Controlling uplink transmissions in communication systems with scheduled trigger frames

A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor of a station to at least:

• access a response frame received in response to a control frame transmitted to an access point of a communication system for uplink resource allocation, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• control a receiver of the station to receive the trigger frame at the start time indicated in the response frame by activating the receiver at the start time indicated in the response frame to receive the trigger frame;
• select an uplink resource specified in the trigger frame;
• and
• transmit uplink data using the selected uplink resource, wherein the station is associated with a first association identifier (AID) assigned by the access point to the station, and to select the uplink resource, the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
• select a first uplink resource specified in the trigger frame as being associated with the first AID when the trigger frame includes the first AID;
• and
• select a second uplink resource from among a group of uplink resources specified in the trigger frame as being associated with a second AID when the trigger frame does not include the first AID.

A station comprising:

• a decoder to access a response frame received in response to a control frame transmitted to an access point of a communication system for uplink resource allocation, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• a receiver to receive the response frame;
• and
• a controller to control the receiver to receive the trigger frame at the start time indicated in the response frame, wherein the controller is further to activate the receiver at the start time indicated in the response frame to receive the trigger frame, and further including:
• an uplink processor to select an uplink resource specified in the trigger frame;
• and
• a transmitter to transmit uplink data using the selected uplink resource, wherein the station is associated with a first association identifier (AID) assigned by the access point to the station, and the uplink processor is further to:
• select a first uplink resource specified in the trigger frame as being associated with the first AID when the trigger frame includes the first AID;
• and
• select a second uplink resource from among a group of uplink resources specified in the trigger frame as being associated with a second AID when the trigger frame does not include the first AID.

An access point comprising:

• a transmitter;
• a response frame generator to generate a response frame for transmission by the transmitter to a station in response to a control frame for uplink resource allocation received from the station, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• and
• a trigger frame generator to generate the trigger frame for transmission by the transmitter at the start time indicated in the response frame, wherein the station is a first station, the control frame is a first control frame, the response frame is a multi-user block acknowledgment (MU-BA) frame responsive to the first control frame and a second control frame received by the access point from a second station during receipt of the first control frame from the first station, and the MU-BA frame provides the start time for the trigger frame to the first station and the second station.

An access point comprising:

• a transmitter;
• a response frame generator to generate a response frame for transmission by the transmitter to a station in response to a control frame for uplink resource allocation received from the station, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• and
• a trigger frame generator to generate the trigger frame for transmission by the transmitter at the start time indicated in the response frame, wherein the station is a first station, the control frame is a first control frame, the response frame is a multi-user block acknowledgment (MU-BA) frame responsive to the first control frame and a second control frame received by the access point from a second station during receipt of the first control frame from the first station, the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the start time is a first start time different from a second start time for a second trigger frame, the MU-BA frame provides the first start time for the first trigger frame to the first station to the first trigger frame, and the MU-BA frame provides the second start time for the second trigger frame to the second station.

A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor of a station to at least:

• access a response frame received in response to a control frame transmitted to an access point of a communication system for uplink resource allocation, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• and
• control a receiver of the station to receive the trigger frame at the start time indicated in the response frame, wherein the station is a first station, the control frame is a first control frame, the response frame is a multi-user block acknowledgment (MU-BA) frame responsive to the first control frame and a second control frame received by the access point from a second station during receipt of the first control frame from the first station, and at least one of:
• the MU-BA frame provides the start time for the trigger frame to the first station and the second station;
• or
• the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the start time is a first start time different from a second start time for a second trigger frame, the MU-BA frame provides the first start time for the first trigger frame to the first station, and the MU-BA frame provides the second start time for the second trigger frame to the second station.

A station comprising:

• a decoder to access a response frame received in response to a control frame transmitted to an access point of a communication system for uplink resource allocation, the response frame indicating a start time for a trigger frame to be transmitted by the access point to trigger the station to transmit an uplink transmission;
• a receiver to receive the response frame;
• and
• a controller to control the receiver to receive the trigger frame at the start time indicated in the response frame, wherein the station is a first station, the control frame is a first control frame, the response frame is a multi-user block acknowledgment (MU-BA) frame responsive to the first control frame and a second control frame received by the access point from a second station during receipt of the first control frame from the first station, and at least one of:
• the MU-BA frame provides the start time for the trigger frame to the first station and the second station;
• or
• the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the start time is a first start time different from a second start time for a second trigger frame, the MU-BA frame provides the first start time for the first trigger frame to the first station, and the MU-BA frame provides the second start time for the second trigger frame to the second station.