Methods and apparatus for dynamic bandwidth management in millimeter wave systems

A method for dynamic bandwidth management (DBWM), performed by a first personal basic service set control point (PCP) or a first access point (AP) associated with a first millimeter-wave basic service set (BSS) of a network of neighboring BSSs, the method comprising:

• transmitting control information for the first BSS in a first beacon time interval (BTI) and over a first channel;
• receiving, responsive to transmitting the control information and from a user station (STA) in the first BSS, a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) traffic specification (TSPEC) element requesting an allocation to transmit on a second channel different from the first channel;
• transmitting, responsive to receiving the allocation request, an Extended Schedule element to grant the allocation request;
• receiving, on the first channel and from another PCP or AP, after a time duration substantially equal to a cluster time offset from transmitting the control information, control information for a second BSS of the plurality of BSSs in a second BTI;
• and
• receiving traffic from the STA in a data transfer interval (DTI) on the second channel.

A wireless communication station (STA) for operating in a basic service set (BSS), the STA comprising physical layer (PHY) circuitry to:

• transmit a request, using a first channel, for an allocation to communicate data on a second channel with a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth, the request including a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) traffic specification (TSPEC) element with a value representative of the second bandwidth, wherein
• the first bandwidth is defined in accordance with a standard of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ad family of standards and the second bandwidth is defined in accordance with a standard of the IEEE 802.11aj or later family of standards, and
• the DMG TSPEC element defines a size of the second bandwidth relative to a size of the first bandwidth;
• receive the allocation, responsive to the request, in an Extended Schedule element;
• and
• transmit data on the second channel using the second bandwidth responsive to receiving the allocation.

A system comprising:

• one or more antennas arranged to transmit a request, using a first channel, for an allocation to communicate data on a second channel with a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth, the request including a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) traffic specification (TSPEC) element with a value representative of the second bandwidth,
• receive, in an Extended Schedule element, the allocation of the second bandwidth authorizing transmission, and
• transmit data on the second channel with the second bandwidth responsive to receiving the allocation;
• and
• one or more processors arranged to determine that a legacy STA in a basic service set including the STA and the legacy STA is capable of receiving transmissions on only the first channel and, based on the determination, request, using a coexistence technique, an allocation on a third channel with a third bandwidth different from the first bandwidth, by transmitting a value representative of the third bandwidth in a request to send (RTS) or DMG clear to send (CTS)-to-self frame, the coexistence technique including transmitting the request in the first channel such that the request can be decoded by the legacy STA.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• transmitting control information, for a first BSS of a plurality of neighboring BSSs, in a first beacon time interval (BTI) and over a first channel, the BTI including an indication as to whether STAs in the first BSS are to communicate using only the first channel;
• receiving, responsive to transmitting the control information, an allocation request from a user station (STA) in the first BSS to transmit on a second channel different from the first channel;
• transmitting, responsive to receiving the allocation request, an Extended Schedule element to grant the allocation request;
• receiving, on the first channel and from another PCP or AP, after a time duration substantially equal to a cluster time offset from transmitting the control information, control information for a second BSS of the plurality of BSSs in a second BTI;
• and
• receiving traffic for the first BSS in a data transfer interval (DTI) on the second channel.