Method and apparatus for facilitating simultaneous transmission from multiple stations

• US 8,886,755 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Liu, Yong, Zhang, Hongyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): KATSIKIS, KOSTAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/963,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 370/326, 370/329, 370/328, 370/465, 370/470, 370/471, 370/472, 370/473, 370/474, 370/475, 370/476, 370/503, 370/281, 370/295, 370/322, 370/324, 370/330, 370/344, 370/346, 709/230, 709/236, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A first communication device determines that each second communication device in a plurality of second communication devices has respective data to be transmitted to the first communication device. The first communication device transmits a request to the plurality of second communication devices to transmit data to the first communication device simultaneously during a transmit opportunity period of the first communication device. The first communication device receives data transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of second communication devices during the transmit opportunity period of the first communication device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, using a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) device, that each client device in a plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device;

receiving from each of at least some of the client devices an indication of an amount of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device;

in response to determining that each client device has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device, transmitting, from the WLAN AP device to the plurality of client devices, a request for the plurality of client devices to simultaneously transmit data to the WLAN AP device, wherein the request is transmitted from the WLAN AP device to the plurality of client devices during a transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device;

determining, using the WLAN AP device, a maximum duration of a transmission period in which the data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of client devices to the WLAN AP device based on the indications of the amounts of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device by the at least some of the client devices;

transmitting from the WLAN AP device an indication of the maximum duration of the transmission period to the plurality of client devices; and

receiving, at the WLAN AP device, the data simultaneously transmitted by the plurality of client devices, wherein the data simultaneously transmitted by the plurality of client devices is received by the WLAN AP device;

during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device; and

prior to the WLAN AP device transmitting any media access control (MAC) data to one or more of the client devices in the plurality of client devices subsequent to the WLAN AP device transmitting the request.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

seizing, by the WLAN AP device, a transmit opportunity period of one of the client devices;

wherein the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device is the transmit opportunity period of one of the client devices seized by the WLAN AP device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, during the transmission period in which the data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of client devices, from each of at least some of the client devices, an indication of an updated amount of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device;

determining, using the WLAN AP device, a maximum duration of a subsequent transmission period in which further data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of client devices to the WLAN AP device based on the indications of the updated amounts of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device by the at least some of the client devices; and

transmitting from the WLAN AP device an indication of the maximum duration of the subsequent transmission period to the plurality of client devices.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

wherein determining that each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device is based on the information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device comprises receiving, during a transmit opportunity period of one of the plurality of client devices, information from the one client device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device further comprises receiving, during a transmit opportunity period of another of the plurality of client devices, information from the another client device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting a request from the WLAN AP device to one of the plurality of client devices to transmit information to the WLAN AP device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

wherein receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device comprises receiving, during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, information from the one client device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting a request from the WLAN AP device to another of the plurality of client devices to transmit information to the WLAN AP device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

wherein receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device comprises receiving, during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, information from the another client device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request from the WLAN AP device to the plurality of client devices to transmit to the WLAN AP device information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

wherein the information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device is received during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, and

wherein determining that each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device is based on the received receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request to the plurality of client devices to transmit data to the WLAN AP device comprises the indication of the maximum duration.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request to the plurality of client devices to transmit data to the WLAN AP device comprises at least one of:

(i) a respective indication of a respective maximum duration of each of a plurality of separate transmissions by the plurality of client devices to occur during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device,

(ii) an indication of a maximum number of data units to be transmitted by each client device in the plurality of client devices during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, or

(iii) a respective indication of when each of a plurality of separate transmissions by the plurality of client devices is to occur during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more subsequent requests from the WLAN AP device to the plurality of client devices to transmit data to the WLAN AP device simultaneously during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device in respective one or more subsequent transmissions; and

receiving, at the WLAN AP device, the respective one or more subsequent transmissions.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein each one or more subsequent request is included in a response, transmitted by the WLAN AP device, to a previous simultaneous transmission by the plurality of client devices during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device.

14. A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) device, comprising:

a network interface configured to

determine that each client device in a plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

receive from each of at least some of the client devices an indication of an amount of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device;

in response to determining that each client device has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device, transmit, during a transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, a request to the plurality of client devices to simultaneously transmit data to the WLAN AP device,

determine a maximum duration of a transmission period in which the data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of client devices to the WLAN AP device based on the indications of the amounts of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device by the at least some of the client devices,

transmit an indication of the maximum duration of the transmission period to the plurality of client devices; and

receive the data simultaneously transmitted by the plurality of client devices to the WLAN AP device, wherein the data simultaneously transmitted by the plurality of client devices is received

during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, and

prior to the WLAN AP device transmitting any media access control (MAC) data to one or more of the client devices in the plurality of client devices subsequent to the WLAN AP device transmitting the request.

15. The WLAN AP device according to claim 14, wherein the network interface is configured to:

transmit a request to the plurality of client devices to transmit to the WLAN AP device information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

wherein the information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device is received during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, and

wherein determining that each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device is based on the received receiving information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

16. The WLAN AP device according to claim 14, wherein the network interface is configured to:

transmit one or more subsequent requests to the plurality of client devices to transmit data to the WLAN AP device simultaneously during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device in respective one or more subsequent transmissions, and

receive, at the WLAN AP device, the respective one or more subsequent transmissions.

17. The WLAN AP device according to claim 14, wherein the network interface is configured to:

receive, during the transmission period in which the data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of communication client devices, from each of at least some of the client devices an indication of an updated amount of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device,

determine a maximum duration of a subsequent transmission period in which further data is to be transmitted simultaneously by the plurality of client devices to the WLAN AP device based on the indications of the updated amounts of respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device by the at least some of the client devices, and

transmit an indication of the maximum duration of the subsequent transmission period to the plurality of client devices.

18. The WLAN AP device according to claim 14, wherein the network interface is configured to:

receive information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device, and

determine that each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device based on the information indicating whether each client device in the plurality of client devices has respective data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

19. The WLAN AP device according to claim 18 wherein the network interface is configured to receive, during a transmit opportunity period of one of the plurality of client devices, information from the one client device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

20. The WLAN AP device according to claim 19, wherein the network interface is configured to receive, during a transmit opportunity period of another of the plurality of client devices, information from the another client device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

21. The WLAN AP device according to claim 18, wherein the network interface is configured to:

transmit a request to one of the plurality of client devices to transmit information to the WLAN AP device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device, and

receive, during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, information from the one client device indicating whether the one client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.

22. The WLAN AP device according to claim 21, wherein the network interface is configured to:

transmit a request to another of the plurality of client devices to transmit information to the WLAN AP device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to WLAN AP device, and

receive, during the transmit opportunity period of the WLAN AP device, information from the another client device indicating whether the another client device has data to be transmitted to the WLAN AP device.