# US 2014/0192742 A1 · Access point and method for communicating with stations in accordance with a multiple-access technique > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192742 A1 - Document ID: US20140192742A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/179,038 - Filed: 2014-02-12 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-28 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Michelle Gong; Robert Stacey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192742A1 ## CPC - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - 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 1/1671: {the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information} - 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 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W 74/06: using polling - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract According to various embodiments, a computer-implemented method is disclosed that allows an AP to efficiently poll various information from STAs belonging to a SDMA group. Each STA may transmit uplink frames using uplink SDMA mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -18. (canceled) ### Claim 19 An access point comprising physical layer (PHY) and medium-access control (MAC) layer circuitry configured to: contend for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for a control period; transmit a control transmission at the beginning of the control period, the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and communicate with identified stations in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a non-contention based multiple-access technique, and wherein the assess point is configured to communicate with stations outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the control transmission includes timing information for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the control transmission indicates channel resources for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technique. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a space-division multiple access (SDMA) technique. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The access point of claim 24 wherein during the control period, the access point is arranged to receive transmissions on non-orthogonal channel resources from at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with an uplink SDMA technique. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The access point of claim 24 wherein during the control period, the access point is arranged to transmit transmissions on non-orthogonal channel resources to at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with a downlink SDMA technique. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The access point of claim 19 wherein the MAC layer circuitry is configured to contend for the wireless medium during a contention period, and wherein the control period is a transmission opportunity (TXOP). ### Claim 28 A communication station (STA) comprising physical layer (PHY) and medium-access control (MAC) layer circuitry configured to: receive, from an access point, a control transmission indicating a beginning of the control period, the control period comprising a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and when the STA is identified in the control transmission, the STA is arranged to communicate with the access point in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period, wherein during the control period, one or more other stations identified in the control transmission communicate with the access point in accordance with the non-contention based multiple-access technique. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The STA of claim 28 wherein the STA is configured to communicate with the access point outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The STA of claim 28 wherein the control transmission includes timing information for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The STA of claim 28 wherein the control transmission indicates channel resources for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The STA of claim 28 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technique. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The STA of claim 28 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a space-division multiple access (SDMA) technique. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The STA of claim 33 wherein during the control period, the STA is arranged to transmit uplink transmission on non-orthogonal channel resources concurrently with uplink transmissions from at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with an uplink SDMA technique. ### Claim 35 A method performed by an access point comprising: contending for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for a control period; transmitting a control transmission at the beginning of the control period, the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and communicating with identified stations in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a non-contention based multiple-access technique, and wherein the assess point is configured to communicate with stations outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the control transmission includes timing information for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the control transmission indicates channel resources for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technique. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a space-division multiple access (SDMA) technique. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein during the control period, the access point is arranged to receive transmissions on non-orthogonal channel resources from at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with an uplink SDMA technique. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein during the control period, the access point is arranged to transmit transmissions on non-orthogonal channel resources to at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with a downlink SDMA technique. ### Claim 43 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the MAC layer circuitry is configured to contend for the wireless medium during a contention period, and wherein the control period is a transmission opportunity (TXOP). ### Claim 44 A method performed by a communication station (STA) comprising physical layer (PHY) and medium-access control (MAC) layer circuitry configured to: receive, from an access point, a control transmission indicating a beginning of the control period, the control period comprising a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and when the STA is identified in the control transmission, the method includes communicating with the access point in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period, wherein during the control period, one or more other stations identified in the control transmission communicate with the access point in accordance with the non-contention based multiple-access technique. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 wherein the STA is configured to communicate with the access point outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 wherein the control transmission includes timing information for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 47 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 wherein the control transmission indicates channel resources for the indicated stations to communicate with the access point during control period in accordance with the multiple-access technique. ### Claim 48 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technique. ### Claim 49 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a space-division multiple access (SDMA) technique. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49 wherein during the control period, the STA is arranged to transmit uplink transmission on non-orthogonal channel resources concurrently with uplink transmissions from at least some of the indicated stations in accordance with an uplink SDMA technique. ### Claim 51 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an access point to perform operations comprising: contending for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for a control period; transmitting a control transmission at the beginning of the control period, the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and communicating with identified stations in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the multiple-access technique used during the control period is a non-contention based multiple-access technique, and wherein the assess point is configured to communicate with stations outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 53 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a communication station (STA) to perform operations comprising: receive, from an access point, a control transmission indicating a beginning of the control period, the control period comprising a transmission opportunity (TXOP), the control transmission to identify at least two stations; and when the STA is identified in the control transmission, the method includes communicating with the access point in accordance with a non-contention based multiple-access technique during the control period, wherein during the control period, one or more other stations identified in the control transmission communicate with the access point in accordance with the non-contention based multiple-access technique. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53 wherein the STA is configured to communicate with the access point outside the control period with a contention-based communication technique. ### Claim 55 An access point comprising physical layer (PHY) and medium-access control (MAC) layer circuitry configured to: transmit a control transmission identifying a control period and identifying at least two stations; receive uplink transmissions through two or more antennas from the identified stations on non-orthogonal channel resources in accordance with an uplink space-division multiple access (UL-SDMA) technique during the control period; and processing circuitry to separate the uplink transmissions received from each identified station. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The access point of claim 55 wherein prior to transmitting the control transmission, the access point is arranged to contend for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for the control period, the control period being a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein at least some of the uplink transmission that are transmitted by an identified station are transmitted using a single antenna. ### Claim 57 (depends on 55) The access point of claim 55 wherein the control transmission is a group polling frame indicating a time for uplink transmissions by the indicated stations. ### Claim 58 (depends on 55) The access point of claim 55 wherein the access point is further configured to transmit acknowledgement frames to acknowledge receipt of the uplink transmissions, wherein the acknowledge frame are transmitted in accordance with a downlink SDMA technique. ### Claim 59 (depends on 55) The access point of claim 55 wherein the control transmission is a group polling frame that indicates an order for the identified stations of a group are to respond with response frames, wherein the access point is further arranged to assign a remaining duration of a TXOP to the indicated stations for the uplink transmissions by transmitting a CF-Poll frame. ### Claim 60 (depends on 59) The access point of claim 59 wherein the response frames include an indication of buffered traffic for uplink transmission, the indication including at least one of a TXOP duration request and queue size, and wherein the access point is further configured to include the station within an indicated group of stations based on the indication of buffered traffic by transmitting the CF-Poll frame. ### Claim 61 A method performed by an access point, the method comprising: transmitting a control transmission identifying a control period and identifying at least two stations; receiving uplink transmissions through two or more antennas from the identified stations on non-orthogonal channel resources in accordance with an uplink space-division multiple access (UL-SDMA) technique during the control period; and processing to separate the uplink transmissions received from each identified station. ### Claim 62 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61 wherein prior to transmitting the control transmission, the method includes contending for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for the control period, the control period being a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein at least some of the uplink transmission that are transmitted by an identified station are transmitted using a single antenna. ### Claim 63 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61 wherein the control transmission is a group polling frame indicating a time for uplink transmissions by the indicated stations. ### Claim 64 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61 further comprising transmitting acknowledgement frames to acknowledge receipt of the uplink transmissions, wherein the acknowledge frame are transmitted in accordance with a downlink SDMA technique. ### Claim 65 (depends on 61) The method of claim 61 wherein the control transmission is a group polling frame that indicates an order for the identified stations of a group are to respond with response frames, wherein the method further comprises assigning a remaining duration of a TXOP to the indicated stations for the uplink transmissions by transmitting a CF-Poll frame. ### Claim 66 (depends on 65) The method of claim 65 wherein the response frames include an indication of buffered traffic for uplink transmission, the indication including at least one of a TXOP duration request and queue size, and wherein the method further comprises including the station within an indicated group of stations based on the indication of buffered traffic by transmitting the CF-Poll frame. ### Claim 67 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an access point to configure the access point to perform operations comprising: transmitting a control transmission identifying a control period and identifying at least two stations; receiving uplink transmissions through two or more antennas from the identified stations on non-orthogonal channel resources in accordance with an uplink space-division multiple access (UL-SDMA) technique during the control period; and processing to separate the uplink transmissions received from each identified station. ### Claim 68 (depends on 67) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 67 wherein prior to transmitting the control transmission, the access point is configured to contend for a wireless medium to receive exclusive control of the medium for the control period, the control period being a transmission opportunity (TXOP), and wherein at least some of the uplink transmission that are transmitted by an identified station are transmitted using a single antenna.