PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11363635-B2
Application Number: US-202117161264-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Apparatus and method for extremely high throughput (EHT) medium reservation

Abstract:
Some embodiments include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for Extremely High Throughput (EHT) medium reservation. Some embodiments include a first station configured to exchange EHT-Request to Send (RTS) and/or EHT-Clear to Send (CTS) capabilities with a second station, and determine CTS response mode (e.g., rules) for the first station based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second stations. Some embodiments include transmitting RTS frames and receiving CTS frames in the presence of punctured channels, implementing a flexible channel reservation scheme, reserving punctured bandwidths, and receiving CTS frames even when a primary channel is busy. Some embodiments include an RTS or an CTS frame that includes an EHT bandwidth puncture (BnP) signaling address and/or a modified scrambler seed that enable channel reservations for an EHT bandwidth.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A first electronic device, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless transmissions; 
 a processor, coupled to the transceiver, configured to:
 transmit via the transceiver, Request to Send (RTS) and Clear To Send (CTS) capabilities of the first electronic device; 
 receive via the transceiver, RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device; 
 configure a CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices; 
 transmit via the transceiver, to the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, wherein the first RTS frame indicates extremely high throughput (EHT) bandwidth (BW) channel reservations that include a punctured channel according to the CTS response mode; and 
 receive via the transceiver, from the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, wherein the secondary channel is included in the EHT BW channel reservations. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The first electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 in response to receiving the first CTS frame, transmit via the transceiver, first data to the second electronic device on the secondary channel; 
 transmit via the transceiver, to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel, wherein the first and the second RTS frames are substantially the same; and 
 based on a CTS frame not being received in response to the transmission of the second RTS frame on the primary channel, transmit via the transceiver, second data to a third electronic device on the primary channel. 
 
     
     
       3. The first electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 first perform clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary channel, over a Point Coordination Function (PCF) Interframe Space (PIFS) using a 20 MHz CCA threshold; 
 determine based at least on the first performance, that the primary channel is idle; and 
 select the primary channel for transmitting the second RTS frame. 
 
     
     
       4. The first electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the transmission of the second RTS frame on the primary channel; and 
 receive a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the second data within a duration of the NAV. 
 
     
     
       5. The first electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 second perform CCA across channels corresponding to the EHT BW channel reservations over the PIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, wherein the EHT BW channel reservations comprise a multiple of 80 MHz channels, and wherein the EHT BW CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold; 
 determine based at least on the second performance, that one or more channels corresponding to the EHT BW channel reservations are idle; and 
 select the one or more idle channels for transmitting corresponding RTS frames. 
 
     
     
       6. The first electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 transmit via the transceiver, to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel; 
 subsequent to transmitting the second RTS frame, receive via the transceiver, from the second electronic device, a first set of CTS frames that correspond to a first subset of channels of the EHT BW channel reservations; 
 transmit via the transceiver, to a third electronic device, a first set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations; 
 subsequent to transmitting the first set of RTS frames, receive via the transceiver, from the third electronic device, a second set of CTS frames that correspond to a second subset of channels of the EHT BW channel reservations; and 
 transmit via the transceiver, a combined BW comprising first data on a portion of the first subset of channels and second data on a portion of the second subset of channels. 
 
     
     
       7. The first electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) for channels corresponding to the first data and the second data based at least on the transmission of the first set of RTS frames. 
 
     
     
       8. The first electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 transmit via the transceiver, to the second electronic device, a second set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations, wherein the second set of RTS frames includes the second RTS frame. 
 
     
     
       9. A first electronic device, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless transmissions; 
 a processor, coupled to the transceiver, configured to:
 receive via the transceiver, Request to Send (RTS) and Clear To Send (CTS) capabilities of a second electronic device; 
 transmit via the transceiver, RTS and CTS capabilities of the first electronic device; 
 configure a CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices; 
 receive via the transceiver, from the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, wherein the first RTS frame indicates extremely high throughput (EHT) bandwidth (BW) channel reservations that includes a punctured channel; and 
 transmit via the transceiver, to the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, wherein the secondary channel is based at least on the EHT BW channel reservations and the CTS response mode. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The first electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive via the transceiver, from the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel, wherein the first and the second RTS frames are substantially the same; 
 determine that the primary channel is busy; and 
 in response to transmitting the first CTS frame, receive via the transceiver, first data from the second electronic device on the secondary channel. 
 
     
     
       11. The first electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 first perform clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary channel comprising a 20 MHz channel, over a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) using a 20 MHz CCA threshold; and 
 determine based at least on the first performance, that the primary channel is busy, wherein a CTS frame is not transmitted on the primary channel. 
 
     
     
       12. The first electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive via the transceiver, from the second electronic device, multiple RTS frames across channels corresponding to EHT BW channel reservations, wherein the EHT BW channel reservations comprise a multiple of 80 MHz channels; 
 second perform CCA across the EHT BW channel reservations over the SIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, wherein the EHT BW EHT CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold; 
 determine based at least on the second perform, that the channels corresponding to the EHT BW channel reservations are idle; and 
 select corresponding idle 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW channel reservations according to the CTS response mode, for transmitting corresponding CTS frames. 
 
     
     
       13. The first electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the first RTS frame received on the secondary channel; and 
 transmit a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the first data within a duration of the NAV. 
 
     
     
       14. The first electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the first CTS frame comprises: a receiver address (RA) that includes a first bit map of the EHT BW channel reservations, a second bit map that indicates the secondary channel over which the first CTS frame is transmitted, or CTS information. 
     
     
       15. The first electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the CTS information comprises:
 a network allocation vector (NAV) report on channels corresponding to the first bit map, or an estimation of signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of the channels corresponding to the first bit map. 
 
     
     
       16. A method, comprising:
 transmitting Request to Send (RTS) and Clear To Send (CTS) capabilities of a first electronic device; 
 receiving RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device; 
 configuring a CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices; 
 transmitting to the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, wherein the first RTS frame indicates extremely high throughput (EHT) bandwidth (BW) channel reservations according to the CTS response mode; and 
 receiving from the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, wherein the secondary channel is included in the EHT BW channel reservations. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the first CTS frame, transmitting first data to the second electronic device on the secondary channel; 
 transmitting to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel, wherein the first and the second RTS frames are substantially the same; and 
 based at least on a CTS frame not being received in response to transmission of the second RTS frame on the primary channel, transmitting second data to a third electronic device on the primary channel. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 first performing clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary channel comprising a 20 MHz channel, over a Point Coordination Function (PCF) Interframe Space (PIFS) using a 20 MHz CCA threshold; 
 determining based at least on the first performance that the primary channel is idle; and 
 selecting the primary channel for transmitting the second RTS frame. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 maintaining a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the transmission of the second RTS frame on the primary channel; and 
 receiving a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the second data within a duration of the NAV. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 second performing CCA across channels corresponding to the EHT BW channel reservations over the PIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, wherein the EHT BW channel reservations comprise a multiple of 80 MHz channels, and wherein the EHT BW CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold; 
 determining based at least on the second performance that one or more channels corresponding to the EHT BW channel reservations are idle; and 
 selecting the one or more idle channels for transmitting corresponding RTS frames.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Application No. 63/018,348, filed on Apr. 30, 2020, entitled, Apparatus and Method for Extremely High Throughput (EHT) Medium Reservation, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communications, including reserving a wireless medium for transmission. 
     Related Art 
     Wireless stations and access points (APs) use Request to Send (RTS) and Clear to Send (CTS) frames to reserve a medium for transmission of data. RTS and CTS frames must be transmitted on a primary channel of a basic service set (BSS). For example, a preamble corresponding to an RTS frame transmitted on the primary channel identifies the bandwidth in which RTS frames are to be transmitted, and preamble puncturing is not permitted. Further, CTS frames are transmitted only if all channels from which the RTS signals are received are available. And, CTS frames are transmitted only if the primary channel is available. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments include a Request to Send (RTS) and Clear to Send (CTS) mechanism that enables a station and/or an access point (AP) to reserve a medium for transporting data utilizing extremely high throughput (EHT) protocol. Some embodiments enable the transmission and reception of preamble punctured RTS and CTS frames, flexible EHT bandwidth (BW) channel reservation, reserving punctured BWs, and CTS transmission even when the primary channel is busy. Some embodiments include RTS and CTS frames that enable communication of EHT BW channel reservations. 
     Some embodiments include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for EHT medium reservation. Some embodiments include an RTS station that includes a processor and a transceiver coupled to the processor. The processor can transmit RTS and CTS capabilities of the first electronic device (e.g., a station or an AP.) The processor can receive RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device (e.g., an access point (AP) or another station), and configure a CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices. The processor can obtain a transmit opportunity (TXOP) on a primary channel, and perform clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary channel. The CCA is measured over a Point Coordination Function (PCF) Interframe Space (PIFS) using a 20 MHz CCA threshold, and/or perform CCA across an EHT BW over the PIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, where the EHT BW comprises a multiple of 80 MHz channels, and where the EHT BW CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold. The processor can determine based at least on the performing that the primary channel is idle and/or that the EHT BW is idle. 
     Based on the determination, the processor can select the idle 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW for transmitting corresponding RTS frames, (e.g., select the secondary channel for transmitting a first RTS frame and/or select the primary channel for transmitting a second RTS frame.) The processor can transmit to the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, where the first RTS frame indicates EHT BW channel reservations include a punctured channel according to the CTS response mode. A punctured channel is a channel that is within the EHT transmission BW, but does not carry any transmission, i.e. the punctured channel is not in use. For example, a channel may already be in use by a different service, or is not available, and that channel can be punctured (e.g., transmission does not include any power, filled with zeros or not used) to avoid interfering with the different service. The EHT BW can include one or more punctured channels. The processor can receive from the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, where the secondary channel is included in the EHT BW channel reservations. In response to receiving the first CTS frame, the processor can transmit first data to the second electronic device on the secondary channel, and transmit to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on the primary channel, where the first and second RTS frames are substantially the same. 
     Even when a CTS frame is not received in response to the second RTS frame on the primary channel, the processor can transmit second data to a third electronic device (e.g., different than the second electronic device) on the primary channel. The processor can maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the first or second RTS frame transmitted on the primary channel, and receive a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the second data within a duration of the NAV. 
     In some embodiments, an RTS station can employ dual RTS frame transmissions to different stations, and in response to the various CTS frames, transmit a signal that is received by different stations corresponding to respective CTS frames received. In some embodiments, the processor can transmit to a third electronic device, a first set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations. Subsequent to transmitting the first set of RTS frames, the processor can receive from the third electronic device, a first set of CTS frames that correspond to a first subset of channels of the EHT BW channel reservations. The processor can transmit to the second electronic device, a second set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations, and/or transmit to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel (e.g., the second set of RTS frames can include the second RTS frame.) Subsequent to transmitting the second set of RTS frames and/or the second RTS frame, the processor can receive from the second electronic device, a second set of CTS frames that correspond to a second subset of channels of the BW channel reservations, and transmit a combined EHT BW comprising first data on a portion of the first subset of channels and second data on a portion of the second subset of channels. The processor can maintain a NAV for the channels corresponding to the first data and the second data based at least on the first set of RTS frames transmitted. 
     Some embodiments include a CTS station that includes a processor and a transceiver coupled to the processor. The processor can receive RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device (e.g., a station), and transmit RTS and CTS capabilities of the first electronic device (e.g., another station or an access point (AP).) The processor can configure CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices, and receive from the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, where the first RTS frame indicates EHT BW channel reservations including a punctured channel. The processor can receive from the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel, where the first and second RTS frames are substantially the same, and/or receive from the second electronic device, multiple RTS frames across an EHT BW comprising a multiple of 80 MHz channels. The processor can perform clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary channel over a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) using a 20 MHz CCA threshold and/or perform CCA across the EHT BW over the SIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, where the EHT BW CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold. The processor can determine based at least on the performing, that i) the primary channel is busy, (so an CTS frame is not transmitted on the primary channel) and/or ii) that the EHT BW is idle. Based on the determinations, the processor can select corresponding idle 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW according to the CTS response mode, for transmitting corresponding CTS frames. 
     The processor can transmit to the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, where the secondary channel is based at least on the EHT BW channel reservations and the CTS response mode. In response to transmitting the first CTS frame, the processor can receive first data from the second electronic device on the secondary channel, maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the first RTS frame received on the secondary channel, and transmit a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the first data within a duration of the NAV. In some embodiments, the first CTS frame includes: a receiver address (RA) that includes a first bit map of the EHT BW channel reservations over which the first RTS frame and other RTS frames are received, a second bit map of channels over which the first CTS frame and other CTS frames are transmitted, or CTS information. The CTS information can include: a network allocation vector (NAV) report on reserved channels of the first bit map, an estimation of signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of the reserved channels of the first bit map, link adaptation guidance, or a recommendation on the reserved channels of the first bit map that can used for transmission. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate the presented disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and enable a person of skill in the relevant art(s) to make and use the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an example system implementing for extremely high throughput (EHT) medium reservation, in according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an example of Request to Send (RTS) Timeout for EHT medium reservation, in according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates configuring an example wireless system for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless system with a transceiver for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example of secondary channel allocations for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an example of Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) thresholds for EHT bandwidths for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates an example of static puncture signaling for EHT medium reservation with forbidden channels, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates an example of CTS signaling when a primary channel is busy for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6C  illustrates an example of Resource Unit (RU) reception in multiple channels for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example of dual RTS and Clear to Send (CTS) reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates another example of dual RTS and CTS reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example of RTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an example of CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11A  illustrates examples of scrambler seed formats corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11B  illustrates an example of a puncturing bit map for corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11C  illustrates an example of signaling combinations corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11D  illustrates an example of puncturing configurations corresponding to RTS and CTS frames, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11E  illustrates an example of bit values corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a method for an RTS station for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a method for an RTS station for a dual RTS and CTS reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a method for a CTS station for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 15  is an example computer system for implementing some embodiments or portion(s) thereof. 
         FIG. 16 . illustrates an example system for medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 17  illustrates an example of a service field bit assignment, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The presented disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, generally, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, generally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some embodiments include apparatus, method, and computer program products that enable stations and/or access points (APs) to reserve a medium using extremely high throughput (EHT) protocol. For example, some embodiments enable an EHT transceiver to: receive two or more resource units (RUs) on two or more channels concurrently; support a preamble punctured non-High Throughput (HT) duplicate physical protocol data unit (PPDU) so that not all 20 MHz channels within a PPDU bandwidth (BW) are utilized. A PPDU BW that includes multiples of 80 MHz bands can be called an EHT BW. Some embodiments enable Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) sensing per 20 MHz BW to determine whether each channel is busy or idle. Some embodiments enable: flexible BW reservation schemes that maximize the reserved bandwidth even if some channels are busy; allow Clear to Send (CTS) transmissions even when a CTS station determines that the primary channel is busy; allows a Request to Send (RTS) transmitter to control when a CTS frame is transmitted as a response to an RTS frame; enable CTS frames to transmit additional information for an RTS station; and enable RTS and CTS signaling to support 320 MHz BW and new IEEE 802.11be transmission BW combinations. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an example system  100  implementing for extremely high throughput (EHT) medium reservation, in according to some embodiments of the disclosure. System  100  includes five stations:  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , and  150 . RTS and CTS signaling are used to reserve a medium for transmission. A station (e.g., station  120 ) can be an access point (AP). Station  110  senses idle channels before transmitting one or more RTS frames to station  120 . Station  120  senses channels in which the RTS was transmitted and transmits one or more CTS frames on idle channels to station  110 . In the examples that follow, RTS stations refer to stations that transmit RTS frames and receive CTS frames. And, CTS stations refer to stations or APs that transmit CTS frames and receive RTS frames. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates an example system  1600  for medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation, system  1600  can be described using elements of  FIG. 1A . System  1600  shows four 20 MHz channels: primary channel  1630 , secondary 20 channel  1640 , lower secondary 40 channel  1650 , and upper secondary 40 channel  1660 . These channels can be combined for a transmission BW from station  110 , an RTS station, to station  120 , a CTS station, at 20 MHz, 40 MHz, or 80 MHz for example. Other combinations up to 160 MHz are also possible. 
     There are limitations to system  1600  that some embodiments in the disclosure overcome. For example, RTS and CTS stations rely on CCA Energy Detection (ED) over the same Point Coordination Function (PCF) Interframe Space (PIFS) to determine whether an RTS frame or a CTS frame is transmitted. The CCA ED measurements are based on a total transmission BW. Primary channel  1640  must be available for RTS and corresponding CTS frame transmission, and preamble puncturing is not permitted (e.g., punctured channels are unused 20 MHz channels within a transmission BW (e.g., EHT BW, PPDU BW) are not allowed. Thus, all channels in the transmission BW need to be idle, otherwise CTS frames are not transmitted.) 
     At  1610 , RTS station (e.g., station  110 ) senses channels over a PIFS to determine whether the channels are idle before transmitting an RTS signal to a CTS station (e.g., station  120 .) Further, the CCA ED is sensed for the entire transmission BW using a single transmission BW threshold value. For example, if the transmission BW is 80 MHz (e.g., four 20 MHz channels), the CCA ED is based on the total 80 MHz bandwidth based on a single threshold value. In this example, RTS station has determined a transmission BW of 80 MHz, primary channel  1630  is available, there are no punctured channels (e.g., no 20 MHz channels that are not in use; in other words, all of the channels need to be available), and the CCA ED over the entire transmission BW of 80 MHz satisfied the single transmission BW threshold value. Thus, RTS frames are transmitted on each of the idle 20 MHz channels. 
     At  1620 , CTS station (e.g., station  120 ) senses using CCA ED over the entire transmission BW during the same PIFS to determine whether a CTS frame is later transmitted on all of the channels that make up the transmission BW or only the primary channel. In addition, CTS frames are only transmitted if primary channel  1630  is available. Further, punctured channels are not allowed. If secondary 20 channel  1640  is busy, station  110  can only use primary channel  1630 . CTS frames are transmitted only if all the channels in which an RTS frame was transmitted are available and reserved. In this example, the CCA ED over the same PIFS indicates that the single transmission BW threshold value for the entire 80 MHz transmission bandwidth is satisfied, primary channel  1630  is available, and there are no punctured channels. Thus, the CTS station transmits CTS frames on channels over which an RTS frame was receive. After receiving the CTS frames, station  110  then transmits data in corresponding channels to station  120 . Station  120  subsequently transmits block acknowledgements (BAs) to station  110 . 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an example  180  of an RTS Timeout for EHT medium reservation, in according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation, example  180  can be described using elements of  FIG. 1A . For example, any devices in system  100  of  FIG. 1A  that received an RTS frame (e.g., station  150 ) can reset a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) reservation if they do not receive a preamble within an RTS Timeout value. Example  180  illustrates an RTS Timeout that equals 2*SIFS+CTS frame+2*slot+preamble duration. The RTS Timeout allows RTS station  110  to start data transmission before other stations can obtain a TXOP. The ability to reset NAV enables station  150  to obtain TXOP on channels without being blocked by a failed CTS frame reception. For example, station  150  may consider a channel idle and initiate TXOP obtaining after the NAV reset. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates configuring an example wireless system  200  for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation, system  200  may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A . In some embodiments system  200  addresses the limitations of system  1600 . System  200  includes station  110  and station  120  that can be an AP, for example. A station (e.g., station  110  that can be an AP) can propose CTS response modes that determine how a CTS station (e.g., station  120  that can be an AP) that receives an RTS frame responds with a CTS frame. In response, the CTS station may accept, reject, and/or propose alternative parameters for the proposed CTS response modes as described below. In subsequent examples, for convenience and not a limitation, an RTS station is identified as RTS station  110  and a CTS station is identified as CTS station  120 . Similarly, devices can agree on RTS transmission modes, (e.g., there may be separate configuration values for RTS transmission and CTS transmission.) 
     High Efficiency (HE) WLAN can include a Trigger frame type called a Multi User (MU)-RTS frame. The MU-RTS frame can be used to solicit a CTS frame from one or more STAs and allocate STAs to transmit CTS frames on different BWs. For example, RTS station  110  can transmit an MU-RTS frame that is received (e.g., specified by RTS station  110 ) by CTS stations  120  and  150 . CTS stations  120  and  150  can respond accordingly. This is different than the EHT RTS frames that only transmit to a individual CTS station  120  or  150  at a time. 
     Traditionally, an AP transmits Trigger frames and STAs respond to the Trigger frames. In some embodiments, the STAs (e.g., RTS station  110 ) can send an MU-RTS type of Trigger frame and solicit a CTS frame from the AP (e.g., CTS station  120 ) and optionally from other STAs (e.g., CTS station  150 ) to which the STA (e.g., RTS station  110 ) may send data. In some embodiments, in infrastructure BSSs, the AP can send Trigger frames, or there may be an optional capability for some STAs to send an MU-RTS frame and for some APs to be able to receive the MU-RTS frame. In situations where, the AP is not capable to receive a MU-RTS frame, the STA can use RTS CTS signaling to reserve UL TXOPs. 
     At  210 , RTS station  110  transmits a signal to CTS station  120  that includes the RTS and CTS capabilities of station  110 . The transmission may be in an association request message or in a separate management frame. Some examples of RTS and CTS capabilities include but are not limited to the following:
         The channels in which a station is capable of transmitting and receiving data. For example, the station can indicate the channels in which the station is capable of transmitting and/or receiving an RTS frame or a CTS frame. A non-high-throughput (HT) Duplicate PPDU CTS frame can be transmitted to at least one of these channels (e.g., when the channel is idle.)   An RTS and/or CTS station can include multiple radios (e.g., a radio in 2.4 GHz band and another in the 5 GHz band), and each radio may be capable of receiving in a different number of channels or resource units (RUs.) A station can indicate the number of channels or RUs that each radio is capable of receiving.   An RTS station can configure a channel to be an idle/low interference channel as a channel in which the station (e.g., RTS station  110 ) can receive a CTS frame. This ensures that the channel is mostly available for CTS transmissions. The interference level assessment may be based on measurements done during the CCA. If the RTS station is capable of assessing the interference level of the channel, the RTS station may use this channel. In another embodiment, the station may configure a primary channel of an other BSS (overlapping BSS that operates on the same area) to be the channel in which the station can receive the CTS frame. The use of other BSS&#39;s primary channel as the channel in which the STA is capable to receive the CTS frame ensures that the NAV information is received by the STAs of the overlapping BSSs, so that the STAs will set NAV for the duration of the RTS CTS protected transmissions.   A minimum set of reserved channels: The least number of the channels of that are reserved for an RTS station to receive CTS frames. This can include the primary channel.   A number of puncturing holes in the reserved channels (e.g., there are 20 MHz channels that are punctured (e.g., not used) within the EHT BW reserved channels because they may already in use by other services. RTS and CTS frames can be sent in the remaining available 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW reserved channels): For instance, a STA may operate with one, two or three puncturing holes within the reserved channels. The maximum size and the minimum size of the puncturing holes may be configured.   Contents of additional information in a CTS frame. For instance, the RTS station may request a network allocation vector (NAV) report on the reserved channels, an estimation of the signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR) of the reserved channels, link adaptation guidance, and/or a recommendation on the reserved channels that can used for transmission (e.g., based on measurements that the CTS station determines.)   TXOP Reservation signaling may be configured to allow MU-RTS or RTS frame transmissions or only RTS frame transmissions. For instance, the STA (e.g., RTS station  110 ) may request an AP (e.g., CTS station  120 ) use MU-RTS signaling. In some embodiments, if the STA (e.g., RTS station  110 ) desires to transmit to other P2P STAs in proximity and allocate TXOPs to transmit to multiple STAs (e.g., CTS stations  120  and  150 ) via MU-RTS signaling.   The TXOP reservation signaling configuration may be direction dependent, e.g., the initiation may be configured to an UL or a DL direction, or to both directions. In some embodiments, the STA (e.g., station  110 ) may configure an AP (e.g., station  120 ) to initiate DL TXOPs that transmit to the STA with reservation signaling (e.g., transmit MU-RTS or RTS signals). This may be used if the STA has difficulties being available all the time due to multi-link operation or transmissions in peer-to-peer connections. In some embodiments, the AP (e.g., station  120 ) may configure the STA (e.g., station  110 ) to use TXOP reservation signaling to UL TXOPs if the AP has difficulties being available during STA transmissions, or if the link to the STA is poor (e.g., poor quality.)   In some embodiments, the TXOP reservation signaling (e.g., RTS, CTS signaling) is needed if the reservation BW is larger than a threshold BW, or if the transmission BW includes specific channel(s). This configuration ensures hidden terminal protection for the specific channels.       

     At  220 , CTS station  120  transmits an ACK. 
     At  230 , CTS station  120  transmits the RTS and CTS capabilities of CTS station  120  to RTS station  110 . Examples of RTS and CTS capabilities are described above at  210 . 
     At  240 , RTS station  110  and CTS station  120  configure their respective CTS response modes according to the RTS and CTS capabilities described at  210 . For example, the RTS station  110  can indicate the minimum EHT BW to be reserved to the CTS station  120 , and indicate on which channels CTS frames can be received. CTS station  120  checks if it can satisfy the minimum EHT BW requested, and transmits CTS frames on the channels that the RST station  110  indicated. 
     At  250 , RTS station  110  transmits one or more RTS frames to CTS station  120 . The CTS mode response as well as the reserved channels can be conveyed via one or more of the following: i) a preamble (e.g., scramble seed bits) corresponding to an RTS frame; ii) a Frame Control Field of the RTS frame; and/or iii) an address field in the RTS frame. These are described in  FIGS. 9-11  below. 
     At  260 , CTS station  120  determines based on the configured CTS response mode, how to transmit one or more CTS frames and whether any additional information as requested. 
     At  270 , CTS station  120  transmits the one or more CTS frames to RTS station  110  with corresponding contents of additional information in the one or more CTS frames. 
     At  280 , RTS station  110  receives the CTS frames including the corresponding contents of additional information and transmits data to CTS station  120  in corresponding channels. 
     At  290 , CTS station  120  transmits and ACK (e.g., a block acknowledgement (BA)) to RTS station  110 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless system  300  with a transceiver for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 3 , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2 . System  300  may be any of the electronic devices (e.g., stations  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , and/or station  150 ) of system  100 . System  300  may include processor  310 , transceiver  320 , communication interface  325 , communication infrastructure  330 , memory  335 , and antenna  325  that together perform operations enabling wireless communications including secure channel estimation. Transceiver  320  transmits and receives communications signals including RTS frames and/or CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments, and may be coupled to antenna  325 . Communication infrastructure  330  can be a bus. Memory  335  can include random access memory (RAM) and/or cache, and can include control logic (e.g., computer software) and/or data. Antenna  325  coupled to transceiver  320 , may include one or more antennas that may be the same or different types. Accordingly, transceiver  320  can include one or more radios of same or different types. According to some embodiments, processor  310 , alone or in combination with memory  335 , and/or transceiver  320 , implements the RTS/CTS frames and transmission rules for EHT medium reservation. For example, processor  310 , alone or in combination with transceiver  320  and/or memory  335  can transmit RTS frames and/or CTS frames based on transmission rules discussed with respect to  FIGS. 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 7-14 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates example  400  of secondary channel allocations for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 4 , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2, and 3 . In example  400 , station  110  can be the RTS station and station  120  can be the CTS station. Example  400  illustrates that RTS station  110  receives an transmit opportunity (TXOP) on primary channel  470   a  (e.g., using Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA.) RTS station  110  can puncture one, two, or three holes in the EHT transmission BW, and each punctured hole may have a different size (e.g., 20 MHz, 40 MHz.) RTS station  110  determines the EHT BW based on the determined CTS response mode (as described in  FIG. 2 ). For example, RTS station  110  can indicate to CTS station  120 , a combination of the reserved channels that make up the EHT BW over which RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames, and over which CTS frames are expected to be received. 
     In some embodiments, an RTS station  110  can perform CCA ED over the secondary channels utilizing a 20 MHz CCA threshold values to determine whether individual secondary channels are idle or busy. This is in contrast to system  1600  of  FIG. 16  in which an RTS station performed CCA ED over the entire transmission BW utilizing a single transmission BW threshold value. And system  1600  does not allow punctured holes. Just before transmitting RTS frames  420 , RTS station  110  performs Signal Detection (SD) at the physical layer on the primary channel to synchronize with any Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) preambles detected. RTS station  110  also performs CCA ED on each secondary 20 MHz channel to determine if they are idle or busy. 
     RTS station  110  performs CCA ED on the secondary channels  470   b - 470   h  over PIFS  450 . Each secondary channel  470   b - 470   h  may be idle or busy. In example  400 , CCA ED measurements  410   b ,  410   e ,  410   f , and  410   g  compared to their respective channel threshold values indicate that their corresponding secondary channels  470   b ,  470   e ,  470   f , and  470   g  are idle, while CCA measurements  405   c ,  405   d , and  405   h  indicate that their corresponding secondary channels  470   c ,  470   d , and  470   h  are busy. Accordingly, RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames  420   a ,  420   b ,  420   e ,  420   f , and  420   g  to CTS station  120 . An RTS frame  420  includes an indication of the combination of the reserved channels that make up the EHT BW. The reserved channels indicate the channels in which CTS frames are to be transmitted. 
     CTS station  120  can receive one or more RTS frames  420 , and if the CTS station  120 &#39;s address is the same as the Receiver Address (RA) included in an RTS frame  420 , CTS station  120  may respond with a CTS frame. A CTS frame may be transmitted to channels in which an RTS frame  420  was received if CTS station  120  determines via CCA ED that the corresponding channel is idle. CTS station  120  uses the Transmitter Address (TA) that was included in the RTS frame  420  as the RA in the corresponding CTS frame. 
     In example  400 , CTS station  120  determines that the RA in an RTS frame  420  is the CTS station  120 &#39;s address, and CTS station  120  performs CCA ED on the corresponding secondary channels. For example, CTS station  120  can perform CCA ED on the secondary channels  470   b - 470   h  over a Short Interframe Space (SIFS)  460  using a CCA threshold corresponding to a 20 MHz channel. This is different than the CTS station of system  1600  that utilized the same PIFS as the RTS station. And, the CCA threshold in example  400  corresponds to 20 MHz channels rather than the entire transmission BW threshold of system  1600 . In some embodiments, CTS station  120  can perform CCA ED on the secondary channels  470   b - 470   h  over the same PIFS as RTS station  110  but use a CCA threshold corresponding to each 20 MHz channel rather than the entire EHT BW. 
     In example  400 , CTS station  120  determines that CCA ED measurements  430   c ,  430   d ,  430   e , and  430   f  compared to their respective channel threshold values indicate that corresponding secondary channels  470   c ,  470   d ,  470   e , and  470   f  are idle. CTS station  120  determines that a received RTS frame did not include secondary channels  470   c  or  470   d  as a reserved channel. Further, even though RTS frame  420   g  was received, CTS station  120 &#39;s CCA ED measurements  425   b ,  425   g , and  425   h  indicate that the corresponding secondary channels,  470   b ,  470   g  and  470   h  are busy. Accordingly, CTS station  120  transmits CTS frames  440   e ,  440   f , along with CTS  440   a  via their respective channels to RTS station  110 . This is different than system  1600  because CTS station  120  can transmit CTS frames on a subset of the reserved channels that were idle and thus available to CTS station  120 . 
     RTS station  110  receives CTS frames  440   a ,  440   e , and  440   f , and subsequently sends data on the corresponding channels to CTS station  120 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example  500  Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) thresholds for EHT BWs for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 5 , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2-4 . Example  500  identifies CCA ED threshold for use in EHT BWs. During SD, a receiver finds, locks onto, and begins decoding an IEEE 802.11-compatible signal. The SD can be a minimum sensitivity level. RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  can perform CCA ED per 20 MHz channel to sense whether a channel is idle or busy. 
     In some embodiments RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  can sense CCA ED for larger BWs and use the CCA thresholds listed in the table according to the BW. For example, EHT protocol (e.g., IEEE 802.be) transmissions use 80 MHz bands as a base for 160, 240, and 320 MHz transmissions. In an example, RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  can use the CCA thresholds  510  for larger EHT BWs and use CCA thresholds per 20 MHz. RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  can determine different idle channels based on the corresponding CCA ED measurements. A station may perform the per 20 MHz and larger BW CCA measurements at substantially the same time and combine the idle indications of both CCA estimations. The station may calculate multiple alternatives of idle channels configurations by using the CCA and select the mode that meets the configured RTS/CTS response criteria. Typically larger transmission bandwidths, few punctured holes are preferred in the idle transmission bandwidth selection. 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates an example  600  of static puncture signaling for EHT medium reservation with forbidden channels, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 6A , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2-5 . Example  600  illustrates how RTS and CTS frames can signal static puncturing in which a channel is forbidden. Examples of CTS response modes including transmitting the static puncturing using a preamble corresponding to an RTS frame and/or a CTS frame is in  FIGS. 9-11  below. For example, an AP can signal which channels are forbidden channels within a basic service set (BSS.) RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  can convey the forbidden channels via a CTS response mode in a PHY preamble that is coupled to an RTS frame and/or a CTS frame. 
     In example  600 , RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames to CTS station  120  (e.g., station  120  that can be an AP.) Example  600  includes primary channel  610   a , secondary 20 channel  610   b , forbidden channel  615 , and upper secondary 40 channel  610   d.    
     At  605  CCA ED is performed over a PIFS on the secondary channels that are not punctured, and SD is performed on primary channel  610   a . In example  600 , RTS frames  620   a ,  620   b , and  620   d  are transmitted to CTS station  120  on corresponding channels, primary channel  610   a , secondary 20 channel  610   b , and upper secondary 40 channel  610   d.    
     At  607 , CTS station  120  performs CCA ED over a SIFS on the secondary channels that are not punctured, and SD is performed on primary channel  610   a . Subsequently, CTS station  120  transmits CTS frames  630   a ,  630   b , and  630   d  to RTS station  110 . After another SIFS, RTS station  110  transmits data  650   a ,  650   b , and  650   d  in channels that correspond to the received CTS frames. After another SIFS, CTS station  120  transmits block acknowledgements (BAs)  670   a ,  670   b , and  670   d  to RTS station  110 . 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates an example  680  of CTS signaling when a primary channel is busy for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 6B , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2-5, and 6A . Example  680  is similar to example  600  of  FIG. 6A  but forbidden channel  615  is replaced with lower secondary 40 channel  610   c . In example  680 , RTS station  110  determines that lower secondary 40 channel  610   c  is idle over a PIFS and transmits RTS frame  620   c  to CTS station  120 . CTS station  120  determines that lower secondary 40 channel  610   c  is idle over a SIFS and transmits CTS frame  630   c  to RTS station  110 . Data  650   c , SIFS  660   c , and BA  670   c  follow in time as illustrated within a duration of NAV  680  that begins from RTS frame  620  transmission. 
     In example  680 , CTS station  120  performs SD on primary channel  610   a  and determines that primary channel  610   a  is busy. Consequently, CTS station  120  does not transmit a CTS frame on primary channel  610   a . CTS station  120  determines, however, that the secondary channels  610   b ,  610   c , and  610   d  are idle, and transmits CTS frames  630   b ,  630   c , and  630   d  to RTS station  110  in corresponding secondary channels, even when primary channel  610   a  is busy. Thus, example  680  is different than system  1600  of  FIG. 16  in which a CTS frame is always transmitted in a primary channel. 
     Like example  600 , example  680  includes RTS station  110  transmitting data  650   c  and  650   d  to CTS station  120 . Unlike example  600 , example  680  illustrates that RTS station  110  can transmit data  655   a  and  655   b  to a different station (e.g., station  150  of  FIG. 1 ) on primary channel  610   a  and on secondary 20 channel  610   b . Note that all of the transmissions including BA  670   a - 670   d  follow in time a within a duration of NAV  680  that begins from RTS  620  transmission. In some embodiments, CTS station  120  determines that lower secondary 40 channel  610   c  is busy and does not transmit CTS frame  630   c . Consequently, RTS station  110  can choose to transmit data to other stations (e.g., station  130  of  FIG. 1 ) which would replace data  650   c  (not shown). 
       FIG. 6C  illustrates an example  690  of RU reception in multiple channels for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 6C , may be described with elements of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, and 6B . 
     RTS station  110  receives RUs (e.g., transmissions) on primary channel  610   a . As described earlier, a station can include multiple radios (e.g., a radio in 2.4 GHz band and another in the 5 GHz band), and each radio may be capable of receiving a different number of RUs (e.g., transmissions). RTS station  110  can indicate in a preamble and/or in an RTS frame, the number of RUs that each radio is capable of receiving, and the channels in which RTS station  110  can receive CTS frames. The indications are described in  FIGS. 9-11  below. For example, an RTS frame  620  (and/or a preamble corresponding to an RTS frame  620 ) can include RX of RU  613   a  and RX of RU  613   d  that indicate the number of RUs that RTS station  110  can receive on different radios (e.g., on different frequency bands) and the number can be the same or different on the different radios. As shown in  FIG. 6C , CTS frame  630   d  transmitted in response to RX of RU  613   d  enables RTS station  110  to reserve RUs on upper secondary 40 channel  610   d.    
     Rules for selecting the channel (e.g., upper secondary 40 channel  610   d ) in which RTS station  110  can receive RUs can include but are not limited to the following: i) a highest or smallest channel number of the largest secondary channel; ii) a channel of the largest secondary channel that is the closest to or furthest away from primary channel  610   a ; or iii) a channel that is X channels higher or lower from primary channel  610   a . If the other channel does not fit within the PPDU, then the largest available channel can be used as the other channel in which RTS station  110  receives RUs. 
     Example  690  also illustrates dynamic puncturing  637  that replaces CTS frame  630   b . In this puncturing mode, the CTS frame transmission may be configured to be transmitted in a mode, in which an other channel is considered as the primary channel. For instance, the other channel (e.g., upper secondary 40 channel  610   d ) is considered as a temporary primary channel, that defines the frequencies of the temporary secondary 20, secondary 40, secondary 80, tertiary 80, quaternary 80 MHz. Thus, the same channel usage rules as used for primary channel may be applied also in this case of a temporary primary channel. Similarly, the puncturing rules may be applied to these temporary channels. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates example  700  of a dual RTS and CTS reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 7 , may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B , or  6 C. In example  700 , RTS station  110  can transmit RTS frames on idle channels to two or more different stations (e.g., stations  120  and  150  which can be APs) to obtain enough channels to transmit data. Based on the CTS frames that RTS station  110  receives, RTS station  110  can send data in corresponding channels which may be via two or more different stations. 
     Example  700  includes the primary and secondary channels as described in example  400  of  FIG. 4 , where primary channel  470   a  can use EDCA to acquire TXOPs. In the example, RTS station  110 , a TXOP holder, determines an EHT BW of 120 MHz to be reserved. RTS station  110  performs CCA over a PIFS and determines that channels  470   a - 470   h  are idle and transmits RTS frames  710   a - 710   h  that indicate the reserved channels making up the EHT BW, on the corresponding channels to CTS station  120 . CTS station  120  determines over a SIFS that channels  470   a ,  470   e , and  470   f  are idle and transmits CTS frames  720   a ,  720   e , and  720   f  to RTS station  110  indicating that 60 MHz BW is available. RTS station  110  determines that 60 MHz are still needed, and RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames  730   a - 730   h  on idle channels to another CTS station  150  (which can be an AP.) CTS station  150  determines that channels  470   a ,  470   b ,  470   g , and  470   h  are idle and transmits CTS frames  740   a ,  740   b ,  740   g , and  740   h  to RTS station  110  indicating that 80 MHz BW is available. RTS station  110  determines which of the available 20 MHz channels are preferred. For example, RTS station  110  chooses between CTS station  120  or CTS station  150  on primary channel  470   a . In this example, RTS station  110  chooses CTS station  120 . Thus, RTS station  110  transmits in a single combined transmission, data  725   a ,  725   e , and  725   f  to CTS station  120  and data  745   b ,  745   g , and  745   h  to CTS station  150  on corresponding channels that total 120 MHz BW. 
     In example  700 , long NAV  760  extends from the first RTS frames  710  until the acknowledgements (not shown) of data  725  and data  745  are received by RTS station  110 . The second RTS frames  730  prevents other stations such as station  130  of  FIG. 1  that received RTS frames  710  from cancelling long NAV  760 . If CTS station  150  does not hear any transmission after the RTS frames  730  within an RTS Timeout (see  FIG. 1B  above), CTS station  150  can perform NAV Reset  750  on secondary channels  470   c  and  470   d  to try to obtain a TXOP. In other words, only the channels which are used by RTS station  110  are reserved. To summarize, the NAV reset rule is the same after both RTS frames, and the second RTS frame prevents NAV reset from the first RTS frame. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates another example  800  of a dual RTS and CTS reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 8 , may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C , or  7 . Like example  700 , in example  800  RTS station  110 , a TXOP holder, wants to transmit data that utilizes an EHT BW of 120 MHz. In example  800 , however, RTS station  110  only transmits RTS frame  710   a  on primary channel to CTS station  120 . CTS station  120  receives RTS frame  710   a  and determines over a SIFS that channels  470   a ,  470   e , and  470   f  are idle and transmits CTS frames  720   a ,  720   e , and  720   f  to RTS station  110  indicating that 60 MHz BW is available. RTS station  110  determines that 60 MHz are still needed, and RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames  730   a - 730   h  on idle channels to another CTS station  150  (which can be an AP.) CTS station  150  determines that channels  470   a ,  470   b ,  470   g , and  470   h  are idle and transmits CTS frames  740   a ,  740   b ,  740   g , and  740   h  to RTS station  110  indicating that 80 MHz BW is available. RTS station  110  determines which of the available 20 MHz channels are preferred. For example, RTS station  110  chooses between CTS station  120  or CTS station  150  on primary channel  470   a . Accordingly, RTS station  110  transmits in a single combined transmission, data  725   a ,  725   e , and  725   f  to CTS station  120  and data  745   b ,  745   g , and  745   h  to CTS station  150  on corresponding channels that total 120 MHz BW. 
     In example  800 , RTS STA  110  may send only RTS frame  710   a , receive CTS frames  720   a ,  720   e ,  720   f  and transmit data on channels for which CTS is received (e.g.,  725   a ,  725   e ,  725   f .) 
     In example  800 , CTS station  150  does not have to reset the NAV for the channels within 810 to which the RTS was not transmitted. Similarly as in the example  700 , the NAV is reset on the channels after which no CTS frames  740   c  and  740   d  are transmitted or data  745   c  and  745   d  are received. 
     To support EHT medium reservation, some embodiments include modification of at least an address field of RTS and CTS frames or of scrambler seed bits as shown below in Table 1. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 RTS and CTS Formats for EHT Medium Reservation 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 Frame 
                 RTS 
                 CTS 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 IEEE 802.ac version 
                 3 bits of scrambler seed and 
                 Group bit in Receiver 
               
               
                   
                 Transmitter Address (TA) 
                 Address (RA) = 1 and 3 bits 
               
               
                   
                 group bit = 1 
                 in scrambler seed 
               
               
                 EHT address field 
                 Modify Address fields to 
                 New CTS frame (FIG. 10) 
               
               
                 embodiments (at 
                 include new info (FIG. 9) 
               
               
                 least) 
               
               
                 EHT scrambler seed 
                 Scrambler seed bits include 
                 Scrambler seed bits include 
               
               
                 embodiments 
                 additional info (FIGS. 11A, 
                 additional info (FIGS. 11A, 
               
               
                   
                 11B) 
                 11B) 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     As described above in  FIG. 1B , the RTS Timeout allows stations that detect the RTS frame to reset their NAVs if an RTS frame channel reservation is not successful. Some embodiments include an RTS frame with modified address fields that include EHT medium reservation information, and a CTS frame that includes new fields. Some embodiments include using scrambler seed bits to include EHT information in both RTS and CTS frames. These embodiments are described below in  FIGS. 9-11 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates RTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 9 , may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7 , or  8 . Example  900  illustrates an RTS frame format for EHT medium reservation that includes preamble  905 , duration, frame control  910 , Receiver Address (RA)  920 , Transmitter Address (TA)  930 , and a frame check sequence (FCS). While the format of example  900  is consistent with legacy RTS formats, the information within is different. For example, a bit, B 11 , within frame control  910  is used for EHT RTS indication  915 , and TA  930  supports EHT medium reservation as described below. 
     EHT RTS indication  915  can be a bit within frame control  910  shown below. A single bit field within frame control  910  field can be set to ‘1’ to indicate that the RTS frame supports EHT medium reservation. For example, an RTS station can transmit an RTS frame where bit  11 , Retry bit, can be set to ‘1’ to indicate to a CTS station that the RTS frame includes EHT medium reservation information. Other bits can be used. 
       FIG. 9  also includes TA  930 , where TA  930  can be called an EHT BW and Puncture (BnP) Signaling Address. Two examples of TA  930  are described below: TA  930 A and TA  930 B. TA  930 A includes color value  945 , 802.11be signaling information  960  (e.g., EHT medium reservation signaling information), and MAC address  965 . MAC address  965  includes the MAC address bits. Locally administered/global address  950  and individual/group bit  955  are reserved. Color value  945  includes 6 bits that have a unique value for the BSS. Color value  945  can be used to reduce the risk of colliding MAC addresses. 
     The reserved channels to which the RTS frame(s) are transmitted (and that make up the EHT BW) are identified as a bit map carried within 802.11be signaling information  960  which is 2 octets long. The lowest bit can indicate the lowest channel in which RTS station  110  operates. A value of ‘1’ in a bit of the bit map indicates that an RTS frame was transmitted to the channel and a value of ‘0’ indicates that an RTS frame was not transmitted to the channel. The bit map also indicates RU puncture information for EHT medium reservation-capable stations. 
     TA  930 B includes 802.11be signaling information  970  and HASH sum of the MAC address  975 . In TA 930 B, 802.11be signaling information  970  includes 3 octets: color value  945 , locally administered/global address  950 , and individual/group bit  955  as described above. Both TA  930 A and  930 B can be used in conjunction with 3 bits of the scrambler seed bit used for IEEE 802.ac as shown in Table 1 above. The scrambler seed bits are found in preamble  905  and the 3 bits used that correspond to an RTS channel reservation request are shown below in Table 2. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Scrambler Seed Bits for RTS Channel Reservation Request 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 Scrambler seed 
                   
               
               
                 bits B4, B5, 
               
               
                 and B6 
                 Meaning 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 0 
                 Reserve all channels, or no CTS; CTS frame(s) are 
               
               
                   
                 transmitted only if they can be transmitted to all channels 
               
               
                   
                 in which an RTS frame was transmitted 
               
               
                 1 
                 Primary and maximum reservation; indicates that a CTS 
               
               
                   
                 frame is transmitted to a primary channel, or no CTS 
               
               
                   
                 frame is transmitted, and CTS frame(s) are transmitted to 
               
               
                   
                 channels that are idle 
               
               
                 2 
                 Maximum reservation; indicates that CTS frame(s) are 
               
               
                   
                 transmitted to all channels that are idle 
               
               
                 3 
                 Primary and any reservation; indicates that a CTS frame 
               
               
                   
                 is transmitted to a primary channel or no CTS frame is 
               
               
                   
                 transmitted; and CTS frame(s) are transmitted to any idle 
               
               
                 4 
                 Any reservation 
               
               
                 5 
                 Configured mode 1 reservation 
               
               
                 6 
                 Configured mode 2 reservation 
               
               
                 7 
                 Configured mode 3 reservation 
               
               
                 8 
                 Configured mode 4 reservation 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     TA  930  can be called an EHT BW and Puncture (BnP) Signaling Address, and Table 3 below indicates how APs and stations utilize the EHT BnP signaling address with EHT RTS indication  915 . When an AP is a station, the AP&#39;s MAC address is always present. For example, when an AP is an RTS station and transmits an RTS frame to reserve an EHT medium, the Transmit Address (TA) field of the RTS frame includes the AP&#39;s MAC Address and the Receiver Address (RA) field of the RTS frame includes the EHT BnP signaling address (e.g., TA  930 A or TA  930 B) with EHT RTS indication ( 915 ). When the AP is a CTS station that receives an RTS frame requesting EHT medium reservation, the AP MAC Address is present in the RA field of the RTS frame and the TA field of the RTS frame includes the EHT BnP signaling address (e.g., TA  930 A or TA  930 B) with EHT RTS indication  915 . When station  1  (e.g., RTS station  110 ) transmits an RTS frame requesting EHT medium reservation to station  2  (e.g., CTS station  120 ), the TA field includes TA  930 A or TA  930 B with EHT RTS indication  915 . 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 EHT BW and Puncture (BnP) Signaling Address 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 RTS 
                 CTS 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 From 
                 To 
                 TA 
                 RA 
                 RA = TA in RTS 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 AP 
                 STA 
                 AP MAC Address 
                 EHT BnP signaling 
                 AP MAC Address 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 address with EHT RTS 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 indication 
               
               
                 STA 
                 AP 
                 EHT BnP signaling 
                 AP MAC Address 
                 EHT BnP signaling 
               
               
                   
                   
                 address with EHT RTS 
                   
                 address with EHT RTS 
               
               
                   
                   
                 indication 
                   
                 indication 
               
               
                 STA1 
                 STA2 
                 EHT BnP signaling 
                 STA2 MAC Address 
                 EHT BnP signaling 
               
               
                   
                   
                 address with EHT RTS 
                   
                 address with EHT RTS 
               
               
                   
                   
                 indication 
                   
                 indication 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
       FIG. 10  illustrates CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 10 , may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7, 8 , or  9 . Example  1000  illustrates a CTS frame for system  1600  of  FIG. 16  that includes preamble  1005 , frame control, duration, RA  1020 , and FCS. CTS frames  1030  and  1050  illustrate CTS frames for EHT medium reservation that includes the information of example  1000 , and additional fields. CTS frame  1050  includes frame control, duration, and FCS of example  1000 . PPDU Preamble  1005  includes a Service  1035  field and scrambler seed  1100  of  FIG. 11  below of example  1000 . The preamble  905  is equal to the preamble  1005 . Reserved channels  1040  is a bit map that indicates the channels on which CTS frame  1050  is duplicated and transmitted. RA  1038  is shown expanded at the bottom of  FIG. 10 , and is substantially the same as TA  930 A or TA  930 B of  FIG. 9 . When CTS station  120  receives an RTS frame that includes TA  930 , CTS station  120  inserts TA  930  into RA  1038 . 
     CTS frame  1030  includes CTS frame  1050  and the addition of CTS Info  1045 . CTS Info  1045  can include but is not limited to the following: link adaptation recommendation, buffer status report/real time packet information, NAV information of busy channels, indications to RTS station  110  to reduce a transmission rate, and/or feedback to RTS station  110 . 
     Table 3 above indicates how APs and stations utilize the EHT BnP signaling address (e.g., TA  930 ) with EHT RTS indication  915  for RA  1020 . For example, RTS station  110  can identify the RTS station  110 &#39;s EHT BnP signaling address in a received CTS frame  1030  or  1050  by checking Hash of MAC addresses  975 . The duration of CTS frames  1030  or  1050  is included within the RTS Timeout as described in  FIG. 1B  above. 
     As mentioned above in Table 1, some embodiments described in  FIGS. 9 and 10  above described EHT RTS indication  915 , RTS TA  930  that is equal to CTS RA  1038 , CTS reserved channels  1040 , and CTS Info  1045 . 
       FIG. 11A  illustrates scrambler seed formats corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. For example,  FIG. 11A  addresses scrambler seed formats that can be used in conjunction with EHT RTS indication  915  (e.g., using TA from IEEE 802.11ac and/or TA  930 A or  930 B.) As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIGS. 11A and 11B , may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7, 8, 9 , or  10 . TA from IEEE 802.11ac signals with individual/group bit  955 , whether scramble seed signals bandwidth information as shown in scrambler seed format  1120  are utilized. 
     Scrambler seed  1100  can be included in preamble  905  of  FIG. 9  and preamble  1005  of  FIG. 10 . Stations utilize EHT RTS indication  915  to detect RTS and CTS frames that can support EHT medium reservation. When CTS station  120  can indicate the reserved bandwidth with an IEEE 802.11 CTS frame, then the CTS frame should use scrambler seed format  1120 , as shown in the first row of Table 1. 
     Scrambler seed format  1140  can be used to carry additional information for either RTS or CTS frames. For an RTS frame, RTS station  110  can set primary required  1142  to ‘0’ if the CTS station can transmit CTS frames without reserving the primary channel. For a CTS frame, CTS station  120  can set primary required  1142  to ‘0’ if a CTS frame is not transmitted on the primary channel. The two bits, # of 80 MHz 80/160/240/320  1144  indicates the EHT BW, whether the PPDU preamble is transmitted in multiples of 80 MHz channels within primary 80, 160, 240, or 320 MHz. For example, for primary 240 MHz, # of 80 MHz 80/160/240/320  1144  value=2 as shown in  FIG. 11B . Each RTS and CTS frame is identical for each 80 MHz band. Transmitted 80 MHz Puncturing bitmap  1148  indicates which channels are punctured for each 80 MHz band (e.g., RTS frames and CTS frames transmitted in the primary 80 MHz indicates puncturing for these channels.  FIG. 11B  illustrates puncturing bit map  1150  for corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Different 80 MHz bands are identified accordingly as  1152 ,  1154 ,  1156 , and  1158 . 
     CTS station  120  that receives RTS frames can receive one RTS frame per 80 MHz channel. RTS station  110  that receives CTS frames can receive one CTS frame per 80 MHz channel. For an EHT BW of 240 MHz, CTS station  120  can receive three different RTS frames, where each RTS frame identifies using bits B 3 -B 6 , a puncturing bit map of the corresponding 80 MHz channels: i) the first RTS frame includes a first scrambler seed format  1140  that corresponds to 80 MHz  1152 ; ii) the second RTS frame includes a second scrambler seed format  1140  that corresponds to the 80 MHz  1154 ; and iii) the third RTS frame includes a third scrambler seed format  1140  that corresponds to 80 MHz  1156 . A similar transmission occurs for CTS frames as well. 
     Scrambler seed format  1160  can be used to carry additional information for either RTS or CTS frames. Punctured  1162  indicates the size of the puncturing hole: ‘0’—no puncturing; ‘1’—20 MHz puncturing; ‘2’—40 MHz puncturing; and ‘3’—80 MHz puncturing. PPDU preamble (e.g., preamble  905  of example  900  or preamble  1005  of example  1000 ) may have different values every 80 MHz bandwidths, e.g., each 80 MHz of the transmission bandwidth may carry different values in scrambler seed format  1160  of preamble  905  or  1005 . The RTS station  110  uses CCA to consider which channels are punctured for each 80 MHz BW separately. When RTS station  110  or CTS station  120  receives scrambler seed format  1160 , RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  respectively uses CCA to determine the energy in each of the 20 MHz channel. The receiver uses the energy to determine the 20 MHz channel(s) in which the preamble can be received. The receiver should receive at least one PPDU preamble (e.g., preamble  905  or preamble  1005 ) in each 80 MHz of the EHT transmission BW. The CTS station  120  uses the received scrambler seed format  1160  of the RTS frames corresponding to each 80 MHz of the RTS EHT transmission BW to determine to which channels the RTS frame was transmitted. CTS station  120  may respond to RTS frames and transmit CTS frames containing a different scrambler seed format  1160  for each 80 MHz BW. When RTS station  110  receives such CTS frames, RTS station  110  compares the detected energy with the value of punctured  1162  to verify the channels in which the preamble of the CTS frames are transmitted and uses scrambler seed format  1160  of the CTS frame to determine the respective reserved and punctured channels in each of the 80 MHz channels. 
     For an RTS frame, RTS station  110  can set primary required  1162  to ‘0’ if the CTS station can transmit CTS frames without reserving the primary channel, and ‘1’ if the primary channel needs to be reserved and used for transmitting a CTS frame. For a CTS frame, CTS station  120  can set primary required  1162  to ‘0’ if a CTS frame is not transmitted on the primary channel, or ‘1’ to indicate that a CTS frame is transmitted on the primary channel. Dyn. BW  1166  indicates whether a CTS frame can be transmitted to any subset of the BW in which RTS frames were transmitted. BW 20/40/80/160/240/320  1168  indicates an EHT transmission BW for the frame that carried the information as shown below in Table 4. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 BW Field Encoding 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Bit 
                 Bandwidth 
               
               
                   
                 Values 
                 (BW) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 0 
                 20 
               
               
                   
                 1 
                 40 
               
               
                   
                 2 
                 80 
               
               
                   
                 3 
                 160/80 + 80 
               
               
                   
                 4 
                 240  
               
               
                   
                 5 
                 320  
               
               
                   
                 6-7 
                 Reserved 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     BW 80 MHz 80/160/240/320  1184  indicates the EHT BW, whether the PPDU preamble is transmitted in multiples of 80 MHz channels within primary 80, 160, 240, or 320 MHz. For example, for primary 240 MHz, # of 80 MHz 80/160/240/320 1144 value=2 as shown in  FIG. 11B . 
     Scrambler seed format  1180  can be used to carry additional information for either RTS or CTS frames. Reservation configuration #1182 indicates the configuration for the specific BW. For simple reservations, scrambler seed format  1120  (e.g., IEEE 802.11ac scrambler seed format) can be used (see Table 2 above.) Each reservation configuration #1182 value signals at least the following: i) the EHT BW and the channels in which the RTS is transmitted; ii) the allowed responses in which channels the CTS frame(s) may be transmitted as a response and/or the preference order of the allowed reservations; and iii) the listened secondary channels in which RTS station  110  may receive CTS. The RTS and/or CTS frame configuration settings may be specified in 802.11be or RTS station  110  and/or CTS station  120  may configure the settings. For example, reservation #1182 can be a type of CTS response mode as described in  FIG. 2 . For example, reservation configuration #values 0-16 may be specified for each BW. In some embodiments, RTS station  110  specifies the configurations that the stations use for their link in during association and/or in the RTS or CTS reservation configuration #1182. 
     In some embodiments, the bit B 3  of scrambler seed  1100  may be used to signal the BW reservation. In this case, the reservation may use 3 bits or 4 bits to signal BW or punctured BW. If 3 bits are used, bit B 4  may signal whether BW allocation is static or dynamic. For static BW reservation the CTS station  120  may send CTS only if CTS station  120  can reserve all resources in which the RTS was transmitted. If the Static/Dynamic bit (e.g., bit B 4 =0) is not present, the reservation is considered to be dynamic, (e.g., CTS station  120  tries to maximize the reserved BW, but CTS station  120  may reserve smaller BW than RTS station  110  requested.) As an example the BW usage of 3 bits can be applied as shown in Table 4. 
     In some embodiments, the scrambler bits of the RTS and/or CTS frames in primary channel 20 MHz (P20) and secondary channel 20 MHz (S20) channels may have different values. This 40 MHz wide RTS pattern is repeated throughout the whole BW of the frame. The scrambler bits B 3 -B 6  are used in both P20 and S20 RTS and/or CTS frame can signal all together 8 bits information. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates example  1700  of a service field bit assignment, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Example  1700  can be Service  1035  of  FIG. 10 . Example  1700  can include scrambler initialization  1710  that includes 7 bits. Examples of those 7 bits include the scrambler seed examples shown in  FIG. 11A . Example  1700  also includes Reserved Service Bits  1720 . Any of the bits of the two octets of example  1700  can be used to convey similar BW information. For example, Reserved Service Bits  1720  (9 bits available) can be used to signal the BW reservation. Example  1700  bits can be set to 0 in RTS frames, but some earlier proprietary solutions used these bits for signaling. In some embodiments (e.g., 802.11be case), the RTS frame may be used after association and RTS signaling setup. Thus, these bits can be used without risk of interoperability issues. In some embodiments, the Scrambler Initialization  1710  bits can be used together with Reserved Service bits  1720  to signal the BW configuration. 
     In some embodiments, the signaled BW allocation may not be able to reserve all possible BW and puncturing combinations. The BW signaling should, however, be able to signal at least the following reservations:
         a. The basic BWs without puncturing (e.g., 20, 40, 80, 160, 240, 320 MHz reservations.)   b. Punctured BWs should cover small BW configurations, but may skip some punctured configurations for large BWs. Large BW are less likely to be available and operation in large BWs can be complicated. The reserving STAs can use the smaller BW configurations if the smaller BW is available.   c. Some embodiments include a reserving a BW with one punctured BW. Some embodiments include reserving a BW comprising two or more punctured holes.       

       FIG. 11C  illustrates example  1185  of signaling combinations for corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. The BW signaling can be implemented with multiple principles. In some examples, the BWs may be listed and each BW entry is numbered by a value that is signaled in the Scrambler Initialization  1710  bits or Reserved Service bits  1720  of example  1700 . In some embodiments a configuration table of bit values can indicate a combination of a bandwidth and a corresponding puncturing pattern. The receiver and transmitter may exchange the configuration table or be provisioned with the configuration table before BW reservations are exchanged. Example  1185  illustrates example bit values for BW and puncturing patterns up to 320 MHz BW. In example  1185 , 14 bit values are used to signal the reserved BW and corresponding puncturing pattern. For example, bit value=2 indicates a bandwidth request of 80 MHz in which the S20 is punctured. The bit value=3 indicates a bandwidth request of 80 MHz in which the S40-1 (e.g., lower) band is punctured. The reservation model may be generalized to more combinations of reserved BWs and corresponding puncture patterns, especially in light of the bit combinations available with example  1700 . 
       FIG. 11D  illustrates example  1190  of puncturing configurations corresponding to RTS and CTS frames, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. For instance,  FIG. 11D  illustrates the number of puncturing configurations that are needed to reserve the most configurations for 320 MHz BW.  FIG. 11D  lists altogether 48 cases (e.g., summing the last column.) For example, for a bandwidth reservation of 80 MHz a potential of 4 scenarios are possible: no puncturing; or a 20 MHz puncturing in either the S20, S40-1, or the S40-2 band. When reserving for a 160 MHz BW, puncturing is possible for a 20 MHz or a 40 MHz band as shown in example  1190  leading to a total of 11 possible configurations. For 240 MHz and 320 MHz BW reservations, 40 MHz puncturing BW options as well as additional puncturing 20 MHz BWs. To enable these reservations, there should be altogether 6 bits (64 values) to use for the BW reservations (e.g., to accommodate the 48 cases.) 
     In other embodiment for the BW signaling, some bits may define the BW size and other bits may be dependent bits that configure the puncturing band within the BW. In some embodiments, the reservation BW is identified by a few bits as shown in  FIG. 11E . In addition, the signaling of the BW puncturing can utilize different bits (not shown.) 
       FIG. 11E  illustrates example  1195  of bit values corresponding to RTS and CTS frames for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. For instance, there may be bits B 3 , B 5  and B 6  of scrambler seed  1100  that communicate the BW of the reservation as shown in example  1195 , and bits in the Reserved Service bits  1720  of example  1700  may configure the puncturing for the BW (not shown). The BW puncturing may be an optional capability, if supported by the RTS transmitter and CTS transmitter. The BW puncturing may be signaled with 4 bits, for example. Some of the larger BWs may have two BW indications to allow the bandwidths have 32 puncturing options. As shown in  FIG. 11D , 160 MHz may use 11 puncturing patterns, 240 MHz may use 14 puncturing options (e.g., 8 cases and 6 alternatives from the second to last row), and 320 MHz may use 17 puncturing options (e.g., 11 cases and 6 alternatives from the last row.) The puncturing options are shown as a letter P in a specific channel. In each punctured option one hole (e.g., one channel that has P) is punctured. The number of such options is shown in the rightmost column. The primary channel is not punctured in any BW. 
       FIG. 11D  may show example signaling for the bandwidth. Different bits can be used for signaled puncturing in a specific BW. A puncturing configuration depends in this case on the BW indication, (e.g., as shown in the  FIG. 11E  different bandwidths may have different sizes of the punctured channels and different number of puncturing options.) For example, there may be two sets of configuration signaling for the 320 MHz and 240 MHz bandwidths to reduce the number of bits required to signal the puncturing configuration. The puncturing may signalled so that puncturing bit value 0 indicates that no puncturing occurs in the BW. Value 1 may signal the first P of the BW in the read order and the puncturing bits value is increased until all configurations are signaled. Thus, to signal all 17 alternatives of the 320 MHz puncturing would utilize 5 bits, or if 320 MHz BW can be signaled with 2 values, then 4 bits for puncturing are used. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a method  1200  for an RTS station for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 12  may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C , or  7 - 11 . For example, RTS station can be RTS station  110  or system  300 . 
     At  1205 , RTS station  110  transmits RTS and CTS capabilities to a second electronic device. For example, RTS station  110  can transmit RTS and/or CTS capabilities of RTS station  110  to CTS station  120 . 
     At  1210 , RTS station  110  receives RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device (e.g., an access point (AP) or another station). For example, the second electronic device can be a CTS station such as CTS station  120 . 
     At  1215 , RTS station  110  configures the CTS response mode for RTS station  110  based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices (e.g., based on RTS station  110  and CTS station  120 &#39;s RTS and CTS capabilities.) The CTS response mode can include the various RTS and CTS rules including but not limited to the use and interpretation of fields and corresponding values including but not limited to the examples illustrated in  FIGS. 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, and 7-11 . 
     At  1220 , RTS station  110  obtains one or more transmit opportunities (TXOP) on the primary channel. 
     At  1225 , RTS station  110  performs CCA on a primary channel over a PIFS using a 20 MHz CCA threshold corresponding, and/or perform CCA across an EHT BW over the PIFS using an EHT BW CCA threshold, where the EHT BW comprises a multiple of 80 MHz channels, and where the EHT BW CCA threshold is different than the 20 MHz CCA threshold. RTS station  110  determines based at least on the performing that the primary channel is idle and/or that one or more channels corresponding to the EHT BW is idle. 
     At  1230 , based on the determinations, RTS station  110  selects corresponding idle 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW for transmitting corresponding RTS frames, (e.g., select the secondary channel for transmitting a first RTS frame and/or select the primary channel for transmitting a second RTS frame.) 
     At  1235 , RTS station  110  transmits to the second electronic device, a first RTS frame on a secondary channel, where the first RTS frame indicates EHT BW channel reservations that can include one or more punctured channels according to the CTS response mode. For example, the EHT BW channel reservations can be identified: i) in TA  930 A or TA  930 B of  FIG. 9  alone or in conjunction with Table 2. Scrambler Seed Bits for RTS Channel Reservation Request; or ii) in a scrambler seed format such as  1140 ,  1160 , or  1180  of  FIG. 11 . The first RTS frame can include an EHT RTS Indication  915  of  FIG. 9  to indicate that the first RTS frame is capable of EHT medium reservation. 
     At  1240 , RTS station  110  receives from the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, where the secondary channel is included in the BW channel reservations. For example, the first CTS frame can be CTS frame  1030  or CTS frame  1050  of  FIG. 10  that can include Reserved Channels  1040  field to signal the channels to which the CTS frame are transmitted. 
     At  1245 , in response to receiving the first CTS frame, RTS station  110  transmits first data to the second electronic device on the secondary channel. 
     At  1250 , RTS station  110  transmits to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on the primary channel, where the first and second RTS frames are substantially the same. In some embodiments the first and second RTS frames are transmitted at substantially the same time. 
     At  1255 , when an CTS frame is not received in response to the second RTS frame on the primary channel, RTS station  110  transmits second data to a third electronic device (e.g., different than the second electronic device) on the primary channel. Even though CTS station  120  found the primary channel to be busy and could not send a CTS frame in response to the second RTS frame, RTS station  110  can utilize the primary channel to transmit data to a different station such as station  150 . 
     At  1260 , RTS station  110  maintains a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the second RTS frame transmitted on the primary channel. 
     At  1265 , RTS station  110  receives a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the second data within a duration of the NAV. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a method for an RTS station for a dual RTS and CTS reservation scheme for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 13  may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C , or  7 - 12 . For example, RTS station can be RTS station  110  or system  300 . In this example, RTS station  110  may want to reserve 120 MHz EHT BW (e.g., six 20 MHz channels.) If RTS station  110  transmits RTS frames to a first CTS station but does not receive enough CTS frames from the first CTS station, then RTS station  110  can transmit RTS frames to a second CTS station to try to obtain enough CTS frames to send a signal that satisfies the 120 MHz EHT BW that includes data transmitted to the first CTS station and the second CTS station. 
     At  1305 , RTS station  110  transmits to a third electronic device (e.g., CTS station  150 ), a first set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations. 
     At  1310 , subsequent to transmitting the first set of RTS frames, RTS station  110  receives from the third electronic device, a first set of CTS frames that correspond to a first subset of channels of the EHT BW channel reservations. For example, RTS station  110  may receive three CTS frames from CTS station  150 . 
     At  1315 , RTS station  110  transmits to a second electronic device (e.g., CTS station  120 ), a second set of RTS frames on idle channels of the EHT BW channel reservations, and/or transmit to the second electronic device, a second RTS frame on a primary channel (e.g., the second set of RTS frames can include the second RTS frame.) 
     At  1320 , subsequent to transmitting the second set of RTS frames and/or the second RTS frame, RTS station  110  receives from the second electronic device, a second set of CTS frames that correspond to a second subset of channels of the EHT BW channel reservations. For example, the second set of CTS frames may include 4 CTS frames.) 
     At  1325 , RTS station  110  transmits a combined EHT BW comprising first data on a portion of the first subset of channels and second data on a portion of the second subset of channels. For example, RTS station  110  can transmit data in 3 channels corresponding to CTS station  150 &#39;s CTS frames and transmit data in 3 channels corresponding to some of the CTS frames of CTS station  120 . Other combinations are possible to make up the 120 MHz EHT BW. 
     At  1330 , RTS station  110  maintains a network allocation vector (NAV) for the channels corresponding to the first data and the second data based at least on the first set of RTS frames transmitted. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a method for a CTS station for EHT medium reservation, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. As a convenience and not a limitation,  FIG. 14  may be described with elements of  FIG. 1A, 1B, 2-5, 6A, 6B, 6C , or  7 - 13 . For example, CTS station can be CTS station  120  or system  300 . 
     At  1405 , CTS station  120  receives RTS and CTS capabilities of a second electronic device (e.g., a station.) 
     At  1410 , CTS station  120  transmits RTS and CTS capabilities of the first electronic device (e.g., another station or an access point (AP).) 
     At  1415 , CTS station  120  configures a CTS response mode for the first electronic device based at least on the RTS and CTS capabilities of the first and the second electronic devices. 
     At  1420 , CTS station  120  receives from the second electronic device, one or more RTS frames on a primary channel and one or more secondary channels, where an RTS frame indicates EHT BW channel reservations that can include a punctured channel. 
     At  1430 , CTS station  120  performs clear channel assessment (CCA) on the primary and secondary channels over a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) using CCA thresholds corresponding to 20 MHz channels. In some embodiments, CTS station  120  performs CCA across the EHT BW over the SIFS using a single EHT CCA threshold, where the EHT CCA threshold is different than the CCA thresholds corresponding to the 20 MHz channels. CTS station  120  determines based at least on the performing, that i) the primary channel is BUSY, (so an CTS frame is not transmitted on the primary channel) and/or ii) that portions of the EHT BW is IDLE. 
     At  1440 , based on the determinations, CTS station  120  selects corresponding 20 MHz channels within the EHT BW according to the CTS response mode, for transmitting corresponding CTS frames. 
     At  1445 , CTS station  120  transmits to the second electronic device, a first CTS frame on the secondary channel, where the secondary channel is based at least on the EHT BW channel reservations and the CTS response mode. Thus, even when CTS station  120  determines that the primary channel is not available, CTS station  120  can transmit CTS frames in the available idle channels to RTS station  110 . 
     At  1450 , in response to transmitting the first CTS frame, CTS station  120  receives first data from the second electronic device on the secondary channel. 
     At  1455 , CTS station  120  maintains a network allocation vector (NAV) based on the first RTS frame received on the secondary channel 
     At  1460 , CTS station  120  transmits a block acknowledgement (BA) corresponding to the first data within a duration of the NAV. 
     Various embodiments can be implemented, for example, using one or more computer systems, such as computer system  1500  shown in  FIG. 15 . Computer system  1500  can be any well-known computer capable of performing the functions described herein. For example, and without limitation, computer system  1500  can be any electronic devices such as tablets, laptops, desktops as described with regard to stations or APs in  FIG. 1A  and/or other apparatuses and/or components shown in the figures. The laptops and desktops or other wireless devices may include the functions as shown in system  300  of  FIG. 3  and/or some or all of method  1200  of  FIG. 12 , method  1300  of  FIG. 13 , and method  1400  of  FIG. 14 . For example, computer system  1500  can be used in wireless devices to exchange communications to enable EHT medium reservation. 
     Computer system  1500  includes one or more processors (also called central processing units, or CPUs), such as a processor  1504 . Processor  1504  is connected to a communication infrastructure  1506  that can be a bus. Computer system  1500  also includes user input/output device(s)  1503 , such as monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, etc., that communicate with communication infrastructure  1506  through user input/output interface(s)  1502 . Computer system  1500  also includes a main or primary memory  1508 , such as random access memory (RAM). Main memory  1508  may include one or more levels of cache. Main memory  1508  has stored therein control logic (e.g., computer software) and/or data. 
     Computer system  1500  may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memory  1510 . Secondary memory  1510  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  1512  and/or a removable storage device or drive  1514 . Removable storage drive  1514  may be a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, an optical storage device, tape backup device, and/or any other storage device/drive. 
     Removable storage drive  1514  may interact with a removable storage unit  1518 . Removable storage unit  1518  includes a computer usable or readable storage device having stored thereon computer software (control logic) and/or data. Removable storage unit  1518  may be a floppy disk, magnetic tape, compact disk, DVD, optical storage disk, and/any other computer data storage device. Removable storage drive  1514  reads from and/or writes to removable storage unit  1518  in a well-known manner. 
     According to some embodiments, secondary memory  1510  may include other means, instrumentalities or other approaches for allowing computer programs and/or other instructions and/or data to be accessed by computer system  1500 . Such means, instrumentalities or other approaches may include, for example, a removable storage unit  1522  and an interface  1520 . Examples of the removable storage unit  1522  and the interface  1520  may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a memory stick and USB port, a memory card and associated memory card slot, and/or any other removable storage unit and associated interface. 
     Computer system  1500  may further include a communication or network interface  1524 . Communication interface  1524  enables computer system  1500  to communicate and interact with any combination of remote devices, remote networks, remote entities, etc. (individually and collectively referenced by reference number  1528 ). For example, communication interface  1524  may allow computer system  1500  to communicate with remote devices  1528  over communications path  1526 , which may be wired and/or wireless, and which may include any combination of LANs, WANs, the Internet, etc. Control logic and/or data may be transmitted to and from computer system  1500  via communication path  1526 . 
     The operations in the preceding embodiments can be implemented in a wide variety of configurations and architectures. Therefore, some or all of the operations in the preceding embodiments may be performed in hardware, in software or both. In some embodiments, a tangible, non-transitory apparatus or article of manufacture includes a tangible, non-transitory computer useable or readable medium having control logic (software) stored thereon is also referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This includes, but is not limited to, computer system  1500 , main memory  1508 , secondary memory  1510  and removable storage units  1518  and  1522 , as well as tangible articles of manufacture embodying any combination of the foregoing. Such control logic, when executed by one or more data processing devices (such as computer system  1500 ), causes such data processing devices to operate as described herein. 
     Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) how to make and use embodiments of the disclosure using data processing devices, computer systems and/or computer architectures other than that shown in  FIG. 15 . In particular, embodiments may operate with software, hardware, and/or operating system implementations other than those described herein. 
     It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the disclosure as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the disclosure or the appended claims in any way. 
     While the disclosure has been described herein with reference to exemplary embodiments for exemplary fields and applications, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Other embodiments and modifications thereto are possible, and are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For example, and without limiting the generality of this paragraph, embodiments are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware, and/or entities illustrated in the figures and/or described herein. Further, embodiments (whether or not explicitly described herein) have significant utility to fields and applications beyond the examples described herein. 
     Embodiments have been described herein with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined as long as the specified functions and relationships (or equivalents thereof) are appropriately performed. In addition, alternative embodiments may perform functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc. using orderings different from those described herein. 
     References herein to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” or similar phrases, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it would be within the knowledge of persons skilled in the relevant art(s) to incorporate such feature, structure, or characteristic into other embodiments whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein. 
     The breadth and scope of the disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 
     As described above, aspects of the present technology may include the gathering and use of data available from various sources, e.g., to improve or enhance functionality. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, Twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, may be used to the benefit of users. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should only occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of, or access to, certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the present technology may be configurable to allow users to selectively “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data, e.g., during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure may broadly cover use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210128
Publication Date: 20220614
Grant Date: 20220614
Priority Date: 20200430
Inventors: KNECKT, JARKKO L.
JIANG, JINJING
VERMA, LOCHAN
WANG, QI
YONG, SU KHIONG
WU, TIANYU
LIU, YONG
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04W74/002", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W74/0816", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W74/002", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04L1/1621", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W8/24", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W8/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04L1/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W74/0816", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04L1/1621", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W74/008", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W74/0816", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W8/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 78293610