Patent Description:
Two issues with communicating data over a wireless network are requesting acknowledgements for received data and acknowledging received data. Requesting acknowledgement of received data and acknowledging received data consumes bandwidth. Moreover, with the use of some protocols a large number of stations may be transmitting concurrently in both the spatial domain and time domain. Additionally, consumers often demand more and more bandwidth for their applications.

Thus there are general needs for systems, apparatus, and methods that reduce signaling, bandwidth and delay associated with communicating requests for acknowledgements and communicating acknowledgments. <CIT> relates to techniques for aggregating certain frame types in uplink and/or downlink transmit opportunities. Such techniques may improve wireless communications system performance by reducing the overall number of transmit opportunities required. <CIT> relates to multi-user parallel channel access (MU-PCA) and/or single-user parallel channel access (SU-PCA) using transmit and/or receive with symmetrical bandwidth, in the downlink (DL), uplink (UL), or combined DL and UL. SU-PCA and MU-PCA may support unequal modulation and coding schemes (MCS) and unequal transmit power. Medium access control (MAC) layer, Physical layer (PHY), and mixed and PHY layer methods and procedures may support UL, DL and combined UL and DL SU-PCA and MU-PCA using transmit and/or receive with symmetrical bandwidth. MU-PCA and/or SU-PCA may also be supported by MAC and PHY layer designs and procedures for downlink, uplink and combined uplink and downlink using transmit/receive with asymmetrical bandwidth.

Aspects and embodiments are set out in the appended claims.

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.

<FIG> illustrates a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments. The wireless network may comprise a basis service set (BSS) <NUM> that may include an access point (AP) <NUM>, a plurality of HEW devices <NUM> and a plurality of legacy devices <NUM>.

The AP <NUM> may be an access point (AP) using the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) <NUM> to transmit and receive. The AP <NUM> may be a base station. The AP <NUM> may use other communications protocols as well as the <NUM> protocol. For example the AP <NUM> may use DensiFi or <NUM>. The <NUM> protocol may be <NUM>. The <NUM> protocol may include using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and/or Space-Division Multiple Access (SDMA). The <NUM> may include using multi-user (MU) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO)(MU-MIMO). The HEW devices <NUM> may operate in accordance with <NUM>. 11ax and/or Densify. The legacy devices <NUM> may operate in accordance in accordance with one or more of <NUM> a/g/ag/n/ac, or another legacy wireless communication standard.

The HEW devices <NUM> may be wireless transmit and receive devices such as cellular telephone, handheld wireless device, wireless glasses, wireless watch, wireless personal device, tablet, or another device that may be transmitting and receiving using the <NUM> protocol such as <NUM>. 11ax or another wireless protocol.

The BSS <NUM> may operate on a primary channel and one or more secondary channels or sub-channels. The BSS <NUM> may include one or more APs <NUM>. In accordance with embodiments, the AP <NUM> may communicate with one or more of the HEW devices <NUM> on one or more of the secondary channels or sub-channels or the primary channel. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> communicates with the legacy devices <NUM> on the primary channel. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> may be configured to communicate concurrently with one or more of the HEW devices <NUM> on one or more of the secondary channels and a legacy device <NUM> utilizing only the primary channel and not utilizing any of the secondary channels.

The AP <NUM> may communicate with legacy devices <NUM> in accordance with legacy IEEE <NUM> communication techniques. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> may also be configured to communicate with HEW devices <NUM> in accordance with legacy IEEE <NUM> communication techniques. Legacy IEEE <NUM> communication techniques may refer to any IEEE <NUM> communication technique prior to IEEE <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a HEW frame may be configurable to have the same bandwidth and the bandwidth may be one of <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> contiguous bandwidths or an <NUM>+<NUM> (<NUM>) non-contiguous bandwidth. In some embodiments, a <NUM> contiguous bandwidth may be used. In some embodiments, bandwidths of <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> or a combination thereof may also be used. In these embodiments, an HEW frame may be configured for transmitting a number of spatial streams.

In other embodiments, the AP <NUM>, HEW device <NUM>, and/or legacy device <NUM> may implement different technologies such as CDMA2000, CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO, Interim Standard <NUM> (IS-<NUM>), Interim Standard <NUM> (IS-<NUM>), Interim Standard <NUM> (IS-<NUM>), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE (GERAN), IEEE <NUM> (i.e., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)).

In an OFDMA system such as <NUM>. 11ax, an associated HEW device <NUM> may operate on any <NUM> sub-channel of the BSS <NUM> (that can operate for example at <NUM>).

In example embodiments, an AP <NUM>, HEW devices <NUM>, and legacy devices <NUM> use carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA). In some embodiments, the media access control (MAC) layer <NUM> (see <FIG>) controls access to the wireless media.

In example embodiments, an AP <NUM>, HEW devices <NUM>, legacy devices <NUM>, perform carrier sensing and can detect whether or not the channel is free. For example, an AP <NUM>, HEW device <NUM>, or legacy device <NUM> may use clear channel assessment (CCA) which may include a determination whether or not the channel is clear based on a Decibel-milliwatts (dBm) level of reception. In example embodiments, the physical layer (PHY) <NUM> is configured to determine a CCA for an AP <NUM>, HEW devices <NUM>, and legacy devices <NUM>.

After determining that the channel is free, an AP <NUM>, HEW device <NUM>, and legacy devices <NUM> defer their attempt to access the channel a back-off time to avoid collisions. In example embodiments, an AP <NUM>, HEW device <NUM>, and legacy devices <NUM> determine the back-off time by first waiting a specific amount of time and then adding a random back-off time, which, in some embodiments, is chosen uniformly between <NUM> and a current contention window (CS) size.

In example embodiments, an AP <NUM>, HEW devices <NUM>, legacy devices <NUM>, access the channel in different ways. For example, in accordance with some IEEE <NUM>. 11ax (High-Efficiency Wi-Fi (HEW)) embodiments, an AP <NUM> 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 HEW control period (i.e., a transmission opportunity (TXOP)). The AP <NUM> may transmit an HEW master-sync transmission at the beginning of the HEW control period. During the HEW control period, HEW devices <NUM> may communicate with the AP <NUM> in accordance with a non-contention based multiple access technique. This is unlike conventional Wi-Fi communications in which legacy devices <NUM> and, optionally, HEW devices <NUM> communicate in accordance with a contention-based communication technique, rather than a multiple access technique. During the HEW control period, the AP <NUM> may communicate with HEW devices <NUM> using one or more HEW frames. During the HEW control period, legacy devices <NUM> refrain from communicating. In some embodiments, the master-sync transmission may be referred to as an HEW control and schedule transmission.

In some embodiments, the multiple-access technique used during the HEW control period may be a scheduled orthogonal frequency division multiple access (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.

The AP <NUM> may also communicate with legacy devices <NUM> in accordance with legacy IEEE <NUM> communication techniques. In some embodiments, the master station may also be configured to communicate with HEW stations outside the HEW control period in accordance with legacy IEEE <NUM> communication techniques, although this is not a requirement.

In example embodiments, the HEW device <NUM> and/or legacy device <NUM> are configured to perform one or more of the functions and/or methods described herein such as concurrently transmitting block acknowledgement requests (BARs) and concurrently responding to BARs. In some embodiments, the HEW devices <NUM> may respond to BARs that include requests to more than one HEW device <NUM>. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> is configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the methods described in conjunction with <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> with the AP <NUM> using one or more packets as illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. In example embodiments, the HEW device <NUM> is configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the methods described in conjunction with <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> with the AP <NUM> using one or more packets as illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates a method of sending multi-user (MU) block acknowledgment (BA) <NUM> in response to receiving MU block acknowledgment request (BAR) <NUM> according to example embodiments. Illustrated in <FIG> are wireless communication devices <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> along the vertical axis and time <NUM> along the horizontal axis. The method <NUM> begins at <NUM> with the AP <NUM> concurrently transmitting MU packets <NUM> to the HEW devices <NUM> and other devices <NUM>. In example embodiments, the MU packets <NUM> are multi-user (MU) media access control (MAC) service data unit (MU-MSDU). The other devices <NUM> may be HEW devices <NUM> or legacy devices <NUM>. The other devices <NUM> set a network allocation vector (NAV) <NUM> so as not to attempt to access the wireless medium until the NAV <NUM> indicates the wireless medium may be not in use. The HEW devices <NUM> receive the MU packets <NUM>. The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with the AP <NUM> transmitting MU BAR <NUM>. The HEW devices <NUM> may receive the MU BAR <NUM>. The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with HEW devices <NUM> waiting a short inter-frame space (SIFS) <NUM>, and continues at <NUM> with HEW device <NUM> concurrently transmitting MU BA <NUM> in response to the MU BAR <NUM>. The AP <NUM> receives the MU BAs <NUM> and determines whether or not the MU packets <NUM> were received.

<FIG> illustrates a method of sending multi-user (MU) block acknowledgment (BA) <NUM> in response to receiving MU block acknowledgment request (BAR) <NUM> according to example embodiments.

Illustrated in <FIG> is stream <NUM>, which includes stream <NUM>, stream <NUM>, and stream <NUM>, time <NUM>, MU BAR <NUM>, SIFS <NUM>, MU BA <NUM>, and HEW devices <NUM>. The stream <NUM> may be a data stream such as a data stream in <NUM>. 11ax or Densify. The stream <NUM> may be transmitted on a channel such as a sub-channel in <NUM>. 11ax or Densify or a tone of OFDMA. More than one stream <NUM> may be transmitted on a channel using spatial streams such as spatial streams in accordance with <NUM>. 11ax, Densify, and/or SDMA.

The method <NUM> begins at <NUM> with the AP <NUM> transmitting MU BAR. The MU BAR <NUM> includes the AP <NUM> transmitting concurrently legacy preamble <NUM>, down link (DL) MU control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM>. The AP <NUM> transmits a legacy preamble <NUM>, DL MU Control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM> to each HEW device <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. In example embodiments, the preamble includes a duration of time that indicates how long the wireless medium is reserved.

The legacy preamble <NUM> may be a preamble as defined in <NUM>. The DL MU control <NUM> may be different for each of the different HEW devices <NUM>. The MU BAR <NUM> may include data packets. In example embodiments data packet are transmitted prior to the MU BAR <NUM>. The MU BAR MAC <NUM> may be different for each of the different HEW devices <NUM>.

The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with the HEW devices <NUM> waiting a period of time before transmitting MU BA <NUM>. For example, the HEW devices <NUM> may wait a SIFS <NUM> period of time. Each HEW device <NUM> may respond to the MU BAR <NUM> by transmitting a legacy preamble <NUM>, UL MU control <NUM>, and MU BA MAC <NUM>. The HEW devices <NUM> concurrently transmit the MU BA <NUM> on different streams <NUM>. An allocation of the streams <NUM> may have been included in the MU BAR <NUM>. The method <NUM> may continue with the AP <NUM> receiving MU BA <NUM> which may include legacy preamble <NUM>, UL MU control <NUM>, and MU BA MAC <NUM> from the HEW devices <NUM>, and the AP <NUM> determining whether or not the data packets were received by the HEW devices <NUM>. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> may concurrently transmit acknowledge requests to legacy devices <NUM>. The AP <NUM> may be configured to transmit an indication to the HEW devices <NUM> to transmit the BA <NUM> on the same sub-channel the HEW devices <NUM> receive the BAR <NUM>. The AP <NUM> may be configured to transmit an indication to the HEW devices <NUM> to transmit the BA <NUM> immediately after a SIFS. The method <NUM> may end.

Illustrated in <FIG> is stream <NUM>, which includes stream <NUM>, stream <NUM>, and stream <NUM>, time <NUM>, MU BAR <NUM>, SIFS <NUM>, MU BA <NUM>, and HEW devices <NUM>. The stream <NUM> may be a data stream such as a data stream in <NUM>. 11ax or Densify. The stream <NUM> may be transmitted on a channel such as a sub-channel in <NUM>. 11ax or Densify. More than one stream <NUM> may be transmitted on a channel using spatial streams such as spatial streams in accordance with <NUM>. 11ax, Densify, and/or SDMA. The MU BAR <NUM> may include data packets. In example embodiments data packet are transmitted prior to the MU BAR <NUM>.

The method <NUM> begins with the AP <NUM> transmitting MU BAR <NUM>. The MU BAR <NUM> includes the AP <NUM> transmitting concurrently legacy preamble <NUM>, DL MU control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM>. The AP <NUM> transmits a legacy preamble <NUM>, DL MU Control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM> to HEW device <NUM>, and similarly the AP <NUM> transmits a legacy preamble <NUM>, DL MU Control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM> to HEW device <NUM>, and the AP <NUM> transmits legacy preamble <NUM>, DL MU Control <NUM>, and MU BAR MAC <NUM> to HEW device <NUM>.

The legacy preamble <NUM> may be a preamble in accordance with <NUM>. The DL MU control <NUM> is the same for the different HEW devices <NUM>. The MU BAR MAC <NUM> is the same for each of the different HEW devices <NUM>.

The method <NUM> continues with the HEW devices <NUM> waiting a period of time before transmitting MU BA <NUM>. For example, the HEW devices <NUM> may wait a SIFS period of time. The method <NUM> continues with each HEW device <NUM> responding to the MU BAR <NUM> by transmitting a legacy preamble <NUM>, UL MU control <NUM>, and MU BA MAC <NUM>. The HEW devices <NUM> concurrently transmit the MU BA <NUM> on different streams <NUM>. An allocation of the streams <NUM> may have been included in the MU BAR <NUM>. In example embodiments, the HEW devices <NUM> use the stream on which they received the MU BAR MAC <NUM>.

The AP <NUM> may be configured to transmit an indication to the HEW devices <NUM> to transmit the BA <NUM> on the same sub-channel the HEW devices <NUM> receive the BAR <NUM>. The AP <NUM> may be configured to transmit an indication to the HEW devices <NUM> to transmit the BA <NUM> immediately after a SIFS.

<FIG> illustrates a physical (PHY) frame format of MU BAR of <FIG> according to example embodiments. Illustrated in <FIG> are legacy preamble <NUM>, MU SIG1 <NUM>, MU SIG2 <NUM>, MU preamble <NUM>, and BAR MAC <NUM>.

In example embodiments, the legacy preamble <NUM> is reversed. In example embodiments, the information for power and timing adjustments is included in the MU preamble <NUM>. In example embodiments, MU SIG1 <NUM> indicates HEW device <NUM> specific control information. In example embodiments, MU SIG2 <NUM> includes duplicated control information common to the HEW devices <NUM>. In example embodiments, the BAR MAC <NUM> indicates the BAR MAC frame for one specific HEW device <NUM>. For example, BAR MAC HEW DEV <NUM><NUM> indicates BAR MAC frame information for HEW device <NUM><NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a physical (PHY) frame format of MU BAR of <FIG> according to example embodiments. Illustrated in <FIG> are streams <NUM>, legacy preamble <NUM>, MU preamble <NUM>, and BAR MAC <NUM>. In example embodiments, the legacy preamble <NUM> is reversed. In example embodiments, the information for power and timing adjustments is included in the MU preamble <NUM>. In example embodiments, the BAR MAC <NUM> indicates the information of all the multicast grouped HEW devices <NUM>. For example, as illustrated BAR MAC <NUM> indicates the information for HEW device <NUM><NUM>, HEW device <NUM><NUM>, and HEW device <NUM><NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a PHY frame format of a MU BA according to example embodiments. Illustrated in <FIG> are legacy preamble <NUM>, MU STF <NUM>, MU LTF <NUM>, MU LTF <NUM>, MU-SIG <NUM>, and BA MAC <NUM>. The PHY frame format <NUM> may be according to <FIG> and <FIG>. The BA MAC <NUM> of each HEW device <NUM> will be transmitted on different MIMO streams or OFDMA tones. The MU STF <NUM> is a short training frame. The MU LTF <NUM> is a long training frame for a HEW device <NUM>. There may be N MU LTFs <NUM>, <NUM>. The MU-SIG <NUM> may be a signal frame. In example embodiments, the MU-SIG <NUM> is transmitted once for each of the HEW devices <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a format of a MAC frame <NUM> for MU BAR, according to example embodiments. The MAC header <NUM> of the MAC frame <NUM> may be in accordance with <NUM> with the RA field <NUM> including the multicast group instead of a unicast address associated by higher level convention with a group of intended recipient HEW devices <NUM> that are logically related.

The BAR control field <NUM>, which may be replicated for each STAs, is modified to support MU BA being compatible with legacy BAR frames. In example embodiments, the following three subfields are included in the BAR Control fields <NUM>, multi-AID <NUM>, CH_INFO <NUM>, and AID_INFO <NUM>. In example embodiments, multi-AID <NUM>, CH_INFO <NUM>, and AID_INFO <NUM> are encoded in reserved fields of <NUM> packet formats. The bar info STA N field <NUM> may include an AID_VALUE <NUM>. The BAR Control fields <NUM> may include an indication of an BAR ACK policy <NUM> used by the AP <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a format of a MAC frame <NUM> for MU BA, according to example embodiments. The MAC header <NUM> of the MAC frame <NUM> may be in accordance with <NUM> with the RA field <NUM> including the multicast group instead of a unicast address associated by higher level convention with a group of intended recipient HEW devices <NUM> that are logically related.

The BAR control field <NUM>, which may be replicated for each STA, is modified to support MU BA being compatible with legacy BAR frames. In example embodiments, STAs are HEW devices <NUM>. In example embodiments, three subfields are included in the BAR Control fields <NUM>, multi-AID <NUM>, CH_INFO <NUM>, and AID_INFO <NUM>. In example embodiments, multi-AID <NUM>, CH_INFO <NUM>, and AID_INFO <NUM> are encoded in reserved fields of <NUM> packet formats. An AID_VALUE <NUM> may be included in a BA INFO STA <NUM> field <NUM>.

Example embodiments of the encoding of the BA frame <NUM> for multi-AID <NUM>, CH_INFO <NUM>, and AID_INFO <NUM> is indicated in Table <NUM> BA Frame Variant Encoding.

In example embodiments, when the multi-AID bit is <NUM>, then the BAR/BA information field will repeat for each AID or STA. In example embodiments, the multi-AID indicates whether or MU BA will be used. If the multi-AID bit is <NUM>, then non-concurrent BA will be used and bit B8 to B11 will be reserved as legacy <NUM> systems. If the multi-AID bit is <NUM>, then MU BU will be transmitted. In example embodiments, the BA information of each STA will repeat for each TID if multi-TID is <NUM>.

In example embodiments, CH_INFO field <NUM> (Table <NUM>) includes information of spatial streams or allocated tones for each STA when the multi-AID bit is <NUM>. In example embodiments, the CH_INFO subfield is reserved if the multi-AID bit is <NUM>. In example embodiments, AID_INFO <NUM> (Table <NUM>) is the information of AID in corresponding to each intended recipient STA.

<FIG> illustrates payload vs. overhead in wireless communications <NUM>, according to example embodiments. Illustrated in <FIG> are overhead <NUM>, effective <NUM>, control frame <NUM>, interframe space <NUM>, PHY header <NUM>, MAC header <NUM>, payload <NUM>, and ACK <NUM>.

The efficiency may be determined as (sPayload * <NUM>) divided by (Time * [sum from i= <NUM> to Number_of_Users of Rate_of_user_i]). The sPayload is the total size (in bytes) of DL MU DATA frames. NumberofUsers is the number of users. Rate_of_user_i is the maximum data rate of user i corresponding to the chosen MCS (modulation and coding scheme). Time is the transmission time of a download period including control frame <NUM>, interspace <NUM>, PHY header <NUM>, MAC header <NUM>, payload (data) <NUM>, and ACK <NUM>. Example frame lengths are illustrated in Table <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a graph <NUM> comparing the efficiency <NUM> of different block acknowledgement methods for download MU. Along the vertical axis is efficiency <NUM> and along the horizontal axis is a number of users <NUM> or STAs, which may be HEW devices <NUM>. The graph illustrates that example embodiments of MU BA as disclosed herein can improve the efficiency of wireless communications.

Illustrated on the chart <NUM> are MU BA <NUM> according to method <NUM> (method <NUM>), MU BA <NUM> according to method <NUM> (or method <NUM>), immediate BA <NUM>, and delayed BA <NUM>. Immediate BA <NUM> is according to legacy <NUM> where the BA's from the STA are sequentially sent to the AP <NUM> rather than concurrently. Delayed BA <NUM> is according to legacy <NUM> where the BA's from the STA are sequentially sent to the AP <NUM> after the AP <NUM> is finished sending the BARs to all the STAs.

When number of users <NUM> is <NUM>, MU BA <NUM> and MU BA <NUM> perform about the same as immediate BA <NUM>. The delayed BA <NUM> is about <NUM> percent lower due to extra ACK exchanges and more inter-frame spaces. For mult-user transmissions, MU BA <NUM> and MU BA <NUM> can improve the MAC efficiency <NUM> compared to both immediate BA <NUM> and delayed BA <NUM>. When the number of users (STAs) is <NUM>, MU BA <NUM> and MU BA <NUM> have an efficiency improvement of <NUM>% compared with delayed BA <NUM> and about <NUM>% compared with immediate BA <NUM>. Thus, MU BA <NUM> and MU BA <NUM> provide greater efficiency of the communication medium than existing methods immediate BA <NUM> and delayed BA <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a method for BAR and BA according to example embodiments. <FIG> illustrates AP <NUM> and STA <NUM>. The STA <NUM> may be one or more HEW devices <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The method <NUM> may begin at <NUM> with the AP <NUM> sending DL MU data. The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with the AP <NUM> sending MU BARs to the STAs <NUM>. For example, <NUM> (<FIG>) and <NUM> (<FIG>) illustrate MU BARs being sent to STAs (HEW devices <NUM>).

The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with MU BAs sent from the STAs <NUM> to the AP <NUM>. For example, <NUM> (<FIG>), and <NUM> (<FIG>) illustrate MU BAs being sent from STAs (HEWs <NUM>) to an AP <NUM>. The method <NUM> may end.

<FIG> illustrates a method <NUM> for BARs and BAs according to example embodiments. The method <NUM> begins with start <NUM>. The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with AP sending DL MU data frames to STAs. For example, the AP <NUM> in <FIG> may send DL MU DATA to STAs <NUM>. In <FIG>, the AP <NUM> sends MU packets <NUM>, which may be data, to HEW devices <NUM>.

The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with determining BAR type. For example, the AP <NUM> may determine whether or not to set multi-AID bit to <NUM> to send BARs separately to each STA, or to set multi-AID bit to <NUM> to send MU BAR collectively. In example embodiments, the AP <NUM> may be configured to send the BAR a specific way and sets the appropriate bit(s) to indicate the type of BAR. In example embodiments, an <NUM> standard supports only MU BAR or sending BARs separately, and the AP <NUM> does not determine which BAR type.

The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with BAR type MU. In example embodiments, <NUM> is optional, for example, when there are not multiple types of BARs supported by the AP <NUM>.

If the BAR type is not MU, then the method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with sending BARs to STAs. For example, the AP <NUM> may send MU BAR <NUM> to each HEW device <NUM> (<FIG>) with an example frame <NUM> (<FIG>). In another example, the AP <NUM> sends MU BAR <NUM> to STAs <NUM>. In example embodiments, information for power and timing adjustment are included in a PHY header.

If the bar type is MU, then the method <NUM> may continue at <NUM> with sending MU bars to the STAs. For example, the AP <NUM> sends one frame MU BAR <NUM> (<FIG>) to multiple HEW devices <NUM> with an example frame <NUM> (<FIG>). As another example, the AP <NUM> sends MU BAR <NUM> (<FIG>). In example embodiments, information for power and timing adjustment are included in a PHY header.

The method <NUM> continues at <NUM> with receive BAs. For example, <NUM> (<FIG>), and <NUM> (<FIG>) illustrate MU BAs being sent from STAs (HEWs <NUM>) to an AP <NUM>. The method <NUM> may end at <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a HEW device in accordance with some embodiments. HEW device <NUM> may be an HEW compliant device that may be arranged to communicate with one or more other HEW devices, such as HEW devices <NUM> (<FIG>) or access point <NUM> (<FIG>) as well as communicate with legacy devices <NUM> (<FIG>). HEW devices <NUM> and legacy devices <NUM> may also be referred to as HEW stations (STAs) and legacy STAs, respectively. HEW device <NUM> may be suitable for operating as access point <NUM> (<FIG>) or an HEW device <NUM> (<FIG>). In accordance with embodiments, HEW device <NUM> may include, among other things, a transmit/receive element (for example an antenna), a transceiver <NUM>, physical layer (PHY) circuitry <NUM> and medium-access control layer circuitry (MAC) <NUM>. PHY <NUM> and MAC <NUM> may be HEW compliant layers and may also be compliant with one or more legacy IEEE <NUM> standards. MAC <NUM> may be arranged to configure PPDUs and arranged to transmit and receive PPDUs, among other things. HEW device <NUM> may also include other processing circuitry <NUM> and memory <NUM> may be configured to perform the various operations described herein. In example embodiments, the processing circuitry <NUM> is hardware circuitry <NUM>. The processing circuitry <NUM> may be coupled to the transceiver <NUM>, which may be coupled to the transmit/receive element <NUM>. While <FIG> depicts the processing circuitry <NUM> and the transceiver <NUM> as separate components, the processing circuitry <NUM> and the transceiver <NUM> may be integrated together in an electronic package or chip.

In some embodiments, the MAC <NUM> may be arranged to contend for a wireless medium during a contention period to receive control of the medium for the HEW control period and configure an HEW PPDU. In some embodiments, the MAC <NUM> may be arranged to contend for the wireless medium based on channel contention settings, a transmitting power level, and a CCA level.

The PHY <NUM> may be arranged to transmit the HEW PPDU. The PHY <NUM> may include circuitry for modulation/demodulation, upconversion/downconversion, filtering, amplification, etc. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry <NUM> may include one or more processors. The processing circuitry <NUM> may be configured to perform functions based on instructions being stored in a RAM or ROM, or based on special purpose circuitry. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry <NUM> may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein for sending and receiving BARs and BAs.

In some embodiments, two or more antennas may be coupled to the PHY <NUM> and arranged for sending and receiving signals including transmission of the HEW packets. The HEW device <NUM> may include a transceiver to transmit and receive data such as HEW PPDU and packets that include an indication that the HEW device <NUM> should adapt the channel contention settings according to settings included in the packet. The memory <NUM> may be store information for configuring the other circuitry to perform operations for configuring and transmitting BAR and BA packets and performing the various operations described herein including sending and responding to BARs and BAs.

In some embodiments, the HEW device <NUM> may be configured to communicate using OFDM communication signals over a multicarrier communication channel. In some embodiments, HEW device <NUM> may be configured to communicate in accordance with one or more specific communication standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards including IEEE <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>. 11n-<NUM>, <NUM>. 11ac-<NUM>, <NUM>. 11ax, DensiFi, standards and/or proposed specifications for WLANs, although the scope of the example embodiments is not limited in this respect as they may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards. In some embodiments, the HEW device <NUM> may use 4x symbol duration of <NUM>. 11n or <NUM>.

In some embodiments, a HEW device <NUM> may be part of a portable wireless communication device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or portable computer with wireless communication capability, a web tablet, a wireless telephone, a smartphone, a wireless headset, a pager, an instant messaging device, a digital camera, an access point, a television, a medical device (e.g., a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, etc.), an access point, a base station, a transmit/receive device for a wireless standard such as <NUM> or <NUM>, or other device that may receive and/or transmit information wirelessly. In some embodiments, the mobile device may include one or more of a keyboard, a display, a non-volatile memory port, multiple antennas, a graphics processor, an application processor, speakers, and other mobile device elements. The display may be an LCD screen including a touch screen.

The transmit/receive element <NUM> 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 may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result.

Although the device <NUM> 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.

Example embodiments have the technical effect of increasing the efficiency of the wireless medium as disclosed in conjunction with <FIG>. The HEW device <NUM> thus, may increase both the throughput of the HEW device <NUM>, and the throughput of other HEW devices <NUM> and/or legacy devices <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An apparatus of a high-efficiency, HE, access point, AP, (<NUM>) the apparatus comprising:
memory; and, processing circuitry coupled to the memory, wherein the processing circuitry configured to:
encode a multi-user, MU, block acknowledgement request, BAR,MU-BAR, (<NUM>), the MU-BAR (<NUM>) to indicate to a plurality of HE stations, STAs, (<NUM>) to simultaneously transmit block acknowledgements, BAs, (<NUM>) to the HE AP (<NUM>),
the MU-BAR (<NUM>) to indicate which subchannel each HE STA of the plurality of HE STAs (<NUM>) should use to transmit a BA (<NUM>) to the HE AP (<NUM>);
configure the HE AP (<NUM>) to transmit the MU-BAR (<NUM>); and
receive the BAs (<NUM>) from the plurality of HE STAs (<NUM>).