Methods for concurrent link setup and downlink data retrieval for high efficiency WLAN
Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for concurrent link setup and downlink data retrieval, e.g., for high efficiency WLAN. An access point (AP) may send a trigger element that allocates a resource for pre-association transmissions with the AP. The trigger element may allocate the resource for random access and/or deterministic access. The AP may receive, from an unassociated STA, a first frame via one or more resource units (RUs) allocated in the trigger element. The AP may determine a pre-association identifier (PID) that identifies the unassociated STA. The AP may send the PID to the unassociated STA, for example, in the trigger element or in the multi-STA ACK. The AP may send a second frame associated with a multi-user (MU) transmission that includes the PID. The AP may send a trigger frame that includes the PID.
1 . A method for use by a station (STA), the method comprising:
receiving a beacon frame, from an access point (AP) with which the STA is not associated, the beacon frame including a target wake time (TWT) element indicating a broadcast TWT service period (SP) in which the AP will transmit one or more trigger frames to provide resources for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) random access (RA) by unassociated STAs;
during the broadcast TWT SP, receiving a trigger frame including an indicator that the trigger frame includes one or more resource units (RUs) allocated for uplink OFDMA RA (UORA) by unassociated STAs,
based on information in the received trigger frame, determining that at least one RU of the one or more RUs is available for use by the STA; and
sending an uplink frame to the AP using the at least one RU.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the uplink frame is an association request frame.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the AP in response to sending the uplink frame, a multi-STA acknowledgment (ACK)/block ACK (BA).
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to receiving the beacon frame, negotiating, with the AP, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) for the STA to monitor for receiving the beacon frame.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one RU is usable by the STA for one or more of network discovery or link setup.
6 . A station (STA) comprising:
a transceiver and a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, the transceiver and the processor configured to:
receive a beacon frame, from an access point (AP) with which the STA is not associated, the beacon frame including a target wake time (TWT) element indicating a broadcast TWT service period (SP) in which the AP will transmit one or more trigger frames to provide resources for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) random access (RA) by unassociated STAs;
during the broadcast TWT SP, receive a trigger frame including an indicator that the trigger frame includes one or more resource units (RUs) allocated for uplink OFDMA RA (UORA) by unassociated STAs,
based on information in the received trigger frame, determine that at least one RU of the one or more RUs is available for use by the STA; and
send an uplink frame to the AP using the at least one RU.
7 . The STA of claim 6 , wherein the uplink frame is an association request frame.
8 . The STA of claim 6 , wherein the transceiver and the processor are further configured to:
receive, from the AP in response to sending the uplink frame, a multi-STA acknowledgment (ACK)/block ACK (BA).
9 . The STA of claim 6 , wherein the transceiver and the processor are further configured to:
prior to receiving the beacon frame, negotiate, with the AP, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) for the STA to monitor for receiving the beacon frame.
10 . The STA of claim 6 , wherein the at least one RU is usable by the STA for one or more of network discovery or link setup.
11 . A method for an access point (AP), the method comprising:
sending a beacon frame including a target wake time (TWT) element indicating a broadcast TWT service period (SP) in which the AP will transmit one or more trigger frames to provide resources for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) random access (RA) by unassociated STAs;
during the broadcast TWT SP, sending a trigger frame including an indicator that the trigger frame includes one or more resource units (RUs) allocated for uplink OFDMA RA (UORA) by unassociated STAs, wherein the trigger frame includes information for an unassociated STA to determine that at least one RU of the one or more RUs is available for use by the STA; and
receiving an uplink frame from the STA in the at least one RU.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the uplink frame is an association request frame.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
sending, to the STA in response to receiving the uplink frame, a multi-STA acknowledgment (ACK)/block ACK (BA).
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to sending the beacon frame, negotiating, with the STA, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) for the STA to monitor for receiving the beacon frame.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one RU is usable by the STA for one or more of network discovery or link setup.