Enhancements for coordinated orthogonal block-based resource allocation (cobra) in wlan systems

Abstract

A method for use in an IEEE 802.11 station (STA) for receiving data from an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP) via a coordinated orthogonal block resource allocation (COBRA) is described. The STA may receive a COBRA schedule from the AP and transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) to the AP in the COBRA TXOP. The STA may receive a first data packet in the COBRA TxOP based on the COBRA schedule. The STA may determine whether the first data packet is received successfully and on a condition that the first data packet is not received successfully, the STA may transmit a negative acknowledgement (NACK) to the AP in the COBRA TxOP.

1 . A method for use in an IEEE 802.11 station (STA) for receiving data from an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP) via a coordinated orthogonal block resource allocation (COBRA), the method comprising:
 receiving a first multi-user (MU) transmission including a COBRA schedule from the AP at a beginning of a COBRA transmission opportunity (TxOP), wherein the COBRA TxOP is a reservation of a wireless medium for the STA and at least one other STA, via carrier sense multiple access (CSMA);   transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) to the AP in the COBRA TXOP in response to the received COBRA schedule;   receiving a second MU transmission including a first data packet and at least one other data packet for the at least one other STA in the COBRA TxOP based on the COBRA schedule;   determining whether the first data packet is received successfully;   on a condition that the first data packet is not received successfully, transmitting a negative acknowledgement (NACK) to the AP in the COBRA TxOP; and   receiving, a third MU transmission including a second data packet in the COBRA TxOP, wherein the second data packet is a retransmission of the first data packet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes frequency allocation information identifying a respective frequency portion of an available frequency bandwidth allocated to the STA and the at least one other STA for reception of data from the AP. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes an indication of a time within the COBRA TxOP when the STA and the at least one other STA are scheduled to receive the first data packet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes information associated with a plurality of data packets to be received in the COBRA TxOP. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein on a condition that the first packet is not decodable by the IEEE 802.11 STA, it is determined to not be received successfully. 
     
     
         6 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An IEEE 802.11 station (STA) capable of receiving data from an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP) via a coordinated orthogonal block resource allocation (COBRA), the STA comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a first multi-user (MU) transmission including a COBRA schedule from the AP at a beginning of a COBRA transmission opportunity (TxOP), wherein the COBRA TxOP is a reservation of a wireless medium for the STA and at least one other STA, via carrier sense multiple access (CSMA);   a transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) to the AP in the COBRA TXOP in response to the received COBRA schedule;   the receiver further configured to receive a second MU transmission including a first data packet and at least one other data packet for the at least one other STA in the COBRA TxOP based on the COBRA schedule;   a processor configured to determine whether the first data packet is received successfully;   on a condition that the first data packet is not received successfully, the transmitter is further configured to transmit a negative acknowledgement (NACK) to the AP in the COBRA TxOP; and   the receiver is further configured to receive a third MU transmission including a second data packet in the COBRA TxOP, wherein the second data packet is a retransmission of the first data packet.   
     
     
         15 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes frequency allocation information identifying a respective frequency portion of an available frequency bandwidth allocated to the STA and the at least one other STA for reception of data from the AP. 
     
     
         16 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes an indication of a time within the COBRA TxOP when the STA and the at least one other STA are scheduled to receive the first data packet. 
     
     
         17 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes information associated with a plurality of data packets to be received in the COBRA TxOP. 
     
     
         18 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein on a condition that the first packet is not decodable by the IEEE 802.11 STA, it is determined to not be received successfully. 
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) assignment for the STA and the at least one other STA. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes a spatial stream allocation for the STA and the at least one other STA. 
     
     
         23 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) assignment for the STA and the at least one other STA. 
     
     
         24 . The STA of  claim 14 , wherein the COBRA schedule includes a spatial stream allocation for the STA and the at least one other STA.