Methods and systems for enabling communications from a station to an access point using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication scheme

1. A method for communicating with an access point, the method comprising:

receiving at a station, from an access point using a channel, a first signal including an indication of (i) a first time value and (ii) a plurality of sub-channels of the channel;

determining whether the first time indicated by the first time value has been reached;

modifying, in response to determining that the first time has been reached, a counter value that is different from the first time value indicated by the first signal received from the access point;

comparing the counter value to a threshold value;

selecting, in response to determining the counter value is equal to the threshold value, a sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels; and

transmitting a second signal to the access point using the sub-channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal further includes a minimum counter value and a maximum counter value, and wherein modifying the counter value further comprises:

selecting a random counter value between the minimum counter value and the maximum counter value; and

decrementing the counter value.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal further includes enhancement information, and further comprising:

determining, based on the enhancement information, whether to perform exponential backoff, use a new backoff value, or change a transmission parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, at a second time, that an acknowledgement signal associated with the second signal has not been received; and

increasing, in response to the determination at the second time, a range associated with the counter value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal further includes a pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

storing the pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel;

receiving an acknowledgment signal associated with the second signal; and

transmitting a third signal to the access point, wherein the third signal includes the pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel as an association identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sub-channel is a first sub-channel, wherein the acknowledgement signal further includes an indication of a second sub-channel, and wherein the third signal is transmitted using the second sub-channel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sub-channel is a first sub-channel, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an acknowledgment signal, comprising a group identifier, associated with the second signal;

determine the station associated with the group identifier; and

transmitting a third signal from the station to the access point using a second sub-channel associated with the group identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal further includes a contention threshold, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a random value;

comparing the random number to the contention threshold value; and

determining that the random value is less than the contention threshold value.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgment signal associated with the second signal, the acknowledgment signal comprising a wakeup period; and

entering a sleep mode for a duration of the wakeup period.

11. A system for communicating with an access point, the system comprising a station comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive, from an access point using a channel, a first signal including an indication of (i) a first time value and (ii) a plurality of sub-channels of the channel;

determine whether the first time indicated by the first time value has been reached;

modify, in response to determining that the first time has been reached, a counter value that is different from the first time value indicated by the first signal received from the access point;

comparing the counter value to a threshold value;

select, in response to determining the counter value is equal to the threshold value, a sub-channel of the plurality of sub-channels; and

transmit a second signal to the access point using the sub-channel.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first signal further includes a minimum counter value and a maximum counter value, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to modify the counter value by being further configured to:

select a random counter value between the minimum counter value and the maximum counter value; and

decrement the counter value.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first signal further includes enhancement information, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine, based on the enhancement information, whether to perform exponential backoff, use a new backoff value, or change a transmission parameter.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine, at a second time, that an acknowledgement signal associated with the second signal has not been received; and

increase, in response to the determination at the second time, a range associated with the counter value.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first signal further includes a pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

store the pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel;

receive an acknowledgment signal associated with the second signal; and

transmit a third signal to the access point, wherein the third signal includes the pre-association identifier associated with the sub-channel as an association identifier.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the sub-channel is a first sub-channel, wherein the acknowledgement signal further includes an indication of a second sub-channel, and wherein the third signal is transmitted using the second sub-channel.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sub-channel is a first sub-channel, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive an acknowledgment signal, comprising a group identifier, associated with the second signal;

determine the station is associated with the group identifier; and

transmit a third signal from the station to the access point using a second sub-channel associated with the group identifier.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first signal further includes a contention threshold, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

select a random value;

compare the random number to the contention threshold value; and

determine that the random value is less than the contention threshold value.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive an acknowledgment signal associated with the second signal, comprising a wakeup period; and

enter a sleep mode for a duration of the wakeup period.