Enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) downlink broadcasts
This disclosure provides methods, devices and systems for reliable delivery of enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) downlink (DL) packets to wireless stations (STAs) that support EBCS (also referred to as “EBCS STAs”) and maintaining interoperability with STAs that do not support EBCS. A wireless communication device may broadcast one or more EBCS DL packets carrying data associated with an EBCS service. In some aspects, the wireless communication device may subsequently transmit a trigger frame soliciting information indicating which, if any, of the EBCS DL packets were missed by EBCS STAs in the vicinity. In some other aspects, each EBCS DL packet may carry signaling indicating that the broadcast data is intended only for EBCS STAs. Still further, in some aspects, the wireless communication device may broadcast an EBCS traffic advertisement indicating a timing of the one or more EBCS DL packets.
1. A method for wireless communication performed by a wireless communication device, comprising:
broadcasting an enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) information frame advertising one or more EBCS services provided by the wireless communication device; and
transmitting a packet having a header followed by a data portion that carries data associated with a first EBCS service of the one or more EBCS services, the header carrying EBCS signaling indicating that the data is intended for wireless stations (STAs) that are associated with the wireless communication device and STAs that are unassociated with the wireless communication device, wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a medium access control (MAC) header that includes a frame control field having a type subfield and a subtype subfield that collectively indicate a type of the packet, the EBCS signaling comprising values carried in the type subfield and the subtype subfield indicating that the packet is an ECBS Data frame.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MAC header includes a receiver address (RA) field, the type subfield and the subtype subfield collectively indicating the type of the packet.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the EBCS signaling comprises an EBCS receiver address, carried in the RA field, that is different than a broadcast address which identifies packets broadcast to all users associated with the wireless communication device.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the EBCS receiver address is the same for each of the one or more EBCS services provided by the wireless communication device.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the EBCS receiver address is unique to the first EBCS service.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the EBCS receiver address is derived from a MAC address or an internet protocol (IP) address of a host device that hosts the first EBCS service.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the EBCS information frame further carries a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services, the traffic advertisement including a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) period.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
broadcasting a beacon frame carrying a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the traffic advertisement comprises a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective DTIM period.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the traffic advertisement is carried in an element of the beacon frame that is different than a traffic indication map (TIM) element.
11. A wireless communication device comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory communicatively coupled with the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor, is configured to:
broadcast an enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) information frame advertising one or more EBCS services provided by the wireless communication device; and
transmit a packet having a header followed by a data portion that carries data associated with a first EBCS service of the one or more EBCS services, the header carrying EBCS signaling indicating that the data is intended for wireless stations (STAs) that are associated with the wireless communication device and STAs that are unassociated with the wireless communication device, wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a medium access control (MAC) header that includes a frame control field having a type subfield and a subtype subfield that collectively indicate a type of the packet, the EBCS signaling comprising values carried in the type subfield and the subtype subfield subfields indicating that the packet is an ECBS Data frame.
12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a medium access control (MAC) header that includes a receiver address (RA) field, the EBCS signaling comprising an EBCS broadcast address, carried in the RA field, that is different than a broadcast address which identifies packets broadcast to all users associated with the wireless communication device.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the EBCS information frame further carries a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services, the traffic advertisement including a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) period.
14. A method for wireless communication performed by a wireless communication device, comprising:
receiving an enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) information frame advertising one or more EBCS services provided by a first access point (AP); and
receiving, from the first AP, a first packet having a header followed by a data portion that carries data associated with a first EBCS service of the one or more EBCS services, the header carrying EBCS signaling indicating that the data is intended for wireless stations (STAs) that are associated with the first AP and STAs that are unassociated with the first AP, wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a medium access control (MAC) header that includes a frame control field having a type subfield and a subtype subfield that collectively indicate a type of the first packet, the EBCS signaling comprising values carried in the type subfield and the subtype subfield indicating that the first packet is an ECBS Data frame.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the MAC header includes a receiver address (RA) field, the type subfield and the subtype subfield collectively indicating the type of the first packet.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the EBCS signaling comprises an EBCS receiver address, carried in the RA field, that is different than a broadcast address which identifies packets broadcast to all users associated with the wireless communication device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the EBCS receiver address is the same for each of the one or more EBCS services provided by the wireless communication device.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the EBCS receiver address is unique to the first EBCS service.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
receiving, from a second AP, a second packet carrying data associated with the first EBCS service, the second packet having an RA field set to the EBCS receiver address.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the EBCS information frame further carries a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services, the traffic advertisement including a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) period, the method further comprising:
waking from a low-power state based on the timing of the data transmissions indicated by the traffic advertisement.
21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first AP, a beacon frame carrying a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services; and
waking from a low-power state based on the timing of the data transmissions indicated by the traffic advertisement.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the traffic advertisement comprises a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective DTIM period.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the traffic advertisement is carried in a new element of the beacon frame that is different than a traffic indication map (TIM) element.
24. A wireless communication device comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory communicatively coupled with the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor, is configured to:
receive an enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) information frame advertising one or more EBCS services provided by a first access point (AP); and
receive an enhanced broadcast services (EBCS) information frame advertising one or more EBCS services provided by a first access point (AP); and
receive, from the first AP, a packet having a header followed by a data portion that carries data associated with a first EBCS service of the one or more EBCS services, the header carrying EBCS signaling indicating that the data is intended for wireless stations (STAs) that are associated with the first AP and STAs that are unassociated with the first AP, wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a MAC header that includes a frame control field having a type subfield and a subtype subfield that collectively indicate a type of the packet, the EBCS signaling comprising values carried in the type subfield and the subtype subfield indicating that the packet is an ECBS Data frame.
25. The wireless communication device of claim 24 , wherein the EBCS signaling is carried in a medium access control (MAC) header that includes a receiver address (RA) field, the EBCS signaling comprising an EBCS broadcast address, carried in the RA field, that is different than a broadcast address which identifies packets broadcast to all users associated with the wireless communication device.
26. The wireless communication device of claim 24 , wherein the EBCS information frame further carries a traffic advertisement indicating a timing of data transmissions associated with each of the one or more EBCS services, the traffic advertisement including a bitmap indicating which of the one or more EBCS services are scheduled for data transmissions during a respective delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) period, execution of the processor-readable code being further configured to:
wake from a low-power state based on the timing of the data transmissions indicated by the traffic advertisement.