Downlink orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) beamforming simultaneous transmission

1. An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, comprising:

(a) a wireless communication circuit, as a station (STA) or access point (AP), which is configured for wirelessly communicating with at least one other of the wireless communication circuit in a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) network configured to allow multiple access points (APs) and multiple stations (STAs);

(b) at least one modem and radio-frequency (RF) circuit connected to a plurality of antennas configured for transmitting and receiving frames with neighboring wireless communication circuits in both omni-directional and directional modes;

(c) a processor configured to control the wireless communication circuit and its at least one modem; and

(d) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor;

(e) wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, perform a communication protocol comprising:

(i) performing packet transmission and reception in response to encoding and decoding of signals containing Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a Carrier-Sense Multiple-Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) Media Access Control (MAC) protocol;

(ii) operating as a first access point (AP) using the communication protocol in performing beamforming towards at least one station (STA) within its communication range, while nulling towards one or more other access points (APs);

(iii) commencing a packet transmission, as the first access point (AP), and allowing another access point (AP) using the communication protocol to transmit packet simultaneously in response to one or more steps comprising:

(A) performing negotiations with the other access point (AP) prior to commencing a packet transmission;

(B) communicating simultaneous transmission information to the other access point (AP);

(C) allowing the other access point (AP) to perform simultaneous transmission under the communication protocol while the packet transmission is ongoing, with the other access point (AP) configured for synchronizing its Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundaries with the first access point (AP); and

(D) completing packet transmissions by the other access point (AP), prior to an end of packet transmission by the first access point (AP).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising performing nulling of transmit power toward one or more access points (APs) that are not currently being communicating with by a station utilizing the communication protocol under the direction of the first access point (AP).

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising making a null towards a receiving station of the first access point (AP) by the other access point which is performing simultaneous transmission under the communication protocol while the packet transmission is ongoing by the first access point (AP).

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising determining whether to allow the simultaneous transmission based on information received in response to performing a prior negotiation or agreement with the other access points (APs) under the communication protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising embedding simultaneous transmission information in a preamble transmitted by the first access point (AP) in commencing the packet transmission.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising embedding a midamble in the packet transmission of the first access point (AP) to allow the other access point (AP) to start its simultaneous transmission by transmitting its preamble in an omni-directional manner within the midamble of the first access point (AP).

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising setting a duration for the midamble which is longer than a preamble of the other access point (AP).

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising embedding the midamble in the packet transmission of the first access point (AP) with the midamble comprising Extreme High Throughput Long Training Fields (EHT-LTFs) or EHT-LTFs plus Extreme High Throughput Short Training Fields (EHT-STFs).

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising periodically embedding the midamble in the packet transmission of the first access point (AP) to allow the other access point (AP) to join the simultaneous transmission at any one of the midambles.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising transmitting a Ready-To-Send (RTS) to the other access point (AP), and if the other access point (AP) responds back with a Clear-To-Send (CTS), then the first access point has obtained a Transmit Opportunity (TXOP) reservation of simultaneous transmission.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising utilizing an identical Guard Interval (GI) for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundary synchronization between the first access point (AP) and the other access point (AP).

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising precoding a preamble by the other access point (AP) to prevent interfering with the packet transmission of the first access point (AP).

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising synchronizing an Extreme High Throughput Long Training Field (EHT-LTF) symbol in a preamble of the other access point (AP) joining the simultaneous transmission with the Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol of the first access point, and the other access point (AP) joining the simultaneous transmission sets its EHT-LTF to the same duration as an OFDM symbol duration of the first access point.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising performing the simultaneous transmission under the communication protocol in which the other access point (AP) transmission allows a destination receiver station of to transmit an acknowledgement back to it prior to the end of packet transmission by the first access point (AP).

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the acknowledgement comprises an Acknowledgement (ACK) or a Block Acknowledgement (BA).

16. An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, comprising:

(a) a wireless communication circuit, as a station (STA) or access point (AP), which is configured for wirelessly communicating with at least one other of the wireless communication circuit in a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) network configured to allow multiple access points (APs) and multiple stations (STAs);

(b) at least one modem and radio-frequency (RF) circuit connected to a plurality of antennas configured for transmitting and receiving frames with neighboring of the wireless communication circuits in both omni-directional and directional modes;

(c) a processor configured to control the wireless communication circuit and its at least one modem; and

(d) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor;

(e) wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, perform a communication protocol comprising:

(i) performing packet transmission and reception in response to the encoding and decoding of signals containing Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a Carrier-Sense Multiple-Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) Media Access Control (MAC) protocol;

(ii) operating as a first access point (AP) using the communication protocol in performing beamforming towards at least one station (STA) within its communication range, while nulling towards one or more other access points (APs);

(iii) commencing a packet transmission, as the first access point (AP), and allowing another access point (AP) using the communication protocol to transmit packet simultaneously in response to one or more steps comprising:

(A) performing negotiations with the other access point (AP) prior to commencing a packet transmission;

(B) communicating simultaneous transmission information to the other access point (AP);

(C) allowing the other access point (AP) to perform simultaneous transmission under the communication protocol while the packet transmission is ongoing, with the other access point (AP) configured for synchronizing its Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundaries with the first access point (AP);

(D) embedding simultaneous transmission information in a preamble or Medium Access Control (MAC) header by the other access point (AP) to request that the receiving station transmit back an acknowledgement;

(1) transmitting an acknowledgement by the receiving station while the first access point is still transmitting the packet transmission, if the other access point (AP) completes its transmission before the first access point completes its packet transmission;

(2) transmitting an acknowledgement by the receiving station with the acknowledgement from the other access point if the first access point (AP) and the other access point (AP) complete their transmissions at the same time; and

(3) transmitting an acknowledgement by the receiving station in which it synchronizes its OFDM signal boundary with that of the first access point (AP) to protect the transmissions of the first access point (AP) from interference from the acknowledgement from the other access point (AP).

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising starting an acknowledgement transmission by the receiving station of the other access point (AP) during a midamble period within the packet transmission of the first access point (AP).

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further perform one or more steps comprising starting an acknowledgement transmission by the receiving station of the other access point (AP), wherein a preamble of the acknowledgement transmission is precoded to protect the packet transmission of the first access point (AP).

19. A method of wireless communication in a network, comprising:

(a) configuring a wireless communication circuit, as a station (STA) or access point (AP), for wirelessly communicating with at least one other of the wireless communication circuit in a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) network configured to allow multiple access points (APs) and multiple stations (STAs);

(b) performing packet transmission and reception in response to the encoding and decoding of signals containing Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a Carrier-Sense Multiple-Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) Media Access Control (MAC) protocol;

(c) operating as a first access point (AP) using the communication protocol in performing beamforming towards at least one station (STA) within its communication range, while nulling towards one or more other access points (APs);

(d) commencing a packet transmission, as the first access point (AP), and allowing another access point (AP) using the communication protocol to transmit packet simultaneously in response to one or more steps comprising:

(i) performing negotiations with the other access point (AP) prior to commencing a packet transmission;

(ii) communicating simultaneous transmission information to the other access point (AP);

(iii) allowing the other access point (AP) to perform simultaneous transmission under the communication protocol while the packet transmission is ongoing, with the other access point (AP) configured for synchronizing its Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundaries with the first access point (AP); and

(iv) completing packet transmissions by the other access point (AP), prior to an end of packet transmission by the first access point (AP).

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising embedding simultaneous transmission information in a preamble or one or more midambles transmitted by the first access point (AP) during its packet transmission.