Coexistence Unavailability Indication in a Multi-user Transmission Opportunity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025351175-A1
Application number	US-202418961872-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2024
Priority date	May 10, 2024
Publication date	Nov 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for transmitting unavailability information in a wireless local area network. A wireless device establishes first and second wireless connections using a first set of radio resources. The wireless devices receives a multi-user initial control frame (ICF) from a wireless access point over the first wireless connection. Based on receiving the multi-user ICF, the wireless device transmits a control response message to the wireless access point that indicates unavailability information for the wireless device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
by a wireless device: establishing a first wireless connection using a first radio resource; establishing a second wireless connection using the first radio resource; receiving a multi-user initial control frame (ICF) from a wireless access point (AP) over the first wireless connection; and based at least in part on receiving the multi-user ICF, transmitting a control response message to the wireless AP, wherein the control response message indicates unavailability information associated with the wireless device.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the unavailability information indicates a first time period of future unavailability for the wireless device on the first radio resource.

3 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the indication of the first time period of future unavailability comprises one or more of:
a future unavailability start time;
a minimum future unavailability duration; or
a bitmap indicating a link associated with the future unavailability.

4 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the control response message comprises a clear-to-send message, wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting a legacy signal (L-SIG) message comprising a duration field to indicate a transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration,
wherein the control response message and the L-SIG message are both transmitted within a single Physical Layer Convergence Protocol (PLCP) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU).

5 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the multi-user ICF comprises a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS), and wherein the control response message comprises a clear-to-send message.

6 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the multi-user ICF comprises a Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP) message, and wherein the control response message comprises a quality-of-service (QOS) null frame.

7 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the unavailability information is indicated within an A-Control field of a quality-of-service (QOS) null frame, or wherein the unavailability information is indicated by a probe-before-talk (PBT) frame.

8 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the unavailability information is indicated by:
a full probe-before-talk (PBT) control frame; or
a variable length PBT control frame.

9 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the unavailability information is for a single coexistence event associated with a single link.

10 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the unavailability information is included in a block acknowledgment frame.

11 . An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor configured to cause a wireless device to:
establish a first wireless connection using a first radio resource;
establish a second wireless connection using the first radio resource;
receive a multi-user initial control frame (ICF) from a wireless access point (AP) over the first wireless connection; and
based at least in part on receiving the multi-user ICF, transmit a control response message to the wireless AP, wherein the control response message indicates unavailability information associated with the wireless device.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the unavailability information indicates a first time period of future unavailability for the wireless device on the first radio resource, wherein the indication of the first time period of future unavailability comprises one or more of:
a future unavailability start time;
a minimum future unavailability duration; or
a bitmap indicating a link associated with the future unavailability.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the control response message comprises a clear-to-send message, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to:
transmit a legacy signal (L-SIG) message comprising a duration field to indicate a transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration,
wherein the control response message and the L-SIG message are both transmitted within a single Physical Layer Convergence Protocol (PLCP) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU).

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the multi-user ICF comprises a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS), and wherein the control response message comprises a clear-to-send message.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the multi-user ICF comprises a Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP) message, and wherein the control response message comprises a quality-of-service (QOS) null frame.

16 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the unavailability information is indicated within an A-Control field of a quality-of-service (QOS) null frame, or wherein the unavailability information is indicated by a probe-before-talk (PBT) frame, wherein the PBT frame comprises a full PBT control frame or a variable length PBT control frame.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the unavailability information is for a single coexistence event associated with a single link.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the unavailability information is included in a block acknowledgment frame.

19 . A wireless device, comprising:
one or more antennas; a radio operably coupled to the one or more antennas; and a processor operably coupled to the radio; wherein the wireless device is configured to:
establish a first wireless connection using a first radio resource;
establish a second wireless connection using the first radio resource; and
transmit a control message over the first wireless connection, wherein the control message indicates unavailability information associated with the wireless device for the second wireless connection, wherein the unavailability information comprises an unsolicited unavailability announcement.

20 . The wireless device of claim 19 ,
wherein the control message comprises a management frame.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mehrnoush Morteza
• Ajami Abdel Karim
• Lan Zhou
• Wang Qi
• Abouelseoud Mohamed
• Liu Yong
• Batra Anuj

Classifications

• H04W74/0816 Primary

  with collision avoidance · CPC title

• H04W28/0278

  using buffer status reports (dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12) · CPC title

• H04W76/15 Primary

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title

• H04W72/21 Primary

  in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network · CPC title