Subsequent association identifier (AID) update within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications

Abstract

Subsequent association identifier (AID) update within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Even while a given communication device maintains continuous association within a given communication system, a unique identifier associated with that particular communication device may be updated. For example, considering and implementation including an access point (AP) and a number of wireless stations (STAs), even while at least some of the STAs remain in association with the AP, the respective unique identifiers associated with one or more of those STAs may be updated (e.g., the respective AID values associated with one or more of those STAs may be updated). For example, after an initial assignment of unique identifiers associated with a group of respective communication devices within the communication network, the unique identifier associated with one or more of those respective communication devices may be updated or changed after the initial assignment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless communication device comprising:
 a communication interface; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 generate and transmit, via the communication interface, a first association identifier (AID) value to another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a first time; and 
 while the wireless communication device maintaining in continual association with the wireless communication device, generate and transmit, via the communication interface, a second AID value to the another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a second time that is subsequent to the first time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 memory that is coupled to the processing circuitry; and 
 the processing circuitry configured to:
 generate and store the first AID value associated with the another wireless communication device in the memory; and 
 while the wireless communication device maintaining in the continual association with the wireless communication device, generate and store the second AID value associated with another wireless communication device in the memory. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit, via the communication interface, the second AID value within a unicast or group-addressed AID update request frame; and   receive, via the communication interface, at least one AID update response frame or at least one acknowledge (ACK) frame from the another wireless communication device confirming successful update or change of the first AID value with the second AID value.   
     
     
         4 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit, via the communication interface, the first AID value within an association response frame or a re-association response frame; and   transmit, via the communication interface, the second AID value within an AID update request frame.   
     
     
         5 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 generate and transmit, via the communication interface, the first AID value to the another wireless communication device during an association process between the wireless communication device and the another wireless communication device.   
     
     
         6 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 memory that is coupled to the processing circuitry; and 
 the processing circuitry configured to update a traffic indication virtual bitmap stored in the memory that uses or is based on a plurality of AID values that includes the first AID by replacing the first AID with the second AID when the second AID is used to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during the second time that is subsequent to the first time. 
 
     
     
         7 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a cellular telephone, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, or a home entertainment equipment. 
 
     
     
         8 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an access point (AP), wherein the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA). 
 
     
     
         9 . A wireless communication device comprising:
 a communication interface;   memory; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 generate and store a first association identifier (AID) value associated with another wireless communication device in the memory; 
 transmit, via the communication interface, the first AID value to the another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a first time; and 
 while the wireless communication device maintaining in continual association with the wireless communication device:
 generate and store a second AID value associated with another wireless communication device in the memory; and 
 transmit, via the communication interface, the second AID value to the another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a second time that is subsequent to the first time. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit, via the communication interface, the second AID value within a unicast or group-addressed AID update request frame; and   receive at least one AID update response frame or at least one acknowledge (ACK) frame from the another wireless communication device confirming successful update or change of the first AID value with the second AID value.   
     
     
         11 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 transmit, via the communication interface, the first AID value within an association response frame or a re-association response frame; and   transmit, via the communication interface, the second AID value within an AID update request frame.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 update a traffic indication virtual bitmap stored in the memory that uses or is based on a plurality of AID values that includes the first AID by replacing the first AID with the second AID when the second AID is used to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during the second time that is subsequent to the first time.   
     
     
         13 . The wireless communication device of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an access point (AP), wherein the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA). 
 
     
     
         14 . A method for execution by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
 generating and transmitting, via a communication interface of the wireless communication device, a first association identifier (AID) value to another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a first time; and   while the wireless communication device maintaining in continual association with the wireless communication device, generate and transmitting, via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, a second AID value to the another wireless communication device for use to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during a second time that is subsequent to the first time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 generating and storing the first AID value associated with the another wireless communication device in a memory of the wireless communication device; and 
 while the wireless communication device maintaining in the continual association with the wireless communication device, generating and storing the second AID value associated with another wireless communication device in the memory of the wireless communication device. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 transmitting, via the communication interface, the second AID value within a unicast or group-addressed AID update request frame; and 
 receiving, via the communication interface, at least one AID update response frame or at least one acknowledge (ACK) frame from the another wireless communication device confirming successful update or change of the first AID value with the second AID value. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 transmitting, via the communication interface, the first AID value within an association response frame or a re-association response frame; and 
 transmitting, via the communication interface, the second AID value within an AID update request frame. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 updating a traffic indication virtual bitmap stored in a memory of the wireless communication device that uses or is based on a plurality of AID values that includes the first AID by replacing the first AID with the second AID when the second AID is used to identify uniquely the another wireless communication device to the wireless communication device at or during the second time that is subsequent to the first time. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication device includes a cellular telephone, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, or a home entertainment equipment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wireless communication device includes an access point (AP), and the another wireless communication device includes a wireless station (STA).