Orthogonal frequency division multiple access protection

• US 10,153,857 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Chu, Liwen, Wang, Lei, Zhang, Hongyuan, Lou, Hui-Ling, Jiang, Jinjing
• Primary Examiner(s): Skripnikov, Alex
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US15/096,050
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0466 the resource being a scrambling code
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network is described. A first control frame is transmitted by a first communication device to a plurality of communication devices, is duplicated across each of a plurality of sub-channels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing channel, and indicates that the communication devices are requested to simultaneously transmit respective control frames to the first communication device. Respective control frames are received, including second and third control frames from second and third communication devices, respectively, that are transmitted via a same sub-channel having a smallest bandwidth of the wireless local area network and indicate that at least some of the plurality of sub-channels are available. One of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access data unit and a duplicated legacy data unit is transmitted by the first communication device in response to the control frames via the available sub-channels.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

allocating, by a first communication device, respective frequency allocations for a plurality of other communication devices, including a second communication device and a third communication device, for one or more subsequent transmissions to or by the plurality of other communication devices, the respective frequency allocations including i) a first frequency allocation corresponding to the second communication device, the first frequency allocation corresponding to a first frequency portion of a first sub-channel among a plurality of sub-channels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel, and ii) a second frequency allocation corresponding to the third communication device, the second frequency allocation corresponding to a second frequency portion of the first sub-channel, the second frequency portion different than the first frequency portion;

transmitting, by the first communication device, a request-to-send (RTS) frame to the plurality of other communication devices, wherein the RTS frame;

i) is duplicated by the first communication device across each of the plurality of sub-channels, ii) indicates that the plurality of other communication devices are requested to simultaneously transmit respective clear-to-send (CTS) frames to the first communication device;

receiving, at the first communication device, at least some of the respective CTS frames from at least some of the plurality of other communication devices, wherein the respective CTS frames include at least;

a first CTS frame from the second communication device, the first CTS frame spanning the first sub-channel that encompasses the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, and

a second CTS frame from the third communication device, the second CTS frame spanning the first sub-channel that encompasses the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, wherein the second CTS frame is received simultaneously with reception of the first CTS frame, and wherein the at least some of the respective CTS frames indicate that at least some of the plurality of sub-channels are available; and

transmitting, by the first communication device, an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit in response to the at least some of the respective CTS frames, the OFDMA data unit including first data for the second communication device in the first frequency portion and second data for the third communication device in the second frequency portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the RTS frame is an enhanced request to send (E-RTS) frame that indicates the respective sub-channel allocation of the plurality of sub-channels for each of the plurality of communication devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the respective CTS frames are used to report available sub-channels;

the method further comprises receiving an uplink OFDMA data unit that includes;

first data transmitted by the second communication device in the first frequency portion of the first sub-channel, and

second data transmitted by the third communication device in the second frequency portion of the first sub-channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first CTS frame and the second CTS frame include respective HE A-Control fields;

the OFDMA data unit is a first downlink OFDMA data unit transmitted on at least some of the plurality of sub-channels that are available; and

the method further comprises;

receiving, by the first communication device, an uplink OFDMA transmission that includes at least one acknowledgment that i) is transmitted in response to the first downlink OFDMA data unit by a particular communication device of the at least some of the plurality of other communication devices, and ii) indicates available sub-channels of the plurality of sub-channels that are available to the particular communication device; and

transmitting, by the first communication device, a second downlink OFDMA data unit that includes third data for the particular communication device in at least some of the available sub-channels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the respective HE A-Control fields include available sub-channel information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames is duplicated by a particular communication device of the at least some of the plurality of other communication devices across idle sub-channels of the plurality of sub-channels of the OFDM channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames is scrambled using a same scramble seed; and

the method further comprises decoding each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames using the same scramble seed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises scrambling the RTS frame using the same scramble seed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least some of the respective CTS frames comprises receiving the at least some of the respective CTS frames at a same data rate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the same data rate is a primary data rate determined based on the data rate of the RTS frame.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the same data rate is a data rate which is defined in the frame body of the RTS frame.

12. A first communication device for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network, the first communication device comprising:

a network interface device having one or more integrated circuits configured to;

allocate respective frequency allocations for a plurality of other communication devices, including a second communication device and a third communication device, for one or more subsequent transmissions to or by the plurality of other communication devices, the respective frequency allocations including i) a first frequency allocation corresponding to the second communication device, the first frequency allocation corresponding to a first frequency portion of a first sub-channel among a plurality of sub-channels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel, and ii) a second frequency allocation corresponding to the third communication device, the second frequency allocation corresponding to a second frequency portion of the first sub-channel, the second frequency portion different than the first frequency portion,

transmit a request-to-send (RTS) frame to the plurality of other communication devices, wherein the RTS frame;

i) is duplicated by the first communication device across each of the plurality of sub-channels, ii) indicates that the plurality of other communication devices are requested to simultaneously transmit respective clear-to-send (CTS) frames to the first communication device,

receive at least some of the respective CTS frames from at least some of the plurality of other communication devices, wherein the respective CTS frames include at least;

a first CTS frame from the second communication device, the first CTS frame spanning the first sub-channel that encompasses the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, and

a second CTS frame from the third communication device, the second CTS frame spanning the first sub-channel that encompasses the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, wherein the second CTS frame is received simultaneously with reception of the first CTS frame, and wherein the at least some of the respective CTS frames indicate that at least some of the plurality of sub-channels are available;

wherein the one or more integrated circuits are further configured to;

generate a transmission signal corresponding to an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit in response to the at least some of the respective CTS frames, the OFDMA data unit including first data for the second communication device in the first frequency portion and second data for the third communication device in the second frequency portion.

13. The first communication device of claim 12, wherein:

the RTS frame is an enhanced request to send (E-RTS) frame that indicates the respective sub-channel allocation of the plurality of sub-channels for each of the plurality of communication devices.

14. The first communication device of claim 12, wherein:

the respective CTS frames are used to report available sub-channels;

the one or more integrated circuits are configured to receive an uplink OFDMA data unit that includes;

first data transmitted by the second communication device in the first frequency portion of the first sub-channel, and

second data transmitted by the third communication device in the second frequency portion of the first sub-channel.

15. The first communication device of claim 12, wherein:

the first CTS frame and the second CTS frame include respective HE A-Control fields;

the OFDMA data unit is a first downlink OFDMA data unit transmitted on at least some of the plurality of sub-channels that are available; and

the one or more integrated circuits are configured to;

receive an uplink OFDMA transmission that includes at least one acknowledgment that i) is transmitted in response to the first downlink OFDMA data unit by a particular communication device of the at least some of the plurality of other communication devices, and ii) indicates available sub-channels of the plurality of sub-channels that are available to the particular communication device, and

generate a transmission signal corresponding to a second downlink OFDMA data unit that includes third data for the particular communication device in at least some of the available sub-channels.

16. The first communication device of claim 15, wherein the respective HE A-Control fields include available sub-channel information.

17. The first communication device of claim 12, wherein:

each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames is duplicated by a particular communication device of the at least some of the plurality of other communication devices across idle sub-channels of the plurality of sub-channels of the OFDM channel.

18. The first communication device of claim 12, wherein:

each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames is scrambled using a same scramble seed; and

the one or more integrated circuits are configured to decode each of the at least some of the respective CTS frames using the same scramble seed.

19. A method for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first communication device and from a second communication device, a request to send (RTS) frame, wherein the RTS frame;

i) is duplicated across each of a plurality of sub-channels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel, and ii) indicates a request for the first communication device to transmit a first clear to send (CTS) frame to the second communication device;

determining, by the first communication device, whether at least a sub-channel, of the plurality of sub-channels, is available, wherein a first frequency portion of the sub-channel is allocated to the first communication device;

in response to determining that the sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels is available, providing the first CTS frame to the second communication device, the first CTS frame spanning the sub-channel;

wherein providing the first CTS frame comprises;

generating the first CTS frame to indicate that the at least some of the plurality of sub-channels are available,

identifying a scramble seed for the first CTS frame that allows the second communication device to decode i) the first CTS frame, and ii) a second CTS frame to be transmitted by a third communication device that is allocated a second frequency portion of the sub-channel, the second frequency portion being different than the first frequency portion, the second CTS frame spanning the sub-channel that encompasses the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, wherein the first CTS frame is to be transmitted simultaneously with the second CTS frame, and

scrambling the first CTS frame with the identified scramble seed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the method further comprises receiving, by the first communication device, downlink data in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit in response to the first CTS frame via at least the sub-channel that is available; and

the method further comprises transmitting uplink data to the second communication device in response to the downlink data via the at least the sub-channel that is available.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein identifying the scramble seed for the first CTS frame comprises identifying a scramble seed of the RTS frame as the scramble seed for the first CTS frame.

22. A first communication device for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network, the first communication device comprising:

a network interface device having one or more integrated circuits configured to;

receive, from a second communication device, a request to send (RTS) frame, wherein the RTS frame;

i) is duplicated across each of a plurality of sub-channels of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel, and ii) indicates a request for the first communication device to transmit a first clear to send (CTS) frame to the second communication device,

determine whether at least a sub-channel, of the plurality of sub-channels, is available, wherein a first frequency portion of the sub-channel is allocated to the first communication device,

in response to determining that the sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels is available, providing the first CTS frame to the second communication device, the first CTS frame spanning the sub-channel,

generate the first CTS frame to indicate that the at least some of the plurality of sub-channels are available,

identify a scramble seed for the first CTS frame that allows the second communication device to decode i) the first CTS frame, and ii) a second CTS frame to be transmitted by a third communication device that is allocated a second frequency portion of the sub-channel, the second frequency portion being different than the first frequency portion, the second CTS frame spanning the sub-channel encompassing the first frequency portion and the second frequency portion, wherein the first CTS frame is to be transmitted simultaneously with the second CTS frame, and

scramble the first CTS frame with the identified scramble seed.

23. The first communication device of claim 22, wherein:

the one or more integrated circuits are configured to receive downlink data in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) data unit in response to the first CTS frame via at least the sub-channel that is available; and

the one or more integrated circuits are configured to transmit uplink data to the second communication device in response to the downlink data via the at least the sub-channel that is available.

24. The first communication device of claim 22, wherein the one or more integrated circuits are configured to identify a scramble seed of the RTS frame as the scramble seed for the first CTS frame.