WO2019125435A1

WO2019125435A1 - Allocation of a transmission opportunity to selected devices

Info

Publication number: WO2019125435A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/067615
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yaron Alpert; Robert J. Stacey; Laurent Cariou
Original assignee: Intel Corp
Current assignee: Intel Corp
Priority date: 2017-12-20
Filing date: 2017-12-20
Publication date: 2019-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-20
Also published as: DE112017008303T5

Abstract

Allocation of a transmission opportunity to select devices is disclosed. One aspect is an apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) station (STA) (HE STA) comprising memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, that configure the processing circuity to encode a message to indicate a first set of devices in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector and a second set of devices in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector; and configure the station to transmit the message.

Description

ALLOCATION OF A TRANSMISSION OPPORTUNITY TO SELECTED

DEVICES

TECHNICAL FIELD

[00011 Embodiments pertain to wireless networks and wireless communications. Some embodiments relate to wireless local area networks (WLANs) and Wi-Fi networks including networks operating in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Some embodiments relate to IEEE 802.1 lax. Some embodiments relate to methods, computer readable media, and apparatus for allocating at least a portion of a transmission opportunity to multiple devices.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The Ins titu te of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

802.11 protocol defines a transmission opportunity (TxOP) as a time during which a station may transmit or receive on a wireless medium after obtaining access. The TxOP holder, such as the STA accessing the medium, can protect its transmissions from collisions caused by packet transmissions from other devices during the TxOP by having those devices set their network allocation vector (NAV). When the NAV is set, a device is inhibited from transmitting on the wireless medium unless that device is an owner of the transmission opportunity. The NAV may be set for example, via reception of a request to send frame. The request to send frame may include a duration field, with the duration indicating a length of time during which devices receiving the request to send frame are to set their network allocation vector and inhibit contention for access to a wireless network and/or transmission of data on the wireless network. Contention free (CF)-end frames may be transmitted to cause all devices within a basic service set to clear their network allocation vectors before the time indicated by, for example, the request to send frame. This may occur for example, if the TxOP holder no longer requires the time remaining in the TxOP for transmissions and/or receptions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[QQQ3] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

[0004] FIG 1 is a block diagram of a radio architecture 100 in accordance with some embodiments.

[QQQ5] FIG. 2 illustrates FEM circuitry 200 in accordance with some embodiments.

[QQQ6] FIG. 3 illustrates radio IC circuitry 300 in accordance with some embodiments.

[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of baseband processing circuitry 400 in accordance with some embodiments

[0008] FIG 5 illustrates a WLAN 500 m accordance with some embodiments.

[QQQ9] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine 600 upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies) discussed herein may perform.

[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless device

700 upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies or operations) discussed herein may be performed.

[0011] FIG. 8 is a message sequence diagram showing messages transmitted by an access point and at least two groups of stations within a single basic service set

[0012] FIG. 9 show-s a message format for an example NAY reset signal.

[0013] FIG. 10 show's a message format of an example trigger frame.

[0014] FIG. 11 show's an example multi-user message format that may^¬ be implemented by some of the disclosed embodiments.

[QQ15] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an example method for selectively- resetting a network allocation vector (NAV). [QQ16] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method for selecti vely resetting a network allocation vector (NAV) based on a decoded message.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[QQ17] The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims.

[QQI8] The disclosed embodiments recognize that relying on broadcast

CF End frames presents a technical problem in that it does not provide a level of fine grain control of a wireless medium that may be necessary' in some environments. For example, in some environments, it may be important for an access point to give prioritized access to the medium to one or a group of STAs. The prioritization may be needed without modifying EDCA parameters. As one example, m some environments, it may be difficult for a station to access the medium with EDCA, because this STAs may be in a position where the stations N AV is set as a result of outside basic service set (OBSS) transmissions. The OBSS transmissions may occur during back-off periods of the stations basic service set (BSS). This may be observed for example, in dense environments where some STAs experience very low per-user throughput. The situation is not necessarily improved via scheduled access if the station’s NAY is set when an AP triggers the station. In such a scenario, it would be helpful for the access point to have an additional tool to provide prioritized access to this STA.

[QQ19] IEEE 802.1 1 provides a reverse direction protocol, which enables an access point to give priority to a single station by transferring the TxOP to this station. However, reverse direction grant also presents a technical problem in that it is unable to grant access to more than one station at a time. The other existing prioritization protocol, enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA), also has limitations in that EDCA parameters may not be modified after association. Thus, the technical problem is that it is not possible to modify EDCA parameters to give priority to a particular station at a particular point in lime, and then later lower the priority of that particular station and increase a priority of a second station, for example.

[00201 To solve these technical problems associated with EDCA and reverse direction protocol, disclosed herein is a technical solution that provides an access point with an ability to modify an access priority for a group of stations. Tins is achieved by indicating to a subset of stations on the wireless medium that they are to reset their network allocation vector (NAY), while leaving the network allocation vector of other stations unchanged. In some aspects, this may be accomplished in a backw rd compatible manner, preventing any need to modify stations and requiring only new access point control logic to provide the improved capability. The network allocation vector may indicate whether a device may contend for access to a wireless medium. When the NAY is set, the device refrains from contenting for access to the medium. When the NAV is clear, the device may content for access to the medium if the de vice has data available to send.

[0021] In some aspects, the disclosed embodiments may transmit a CF-

END frame, which causes recei ving devices to reset their network allocation vector, and allowing those devices to content for access to the medium The CF- END frame may be addressed to a unicast or multi -cast address, or to a group address. This is unlike other solutions, which broadcast the CF-END frame and therefore reset the network allocation vector for ail devices within a basic service set.

[0022] In some other aspects, a trigger frame may be transmitted. The trigger frame may identify devices that are to reset their network allocation vector. These devices may be indicated via station address, association identifier, and/or group identifier.

[QQ23] In some other aspects, a downlink multi-user transmission may be performed by an access point. The downlink multi-user transmission may allocate a first resource unit or spatial stream to a first station or stations and a second resource unit or spatial stream to a second station or stations. The allocated resource units or spatial streams may encode a CF End frame for one or more of the first station(s) and second station(s) respectively. Since devices that are not addressed by the multi-user transmission do not decode the allocations of the multi-user transmission, these other devices will maintain their network allocation vectors, despite the encoded CF End frame(s) in the multi user transmission.

[0024] Thus, the implementations disclosed above provides a technical solution to the technical problems described above by allowing a TxOP holder (e.g. access point) to give prioritized access to a specific set of stations. Those stations may then content for the medium. Other stations that are not prioritized may maintain their network allocation vector, providing more network capacity for the prioritized stations to perform their transmissions.

[0025] This solution has some technical advantages over the existing solutions of reverse direction and EDCA As mentioned, EDCA parameters cannot be changed after association. In contrast, an access point may conditionally transmit a CF End frame (for example) to various stations as network conditions define. Secondly, the reverse direction protocol is limited in that access to the medium may be granted only to a single station, and that access is granted only for the duration of any remaining TxOP. In contrast, the disclosed implementations may grant prioritized access to any group of stations as defined by the access point, and transmissions resulting from that access cannot exceed the remaining duration of the TxOP. In contrast, once a prioritized station successfully contends for the medium, that station^’s transmission may exceed the original duration of the TxOp. Furthermore, once a station gains prioritized access during the remainin duration of the TxOP, that station may request additional TxOP via the request to send/clear to send protocol for example as needed. In the disclosed implementation, a station may also be provided with additional time, due to less competition for medium access, to decrement its back-off procedure and synchronize with devices that are outside the basic service set. This may allow EDCA to function more effectively than when a high priority EDCA station is shut out from media access due to a dense network environment.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio architecture 100 in accordance with some embodiments. Radio architecture 100 may include radio front-end module (FEM) circuitry 104, radio IC circuitry 106 and baseband processing circuitry 108. Radio architecture 100 as shown includes both Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) functionality and Bluetooth (BT) functionality although embodiments are not so limited. In this disclosure, ‘^‘WLAN” and“Wi-Fi” are used interchangeably.

[0027] FEM circuitry 104 may include a WLAN or Wi-Fi FEM circuitry

104 A and a Bluetooth (BT) FEM circuitry 104B. The WLAN FEM circuitry_' 104A may include a receive signal path comprising circuitry' configured to operate on WLAN RF signals received from one or more antennas 101 , to amplify the received signals and to provide the amplified versions of the received signals to the WLAN radio IC circuitry 106 A for further processing. The BT FEM circuitry 104B may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry configured to operate on BT RF signals received from one or more antennas 101, to amplify' the received signals and to provide the amplified versions of the received signals to the BT radio 1C circuitry 106B for further processing. FEM circuitry 104 A may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify' WLAN signals provided by the radio 1C circuitry' 106A for wireless transmission by one or more of the antennas 101. In addition, FEM circuitry' 104B may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify BT signals provided by the radio IC circuitry 106B for wireless transmission by the one or more antennas.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, although FEM 104A and FEM 104B are shown as being distinct from one another, embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope the use of an FEM (not shown) that includes a transmit path and/or a receive path for both WLAN and BT signals, or the use of one or more FEM circuitries where at least some of the FEM circuitries share transmit and/or receive signal paths for both WLAN and BT signals.

[0028] Radio IC circuitry 106 as shown may include WLAN radio IC circuitry' 106 A and BT radio IC circuitry 106B. The WLA radio IC circuitry

106A may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry to down- convert WLAN RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 104 A and provide baseband signals to WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A. BT radio IC circuitry' 106B may in turn include a receive signal path which may include circuitry' to down-convert BT RF signals received from the FEM circuitry' 104B and provide baseband signals to BT baseband processing circuitry 108B.

WLAN radio IC circuitry 106A may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry to up-convert WLAN baseband signals provided by the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A and provide WLAN RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 104 A for subsequent wireless transmission by the one or more antennas 101. BT radio IC circuitry 106B may also include a transmit signal path winch may include circuitry to up-convert BT baseband signals provided by the BT baseband processing circuitr' 108B and provide BT RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 104B for subsequent wireless transmission by the one or more antennas 101. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, although radio 1C circuitries 106 A and 106B are shown as being distinct from one another, embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope the use of a radio IC circuitry (not shown) that includes a transmit signal path and/or a receive signal path for both WLAN and BT signals, or the use of one or more radio IC circuitries where at least some of the radio IC circuitries share transmit and/or receive signal paths for both WLAN and BT signals.

[0029 J Baseband processing circuity 108 may include a WLAN

baseband processing circuitry 108 A and a BT baseband processing circuitry 108B. The WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A may include a memory, such as, for example, a set of RAM arrays in a Fast Fourier Transform or Inverse Fast Fourier Transform block (not shown) of the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A. Each of the WLAN baseband circuitry 108 A and the BT baseband circuitry 108B may further include one or more processors and control logic to process the signals received from the corresponding WLAN or BT receiv e signal path of the radio IC circuitry' 106, and to also generate corresponding WLAN or BT baseband signals for the transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry 106. Each of the baseband processing circuitries 108.4 and 108B may further include physical layer (PHY) and medium access control layer (MAC) circuitry, and may further interface with application processor 111 for generation and processing of the baseband signals and for controlling operations of the radio IC circuitry 106. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the wireless radio card 102 may include separate baseband memory for one or more of the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A and Bluetooth baseband processing circuity 108B, shown as baseband memories 109 A and 109B respectively.

[0030] Referring still to FIG. 1, according to the shown embodiment,

WLAN-BT coexistence circuitry 113 may include logic providing an interface between the WLAN baseband circuitry 108 A and the BT baseband circuitry 108B to enable use cases requiring WLAN and BT coexistence. In addition, a switch 103 may be provided between the WLAN FEM circuitry 104 A and the BT FEM circuitry 104B to allow switching between the WLAN and BT radios according to application needs. In addition, although the antennas 101 are depicted as being respectively connected to the WLAN FEM circuitry 104 A and the BT FEM circuitry 104B, embodiments include within their scope the sharing of one or more antennas as between the WLAN and BT FEMs, or the provision of more than one antenna connected to each of FEM 104 A or 104B.

[QQ31] In some embodiments, the front-end module circuitry 104, the radio IC circuitry⁷ 106, and baseband processing circuitry 108 may be provided on a single radio card, such as wireless radio card 102. In some other embodiments, the one or more antennas 101, the FEM circuitry 104 and the radio IC circuitry 106 may be provided on a single radio card. In some other embodiments, the radio IC circuitry 106 and the baseband processing circuitry⁷108 may be provided on a single chip or integrated circuit (IC), such as IC 112. [QQ32] In some embodiments, the wireless radio card 102 may include a

WLAN radio card and may be configured for Wi-Fi communications, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some of these embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to receive and transmit orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDM A) communication signals over a multicarrier communication channel. The OFDM or OFDMA signals may comprise a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers.

[QQ33] In some of these multicarrier embodiments, radio architecture 100 may be part of a Wi-Fi communication station (STA) such as a w'ireless access point (AP), a base station or a mobile device including a Wi-Fi device in some of these embodiments, radio architecture 100 may be configured to transmit and receive signals in accordance with specific communication standards and/or protocols, such as any of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards including, IEEE 802.1 In-2009, IEEE 802. 1 1-2012, IEEE 802.11-2016, IEEE 802.1 lac, and/or IEEE 802.1 lax standards and/or proposed specifications for WLANs, although the scope of embodiments is not limited in this respect. Radio architecture 100 may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards. [QQ34] In some embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured for high-efficiency (HE) Wi-Fi (HEW) communications in accordance with the IEEE 802.1 lax standard. In these embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to communicate in accordance with an QFDMA technique, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0035] In some other embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to transmit and receive signals transmitted using one or more other modulation techniques such as spread spectrum modulation (e.g., direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) and/or frequency hopping code division multiple access (FH-CDMA)), time-division multiplexing (TDM) modulation, and/or frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) modulation, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0036] In some embodiments, as further shown in FIG. 1, the BT baseband circuitry' 108B may be compliant with a Bluetooth (BT) connectivity standard such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth 5.0, or any other iteration of the Bluetooth Standard. In embodiments that include BT functionality as shown for example m Fig. 1, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to establish a BT synchronous connection oriented (SCO) link and/or a BT low- energy (BT LE) link. In some of the embodiments that include functionality, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to establish an extended SCO (eSCO) link for BT communications, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some of these embodiments that include a BT functionality, the radio architecture may be configured to engage in a BT Asynchronous Connection-Less (ACL) communications, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the functions of a BT radio card and WLAN radio card may be

Q combined on a single wireless radio card, such as single wireless radio card 102, although embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope discrete WLAN and BT radio cards

[0037] In some embodiments, the radio-architecture 100 may include other radio cards, such as a cellular radio card configured for cellular (e.g , 3GPP such as LTE, LTE-Advanced or 5G communications).

[QQ38] In some IEEE 802.11 embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured for communication over various channel bandwidths including bandwidths having center frequencies of about 900 MHz, 2 4 GHz, 5 GHz, and bandwidths of about 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 2 5 MHz, 4 MHz, 5MHz, 8 MHz, 10 MHz, 16 MHz, 20 MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz (with contiguous bandwidths) or 80+80MHz (160MHz) (with non-contiguous bandwidths). In some embodiments, a 320 MHz channel bandwidth may be used. The scope of the embodiments is not limited with respect to the above center frequencies however.

[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates FEM circuitry 200 in accordance with some embodiments. The FEM circuitry 200 is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the WLAN and/or BT FEM circuitry 104AΊ04B (FIG. 1 ), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[0040] In some embodiments, the FEM circuitry 200 may include a

TX/RX switch 202 to switch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEM circuitry 200 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 200 may include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 206 to amplify received RF signals 203 and provide the amplified received RF signals 207 as an output (e.g., to the radio IC circuitry 106 (FIG. I )) The transmit signal path of the circuitry 200 may include a power amplifier (PA) to amplify input RF signals 209 (e.g., provided by the radio IC circuitry 106), and one or more filters 212, such as band-pass filters (BPFs), low-pass filters (LPFs) or other types of filters, to generate RF signals 215 for subsequent transmission (e.g., by one or more of the antennas 101 (FIG.

I))·

[0041] In some dual-mode embodiments for Wi-Fi communication, the

FEM circuitry 200 may he configured to operate in either the 2,4 GHz frequency spectrum or the 5 GHz frequency spectrum. In these embodiments, the receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 200 may include a receive signal path duplexer 204 to separate the signals from each spectrum as well as provide a separate LNA 206 for each spectrum as shown. In these embodiments, the transmit signal path of the FEM circuitry_' 200 may also include a power ampli fier 210 and a filter 212, such as a BPF, a LPF or another type of filter for each frequency spectrum and a transmit signal path duplexer 214 to provide the signals of one of the different spectrums onto a single transmit path for subsequent transmission by the one or more of the antennas 101 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, BT communications may utilize the 2.4 GHZ signal paths and may utilize the same FEM circuitry 200 as the one used for WLAN communications.

[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates radio IC circuitry 300 in accordance with some embodiments. The radio IC circuitry 300 is one example of circuitry' that may be suitable for use as the WLAN or BT radio 1C circuitry 106AΊ06B (FIG. 1), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[0043] In some embodiments, the radio IC circuitry 300 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the radio IC circuitry 300 may include at least mixer circuitry 302, such as, for example, down-conversion mixer circuitry, amplifier circuitry 306 and filter circuitry 308. The transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry' 300 may include at least filter circuitry 312 and mixer circuitry_' 314, such as, for example, up- conversion mixer circuitry. Radio IC circuitry 300 may also include synthesizer circuitry' 304 for synthesizing a frequency 305 for use by the mixer circuitry' 302 and the mixer circuitry 314. The mixer circuitry 302 and/or 314 may each, according to some embodiments, be configured to provide direct conversion functionality. The latter type of circuitry' presents a much simpler architecture as compared with standard super-heterodyne mixer circuitries, and any flicker noise brought about by the same may be alleviated for example through the use of OFDM modulation. Fig. 3 illustrates only a simplified version of a radio IC circuitry', and may include, although not shown, embodiments where each of the depicted circuitries may include more than one component. For instance, mixer circuitry' 320 and/or 314 may each include one or more mixers, and filter circuitries 308 and/or 312 may each include one or more fillers, such as one or more BPFs and/or LPFs according to application needs. For example, when mixer circuitries are of the direct-conversion type, they may each include two or more mixers.

[0044] In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 302 may be configured to down-convert RF signals 207 received from the FEM circuitry 104 (FIG. 1) based on the synthesized frequency 305 provided by synthesizer circuitry 304. The amplifier circuitry 306 may be configured to amplify the down-converted signals and the filter circuitry 308 may include a LPF configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signals to generate output baseband signals 307. Output baseband signals 307 may be provided to the baseband processing circuitry 108 (FIG. 1) for further processing. In some embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 may be zero-frequency baseband signals, although this is not a requirement. In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 302 may comprise passive mixers, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0045] In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry' 314 may be configured to up-convert input baseband signals 311 based on the synthesized frequency 305 provided by the synthesizer circuitry 304 to generate RF output signals 209 for the FEM circuitry 104. The baseband signals 311 may be provided by the baseband processing circuitry 108 and may be filtered by filter circuitry' 312.

The filter circuitry_' 312 may include a LPF or a BPF, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0046] In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry' 302 and the mixer circuitry' 314 may each include two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadrature down-conversion and/or up-conversion respectively with the help of synthesizer 304 In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry' 302 and the mixer circuitry' 314 may each include two or more mixers each configured for image rejection (e.g., Hartley image rejection). In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry' 314 may be arranged for direct down- conversion and/or direct up-conversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry' 314 may be configured for super heterodyne operation, although this is not a requirement. [QQ47] Mixer circuitry 302 may comprise, according to one embodiment: quadrature passive mixers (e.g., for the in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) paths). In such an embodiment, RF input signal 207 from Fig 3 may be down- converted to provide I and Q baseband output signals to be sent to the baseband processor

[0048] Quadrature passive mixers may be driven by zero and ninety- degree time-varying LO switching signals provided by a quadrature circuitry which may be configured to receive a LO frequency (fLO) from a local oscillator or a synthesizer, such as LO frequency 305 of synthesizer 304 (FIG

3). In some embodiments, the LO frequency may be the carrier frequency, while in other embodiments, the LO frequency may be a fraction of the carrier frequency (e.g , one-half the carrier frequency, one-third the carrier frequency). In some embodiments, the zero and ninety-degree time-varying sw tching signals may be generated by the synthesizer, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0049] In some embodiments, the LO signals may differ in duty cycle

(the percentage of one period m winch the LO signal is high) and/or offset (the difference between start points of the period). In some embodiments, the LO signals may have a 25% duty cycle and a 50% offset. In some embodiments, each branch of the mixer circuitry (e.g., the in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) path) may operate at a 25% duty cycle, winch may result in a significant reduction is power consumption.

[0050] The RF input signal 207 (FIG. 2) may comprise a balanced signal, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. The I and Q baseband output signals may be provided to low-nose amplifier, such as amplifier circuitry 306 (FIG. 3) or to filter circuitry 308 (FIG. 3)

[0051] In some embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 and the input baseband signals 311 may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some alternate

embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 and the input baseband signals 311 may be digital baseband signals. In these alternate embodiments, the radio IC circuitry' may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry. [QQ52] In some dual-mode embodiments, a separate radio IC circuitry may be provided for processing signals for each spectrum, or for other spectrums not mentioned here, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0053] In some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 304 may be a ffactional-N synthesizer or a fractional N/N+l synthesizer, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect as other types of frequency synthesizers may be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuitry 304 may be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer comprising a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider. According to some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 304 may include digital synthesizer circuitry_'. An advantage of using a digital synthesizer circuitry is that, although it may still include some analog components, its footprint may be scaled down much more than the footprint of an analog synthesizer circuitry. In some embodiments, frequency input into synthesizer circuity 304 may be provided by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCQ), although that is not a requirement. A divider control input may further be provided by either the baseband processing circuitry' 108 (FIG. 1) or the application processor 111 (FIG. 1) depending on the desired output frequency 305. In some embodiments, a divider control input (e.g., N) may be determined from a look-up table (e.g., within a Wi-Fi card) based on a channel number and a channel center frequency as determined or indicated by the application processor 111.

[QQ54] In some embodiments, synthesizer circuitry' 304 may be configured to generate a carrier frequency as the output frequency 305, while in other embodiments, the output frequency 305 may be a fraction of the carrier frequency (e.g., one-half the carrier frequency, one-third the carrier frequency). In some embodiments, the output frequency 305 may be a LO frequency (fLO).

[QQ55] FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of baseband processing circuitry 400 in accordance with some embodiments. The baseband processing circuitry 400 is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the baseband processing circuitry' 108 (FIG. 1), although other circuitry- configurations may also be suitable. The baseband processing circuitry 400 may include a receive baseband processor (RX BBP) 402 for processing receive baseband signals 309 provided by the radio IC circuitry 106 (FIG. 1) and a transmit baseband processor (TX BBP) 404 for generating transmit baseband signals 31 1 for the radio IC circuitry' 106. The baseband processing circuitry 400 may also include control logic 406 for coordinating the operations of the baseband processing circuitry 400.

[0056] In some embodiments (e.g , when analog baseband signals are exchanged between the baseband processing circuitry' 400 and the radio 1C circuitry' 106), the baseband processing circuitry_'· 400 may include ADC 410 to convert analog baseband signals received from the radio IC circuitry 106 to digital baseband signals for processing by the RX BBP 402. In these embodiments, the baseband processing circuitry 400 may also include DAC 412 to convert digital baseband signals from the TX BBP 404 to analog baseband signals.

[QQ57] In some embodiments that communicate OFDM signals or

OFDMA signals, such as through baseband processor 108 A, the transmit baseband processor 404 may be configured to generate OFDM or OFDMA signals as appropriate for transmission by performing an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT). The receive baseband processor 402 may be configured to process received OFDM signals or OFDMA signals by performing an FFT. In some embodiments, the receive baseband processor 402 may be configured to detect the presence of an OFDM signal or OFDMA signal by performing an autocorrelation, to detect a preamble, such as a short preamble, and by- performing a cross-correlation, to detect a long preamble. The preambles may be part of a predetermined frame structure for Wi-Fi communication.

[0058] Referring back to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the antennas 101

(FIG. 1) may each comprise one or more directional or omnidirectional antennas, including, for example, dipole antennas, monopole antennas, patch antennas, loop antennas, microstrip antennas or other types of antennas suitable for transmission ofRF signals. In some multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) embodiments, the antennas may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result.

Antennas 101 may each include a set of phased-array antennas, although embodiments are not so limited.

.7 Although the radio-architecture 100 is illustrated as having several separate functional elements, one or more of the functional elements may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may comprise one or more microprocessors, DSPs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[0060] FIG. 5 illustrates a WLAN 500 in accordance with some embodiments. The WLAN 500 may comprise a basis service set (BSS) that may include a HE access point (AP) 502, which may be an AP, a plurality of high- efficiency wireless (e.g., IEEE 802.1 lax) (HE) stations 504, and a plurality of legacy (e.g., IEEE 802.1 ln/ac) devices 506.

[0061] The HE AP 502 may be an AP using the IEEE 802.11 to transmit and receive. The HE AP 502 may be a base station. The HE AP 502 may use other communications protocols as well as the IEEE 802.11 protocol. The IEEE 802.11 protocol may be IF/E/E 802.1 lax. The IEEE 802.11 protocol may include using orthogonal frequency division multiple-access (QFDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), and/or code division multiple access (CDMA). The IEEE 802. 1 1 protocol may include a multiple access technique. For example, the IEEE 802.11 protocol may include space-division multiple access (SDMA) and/or multiple-user multiple- input multiple-output (MU-MIMO). There may^¬ be more than one HE AP 502 that is part of an extended service set (ESS). A controller (not illustrated) may store information that is common to the more than one HE APs 502.

[QQ62] The legacy devices 506 may operate in accordance with one or more of IEEE 802. 11 a/b/ g/n/ac/ ad/af/ah/aj/ay , or another legacy wireless communication standard. The legacy devices 506 may be ST As or IEEE STAs. The HE STAs 504 may be wireless transmit and receive devices such as cellular telephone, portable electronic wireless communication devices, smart telephone. handheld wireless device, wireless glasses, wireless watch, wireless personal device, tablet, or another device that may be transmitting and receiving using the IEEE 802. 11 protocol such as IEEE 802.1 lax or another wireless protocol. In some embodiments, the HE STAs 504 may be termed high efficiency (HE) stations.

[0063] The HE AP 502 may communicate with legacy devices 506 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.11 communication techniques. In example embodiments, the HE AP 502 may also be configured to communicate with HE STAs 504 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.11 communication techniques.

[0064] In some embodiments, a HE frame may be configurable to have the same bandwidth as a channel. The HE frame may be a physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU). In some embodiments, there may be different types of PPDUs that may have different fields and different physical layers and/or different media access control (MAC) layers.

[0065] The bandwidth of a channel may be 20MHz, 40MHz, or 80MHz,

160MHz, 320MHz contiguous bandwidths or an 8G+80MHz (160MHz) non contiguous bandwidth. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of a channel may be 1 MHz, 1.25MHz, 2.03MHz, 2.5MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5MHz and 10MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of the channels may be based on a number of active data subcarriers. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of the channels is based on 26, 52, 106, 242, 484, 996, or 2x996 active data subcarriers or tones that are spaced by 20 MHz. In some embodiments, the bandwidth of the channels is 256 tones spaced by 20 MHz. In some embodiments, the channels are multiple of 26 tones or a multiple of 20 MHz In some embodiments, a 20 MHz channel may comprise 242 active data subcarriers or tones, which may determine the size of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). An allocation of a bandwidth or a number of tones or sub- carriers may be termed a resource unit (RU) allocation in accordance with some embodiments.

[0066] In some embodiments, the 26-subcarrier RU and 52-subcarrier

RU are used in the 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 106-subcarrier RU is used in the 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 242-subcarrier RU is used in the 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU- MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 484-subcarrier RU is used in the 80 MHz, 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 996-subcarrier RU is used in the 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats.

[0067] A HE frame may be configured for transmitting a number of spatial streams, which may be in accordance with MU-MIMO and may be in accordance with OFDMA. In other embodiments, the HE AP 502, HE STA 504, and/or legacy device 506 may also implement different technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA) 2000, CDMA 2000 I X. CDMA 2000 Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DQ), Interim Standard 2000 (IS-2000), Interim Standard 95 (IS-95), Interim Standard 856 (IS-856), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE (GERAN), IEEE 802.16 (e.g., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), BlueTooth®, or other technologies.

[0068] Some embodiments relate to HE communications. In accordance with some IEEE 802.11 embodiments, e.g., IEEE 802.1 lax embodiments, a HE AP 502 may operate as a master station which may be arranged to contend for a wireless medium (e.g., during a contention period) to receive exclusive control of the medium for an HE control period. In some embodiments, the HE control period may be termed a transmission opportunity (TXOP). The HE AP 502 may transmit a HE master-sync transmission, which may be a trigger frame or HE control and schedule transmission, at the beginning of the HE control period.

The HE AP 502 may transmit a time duration of the TXOP and sub-channel information. During the HE control period, FIE ST As 504 may communicate with the HE AP 502 in accordance with a non-contention based multiple access technique such as OFDMA or MU-MIMO. This is unlike conventional WLAN communications in which devices communicate m accordance with a contention-based communication technique, rather than a multiple access technique. During the HE control period, the HE AP 502 may communicate with HE stations 504 using one or more HE frames. During the HE control period, the HE STAs 504 may operate on a sub-channel smaller than the operating range of the HE AP 502. During the HE control period, legacy stations refrain from communicating. The legacy stations may need to receive the communication from the HE AP 502 to defer from communicating

[QQ69] In accordance with some embodiments, during the TXOP the HE

STAs 504 may contend for the wireless medium with the legacy devices 506 being excluded from contending for the wireless medium during the master-sync transmission. In some embodiments the trigger frame may indicate an uplink (UL) UL-MU-M1MO and/or UL QFDMA TXOP. In some embodiments, the trigger frame may include a DL UL-MU-MIMO and/or DL OFDMA with a schedule indicated in a preamble portion of trigger frame.

[QQ7Q] In some embodiments, the multiple-access technique used during the HE TXOP may be a scheduled OFDMA technique, although this is not a requirement. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a time-division multiple access (TDMA) technique or a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) technique. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a space-division multiple access (SDMA) technique. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a Code division multiple access (CDMA).

[0071] The HE AP 502 may also communicate with legacy stations 506 and/or HE stations 504 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802 1 1 communication techniques. In some embodiments, the HE AP 502 may also be configurable to communicate with HE stations 504 outside the HE TXOP in accordance with legacy IEEE 802 1 1 communication techniques, although this is not a requirement.

[QQ72] In some embodiments the HE station 504 may be a“group owner” (GO) for peer-to-peer modes of operation. A wireless device may be a HE station 502 or a HE AP 502

[0073] In some embodiments, the HE station 504 and/or HE AP 502 may be configured to operate in accordance with IEEE 802.1 Imc. In example embodiments, the radio architecture of FIG. 1 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the front-end module circuitry of FIG. 2 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the base-band processing circuitry of FIG. 4 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502.

[QQ74] In example embodiments, the HE stations 504, HE AP 502, an apparatus of the HE stations 504, and/or an apparatus of the HE AP 502 may include one or more of the following: the radio architecture of FIG. 1 , the front- end module circuitry of FIG. 2, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3, and/or the base band processing circuitry of FIG. 4.

[0075] In example embodiments, the radio architecture of FIG 1, the front-end module circuitry of FIG. 2, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3, and/or the base-band processing circuitry of FIG. 4 may be configured to perform the methods and operations/functions herein described m conjunction with FIGS. 1- 13

[0076] In example embodiments, the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP

502 are configured to perform the methods and operations/functions described herein in conjunction with FIGS. 1-13. In example embodiments, an apparatus of the HE station 504 and/or an apparatus of the HE AP 502 are configured to perform the methods and functions described herein m conjunction with FIGS. 1-13. The term Wi-Fi may refer to one or more of the IEEE 802.11

communication standards. AP and ST A may refer to HE access point 502 and/or HE station 504 as well as legacy devices 506.

[0077] In some embodiments, a HE AP STA may refer to a HE AP 502 and a HE STAs 504 that is operating a HE APs 502, In some embodiments, when an HE STA 504 is not operating as a HE AP, it may be referred to as a HE non-AP STA or HE non-AP. In some embodiments, HE STA 504 may be referred to as either a HE AP STA or a HE non-AP.

[QQ78] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine 600 upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies) discussed herein may perform. In alternative embodiments, the machine 600 may operate as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 600 may operate in the capacity of a server machine, a client machine, or both in server-client network environments. In an example, the machine 600 may act as a peer machine in peer-to-peer (P2P) (or other distributed) network environment. The machine 600 may be a HE AP 502, HE station 504, personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable communications device, a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a web appliance, a network router, swatch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term“machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, such as cloud computing, software as a sendee (SaaS), other computer cluster configurations.

[QQ79] Machine (e.g., computer system) 600 may include a hardware processor 602 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a main memory 604 and a static memory 606, some or all of which may communicate with each other via an interlink (e.g., bus) 608.

[0080] Specific examples of main memory 604 include Random Access

Memory (RAM), and semiconductor memory' devices, which may include, in some embodiments, storage locations in semiconductors such as registers.

Specific examples of static memory 606 include non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

[QQ81] The machine 600 may further include a display device 610, an input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (HI) navigation device 614 (e.g., a mouse). In an example, the display device 610, input device 612 and UI navigation device 614 may be a touch screen display. The machine 600 may additionally include a mass storage (e.g., drive unit) 616, a signal generation device 618 (e.g., a speaker), a network interface de vice 620, and one or more sensors 621 , such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, compass, accelerometer, or other sensor. The machine 600 may include an output controller 628, such as a serial (e.g., universal serial bus (USB), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection to communicate or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, card reader, etc.). In some embodiments, the processor 602 and/or instructions 624 may comprise processing circuitry and/or transceiver circuitry [0082] The storage device 616 may include a machine readable medium

622 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures or instructions 624 (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. The instructions 624 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 604, within static memory 606, or within the hardware processor 602 during execution thereof by the machine 600. In an example, one or any combination of the hardware processor 602, the main memory' 604, the static memory 606, or the storage device 616 may constitute machine readable media.

[00831 Specific examples of machine readable media may include: non volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM or EEPROM) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

[QQ84] While the machine readable medium 622 is illustrated as a single medium, the term "machine readable medium" may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) configured to store the one or more instructions 624.

[0085] An apparatus of the machine 600 may be one or more of a hardware processor 602 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a main memory 604 and a static memory 606, sensors 621, network interface device 620, antennas 660, a display device 610, an input device 612, a UI navigation device 614, a mass storage 616, instructions 624, a signal generation device 618, and an output controller 628. The apparatus may be configured to perform one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein. The apparatus may be intended as a component of the machine 600 to perform one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein, and/or to perform a portion of one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a pin or other means to receive power. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include power conditioning hardware.

[QQ86] The term“machine readable medium” may include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the machine 600 and that cause the machine 600 to perform any one or more of the techniques of the present disclosure, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Non limiting machine readable medium examples may include solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Specific examples of machine readable media may include: non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory' devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks;

magneto -optical disks; Random Access Memory (RAM); and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. In some examples, machine readable media may include non-transitory machine readable media. In some examples, machine readable media may include machine readable media that is not a transitory propagating signal.

[0087] The instructions 624 may further be transmitted or received over a communications network 626 using a transmission medium via the network interface device 620 utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame relay, internet protocol (IP), transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communication networks may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a packet data network (e.g., the Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), Flam Old Telephone (POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards known as Wi-Fi®, IEEE 802.16 family of standards known as WiMax®), IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) family of standards, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) family of standards, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, among others.

[0088] In an example, the network interface device 620 may include one or more physical jacks (e.g., Ethernet, coaxial, or phone jacks) or one or more antennas to connect to the communications network 626. In an example, the network interface device 620 may include one or more antennas 660 to wirelessly communicate using at least one of single-input multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or multiple-input single-output (MISO) techniques. In some examples, the network interface device 620 may wirelessly communicate using Multiple User MIMO techniques. The term ‘transmission medium” shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding or earning instructions for execution by the machine 600, and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible medium to facilitate communication of such software.

[0089] Examples, as described herein, may include, or may operate on, logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of performing specified operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In an example, circuits may be arranged (e.g., internally or with respect to external entities such as other circuits) in a specified manner as a module. In an example, the whole or part of one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more hardware processors may be configured by firmware or software (e.g., instructions, an application portion, or an application) as a module that operates to perform specified operations. In an example, the software may reside on a machine readable medium In an example, the software, when executed by the underlying hardware of the module, causes the hardware to perform the specified operations.

[QQ9Q] Accordingly, the term“module” is understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily (e.g., transitorily) configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a specified manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein. Considering examples in which modules are temporarily configured, each of the modules need not be instantiated at any one moment in time. For example, where the modules comprise a general-purpose hardware processor configured using software, the general-purpose hardware processor may be configured as respective diff erent modules at different times. Software may accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to constitute a particular module at one instance of time and to constitute a different module at a different instance of time.

[0091] Some embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer-readable medium may include any tangible non- transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory, etc.

[QQ92] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless device

700 upon which any one or more of the techniq ues (e.g., methodologies or operations) discussed herein may perform. The wireless device 700 may be a HE device. The wireless device 700 may be a HE STA 504 and/or HE AP 502 (e.g., FIG. 5). A HE STA 504 and/or HE AP 502 may include some or all of the components shown in FIGS. 1-7. The wireless device 700 may be an example machine 600 as disclosed in conjunction with FIG. 6.

[QQ93] The wireless device 700 may include processing circuitry 708.

The processing circuitry 708 may include a transceiver 702, physical layer circuitry (PHY circuitry) 704, and MAC layer circuitry (MAC circuitry) 706, one or more of which may enabl e transmission and reception of signal s to and from other wireless devices 700 (e.g., HE AP 502, FIE STA 504, and/or legacy devices 506) using one or more antennas 712, As an example, the PHY circuitry 704 may perform various encoding and decoding functions that may include formation of baseband signals for transmission and decoding of received signals. As another example, the transceiver 702 may perform various transmission and reception functions such as conversion of signals between a baseband range and a Radio Frequency (RF) range.

[0094] Accordingly, the PHY circuitry 704 and the transceiver 702 may be separate components or may be part of a combined component, e.g., processing circuitry 708. In addition, some of the described functionality related to transmission and reception of signals may be performed by a combination that may include one, any or all of the PHY circuitry 704 the transceiver 702, MAC circuitry 706, memory 710, and other components or layers. The MAC circuitry 706 may control access to the wireless medium. The wireless device 700 may also include memory 710 arranged to perform the operations described herein, e.g., some of the operations described herein may be performed by instructions stored m the memory 710.

[0095] The antennas 712 (some embodiments may include only one antenna) may comprise one or more directional or omnidirectional antennas, including, for example, dipole antennas, monopole antennas, patch antennas, loop antennas, microstrip antennas or other types of antennas suitable for transmission of RF signals in some multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) embodiments, the antennas 712 may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result. [QQ96] One or more of the memory 710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry' 704, the MAC circuitry 706, the antennas 712, and/or the processing circuitry' 708 may be coupled with one another. Moreover, although memory 710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry 706, the antennas 712 are illustrated as separate components, one or more of memory 710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry' 704, the MAC circuitry' 706, the antennas 712 may be integrated in an electronic package or chip.

[QQ97] In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 may be a mobile device as described in conjunction with FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more wireless communication standards as described herein (e.g., as described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-6, IEEE 802.11). In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 may include one or more of the components as described in conjunction with FIG. 6 (e.g., display device 610, input device 612, etc.) Although the wireless device 700 is illustrated as having several separate functional elements, one or more of the functional elements may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may comprise one or more microprocessors, DSPs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), radio-frequency integrated circuits (IlFICs) and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[QQ98] In some embodiments, an apparatus of or used by the wireless device 700 may include various components of the wireless device 700 as shown in FIG. 7 and/or components from FIGS. 1-6. Accordingly, techniques and operations described herein that refer to the wireless device 700 may be applicable to an apparatus for a wireless device 700 (e.g., HE AP 502 and/or HE ST A 504), in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 is configured to decode anchor encode signals, packets, and/or frames as described herein, e.g., PPDUs.

[QQ99] In some embodiments, the MAC circuitry 706 may be arranged to contend for a wireless medium during a contention period to receive control of the medium for a HE TXOP and encode or decode an HE PPDU. In some embodiments, the MAC circuitry 706 may be arranged to contend for the wireless medium based on channel contention settings, a transmitting power level, and a clear channel assessment level (e.g., an energy detect level).

[QQ10Q] The PHY circuitry 704 may be arranged to transmit signals m accordance with one or more communication standards described herein. For example, the PHY circuitry' 704 may be configured to transmit a HE PPDU. The PHY circuitry 704 may include circuitry for modulation/demodulation, upconversion/dowTS conversion, filtering, amplification, etc. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 708 may include one or more processors. The processing circuitry 708 may be configured to perform functions based on instructions being stored in a RAM or ROM, or based on special purpose circuitry . The processing circuitry 708 may include a processor such as a general-purpose processor or special purpose processor. The processing circuitry 708 may implement one or more functions associated with antennas 712, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry' 706, and/or the memory 710. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 708 may be configured to perform one or more of the functions/operations and/or methods described herein.

[00101 J In mmWave technology, communication between a station (e.g., the HE stations 504 of FIG. 5 or wireless device 700) and an access point (e.g., the HE AP 502 of FIG. 5 or wireless device 700) may use associated effective wireless channels that are highly directionally dependent. To accommodate the directionality, beamforming techniques may be utilized to radiate energy in a certain direction with certain beam width to communicate between two devices. The directed propagation concentrates transmitted energy toward a target device in order to compensate for significant energy loss in the channel between the two communicating devices. Using directed transmission may extend the range of the millimeter-wave communication versus utilizing the same transmitted energy m omni-directional propagation.

[QQ1Q2] FIG. 8 is a message sequence diagram showing messages transmitted by an access point and at least two groups of stations within a single basic service set. Prior to the message sequence shown in FIG. 8, the AP 502 may associate with stations in a first group 801a and stations in a second group 801b. Stations that are currently associated with the AP 502 may be considered to be within a basic service set maintained by the access point 805 Stations that are not currently associated with the AP 502 may be considered to not be include in the basic service set of the AP 502, or in other words outside the basic service set (OBSS) of the AP 502. An example of OBSS devices may be devices that are associated with a different access point (i.e. different than AP 502). At least some of these de v ices may be within range of the AP 502, and may thus decode transmissions from the AP 502 and/or one or more stations associated with the AP 502,

[00103] An association process between the AP 502 and the stations in group 1 802a and/or group 2 801b may include transmission, by a station, of an association request message to the access point. The association request message may include information identifying the station, and an indication that the station seeks to establish an association with the AP 502. The access point may then transmit an association response message to the station. The response may indicate whether the requested association has been established. If association is established, the response may also include an association identifier for the station. The association identifier may identify the station during subsequent transactions between the AP 502 and the station. This process may be repeated for each station that joins the basic service set maintained by the AP 502.

[QQ104] FIG. 8 shows the access point transmitting a request to send message 802. The request to send message may include a duration indication. The duration indication indicates a time period during which receiving devices should set their network allocation vector (NAV). The time period during which these other devices have their NAV set may he referred to as a transmission opportunity for the access point. The NAV defines whether a device is able to contend for an opportunity to transmit on a wireless medium If the NAV is set, then the device is inhibited for contending for an opportunity. If the NAV is clear, the device may, when the device has data to transmit, attempt to perform a transmission on the wireless medium, subject to a medium access protocol. FIG. 8 shows a transmission opportunity 804 defined by the request to send message 802. As a result of receiving the RTS message 802, STAs in group 1 and group 2 may set their network allocation vector for a time period indicated by NAV 806a. Note NAV 806a is equivalent to the transmission opportunity 804 indicated by the RTS 802.

[QQ1Q5] The access point may then transmit data messages 8Q8a~b during the transmission opportunity indicated by the NAV 804. Because the STAs in group 1 and group 2 have their NAV set during the transmissions of data messages 808a-b, there is a low risk of collision between messages transmitted by the STAs in group 1 (i.e. none) and the messages 808a-b.

[00106] After the data 808a-b has been transmitted, the access point may transmit a NAV reset signal 810. In some aspects, the NAY reset signal 810 may be a CF END frame. In other aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 may be a multi-user transmission, with one or more resource units or spatial streams of the multi-user transmission including a CF-END frame. In still other aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 may be a trigger frame.

[00107] Upon receiving the NAV reset signal 810, a device may clear its network allocation vector (NAV). This allows the receiving device to again contend for an opportunity to transmit on the wireless medium. In some disclosed aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 may be addressed to only a portion of devices within the AP’s basic service set and actively listening to the wireless medium For example, the NAV reset signal may include a unicast or group address in a receiver address field of the NAV reset signal 810. In these embodiments, only the devices addressed by the NAV reset signal 810 wall clear their NAV, while other devices not addressed by the N AV reset signal will maintain their NAV as originally set by the RTS message 802.

[00108] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the NAV reset signal 810 may address the STAs in group 1 but not the ST As in group 2. For example, the NAV reset signal 810 may include a destination address indicating a group address for the STAs m group 1. Alternatively, there may only be a single ST A in group 1, and the destination address may include a unicast address identifying the single STA. Thus, as a result of the N AV reset signal 810, the STAs have a first NAV setting 812 (i.e. clear) while the STAs in group 2 have a NAV setting 806b consistent with the original RTS message 802. Because the STAs in group 2 are still not contending for an opportunity to transmit on the wireless medium during the time period 813, a reduced probability of collision may exist for the STAs in group 1 during the time period 813.

[QQ1Q9] As a result of the NAV reset signal 810, one or more STAs in group 1 801a may perform a back off procedure 814 during the time period 813. Upon successful completion of the back off procedure 814, the STA may transmit the data message 816 The data message 816 may be transmitted while STAs in group 2 801b continue to have their NAV set as indicated by NAV 806b, thus eliminating the risk that the transmission of the data message 816 will collide with a message transmitted by any of the STAs in group 2 801b. Note that none of the STAs in group 1 801a or 801b are necessary in a group identified by a group address. The term group here is used only to connote a set of STAs with an identical NAY setting, and is not intended to necessarily implicate group addressing. However, embodiments that identify STAs in group 1 801a or group 2 801b are contemplated, as for example, discussed above with respect to addressing a group in the NAV reset signal 810.

[00110] FIG. 9 shows a message format for an example NAV reset signal. The NAV reset signal 900 includes a frame control field 902, duration indication 904, receiver address 906, basic service set identifier 908, and frame check sequence 910. The frame control field 902 is shown to include a type field 922 and a subtype field 924. A combination of a first predetermined value in the type field 922 and a second predetermined value in the subtype field 924 may identify the frame 810 as a NAV reset signal. In some aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 illustrated in FIG. 8 may be of the format described above with respect to NAV reset signal 900. In some aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 may include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to NAV reset signal 900. While FIG. 9 shows example fields of the NAV reset signal 900, other embodiments of the NAV reset signal 900 are contemplated, and may include fewer or more fields than the example shown in FIG. 9. The basic service set identifier 908 indicates a basic service set to which the NAV reset signal 900 applies. In some aspects, the basic service set identifier may be a station address of an access point managing or controlling the basic service set of identified by field 908. In some aspects, the access point may associate with one or more stations. Upon a successful association procedure (e.g. reception of an IEEE 802.11 association request from an AP and transmission of a successful association response from a device to the AP), the device is considered to be “included” in the basic service set of the access point. A device may leave the basic service set either by 1) performing an unassociation procedure (e.g. IEEE 802.11 unassociation request and unassociation response) or 2) after a predetermined period of elapsed time when no communication occurs between the station and the AP. After the predetermined time elapses, the AP may remove the station from its list of associated stations

[00111] Note that while FIG. 9 illustrates some example lengths of various fields in bits or octets, these are provided only as examples, and the embodiments disclosed should not he limited to fields having the example lengths indicated in FIG 9

[QQ112] FIG 10 shows a message format of an example trigger frame. In some aspects, the NAV reset signal 810 discussed above with respect to FIG. 8 may be formatted in a manner consistent with the example format shown in FIG. 10. The example trigger frame 1000 includes a frame control field 1002, duration field 1004, receiver address field 1006, transmitter address field 1008, common info field 1010, one or more user info fields 1012a-n, a padding field 1016, and a frame check sequence field 1018.

[QQ113] The common info field 1010 may include a trigger type field 1332, In some aspects, a predetermined value in the trigger type field 1032 may indicate that the trigger frame 1000 is a NAV reset signal, such as NAY reset signal 810 discussed above with respect to FIG. 8. The trigger frame 1000 may identify devices that should reset their NAV upon reception of the trigger frame 1000 via the user info fields 1012a-n. For example, each user info field l012a-n may include a device identifier field 1034. The device identifier field 1034 of each user info field 1012a-n may identify a device that is to reset its NAV upon reception or decoding of the trigger message 1000. The device may be identified in the device id field 1034 via a unicast address or a group address for a group in which a device is a member. In some aspects, a device may be identified in a device identifier field 1034 of a user info field 10l2a-n via an association identifier. While FIG. 10 shows example fields of the trigger message 1000, other embodiments of the trigger message 1000 are contemplated, and may include fewer or more fields than the example shown in FIG. 10. Note that while FIG. 10 illustrates some example lengths of various fields in bits or octets, these are provided only as examples, and the embodiments disclosed should not be limited to fields having the example lengths indicated in FIG. 10.

[00114] FIG. 11 show's an example multi-user message format that may^¬ be implemented by some of the disclosed embodiments. The message 1100 illustrated in FIG. 11 may be a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) in some aspects. The multi-user message 1100 includes two resource units or spatial streams, labeled as I lOla-b respectively. The two resource units or spatial streams 1 lOla-b may be addressed to different stations or groups of stations. For example, resource unit or spatial stream 1 101a may be addressed to a first station while resource unit or spatial stream 1101 b may be addressed to a second station. In some aspects, the addressing of each stream 1101 a and 1101 b may be indicated in the HE-SIGA and/or HE-SIGB fields, discussed further below. Techniques for addressing streams or resource units in a multi-user message are known in the art.

[00115 J Each stream or resource unit includes a legacy short training field

1 102a or 1 102b, a legacy long training field 1 104a or 1 104b, a legacy signal field 1 106a or 1106b, a rl-sig field 1108a or 1 108b, a high efficiency signal A field 1110a or 1110b, a high efficiency signal B field 1112a or 1112b, a high efficiency short training field 1114a or 1114b, one or more high efficiency long training fields 1116a or 1116b, and a data portion 11 17a or 1117b. Each data portion TH7a-b may include one or more PLCP (physical layer convergence protocol) protocol data units (PPDU). For example, the example of FIG. 11 show's that stream or resource unit 1101 a includes two protocol data units 1118a and 1120a. PPDU 1120a is shown including a CF-END frame (e.g 900). in some aspects, PPDU 1120a may include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to frame 900. In some aspects, the PPDU 1120a may instead include a trigger frame, indicating the NAV should be reset upon reception of the trigger. For example, in some aspects, the PPDU 1120a may include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to FIG. 10 and frame 1000. The stream or resource unit 110 lb is shown to include PPDUs 11 18b and 1120b. PPDU l ! 20b is shown as a CF-END frame as well (e.g. one or more fields of frame 900). In some other aspects, the PPDU 1120b may include one or more of the fields of frame 1000 discussed above with respect to FIG. 10. In some aspects, one or ore of the streams or resource units in the multi-user message 1100 may include only a single PPDU, or more than the two example PPDU’s illustrated. [QQ116] In some aspects, a station may encoded a multi-user message, such as the example shown in FIG. 11 , so as to provide a NAY reset signal, such as the NAY reset signal 810 discussed above with respect to FIG. 8, to a subset of stations operating on a wireless medium within a particular basic service set. For example, a station may selectively include CF-END frames or trigger frames within one or more spatial streams or resource units of a multi-user transmission. The one or more spatial streams or resource units may be addressed to different stations and/or groups of stations. Other stations may not be addressed by any spatial streams or resource units of the multi-user message, and may not therefore decode the CF-END frames or trigger frames encoded in the multi-user message. In this manner, a multi-user message, such as message 1100 illustrated in FIG. 1 1 , may he employed to selectively near network allocation vector(s) for one or more stations operating on the wireless medium, while leaving network allocation vectors of other devices, not addressed by the multi-user message (e.g. 1100) to maintain an existing setting for their network allocation vectors.

[00117] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an example method for selectively resetting a netw ork allocation vector. In some aspects, one or more of the functions discussed below with respect to FIG. 12 may be performed by the application processor 111 or the control logic 406. For example, memory included in the application processor 111 may store instructions that when executed by the application processor 111 configure the application processor to perform one or more of the functions discussed below. In some aspects process 1200 may be performed by a high efficiency station, such as any of the stations discussed above (e.g. 504, 600, 700). In some aspects, the process 1200 may be performed by the AP 502, discussed above with respect to FIG. 5 and/or FIG. 8. In the discussion of FIG. 12 below', a device performing process 1200 may be referred to as an“executing device.” In some aspects, the executing device may be an access point. In some aspects, the access point be a high efficiency (HE) access point (AP) (HE-AP). In some aspects, the access point may be managing or controlling stations with a particular basic service set. The basic service set is referred to below. In some aspects, a basic service set identifier may be generated by the executing device to identity the basic ser v ice set of the executing device (e.g. AP). In some aspects, the basic service set identifier may be a media access control (MAC) address and/or station address of the executing device (e.g. AP)

[00118] In block 1210, a message is encoded to indicate a first set of devices in a basic service set are to reset their network allocation vector and a second set of devices in the basic service set are to maintain their network allocation vector. In some aspects, devices in either of the first set of devices or the second set of devices may be high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE- STAs). In some aspects, the first set of devices and/or the second set of devices may include only a single device or more than a single device (i.e. a plurality of devices). In some aspects, encoding the message may include allocating a portion of memory for the message and assigning the memory to values according to a message format. In some aspects, the message format may include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to frame 900,

1000, or 1100.

[QQ119] In some aspects, the memory may be assigned values consistent with the format of message 900 shown above with respect to FIG. 9. In some aspects, the message may be encoded as a CF END frame. For example, as discussed above with respect to FIG. 9, the message may be encoded to include a type field having a first predetermined value and a sub-type field having a second predetermined value. The first and second predetermined values may indicate the message is the CF-END frame. In these aspects, the message may be included to include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to FIG. 9 and the NAY reset message 900

[00120] In some aspects, the CF-END frame may be encoded to include a receiver address field, such as field 906 illustrated with respect to FIG. 9. The receiver address field may be set to a unicast address of a single station, a group address for a group of stations, or a multi-cast address in various aspects. By setting the receiver address to a non-broadcast address field, the CF-END frame may be processed by a subset of devices listening on a wireless medium. This subset of devices (devices addressed or identified by the CF-END frame) may reset their NAV as a result of receiving and decoding the CF-END frame. Other devices not addressed by the CF-END frame, may not reset their NAV as a result of receiving and/or decoding the CF-END frame. [QQ121] In some other aspects, the message may be encoded as a multi user message. For example, the message may be encoded according to the example multi-user message 1100 discussed above with respect to FIG. 1 1. In some aspects encoding a multi-user message, the CF-END frame may be encoded into a spatial stream or resource unit of the multi-user message. In some aspects, multiple CF-END frames may be encoded into multiple resource units or multiple spatial streams of the multi-user message. Each of the CF-END frames may be encoded for reception by a separate device or group of devices. For example, a first spatial stream or resource unit of the multi-user message may be addressed or encoded for a first station or group of stations, while a second spatial stream or resource unit of the multi-user message may be addressed or encoded for a second station or group of stations. One or more of the different resource units or spatial streams of the multi-user message may include a separate CF-END frame. In these aspects, multiple devices addressed by the various spatial streams or resource units of the multi-user message may be provided with a CF-END frame, indicating they are to reset their network allocation vectors. Other stations not addressed to receive any of the spatial streams or resource units that include a CF-END frame would not be effected and may therefore maintain their NAV, or m other words, maintain a NAY that is set for a time period extending beyond any reception or decoding of the multi user message. In other words, these devices NAV setting would be unaffected by the multi-user message.

[QQ122] In some other aspects, block 1210 may include encoding the message to be a trigger frame ln some aspects, the encoding of the message may include initializing the message to include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to FIG. 10 and trigger frame 1000. For example, in some aspects, block 1210 may be encoded to include a type field and a subtype field, as described above with respect to type field 1022 and subtype field 1024. The type field 1022 may be encoded with a third predetermined value and the subtype field 1024 may be encoded with a fourth predetermined value. The combination of the third and fourth predetermined values may indicate the encoded message has a format consistent with the trigger frame 1000. [QQ123] Block 1210 may also include encoding a first user info field (e.g. 1012a) to indicate a first station (for example, via an association identifier, group address, or media access control address of the first station). Block 1210 may also include encoding multiple user info fields (e.g. l012a-n) to identify different stations (via different association identifiers or mac addresses) or identifying different stations via a group address in a single user info field for example. Stations not identified by any user info field 1012 will not reset their NAV upon reception of the trigger message.

[00124] In some aspects, block 1210 may also include obtaining a transmission opportunity for the executing device. The executing device may then encode the message for transmission during the transmission opportunity.

In some aspects, the executing device may obtain the transmission opportunity by transmitting a request to send message. The request to send message may include a duration field. The duration field may indicate a duration of the transmission opport unity for the executing device.

[00125] In some aspects, the message is encoded to identify stations within a single basic service set by including the basic service set in the message. For example, as discussed above with respect to frame 900, the basic service set may be included m the encoded message. Some embodiments encode a message that does not explicitly indicate the basic service set to which the message applies. Instead, in these aspects, such as aspects encoding a trigger frame or a multi-user message, stations within the basic service set may be addressed individually (via a unicast address) or as a group (a group address for example). In these aspects, some stations within the BSS are individually addressed (or group addressed) to dear their NAV, while other stations within the BSS are not individually addressed or group addressed) and thus are not indicated to clear their NAV (and they thus maintain their NAV setting).

[QQ126] In some aspects, block 1210 may include associating with the first and second set of devices to include the first and second set of devices in the basic service set. Associating with the first and second set of devices may include successfully performing an IEEE 802.11 association procedure. In some aspects, this includes a station transmitting an association request message to the executing device (e.g. an access point), and the executing device (e.g. access pomt) transmitting an association response to the station, the response indicating a successful association. The association response may include an association identifier for the station. The association identifier may he used in subsequent message exchanges between the station and the executing device (e.g. AP). For example, as discussed below', the association identifier may be used by the executing device to address or identify the station in a message. For example, in some aspects, a user info field in a trigger frame (e.g. 1000) may address or identify a station via the association identifier. Similarly, a multi-user frame (e.g. 1100) may also address or identify a station via the association identifier.

[00127] In some aspects, indicating some subset of devices (e.g. within a basic service set are to maintain their network allocation vector may include not addressing or identifying those devices in a message. For example, in some aspects of this disclosure, only devices whose NAV setting is to change are addressed or identified by the message encoded in block 1210. If a device is not identified or addressed, either via a receiver address field (e.g. frame 900), a user info field (e.g. frame 1000) or by a stream in a multi-user message (e.g. frame 1100), then that device will not process any indications in the frame for NAV changes. In this manner, the frame indicates those non-addressed devices are to maintain their existing NAV setting. In some other aspects, the frame may explicitly address or identify devices whose NAV setting should be maintained. For example, in some aspects, a bit or bits may be associated with each device addressed or identified in a message, with the bit or bits indicating whether that device is to reset its NAV or leave its NAV unaffected. For example, the user info field 1012a-n discussed above with respect to FIG. 10, could include, m some aspects, these bit or bits for each station addressed or identified by the trigger frame 1000. These bits could indicate, in some aspects, whether the device addressed by the trigger frame is to reset its NAV or leave its NAV unaffected.

[QQ128] In block 1220, a station is configured to transmit the encoded message. In some aspects, the station is the executing device. For example, in some aspects, the application processor i l l of FIG. 1 may communicate with baseband processing 108 in some aspects to provide the encoded message for transmission. This communication may include a variety of interface technologies depending on a hardware design of the wireless circuit card 100.

For example, direct memory access may be employed in some aspects to move the encoded message from the application processor to the baseband processing 108. In some aspects, the application processor 111 and the baseband processing 108 may have access to a shared memory, and thus the communication between the application processor 11 1 may indicate to the baseband processing 108 of a location in the shared memory where the encoded message is stored, and that the encoded message is to be transmitted.

[00129] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method for selecting resetting a network allocation vector based on decoding of a message in some aspects, one or more of the functions discussed below with respect to FIG. 13 may be performed by the application processor 1 1 1 or the control logic 406. For example, memory_' included in the application processor 111 may store instructions that when executed by the application processor 111 configure the application processor to perform one or more of the functions disc ussed below.

In some aspects process 1300 may be performed by a high efficiency station, such as any of the stations discussed above (e.g. 504, 600, 700). In the discussion of FIG. 12 below, a device performing process 1300 may be referred to as an“executing device.” In some aspects, the executing device may be a high efficiency station. A basic service set is referred to below. In some aspects, a basic service set identifier may be obtained by the executing device by associating with an access point. The executing device may transmit an association request to the access point, and receive an association response from the access point indicating a successful association. Included in the association response may be an association identifier. The association identifier may uniquely identify the executing device to the access point, in that only the executing device (among all devices associated with the access point) has the specific association identifier provided by the access point. In some aspects, a basic service set identifier may be a media access control (MAC) address and/or station address of the access point). In the discussion below⁷, devices that have completed a successful association procedure with an access point may be considered to be included in a basic service set of or controlled by the access point. These devices may leave the basic service set upon a completion of an unassociation procedure, or in some aspects, if no communication occ urs between a particular station and the access point for some predetermined period of time, the access point may effectively remove the station fro the basic service set by, for example, marking an association identifier previously issued to the station as invalid.

[00130] In block 1310, a message is decoded to determine a subset of devices in a basic service set that are to reset their network allocation vector. In other words the subset of devices does not include all devices in the basic service set. In some aspects, the subset of devi ce may be i dentified by the message including an enumerated list of devices that are to reset their network allocation vector. In some aspects, the subset of devices may be identified via an enumerated list that includes group addresses, or a combination of group addresses and unicast addresses of the devices. In some aspects, decoding the message may include allocating a portion of memory for the message and receiving the message contents into the memory. Decoding the message may further include parsing the memory contents according to one or more predetermined message formats. In some aspects, the message format may include one or more of the fields discussed above with respect to frame 900, 1000, or 1 100. The parsing may extract separate values for one or more of the fields identified in the format for which the memory is parsed.

[QQ131] In some other aspects, block 1310 may include decoding the message to determine the message is a trigger frame. For example, in some aspects, a type field (e.g. 1022) of the message may have a first predetermined value and a subtype field (e.g. 1024) of the message may have a second predetermined value. The combination of these two field values may indicate, in some aspects, that the decoded message is a trigger frame.

[00132] Block 1310 may also include decoding a first user info field (e.g. 1012a) indicating or identifying a first station (for example, via an association identifier, group address, or media access control address of the first station). Block 1310 may also include decoding multiple user info fields (e.g. and combination of !0l2a-n) to identify different stations (via different association identifiers or mac addresses) or identifying different stations via a group address in a single user info field for example. Stations not identified by any user info field (e.g. 1012) will not reset their NAY upon reception of the trigger message.

[00133] In some aspects, the message is decoded to identify stations wiihm a single basic service set by including the basic service set in the message. For example, as discussed above with respect to frame 900, the basic service set may be included in the encoded message. Some embodiments decode a message that does not explicitly indicate the basic service set to which the message applies. Instead, in these aspects, such as aspects decoding a trigger frame, stations within the basic service set may be addressed individually (via a unicast address) or as a group (a group address for example). In these aspects, some stations within the BSS are individually addressed (or group addressed) to clear their NAV, while other stations within the BSS are not individually addressed or group addressed) and thus are not indicated to clear their NAV (and they thus maintain their NAV setting).

[QQ134] In some aspects, block 1310 may include associating with an access point to include the executing device in the basic service set. Associating with the access point may include successfully performing an IEEE 802.11 association procedure. In some aspects, this includes the executing device transmitting an association request message to the access point, and the access point transmitting an association response to the executing device, the response indicating a successful association. The association response may include an association identifier for the executing device (e.g. HE-STA). The association identifier may be used in subsequent message exchanges between the access point and the executing device (e.g. HE-STA). For example, as discussed below, the association identifier may be used by the executing device to address or identify itself to the AP. The AP may also use the association identifier to identify the executing device. For example, in some aspects, a user info field in a trigger frame (e.g. 1000) may address or identify a station via the association identifier. Similarly, a multi-user frame (e.g. 1 100) may also address or identify a station via the association identifier.

[00135] In some aspects, the decoded message may identify a subset of devices (e.g. within a basic service set) are to maintain their network allocation vector by not addressing or identifying those devices in a message. For example, in some aspects of this disclos ure, only de vices whose NAV setting is to change are addressed or identified by the message decoded in block 1310. If a device is not identified or addressed, either via a receiver address field (e.g. frame 900), a user info field (e.g. frame 1000) or by a stream in a multi-user message (e.g. frame 1100), then that device will not process any indications in the frame for NAV changes. In this manner, the frame indicates those non- addressed devices are to maintain their existing NAV setting. In some other aspects, the frame may explicitly address or identify devices whose NAV setting should be maintained. For example, in some aspects, a bit or bits may be associated with each device addressed or identified in a message, with the bit or bits indicating whether that device is to reset its NAV or leave its NAV unaffected. For example, the user info field l012a-n discussed above with respect to FIG. 10, could include, in some aspects, these bit or bits for each station addressed or identified by the trigger frame 1000. These bits could indicate, in some aspects, whether the device addressed by the trigger frame is to reset its NAV or leave its NAV unaffected.

[00136 J In block 1320, a determination is made as to whether the executing device is included in the subset of devices that are to reset their NAV. As discussed above, in some aspects, the determination may be based on whether any user info field in a trigger message includes an iden tifier of the executing device, such as an association identifier of the executing device. [QQ137] In block 1330, the network allocation vector of the executing device is reset based on the determination of block 1320. In some aspects, if the executing device is included in the subset, then the NAV is reset. If the executing device is not included in the subset, then the NAV is maintained.

[00138] In some aspects, block 1330 includes contenting for access to a wireless medium in response to the NAV being reset. For example, the executing device may initiate a back off operation m response to the NAV being reset. The initiating of the back off operation may also be contingent on the executing device having data queued up and ready to send on the wireless medium.

[00139] Upon completion of any initiated back off operation, the executing device may then initiate a transmission of the wireless medium, or may at least configure the HE-STA to transmit on the wireless medium. For example, in some aspects, the application processor i l l of FIG. 1 may communicate with baseband processing 108 in some aspects to provide for transmission of a message on the wireless medium in response to successful completion of the back-off, which was initiated in response to resetting of the NAY. This communication with the baseband processing may include a variety of interface technologies depending on a hardware design of the wireless circuit card 100. For example, direct memory access may be employed in some aspects to move the message to be transmitted fro the application processor to the baseband processing 108. In some aspects, the application processor 1 1 1 and the baseband processing 108 may have access to a shared memory, and thus the communication between the application processor 1 1 1 may indicate to the baseband processing 108 of a location in the shared memory where the message to be transmitted is stored, and that the message is to be transmitted.

[QQ14Q] Example 1 is an apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) access point (AP) (HE-AP) comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity to: encode a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (FIE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs; and configure the HE-AP to transmit the message.

[QQ141] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain a transmission opportunity for the HE-AP, and to configure the HE-AP to transmit the message during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP.

[00142] In Example 3, the subject matter of Example 2 optionally includes wherein the processing circuity is further configured to obtain the transmission opportunity by causing the HE-AP to transmit a request to send (RTS) frame indicating a duration of time receiving HE-STAs including the first set of HE-STAs and the second set of HE-STAs are to set their respective network allocation vectors (NAVs), and receiving a clear to send (CTS) frame. [QQ143] In Example 4, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-3 optionally include wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message by encoding a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station in the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refrainin from identifying a second station in the BSS in the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

[QQ144] In Example 5, the subject matter of Example 4 optionally includes wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the trigger frame to include a second field identifying a second station in the basic service and the first set of HE-STAs, the second field identifying the second station by the second field having a value equivalent to an association identifier of the second station, the trigger frame indicating that the secon d station is to reset its network allocation vector.

[QQ145] In Example 6, the subject matter of Example 5 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry' is further configured to associate with the second station: and assigning the association identifier to the second station as part of the association.

[00146| 1° Example 7, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples

1-6 optionally include wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00147 J In Example 8, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples

1-7 optionally include wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF- END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[QQ148] In Example 9, the subject matter of Example 8 optionally includes wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the MU- PPDU to include a second CF-END frame in a second resource unit or second spatial stream allocated to a second set of one or more stations, the second set of one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00149] In Example 10, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-9 optionally include wherein the memory stores the encoded message

[00150] Example 11 is an apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) station (STA) (HE ST A) comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity configured to: decode a message from an HE AP to determine a subset of devices in a basic service set of the HE-AP that are to reset their network allocation vector during a transmission opportunity of the HE-AP; determine whether the HE-STA is included in the subset; and reset a network allocation vector of the HE-STA based on the determination.

[00151] In Example 12, the subject matter of Example 11 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine the decoded message is a trigger frame; decode, in response to the determination, a first user info field from the trigger frame, the first user info field identifying at least a first HE-STA in the first set of HE-STAs; decode, in response to the determination, a second user info field identifying at least a second HE-STA m the second set of HE-STAs, wherein the resetting of the network allocation vector of the HE-STA is based on whether any one of the first user info field or the second user info field identifies the HE-STA.

[QQ152] In Example 13, the subject matter of Example 12 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to compare an association identifier of the HE-STA to a value of the first user info field to determine if the first user info field identifies the HE-STA.

[00153] In Example 14, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 12-13 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the HE-STA is not included in the subset of HE-STAs and maintain the network allocation vector in response to all user mfo fields included in the trigger frame failing to identify the HE-STA.

[00154] In Example 15, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 11—14 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to contend for access to a wireless medium in response to a reset of the network allocation vector, and to configure the HE-STA to transmit data during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP in response to a successful contention for the wireless medium.

[001551 Example 16 is a method for selective access to a transmission opportunity for a plurality of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs), the method comprising: encoding a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) m a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-ST As; and configuring the HE- AP to transmit the message.

[00156] In Example 17, the subject matter of Example 16 optionally includes wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station in the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refraining fro identifying a second station in the BSS m the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

[00157] In Example 18, the subject matter of Example 17 optionally includes encoding the trigger frame to include a second field identifying a second station in the basic service and the first set of HE-STAs, the second field identifying the second station by the second field having a value equivalent to an association identifier of the second station, the trigger frame indicating that the second station is to reset its network allocation vector.

[00158 ] In Example 19, the subject matter of Example 18 optionally includes associating with the second station; and assigning the association identifier to the second station as pari of the association.

[00159] In Example 20, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 16-19 optionally include wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00160] In Example 21, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 16-20 optionally include wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included m the first set of HE-STAs.

[00161] In Example 22, the subject matter of Example 21 optionally includes encoding the MU-PPDU to include a second CF-END frame in a second resource unit or second spatial stream allocated to a second set of one or more stations, the second set of one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00162] In Example 23, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 16-22 optionally include obtaining a transmission opportunity for the HE-AP, and configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP.

[QQ163] In Example 24, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 17-23 optionally include obtaining the transmission opportunity by causing the HE-AP to transmit a request to send (RTS) frame indicating a duration of time receiving HE-STAs including the first set of HE-STAs and the second set of HE-STAs are to set their respective network allocation vectors (NAVs), and receiving a clear· to send (CTS) frame.

[00164] Example 25 is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause one or more hardware processors to perform a method for selective access to a transmission opportunity for a plurality of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs), the method comprising: encoding a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs: and configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message.

[QQ165] In Example 26, the subject matter of Example 25 optionally includes wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station in the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refraining from identifying a second station in the BSS in the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

[00166] In Example 27, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 25-26 optionally include wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations m the first set of HE-STAs.

[00167] In Example 28, the subject matter of any one or more of

Exampl es 25-27 optionally include wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included in the fi rst set of HE-STAs.

[QQ168] In Example 29, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 26-28 optionally include the method further comprising encoding the trigger frame to include a second field identifying a second station in the basic service and the first set of HE-STAs, the second field identifying the second station by the second field having a value equivalent to an association identifier of the second station, the trigger frame indicating that the second station is to reset its network allocation vector.

[QQ169] In Example 30, the subject matter of Example 29 optionally includes the method further comprising associating with the second station; and assigning the association identifier to the second station as part of the association.

[00170 ] In Example 31, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-30 optionally include the method further comprising encoding the MU-PPDU to include a second CF-END frame in a second resource unit or second spatial stream allocated to a second set of one or more stations, the second set of one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00171] In Example 32, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 25-31 optionally include the method further comprising obtaining a transmission opportunity for the HE-AP, and configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP. [00172] In Example 33, the subject matter of Example 32 optionally includes the method further comprising obtaining the transmission opportunity by causing the HE-AP to transmit a request to send (RTS) frame indicating a duration of time receiving HE-STAs including the first set of HE-STAs and the second set of HE-STAs are to set their respective network allocation vectors (NAVs), and receiving a clear to send (C^'TS) frame.

[QQ173] Example 34 is a method for reseting a network allocation vector (NAV) of a high efficiency (HE) station (STA) HE-STA, the method comprising: decoding a message from an HE-AP to determine a subset of devices in a basic service set of the HE-AP that are to reset their network allocation vector during a transmission opportunity of the HE-AP; determining whether the HE-STA is included in the subset; and resetting a network allocation vector of the HE-STA based on the determination.

[QQ174] In Example 35, the subject matter of Example 34 optionally includes determining the decoded message is a trigger frame; decoding, m response to the determination, a first user info field from the trigger frame, the first user info field identifying at least a first HE-STA in the first set of HE- STAs; decoding, in response to the determination, a second user mfo field identifying at least a second HE-STA in the second set of HE-STAs, wherein the reseting of the network allocation vector of the HE-STA is based on whether any one of the first user info field or the second user info field identifies the HE- STA.

[00175] In Example 36, the subject matter of Example 35 optionally includes comparing an association identifier of the HE-STA to a value of the first user info field to determine if the first user info field identifies the HE-STA.

[00176] In Example 37, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-36 optionally include determining the HE-STA is not included in the subset of HE-STAs and maintaining the network allocation vector in response to all user info fields included in the trigger frame failing to identify the HE-STA.

[00177] In Example 38, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 34-37 optionally include contending for access to a wireless medium in response to a reset of the network allocation vector, and configuring the HE- STA to transmit data during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP m response to a successful contention for the wireless medium.

[00178] Example 39 is a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed, configure one or more hardware processors to perform a method for resetting a network allocation vector (NAV) of a high efficiency (HE) station (STA) HE-STA, the method comprising:

decoding a message from an HE-AP to determine a subset of devices in a basic service set of the HE-AP that are to reset their network allocation vector during a transmission opportunity of the HE-AP; determining whether the HE-STA is included in the subset; and resetting a network allocation vector of the HE-STA based on the determination.

[00179] In Example 40, the subject matter of Example 39 optionally includes determining the decoded message is a trigger frame; decoding, m response to the determination, a first user info field from the trigger frame, the first user info field identifying at least a first HE-STA in the first set of HE- STAs; decoding, in response to the determination, a second user info field identifying at least a second HE-STA in the second set of HE-STAs, wherein the resetting of the network allocation vector of the HE-STA is based on whether any one of the first user info field or the second user info field identifies the HE- STA.

[QQ18Q] In Example 41, the subject matter of Example 40 optionally includes comparing an association identifier of the HE-STA to a value of the first user info field to determine if the first user info field identifies the HE-STA.

[00181] In Example 42, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 40-41 optionally include determining the HE-STA is not included in the subset of HE-STAs and maintaining the network allocation vector in response to all user info fields included in the trigger frame failing to identify the HE-STA.

[QQ182] In Example 43, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 39-42 optionally include contending for access to a wireless medium in response to a reset of the network allocation vector, and configuring the HE- STA to transmit data during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP in response to a successful contention for the wireless medium. [00183] Example 44 is an apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) access point (AP) (HE-AP) comprising: means for encoding a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAY) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE- STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs; and means for configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message.

[00184] In Example 45, the subject matter of Example 44 optionally includes means for obtaining a transmission opportunity for the HE-AP, and means for configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP.

[00185] In Example 46, the subject matter of Example 45 optionally includes means for causing the HE-AP to transmit a request to send (RTS) frame indicating a duration of time receiving HE-STAs including the first set of HE- STAs and the second set of HE-STAs are to set their respective network allocation vectors (NAVs), and mean for receiving a clear to send (CTS) frame.

[00186] In Example 47, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 44-46 optionally include means for encoding the message as a trigger frame, the trigger frame encoded to include a first field indicating a first station m the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and means for indicating, by refraining from identifying a second station in the BSS in the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

[00187] In Example 48, the subject matter of Example 47 optionally includes means for encoding the trigger frame to include a second field identifying a second station in the basic service and the first set of HE-STAs, the second field identifying the second station by the second field having a value equivalent to an association identifier of the second station, the trigger frame encoded to indicate that the second station is to reset its network allocation vector.

[00188] In Example 49, the subject matter of Example 48 optional ly includes means for associating with the second station; and means for assigning the association identifier to the second station as part of the association. [QQ189] In Example 50, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 44-49 optionally include means for encoding the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00190] In Example 51, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 44-50 optionally include means for encoding the message as a multi user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00191] In Example 52, the subject matter of Example 51 optionally includes means for encoding the MU-PPDU to include a second CF-END frame m a second resource unit or second spatial stream allocated to a second set of one or more stations, the second set of one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

[00192] Example 53 is an apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) station (ST A) (HE ST A) comprising: means for decoding a message from an HE-AP to determine a subset of devices in a basic ser vice set of the HE-AP that are to reset their network allocation vector during a transmission opportunity of the HE-AP; means for determining whether the HE-STA is included in the subset: and means for resetting a network allocation vector of the HE-STA based on the determination.

[00193] In Example 54, the subject matter of Example 53 optionally includes means for determining the decoded message is a trigger frame; means for decoding, in response to the determination, a first user info field from the trigger frame, the first user info field identifying at least a first HE-STA in the first set of HE-STAs; means for decoding, m response to the determination, a second user mfo field identifying at least a second HE-STA in the second set of HE-STAs, wherein the resetting of the network allocation vector of the HE-STA is based on whether any one of the first user info field or the second user info field identifies the HE-STA. [QQ194] In Example 55, the subject matter of Example 54 optionally includes means for comparing an association identifier of the HE-STA to a value of the first user info field to determine if the first user mfo field identifies the HE-STA.

[00195] In Example 56, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 54-55 optionally include means for determining the HE-STA is not included in the subset of HE-STAs and means for maintaining the network allocation vector in response to all user info fields included in the trigger frame failing to identify the HE-STA.

[00196] In Example 57, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 53-56 optionally include means for contending for access to a wireless medium in response to a reset of the network allocation vector, and means for configuring the HE-STA to transmit data during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP in response to a successful contention for the wireless medium

[00197] Examples, as described herein, may include, or may operate on, logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of performing specified operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In an example, circuits may be arranged (e.g., internally or with respect to external entities such as other circuits) in a specified manner as a module. In an example, the whole or part of one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more hardware processors may be configured by firmware or software (e.g., instructions, an application portion, or an application) as a module that operates to perform specified operations. In an example, the software may reside on a machine readable medium In an example, the software, when executed by the underlying hardware of the module, causes the hardware to perform the specified operations.

[QQ198] Accordingly, the term‘^‘module” is understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily (e.g., transitorily) configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a specified manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein. Considering examples in which modules are temporarily configured, each of the modules need not be instantiated at any one moment in time. For example, where the modules comprise a general-purpose hardware processor configured using software, the general-purpose hardware processor may be configured as respecti ve different modules at different times. Software may accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to constitute a particular module at one instance of time and to constitute a different module at a different instance of time.

[QQ199] V arious embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer-readable medium may include any tangible non- transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory, etc.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) access point (AP) (HE AP) comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity to:

encode a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (ST As) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs; and

configure the HE-AP to transmit the message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain a transmission opportunity for the HE-AP, and to configure the HE-AP to transmit the message during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to obtain the transmission opportunity by causing the HE-AP to transmit a request to send (RTS) frame indicating a duration of time receiving HE-STAs including the first set of HE-STAs and the second set of HE-STAs are to set their respective network allocation vectors (NAVs), and receiving a clear to send (CTS) frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message by encoding a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station m the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refraining from identifying a second station in the BSS m the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

7.7

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the trigger frame to include a second field identifying a second station in the basic service and the first set of HE-STAs, the second field identifying the second station by the second field having a value equivalent to an association identifier of the second station, the trigger frame indicating that the second station is to reset its network allocation vector

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to associate with the second station; and assigning the association identifier to the second station as part of the association.

7 The apparatus of claim l, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations m the first set of HE-STAs

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing circuity is further configured to encode the MU-PPDU to include a second CF-END frame in a second resource unit or second spatial stream allocated to a second set of one or more stations, the second set of one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores the encoded message.

11. An apparatus of a high efficiency (HE) station (STA) (HE STA) comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity configured to:

decode a message from an HE-AP to determine a subset of devices in a basic service set of the HE-AP that are to reset their network allocation vector during a transmission opportunity of the HE-AP;

determine whether the HE-STA is included in the subset; and reset a network allocation vector of the HE-STA based on the determination.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry' is further configured to:

determine the decoded message is a trigger frame;

decode, in response to the determination, a first user info field from the trigger frame, the first user info field identifying at least a first HE-STA m the first set of HE-STAs;

decode, in response to the determination, a second user info field identifying at least a second HE-STA in the second set of HE-STAs, wherein the resetting of the network allocation vector of the HE-STA is based on whether any one of the first user info field or the second user info field identifies the HE- STA.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to compare an association identifier of the HE-STA to a value of the first user info field to determine if the first user info field identifies the HE-STA.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the HE-STA is not included in the subset of HE- STAs and maintain the network allocation vector in response to all user info fields included in the trigger frame failing to identify the HE-STA.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry_' is further configured to contend for access to a wireless medium m response to a reset of the network allocation vector, and to configure the HE-STA to transmit data during the transmission opportunity of the HE-AP in response to a successful contention for the wireless medium.

16. A method for selective access to a transmission opportunity for a plurality of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs), the method comprising:

encoding a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to maintain their network allocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs; and

configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station in the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refraining from identifying a second station in the BSS in the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a trigger frame as a contention-free (CF) CF- END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations in the first set of

HE-STAs.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included m the first set of HE-STAs.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause one or more hardware processors to perform a method for selective access to a transmission opportunity for a plurality of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs), the method comprising:

encoding a message to indicate a first set of high efficiency (HE) stations (STAs) (HE-STAs) in a basic service set (BSS) are to reset their network allocation vector (NAV) and a second set of HE-STAs in the BSS are to main tain their network all ocation vector, the first set of HE-STAs including a plurality of HE-STAs; and

configuring the HE-AP to transmit the message.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a trigger frame to include a first field indicating a first station in the BSS and the first set of HE-STAs is to reset its network allocation vector and to further indicate, by refraining from identifying a second station in the BSS in the trigger frame, that the second station is to maintain its network allocation vector.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a contention-free (CF) CF-END frame including a unicast or multicast destination address, the unicast or multicast destination address identifying one or more stations in the first set of HE-STAs.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the encoding of the message includes encoding the message as a multi-user (MU) physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the MU-PPDU encoded to include a CF-END frame in a resource unit or spatial stream allocated to one or more stations, the one or more stations included in the first set of HE-STAs.