GROUP IDENTIFICATION AND DEFINITION WITHIN MULTIPLE USER, MULTIPLE ACCESS, AND/OR MIMO WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110002219A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Joonsuk, Fischer, Matthew James, Amini, Peiman, Lauer, Joseph Paul, Erceg, Vinko, Aldana, Carlos H., Ojard, Eric J., Ariyavisitakul, Sirikiat Lek
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0643 Feedback on request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0065 Serial concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1664 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with payload signals; piggybacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Group identification and definition within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A group identification definition field may be transmitted to a number of receiving devices for use in interpreting current or subsequently received packets that include a group identification field (group ID). The group ID can serve a number of functions such as indicating those receiving devices for which the packet is intended, the identification of fields within the packet corresponding to the various devices, certain parameters (e.g., code type, code rate, modulation type, etc.) associated with such fields within the packet, etc. The group identification definition field may be updated or modified to allow for modification of the manner in which subsequent packets, including respective group IDs, are processed. One of a variety of events may direct the group identification definition field may be updated or modified.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

transmitting a group definition field to a plurality of wireless communication devices; and

transmitting a multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the multi-user packet including a group identification field (group ID) indicating a first field therein to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field and a second field therein to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least one additional group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

transmitting at least one additional multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the multi-user packet including at least one additional group ID indicating a first field therein to be processed by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the at least one additional group definition field and a second field therein to be processed by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the at least one additional group definition field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group ID, based on the group definition field, indicating a first manner by which the first field is to be processed by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field and a second manner by which the second field is to be processed by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first field including a first plurality of long training field symbols for use by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a first communication channel between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device; and

the second field including a second plurality of long training field symbols for use by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a second communication channel between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the first communication channel being between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a first antenna of the wireless communication device; and

the second communication channel being between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second antenna of the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least one additional multi-user packet, that includes the group definition field, to the plurality of wireless communication devices before transmitting the multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group ID indicating the multi-user packet being intended only for a subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the multi-user packet being discarded by a third of the plurality of wireless communication devices that is not within the subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a group definition field being a first group definition field that is transmitted at a first time; and

further comprising;

transmitting a second group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices at a second time; and

transmitting a third group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices at a third time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group ID indicating that the multi-user packet being intended only for a first subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

at least one additional group ID indicating that at least one additional multi-user packet being intended only for a second subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

at least one of the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices being included within each of the first subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication device being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).

13. A method for operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

transmitting a first group definition field to a plurality of wireless communication devices;

transmitting a first multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the first multi-user packet including a first group identification field (group ID) indicating;

a first subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

a first field to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices, within the first subset, based on the first group definition field; and

a second field to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices, within the first subset, based on the first group definition field;

transmitting a second group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

transmitting a second multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the second multi-user packet including a second group ID indicating;

a second subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

a third field to be processed by a third of the plurality of wireless communication devices, within the second subset, based on the second group definition field; and

a fourth field to be processed by a fourth of the plurality of wireless communication devices, within the second subset, based on the second group definition field.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the first multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet; and

the second multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein, at least one of:

the third of the plurality of wireless communication devices being the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the fourth of the plurality of wireless communication devices being the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the first field including a first plurality of long training field symbols for use by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a first communication channel between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device;

the second field including a second plurality of long training field symbols for use by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a second communication channel between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device;

the third field including a third plurality of long training field symbols for use by the third of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a third communication channel between the third of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device; and

the fourth field including a fourth plurality of long training field symbols for use by the fourth of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a fourth communication channel between the fourth of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first communication channel being between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a first antenna of the wireless communication device;

the second communication channel being between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second antenna of the wireless communication device;

the third communication channel being between the third of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a third antenna of the wireless communication device; and

the fourth communication channel being between the fourth of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a fourth antenna of the wireless communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least one of the second antenna, the third antenna, and the fourth antenna being the first antenna.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the wireless communication device being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a baseband processing module for generating a group definition field and a multi-user packet;

at least one antenna for transmitting;

the group definition field to a plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

wherein;

the multi-user packet including a group identification field (group ID) indicating a first field therein to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field and a second field therein to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a plurality of antennae, that includes the at least one antenna, for transmitting the group definition field and the multi-user packet.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the at least one antenna transmitting;

at least one additional group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

at least one additional multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the multi-user packet including at least one additional group ID indicating a first field therein to be processed by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the at least one additional group definition field and a second field therein to be processed by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the at least one additional group definition field.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the group ID, based on the group definition field, indicating a first manner by which the first field is to be processed by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field and a second manner by which the second field is to be processed by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices based on the group definition field.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the first field including a first plurality of long training field symbols for use by the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a first communication channel between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device; and

the second field including a second plurality of long training field symbols for use by the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with channel estimation of a second communication channel between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the wireless communication device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein:

the first communication channel being between the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a first antenna of the wireless communication device; and

the second communication channel being between the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second antenna of the wireless communication device.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the at least one antenna transmitting at least one additional multi-user packet, that includes the group definition field, to the plurality of wireless communication devices before transmitting the multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the group ID indicating the multi-user packet being intended only for a subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

the multi-user packet being discarded by a third of the plurality of wireless communication devices that is not within the subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

a group definition field being a first group definition field that is transmitted at a first time;

the at least one antenna transmitting a second group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices at a second time; and

the at least one antenna transmitting a third group definition field to the plurality of wireless communication devices at a third time.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the group ID indicating that the multi-user packet being intended only for a first subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

at least one additional group ID indicating that at least one additional multi-user packet being intended only for a second subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein:

at least one of the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices being included within each of the first subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second subset of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the wireless communication device being an access point (AP); and

the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).