Contention-based random access with receive beamforming in wireless networks
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsRamy Abdallah, Kazuyuki Sakoda
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Abstract
Wireless communication is performed in a wireless network by dividing up a data transmission interval (DTI) within the communication frame into a plurality of time slots based on determining the number of best sector directions from the AP to each STA in the wireless network. Each STA transmits only during this time slot, while the AP uses receiver beamforming and receives only from a single beamforming direction for each of these time slots. A time slot may be used by more than one STA if they are in the same best antenna sector direction from the AP, wherein they contend for access within this time slot.
Claims20
An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a wireless communication circuit configured as a station (STA) or access point (AP) for wirelessly communicating with other wireless communication stations in a wireless network utilizing directional wireless communication over a plurality of antenna pattern sectors each having different transmission directions;
- (b) a processor coupled to said wireless communication circuit configured for operating on the wireless network;
- and
- (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor;
- (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps comprising:
- (i) dividing up a contention access period in the data transmission interval (DTI) into a plurality of time slots based on determining a number of antenna sector directions from an access point (AP) station to each station (STA) in the wireless network, so that each station (STA) is given an STA time slot, either for sole use by the station or shared with one or more other stations;
- (ii) setting a receiver beamforming (RXBF) flag within a management frame transmitted by the access point (AP) if it is determined that scheduled receiver beamforming is to be utilized, wherein other stations (STAs) on the network only need to know if the RXBF flag is set to determine which transmission time slot to use in the contention access period based on best sector direction from the access point (AP);
- and
- (iii) using receiver beamforming at the access point (AP) station to control directional reception of data over each antenna sector direction in each STA time slot.
An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a wireless communication circuit configured as a station (STA) or access point (AP) for wirelessly communicating with other wireless communication stations in a wireless network utilizing directional wireless communication over a plurality of antenna pattern sectors each having different transmission directions;
- (b) a processor coupled to said wireless communication circuit configured for operating on the wireless network;
- and
- (c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor;
- (d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, perform steps comprising:
- (i) dividing up a contention access period in the data transmission interval (DTI) into a plurality of time slots based on determining a number of antenna sector directions from an access point (AP) station to each station (STA) in the wireless network, so that each station (STA) has an STA time slot, either for sole use by the station or shared with one or more other stations;
- (ii) receiving a receiver beamforming (RXBF) flag within a management frame received at the station (STA) from the access point (AP) station, wherein other stations (STAs) on the network only need to know if the RXBF flag is set to determine which transmission time slot to use based on best sector direction from the access point (AP);
- and
- (iii) transmitting frames to the access point (AP) station by utilizing transmitter beamforming (TXBF) during the STA time slot for receipt by the access point (AP) station which is configured for utilizing receiver beamforming (RXBF) for receiving data over each antenna sector direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.