# US 2020/0288496 A1 · Specifying a Transmission-Time Limit for Uplink Multi-User Communication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0288496 A1 - Document ID: US20200288496A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/804,169 - Filed: 2020-02-28 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-05 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Guoqing Li; Vijay Kumar Ramamurthi; Yaranama Venkata Ramana Dass; Ding Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288496A1 ## CPC - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04B 7/0452: Multi-user MIMO systems - H04L 5/0007: {the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT} - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04L 5/0037: {Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation} - H04W 72/1268: of uplink data flows - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract An electronic device that selectively provides a trigger frame is described. During operation, the electronic device may receive a frame from a recipient electronic device, where the frame includes information that specifies a maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration of the recipient electronic device. Moreover, the electronic device may selectively provide the trigger frame to the recipient electronic device that specifies an uplink OFDMA frame or an uplink MIMO frame associated with the recipient electronic device. The trigger frame may be selectively provided when a transmit time corresponding to the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame is less than or equal to the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: a node configured to communicatively couple to an antenna; and an interface circuit, communicatively coupled to the node, configured to communicate with a recipient electronic device, wherein the interface circuit is configured to: receive, at the node, a frame associated with the recipient electronic device, wherein the frame comprises information that specifies a maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration of the recipient electronic device; and selectively provide, to the node, a trigger frame intended for the recipient electronic device that specifies an uplink orthogonal division multiple access (OFDMA) frame or an uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frame associated with the recipient electronic device, wherein the trigger frame is selectively provided when a transmit time corresponding to the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame is less than or equal to the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, in response to the trigger frame, the interface circuit is configured to receive, at the node, the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame associated with the recipient electronic device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration comprises a notification that constrains scheduling of the recipient electronic device by the electronic device for uplink OFDMA communication or uplink MIMO communication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, prior to receiving the frame, the interface circuit is configured to provide, to the node, a request intended for the recipient device for the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration is negotiated between the electronic device and the recipient electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration comprises a suggestion from the recipient electronic device for the electronic device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a media access control (MAC) header that comprises the information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the information is included in a control identifier or a command and status (CAS) control. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a management frame with an action type associated with the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 10 A recipient electronic device, comprising: a node configured to communicatively couple to an antenna; and an interface circuit, communicatively coupled to the node, configured to communicate with an electronic device, wherein the interface circuit is configured to: provide, to the node, a frame, intended for the electronic device, wherein the frame comprises information that specifies a maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration of the recipient electronic device; and selectively receive, at the node, a trigger frame associated with the electronic device that specifies an uplink orthogonal division multiple access (OFDMA) frame or an uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frame associated with the recipient electronic device, wherein the trigger frame is selectively received when a transmit time corresponding to the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame is less than or equal to the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein, in response to the trigger frame, the interface circuit is configured to provide, to the node, the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame intended for the electronic device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration comprises a notification that constrains scheduling of the recipient electronic device for uplink OFDMA communication or uplink MIMO communication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein, prior to providing the frame, the interface circuit is configured to receive, at the node, a request associated with the electronic device for the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The recipient electronic device of claim 13, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration is negotiated between the electronic device and the recipient electronic device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration comprises a suggestion from the recipient electronic device for the electronic device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein the frame comprises a media access control (MAC) header that comprises the information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The recipient electronic device of claim 16, wherein the information is included in a control identifier or a command and status (CAS) control. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The recipient electronic device of claim 10, wherein the frame comprises a management frame with an action type associated with the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 19 A method for selectively receiving a trigger frame, comprising: by a recipient electronic device: providing a frame, intended for an electronic device, wherein the frame comprises information that specifies a maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration of the recipient electronic device; and selectively receiving the trigger frame associated with the electronic device that specifies an uplink orthogonal division multiple access (OFDMA) frame or an uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frame associated with the recipient electronic device, wherein the trigger frame is selectively received when a transmit time corresponding to the uplink OFDMA frame or the uplink MIMO frame is less than or equal to the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the frame indicates that the maximum uplink multi-user transmit duration comprises a notification that constrains scheduling of the recipient electronic device for uplink OFDMA communication or uplink MIMO communication.