Uplink and downlink sounding for wireless networks

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a wireless device, the instructions to configure the one or more processors to:

• encode a trigger frame (TF) for sounding, the TF comprising an indication of uplink (UL) sounding, the TF further comprising first indications of stations to participate in the UL sounding and second indications of resource allocations for the stations to transmit null data packets (NDPs) in response to the TF the NDPs to be transmitted a short interframe space (SIFS) after receiving the TF;
• configure the wireless device to transmit the TF to the stations;
• receive the NDPs on different spatial streams simultaneously from the stations in accordance with the resource allocations;
• encode a NDP announce (NDP-A) frame, the NDP-A frame comprising an indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or downlink (DL) sounding and third indications of the stations, wherein the indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or DL sounding indicates DL sounding;
• configure the wireless device to transmit the NDP-A;
• and
• configure the wireless device to transmit DL NDPs to the stations in accordance with the NDP-A frame.

A method performed by an apparatus of a wireless device;

• the method comprising:
• encoding a trigger frame (TF) for sounding, the TF comprising an indication of uplink (UL) sounding, the TF further comprising first indications of stations to participate in the UL sounding and second indications of resource allocations for the stations to transmit null data packets (NDPs) in response to the TF, the NDPs to be transmitted a short interframe space (SIFS) after receiving the TF;
• configuring the wireless device to transmit the to the stations;
• receiving the NDPs on different spatial streams simultaneously in time from the stations in accordance with the resource allocations;
• encoding a NDP announce (NDP-A) frame, the NDP-A frame comprising an indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or downlink (DL) sounding and third indications of the stations, wherein the indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or DL sounding indicates DL sounding;
• configuring the wireless device to transmit the NDP-A;
• and
• configuring the wireless device to transmit DL NDPs to the stations in accordance with the NDP-A frame.

An apparatus of a station, the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
• decode a trigger frame (TF) for sounding, the TF comprising an indication of uplink (UL) sounding, the TF further comprising first indications of stations to participate in the UL sounding and second indications of resource allocations for the stations to transmit null data packets (NDPs) in response to the TF, the NDPs to be transmitted a short interframe space (SIFS) after receiving the TF, wherein the first indications of stations comprises an association identification (AID) of the station;
• configure the station to transmit, the SIFS after receiving the TF, a NDP of the NDPs in accordance with a corresponding resource allocation of the resource allocations;
• decode a NDP announce (NDP-A) frame, the NDP-A frame comprising an indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or downlink (DL) sounding and third indications of the stations, wherein the indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or DL sounding indicates DL sounding, wherein the third indications of stations comprises the AID of the station;
• decode DL NDPs in accordance with the NDP-A frame.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a station, the instructions to configure the one or more processors to:

• decode a trigger frame (TF) for sounding, the TF comprising an indication of uplink (UL) sounding, the TF further comprising first indications of stations to participate in the UL sounding and second indications of resource allocations for the stations to transmit null data packets (NDPs) in response to the TF, the NDPs to be transmitted a short interframe space (SIFS) after receiving the TF, wherein the first indications of stations comprises an association identification (AID) of the station;
• configure the station to transmit, the SIFS after receiving the TF, a NDP of the NDPs in accordance with a corresponding resource allocation of the resource allocations;
• decode a NDP announce (NDP-A) frame, the NDP-A frame comprising an indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or downlink (DL) sounding and third indications of the stations, wherein the indication of whether the NDP-A frame is for UL sounding or DL sounding indicates DL sounding, wherein the third indications of stations comprises the AID of the station;
• decode DL NDPs in accordance with the NDP-A frame.