Aggregation methods and systems for multi-user MIMO or OFDMA operation
An access point (AP) is provided. The AP includes a processing device and a memory unit coupled to the processing device The memory unit includes instructions that when executed by the processing device cause the wireless device to determine a first set of stations (STAs) that are capable to receive downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output (DL MU MIMO) transmissions, determine a second set of stations (STAs) that are not capable to receive downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output (DL MU MIMO) transmissions, and transmit a downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access protocol data unit (DL OFDMA PPDU) to the first set of (STAs) over sub-bands that are capable of DL MU MIMO and to the second set of (STAs) over sub-bands that are not capable of DL MU MIMO. A bandwidth of individual sub-bands are not the same.
1 . An access point (AP), comprising:
a processing device; and
a memory unit coupled to the processing device, wherein the memory unit includes instructions that when executed by the processing device cause the wireless device to:
receive, from each of a plurality of stations (STAs), a transmission that includes a high efficiency (HE) capability field, which includes a subfield that indicates whether the STA supports downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output (DL MU MIMO) in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-band via a single capability bit;
determine, from the capability bit, a first set of STAs of the plurality of STAs that are capable to receive DL MU MIMO transmissions;
determine, from the capability bit, a second set of STAs that are not capable to receive DL MU MIMO transmissions; and
transmit a downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access protocol data unit (DL OFDMA PPDU) to the first set of STAs over sub-bands that are capable of DL MU MIMO and to the second set of STAs over sub-bands that are not capable of DL MU MIMO,
wherein a bandwidth of OFDMA-sub-bands that are capable of receiving DL MU MIMO and a bandwidth of sub-bands that are not capable of receiving DL MU MIMO are different.
2 . The AP of claim 1 , wherein an MU sub-band indicates and addresses SU and MU transmissions within the DL OFDMA PPDU.
3 . The AP of claim 2 , wherein the MU sub-band includes a sub-band ID (SID) and a group ID (GID) that indicate the group ID that a sub-band is using.
4 . The AP of claim 3 , wherein the GID value indicates single-user (SU) transmission, wherein the GID value indicates DL MU MIMO transmission to STAs that are a member of a same GID.
5 . The AP of claim 3 , wherein the AP determines that no sub-bands are capable of DL MU MIMO transmission, and in response all GID values indicate SU transmission.
6 . The AP of claim 3 , wherein the AP reuses GID values to allow more GID values to be used for MU MIMO transmissions.
7 . The AP of claim 1 , wherein a length of an HE-SIG-B field associated with MU MIMO transmission is shorter than a length of an HE-SIG-B field associated with SU MIMO transmission.
8 . A method, comprising:
receiving, from each of a plurality of stations (STAs), a transmission including a high efficiency (HE) capability field, which includes a subfield indicating whether the STA supports downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output (DL MU MIMO) in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-band via a single capability bit;
determining, by an access point (AP) using the capability bit, a first set of STAs of the plurality of STAs that are capable to receive DL MU MIMO transmissions;
determining, by the AP using the capability bit, a second set of STAs that are not capable to receive DL MU MIMO-transmissions; and
transmitting, by the AP, a downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access protocol data unit (DL OFDMA PPDU) to the first set of STAs over sub-bands that are capable of DL MU MIMO and to the second set of STAs over sub-bands that are not capable of DL MU MIMO,
wherein a bandwidth of OFDMA sub-bands that are capable of receiving DL MU MIMO and a bandwidth of sub-bands that are not capable of receiving DL MU MIMO are different.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein an MU sub-band indicates and addresses SU and MU transmissions within the DL OFDMA PPDU.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the MU sub-band includes a sub-band ID (SID) and a group ID (GID) that indicate the group ID that a sub-band is using.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the GID value indicates single-user (SU) transmission, wherein the GID value indicates DL MU MIMO transmission to STAs that are a member of a same GID.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining, by the AP, that no sub-bands are capable of DL MU MIMO transmission, and in response all GID values indicate SU transmission.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
reusing GID values, by the AP, to allow more GID values to be used for MU MIMO transmissions.
14 . The method of claim 8 wherein a length of an HE-SIG-B field associated with MU MIMO transmission is shorter than a length of an HE-SIG-B field associated with SU MIMO transmission.
15 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an access point (AP) in a wireless network, cause the AP to perform:
receiving, from each of a plurality of stations (STAs), a transmission including a high efficiency (HE) capability field, which includes a subfield indicating whether the STA supports downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output (DL MU MIMO) in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) sub-band via a single capability bit;
determining, using the capability bit, a first set of STAs of the plurality of STAs that are capable to receive DL MU MIMO transmissions;
determining, using the capability bit, a second set of STAs that are not capable to receive DL MU MIMO-transmissions; and
transmitting a downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access protocol data unit (DL OFDMA PPDU) to the first set of STAs over sub-bands that are capable of DL MU MIMO and to the second set of STAs over sub-bands that are not capable of DL MU MIMO,
wherein a bandwidth of the OFDMA sub-bands that are capable of receiving DL MU MIMO and a bandwidth of sub-bands that are not capable of receiving DL MU MIMO are different.
16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein an MU sub-band indicates and addresses SU and MU transmissions within the DL OFDMA PPDU.
17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the MU sub-band includes a sub-band ID (SID) and a group ID (GID) that indicate the group ID that a sub-band is using.
18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the GID value indicates single-user (SU) transmission, wherein the GID value indicates DL MU MIMO transmission to STAs that are a member of a same GID.
19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, further cause the AP to perform:
determining, by the AP, that no sub-bands are capable of DL MU MIMO transmission, and in response all GID values indicate SU transmission.
20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, further cause the AP to perform:
reusing GID values, by the AP, to allow more GID values to be used for MU MIMO transmissions.