Wireless LAN communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method and apparatus are provided. The WLAN communication method includes allowing a receiving station to receive a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame, allowing the receiving station to determine whether the MIMO frame is erroneous and whether the MIMO frame is destined for the receiving station, allowing the receiving station to generate a single input single output (SISO) acknowledgement (ACK) frame if the MIMO frame is not erroneous and is destined for the receiving station, and allowing the receiving station to transmit the SISO ACK frame to a sending station that has transmitted the MIMO frame.

1 . A wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method comprising: 
 receiving a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame at a receiving station;    determining at the receiving station whether the MIMO frame is erroneous and whether the MIMO frame is destined for the receiving station;    generating at the receiving station a single input single output (SISO) acknowledgement (ACK) frame if it is determined that the MIMO frame is not erroneous and is destined for the receiving station; and    transmitting the SISO ACK frame from the receiving station to a sending station that has transmitted the MIMO frame.    
   
   
       2 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 1 , wherein the MIMO frame comprises a plurality of physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) preambles, a signal field and a data field, and the signal field follows a first PLCP preamble of the PLCP preambles.  
   
   
       3 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 2 , wherein the data field contains information regarding a length in bytes of part of the MIMO frame following the signal field.  
   
   
       4 . A wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method comprising: 
 generating at a sending station a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame;    transmitting the MIMO frame from the sending station to a receiving station; and    receiving at the sending station a single input single output (SISO) acknowledgement (ACK) frame transmitted by the receiving station in response to the MIMO frame.    
   
   
       5 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 4 , wherein the MIMO frame comprises a plurality of physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) preambles, a signal field, and a data field, and the signal field follows a first PLCP preamble of the PLCP preambles.  
   
   
       6 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 5 , wherein the data field contains information regarding a length in bytes of part of the MIMO frame following the signal field.  
   
   
       7 . A wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method comprising: 
 determining at a sending station whether a media access control (MAC) frame is to be transmitted in a multi input multi output (MIMO) approach or in a single input single output (SISO) approach;    generating at the sending station an MIMO frame based on the MAC frame if the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the MIMO approach, and generating at the sending station an SISO frame based on the MAC frame if the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the SISO approach; and    transmitting from the sending station the MIMO frame in the MIMO approach or SISO frame in the MIMO approach.    
   
   
       8 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 7 , wherein the sending station determines whether the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the MIMO approach or in the SISO approach with reference to a length of the MAC frame.  
   
   
       9 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 7 , wherein the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the SISO approach if the MAC frame is to be broadcasted or multicasted.  
   
   
       10 . The WLAN communication method of  claim 7 , wherein the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the SISO approach if the MAC frame is a management frame or a control frame.  
   
   
       11 . A station comprising: 
 a physical layer which receives a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame transmitted via a wireless medium and obtains a media access control (MAC) frame from the MIMO frame; and    an MAC layer which determines whether the MAC frame is erroneous and whether the MAC frame is destined for the station, generates an acknowledgement (ACK) frame, and provides the ACK frame to the physical layer if the MAC frame is not erroneous and is destined for the station,    wherein the physical layer generates a single input single output (SISO) ACK frame based on the ACK frame provided by the MAC layer, and provides the SISO ACK frame to the wireless medium.    
   
   
       12 . A station comprising: 
 a media access control (MAC) layer which generates an MAC frame and determines how the MAC frame is to be transmitted; and    a physical layer, which generates a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame or a single input single output (SISO) frame based on the MAC frame and how the MAC frame is determined to be transmitted, and transmits the MIMO frame or the SISO frame to a wireless medium.    
   
   
       13 . The station of  claim 12 , wherein the MAC layer determines how the MAC frame is to be transmitted with reference to a length of the MAC frame.  
   
   
       14 . The station of  claim 12 , wherein the MAC layer determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in an SISO approach if the MAC frame is to be broadcasted or multicasted.  
   
   
       15 . The station of  claim 12 , wherein the MAC layer determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in an MIMO approach if the MAC frame is a management frame or a control frame.  
   
   
       16 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing a wireless local area network (LAN) communication method, the WLAN communication method comprising: 
 receiving a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame at a receiving station;    determining at the receiving station whether the MIMO frame is erroneous and whether the MIMO frame is destined for the receiving station;    generating at the receiving station a single input single output (SISO) acknowledgement (ACK) frame if it is determined that the MIMO frame is not erroneous and is destined for the receiving station; and    transmitting the SISO ACK frame from the receiving station to a sending station that has transmitted the MIMO frame.    
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, the WLAN communication method comprising: 
 generating a multi input multi output (MIMO) frame at a sending station;    transmitting the MIMO frame from the sending station to a receiving station; and    receiving at the sending station a single input single output (SISO) acknowledgement (ACK) frame transmitted by the receiving station in response to the MIMO frame.    
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, the WLAN communication method comprising: 
 determining at a sending station whether a media access control (MAC) frame is to be transmitted in a multi input multi output (MIMO) approach or in a single input single output (SISO) approach;    generating at the sending station an MIMO frame based on the MAC frame if the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in the MIMO approach, and generating at the sending station an SISO frame based on the MAC frame if the sending station determines that the MAC frame is to be transmitted in an SISO approach; and    transmitting from the sending station the MIMO frame in the MIMO approach or the SISO frame in the SISO approach.