Multi-user uplink communications within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communication systems
View Patent ↗Multi-user uplink communications within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communication systems. Within such communication systems, uplink communications from various receiving wireless communication devices (e.g., STAs) to a transmitting wireless communication device (e.g., AP) may occur in any of a number of various dimensions or combinations thereof including MU-MIMO dimension and frequency dimension (asynchronous FDM or synchronous FDM). In accordance with such uplink communications, various considerations such as time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and/or power control (including wireless communication device grouping). When performing uplink asynchronous FDM signaling, power control as grouping is used. When performing uplink synchronous FDM signaling, time synchronization, frequency synchronization, and power control (such as including wireless communication device grouping) is performed.
1. A method for operating an access point device, the method comprising:
after gaining medium access, transmitting a management frame to indicate the medium access;
from a plurality of wireless communication devices, employing at least one of a plurality of antennae of the access point device for receiving, in response to the management frame, a first multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
based on the first plurality of signals, calculating a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals;
transmitting a second multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the second multi-user packet including the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals with respect to the access point device within a third multi-user packet; and
based on a plurality of capabilities of the plurality of wireless communication devices, determining a time period for the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to the wireless access point device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, and the third multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the second multi-user packet;
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and
the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to the wireless access point device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
combining another management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet via a plurality of clusters such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of clusters.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
employing the plurality of antennae of the access point device for receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of antennae.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).
9. A method for operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
gaining medium access;
after gaining the medium access, employing a first at least one of a plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for transmitting a first multi-user packet to a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the first multi-user packet indicating the wireless communication device having the medium access;
from the plurality of wireless communication devices, employing a second at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device for receiving a second multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of the first plurality of wireless communication devices;
based on the first plurality of signals:
determining a plurality of capabilities of the plurality of wireless communication devices such that each of the plurality of capabilities corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
based on the plurality of capabilities, determining a time period for an uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) communication from the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
calculating, by the wireless communication device, a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals; and
transmitting a third multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the third multi-user packet including the time period and the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals with respect to the wireless communication device within a fourth multi-user packet.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, the third multi-user packet, and the fourth multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the second at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device being the first at least one of the plurality of antennae of the wireless communication device.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the third multi-user packet;
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and
the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to wireless communication device.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the third multi-user packet.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
combining a management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the third multi-user packet.
15. 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).
16. An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of antennae, wherein following gaining medium access, at least one of the plurality of the antennae transmitting a management frame indicating the apparatus has the medium access and receiving a first multi-user packet including a first plurality of signals such that each one of the first plurality of signals being from a respective one of a plurality of wireless communication devices;
a baseband processing module for, based on the first plurality of signals, calculating a plurality of carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) such that each one of the plurality of CFOs corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality of signals; and wherein:
a second at least one of the plurality of the antennae transmitting a second multi-user packet to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and
the second multi-user packet including the plurality of CFOs for use in synchronizing frequencies of a second plurality of signals with respect to the apparatus within a third multi-user packet; and
the baseband processing module determining a time period for the plurality of wireless communication devices for transmitting the third multi-user packet.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
at least one of the first multi-user packet, the second multi-user packet, and the third multi-user packet being a multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) packet or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the second multi-user packet;
each of the plurality of wireless communication devices employing a respective one of the plurality of CFOs for generating a respective one of the second plurality of second signals being CFO-compensated; and
the plurality of wireless communication devices transmitting the third multi-user packet to apparatus.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the baseband processing module aggregating data intended for at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the baseband processing module combining a another management frame corresponding to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the plurality of CFOs thereby generating the second multi-user packet.
21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the apparatus receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet via a plurality of clusters such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of clusters.
22. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the plurality of antennae of apparatus receiving the first plurality of signals of the first multi-user packet such each of the first plurality of signals being received via a respective one of the plurality of antennae.
23. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
the apparatus being an access point (AP); and
the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).