# US 10,771,126 B2 · Uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output for wireless local area network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,126 B2 - Document ID: US10771126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/818,552 - Filed: 2017-11-20 - Published: 2018-03-15 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-26 - Assignees: Marvell Asia Pte Ltd - Applicants: Marvell World Trade Ltd. - Inventors: Liwen Chu; Hongyuan Zhang; Hui-Ling Lou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771126B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/0452: Multi-user MIMO systems - H04L 1/1621: {Group acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message defining a range of identifiers, e.g. of sequence numbers} - H04L 1/1685: {the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal} - H04L 1/1854: {Scheduling and prioritising arrangements} - H04L 1/1887: {Scheduling and prioritising arrangements} - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04L 1/1614: {using bitmaps} - H04L 2001/0093: {Point-to-multipoint} - H04W 72/121: for groups of terminals or users - H04W 76/40: for selective distribution or broadcast - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A first communication device transmits a first communication frame that includes scheduling information corresponding to a time period in which an uplink multi-user transmission is to occur. The scheduling information indicates a start time of the time period. The first communication frame includes an indication of a group of two or more second communication devices that are to transmit simultaneously during the time period as part of the uplink multi-user transmission. The first communication device transmits a second communication frame during the time period. The second communication frame is configured to trigger at least some second communication device in the group of two or more second communication devices to transmit simultaneously as part of the uplink multi-user transmission. The first communication device receives the uplink multi-user transmission during the time period, the uplink multi-user transmission being responsive to the second communication frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: transmitting, by a first communication device, a polling communication frame that is configured to trigger a plurality of second communication devices to transmit respective feedback information that indicates respective amounts of data that the respective second communication devices have to transmit to the first communication device, wherein the polling communication frame includes a duration field that is set to indicate a transmit opportunity period (TXOP) of the first communication device, the TXOP including the polling communication frame and indicating a period during which an uplink multi-user transmission is to occur; receiving, at the first communication device, the respective feedback information from the plurality of second communication devices during the TXOP; based on the respective feedback information, selecting, at the first communication device, a group of second communication devices that are to transmit simultaneously during the TXOP as part of the uplink multi-user transmission; transmitting, by the first communication device, a trigger communication frame during the TXOP to trigger the group of second communication devices to transmit simultaneously as part of the uplink multi-user transmission; and receiving, at the first communication device, the uplink multi-user transmission during the TXOP, wherein the uplink multi-user transmission is responsive to trigger communication frame and includes respective simultaneous individual transmissions from respective second communication devices among the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the first communication device, a block acknowledgment frame to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission, wherein the block acknowledgment frame is responsive to the uplink multi-user transmission, and wherein the block acknowledgment frame includes a group identifier corresponding to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the first communication device, respective acknowledgment frames to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission, wherein the respective acknowledgment frames are responsive to the uplink multi-user transmission. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the respective feedback information includes at least one of i) a respective proposed service interval, ii) a respective proposed access category data rate, and iii) respective traffic burst information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the first communication device, a downlink multi-user transmission during the TXOP. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the trigger communication frame is a first trigger communication frame; the uplink multi-user transmission is a first uplink multi-user transmission; and the method further comprises: transmitting, by the first communication device, a second trigger communication frame during the TXOP, wherein the second trigger communication frame is configured to trigger the group of second communication devices to transmit simultaneously as part of a second uplink multi-user transmission, and receiving, at the first communication device, the second uplink multi-user transmission during the TXOP, wherein the second uplink multi-user transmission is responsive to the second trigger communication frame and includes respective simultaneous individual transmissions from respective second communication devices among the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the respective feedback information includes respective indications of respective amounts of data in respective queues of respective second communication devices corresponding to data that is to be transmitted to the first communication device; and selecting the group of second communication devices comprises using the respective indications of the respective amounts of data in the respective queues of the respective second communication devices to select the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: each of at least some of the queues correspond to data in i) a particular traffic category, ii) a particular traffic stream, or iii) a particular traffic identifier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the uplink multi-user transmission is a first uplink multi-user transmission; and receiving the respective feedback information from the plurality of second communication devices during the TXOP comprises receiving the respective feedback information in a second uplink multi-user transmission that is responsive to the polling communication frame, wherein the second uplink multi-user transmission includes respective feedback frames from the plurality of second communication devices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein: each feedback frame includes a respective media access control (MAC) header having a respective indication of a respective amount of data to be transmitted to the first communication device; and selecting the group of second communication devices that are to transmit simultaneously during the TXOP as part of the second uplink multi-user transmission comprises using the respective indications of the respective amounts of data to be transmitted to the first communication device to select the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the respective indication of the respective amount of data to be transmitted to the first communication device is included in a respective quality of service (QoS) field in the respective MAC header. ### Claim 12 A first communication device, comprising: a network interface device including: one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices, and a plurality of transceivers implemented at least partially on the one or more IC devices; wherein the one or more IC devices are configured to: transmit a polling communication frame that is configured to trigger a plurality of second communication devices to transmit respective feedback information that indicates respective amounts of data that the respective second communication devices have to transmit to the first communication device, wherein the polling communication frame includes a duration field that is set to indicate a transmit opportunity period (TXOP) of the first communication device, the TXOP including the polling communication frame and indicating a period during which an uplink multi-user transmission is to occur, receive the respective feedback information from the plurality of second communication devices during the TXOP, based on the respective feedback information, select a group of second communication devices that are to transmit simultaneously during the TXOP as part of the uplink multi-user transmission, transmit a trigger communication frame during the TXOP to trigger the group of second communication devices to transmit simultaneously as part of the uplink multi-user transmission, and receive the uplink multi-user transmission during the TXOP, wherein the uplink multi-user transmission is responsive to the trigger communication frame and includes respective simultaneous individual transmissions from respective second communication devices among the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to: transmit a block acknowledgment frame to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission, wherein the block acknowledgment frame is responsive to the uplink multi-user transmission, and wherein the block acknowledgment frame includes a group identifier corresponding to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to: transmit respective acknowledgment frames to the second communication devices that participated in the uplink multi-user transmission, wherein the respective acknowledgment frames are responsive to the uplink multi-user transmission. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein: the respective feedback information includes respective traffic characteristic information from respective second communication devices among the plurality of second communication devices; and the one or more IC devices are further configured to: select the group of second communication devices using the respective traffic characteristic information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein the one or more IC devices are further configured to: transmit a downlink multi-user transmission during the TXOP. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein: the trigger communication frame is a first trigger communication frame; the uplink multi-user transmission is a first uplink multi-user transmission; and the one or more IC devices are further configured to: transmit a second trigger communication frame during the TXOP, wherein the second trigger communication frame is configured to trigger the group of two or more second communication devices to transmit simultaneously as part of a second uplink multi-user transmission, and receive the second uplink multi-user transmission during the TXOP, wherein the second uplink multi-user transmission is responsive to the second trigger communication frame and includes respective simultaneous individual transmissions from respective second communication devices among the group of second communication devices. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, further comprising: a plurality of antennas coupled to the plurality of transceivers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein: the respective feedback information includes respective indications of respective amounts of data in respective queues of respective second communication devices corresponding to data that is to be transmitted to the first communication device; and the one or more IC devices are further configured to: select the group of second communication devices using the respective indications of the respective amounts of data in the respective queues of the respective second communication devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The first communication device of claim 19, wherein: each of at least some of the queues correspond to data in i) a particular traffic category, ii) a particular traffic stream, or iii) a particular traffic identifier. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The first communication device of claim 12, wherein: the uplink multi-user transmission is a first uplink multi-user transmission; and the one or more IC devices are further configured to: receive the respective feedback information in a second uplink multi-user transmission that is responsive to the polling communication frame, wherein the second uplink multi-user transmission includes respective feedback frames from the plurality of second communication devices. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The first communication device of claim 21, wherein: each feedback frame includes a respective media access control (MAC) header having a respective indication of a respective amount of data to be transmitted to the first communication device; and the one or more IC devices are further configured to: select the group of second communication devices that are to transmit simultaneously during the TXOP as part of the second uplink multi-user transmission using the respective indications of the respective amounts of data to be transmitted to the first communication device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The first communication device of claim 22, wherein: the respective indication of the respective amount of data to be transmitted to the first communication device is included in a respective quality of service (QoS) field in the respective MAC header.