Mixed mode operations within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications

Abstract

Mixed mode operations within multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. Certain communication systems can include wireless communication devices of various capabilities therein (e.g., IEEE Task Group ac (TGac VHT), IEEE 802.11 amendment TGn, IEEE 802.11 amendment TGa, and/or other capabilities, etc.). In one manner of classification, wireless communication devices having legacy and newer/updated capabilities may inter-operate with one another, operate within a common region, and/or communicate via a common access point (AP). Coordination of such wireless communication devices (e.g., legacy and newer/updated) provides for their respective operation on a same set of clusters in accordance with various operational modes including: (1) time dividing medium access between the wireless communication devices of various capabilities, (2) assigning primary cluster(s) for a first capability set and assigning non-primary cluster(s) for a second capability set, etc., and/or (3) any combination of operational modes (1) and (2).

1 . A method for performing mixed mode operation of a plurality of wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
 coordinating operation and medium access of the plurality of wireless communication devices, including a first wireless communication device having a first capability and a second wireless communication device having a second capability, in accordance with at least one operational mode selected from a plurality of operational modes;   operating in accordance with a first of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; and   operating in accordance with a second of the plurality of operational modes including assigning at least one primary cluster for use by the first wireless communication device and assigning at least one non-primary cluster for use by the second wireless communication device for supporting simultaneous operation of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first wireless communication device being operative in accordance with at least one of multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA); and   the second wireless communication device being operative in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.11 amendment TGn and IEEE 802.11 amendment TGa.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 operating in accordance with a third of the plurality of operational modes including:   assigning the at least one primary cluster for use by both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; and   time dividing medium access between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device on the at least one primary cluster such that the second wireless communication device having medium access after a period of time that the first wireless communication device having medium access.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 operating in accordance with a third of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between simultaneous operation of both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device and operation of only either the first wireless communication device or the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 operating in accordance with a third of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between simultaneous operation of both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, operation of only the first wireless communication device, and operation of only the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when operating during a time period corresponding to the first wireless communication device in accordance with the first of the plurality of operational modes, scheduling medium access of the first wireless communication device having the first capability and at least one additional wireless communication device also having the first capability.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 transmitting a multi-user super-frame (MU-SF) to the first wireless communication device and the at least one additional wireless communication device in accordance with scheduling medium access; and wherein:   the MU-SF announcement frame being a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) frame or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the MU-SF including a first period for performing medium access in accordance with a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) operational mode and a second period for performing medium access in accordance with a scheduled access operational mode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when operating in accordance with the second of the plurality of operational modes, both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device employing at least one common cluster when respectively performing medium access.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when operating in accordance with the second of the plurality of operational modes, performing cluster reservation for avoiding medium access interference between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 performing the cluster reservation using at least one of a request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) exchange and a clear to send (CTS) to self (CTS2SELF).   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 employing an access point (AP) for coordinating operation and medium access of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and wherein:   the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).   
     
     
         13 . A method for performing mixed mode operation of a plurality of wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
 operating an access point (AP) for coordinating operation and medium access of the plurality of wireless stations (STAs), including a first STA having a first capability and a second STA having a second capability, in accordance with at least one operational mode selected from a plurality of operational modes;   operating in accordance with a first of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between the first STA and the second STA;   operating in accordance with a second of the plurality of operational modes including assigning at least one primary cluster for use by the first STA and assigning at least one non-primary cluster for use by the second STA for supporting simultaneous operation of the first STA and the second STA; and   operating in accordance with a third of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between simultaneous operation of both the first STA and the second STA and operation of only either the first STA or the second STA.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first STA being operative in accordance with at least one of multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA); and   the second STA being operative in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.11 amendment TGn and IEEE 802.11 amendment TGa.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 operating in accordance with a third of the plurality of operational modes including:   assigning the at least one primary cluster for use by both the first STA and the STA; and   time dividing medium access between the first STA and the second STA on the at least one primary cluster such that the second STA having medium access after a period of time that the first STA having medium access.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 when operating during a time period corresponding to the first wireless communication device in accordance with the first of the plurality of operational modes, scheduling medium access of the first wireless communication device having the first capability and at least one additional wireless communication device also having the first capability.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 when operating in accordance with the second of the plurality of operational modes, performing cluster reservation for avoiding medium access interference between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 performing the cluster reservation using at least one of a request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) exchange and a clear to send (CTS) to self (CTS2SELF).   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a baseband processing module for generating a plurality of control signals corresponding to medium access of a plurality of wireless communication devices, including a first wireless communication device having a first capability and a second wireless communication device having a second capability, respectively, in accordance with at least one operational mode selected from a plurality of operational modes; and   a plurality of antennae for transmitting the plurality of control signals to the plurality of wireless communication devices; and wherein:   a first of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; and   a second of the plurality of operational modes including assigning at least one primary cluster for use by the first wireless communication device and assigning at least one non-primary cluster for use by the second wireless communication device for supporting simultaneous operation of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first wireless communication device being operative in accordance with at least one of multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA); and   the second wireless communication device being operative in accordance with at least one of IEEE 802.11 amendment TGn and IEEE 802.11 amendment TGa.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a third of the plurality of operational modes including:
 assigning the at least one primary cluster for use by both the first wireless communication device and the first wireless communication device; and   time dividing medium access between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device on the at least one primary cluster such that the second wireless communication device having medium access after a period of time that the first wireless communication device having medium access.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 a third of the plurality of operational modes including time dividing medium access between simultaneous operation of both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device and operation of only either the first wireless communication device or the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 during a time period corresponding to the first wireless communication device in accordance with the first of the plurality of operational modes, the apparatus scheduling medium access of the first wireless communication device having the first capability and at least one additional wireless communication device also having the first capability.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the plurality of antennae transmitting a multi-user super-frame (MU-SF) to the first wireless communication device and the at least one additional wireless communication device in accordance with scheduling medium access; and wherein:   the MU-SF announcement frame being a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) frame or an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the MU-SF including a first period for performing medium access in accordance with a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) operational mode and a second period for performing medium access in accordance with a scheduled access operational mode.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 when operating in accordance with the second of the plurality of operational modes, the apparatus directing both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to employ at least one common cluster when respectively performing medium access.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 when operating in accordance with the second of the plurality of operational modes, the apparatus supporting cluster reservation for avoiding medium access interference between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein:
 at least one of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device performing the cluster reservation using at least one of a request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) exchange and a clear to send (CTS) to self (CTS2SELF).   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the apparatus being an access point (AP); and   the plurality of wireless communication devices being a plurality of wireless stations (STAs).