Control data unit format for WLAN

• US 9,131,399 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Liu, Yong, Ramamurthy, Harish, Zhang, Hongyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, FAHMIDA S
• Application Number:
  US13/586,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20130044607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In a method for generating a control data unit a physical layer (PHY) preamble of the control data unit is generated. In generating the PHY preamble, an address field is generated to indicate a communication device for which the data unit is intended, and a frame type field is generated to indicate a type of the control data unit. The address field and the frame type field are included in the PHY preamble. The control data unit is generated to include the PHY preamble. The control data unit is transmitted. The control data unit omits (i) a MAC header, and (iii) a payload.

Claims

1. A method for generating a control data unit, wherein the control data unit is responsive to another data unit having a frame check sequence (FCS) corresponding to an error detection operation performed on data in the other data unit, the method comprising:

generating a physical layer (PHY) preamble of the control data unit, including

generating an address field to indicate a communication device for which the control data unit is intended,

generating a frame type field to indicate a type of the control data unit,

including the address field and the frame type field in the PHY preamble,

including at least a portion of the FCS from the other data unit in the PHY preamble;

generating the control data unit to include the PHY preamble; and

causing the control data unit to be transmitted, wherein the control data unit omits (i) a MAC header, and (ii) a payload.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the address in the address field includes an address that is not globally unique.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating the PHY preamble includes:

generating an indicator of a fixed-length control data unit; and

including the indicator in the PHY preamble.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control data unit is transmitted according to a lowest modulation and coding scheme.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control data unit is transmitted using a single spatial stream.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control data unit is an acknowledgement data unit to acknowledge receipt of the other data unit.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the other data unit is a request-to-send (RTS) data unit, and

the control data unit is a clear-to-send (CTS) data unit to acknowledge receipt of the RTS data unit.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating the PHY preamble includes:

generating an indicator of whether (i) the data unit is intended for an access point (AP) or (ii) the data unit is transmitted by the AP; and

including the indicator in the PHY preamble.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating the PHY preamble includes:

generating a duration field; and

including the duration field in the PHY preamble.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating the PHY preamble includes:

generating a bandwidth field that indicates an amount of bandwidth available to a communication device; and

including the bandwidth field in the PHY preamble.

11. A method according to claim 1, the address field and the frame type field are included in a signal field of the PHY preamble.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface configured to;

generate a physical layer (PHY) preamble of a control data unit, wherein the control data unit is responsive to another data unit having a frame check sequence (FCS) corresponding to an error detection operation performed on data in the other data unit, at least by

generating an address field to indicate a communication device for which the control data unit is intended,

generating a frame type field to include indicate a type of the control data unit,

including the address field and the frame type field in the PHY preamble

including at least a portion of the FCS from the other data unit in the PHY preamble;

generate the control data unit to include the PHY preamble; and

transmit the control data unit, wherein the control data unit omits (i) a MAC header, and (ii) a payload.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the address in the address field includes an address that is not globally unique.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to generate the PHY preamble at least by

generating an indicator of a fixed-length control data unit;

and

including the indicator in the PHY preamble.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to transmit the control data unit according to a lowest modulation and coding scheme.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to transmit the control data unit using a single spatial stream.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control data unit is an acknowledgement data unit to acknowledge receipt of the other data unit.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the other data unit is a request-to-send (RTS) data unit, and

the control data unit is a clear-to-send (CTS) data unit to acknowledge receipt of the RTS data unit.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to generate the PHY preamble at least by

generating an indicator of whether (i) the data unit is intended for an access point (AP) or (ii) the data unit is transmitted by the AP, and

including the indicator in the PHY preamble.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to generate the PHY preamble at least by

generating a duration field, and

including the duration field in the PHY preamble.

21. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to generate the PHY preamble at least by

generating a bandwidth field that indicates an amount of bandwidth available to a communication device, and

including the bandwidth field in the PHY preamble.

22. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to include the address field and the frame type field in a signal field of the PHY preamble.