US 12,726,972 B2Granted

Multi-user parallel channel access in WLAN systems

AssigneeInterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.

InventorsXiaofei Wang, Hanqing Lou, Monisha Ghosh, Nirav B. Shah, Guodong Zhang, Ronald G. Murias

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Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are related to multi-user parallel channel access (MU-PCA). For example, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is provided that is one of the plurality of WTRUs operable to simultaneously communicate via a plurality of channels managed by an access point (AP). The WTRU includes a receiver configured to receive, from the AP, over at least one channel of the plurality of channels, a group poll (G-Poll) message that includes a resource allocation that indicates at least one allocated channel of the plurality of channels for the WTRU; and a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink request message, to the AP in response to the G-Poll message, over the at least one allocated channel of the plurality of channels, the uplink request message corresponding to uplink data the WTRU has for transmission to the AP.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wireless station (STA) comprising:

a transceiver;
and
a processor,
wherein the transceiver and the processor are configured to:
receive, from an access point (AP), a group request to send a (G-RTS) control frame configured for a group of STAs and to reserve at least one channel, wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured to be received using a broadcast address, the G-RTS control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as a control frame, wherein the G-RTS control frame includes first respective association identifiers (AIDs) for a plurality of STAs identified to transmit a clear-to-send (CTS) message, wherein the G-RTS control frame indicates at least one channel on which the CTS message is to be transmitted, and wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured, at least in part, to initiate a channel reservation for a downlink (DL) data transmission and an acknowledgment (ACK);
identify, in the G-RTS control frame, an AID of the STA from the AIDs corresponding to the STA and the at least one channel indicated for transmission of the CTS message;
transmit, to the AP, the CTS message using the indicated at least one channel, wherein the CTS message is configured to be transmitted at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the G-RTS control frame;
receive, from the AP in response to the CTS message, the DL data transmission;
transmit, to the AP, the ACK in response to the DL data transmission;
receive, from the AP, a control frame configured to trigger uplink data transmissions, wherein the control frame comprises a broadcast address and is configured to be received using the broadcast address, the control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as the control frame, wherein the control frame includes respective assigned channel resource allocations and second AIDs for a plurality of STAs to perform uplink (UL) data transmissions, wherein the received control frame is configured to solicit simultaneous transmission of UL data from at least one other STA of the plurality of STAs during a period of time;
identify, in the control frame, an AID of the STA from the AIDs and a resource allocation from the assigned channel resource allocations corresponding to the AID, wherein the resource allocation indicates at least one channel;
transmit, to the AP, an UL data transmission over the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation, the UL data transmission being transmitted at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the control frame;
and
receive, from the AP, an acknowledgement (ACK) in response to the UL data transmission,
wherein the control frame comprises a duration field that defines a period to reserve the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation to allow the UL data transmission to be transmitted and the ACK to be received.

12 more elements

A method performed by a wireless station (STA), the method comprising:

receiving, from an access point (AP), a group request to send a (G-RTS) control frame configured for a group of STAs and to reserve at least one channel, wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured to be received using a broadcast address, the G-RTS control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as a control frame, wherein the G-RTS control frame includes first respective association identifiers (AIDs) for a plurality of STAs identified to transmit a clear-to-send (CTS) message, wherein the G-RTS control frame indicates at least one channel on which the CTS message is to be transmitted, and wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured, at least in part, to initiate a channel reservation for a downlink (DL) data transmission and an acknowledgment (ACK);
identifying, in the G-RTS control frame, an AID of the STA from the AIDs corresponding to the STA and the at least one channel indicated for transmission of the CTS message;
transmitting, to the AP, the CTS message using the indicated at least one channel, wherein the CTS message is configured to be transmitted at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the G-RTS control frame;
receiving, from the AP in response to the CTS message, the downlink (DL) data transmission;
transmitting, to the AP, the ACK in response to the DL data transmission;
receiving, from the AP, a control frame configured to trigger uplink data transmissions, wherein the control frame comprises a broadcast address and is configured to be received using the broadcast address, the control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as the control frame, wherein the control frame includes respective assigned channel resource allocations and second AIDs for a plurality of STAs to perform uplink (UL) data transmissions, wherein the received control frame is configured to solicit simultaneous transmission of UL data from at least one other STA of the plurality of STAs during a period of time;
identifying, in the control frame, an AID of the STA from the AIDs and a resource allocation from the assigned channel resource allocations corresponding to the AID, wherein the resource allocation indicates at least one channel;
transmitting, to the AP, an UL data transmission over the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation, the UL data transmission being transmitted at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the control frame;
and
receiving, from the AP, an acknowledgement (ACK) in response to the UL data transmission,
wherein the control frame comprises a duration field that defines a period to reserve the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation to allow the UL data transmission to be transmitted and the ACK to be received.

8 more elements

An access point (AP) comprising:

a transceiver;
and
a processor,
wherein the transceiver and the processor are configured to:
transmit, to a (STA), a group request to send a (G-RTS) control frame configured for a group of STAs and to reserve at least one channel, wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured to be received by the STA using a broadcast address, the G-RTS control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as a control frame, wherein the G-RTS control frame includes first respective association identifiers (AIDs) for a plurality of STAs identified to transmit a clear-to-send (CTS) message, wherein the G-RTS control frame indicates at least one channel on which the CTS message is to be transmitted by the STA, and wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured, at least in part, to initiate a channel reservation for a downlink (DL) data transmission and an acknowledgment (ACK);
receive, from the STA, the CTS message using the indicated at least one channel, wherein the CTS message is configured to be sent by the STA at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the G-RTS control frame at the STA;
transmit, to the STA in response to the CTS message, the DL data transmission;
receive, from the STA, the ACK in response to the DL data transmission;
transmit, to the STA, a control frame configured to trigger uplink data transmissions, wherein the control frame comprises a broadcast address and is configured to be received by the STA using the broadcast address, the control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as the control frame, wherein the control frame includes respective assigned channel resource allocations and second AIDs for a plurality of STAs to perform uplink (UL) data transmissions, wherein the transmitted control frame is configured to solicit simultaneous transmission of UL data from at least one other STA of the plurality of STAs during a period of time;
receive, from the STA, an UL data transmission over the at least one channel indicated in a resource allocation, the UL data transmission configured to an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following the control frame;
and
transmit, to the STA, an acknowledgement (ACK) in response to the UL data transmission,
wherein the control frame comprises a duration field that defines a period to reserve the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation to allow the UL data transmission to be received and the ACK to be transmitted.

10 more elements

A method performed by an access point (AP), the method comprising:

transmitting, to a (STA), a group request to send a (G-RTS) control frame configured for a group of STAs and to reserve at least one channel, wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured to be received by the STA using a broadcast address, the G-RTS control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as a control frame, wherein the G-RTS control frame includes first respective association identifiers (AIDs) for a plurality of STAs identified to transmit a clear-to-send (CTS) message, wherein the G-RTS control frame indicates at least one channel on which the CTS message is to be transmitted by the STA, and wherein the G-RTS control frame is configured, at least in part, to initiate a channel reservation for a downlink (DL) data transmission and an acknowledgment (ACK);
receiving, from the STA, the CTS message using the indicated at least one channel, wherein the CTS message is configured to be sent by the STA at an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following receipt of the G-RTS control frame at the STA;
transmitting, to the STA in response to the CTS message, the DL data transmission;
receiving, from the STA, the ACK in response to the DL data transmission;
transmitting, to the STA, a control frame configured to trigger uplink data transmissions, wherein the control frame comprises a broadcast address and is configured to be received by the STA using the broadcast address, the control frame comprising a type field for indicating a frame type as the control frame, wherein the control frame includes respective assigned channel resource allocations and second AIDs for a plurality of STAs to perform uplink (UL) data transmissions, wherein the transmitted control frame is configured to solicit simultaneous transmission of UL data from at least one other STA of the plurality of STAs during a period of time;
receiving, from the STA, an UL data transmission over the at least one channel indicated in a resource allocation, the UL data transmission configured to an end of a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) following the control frame;
and
transmitting, to the STA, an acknowledgement (ACK) in response to the UL data transmission,
wherein the control frame comprises a duration field that defines a period to reserve the at least one channel indicated in the resource allocation to allow the UL data transmission to be received and the ACK to be transmitted.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/286,806Filed 31 Jul 2025 · continuation
Priority: 1 Mar 2012
Published: US 2026/0075604 A112 Mar 2026
Granted: 1 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

H04W 72/121
Wireless traffic scheduling: for groups of terminals or users
H04L 1/0025
Characterised by the signalling: transmission of mode-switching indication
H04L 1/1664
Details of the supervisory signal: the supervisory signal being transmitted together with payload signals; piggybacking
H04L 1/1685
Details of the supervisory signal: the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal

Family

Application61/605,538Us provisional application · filed 1 Mar 2012
Application61/669,505Us provisional application · filed 9 Jul 2012
Application61/684,051Us provisional application · filed 16 Aug 2012
Application13/781,909Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Mar 2013
Application15/097,048Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Apr 2016
US 9,338,789 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 10 May 2016
Application15/581,261Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Apr 2017
US 9,681,462 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Jun 2017
Application15/826,818Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Nov 2017
US 9,860,908 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jan 2018
Application16/298,712Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Mar 2019
US 10,231,251 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Mar 2019
Application16/747,254Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Jan 2020
US 10,542,555 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Jan 2020
Application17/978,250Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Nov 2022
US 11,528,723 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Dec 2022
Application18/453,813Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Aug 2023
US 11,770,819 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Sep 2023
US 2026/0075604 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Mar 2026
US 12,543,164 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2013/0229996 A1Published application
US 2016/0227569 A1Published application
US 2017/0231009 A1Published application
US 2018/0084566 A1Published application
US 2019/0261385 A1Published application
US 2020/0163099 A1Published application
US 2023/0069602 A1Published application
US 2023/0397186 A1Published application
US 12,726,972 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.