Error recovery in null data packet (NDP) ranging

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a first communication device, a first physical layer protocol data units (PPDU) that includes a first null data packet announcement (NDPA) frame as part of a first ranging measurement exchange, wherein the first ranging measurement exchange is among a set of ranging measurement exchanges;

transmitting, by the first communication device, a first null data packet (NDP) as part of the first ranging measurement exchange;

recording, by the first communication device, a transmit time of the first NDP;

determining, by the first communication device, whether a second NDP was received correctly from a second communication device as part of the first ranging measurement exchange; and

in response to determining that the second NDP was not received correctly, commencing, by the first communication device, a second ranging measurement exchange, including transmitting a second PPDU that includes a second NDPA frame as part of the second ranging measurement exchange, wherein the second ranging measurement exchange is among the set of ranging measurement exchanges.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining whether the second NDP was received correctly includes determining, by the first communication device, whether the first communication device began receiving the second NDP within an expected time period;

the method further comprises: in response to determining that the first communication device did not begin receiving the second NDP within the expected time period, performing, by the first communication device, a backoff operation; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced after the backoff operation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining whether the second NDP was received correctly includes determining, by the first communication device, whether the first communication device began receiving the second NDP within an expected time period;

the method further comprises: in response to determining that the first communication device did not begin receiving the second NDP within the expected time period, determining, by the first communication device, whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining whether the second NDP was received correctly includes determining, by the first communication device, whether the first communication device correctly decoded one or more signal fields in the second NDP;

the method further comprises: in response to determining that the first communication device did not correctly decode the one or more signal fields in the second NDP, performing, by the first communication device, a backoff operation; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced after the backoff operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining whether the second NDP was received correctly includes determining, by the first communication device, whether the first communication device correctly decoded one or more signal fields in the second NDP;

the method further comprises: in response to determining that the first communication device did not correctly decode the one or more signal fields in the second NDP, determining, by the first communication device, whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first communication device, the second NDP correctly;

recording, by the first communication device, a receive time of the second NDP;

determining, by the first communication device, whether a third PPDU was received correctly as part of the first ranging measurement exchange, wherein the third PPDU includes ranging measurement feedback from the second communication device; and

in response to determining that the third PPDU was not received correctly, commencing, by the first communication device, the second ranging measurement exchange, including transmitting the second PPDU that includes the second NDPA frame as part of the second ranging measurement exchange.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the third PPDU was not received correctly, performing, by the first communication device, a backoff operation; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced after the backoff operation.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to that the third PPDU was not received correctly, determining, by the first communication device, whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

the second ranging measurement exchange is commenced in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the third PPDU was received correctly, commencing, by the first communication device, the second ranging measurement exchange a predetermined time period after an end of reception of the third PPDU without determining whether a channel medium is idle.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating, by the first communication device, a distance between the first communication device and the second communication device, using measurements corresponding to the set of ranging measurement exchanges.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface device associated with a first communication device, wherein the network interface device comprises one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices configured to:

transmit a first physical layer protocol data units (PPDU) that includes a first null data packet announcement (NDPA) frame as part of a first ranging measurement exchange, wherein the first ranging measurement exchange is among a set of ranging measurement exchanges,

transmit a first null data packet (NDP) as part of the first ranging measurement exchange,

record a transmit time of the first NDP,

determine whether a second NDP was received correctly from a second communication device as part of the first ranging measurement exchange, and

in response to determining that the second NDP was not received correctly, commence a second ranging measurement exchange, including transmitting a second PPDU that includes a second NDPA frame as part of the second ranging measurement exchange, wherein the second ranging measurement exchange is among the set of ranging measurement exchanges.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

as part of determining whether the second NDP was received correctly, determine whether the first communication device began receiving the second NDP within an expected time period;

in response to determining that the first communication device did not begin receiving the second NDP within the expected time period, perform a backoff operation; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange after the backoff operation.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

as part of determining whether the second NDP was received correctly, determine whether the first communication device began receiving the second NDP within an expected time period;

in response to determining that the first communication device did not begin receiving the second NDP within the expected time period, determine whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

as part of determining whether the second NDP was received correctly, determine whether the first communication device correctly decoded one or more signal fields in the second NDP;

in response to determining that the first communication device did not correctly decode the one or more signal fields in the second NDP, perform backoff operation; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange after the backoff operation.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

as part of determining whether the second NDP was received correctly, determine whether the first communication device correctly decoded one or more signal fields in the second NDP;

in response to determining that the first communication device did not correctly decode the one or more signal fields in the second NDP, determine whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

record a receive time of the second NDP;

determine a third PPDU was received correctly as part of the first ranging measurement exchange, wherein the third PPDU includes ranging measurement feedback from the second communication device; and

in response to determining that the third PPDU was not received correctly, commence the second ranging measurement exchange, including transmitting the second PPDU that includes the second NDPA frame as part of the second ranging measurement exchange.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

in response to determining that the third PPDU was not received correctly, perform a backoff operation; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange after the backoff operation.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

in response to that the third PPDU was not received correctly, determine whether a channel medium is idle for a predetermined time period; and

commence the second ranging measurement exchange in response to determining that the channel medium is idle for the predetermined time period.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

in response to determining that the third PPDU was received correctly, commence the second ranging measurement exchange a predetermined time period after an end of reception of the third PPDU without determining whether a channel medium is idle.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

calculate a distance between the first communication device and the second communication device, using measurements corresponding to the set of ranging measurement exchanges.