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US 8,526,349 B2Granted
Serial clear to send (CTS) to self (CTS2SELF) messaging procedure
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorMathew J. Fischer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of a serial clear to send to self message procedure are presented. Aspects of a system may include a wireless local area network station (STA), which enables transmission of a channel reservation confirmation message, such as a CTS frame, via a reference RF channel, for example, a primary channel. The STA may enable transmission of one or more subsequent channel reservation confirmation messages, for example CTS frames, via a corresponding one or more subsequent RF channels, for example, a secondary channel. The STA may enable transmission of data frames via the reference RF channel and/or at least a portion of the corresponding one or more subsequent RF channels.
Claims20
A method for communicating data, the method comprising:
- transmitting, by an originating wireless station, to a plurality of wireless stations, a first clear to send (CTS) to self message via a first channel and identifying the originating wireless station as a destination of the CTS to self message, the originating wireless station determining a first time interval to reserve the first channel, and the originating wireless station also communicating with an access point as a station to the access point;
- assessing a second channel to determine channel activity on the second channel and when channel activity is detected, to continue to assess the second channel until channel activity is no longer detected or until a predetermined time interval for assessing the second channel has lapsed;
- transmitting, by the originating wireless station, to the plurality of wireless stations, a second CTS to self message subsequent to the first CTS to self message via the second channel, when channel activity on the second channel is not detected within the predetermined time interval, the originating wireless station determining a second time interval to reserve the second channel, in which the second time interval to end substantially at a same time the first time interval of the first channel is to end;
- and
- transmitting, by said originating wireless station, to an intended recipient wireless station of the plurality of wireless stations, data frames via the first and second channels in a period following the first and second CTS to self messages, in which other wireless stations of the plurality of wireless stations refrain from transmitting in response to transmission of the first and second CTS to self messages.
2 more elements
A system for communicating data, the system comprising:
- one or more circuits of an originating wireless station that enable transmission to a plurality of wireless stations, a clear to send (CTS) to self message via a first channel and identifying the originating wireless station as a destination of the CTS to self message, said one or more circuits to determine a first time interval to reserve the first channel, and the originating wireless station also communicating with an access point as a station to the access point;
- said one or more circuits to assess a second channel to determine channel activity on the second channel and when channel activity is detected, to continue to assess the second channel until channel activity is no longer detected or until a predetermined time interval for assessing the second channel has lapsed;
- said one or more circuits to enable transmission of a second CTS to self message subsequent to the first CTS to self message via a second channel, when channel activity on the second channel is not detected within the predetermined time interval, said one or more circuits to determine a second time interval to reserve the second channel, in which the second time interval to end substantially at a same time the first time interval of the first channel is to end;
- and
- said one or more circuits to enable concurrent transmission to an intended recipient wireless station of the plurality of wireless stations, data frames via the first and second channels in a period following the first and second CTS to self messages, in which other wireless stations of the plurality of wireless stations refrain from transmitting in response to transmission of the first and second CTS to self messages.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- one or more circuits that function to place the apparatus as an originating wireless station to enable transmission to a plurality of wireless stations, a clear to send (CTS) to self message via a first channel and identifying the originating wireless station as a destination of the CTS to self message, said one or more circuits to determine a first time interval to reserve the first channel, and the apparatus, as the originating wireless station, also communicating with an access point as a station to the access point;
- said one or more circuits to assess a second channel to determine channel activity on the second channel and when channel activity is detected, to continue to assess the second channel until channel activity is no longer detected or until a predetermined time interval for assessing the second channel has lapsed;
- said one or more circuits to enable transmission of a second CTS to self message subsequent to the first CTS to self message via a second channel, when channel activity on the second channel is not detected within the predetermined time interval, said one or more circuits to determine a second time interval to reserve the second channel, in which the second time interval to end substantially at a same time the first time interval of the first channel is to end;
- and
- said one or more circuits to enable transmission to an intended recipient wireless station of the plurality of wireless stations, data frames via the first and second channels in a period following the first and second CTS to self messages, in which other wireless stations of the plurality of wireless stations refrain from transmitting in response to transmission of the first and second CTS to self messages.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.