System and Method for Direct Multi-User Transmission

Abstract

A method for transmitting to a plurality of responder stations includes transmitting a first direct link setup request message to a first responder station via an access point, the first direct link setup request message including a first group identifier, the first group identifier being received from a communications controller and being associated with the first responder station, and transmitting a second direct link setup request message to a second responder station via the access point, the second setup request message including a second group identifier, the second group identifier being received from the communications controller and being associated with the second responder station. The method also includes transmitting data to the first responder station and the second responder station in a single transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for transmitting to a plurality of responder stations, the method comprising:
 transmitting, by an initiator station, a first direct link setup request message to a first responder station via an access point, the first direct link setup request message including a first group identifier, the first group identifier being received from a communications controller and being associated with the first responder station;   transmitting, by the initiator station, a second direct link setup request message to a second responder station via the access point, the second direct link setup request message including a second group identifier, the second group identifier being received from the communications controller and being associated with the second responder station; and   transmitting, by the initiator station, data to the first responder station and the second responder station in a single transmission, a first portion of the data intended for the first responder station labeled with the first group identifier and a second portion of the data intended for the second responder station labeled with the second group identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting a first position to the first responder station; and   transmitting a second position to the second responder station, wherein the first portion of the data is located in the first position and the second portion of the data is located in the second position.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 selecting the first position for the first responder station; and   selecting the second position for the second responder station.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position do not conflict with the second group identifier and the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position are not already reserved for use with another responder station. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting the first group identifier and a first position for the first responder station from the communications controller;   receiving the first group identifier and the first position from the communications controller;   requesting the second group identifier and a second position for the second responder station from the communications controller; and   receiving the second group identifier and the second position from the communications controller.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein requesting the first group identifier the first position comprises transmitting a first group identifier request message for both the first group identifier and the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a first direct link setup response message from the first responder station; and   receiving a second direct link setup response message from the second responder station.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein requesting the first group identifier comprises transmitting a group identifier request message with a first sequence number. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein receiving the first group identifier comprises receiving an acknowledgement if the first sequence number is a valid value. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein receiving the first group identifier comprises receiving an alternate value to use as the first group identifier if the first sequence number is not a valid value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first group identifier includes a first time to live, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting a group identifier extension request message to the access point to extend the first time to live of the first group identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications controller is the access point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communications controller is a switch. 
     
     
         15 . A method for operating an access point, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the access point, a first group identifier request for a first responder station from an initiator station;   selecting, by the access point, a first group identifier for the first responder station;   transmitting, by the access point, the first group identifier to the initiator station;   receiving, by the access point, a second group identifier request for a second responder station from the initiator station;   selecting, by the access point, a second group identifier for the second responder station; and   transmitting, by the access point, the second group identifier to the initiator station.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a first position request for the first responder station from the initiator station;   selecting a first position for the first responder station;   transmitting the first position to the initiator station;   receiving a second position request for the second responder station from the initiator station;   selecting a second position for the second responder station; and   transmitting the second position to the initiator station.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position do not conflict with the second group identifier and the second position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position are not already reserved for use with another responder station. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second group identifier and the second position are not already reserved for use with another responder station. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first group identifier request and the first position request are received in a single message. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first group identifier request comprises a first sequence number. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein transmitting the first group identifier comprises transmitting an acknowledgement if the first sequence number is a valid value. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein transmitting the first group identifier comprises transmitting an alternate value as the first group identifier if the first sequence number is not a valid value. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first group identifier includes a first time to live. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first group identifier request and the second group identifier request are identical. 
     
     
         26 . An initiator station comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit a first direct link setup request message to a first responder station via an access point, the first direct link setup request message including a first group identifier, the first group identifier being received from a communications controller and being associated with the first responder station, to transmit a second direct link setup request message to a second responder station via the access point, the second direct link setup request message including a second group identifier, the second group identifier being received from the communications controller and being associated with the second responder station, and to transmit data to the first responder station and the second responder station, a first portion of the data intended for the first responder station labeled with the first group identifier and a second portion of the data intended for the second responder station labeled with the second group identifier.   
     
     
         27 . The initiator station of  claim 26 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a first position to the first responder station, and to transmit a second position to the second responder station, wherein the first portion of the data is located in the first position and the second portion of the data is located in the second position. 
     
     
         28 . The initiator station of  claim 27 , further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the transmitter, the processor configured to select the first position for the first responder station, and to select the second position for the second responder station. 
     
     
         29 . The initiator station of  claim 28 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position do not conflict with the second group identifier and the second position. 
     
     
         30 . The initiator station of  claim 28 , wherein the first group identifier and the first position are not already reserved for use with another responder station. 
     
     
         31 . The initiator station of  claim 28 , wherein the second group identifier and the second position are not already reserved for use with another responder station. 
     
     
         32 . The initiator station of  claim 27 , further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the transmitter, the processor configured to request the first group identifier and the first position for the first responder station from the communications controller, and to request the second group identifier and the second position for the second responder station from the communications controller, and wherein initiator station further comprises a receiver operatively coupled to the processor, the receiver configured to receive the first group identifier and the first position from the communications controller, and to receive the second group identifier and the second position from the communications controller. 
     
     
         33 . The initiator station of  claim 26 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a group identifier request message with a first sequence number. 
     
     
         34 . An access point comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a first group identifier request for a first responder station from an initiator station, and to receive a second group identifier request for a second responder station from the initiator station;   a processor operatively coupled to the receiver, the processor configured to select a first group identifier for the first responder station, and to select a second group identifier for the second responder station; and   a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit the first group identifier to the initiator station, and to transmit the second group identifier to the initiator station.   
     
     
         35 . The access point of  claim 34 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a first position request for the first responder station from the initiator station, and to receive a second position request for the second responder station from the initiator station, wherein the processor is configured to select a first position for the first responder station, and to select a second position for the second responder station, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first position to the initiator station, and to transmit the second position to the initiator station. 
     
     
         36 . The access point of  claim 34 , wherein the first group identifier request comprises a first sequence number, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an acknowledgement if the first sequence number is a valid value. 
     
     
         37 . The access point of  claim 36 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an alternate value as the first group identifier if the first sequence number is not a valid value.