IP Library Granted Patent US 12,519,683
Granted Patent B2
US 12,519,683 · App. 18/741,329 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Aggregated HE control content in A-MPDU

Inventor: Ahmad Reza Hedayat (Aliso Viejo, CA)
Assignee: Atlas Global Technologies LLC
H04L27/2602H04B7/0413H04L27/2607H04L27/2613H04W72/12H04W72/121H04L27/2603H04W72/23H04W84/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,519,683
App. No.
18/741,329
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An Access Point (AP) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is configured to provide a first Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) in a downlink frame, the first MPDU being addressed to a first set of stations and the first MPDU includes first trigger information for scheduling an uplink transmission, provide a second MPDU in the downlink frame, the second MPDU being addressed to a second set of stations and the second MPDU includes second trigger information to schedule the uplink transmission and the second trigger information includes a second set of values that are set to be the same as a first set of values in the first trigger information, the second set of values that are set to be the same as the first set of values includes a value indicative of a combination of guard interval and long training field (LTF) for the uplink transmission, and transmit the downlink frame to the first and second set of stations.

Claims (54)

1 . An Access Point (AP) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:

a processor; and

one or more memories, coupled to the processor, the one or more memories include instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the AP to:

provide a first Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) in a downlink frame, the first MPDU being addressed to a first set of stations and the first MPDU includes first trigger information for scheduling an uplink transmission;

provide a second MPDU in the downlink frame, the second MPDU being addressed to a second set of stations and the second MPDU includes second trigger information to schedule the uplink transmission and the second trigger information includes a second set of values that are set to be the same as a first set of values in the first trigger information,

the second set of values that are set to be the same as the first set of values includes a value indicative of a combination of guard interval and long training field (LTF) for the uplink transmission; and

transmit the downlink frame to the first and second set of stations.

2 . The AP of claim 1 , wherein the first MPDU includes a first trigger frame and the first trigger information is located within the first trigger frame, wherein the first trigger information includes one or more common information fields which are targeted at each station in the first set of stations addressed by the first MPDU for use in the uplink transmission, and one or more sets of station specific fields, wherein each set of station specific fields are targeted at a single station in the first set of stations for use in the uplink transmission.

3 . The AP of claim 2 , wherein the second MPDU includes a second trigger frame and the second trigger information is located within the second trigger frame,

wherein the second trigger information includes one or more common information fields, which are targeted at each station in the second set of stations addressed by the second MPDU for use in the uplink transmission, and one or more sets of station specific fields, wherein each set of station specific fields are targeted at a single station in the second set of stations for use in the uplink transmission,

wherein the first set of values are in the one or more common information fields in the first trigger information and the second set of values are in the one or more common information fields in the second trigger information.

4 . The AP of claim 3 , wherein the one or more common information fields in the first trigger information includes a first trigger type field, which indicates a response type requested by the AP using the first trigger information, and first trigger dependent information, which indicates settings for the response type indicated by the first trigger type field, and the one or more common information fields in the second trigger information includes a second trigger type field, which indicates a response type requested by the AP using the second trigger information, and second trigger dependent information, which indicates settings for the response type indicated by the second trigger type field, wherein the first trigger type field and the second trigger type field are distinct.

5 . The AP of claim 3 , wherein the one or more common information fields in the first trigger information and the one or more common information fields in the second trigger information each include (1) a length field, which indicates a length of the uplink transmission, (2) a bandwidth field, which indicates a bandwidth of the uplink transmission, (3) a guard interval and long training field (LTF) field, which describes the combination of guard interval and LTF for the uplink transmission, (4) a spatial reuse field, which indicates whether spatial reuse is permitted during transmission of the uplink transmission, and (5) a signaling reserved field, which indicates settings for reserved bits in the uplink transmission.

6 . The AP of claim 5 , wherein the first set of values correspond to the length field, the bandwidth field, the guard interval and LTF field, the spatial reuse field, and the signaling reserved field in the first trigger information, and wherein the second set of values correspond to the length field, the bandwidth field, the guard interval and LTF field, the spatial reuse field, and the signaling reserved field in the second trigger information.

7 . The AP of claim 2 , wherein in response to the second trigger information is located in a MAC header of the second MPDU, the AP is further configured to:

set a multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output long training mode field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of single stream pilot tones for the uplink transmission;

set a space time block coding (STBC) field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that STBC is not to be utilized for the uplink transmission;

set a number of high-efficiency long training field (LTF) symbols field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that a single LTF symbol is used in the uplink transmission;

set a spatial reuse field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that spatial reuse is disallowed during the uplink transmission;

set a guard interval and LTF Type field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix in the uplink transmission when the downlink frame uses a 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix or when the downlink frame uses a 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix; and

set the guard interval and LTF Type field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix in the uplink transmission when the downlink frame does not use a 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix or a 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix.

8 . The AP of claim 1 , wherein the first trigger information is located in a MAC header of the first MPDU and the second trigger information is located in a MAC header of the second MPDU, the AP is further configured to:

set a length field in the first set of values to the same value as a length field in the second set of values, wherein the length field in the first set of values and the length field in the second set of values indicate the length of the uplink transmission; and

set a downlink transmission power field in the first set of values to the same value as a downlink transmission power field in the second set of values, wherein the downlink transmission power field in the first set of values and the downlink transmission power field in the second set of values indicate the transmission power of the AP during transmission of the downlink frame.

9 . An Access Point (AP) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) that generates and transmits a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (MPDU), comprising:

a processor; and

one or more memories, coupled to the processor, the one or more memories include instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the AP to:

generate a first MPDU, wherein a MAC header of the first MPDU includes a first High Efficiency Aggregated Control (HE A-Control) field;

determine to include a group address as a receiver address in the first MPDU such that the first MPDU is addressed to stations referenced by the group address, wherein a High Efficiency Control Unicast Trigger Frame (HEC-UTR) subfield which would carry uplink multi-user response scheduling information, is excluded from the HE A-Control field of the first MPDU in response to the AP determines that the first MPDU includes the group address as the receiver address; and

transmit the first MPDU through a wireless medium.

10 . The AP of claim 9 , wherein the first MPDU includes in the HE A-Control field one or more of (1) an operating mode indication subfield that carries information regarding a change in receiver operation, (2) quality of service control subfield that carries information for requesting or providing a buffer status report, (3) power control subfield that carries information for requesting or confirming a power adjustment, and (4) channel quality information control subfield that carries information regarding channel quality, including a recommend number of spatial streams and a recommended modulation and coding scheme.

11 . The AP of claim 9 , further configured to:

generate a second MPDU, wherein the first MPDU and a second MPDU are included in an Aggregated MPDU (A-MPDU), wherein the A-MPDU includes either a HEC-UTR subfield or a trigger frame.

12 . An Access Point (AP) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) that generates and transmits an Aggregated Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (A-MPDU) that elicits an uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) response, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more memories, coupled to the processor, the one or more memories include instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the AP to:

generate an A-MPDU according to a set of rules, the set of rules including a first rule that a trigger frame is not included in a MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) of the A-MPDU in response to a High Efficiency Control Unicast Trigger Frame (HEC-UTR) subfield is included in a High Efficiency Aggregated Control (HE A-Control) field of an MPDU within the A-MPDU; and

transmit the A-MPDU as a downlink transmission through a wireless medium.

13 . The AP of claim 12 , wherein the set of rules includes a second rule that multiple trigger frames included in the downlink transmission carry identical scheduling information.

14 . The AP of claim 13 , wherein the scheduling information includes (1) a length field, which indicates a length of the UL MU response, (2) a bandwidth field, which indicates a bandwidth of the UL MU response, (3) a guard interval and long training field (LTF) field, which describes a combination of guard interval and LTF for the UL MU response, (4) a spatial reuse field, which indicates whether spatial reuse is permitted during transmission of the UL MU response, and (5) a signaling reserved field, which indicates settings for reserved bits in the UL MU response.

15 . The AP of claim 13 , wherein the set of rules includes a third rule that a trigger type field and a trigger type-dependent field are distinct between the multiple trigger frames within the downlink transmission.

16 . The AP of claim 12 , wherein the set of rules includes a second rule that an MPDU in the A-MPDU cannot be addressed to a groupcast address when that MPDU includes an HEC-UTR subfield in an HE A-Control field.

17 . The AP of claim 12 , wherein the downlink transmission includes a first MPDU that includes a first trigger frame that carries first trigger information, wherein the first trigger information includes one or more common information fields, which are targeted at each station in a first set of stations addressed by the first MPDU for use in the UL MU response, and one or more sets of station specific fields, wherein each set of station specific fields are targeted at a single station in the first set of stations for use in the UL MU response.

18 . The AP of claim 17 , wherein the downlink transmission includes a second MPDU that includes a second trigger frame that carries second trigger information, wherein the second trigger information includes one or more common information fields which are targeted at each station in a second set of stations addressed by the second MPDU for use in the UL MU response, and one or more sets of station specific fields, wherein each set of station specific fields are targeted at a single station in the second set of stations for use in the UL MU response.

19 . The AP of claim 17 , wherein the downlink transmission includes a second MPDU, wherein a MAC header of the second MPDU carries second trigger information, the AP is further configured to:

set a multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output long training mode field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of single stream pilot tones for the UL MU response;

set a space time block coding (STBC) field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that STBC is not to be utilized for the UL MU response;

set a number of high-efficiency long training field (LTF) symbols field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that a single LTF symbol is used in the UL MU response;

set a spatial reuse field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate that spatial reuse is disallowed during the UL MU response;

set a guard interval and LTF Type field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix in the UL MU response when a downlink frame uses a 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix or when the downlink frame uses a 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix; and

set the guard interval and LTF Type field in the one or more common information fields of the first trigger information to indicate use of 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix in the UL MU response when a downlink frame does not use a 4×LTF sequence and a 3.2 μs cyclic prefix or a 2×LTF sequence and a 1.6 μs cyclic prefix.

20 . The AP of claim 12 , wherein the downlink transmission includes a first MPDU addressed to a first set of stations (STAs) and a second MPDU addressed to a second set of STAs, wherein a MAC header of the first MPDU includes first trigger information for scheduling the UL MU response and a MAC header of the second MPDU includes second trigger information for scheduling the UL MU response, the AP is further configured to:

set a length field in the first trigger information to the same value as a length field in the second trigger information, wherein the length field in the first trigger information and the length field in the second trigger information indicate the length of the UL MU response; and

set a downlink transmission power field in the first trigger information to the same value as a downlink transmission power field in the second trigger information, wherein the downlink transmission power field in the first trigger information and the downlink transmission power field in the second trigger information indicate the transmission power of the AP during the downlink transmission.

Continuity (9)
Continuation 17841251 · Jun 15, 2022
Continuation 16532906 · Aug 6, 2019
Continuation 15343072 · Nov 3, 2016
Provisional Application 62411449 · Oct 21, 2016
Provisional Application 62344199 · Jun 1, 2016
Provisional Application 62323555 · Apr 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62298859 · Feb 23, 2016
Provisional Application 62250408 · Nov 3, 2015
Related Publication 20240333568A1 · Oct 3, 2024
References Cited (29)
US 9899086B2 · Catthoor et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10045349B2 · Atefi · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20110150004A1 · Denteneer · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20150146654A1 · Chu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160127020A1 · Abraham et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160165589A1 · Chu et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160262051A1 · Merlin · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160323426A1 · Hedayat · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160330007A1 · Cherian et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160366254A1 · Asterjadhi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160374017A1 · Stacey et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170026151A1 · Adachi · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170070914A1 · Chun et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170272138A1 · Chun et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170279864A1 · Chun et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170339692A1 · Chun et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180049240A1 · Kim et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180242355A1 · Lou et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20220312428A1 · Hedayat · 2022 [cited by applicant]
IEEE P802.11 ah/D5.0: “Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, Amendment 2: Sub 1 GHz License Exempt Operation,” IEEE Draft Standard for Information technology—Telecomm… [cited by applicant]
IEEE Std 802.11-2012: “Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications,” IEEE Standard for Information technology—Telecommunications and information exchange between systems, Lo… [cited by applicant]
IEEE Std 802.11 ac-2013 “Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, Amendment 4: Enhancements for Very High Throughput for Operation in Bands below 6 GHz,” IEEE Standard f… [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action from U.S. Appl. No. 15/343,072, mailed Nov. 14, 2018, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action from U.S. Appl. No. 15/343,072, mailed May 10, 2018, 30 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance from U.S. Appl. No. 15/343,072, mailed May 16, 2019, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action from U.S. Appl. No. 15/532,906, mailed Jun. 4, 2021, 20 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance from U.S. Appl. No. 16/532,906, mailed Mar. 17, 2022, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office action from U.S. Appl. No. 17/841,251, mailed Aug. 14, 2023, 31 pages. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance from U.S. Appl. No. 17/841,251, mailed Mar. 14, 2024, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]