DEVELOPING TRANSMISSION GAPS FOR CALIBRATION PROCESSING

1 . A method of wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting data to at least one user equipment according to a collision sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol, by a plurality of co-located, beamforming transceivers including a first beamforming transceiver and a second beamforming transceiver;

requesting, by the first beamforming transceiver, a calibration signal from the second beamforming transceiver;

identifying a transmission gap between the at least one user equipment and the plurality of beamforming transceivers; and

transmitting, by the second beamforming transceiver to the first beamforming transceiver, a calibration signal during the transmission gap.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting, by the second beamforming transceiver, the calibration signal to each of the plurality of beamforming transceivers, during the transmission gap.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the transmission gap comprises identifying a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising initiating, by the first beamforming transceiver, a request to send/clear to send (RTS/CTS) sequence with a user equipment.

5 . The method of claim 4 , comprising transmitting, by the first beamforming transceiver, a timestamp indicating a start time of a SIFS to each of the plurality of beamforming transceivers.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the transmission gap comprises determining when the second beamforming transceiver is to transmit a beacon preamble.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the beacon preamble is the calibration signal.

8 . The method of claim 6 , comprising generating, by each of the plurality of beamforming transceivers other than the second transceiver, a quiet request message prior to transmission of the beacon preamble thereby ceasing data transmission during the beacon preamble.

9 . A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of co-located, beamforming transceivers, each configured to transmit data to at least one user equipment according to a collision sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol, wherein the plurality of beamforming transceivers includes:

a first beamforming transceiver to request a calibration signal from a second beamforming transceiver;

a processor configured to identify a transmission gap between the at least one user equipment and the plurality of beamforming transceivers; and

a second beamforming transceiver to transmit, to the first beamforming transceiver, a calibration signal during the transmission gap.

10 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the second beamforming transceiver is to transmit the calibration signal to each of the plurality of beamforming transceivers, during the transmission gap.

11 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the transmission gap by identifying a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

12 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the first beamforming transceiver is to initiate a request to send/clear to send (RTS/CTS) sequence with a user equipment.

13 . The wireless communication system of claim 12 , wherein the first beamforming transceiver is to transmit a timestamp to each of the plurality of beamforming transceivers indicating a start time of a SIFS.

14 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the transmission gap by determining when the second beamforming transceiver is to transmit a beacon preamble.

15 . The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein each of the other beamforming transceivers is to generate a quiet request message prior to the beacon preamble thereby ceasing data transmission during the beacon preamble

16 . A multibeam access point device, comprising:

a plurality of beamforming access points, each configured to transmit data to at least one user equipment according to a collision sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol;

a controller to:

determine a time interval for when data is not transmitted to any user equipment by the plurality of beamforming access points; and

transmit a calibration signal from one of the beamforming access points to each of the other beamforming access points during the determined time interval.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the controller is to determine the time interval based on an initiation of a request to send/clear to send (RTS/CTS) sequence by one of the beamforming access points.

18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the controller is to determine the time interval based on when a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) occurs.

19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the controller is to determine the time interval based on when a beacon preamble will be transmitted by one of the beamforming access points.

20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of beamforming access points other than the beamforming access point transmitting the beacon preamble are to generate a quiet request message prior to the beacon preamble.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said first and second beamforming transceivers are access points.

22 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the calibration signal at the first beamforming transceiver; and

measuring characteristics of said calibration signal by the first beamforming transceiver.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the measured characteristics include at least phase and amplitude of said calibration signal.

24 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein said first and second beamforming transceivers are access points.

25 . The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein said first beamforming transceiver is further to receive and measure characteristics of the calibration signal.

26 . The wireless communication system of claim 25 , wherein the measured characteristics include at least phase and amplitude of said calibration signal.