Multiple user allocation signaling in a wireless communication network
First Claim
1. A method for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network that includes a first communication device and a plurality of second communication devices, the method comprising:
- forming an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group that includes two or more second communication devices of the plurality of second devices;
allocating, at the first communication device, respective sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices, includingstatically allocating a respective primary sub-channel block to each of the two or more second communication devices, wherein the respective statically allocated primary sub-channel blocks remain allocated to the second communication devices for transmission of at least two PHY data units, anddynamically allocating at least some of remaining sub-channel blocks, that are not allocated as primary sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices, among the two or more second communication devices, wherein the at least some of the remaining sub-channel blocks are dynamically allocated for transmission of each of the at least two PHY data units;
providing, from the first communication device to the two or more second communication devices, indications of the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices; and
performing, at the first communication device, one of (i) transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit to the two or more second communication devices or (ii) receiving a physical layer (PHY) from the two or more second communication devices, wherein the PHY data unit includes respective orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data units transmitted using respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A respective primary sub-channel block is statically allocated to each of the two or more communication devices in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group of communication devices. The respective statically allocated primary sub-channel blocks remain allocated to the second communication devices for transmission of at least two PHY data units. At least some of remaining sub-channel blocks are dynamically allocated among the two or more communication devices for transmission of each of the at least two PHY data units. Indications of the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more communication devices. A physical layer (PHY) data unit is transmitted to the two or more communication devices or is received from the two or more communication devices. The PHY data unit includes respective orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data units transmitted using respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more communication devices.
179 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for simultaneous communication in a wireless local area network that includes a first communication device and a plurality of second communication devices, the method comprising:
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forming an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group that includes two or more second communication devices of the plurality of second devices; allocating, at the first communication device, respective sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices, including statically allocating a respective primary sub-channel block to each of the two or more second communication devices, wherein the respective statically allocated primary sub-channel blocks remain allocated to the second communication devices for transmission of at least two PHY data units, and dynamically allocating at least some of remaining sub-channel blocks, that are not allocated as primary sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices, among the two or more second communication devices, wherein the at least some of the remaining sub-channel blocks are dynamically allocated for transmission of each of the at least two PHY data units; providing, from the first communication device to the two or more second communication devices, indications of the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices; and performing, at the first communication device, one of (i) transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit to the two or more second communication devices or (ii) receiving a physical layer (PHY) from the two or more second communication devices, wherein the PHY data unit includes respective orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data units transmitted using respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus configured to operate in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the apparatus comprising:
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a network interface device configured to form an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group that includes two or more communication devices; allocate respective sub-channel blocks to the two or more communication devices, wherein allocating the sub-channel blocks includes statically allocating a respective primary sub-channel block to each of the two or more second communication devices, wherein the respective statically allocated primary sub-channel blocks remain allocated to the second communication devices for transmission of at least two PHY data units, and dynamically allocating at least some of remaining sub-channel blocks, that are not allocated as primary sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices, among the two or more second communication devices, wherein the at least some of the remaining sub-channel blocks are dynamically allocated for transmission of each of the at least two PHY data units; provide, to the two or more communication devices, indications of the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices; and perform one of (i) transmit an OFDMA data unit to the two or more second communication devices or (ii) receive an OFDMA data unit from the two or more second communication devices, wherein the PHY data unit includes respective orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data units transmitted using respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for simultaneous communication by multiple communication devices in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:
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forming, at a first communication device, (i) an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group that includes two or more second communication devices and (ii) a multi-user multiple input multiple output MU-MIMO group that includes two or more third communication devices; allocating, at the first communication device, respective sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices in the OFDMA group; allocating, at the first communication device, respective spatial streams to the two or more third communication devices in the MU MIMO group; and performing one of (i) transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit (ii) receiving a physical layer (PHY) data unit, wherein the PHY data unit includes an OFDMA portion and an MU MIMO portion, wherein (i) the OFDMA portion includes respective OFDM data units transmitted using the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices and the (ii) the MU MIMO portion includes respective data streams transmitted using the respective spatial streams allocated to the two or more third communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A first communication device configured to operate in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the first communication device comprising:
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a network interface device configured to form (i) an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) group that includes two or more second communication devices and (ii) a multi-user multiple input multiple output MU-MIMO group that includes two or more third communication devices; allocate respective sub-channel blocks to the two or more second communication devices in the OFDMA group; allocate respective spatial streams to the two or more third communication devices in the MU MIMO group; and perform one of (i) transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit and (ii) receiving a physical layer (PHY) data unit, wherein the PHY data unit includes an OFDMA portion and an MU MIMO portion, wherein (i) the OFDMA portion includes respective OFDM data units transmitted using the respective sub-channel blocks allocated to the two or more second communication devices and the (ii) the MU MIMO portion includes respective data streams transmitted using the respective spatial streams allocated to the two or more third communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification