High speed media access control and direct link protocol
First Claim
1. An access point (AP), comprising:
- a transceiver configured to exchange a scheduling message that is transmitted in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs,wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network,wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format,wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format,wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format,wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An access point (AP), comprising:
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a transceiver configured to exchange a scheduling message that is transmitted in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 15, 16, 18, 19)
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4. An access point (AP), comprising:
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circuitry for exchanging a scheduling message that is transmitted in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision.
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5. A wireless communication system, comprising:
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a first class of stations (STAs) having one or more first STAs; a second class of STAs having one or more second STAs; an access point (AP) for transmitting a scheduling message in order to schedule a beacon interval, the beacon interval comprising; a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for the first and second classes of STAs; and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision.
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6. An access point (AP)comprising:
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means for exchanging a scheduling message that is transmitted in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to a only contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision.
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7. A method comprising:
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exchanging a scheduling message that is transmitted by an access point (AP) in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access point (AP), cause the AP to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
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at least one instruction for causing the AP to exchange a scheduling message that is transmitted in order to schedule a beacon interval including a common portion allocated for transmissions on an access channel according to only a contention-based format for first and second classes of stations (STAs) and a contention-free portion allocated for transmissions on the access channel according to only a scheduled-access format for the first class of STAs and according to both a scheduled-access format and the contention-based format for the second class of STAs, wherein the AP provides access to an external communications network, wherein the first class of STAs and the second class of STAs are both permitted to contend for access to the access channel during the common portion in accordance with only the contention-based format, wherein the scheduling message instructs the first class of STAs to operate in accordance with the scheduled-access format during the contention-free portion and to prevent from contending for access to the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the second class of STAs is permitted to contend for access the access channel during the contention-free portion in accordance with the contention-based format, wherein the contention-based format during the contention-free portion uses a carrier sense protocol whereby access to the access channel is permitted after sensing the access channel to be idle for a threshold amount of time in order to avoid a collision.
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Specification