# US 2017/0288756 A1 · Apparatus, system and method of beamforming

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2017/0288756 A1
- Document ID: US20170288756A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/626,858
- Filed: 2017-06-19
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-10
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Solomon B. Trainin; Carlos Cordeiro; Assaf Kasher
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288756A1

## CPC

- H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming}
- H04B 7/0696: {Determining beam pairs}
- H04W 16/28: using beam steering
- H04B 7/088: {using beam selection}
- H04W 28/06: Optimizing {the usage of the radio link}, e.g. header compression, information sizing {, discarding information (system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365)}
- H04W 28/16: Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
- 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

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, devices, systems and methods of beamforming. For example, a first station may be configured to transmit to a second station a plurality of sector sweep (SSW) frames of a first beamforming transmission of a beamforming procedure, a SSW frame of the first beamforming transmission including a duration value to indicate a time until at least a beginning of a second beamforming transmission subsequent to the first beamforming transmission; and to receive from the second station one or more SSW frames of the second beamforming transmission.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor configured to cause a beamforming initiator to:
transmit a plurality of initiator Sector Sweep (SSW) frames to a beamforming responder during an Initiator Sector Sweep (ISS) of a Sector Level Sweep (SLS) phase, an initiator SSW frame of the plurality of initiator SSW frames comprising a duration field, the duration field comprising a duration value based on a sum of a time until an end of the ISS and a Medium Beamforming Interframe Space (MBIFS); and
receive one or more responder SSW frames from the beamforming responder during a Responder Sector Sweep (RSS) of the SLS phase.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a beginning of the RSS is separated from the end of the ISS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the duration value is equal to the sum of the time until the end of the ISS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 configured to cause the beamforming initiator to set the duration field in the initiator SSW frame based on a sum of the MBIFS and a remaining time until an end of a last initiator SSW frame in the ISS.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 configured to cause the beamforming initiator to access a duration field in a responder SSW frame of the one or more responder SSW frames, the duration field in the responder SSW frame is based on a sum of a remaining time until an end of the RSS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 configured to cause the beamforming initiator to transmit an SSW feedback to the beamforming responder, the SSW feedback separated from the end of the RSS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MBIFS is longer than a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 configured to cause the beamforming initiator to transmit the plurality of initiator SSW frames over a Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) frequency band.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a Medium Access Control (MAC), and a Physical Layer (PHY).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a radio.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising one or more antennas.

### Claim 12

A product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to cause a beamforming initiator to:
transmit a plurality of initiator Sector Sweep (SSW) frames to a beamforming responder during an Initiator Sector Sweep (ISS) of a Sector Level Sweep (SLS) phase, an initiator SSW frame of the plurality of initiator SSW frames comprising a duration field, the duration field comprising a duration value based on a sum of a time until an end of the ISS and a Medium Beamforming Interframe Space (MBIFS); and
receive one or more responder SSW frames from the beamforming responder during a Responder Sector Sweep (RSS) of the SLS phase.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein a beginning of the RSS is separated from the end of the ISS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the duration value is equal to the sum of the time until the end of the ISS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming initiator to set the duration field in the initiator SSW frame based on a sum of the MBIFS and a remaining time until an end of a last initiator SSW frame in the ISS.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming initiator to access a duration field in a responder SSW frame of the one or more responder SSW frames, the duration field in the responder SSW frame is based on a sum of a remaining time until an end of the RSS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming initiator to transmit an SSW feedback to the beamforming responder, the SSW feedback separated from the end of the RSS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the MBIFS is longer than a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The product of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming initiator to transmit the plurality of initiator SSW frames over a Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) frequency band.

### Claim 20

An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor configured to cause a beamforming responder to:
transmit a plurality of responder Sector Sweep (SSW) frames to a beamforming initiator during a Responder Sector Sweep (RSS) of a Sector Level Sweep (SLS) phase, a responder SSW frame of the plurality of responder SSW frames comprising a duration field, the duration field comprising a duration value based on a sum of a time until an end of the RSS and a Medium Beamforming Interframe Space (MBIFS); and
receive an SSW feedback frame from the beamforming initiator after the RSS.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the SSW feedback frame is separated from the end of the RSS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the duration value is equal to the sum of the time until the end of the RSS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 configured to cause the beamforming responder to set the duration field in the responder SSW frame based on a sum of the MBIFS and a remaining time until an end of a last responder SSW frame in the RSS.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 configured to cause the beamforming responder to receive one or more initiator SSW frames from the beamforming initiator during an Initiator Sector Sweep (ISS) of the SLS phase, the RSS is after the ISS.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24 configured to cause the beamforming responder to access a duration field in an initiator SSW frame of the one or more initiator SSW frames, the duration field in the initiator SSW frame is based on a sum of a remaining time until an end of the ISS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the MBIFS is longer than a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 configured to cause the beamforming responder to transmit the plurality of responder SSW frames over a Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) frequency band.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 comprising a Medium Access Control (MAC), and a Physical Layer (PHY).

### Claim 29 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 comprising a radio.

### Claim 30 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 comprising one or more antennas.

### Claim 31

A product comprising one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to cause a beamforming responder to:
transmit a plurality of responder Sector Sweep (SSW) frames to a beamforming initiator during a Responder Sector Sweep (RSS) of a Sector Level Sweep (SLS) phase, a responder SSW frame of the plurality of responder SSW frames comprising a duration field, the duration field comprising a duration value based on a sum of a time until an end of the RSS and a Medium Beamforming Interframe Space (MBIFS); and
receive an SSW feedback frame from the beamforming initiator after the RSS.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the SSW feedback frame is separated from the end of the RSS by the MBIFS.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the duration value is equal to the sum of the time until the end of the RSS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming responder to set the duration field in the responder SSW frame based on a sum of the MBIFS and a remaining time until an end of a last responder SSW frame in the RSS.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming responder to receive one or more initiator SSW frames from the beamforming initiator during an Initiator Sector Sweep (ISS) of the SLS phase, the RSS is after the ISS.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The product of claim 35, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming responder to access a duration field in an initiator SSW frame of the one or more initiator SSW frames, the duration field in the initiator SSW frame is based on a sum of a remaining time until an end of the ISS and the MBIFS.

### Claim 37 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the MBIFS is longer than a Short Interframe Space (SIFS).

### Claim 38 (depends on 31)

The product of claim 31, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beamforming responder to transmit the plurality of responder SSW frames over a Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) frequency band.