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US-20260129575-A1 - TARGET WAKE TIME ENHANCEMENT FOR INTEGRATED MILLIMETER WAVE IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

US20260129575A1US 20260129575 A1US20260129575 A1US 20260129575A1US-20260129575-A1

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to target wake time (TWT) in the millimeter wave (70 GHz) frequency band. A device may receive a TWT element from a second device in a sub-7 GHz frequency band, including a link identifier subfield indicating a 70 GHz frequency band for which a TWT is to be established; determine, based on a frame exchange initiator bit in the TWT element, which of the device or the second device is to initiate a transmission at a start of the TWT; determine, based on the TWT element, that the TWT is for downlink transmission only, for uplink transmission only, or for downlink transmission and uplink transmission; and identify a frame received at the start of the TWT or cause to send the frame at the start of the TWT based on the frame exchange initiator bit and using the 70 GHz frequency band.

Inventors

  • Cheng Chen
  • Laurent Cariou
  • Carlos Cordeiro

Assignees

  • Cheng Chen
  • Laurent Cariou
  • Carlos Cordeiro

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251218

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A device comprising processing circuitry coupled to storage, the processing circuitry configured to: identify a target wake time (TWT) element received from a second device in a sub-7 GHz frequency band, the TWT element comprising a link identifier subfield indicating a 70 GHz frequency band for which a TWT is to be established; determine, based on a frame exchange initiator bit in the TWT element, which of the device or the second device is to initiate a transmission at a start of the TWT; determine, based on the TWT element, that the TWT is for downlink transmission only, for uplink transmission only, or for downlink transmission and uplink transmission; and identify a frame received at the start of the TWT or cause to send the frame at the start of the TWT based on the frame exchange initiator bit and using the 70 GHz frequency band.
  2. 2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the TWT element comprises a control field comprising an individual TWT parameter set subfield comprising the frame exchange initiator bit.
  3. 3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the TWT element further indicates whether the TWT is to use trigger-based channel access or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA).
  4. 4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA in which both the device and the second device contend for a channel in the 70 GHz frequency band, and wherein the frame is an initial control frame (ICF), a buffer status report (BSRP) trigger frame, a multi-user request to send (MU-RTS) frame, or an enhanced RTS frame.
  5. 5 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA, and that one of the device or the second device is to contend for the channel before the other contends for the channel.
  6. 6 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: identify a timeout period after which when no transmissions between the device and the second device occurs using the channel, the device and the second device are to return to a doze state.
  7. 7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the TWT element further indicates the timeout period.
  8. 8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: identify an ICF received from the second device or cause to send the ICF to the second device using the channel, wherein the ICF is associated with detecting a signal strength of the channel; and cause to send an initial control response (ICR) in response to receiving the ICF or identify the ICR in response to sending the ICF, wherein the ICR indicates whether beamforming training or beam refinement is needed based on the signal strength.
  9. 9 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals comprising the TWT element and the frame.
  10. 10 . The device of claim 9 , further comprising an antenna coupled to the transceiver to cause to send the frame.
  11. 11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a device result in performing operations comprising: identifying a target wake time (TWT) element received from a second device in a sub-7 GHz frequency band, the TWT element comprising a link identifier subfield indicating a 70 GHz frequency band for which a TWT is to be established; determining, based on a frame exchange initiator bit in the TWT element, which of the device or the second device is to initiate a transmission at a start of the TWT; determining, based on the TWT element, that the TWT is for downlink transmission only, for uplink transmission only, or for downlink transmission and uplink transmission; and identifying a frame received at the start of the TWT or cause to send the frame at the start of the TWT based on the frame exchange initiator bit and using the 70 GHz frequency band.
  12. 12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the TWT element comprises a control field comprising an individual TWT parameter set subfield comprising the frame exchange initiator bit.
  13. 13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the TWT element further indicates whether the TWT is to use trigger-based channel access or enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA).
  14. 14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA in which both the device and the second device contend for a channel in the 70 GHz frequency band, and wherein the frame is an initial control frame (ICF), a buffer status report (BSRP) trigger frame, a multi-user request to send (MU-RTS) frame, or an enhanced RTS frame.
  15. 15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA, and that one of the device or the second device is to contend for the channel before the other contends for the channel.
  16. 16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the TWT element further indicates that the TWT is to use EDCA, and wherein the operations further comprise: identifying a timeout period after which when no transmissions between the device and the second device occurs using the channel, the device and the second device are to return to a doze state.
  17. 17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the TWT element further indicates the timeout period.
  18. 18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , the operations further comprising: identifying an ICF received from the second device or causing to send the ICF to the second device using the channel, wherein the ICF is associated with detecting a signal strength of the channel; and causing to send an initial control response (ICR) in response to receiving the ICF or identifying the ICR in response to sending the ICF, wherein the ICR indicates whether beamforming training or beam refinement is needed based on the signal strength.
  19. 19 . A method comprising: identifying, by processing circuitry of a first device, a target wake time (TWT) element received from a second device in a sub-7 GHz frequency band, the TWT element comprising a link identifier subfield indicating a 70 GHz frequency band for which a TWT is to be established; determining, by the processing circuitry and based on a frame exchange initiator bit in the TWT element, which of the device or the second device is to initiate a transmission at a start of the TWT; determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the TWT element, that the TWT is for downlink transmission only, for uplink transmission only, or for downlink transmission and uplink transmission; and identifying, by the processing circuitry, a frame received at the start of the TWT or cause to send the frame at the start of the TWT based on the frame exchange initiator bit and using the 70 GHz frequency band.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the TWT element comprises a control field comprising an individual TWT parameter set subfield comprising the frame exchange initiator bit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION(S) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/764,936, filed Feb. 28, 2025, and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/821,868, filed Jun. 11, 2025, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full. BACKGROUND Wireless devices are becoming more prevalent, necessitating efficient access to wireless channels. Standards are evolving to enhance connectivity, integrating advanced technologies in modern networks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a network diagram illustrating an example network environment for enhanced target wake time (TWT), in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flow for an example process for TWT in the millimeter wave (70 GHz) frequency band, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a functional diagram of an exemplary communication station that may be suitable for use as a user device, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine upon which any of one or more techniques (e.g., methods) may be performed, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a radio architecture in accordance with some examples. FIG. 6 illustrates an example front-end module circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG. 5, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 illustrates an example radio IC circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG. 5, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates an example baseband processing circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG. 5, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, algorithm, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims. The IEEE 802.11 technical standards define Wi-Fi® (hereinafter referred to as Wi-Fi) communications, including for target wake time (TWT). TWT is a power saving mechanism by which a device may enter a low-power mode/doze state for a period of time and wake up (e.g., enter a normal/higher-power mode) at a TWT. 802.11 also defines multi-link devices (MLDs), which refer to physical station devices (STAs) and access points (APs) each with multiple logical STAs (AP-STAs or non-AP STAs) that each maintain communication links concurrently. Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn or ultra high reliability (UHR)) is the next generation of Wi-Fi and a successor to the IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) standard. In line with all previous Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 8 will aim to improve wireless performance in general along with introducing new and innovative features to further advance Wi-Fi technology. Integrated Millimeter Wave (mmWave) Study Group (IMMW SG) is a standard study group that aims to define the scope of integrated mmWave (e.g., unlicensed bands between 42 GHz and 71 GHz) operation in Wi-Fi. Different from previous mmWave Wi-Fi standard, namely, IEEE 802.11ad and 802.11ay, IMMW intends to build the general Wi-Fi operation at mmWave bands on top of existing PHY and MAC defined in sub-7 GHz (e.g., 2.4 GHz to 7.25 GHz). Currently, the existing multi-link framework defined in 11be will largely be used to integrate the mm Wave link into the MLD structure. Specifically, the mmWave link introduced in IMMW will become part of the MLD structure, which enables Wi-Fi devices to reuse all the multi-link functions and features defined in 802.11be. One of the multi-link features introduced into 802.11be is the cross-link TWT, which allows an AP MLD (e.g., an MLD with AP STAs as its logical STAs) and a non-AP MLD (e.g., an MLD with non-AP STAs as its logical STAs) to negotiate a TWT agreement on a current link, but for a different link (e.g., negotiating on a lower frequency band for use of TWT on a higher frequency band). Another possible direction is to employ the cross-link TWT mechanism to set up a TWT agreement for the mmWave link (70 GHz) in a sub-7 GHz link, so that there is no need to perform the TWT management frame exchange and only focus on data communications in the mm Wave link. However, the current TWT protocol is specifically defined for sub-7 GHz operations and does not account for specific issues in the 70 GHz band. For example, 70 GHz requires more power, so the management and control frame exchanges in existing 802.11 cross-link TWT protocol is not desirable