Patent ID: 9407347
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: H04B,H04W

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: prompting, at a first communication device, a plurality of second communication devices to transmit, to the first communication device, respective beamforming training packets as part of a procedure for developing respective transmit beamforming matrices for use by the plurality of second communication devices; receiving, at the first communication device, the respective beamforming training packets as part of the procedure for developing the respective transmit beamforming matrices, the respective beamforming training packets having been transmitted by the plurality of second communication devices in response to the prompting; generating, at the first communication device, respective beamforming feedback packets based on reception of the respective beamforming training packets; transmitting, from the first communication device, the respective beamforming feedback packets as part of the procedure for developing the respective transmit beamforming matrices; selecting, at the first communication device, a group of multiple second communication devices from among the plurality of second communication devices using channel information developed based on reception of the respective beamforming training packets, the group selected for simultaneous transmissions to the first communication device; transmitting, with the first communication device, a synchronization signal to the group to prompt second communication devices in the group to simultaneously transmit to the first communication device at a particular time; and receiving, with the first communication device, simultaneous transmissions from the group responsive to the synchronization signal, the simultaneous transmissions having been beamformed by second communication devices in the group using transmit beamforming matrices developed by the second communication devices in the group as part of the procedure for developing respective transmit beamforming matrices for use by the plurality of second communication devices.