Sub-carrier or tone plan and design within OFDM/OFDMA wireless communications

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processing circuitry configured to:

select a resource unit (RU) from an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-carrier plan for use in supporting communications with another wireless communication device, wherein the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is characterized by:

a first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a first plurality of RUs of a first sub-carrier size and a first plurality of null sub-carriers that are devoid of information and that are distributed across a plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers; and

a second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a second plurality of RUs of a second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size and a second plurality of null sub-carriers that are devoid of information and that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, wherein the second plurality of null sub-carriers are located in common locations as the first plurality of null sub-carriers within the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers;

transmit a signal to the another wireless communication device that includes information that specifies the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan; and

support communications with the another wireless communication device using the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers are included within a communication channel that has a bandwidth of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 160 MHz.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein:

within the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the first plurality of null sub-carriers of the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan is interspersed among the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at a beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at an end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, and at least one null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size;

within the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the second plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, at least one null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size, and the second plurality of null sub-carriers includes a same number of null sub-carriers as the first plurality of null sub-carriers; and wherein the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is further characterized by:

a third OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a third plurality of RUs of a third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size and a third plurality of null sub-carriers that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, the third plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size, and the third plurality of null sub-carriers includes fewer null sub-carriers than the first plurality of null sub-carriers.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein:

the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size includes 26 OFDMA sub-carriers;

the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size includes 52 OFDMA sub-carriers; and

the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size includes 106 OFDMA sub-carriers.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, the first plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one other RU that is one-half the first sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers; and

the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, the second plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one other RU that is one-half the second sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication interface, coupled to the processing circuitry, that is configured to support communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system; and

the processing circuitry configured to at least one of transmit the signal to the another wireless communication device or support communications with the another wireless communication device via the communication interface, wherein the information that specifies the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is included within a signal field (SIG) of the signal.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

an access point (AP), wherein the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA).

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless station (STA), wherein the another wireless communication device includes another STA.

9. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processing circuitry configured to:

select a resource unit (RU) from an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-carrier plan for use in supporting communications with another wireless communication device, wherein the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is characterized by:

a first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a first plurality of RUs of a first sub-carrier size and a first plurality of null sub-carriers that are distributed across a plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers of a communication channel that has a bandwidth of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 160 MHz;

a second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a second plurality of RUs of a second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size and a second plurality of null sub-carriers that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, wherein the second plurality of null sub-carriers are located in common locations as the first plurality of null sub-carriers within the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, and the second plurality of null sub-carriers includes a same number of null sub-carriers as the first plurality of null sub-carriers; and

a third OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a third plurality of RUs of a third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size and a third plurality of null sub-carriers that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, wherein the third plurality of null sub-carriers includes fewer null sub-carriers than the first plurality of null sub-carriers;

transmit a signal to the another wireless communication device that includes information that specifies the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan; and

support communications with the another wireless communication device using the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan within the communication channel.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein:

within the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the first plurality of null sub-carriers of the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan is interspersed among the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at a beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at an end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, at least one null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, and the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size includes 26 OFDMA sub-carriers;

within the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the second plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, at least one null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size, and the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size includes 52 OFDMA sub-carriers; and

within the third OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the third plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size, and the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size includes 106 OFDMA sub-carriers.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein:

the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, the first plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one additional RU that is one-half the first sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers;

the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, the second plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one additional RU that is one-half the first sub-carrier size or one-half the second sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers; and

the third OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size, the third plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one other additional RU that is are one-half the first sub-carrier size or one-half the second sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 9 further comprising:

a communication interface, coupled to the processing circuitry, that is configured to support communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system; and

the processing circuitry configured to at least one of transmit the signal to the another wireless communication device or support communications with the another wireless communication device via the communication interface, wherein the information that specifies the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is included within a signal field (SIG) of the signal.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 9 further comprising:

an access point (AP), wherein the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA).

14. A method for execution by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

selecting a resource unit (RU) from an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-carrier plan for use in supporting communications with another wireless communication device, wherein the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is characterized by:

a first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a first plurality of RUs of a first sub-carrier size and a first plurality of null sub-carriers that are devoid of information and that are distributed across a plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers; and

a second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a second plurality of RUs of a second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size and a second plurality of null sub-carriers that are devoid of information and that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, wherein the second plurality of null sub-carriers are located in common locations as the first plurality of null sub-carriers within the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers;

transmitting, via a communication interface of the wireless communication device, a signal to the another wireless communication device that includes information that specifies the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan; and

supporting, via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, communications with the another wireless communication device using the RU that is selected from the OFDMA sub-carrier plan.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers are included within a communication channel that has a bandwidth of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 160 MHz.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

within the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the first plurality of null sub-carriers of the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan is interspersed among the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at a beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located at an end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, and at least one null sub-carrier of the first plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size;

within the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan, the second plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, a first null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the beginning of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, a second null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located at the end of the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, at least one null sub-carrier of the second plurality of null sub-carriers is located between two RUs of the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size, and the second plurality of null sub-carriers includes a same number of null sub-carriers as the first plurality of null sub-carriers; and wherein the OFDMA sub-carrier plan is further characterized by:

a third OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan that includes a third plurality of RUs of a third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size and a third plurality of null sub-carriers that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers, the third plurality of null sub-carriers is interspersed among the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size that is greater than the second sub-carrier size, and the third plurality of null sub-carriers includes fewer null sub-carriers than the first plurality of null sub-carriers.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size includes 26 OFDMA sub-carriers;

the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size includes 52 OFDMA sub-carriers; and

the third plurality of RUs of the third sub-carrier size includes 106 OFDMA sub-carriers.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the first OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the first plurality of RUs of the first sub-carrier size, the first plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one other RU that is one-half the first sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers; and

the second OFDMA sub-carrier sub-plan includes the second plurality of RUs of the second sub-carrier size that is greater than the first sub-carrier size, the second plurality of null sub-carriers, and at least one other RU that is one-half the second sub-carrier size that are distributed across the plurality of OFDMA sub-carriers.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication device includes an access point (AP), and the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA).

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

operating the communication interface of the wireless communication device to support communications within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, or a mobile communication system.