Subchannel relocation for fixed-bandwidth devices

An apparatus for a high-efficiency (HE) access point (AP) for operation in a wireless network for which channels are defined to include a primary subchannel and a plurality of secondary subchannels, the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and processing circuitry configured to:
• conduct wireless communication with a client station (STA) on a first subchannel having a subchannel bandwidth that is a fractional portion of a default channel bandwidth defined for the wireless network;
• decode a received subchannel change request message sent by the STA on the first subchannel, the subchannel change request message indicating a second subchannel for the AP to use for communication with the STA, wherein the second subchannel is a secondary subchannel;
• in response to the subchannel change request message, encode a subchannel change response message for transmission to the STA;
• and
• initiate relocation of communication with the STA to the second subchannel.

At least one machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a high-efficiency (HE) access point (AP) for operation in a wireless network for which channels are defined to include a primary subchannel and a plurality of secondary subchannels, cause the AP to:

• establish wireless connectivity with a HE client station (STA) on a first subchannel having a subchannel bandwidth that is a fractional portion of a default channel bandwidth defined for the wireless network;
• determine a set of at least one candidate subchannel to which communications with the STA are to be relocated;
• encode a subchannel change request message for transmission to the STA, the subchannel change request message indicating the at least one candidate secondary subchannel for the STA to use for communication with the AP;
• decode a received subchannel change response message sent by the STA, the subchannel response message confirming relocation of the communications to a new secondary subchannel from among the at least one candidate secondary subchannel;
• and
• initiate relocation of communication with the STA to the new secondary subchannel.

At least one machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a high-efficiency (HE) station (STA) for operation in a wireless network for which channels are defined to include a primary subchannel and a plurality of secondary subchannels, cause the STA to:

• initiate wireless connectivity with a HEW access point (AP) on a first subchannel having a subchannel bandwidth that is a fractional portion of a default channel bandwidth defined for the wireless network;
• determine a set of at least one candidate subchannel to which communications with the STA are to be relocated;
• encode a subchannel change request message for transmission to the AP, the subchannel change request message indicating the at least one candidate secondary subchannel for the AP to use for communication with the STA;
• decode a received subchannel change response message sent by the AP, the subchannel response message scheduling relocation of the communications to a new secondary subchannel from among the at least one candidate secondary subchannel;
• and
• initiate relocation of communication with the AP to the new secondary subchannel.