Communication device and communication method

A communication method for a Responder, the communication method comprising:

• receiving a feedback request frame from an Initiator after a transmission sector sweep (TXSS) is performed, the feedback request frame including a Beamforming (BF) Training Type field in which a value indicating one of single input single output (SISO) BF training, single user MIMO (SU-MIMO) BF training, multi user MIMO (MU-MIMO) BF training, or a reserved value is set, wherein the Responder is capable of receiving a value indicating the SISO BF training, a value indicating the SU-MIMO BF training, a value indicating the multi user MIMO (MU-MIMO) BF training and a value indicating the reserved value;
• measuring Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of sectors used for reception in the TXSS;
• transmitting a feedback frame to the Initiator, the feedback frame including a Sector ID Order subfield and an SNR subfield, wherein the Sector ID Order subfield indicates a plurality of sector IDs and a plurality of antennas corresponding to at least a portion of sectors used for reception in the TXSS, and wherein the SNR subfield indicates SNRs of the sectors;
• and
• performing BF training of a type indicated by the BF Training Type field, based on the Sector ID Order subfield and the SNR subfield.

An integrated circuit for a Responder, the integrated circuit comprising:

• at least one input which, in operation, receives an input;
• and
• control circuitry coupled to the at least one input, the control circuitry which, in operation, controls:
• receiving a feedback request frame from an Initiator after a transmission sector sweep (TXSS) is performed, the feedback request frame including a Beamforming (BF) Training Type field in which a value indicating one of single input single output (SISO) BF training, single user MIMO (SU-MIMO) BF training, multi user MIMO (MU-MIMO) BF training, or a reserved value is set, wherein the Responder is capable of receiving a value indicating the SISO BF training, a value indicating the SU-MIMO BF training, a value indicating the multi user MIMO (MU-MIMO) BF training and a value indicating the reserved value;
• measuring Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of sectors used for reception in the TXSS;
• transmitting a feedback frame to the Initiator, the feedback frame including a Sector ID Order subfield and an SNR subfield, wherein the Sector ID Order subfield indicates a plurality of sector IDs and a plurality of antennas corresponding to at least a portion of the sectors used for reception in the TXSS, and wherein the SNR subfield indicates SNRs on the sectors;
• and
• performing BF training of a type indicated by the BF Training Type field, based on the Sector ID Order subfield and the SNR subfield.