High speed media access control and direct link protocol

• US 20050135295A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Walton, Jay Rodney, Nanda, Sanjiv
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2605 Symbol extensions, e.g. Zero Tail, Unique Word [UW]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Techniques for MAC processing for efficient use of high throughput systems that may be backward compatible with various types of legacy systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a data frame is formed comprising a common portion for transmission in a format receivable by various stations, such as access points and remote stations. The data frame also comprises a dedicated portion, formatted for transmission to a specified remote station. In another aspect, the common portion is unsteered, and the dedicated portion is steered. In another aspect, an access point schedules an allocation in response to a data indication included in a common portion of a data frame transmitted from one remote station to another. In another aspect, a first station transmits a reference to a second station, which measures the reference and generates feedback therefrom.

Claims

1. A data frame comprising:

a common portion, for transmission according to a first format receivable by one or more first stations; and

a dedicated portion, for transmission according to a second format receivable by a second station.

2. The data frame of claim 1, wherein the common portion comprises an unsteered reference.

3. The data frame of claim 1, wherein the second format comprises steering.

4. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry for transmitting a frame from a first station to a second station, the frame comprising;

a common portion, transmitted according to a first format receivable by one or more third stations; and

a dedicated portion, transmitted according to a second format selected to be receivable by the second station.

5. A wireless communication system comprising:

one or more first stations;

a second station; and

a third station for transmitting a frame to the second station, the frame comprising;

a common portion, transmitted according to a first format receivable by the one or more first stations; and

a dedicated portion, transmitted according to a second format receivable by the second station.

6. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a frame from a first station to a second station, the frame comprising;

a common portion, transmitted according to a first format receivable by one or more third stations; and

a dedicated portion, transmitted according to a second format selected to be receivable by the second station.

7. A method comprising:

transmitting a frame from a first station to a second station, the frame comprising;

a common portion, transmitted according to a first format receivable by one or more third stations; and

a dedicated portion, transmitted according to a second format selected to be receivable by the second station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the common portion comprises an unsteered reference.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second format comprises steering the dedicated portion.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first portion comprises a data indication for future transmission.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second station receives the data indication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data indication is an allocation request.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more third stations comprises an access point, and wherein the access point:

receives the data indication in the common portion of the first station to second station transmission;

schedules an allocation in response to the data indication; and

transmits the allocation to the first station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the allocation is transmitted in a consolidated poll.

15. A wireless communication system, operable for communicating on a shared medium, access to the shared medium allocated to at least a first portion corresponding to a first duration and at least a second portion corresponding to a second duration, the wireless communication system comprising:

means for accessing the medium with a first station using a contention-based procedure, during the first portion, to transmit to a second station; and

means for accessing the medium with a third station, in accordance with an access allocation, during the second portion, to transmit to a fourth station.

16. A method for communicating on a shared medium, access to the shared medium allocated to at least a first portion corresponding to a first duration and at least a second portion corresponding to a second duration, the method comprising:

accessing the medium with a first station using a contention-based procedure, during the first portion, to transmit to a second station; and

accessing the medium with a third station, in accordance with an access allocation, during the second portion, to transmit to a fourth station.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first station and the third station are the same station.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first station and the fourth station are the same station.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second station and the third station are the same station.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second station and the fourth station are the same station.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for earning a transmission opportunity; and

means for transmitting a frame to a remote station, at least a portion of the frame transmitted using steering.

22. Computer readable media operable to perform the following steps:

earning a transmission opportunity; and

transmitting a frame to a remote station, at least a portion of the frame transmitted using steering.

23. A wireless communication system comprising:

an access point;

a first station; and

a second station for;

earning a transmission opportunity from the access point; and

transmitting a frame to the first station during the transmission opportunity, at least a portion of the frame transmitted using steering.

24. A method for forming a direct link between a first station and a second station, comprising:

earning a transmission opportunity; and

transmitting a frame to a remote station, at least a portion of the frame transmitted using steering.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein earning the transmission opportunity comprises:

requesting an allocation on a shared medium from a scheduling station;

receiving an allocation from the scheduling remote station in response to the allocation request.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein earning the transmission opportunity comprises contending for access on a shared medium.

27. A wireless communication system, comprising:

means for transmitting a pilot from a first station to a second station;

means for measuring the pilot at the second remote station and determining feedback therefrom;

means for transmitting the feedback from the second station to the first station; and

means for transmitting data from the first station to the second station in accordance with the feedback.

28. A method, comprising:

transmitting a pilot from a first station to a second station;

measuring the pilot at the second remote station and determining feedback therefrom;

transmitting the feedback from the second station to the first station; and

transmitting data from the first station to the second station in accordance with the feedback.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the data comprises one or more frames, each frame comprising:

a common portion, transmitted according to a first format receivable by one or more third stations; and

a dedicated portion, transmitted according to a second format selected to be receivable by the second station.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting data along with the transmitted feedback.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting a second pilot along with the transmitted feedback.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising measuring the second pilot and determining feedback therefrom.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting a data indication along with the pilot.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting data along with the transmitted feedback.