Adding control or management data to block acknowledge or protocol data unit
Disclosed methods and systems for efficiently gathering reports from stations coupled to an access point via a wireless network. In some cases, the reports may be attached to block acknowledge frames, which often occur. Alternatively, when multiple stations operate with assigned resource units during a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the reports are embedded in the spare capacity of a physical protocol data units used during the TXOP.
1 . A method comprising:
sending a management frame to a station from an access point, the management frame specifying one or more reports, the one or more reports regarding operation of the station connected to the access point;
sending a request for the one or more reports specified in the management frame;
receiving the one or more reports from the station at the access point, wherein the one or more reports are included in a spare capacity of a physical protocol data unit (PPDU) that occurs when an amount of data queued to be transmitted in the PPDU is less than a budgeted amount for the PPDU;
sending a request-to-send (RTS) frame from the access point to the station; and
receiving, in response to the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame that contains information specifying types of the one or more reports, wherein the CTS frame includes a report of a spare capacity of the PPDU from the station receiving the management frame, wherein the spare capacity is determined by the station based on the amount of data queued to be transmitted during the PPDU being less than the budgeted amount for the PPDU.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an aggregate PPDU from a plurality of stations at the access point, each aggregate PPDU carrying a report pertaining to one of the plurality of stations; and
responding to the aggregate PPDU with a multi-station block acknowledge frame.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PPDU is transmitted or received by orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) modulation.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the one or more reports to a control plane for the access point.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reports include one of:
a buffer status report, a neighbor report, a bandwidth report, scheduling requests, telemetry data, and physical location.
6 . A system for providing information to an access point, the system comprising:
an access point; and
one or more stations coupled to the access point;
wherein the access point is configured to:
send a management frame to a station, the management frame specifying one or more reports, the one or more reports regarding operation of the station connected to the access point;
send a request for the one or more reports specified in the management frame;
receive the one or more reports from the station, wherein the one or more reports are included in a spare capacity of a physical protocol data unit (PPDU) that occurs when an amount of data queued to be transmitted in the PPDU is less than a budgeted amount for the PPDU sent by the station to the access point;
send a request-to-send (RTS) frame to the station; and
receive, in response to the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame that contains information specifying types of the one or more reports, wherein the CTS frame includes a report of a spare capacity of the PPDU from the station receiving the management frame, wherein the spare capacity is determined by the station based on the amount of data queued to be transmitted during the PPDU being less than the budgeted amount for the PPDU.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the access point is configured to:
receive an aggregate PPDU from a plurality of stations, the aggregate PPDU of each station carrying a report pertaining to one of the plurality of stations; and
respond to the aggregate PPDU with a multi-station block acknowledge frame.
8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the PPDU is transmitted or received by orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) modulation.
9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the access point is configured to provide the one or more reports to a control plane for the access point.
10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more reports include one of:
a buffer status report, a neighbor report, a bandwidth report, scheduling requests, telemetry data, and physical location.
11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions, which, when executed by a processor of an access point coupled to a wireless medium, cause the access point to:
send a management frame to a station from the access point, the management frame specifying one or more reports, the one or more reports regarding operation of the station connected to the access point;
send a request for the one or more reports specified in the management frame;
receive the one or more reports from the station at the access point, wherein the one or more reports are included in a spare capacity of a physical protocol data unit (PPDU) that occurs when an amount of data queued to be transmitted in the PPDU is less than a budgeted amount for the PPDU;
send a request-to-send (RTS) frame to the station; and
receive, in response to the RTS frame, a clear-to-send (CTS) frame that contains information specifying types of the one or more reports, wherein the CTS frame includes a report of a spare capacity of the PPDU from the station receiving the management frame, wherein the spare capacity is determined by the station based on the amount of data queued to be transmitted during the PPDU being less than the budgeted amount for the PPDU.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the access point to:
receive an aggregate PPDU from a plurality of stations, each aggregate PPDU carrying a report pertaining to one of the plurality of stations; and
respond to the aggregate PPDU with a multi-station block acknowledge frame.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the PPDU is transmitted or received by orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) modulation.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the access point to provide the one or more reports to a control plane for the access point.