Method and apparatus for transmitting acknowledgements in response to received frames

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for transmitting a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame in response to data packets received from multiple stations in wireless communication. A recipient may be include at least one processor, a receiver and a transmitter. The processor is configured to establish a group of stations. The receiver is configured to receive packets from the group of stations over a delay period, and the at least one processor configured to generate a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on successful receipt of the packets over the delay period. The transmitter is configured to transmit the delayed multi-user ACK frame to the group of stations following the delay period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An access point (AP) in a wireless communication network, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to establish a group of stations;   a receiver configured to receive packets from the group of stations over a delay period;   the at least one processor configured to generate a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on successful receipt of the packets over the delay period; and   a transmitter configured to transmit the delayed multi-user ACK frame to the group of stations following the delay period.   
     
     
         2 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein the delayed multi-user ACK frame is a block ACK frame configured to acknowledge the packets successfully received from at least one station belonging to the group of stations. 
     
     
         3 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes an indication indicating whether the delayed multi-user ACK frame is a block ACK frame or a non-block ACK frame. 
     
     
         4 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein the delay period expires in response to receiving an ACK request from at least one station of the group of stations or in response to an expiration of a delay timer corresponding to the delay period. 
     
     
         5 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiver is configured to receive a capability indication from each of a plurality of stations indicating a capability of receiving delayed multi-user ACK frames, and   the at least one processor is configured to establish the group of stations based on receipt of the capability indications.   
     
     
         6 . The AP of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the transmitter is configured to transmit a response message to each of the plurality of stations from which the capability indication is affirmative, wherein the response message includes configuration information associated with the delayed multi-user ACK frame.   
     
     
         7 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes an ACK field for each station belonging to the group of stations, and   each ACK field includes at least one traffic identifier and a traffic identifier ACK for a corresponding traffic identifier of the at least one traffic identifier, wherein the traffic identifier ACK acknowledges at least one packet associated with the corresponding traffic identifier.   
     
     
         8 . The AP of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one processor is configured to arrange a plurality of stations belonging to the group of stations into a sequential order, and   the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes a plurality of ACK fields arranged in the sequential order, wherein each ACK field of the plurality of ACK fields corresponds to a different station of the plurality of stations.   
     
     
         9 . The AP of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to accumulate the received packets from the group of stations over the delay period. 
     
     
         10 . A method for use in an access point (AP) in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 establishing a group of stations;   receiving packets from the group of stations over a delay period;   generating a delayed multi-user acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on successful receipt of the packets over the delay period; and   transmitting the delayed multi-user ACK frame to the group of stations following the delay period.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the delayed multi-user ACK frame is a block ACK frame configured to acknowledge the packets successfully received from at least one station belonging to the group of stations. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes an indication indicating whether the delayed multi-user ACK frame is a block ACK frame or a non-block ACK frame. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the delay period expires in response to receiving an ACK request from at least one station of the group of stations or in response to an expiration of a delay timer corresponding to the delay period. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a capability indication from each of a plurality of stations indicating a capability of receiving delayed multi-user ACK frames, and   establishing the group of stations based on receipt of the capability indications.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 transmitting a response message to each station belonging to the group of stations from which the capability indication is affirmative, wherein the response message includes configuration information associated with the delayed multi-user ACK frame.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes an ACK field for each station belonging to the group of stations, and   each ACK field includes at least one traffic identifier and a traffic identifier ACK for a corresponding traffic identifier of the at least one traffic identifier, wherein the traffic identifier ACK acknowledges at least one packet associated with the corresponding traffic identifier.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 arranging a plurality of stations belonging to the group of stations into a sequential order, and   wherein the delayed multi-user ACK frame includes a plurality of ACK fields arranged in the sequential order, wherein each ACK field of the plurality of ACK fields corresponds to a different station of the plurality of stations.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 accumulating the received packets over the delay period; and generating the delayed multi-user ACK frame based on successful receipt of the accumulated packets.