Block acknowledgement request apparatus, systems, and methods

Abstract

Embodiments of block acknowledgements request apparatus, systems, and methods are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. An originator operating in a frame-aggregating mode sends a multiple-frame data block to a receiver. The block may include a header for each frame. The header may have an indicator set to indicate a block acknowledgement request. When the multiple-frame block is received with the header of each frame indicating a block acknowledgement request, the receiver may respond with a block acknowledgement for the entire block of frames, without waiting for a separate block acknowledgement request to be sent by the originator following the multiple-frame block.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving by a receiver in a wireless network a data block with a media access control header;    soliciting by a flag in the media access control header a block acknowledgement; and    responsive to the soliciting, sending by the receiver the block acknowledgement to an originator.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further including transmitting by a transmitter the data block with the media access control header.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein responsive to receiving the data block, there is further included sending by the receiver the block acknowledgement identifying any frames not properly received.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein receiving comprises receiving one or more frames in the data block in a single transmission, each frame including the media access control header.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , the soliciting the block acknowledgement includes soliciting the block acknowledgement in a control field of each of one or more media access control headers corresponding to the one or more of frames.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , further including determining by the receiver whether the single transmission is received.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising determining whether the flag for the one or more media access control headers is set to solicit a block acknowledgement, if the data block is received in a single transmission.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising sending the block acknowledgement by the receiver to the originator if the flag to solicit a block acknowledgement is set for any of a correctly received one or more media access control headers.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising inhibiting the receiver from sending the block acknowledgement, if the flag to solicit the block acknowledgement is not set for any of the correctly received one or more media access control headers.  
     
     
         10 . A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: 
 receiving a single transmission including a plurality of data frames from an originator by a receiver via at least one wireless network; and    sending a block acknowledgement by the receiver to the originator responsive to a receipt of the plurality of data frames and responsive to a solicitation for block acknowledgement in a header of at least one of the plurality of data frames.    
     
     
         11 . The machine-readable medium as claimed in  claim 10 , further including setting a flag in a control field of each of a plurality of frames to solicit the block acknowledgement.  
     
     
         12 . The machine-readable medium as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the instructions when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine by the receiver whether the plurality of data frames is received.  
     
     
         13 . The machine-readable medium as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine whether the flag to solicit block acknowledgement is set if the plurality of data frames is received.  
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable medium as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the instructions when executed, cause the one or more processors to send a single block acknowledgement for the data frames received if the flag is set to solicit block acknowledgement.  
     
     
         15 . A system comprising: 
 a field in a media access control header being set to solicit a block acknowledgement;    an omni-directional antenna to receive in a single transmission a data block including of one or more frames each with a media access control header; and    a receiver coupled to the omni-directional antenna to generate a block acknowledgement responsive to a receipt of the multiple-frame data block in which one or more of the data frames have the field set to solicit a block acknowledgment.    
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 16 , the omni-directional antenna including a plurality of antennas.  
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising a processor to determine whether the field in the media access control header solicits a block acknowledgement.  
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein when the field soliciting a block acknowledgement is set, the program enables the receiver to transmit the block acknowledgement to a transmitter coupled to the omni-directional antenna.  
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein there is further included a wireless local area network to couple the receiver and a transmitter.  
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver comprise a portion of a wireless local area network operating in accordance with the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers Standards Sections 802.11e and/or 802.11n.  
     
     
         21 . A device comprising: 
 a wireless receiver to receive a plurality of data frames, each data frame including a header having a flag to solicit a block acknowledgement;    a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor to operate the receiver under control of a program; and    the receiver, responsive to receipt of the plurality of data frames and to the flag for soliciting the block acknowledgment to generate a block acknowledgement.    
     
     
         22 . The device as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of data frames are aggregated into a single transmission.  
     
     
         23 . The device as claimed in  claim 21 , the flag is set in a control field of a media access control header for each of the plurality of data blocks.  
     
     
         24 . The device as claimed in  claim 23 , the program operates the receiver to detect the flag being set in each of the plurality of data blocks.  
     
     
         25 . The device as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein when the flag is not set in any of the plurality of data frames, the program operates the receiver to inhibit generating a block acknowledgement.  
     
     
         26 . The device as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein when the flag is set in any of the plurality of data frames in the single transmission, the program operates the receiver to generate a single block acknowledgement.  
     
     
         27 . The device as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the receiver is coupled to a wireless network.