Apparatus, computer readable medium, and method for multi-user request-to-send and clear-to-send in a high efficiency wireless local-area network

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an apparatus of a high-efficiency (HE) access point (AP), the instructions to configure the one or more processors to:

• encode a HE physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the HE PPDU comprising a multi-user (MU) request-to-send (RTS) trigger frame, the MU-RTS trigger frame comprising a type field, wherein a value of the type field indicates the MU-RTS trigger frame is a trigger frame of type MU-RTS,
• wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame further comprises a plurality of HE station information fields, wherein each of the plurality of HE station information fields comprises an association identification (AID) field and an indication of a bandwidth of a clear-to-send (CTS) frame, wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame indicates that a HE station identified by the AID field is to transmit the CTS frame with the bandwidth, and
• wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame further comprises a carrier sense (CS) field to indicate whether HE stations addressed by the AID field are required to sense the medium and determine whether to respond to the MU-RTS trigger frame based on a state of the medium and a state of a network availability vector (NAV);
• and
• generate signaling to cause the HE AP to wirelessly transmit the HE PPDU.

A method performed by an apparatus of a high-efficiency (HE) access point (AP), the method comprising:

• encoding a HE physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the HE PPDU comprising a multi-user (MU) request-to-send (RTS) trigger frame, the MU-RTS trigger frame comprising a type field, wherein a value of the type field indicates the MU-RTS trigger frame is a trigger frame of type MU-RTS,
• wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame further comprises a plurality of HE station information fields, wherein each of the plurality of HE station information fields comprises an association identification (AID) field and an indication of a bandwidth of a clear-to-send (CTS) frame, wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame indicates that a HE station identified by the AID field is to transmit the CTS frame with the bandwidth, and
• wherein the MU-RTS trigger frame further comprises a carrier sense (CS) field to indicate whether HE stations addressed by the AID field are required to sense the medium and determine whether to respond to the MU-RTS trigger frame based on a state of the medium and a state of a network availability vector (NAV);
• and
• generating signaling to cause the HE AP to wirelessly transmit the HE PPDU.

An apparatus of a high-efficiency (HE) station, the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
• decode a HE physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU), the HE PPDU comprising a media access control (MAC) portion, the MAC portion comprising a trigger frame, the trigger frame comprising a type field, wherein a value of the type field indicates the trigger frame is a multi-user (MU) request-to-send (RTS) trigger frame,
• the trigger frame further comprising a plurality of HE station information fields, wherein each of the plurality of HE station information fields comprises an association identification (AID) field and an indication of a bandwidth of a clear-to-send (CTS) frame, wherein the HE station is addressed by the AID field and is to transmit the CTS frame with the bandwidth;
• and
• generate signaling to cause the HE AP to transmit the HE PPDU.