Methods and apparatus for reverse link acknowledgement in a wireless local area network (WLAN)

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter configured to:
• transmit an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units, each of the plurality of data units intended for a different one of a plurality of target apparatuses, wherein the transmitter is configured to simultaneously transmit the plurality of data units within the aggregated data unit;
• and
• transmit a first block acknowledgement request message to a first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment message from the first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses after transmitting the first block acknowledgment request message, wherein the first block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the data unit intended for the at least one of the plurality of target apparatuses, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, in response to receiving the first block acknowledgment message, a second block acknowledgment request message to a second apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses.

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• means for transmitting an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units, each of the plurality of data units intended for a different one of a plurality of target apparatuses, wherein the means for transmitting the aggregated data unit comprises means for simultaneously transmitting the plurality of data units;
• means for transmitting a first block acknowledgement request message to a first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses;
• means for receiving a first block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit from the first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses after transmitting the first block acknowledgment request message, wherein the first block acknowledgment message indicates reception of a data unit intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of target apparatuses;
• and
• transmitting, in response to receiving the first block message, a second block acknowledgment request message to a second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses.

A computer readable storage device encoded thereon with instructions that when executed cause an apparatus to perform a method of wireless communication, said method comprising:

• transmitting an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units, each of the plurality of data units intended for a different one of a plurality of apparatuses, wherein transmitting the aggregated data unit comprises transmitting the plurality of data units simultaneously;
• transmitting a first block acknowledgement request message to a first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses;
• receiving a first block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit from the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses after transmitting the first block acknowledgment request message, wherein the first block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the data unit intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses;
• and
• transmitting, in response to receiving the first block message, a second block acknowledgment request message to a second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses.

An access point, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a transmitter coupled to the antenna and configured to:
• transmit an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units, each of the plurality of data units intended for a different one of a plurality of apparatuses, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the plurality of data units simultaneously;
• and
• transmit a first block acknowledgement request message to a first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive the first block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit from the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses after transmitting the first block acknowledgment request message, wherein the first block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the data unit intended for the first apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, in response to receiving the first block acknowledgment message, a second block acknowledgment request message to a second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses to request acknowledgment of a data unit of the plurality of data units intended for the second apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses.

A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first apparatus of a plurality of apparatuses, an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units transmitted to the plurality of apparatuses, each of the plurality of the data units intended for a different one of the plurality of apparatuses, wherein receiving the aggregated data unit comprises simultaneously receiving the plurality of data units;
• receiving a block acknowledgement request message to request acknowledgement of a single data unit, intended for the first apparatus, of the received plurality of data units;
• and
• transmitting a block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit after receiving the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the single data unit intended for the first apparatus.

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to:
• receive an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units transmitted to a plurality of apparatuses, each of the plurality of the data units intended for a different one of the plurality of apparatuses, wherein the receiver is configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of data units;
• receive a block acknowledgement request message to request acknowledgement of a single data unit, intended for the apparatus, of the received plurality of data units;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit a block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit after receiving the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the single data unit intended for the apparatus.

An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units transmitted to a plurality of apparatuses, each of the plurality of the data units intended for a different one of the plurality of apparatuses, wherein the means for receiving the aggregated data unit comprises means for simultaneously receiving the plurality of data units;
• means for receiving a block acknowledgement request message to request acknowledgement of a single data unit, intended for the apparatus, of the received plurality of data units;
• and
• means for transmitting a block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit after receiving the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the single data unit intended for the apparatus.

A computer readable storage device encoded thereon with instructions that when executed cause an apparatus to perform a method of wireless communication, said method comprising:

• receiving, at a first apparatus of a plurality of apparatuses, an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units transmitted to the plurality of apparatuses, each of the plurality of the data units intended for a different one of the plurality of apparatuses, wherein receiving the aggregated data unit comprises receiving the plurality of data units simultaneously;
• receiving a block acknowledgement request message to request acknowledgement of a single data unit, intended for the first apparatus, of the received plurality of data units;
• and
• transmitting a block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit after receiving the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the single data unit intended for the first apparatus.

An access terminal, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a receiver configured to:
• receive an aggregated data unit comprising a plurality of data units transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, each of the plurality of the data units intended for a different one of the plurality of the access terminals, wherein the receiver is configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of data units;
• receive a block acknowledgement request message to request acknowledgement of a single data unit, intended for the access terminal, of the received plurality of data units;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit via the antenna a block acknowledgment message for the aggregated data unit after receiving the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message indicates reception of the single data unit intended for the access terminal.