Method and apparatus for supporting sectorization coordination

Abstract

A method and apparatus may be used to support coordinated and cooperative sectorized transmissions. Power control and clear channel assessment for sectorized transmissions may be used, along with sectorized beacon and associated procedures. Transmissions in a network may be protected by a first access point (AP) sending an omni-directional transmission and a beamformed or sectorized transmission to a station (STA), an overlapping basic service set (OBSS) confirming a spatially orthogonal (SO) condition based on the omni-directional transmission, and a second AP monitoring the omni-directional transmission and confirming the SO condition. The STA may be configured to receive a request-to-send (RTS) frame indicating data is available for transmission, and transmit a cooperative sectorized (CS) clear-to-send (CTS) frame indicating an ability for multiple AP reception.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for use in a first station (STA), the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first access point (AP), a first null data packet announcement (NDPA) frame including one or more indicators indicating a first null data packet (NDP) frame to follow from the first AP and a request for a first channel estimation to receive a first sectorized transmission from the first AP;   receiving, from a second AP, a second NDPA frame including one or more indicators indicating a second NDP frame to follow from the second AP and a request for a second channel estimation to receive a second sectorized transmission from the second AP;   receiving, from the first AP, the first NDP frame including a first sector information for the first channel estimation to receive the first sectorized transmission from the first AP;   receiving, from the second AP, the second NDP frame including a second sector information for the second channel estimation to receive the second sectorized transmission from the second AP;   receiving, from the first AP or the second AP, a sectorization confirmation signal indicating one or more sectors to be used by the first AP or the second AP; and   transmitting, in response to the sectorization confirmation signal, a feedback that includes a sector identity determined based on the first sector information or the second sector information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first AP, based on the sector identity, the first sectorized transmission while the second sectorized transmission from the second AP is directed to a second STA.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comparing:
 receiving, from the second AP, based on the sector identity, the second sectorized transmission while the first sectorized transmission is directed to a second STA.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first sectorized transmission and the second sectorized transmission are spatially orthogonal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second NDPA frame is received a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) after the first NDPA frame is received. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second NDP frame is received a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) after the first NDP frame is received. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first AP is a secondary AP and the second AP is a primary AP. 
     
     
         8 . A first station (STA) comprising:
 a receiver configured to:
 receive, from a first access point (AP), a first null data packet announcement (NDPA) frame including one or more indicators indicating a first null data packet (NDP) frame to follow from the first AP and a request for a first channel estimation to receive a first sectorized transmission from the first AP; 
 receive, from a second AP, a second NDPA frame including one or more indicators indicating a second NDP frame to follow from the second AP and a request for a second channel estimation to receive a second sectorized transmission from the second AP; 
 receive, from the first AP, the first NDP frame including a first sector information for the first channel estimation to receive the first sectorized transmission from the first AP; 
 receive, from the second AP, the second NDP frame including a second sector information for the second channel estimation to receive the second sectorized transmission from the second AP; and 
 receive, from the first AP or the second AP, a sectorization confirmation signal indicating one or more sectors to be used by the first AP or the second AP; and 
   a transmitter configured to:
 transmit, in response to the sectorization confirmation signal, a feedback that includes a sector identity determined based on the first sector information or the second sector information. 
   
     
     
         9 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 receive, from the first AP, based on the sector identity, the first sectorized transmission while the second sectorized transmission from the second AP is directed to a second STA.   
     
     
         10 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the receiver is further configured to:
 receive, from the second AP, based on the sector identity, the second sectorized transmission while the first sectorized transmission is directed to a second STA.   
     
     
         11 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the first sectorized transmission and the second sectorized transmission are spatially orthogonal. 
     
     
         12 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the second NDPA frame is received a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) after the first NDPA frame is received. 
     
     
         13 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the second NDP frame is received a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) after the first NDP frame is received. 
     
     
         14 . The first STA of  claim 8 , wherein the first AP is a secondary AP and the second AP is a primary AP.