and a second data stream of at least the two data streams has a lower QoS criterion and a higher MCS. Then, the interface circuit may estimate a communication performance metric associated with the second data stream. Next, the interface circuit may selectively transmit an MCS probe associated with the second data stream based at least in part on the communication performance metric and the lower QoS criterion. Moreover, in response to receiving feedback information associated with the recipient electronic device and the MCS probe, the interface circuit may modify the first MCS and/or the second MCS.

Abstract: An interface circuit in an electronic device may provide rate feedback. During operation the interface circuit may transmit one or more packets or frames associated with a data stream that are intended for the recipient electronic device, where the data stream is associated with a video encoder. Then, the interface circuit may estimate a communication performance metric associated with at least the transmissions. For example, the estimated communication performance metric comprises an effective capacity associated with a wireless link between the electronic device and the recipient electronic device. Moreover, the effective capacity may be estimated based at least in part on an efficiency of the wireless link. Next, the interface circuit may provide the rate feedback intended for the video encoder based at least in part on the estimated communication performance metric. In some embodiments, when beamforming occurs, the rate feedback may be reset.

Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry and control circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include a phased antenna array. Sensors and other circuitry in the electronic device may generate sensor data such as accelerometer data, gyroscope data, magnetometer data, location data, and spatial ranging data. The wireless circuitry may establish and maintain one or more wireless links with external devices based on the sensor data as the device moves over time. For example, the wireless circuitry may perform physical layer beam adjustments, inter-radio access technology handovers, intra-radio access technology handovers, and/or dual connectivity adjustments based on the sensor data. This may allow the device to maintain one or more wireless links without having to sweep the signal beam of the phased antenna array over its entire field of view each time the device has moved.

Abstract: An access point (AP) device determines a set of basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs). Each BSSID includes a same group of most significant bits (MSBs) and a different group of n least significant bits (LSBs). The AP device assigns respective BSSIDs from the set of BSSIDs to multiple virtual APs, and designates one of the assigned BSSIDs as a reference BSSID that corresponds to a transmitter address (TA) for frames intended for client stations associated with more than one virtual AP. The AP device generates and transmits a management frame that includes i) a header with a TA field set to one of the assigned BSSIDs, and ii) a frame body with a plurality of fields that includes a) a first field set to n, and b) a second field set to the n LSBs of the reference BSSID. The TA field, the first field, and the second field in the management frame indicate the reference BSSID to a client station that receives the management frame.

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.

Abstract: A first communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a PHY data unit. A signal field of the PHY preamble includes i) a common block of information bits having information for multiple second communication devices and ii) a plurality of user blocks of information bits, each user block having information for a respective one of the multiple second communication devices. The common block includes a frequency resource unit allocation field that defines a plurality of frequency resource units corresponding to a PHY payload of the PHY data unit. The user blocks respectively correspond to frequency resource units defined by the frequency resource unit allocation field. Each user block includes an indication of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used in the corresponding frequency resource unit. Each group of two user blocks is encoded as a respective second encoded block to allow the multiple second communication devices to efficiently decode the signal field.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to broadcast and multicast in a wireless communication system. In some implementations, an announcement frame indicating a broadcast or multicast service period to multiple second wireless devices is transmitted by a first wireless device. The announcement frame indicates (i) an end time of the broadcast or multicast service period and (ii) an order of a sequence of frames to be directed to the multiple second wireless devices. Each of the sequence of frames is transmitted at the first wireless device using a directional antenna pattern to a respective one of the multiple second wireless devices, according to the order of the sequence of frames indicated in the announcement frame. An acknowledgement frame in response to the each of the sequence of frames is received at the first wireless device from the respective one of the multiple second wireless devices.

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.

Abstract: A communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a multi-user (MU) PHY data unit. The PHY preamble includes a first signal field, and a second signal field. The second signal field includes: a common field that includes a value, selected from a codebook, that indicates i) an allocation of frequency resources to one or more resource units, wherein each resource unit corresponds to a respective block of consecutive orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) tones, and ii) a respective number of receiving devices assigned to each resource unit. The second signal field also includes a plurality of user-specific fields that indicate an allocation of the one or more resource units to the multiple receiving devices, wherein each user-specific field corresponds to a respective receiving device and includes i) an identifier of the respective receiving device, and ii) an indication of which one or more spatial streams are allocated to the respective receiving device.

Abstract: A communication device receives a first physical layer (PHY) data unit via a communication channel. The first PHY data unit corresponds to a trigger frame, and includes: a first PHY preamble having a legacy portion and a non-legacy portion, a first training field that includes a first training signal having a periodicity LP, and a second training field that includes a second training signal having the periodicity LP. The communication device generates a second PHY data unit. The second PHY data unit includes: a second PHY preamble that includes a third training field that includes a third training signal, and a fourth training field that includes a fourth training signal having a periodicity 2*LP. Generating the second PHY data unit comprises: modulating the third training field using a first tone spacing LTS between adjacent OFDM tones, and modulating the fourth training field using a second tone spacing equal to LTS/4 between adjacent OFDM tones.

Abstract: In a method for communicating in a wireless communication network a trigger frame is generated to trigger simultaneous uplink transmissions by multiple communication devices. The trigger frame includes a padding portion having a length determined based on respective time duration requirements of the multiple communication devices, the respective time duration requirements for preparing uplink transmission by the corresponding second communication devices. The trigger frame is transmitted to the multiple communication devices. The simultaneous uplink transmissions, triggered by the trigger frame, are received from the multiple communication devices.

Abstract: A first communication device determines assignment of at least a first orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) tone block and a second OFDM tone block for communication with a second communication device in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The first OFDM tone block is separated from the second OFDM tone block by a gap in frequency. The first communication device generates a physical layer (PHY) data unit for transmission to the second communication device, including generating a data portion of the PHY data unit that spans the first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block. The first communication device transmits the PHY data unit to the second communication device via the first OFDM tone block and the second OFDM tone block such that no data is transmitted in the third OFDM tone block for the data portion of the PHY data unit.

Abstract: A communication device generates a first portion of a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a PHY data unit to include a first plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. Each OFDM symbol of the first plurality of OFDM symbols is modulated on at most X OFDM subcarriers, where X is a positive integer greater than one. The communication device generates a second portion of the PHY preamble to include a second plurality of OFDM symbols. Each OFDM symbol of the second plurality of OFDM symbols is modulated on at most N*X OFDM subcarriers, where N is a positive integer greater than one. The communication device generates a PHY data portion of the PHY data unit to include one or more third OFDM symbols. Each third OFDM symbol is modulated on at most N*X OFDM subcarriers. The communication device transmits the PHY data unit via the wireless communication channel.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for performing secure ranging wireless communication. A first wireless device may receive a ranging packet from a second wireless device in a wireless manner. The ranging packet may include a first random sequence portion and a second random sequence portion. The first wireless device may perform one or more channel and noise estimations for the ranging packet. The first wireless device may perform one or more security checks for the ranging packet based on any or all of the first random sequence portion, the second random sequence portion, or the channel and noise estimation(s).

Abstract: In a method of generating a field of a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a data unit, information bits to be included in the field are generated. Respective sets of tail bits are appended after respective sets of information bits corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of groups of subfields of the field, each group including one or more of the subfields of the field, to generate an encoder input bit stream. One or more padding bits are added to the encoder input stream to generate a padded encoder input bit stream, the one or more padding bits to ensure an integer number of puncturing blocks in an encoded output bit stream. The padded encoder input bit stream is encoded to generate the encoded output bit stream. The field is generated to include at least some bits from the encoded output bit stream.