Method and apparatus for unsolicited block acknowledgements

A wireless communication device for utilizing block acknowledgements with a second wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

• a controller interconnected with a memory and a radio, the controller configured to:
• during a process to associate with a basic service set that includes the second wireless communication device, transmit, using the radio:
• a frame for associating the wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device,
• the frame including:
• an indication that the wireless communication device supports block acknowledgements;
• at least one common block acknowledgement parameter defining the block acknowledgements;
• and one or more of:
• a probe request frame a probe response frame, an association request frame, and an association response frame;
• the frame transmitted without an Add Block Acknowledgement (ADDBA) request, and without an ADDBA response;
• the frame indicating that the first wireless communication device is ready to respond to payload data frames using the block acknowledgements without further negotiation and without negotiating block acknowledgment agreements during association with the basic service set;
• and
• the frame further indicating:
• that use of the block acknowledgements cannot be deleted with delete block acknowledgments (DELBAs);
• and the use of the block acknowledgements is established for a lifetime of an association between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device;
• and thereafter,
• exchange data with the second wireless communication device according to the at least one common block acknowledgement parameter defining the block acknowledgements.