System and method for providing a synchronized mode for WLAN operation in a WLAN band

1. A method for providing a mode of wireless local area network (WLAN) operation comprising:

sending beacons from an access point (AP) in a discovery channel;

sending an association request from a wireless station (STA) to the AP over the discovery channel;

receiving an association response from the AP at the STA over the discovery channel in response to the association request; and

associating the STA with the AP to provide a multi-user (MU) enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mode between the AP and the STA using a scheduled access channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the discovery channel and scheduled access channel may belong to either a single frequency band or a dual frequency band including 6 GHz frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AP and the STA exchange trigger signals and data during a scheduled access period.

4. A method for providing a mode of wireless local area network (WLAN) operation comprising:

associating with an access point (AP) at a request from a wireless station (STA) on a discovery channel to provide a multi-user (MU) enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mode between the AP and the STA using a scheduled access channel;

sending a buffer status report (BSR) including a bandwidth requirement from the STA to the AP in the scheduled access channel;

sending an acknowledgement from the AP to the STA in response to the BSR; and

starting a timer at the STA in response to the acknowledgement.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining that a grant received from the AP contains one or more resource units (RUs) allocated for the STA that satisfy the bandwidth requirement;

stopping the timer; and

sending one or more data frames from the STA to the AP in the scheduled access channel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the trigger and the one or more data frames are exchanged between the AP and the STA in a scheduled access period assigned for the scheduled access channel.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining that the timer is expired before receiving a trigger signal from the AP; and

sending one or more data frames from the STA to the AP using legacy EDCA in the scheduled access channel.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining that no trigger signal is received from the AP; and

sending one or more data frames from the STA to the AP using legacy EDCA in the scheduled access channel.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the AP sends a high efficiency operation element to the STA.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high efficiency operation element includes one or more enhanced multi-user (MU) EDCA operation subfields corresponding to a plurality of access categories.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of access categories includes at least one of a best effort access category, a background access category, a video access category, and a voice access category.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, when a bit corresponding to each of the plurality of access categories is set, an enhanced multi-user EDCA operation for network traffic is enabled.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mode of WLAN operation for an access category among the plurality of access categories is determined based on a traffic type or an application setup.

14. A wireless local area network (WLAN) system comprising:

an access point (AP);

a wireless station (STA); and

a WLAN communication network operating a discovery channel and a scheduled access channel to provide wireless communication between the AP and the STA,

wherein the STA is configured to associate with the AP to provide a multi-user (MU) enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mode between the AP and the STA using the scheduled access channel.

15. The WLAN system of claim 14 , wherein the discovery channel and scheduled access channel may belong to either a single frequency band or a dual frequency band including 6 GHz frequency.

16. The WLAN system of claim 14 , wherein the AP and STA exchange trigger signals and data during a scheduled access period as determined by the MU EDCA mode.

17. A wireless local area network (WLAN) system comprising:

an access point (AP);

a wireless station (STA); and

a WLAN communication network operating a discovery channel and a scheduled access channel to provide wireless communication between the AP and the STA,

wherein the STA is configured to:

send a request on a discovery channel to the AP to associate with the AP for providing a multi-user (MU) enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mode between the AP and the STA using a scheduled access channel;

send a buffer status report (BSR) including a bandwidth requirement to the AP in the scheduled access channel;

receive an acknowledgement from the AP in response to the BSR; and

start a timer in response to the acknowledgement.

18. The WLAN system of claim 17 , wherein the STA is further configured to:

determine that a grant received from the AP contains one or more resource units (RUs) allocated for the STA that satisfy the bandwidth requirement;

stop the timer; and

send one or more data frames from the STA to the AP in the scheduled access channel.

19. The WLAN system of claim 17 , wherein the AP sends a high efficiency operation element to the STA, and wherein the high efficiency operation element includes one or more enhanced multi-user (MU) EDCA operation subfields corresponding to a plurality of access categories.

20. The WLAN system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of access categories includes at least one of a best effort access category, a background access category, a video access category, and a voice access category.