# US 2021/0243787 A1 · Control and operation in wireless local area network

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- Number: US 2021/0243787 A1
- Document ID: US20210243787A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/239,075
- Filed: 2021-04-23
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-14
- Assignees: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
- Applicants: Interdigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
- Inventors: Oghenekome OTERI; Hanqing LOU; Frank LA SITA; Fengjun XI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243787A1

## CPC

- H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals}
- H04L 1/0006: {by adapting the transmission format}
- H04L 5/0091: {Signalling for the administration of the divided path, e.g. signalling of configuration information}
- H04L 27/2602: {Signal structure}
- H04W 52/24: using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
- H04W 52/245: {taking into account received signal strength}
- H04W 52/365: {Power headroom reporting}
- H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
- H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space}
- H04L 27/2603: {Signal structure ensuring backward compatibility with legacy system}
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for range extension, basic service set (BSS) color labeling, and multi-user (MU) fragmentation and control in WLANs. A range extension notification/enablement scheme, a clear channel assessment (CCA), a headroom indication, and/or power scaling may be provided for a range extension mode. BSS color may be provided for multiple-BSSs under an access point (AP). Uplink (UL) transmission may be provided with different fragmentation capabilities. A high-efficiency (HE) trigger-based UL NDP physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) frame may be provided. A station (STA) may receive a trigger frame comprising a null data packet (NDP) indication and a trigger type. The STA may determine that the STA is an intended recipient of the trigger frame. The STA may prepare an NDP PPDU for a control frame and/or a management frame based on the trigger type.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An access point (AP) comprising:
a transmitter;
a receiver; and
a processor; wherein,
the transmitter and the processor are configured to transmit, to a plurality of stations (STAs), a trigger frame including a trigger type field indicating a type of expected uplink (UL) frames from the plurality of STAs is null data packet (NDP) and a field indicating a Basic Service Set (BSS) Identifier (BSSID); and
the receiver and the processor are configured to receive, from a first STA of the plurality of STAs on a condition that the first STA is an intended recipient of the trigger frame, a first NDP frame carrying short UL feedback information including at least a feedback report, wherein the first STA is an intended recipient of the trigger frame if the BSSID is a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the AP or if the BSSID corresponds to one of a plurality of virtual BSSs associated with the AP and the STA is associated with at least one of the plurality of virtual BSSs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the trigger type field is in a common information field of the trigger frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the trigger type field is in a user-specific information field of the trigger frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the first NDP frame further includes an UL resource request.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The AP of claim 4, wherein the UL resource request is an UL TXOP request.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the first NDP frame is a small control frame or a management frame.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the feedback report is an UL traffic report.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1 wherein the first STA is a high-efficiency (HE) STA.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The AP of claim 1, wherein the AP supports two or more Basic Service Sets (BSSs).

### Claim 10

A method performed by an access point (AP), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a plurality of stations (STAs), a trigger frame including a trigger type field indicating a type of expected uplink (UL) frames from the plurality of STAs is null data packet (NDP) and a field indicating a Basic Service Set (BSS) Identifier (BSSID); and
receiving, from a first STA of the plurality of STAs on a condition that the first STA is an intended recipient of the trigger frame, a first NDP frame carrying short UL feedback information including at least a feedback report, wherein the first STA is an intended recipient of the trigger frame if the BSSID is a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the AP or if the BSSID corresponds to one of a plurality of virtual BSSs associated with the AP and the STA is associated with at least one of the plurality of virtual BSSs.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger type field is in a common information field of the trigger frame.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger type field is in a user-specific information field of the trigger frame.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first NDP frame further includes an UL resource request.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the UL resource request is an UL TXOP request.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first NDP frame is a small control frame or a management frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the feedback report is an UL traffic report.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first STA is configured as a high-efficiency (HE) STA.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the AP supports two or more Basic Service Sets (BSSs).