Method and apparatus for discovery of sector in wireless local area network system

An access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the AP comprising:

• a processor configured to set an omni-beacon interval including an omnidirectional beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time, and to set sector beacon intervals each including a sector beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time with respect to one of a plurality of sectors which are spatially divided;
• a transmitter configured to:
• in the omni-beacon interval, transmit the omnidirectional beacon in an omnidirectional mode, the omnidirectional beacon including an indication of omnidirectional mode transmission, and
• in each of the sector beacon intervals, transmit a corresponding sector beacon to a corresponding sector among the plurality of sectors in a sectorized mode, the corresponding sector beacon including an indication of sectorized mode transmission and a sector identifier of the corresponding sector;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive, from a station, an association request for requesting an association to the AP, the association request being generated by the station based on at least one of the omnidirectional beacon and sector beacons,
• wherein the processor is further configured to allocate an identifier for a group of the station for allowing the station to transmit during a specific sector time duration or during an omnidirectional time duration, during the association in response to the association request, and
• wherein beacons transmitted by the AP are the omnidirectional beacon and the sector beacon, transmission times of every two consecutive beacons are temporally spaced apart by a beacon interval regardless of type of beacon, and configured beacon intervals are the omni-beacon interval and the sector beacon interval.

A sector discovery method of a station in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the STA from an access point (AP), at least one of omnidirectional beacon or at least one sector beacon, wherein:
• the omnidirectional beacon in an omnidirectional mode is received in the omni-beacon interval, the omnidirectional beacon includes an indication of omnidirectional mode transmission, the omni-beacon interval includes an omnidirectional beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time, and
• the at least one sector beacon in a sectorized mode is received in corresponding sector beacon interval, each of the at least one sector beacon corresponds to a sector among a plurality of sectors, each of the at least one sector beacon includes an indication of sectorized mode transmission and a sector identifier of the corresponding sector, and each of sector beacon intervals includes a sector beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time with respect to one of the plurality of sectors which are spatially divided;
• and
• transmitting, to the AP, an association request for requesting an association to the AP, the association request being generated by the station based on at least one of the omnidirectional beacon and the at least one sector beacon,
• wherein, during the association in response to the association request, an identifier for a group of the station is allocated by the AP for allowing the station to transmit during a specific sector time duration or during an omnidirectional time duration, and
• wherein beacons transmitted by the AP are the omnidirectional beacon and the sector beacon, transmission times of every two consecutive beacons are temporally spaced apart by a beacon interval regardless of type of beacon, and configured beacon intervals are the omni-beacon interval and the sector beacon interval.

A station in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the station comprising:

• a receiver;
• a transmitter;
• and
• a processor,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive, using the receiver, from an access point (AP), at least one of omnidirectional beacon or at least one sector beacon, wherein:
• he omnidirectional beacon in an omnidirectional mode is received in the omni-beacon interval, the omnidirectional beacon includes an indication of omnidirectional mode transmission, the omni-beacon interval includes an omnidirectional beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time, and
• the at least one sector beacon in a sectorized mode is received in corresponding sector beacon interval, each of the at least one sector beacon corresponds to a sector among a plurality of sectors, each of the at least one sector beacon includes an indication of sectorized mode transmission and a sector identifier of the corresponding sector, and each of sector beacon intervals includes a sector beacon transmission time and a time interval before a next beacon transmission time with respect to one of the plurality of sectors which are spatially divided;
• and
• transmit, using the transmitter, to the AP, an association request for requesting an association to the AP, the association request being generated by the station based on at least one of the omnidirectional beacon and the at least one sector beacon, and
• wherein, during the association in response to the association request, an identifier for a group of the station is allocated by the AP for allowing the station to transmit during a specific sector time duration or during an omnidirectional time duration, and
• wherein beacons transmitted by the AP are the omnidirectional beacon and the sector beacon, transmission times of every two consecutive beacons are temporally spaced apart by a beacon interval regardless of type of beacon, and configured beacon intervals are the omni-beacon interval and the sector beacon interval.