Methods and apparatus for signaling user allocations in multi-user wireless communication networks
A method for high efficiency wireless communication is provided. In one aspect, a method of high efficiency wireless communication includes generating, at an access point, a message for transmission over at least one channel. The message includes a first signal field indicative of a length of the first message after the first signal field. The message further includes a second signal field indicative of at least one channel assignment. The second signal field has a length based on a minimum allocation size. The method further includes transmitting the message to one or more wireless devices.
1. A method of wireless communication comprising:
generating, at an access point, a message for transmission over at least one channel, the message comprising:
a first signal field indicative of a length of a first message after the first signal field; and
a second signal field indicative of at least one channel assignment, the second signal field having a variable length, wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of a number of stations served and a list of station identifiers, and wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a bitmap indicating a channel assignment for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers; and
transmitting the message to one or more wireless devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal field comprises one or more of: a duration indication, a size indication for a station identifier, a bandwidth indication, a basic service set color identification, an uplink/downlink flag, a cyclic redundancy check, and a clear channel assessment indication.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of: a zone type, a zone bandwidth, and a minimum allocation size.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining a fixed minimum allocation size.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size corresponding to at least one station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers, excluding a last station identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bitmap comprises a bit corresponding to each minimum allocation within a zone bandwidth.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each set bit in the bitmap indicates a channel assignment, of minimum allocation size, for a corresponding station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each unset bit in the bitmap indicates a channel assignment, of minimum allocation size, for a station identifier corresponding to a prior bit in the bitmap.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message is the second signal field.
11. An apparatus configured for wireless communication comprising:
a processor configured to generate a message for transmission over at least one channel, the message comprising:
a first signal field indicative of a length of a first message after the first signal field; and
a second signal field indicative of at least one channel assignment, the second signal field having a variable length, wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of a number of stations served and a list of station identifiers, and wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a bitmap indicating a channel assignment for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the message to one or more wireless devices.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first signal field comprises one or more of: a duration indication, a size indication for a station identifier, a bandwidth indication, a basic service set color identification, an uplink/downlink flag, a cyclic redundancy check, and a clear channel assessment indication.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of: a zone type, a zone bandwidth, and a minimum allocation size.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a fixed minimum allocation size.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size corresponding to at least one station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers, excluding a last station identifier.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the bitmap comprises a bit corresponding to each minimum allocation within a zone bandwidth.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein each set bit in the bitmap indicates a channel assignment, of minimum allocation size, for a corresponding station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each unset bit in the bitmap indicates a channel assignment, of minimum allocation size, for a station identifier corresponding to a prior bit in the bitmap.
20. An apparatus for wireless communication comprising:
means for generating a message for transmission over at least one channel, the message comprising:
a first signal field indicative of a length of a first message after the first signal field; and
a second signal field indicative of at least one channel assignment, the second signal field having a variable length, wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of a number of stations served and a list of station identifiers, and wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a bitmap indicating a channel assignment for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers; and
means for transmitting the message to one or more wireless devices.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first signal field comprises one or more of: a duration indication, a size indication for a station identifier, a bandwidth indication, a basic service set color identification, an uplink/downlink flag, a cyclic redundancy check, and a clear channel assessment indication.
22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of: a zone type, a zone bandwidth, and a minimum allocation size.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising means for determining a fixed minimum allocation size.
24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size corresponding to at least one station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a multiple of the minimum allocation size for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers, excluding a last station identifier.
26. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the bitmap comprises a bit corresponding to each minimum allocation within a zone bandwidth.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein each set bit in the bitmap indicates a channel assignment, of minimum allocation size, for a corresponding station identifier in the list of station identifiers.
28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an apparatus to:
generate a message for transmission over at least one channel, the message comprising:
a first signal field indicative of a length of a first message after the first signal field; and
a second signal field indicative of at least one channel assignment, the second signal field having a variable length, wherein the second signal field comprises one or more of a number of stations served and a list of station identifiers, and wherein the at least one channel assignment comprises a bitmap indicating a channel assignment for each station identifier in the list of station identifiers; and
transmit the message to one or more wireless devices.