Group identification and definition employing look up table (LUT) within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications

• US 20110064040A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• 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: Ojard, Eric J., Kim, Joonsuk
• Granted Patent: US 8,861,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0669 using different channel coding between antennas space-time coding H04L1/0618
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0631 Receiver arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users

Abstract

Group identification and definition employing look up table (LUT) within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A LUT provides a very concise representation of the relationship between group IDs and various subsets of wireless communication devices. Each respective group ID can correspond to more than one subset of wireless communication devices, and each when included within corresponding subsets, a given wireless communication device occupies a common, respective location (e.g., first location, second location, etc.) within each of those corresponding subsets. When a received multi-user packet (e.g., OFDMA, MU-MIMO, or combination thereof) is received by and ascertained to be intended for a wireless communication device, then it may be further determined which space time streams of the multi-user packet correspond to that wireless communication device, as determined based on to the location of the wireless communication device within the corresponding subset associated with that particular group ID.

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, based on the group definition field, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the group ID corresponding to a plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

based on the group ID, at least one additional field within the multi-user packet indicating a first at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of wireless communication devices including a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device;

each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a common number of wireless communication devices;

each of a first group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first wireless communication device having the first wireless communication device in a first common location therein; and

each of a second group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the second wireless communication device having the second wireless communication device in a second common location therein.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a common number of wireless communication devices;

a first of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device;

a second of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first wireless communication device and a third wireless communication device; and

the first wireless communication device being in a common location in each of the first of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group ID indicating, based on the group definition field, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by each wireless communication device within a first of plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the group definition field corresponding to a look up table (LUT); and

further comprising;

identifying the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing the LUT indicating correspondence between each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting at least one of the LUT and at least one additional LUT to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

receiving at least one of the LUT and at least one additional LUT from at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

during a first time, identifying the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing a first LUT indicating a first correspondence between various subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs;

during a second time, identifying at least one additional plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing a second LUT indicating a second correspondence between various subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs.

9. 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).

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

transmitting a look up table (LUT) 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, based on the LUT, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the group ID corresponding to a plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices in accordance with the LUT indicating correspondence between each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs;

based on the group ID, at least one additional field within the multi-user packet indicating a first at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a common number of wireless communication devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of wireless communication devices including a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device;

each of a first group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first wireless communication device having the first wireless communication device in a first common location therein; and

each of a second group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the second wireless communication device having the second wireless communication device in a second common location therein.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the group ID indicating, based on the LUT, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by each wireless communication device within a first of plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing the LUT indicating correspondence between each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

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

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

15. An apparatus, comprising:

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

a plurality of antennae for;

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

transmitting 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, based on the group definition field, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices;

the group ID corresponding to a plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and

based on the group ID, at least one additional field within the multi-user packet indicating a first at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second at least one space-time stream within the multi-user packet corresponding to the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the plurality of wireless communication devices including a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device;

each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a common number of wireless communication devices;

each of a first group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first wireless communication device having the first wireless communication device in a first common location therein; and

each of a second group of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the second wireless communication device having the second wireless communication device in a second common location therein.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a common number of wireless communication devices;

a first of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device;

a second of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first wireless communication device and a third wireless communication device; and

the first wireless communication device being in a common location in each of the first of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the second of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the group ID indicating, based on the group definition field, a first field of the multi-user packet to be processed by each wireless communication device within a first of plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second field of the multi-user packet to be processed by a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the group definition field corresponding to a look up table (LUT); and

the baseband processing module identifying the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing the LUT indicating correspondence between each of the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the apparatus transmitting at least one of the LUT and at least one additional LUT to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the apparatus receiving at least one of the LUT and at least one additional LUT from at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

during a first time, the baseband processing module identifying the plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing a first LUT indicating a first correspondence between various subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs;

during a second time, the baseband processing module identifying at least one additional plurality of subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices to which the group ID corresponds by processing a second LUT indicating a second correspondence between various subsets of the plurality of wireless communication devices and respective group IDs.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the apparatus being an access point (AP); and

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