Communicating network management parameters in a WLAN

1. A method for communicating management information in a plurality of wireless communication sub-networks managed by a physical access point, wherein the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks includes a first wireless communication sub-network and one or more second wireless communication sub-networks, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the physical access point, values of a plurality of wireless network management parameters for the first wireless communication sub-network to one or more client stations to inform the one or more client stations of the values of the plurality of wireless network management parameters for the first wireless communication sub-network;

generating, at the physical access point, a list of wireless network management parameters from a subset of the plurality of wireless network management parameters,

wherein certain values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset are not inherited from the first wireless communication sub-network by any of the one or more second wireless communication sub-networks; and

transmitting, by the physical access point, the list to the one or more client stations to inform the one or more client stations that the certain values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset corresponding to wireless network management parameters in the list are not inherited from the first wireless communication sub-network by any of the one or more second wireless communication sub-networks.

2. The method for communicating management information of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, at the physical access point, an information element to include the list of wireless network management parameters; and

generating, at the physical access point, a media access control (MAC) layer data unit to include the information element;

wherein transmitting the list includes transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit that includes the MAC layer data unit.

3. The method for communicating management information of claim 2 , wherein generating the information element comprises:

generating the information element to include one or more information element identification fields that indicate that the information element includes the list of wireless network management parameters.

4. The method for communicating management information of claim 2 , wherein the list of wireless network management parameters comprises respective information element identifier information corresponding to respective wireless network management parameters.

5. The method for communicating management information of claim 2 , wherein the MAC layer data unit comprises a beacon frame.

6. The method for communicating management information of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the physical access point, a packet from one of the client stations that corresponds to a request for values of wireless network management parameters in the subset for a second wireless communication sub-network; and

in response to receiving the packet, transmitting, by the physical access point, the values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset for the second wireless communication sub-network.

7. An access point that manages a plurality of wireless communication sub-networks, wherein the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks includes a first wireless communication sub-network and one or more second wireless communication sub-networks, the access point comprising:

a network interface device having one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices, wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

control the network interface device to transmit values of a plurality of wireless network management parameters for the first wireless communication sub-network to one or more client stations to inform the one or more client stations of the values of the plurality of wireless network management parameters for the first wireless communication sub-network,

generate a list of wireless network management parameters from a subset of the plurality of wireless network management parameters,

wherein certain values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset are not inherited from the first wireless communication sub-network by any of the one or more second wireless communication sub-networks, and

control the network interface device to transmit the list to the one or more client stations to inform the one or more client stations that the certain values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset corresponding to wireless network management parameters in the list are not inherited from the first wireless communication sub-network by any of the one or more second wireless communication sub-networks.

8. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate an information element to include the list of wireless network management parameters;

generate a media access control (MAC) layer data unit to include the information element;

generate a physical layer (PHY) data unit to include the MAC layer data unit; and

control the network interface device to transmit the PHY data unit.

9. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate the information element to include one or more information element identification fields that indicate that the information element includes the list of wireless network management parameters.

10. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to generate the list of wireless network management parameters to include respective information element identifier information corresponding to respective wireless network management parameters.

11. The access point of claim 8 , wherein the MAC layer data unit comprises a beacon frame.

12. The access point of claim 7 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to, in response to receiving a packet from one of the client stations that corresponds to a request for values of wireless network management parameters in the subset for a second wireless communication sub-network:

control the network interface device to transmit the values of the wireless network management parameters in the subset for the second wireless communication sub-network.

13. A method for obtaining management information for a plurality of wireless communication sub-networks managed by a physical access point, the method comprising:

receiving, at a client station, first network management parameters for a subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks from the physical access point;

determining, at the client station, one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive second network management parameters;

generating, at the client station, a bitmap that indicates the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters;

transmitting, by the client station, the bitmap to the physical access point to inform the physical access point of the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters; and

in response to transmitting the bitmap, receiving, at the client station, the second network management parameters for the one or more wireless communication sub-networks indicated by the bitmap as having not been received by the client station.

14. The method for obtaining management information of claim 13 , wherein:

the bitmap is generated to also indicate the subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did receive the first network management parameters.

15. The method for obtaining management information of claim 14 , wherein:

respective bits in the bitmap correspond to respective wireless communication sub-networks among the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks managed by the physical access point;

a first bit value of a respective bit indicates network management parameters for the respective wireless communication sub-network were received by the client station; and

a second bit value of the respective bit indicates network management parameters for the respective wireless communication sub-network were not received by the client station.

16. The method for obtaining management information of claim 14 , further comprising:

generating, at the client station, an information element to include the bitmap; and

generating, at the client station, a media access control (MAC) layer data unit to include the information element;

wherein transmitting the bitmap includes transmitting a physical layer (PHY) data unit that includes the MAC layer data unit.

17. The method for obtaining management information of claim 16 , wherein generating the information element comprises:

generating the information element to include one or more information element identification fields that indicate that the information element includes the bitmap.

18. The method for obtaining management information of claim 13 , wherein:

the bitmap is a first bitmap;

the method further comprises: receiving, at the client station, a second bitmap from the physical access point, wherein the second bitmap indicates the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks being operated by the physical access point; and

determining the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters includes using the second bitmap to determine the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters.

19. The method for obtaining management information of claim 18 , wherein:

respective bits in the second bitmap correspond to respective wireless communication sub-networks;

a first bit value of a respective bit in the second bitmap indicates the respective wireless communication sub-network is currently being operated by the physical access point; and

a second bit value of the respective bit indicates the respective wireless communication sub-network is not currently being operated by the physical access point.

20. The method for obtaining management information of claim 13 , wherein receiving the first network management parameters for the subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks includes receiving a beacon frame that includes the network management parameters for the subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks.

21. A network interface device having one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices, wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to:

receive first network management parameters for a subset of a plurality of wireless communication sub-networks managed by a physical access point, the management parameters for the subset having been received by the network interface device from the physical access point,

determine one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive second network management parameters,

generate a bitmap that indicates the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters,

control the network interface device to transmit the bitmap to the physical access point to inform the physical access point of the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters, and

receive the second network management parameters for the one or more wireless communication sub-networks indicated by the bitmap as having not been received by the client station, the second network management parameters for the one or more wireless communication sub-networks having been received by the network interface device from the physical access point in response to the network interface device transmitting the bitmap to the physical access point.

22. The network interface device of claim 21 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate the bitmap to also indicate the subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did receive the first network management parameters.

23. The network interface device of claim 22 , wherein:

respective bits in the bitmap correspond to respective wireless communication sub-networks among the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks managed by the physical access point;

a first bit value of a respective bit indicates network management parameters for the respective wireless communication sub-network were received by the client station; and

a second bit value of the respective bit indicates network management parameters for the respective wireless communication sub-network were not received by the client station.

24. The network interface device of claim 22 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate an information element to include the bitmap;

generate a media access control (MAC) layer data unit to include the information element;

generate a physical layer (PHY) data unit to include the MAC layer data unit; and

control the network interface device to transmit the PHY data unit.

25. The network interface device of claim 24 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

generate the information element to include one or more information element identification fields that indicate that the information element includes the bitmap.

26. The network interface device of claim 21 , wherein:

the bitmap is a first bitmap; and

the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

receive, at the client station, a second bitmap from the physical access point, wherein the second bitmap indicates the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks being operated by the physical access point, and

determine the one or more wireless communication sub-networks for which the client station did not receive the second network management parameters using a second bitmap received from the physical access point, wherein the second bitmap indicates the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks being operated by the physical access point.

27. The network interface device of claim 26 , wherein:

respective bits in the second bitmap correspond to respective wireless communication sub-networks;

a first bit value of a respective bit in the second bitmap indicates the respective wireless communication sub-network is currently being operated by the physical access point; and

a second bit value of the respective bit indicates the respective wireless communication sub-network is not currently being operated by the physical access point.

28. The network interface device of claim 21 , wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to:

receive the first network management parameters for the subset of the plurality of wireless communication sub-networks in a beacon frame transmitted by the physical access point.