CLUSTER PARSING FOR SIGNALING WITHIN MULTIPLE USER, MULTIPLE ACCESS, AND/OR MIMO WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
Cluster parsing for signaling within multi-user wireless communication systems. Cluster assignment allows for complete flexibility across a variety of operational parameters in accordance with communications provided from a transmitting wireless communication device to a number of receiving wireless communication devices. For example, an access point (AP) may communicate to a number of wireless stations (STAs) in accordance with multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), and/or MU-MIMO/OFDMA. The selectivity may involve employing different antenna for communicating with each of the respective, receiving wireless communication devices. Also, the formation of a cluster employed in such communications may involve using as few as one channel within one band, different channels within a single band, different channels within different bands, or other combinations. Signaling corresponding to different clusters may be transmitted using different antenna or different groups of antennae.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
an encoder for encoding at least one information bit thereby generating a plurality of coded bits;
a cluster parser for assigning the plurality of coded bits among a plurality of clusters corresponding to a plurality of wireless communication devices; and
a plurality of antennae for transmitting the plurality of coded bits, using the plurality of clusters, to the plurality of wireless communication devices.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of coded bits being assigned among a first of the plurality of clusters;
a second subset of the plurality of coded bits being assigned among a second of the plurality of clusters;
a first subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the first subset of the plurality of coded bits, using the first of the plurality of clusters, to a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
a second subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the second subset of the plurality of coded bits, using the second of the plurality of clusters, to a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the first subset of the plurality of antennae and the second subset of the plurality of antennae including at least one common antenna.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of coded bits being assigned among a first of the plurality of clusters; and
a second subset of the plurality of coded bits being assigned among a second of the plurality of clusters; and further comprising:
a plurality of stream parsers for:
allocating the first subset of the plurality of coded bits to a first spatial stream; and
allocating the second subset of the plurality of coded bits to a second spatial stream.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the first spatial stream; and
a second subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the second spatial stream.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of coded bits including a first number of coded bits; and
a second subset of the plurality of coded bits including a second number of coded bits.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
one of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within at least one band.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within a first band; and
a second of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within a second band.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first of the plurality of clusters being composed of a first plurality of channels among a first band and a second band; and
a second of the plurality of clusters being composed of a second plurality of channels among a third band and a fourth band.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the third band being the first band; and
the fourth band being the second band.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of encoders for encoding a plurality of information bits thereby generating the plurality of coded bits; and wherein:
a first of the plurality of encoders corresponding to a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
a second of the plurality of encoders corresponding to a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the first of the plurality of encoders employing a first error correction code (ECC); and
the second of the plurality of encoders employing a second ECC.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the apparatus being an access point (AP); and
the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).
14 . An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of encoders for encoding a plurality of information bits thereby generating a plurality of coded bits;
a cluster parser for:
assigning a first subset of the plurality of coded bits among a first cluster; and
assigning a second subset of the plurality of coded bits among a second cluster;
a plurality of stream parsers for:
allocating the first subset of the plurality of coded bits among the first cluster to a first spatial stream; and
allocating the second subset of the plurality of coded bits among the first cluster to the second spatial stream; and
a plurality of antennae for:
in accordance with the first spatial stream, transmitting to a first of a plurality of wireless communication devices; and
in accordance with the second spatial stream, transmitting to a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the first spatial stream; and
a second subset of the plurality of antennae transmitting the second spatial stream.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the first subset of the plurality of antennae and the second subset of the plurality of antennae including at least one common antenna.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the first subset of the plurality of coded bits including a first number of coded bits; and
the second subset of the plurality of coded bits including a second number of coded bits.
18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the first cluster being composed of at least one channel within a first band; and
the second cluster being composed of at least one channel within a second band.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the first cluster being composed of a first plurality of channels among a first band and a second band; and
the second cluster being composed of a second plurality of channels among a third band and a fourth band.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:
the third band being the first band; and
the fourth band being the second band.
21 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
a first of the plurality of encoders employing a first error correction code (ECC); and
a second of the plurality of encoders employing a second ECC.
22 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the apparatus being an access point (AP); and
the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).
23 . A method for operating a communication device, the method comprising:
operating an encoder for encoding at least one information bit thereby generating a plurality of coded bits;
assigning the plurality of coded bits among a plurality of clusters corresponding to a plurality of wireless communication devices; and
operating a plurality of antennae for transmitting the plurality of coded bits, using the plurality of clusters, to the plurality of wireless communication devices.
24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
assigning a first subset of the plurality of coded bits among a first of the plurality of clusters;
assigning a second subset of the plurality of coded bits among a second of the plurality of clusters;
operating a first subset of the plurality of antennae for transmitting the first subset of the plurality of coded bits, using the first of the plurality of clusters, to a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
operating a second subset of the plurality of antennae for transmitting the second subset of the plurality of coded bits, using the second of the plurality of clusters, to a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein:
the first subset of the plurality of antennae and the second subset of the plurality of antennae including at least one common antenna.
26 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
assigning a first subset of the plurality of coded bits among a first of the plurality of clusters; and
assigning a second subset of the plurality of coded bits among a second of the plurality of clusters;
allocating the first subset of the plurality of coded bits to a first spatial stream; and
allocating the second subset of the plurality of coded bits to a second spatial stream.
27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
transmitting the first spatial stream using a first subset of the plurality of antennae; and
transmitting the second spatial stream using a second subset of the plurality of antennae.
28 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of coded bits including a first number of coded bits; and
a second subset of the plurality of coded bits including a second number of coded bits.
29 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:
one of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within at least one band.
30 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:
a first of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within a first band; and
a second of the plurality of clusters being composed of at least one channel within a second band.
31 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:
a first of the plurality of clusters being composed of a first plurality of channels among a first band and a second band; and
a second of the plurality of clusters being composed of a second plurality of channels among a third band and a fourth band.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein:
the third band being the first band; and
the fourth band being the second band.
33 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
operating a plurality of encoders for encoding a plurality of information bits thereby generating the plurality of coded bits; and wherein:
a first of the plurality of encoders corresponding to a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
a second of the plurality of encoders corresponding to a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices.
34 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising:
operating the first of the plurality of encoders using a first error correction code (ECC); and
operating the second of the plurality of encoders using a second ECC.
35 . The method of claim 23 , wherein:
the communication device being an access point (AP); and
the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).