Wireless device, method, and computer readable media for orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) allocations based on a basic tone resource unit or entire sub-channel

• US 9,924,510 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Azizi, Shahrnaz, Stacey, Robert J., Perahia, Eldad, Kenney, Thomas J., Ghosh, Chittabrata, Huang, Po-Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Application Number:
  US14/670,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Wireless devices, methods, and computer readable media are disclosed. A high-efficiency wireless local-area network (HEW) master station is disclosed. The HEW master station may include circuitry. The circuitry may be configured to generate one or more resource allocations of a bandwidth for one or more HEW stations. Each resource allocation for a first portion of the bandwidth may be a multiple of a basic resource allocation or the entire first portion of the bandwidth. There may be only one resource allocation for a second portion of the bandwidth that is at least as large as the first portion of the bandwidth. In some embodiments, each resource allocation for the second portion of the bandwidth may be a multiple of the basic resource allocation or the entire second portion of the bandwidth.

Claims

1. A wireless apparatus configured for high-efficiency (HE) operation, the apparatus comprising:

memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry configured to;

receive a trigger frame within a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the trigger frame including an allocation of resource units for uplink data transmission within the TXOP by a plurality of HE stations (STAs) including the wireless apparatus, the allocation including a single resource unit allocation for the wireless apparatus, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 20 MHz orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) block;

one of eight 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones and a 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of a null tone;

one of four 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone;

one of two 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone; and

one of one 242-tone resource unit with eight pilot tones; and

generate, in response to the trigger frame, an uplink data unit in accordance with the single resource unit allocation, for transmission within the single resource unit allocation during the TXOP.

2. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 40 MHz OFDMA block the single resource units comprise:

one of eighteen 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

one of eight 52-tone resource units with four pilot tortes and two 26-tone resource units;

one of four 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

one of two 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

one of one 484-tone resource unit, wherein the trigger frame includes signaling to allocate a single resource unit to each HE STA of the plurality of HE STAs.

3. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 80 MHz OFDMA block, the single resource units comprise:

one of 37 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

one of 16 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones;

one of eight 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones;

one of four 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

one of two 484-tone resource units with sixteen pilots, wherein the trigger frame includes signaling to allocate a single resource unit to each HE STA of the plurality of HE STAs.

4. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger frame is to trigger a response comprising transmission of the uplink data unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the uplink data unit, for transmission as part of one or more uplink multiuser data units, in accordance with one of a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MUMIMO) or a OFDMA technique, within the TXOP.

6. The wireless apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is an STA, and further comprises transceiver circuitry configured to:

receive the trigger frame; and

transmit the uplink data unit in accordance with the single resource allocation for the wireless apparatus, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to decode the trigger frame determine a tone configuration for the single resource unit allocation for transmission of the uplink data unit.

7. The wireless apparatus of claim 6 further comprising one or ore antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a wireless apparatus configured for high-efficiency (HE) operation, the instructions to configure the wireless apparatus to perform operations to:

receive a trigger frame within a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the trigger frame including an allocation of resource units for uplink data transmission within the TXOP by a plurality of HE stations (STAs) including the wireless apparatus, the allocation including a single resource unit allocation for the wireless apparatus, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 20 MHz orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) block;

one of eight 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones and a 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of a null tone;

one of four 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone;

one of two 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone; and

one of one 242-tone resource unit with eight pilot tones; and

generate, in response to the trigger frame, an uplink data unit in accordance with the single resource unit allocation, for transmission within the single resource unit allocation during the TXOP.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 40 MHz OFDMA block the single resource units comprise:

one of eighteen 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

one of eight 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

one of four 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

one of two 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

one of one 484-tone resource unit, wherein the trigger frame includes signaling to allocate a single resource unit to each HE STA of the plurality of HE STAs.

10. A method performed by a wireless apparatus configured for high-efficiency (HE) operation, the method comprising:

receive a trigger frame within a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the trigger frame including an allocation of resource units for uplink data transmission within the TXOP by a plurality of HE stations (STAs) including the wireless apparatus, the allocation including a single resource unit allocation for the wireless apparatus, wherein the wireless apparatus is configured to transmit on each of the following single resource units within a 20 MHz orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) block;

one of eight 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones and a 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of a null tone;

one of four 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone;

one of two 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone; and

one of one 242-tone resource unit with eight pilot tones; and

generating, in response to the trigger frame, an uplink data unit in accordance with the single resource unit allocation, for transmission within the single resource unit allocation during the TXOP.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

within a 40 MHz OFDMA block the single resource units comprise;

one of eighteen 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

one of eight 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

one of four 106 one resource units pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

one of two 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

one of one 484-tone resource unit, wherein the trigger frame includes signaling to allocate one of the single resource units to each HE STA of the plurality of HE STAs.

12. An apparatus of an access point configured for high-efficiency (HE) operation as a master station (STA), the apparatus comprising:

memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry configured to;

configure a trigger frame to allocate resource units including an allocation of a single resource unit to each one of a plurality of HE stations (HE STAs) for uplink data transmission, the apparatus of the access point configured to allocate the resource units in accordance with each of the following;

a 20 MHz orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) block comprising eight 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones and a 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of a null tone;

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone;

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

two 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone; and

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

one 242-tone resource unit with eight pilot tones, wherein each HE STA is allocated the single resource unit within one 20 MHz OFDMA block; and

process one or more uplink data units received from at least some of the HE STAs within the 20 MHz OFDMA block, the uplink data units received, in response to the trigger frame, within a transmission opportunity (TXOP) obtained by the master station.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus of the access point is configured to allocate the resource units in accordance with each of the following:

a 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising eighteen 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising eight 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising four 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and two 26-tone resource units;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising two 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising one 484-tone resource unit, wherein each HE STA is allocated the single resource unit within one 20 MHz OFDMA block or one 40 MHz OFDMA block.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus of the access point is configured to allocate the resource units in accordance with each of the following:

a 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising thirty-seven 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising sixteen 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising eight 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones;

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising four 242-tone unit resource units with eight pilots; and

the 40 MHz OFDMA block comprising two 484-tone resource units with sixteen pilots, wherein each HE STA is allocated the single resource unit within one 20 MHz OFDMA block, one 40 MHz OFDMA block, or one 80 MHz OFDMA block.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate the trigger frame for transmission to the plurality of HE STAs, the trigger frame to include signaling to allocate the resource units within the 20 MHz OFDMA block, wherein a single one of the resource units is allocated to each of the HE STAs of the plurality.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the trigger frame is configured for transmission within the TXOP, the trigger frame to trigger a response comprising transmissions of the uplink data units by the HE STAs.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the uplink data units comprise uplink multi-user data units received from the HE STAs within the TXOP, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to process, in accordance with one of a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) or an OFDMA technique, within the TXOP, one or more of the uplink multi-user data units from at least some of the HE STAs.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising transceiver circuitry configured to:

transmit the trigger frame including signaling to allocate the resource units; and

receive the uplink data units.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising two or more antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an apparatus of an access point configured for high efficiency (HE) operation as a master station, the instructions to configure the apparatus to perform operations to:

configure a trigger frame to allocate resource units including an allocation of a single resource unit to each one of a plurality of HE stations (HE STAs) for uplink data transmission, the apparatus of the access point configured to allocate the resource units in accordance with each of the following;

a 20 MHz orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) block comprising eight 26-tone resource units with two pilot tones and a 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of a null tone;

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising 52-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone;

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

two 106-tone resource units with four pilot tones and the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

the 26-tone resource unit comprising 13-tones on both sides of the null tone; and

the 20 MHz OFDMA block comprising;

one 242-tone resource unit with eight pilot tones, wherein each HE STA is allocated the single resource unit within one 20 MHz OFDMA block; and

process one or more uplink data units received from at least some of the HE STAs within the 20 MHz OFDMA block, the uplink data units received, in response to the trigger frame, within a transmission opportunity (TXOP) obtained by the master station.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:

generate the trigger frame for transmission to the plurality of HE STAs, the trigger frame to include signaling to allocate the resource units within the 20 MHz OFDMA block, wherein a single one of the resource units is allocated to each of the HE STAs of the plurality.