Method and apparatus for sending an aggregated beacon
Techniques for sending an aggregated beacon in a cognitive wireless network are disclosed. A beacon device may segment beacon information and send beacon segments via a plurality of channels simultaneously. A certain information elements of the beacon information may be included in each beacon segment. Each beacon segment may include channel information for other beacon segments that are transmitted simultaneously. Alternatively, a discovery beacon may be transmitted in addition to a regular beacon. The discovery beacon may include information indicating an operating channel on which the regular beacon is transmitted. The discovery beacon may be transmitted using a predetermined channel bandwidth, with a smaller beacon interval than the regular beacon, or in a frequency hopping fashion. The discovery beacon may be sent on a channel selected based on a regulatory class and corresponding channel information. The discovery beacon may be transmitted on a side channel.
1. A method for use in an IEEE 802.11 wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) bands, each band including a respective plurality of channels, the method comprising:
scanning at least one channel in a first RF band to detect IEEE 802.11 beacon information;
receiving a first beacon from an access point (AP) via the at least one channel; and
receiving a second beacon from the AP via a second channel in a second RF band based on a beacon interval, corresponding to the second RF band, that is indicated by the first beacon;
wherein the second beacon is received directionally on the second RF band;
wherein the second RF band comprises a 60 gigahertz frequency; and
wherein the first RF band does not comprise a 60 gigahertz frequency.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple channels are scanned simultaneously.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
performing an association procedure based on information received in the second beacon.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first beacon includes a network identification.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first beacon includes a network type identification.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second beacon includes a sector number.
7. An IEEE 802.11 wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) capable of receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) bands, each band including a respective plurality of channels, the WTRU comprising:
a transceiver configured to scan at least one channel in a first RF band to detect IEEE 802.11 beacon information from an access point (AP),
receive a first beacon via the at least one channel, and
receive a second beacon from the AP via a second channel in a second RF band based a beacon interval, corresponding to the second RF band, that is indicated by the first beacon;
wherein the second beacon is received directionally on the second RF band;
wherein the second RF band comprises a 60 gigahertz RF band; and
wherein the first RF band does not comprise a 60 gigahertz RF band.
8. The WTRU of claim 7 wherein the transceiver is configured to scan multiple channels simultaneously.
9. The WTRU of claim 7 further comprising:
a processor configured to perform an association procedure based on information received in the second beacon.
10. The WTRU of claim 7 , wherein the first beacon includes a network identification.
11. The WTRU of claim 7 , wherein the first beacon includes a network type identification.
12. The WTRU of claim 7 , wherein the second beacon includes a sector number.