Method and apparatus for transferring antenna capability information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for exchanging antenna capability information between a transmitting station (STA) and a receiving STA in a wireless communication system may include an antenna capability information element (IE) that includes information regarding the capability of the transmitting STA. The antenna capability IE may be transmitted from the transmitting STA to the receiving STA prior to data transmission between the transmitting STA and the receiving STA. When used in a wireless local area network, the antenna capability IE may be transmitted as part of a management frame, control frame, or data frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A first 802.11 station (STA) for exchanging antenna capability information in wireless communications, the first 802.11 STA comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a probe request frame that contains an antenna capability information element that indicates a number of supported beams of a second 802.11 STA; and   a transmitter configured to transmit a probe response frame that contains a second antenna capability information element that indicates a number of supported beams of the first 802.11 STA.   
     
     
         2 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the first or the second antenna capability information element further includes at least one field selected from the group consisting of an indicator of support of transmit antenna information after physical layer convergence protocol header, an indicator of diversity technique, an indicator of antenna measurement signaling support, and an indicator of multiple input support. 
     
     
         3 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the first 802.11 STA is a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point. 
     
     
         4 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the first 802.11 STA is a STA in an 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN). 
     
     
         5 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the first or the second antenna capability information element includes an antenna technology field. 
     
     
         6 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 5 , wherein each of the at least one fields is derived by the second STA from the antenna technology field. 
     
     
         7 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the probe response frame is transmitted at any time after association between the first 802.11 STA and the second 802.11 STA. 
     
     
         8 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the probe response frame is transmitted at any time after a data transfer between the first 802.11 STA and the second 802.11 STA. 
     
     
         9 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust antenna settings of the first 802.11 STA to use a set of antenna capabilities belonging to both the first and second 802.11 STAs on a condition that the first 802.11 STA supports at least one of the indicated plurality of antenna capabilities. 
     
     
         10 . A method for exchanging antenna capability information at a first 802.11 station (STA) in wireless communications, the method comprising:
 receiving a probe request frame that contains an antenna capability information element that indicates a number of supported beams of a second 802.11 STA; and   transmitting a probe response frame that contains a second antenna capability information element that indicates a number of supported beams of the first 802.11 STA.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 adjusting settings at the first STA to use a number of supported beams belonging to both the first and second STAs.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adjusting includes adjusting at least one setting selected from the group consisting of a number of antennas used, a diversity method, a smart antenna technology used, and additional antenna measurements. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transmitting is performed prior to the adjusting. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the transmitting is performed after the adjusting. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting includes notifying the second 802.11 STA that the first 802.11 STA does not support the requested number of beams. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving includes receiving data from the second 802.11 STA using a different number of supported beams than the indicated number of supported beams. 
     
     
         17 . A method for exchanging antenna capability information at a first 802.11 station (STA) in wireless communications, the method comprising:
 transmitting a probe request frame containing an antenna capability information element relating to an antenna capability of the first 802.11 STA, prior to data transmission with a second 802.11 STA, wherein the antenna capability information element indicates a number of supported beams;   receiving a probe response frame containing an antenna capability information element relating to an antenna capability of the second 802.11 STA; and   determining which antenna capabilities to use for future transmission and reception.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the determining is performed without any additional communication. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 exchanging measurement information with the second 802.11 STA, wherein the exchanging is performed prior to the determining.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 negotiating antenna capability information with the second 802.11 STA, wherein the negotiating is performed prior to the determining.   
     
     
         21 . A first 802.11 station (STA) for exchanging antenna capability information in wireless communications, the first 802.11 STA comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit a probe request frame that contains an antenna capability information element relating to an antenna capability of the first 802.11 STA, prior to data transmission with a second 802.11 STA, wherein the antenna capability information element indicates a number of supported beams;   a receiver configured to receive a probe response frame that contains an antenna capability information element relating to an antenna capability of the second 802.11 STA; and   a processor configured to determine which antenna capabilities to use for future transmission and reception.   
     
     
         22 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured to determine which antenna capabilities to use for future transmission and reception without any additional communication. 
     
     
         23 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured to exchange measurement information with the second 802.11 STA before it determines which antenna capabilities to use for future transmission and reception. 
     
     
         24 . The first 802.11 STA of  claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured to negotiate antenna capability information with the second 802.11 STA before it determines which antenna capabilities to use for future transmission and reception.