US-20260129636-A1 - FRAME EXCHANGE SEQUENCE AND NETWORK ALLOCATION VECTOR (NAV) PROTECTION

Abstract

Certain aspects provide a method for wireless communications at a first wireless node. The method generally includes: outputting, for transmission to a second wireless node, a first frame indicating one or more candidate nodes with which a TXOP may be shared, the one or more candidate nodes including the second wireless node; performing a frame exchange with one or more third wireless nodes that shares a first BSS with the first wireless node; outputting, for transmission to the second wireless node, a second frame indicating a portion of the TXOP to be shared with the second wireless node, the second frame being outputted for transmission after the frame exchange; and obtaining, from the second wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the first wireless node.

Inventors

• Abhishek Pramod PATIL
• George Cherian
• Gaurang NAIK
• Alfred Asterjadhi
• Sai Yiu Duncan Ho

Assignees

• QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20260105

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: at least one processor; memory coupled with the at least one processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: output, for transmission to a first wireless node, a first frame indicating one or more candidate nodes with which a transmission opportunity (TXOP) may be shared, the one or more candidate nodes including the first wireless node; performing a frame exchange with one or more second wireless nodes that shares a first basic service set (BSS) with the apparatus; output, for transmission to the first wireless node, a second frame indicating a portion of the TXOP to be shared with the first wireless node, the second frame being outputted for transmission after the frame exchange; and obtain, from the first wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the apparatus.
2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first frame is configured to indicate each of the one or more candidate nodes based on one or more identifiers.
3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first frame indicates a length of the TXOP.
4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second frame indicates a duration of the portion of TXOP being shared with the first wireless node.
5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor further cause the apparatus to: obtain a buffer status associated with the first wireless node; and generate the second frame based on the buffer status.
6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first frame is configured to at least one of: cause an intra-BSS network allocation vector (NAV) to be set for the one or more second wireless nodes belonging to the first BSS; or cause a basic-NAV to be set for one or more third wireless nodes belonging to at least one second BSS different than the first BSS.
7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second frame is configured to at least one of: cause a first intra-BSS NAV to be set for the one or more second wireless nodes belonging to the first BSS; cause a second intra-BSS NAV to be set for one or more third wireless nodes belonging to a second BSS associated with the first wireless node; or cause a basic-NAV to be set for one or more fourth wireless nodes belonging to at least one third BSS different than the first BSS and also different than the second BSS.
8. 8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the third frame is configured to reset the second intra-BSS NAV.
9. 9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor further cause the apparatus to: output, for transmission, a fourth frame to reset the first intra-BSS NAV; and output, for transmission, a fifth frame indicating that another portion of the TXOP to be shared with a third wireless node, the fifth frame being outputted for transmission after the fourth frame is outputted for transmission.
10. 10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first frame or the second frame indicates at least one of a category of communication, a traffic priority, or a traffic type for which the portion of the TXOP is to be used.
11. 11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first frame or the second frame indicates one or more third wireless nodes with which the first wireless node is to communicate with using the portion of the TXOP being shared.
12. 12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second frame includes a TA field set to an identifier of the apparatus, and an RA field set to an identifier of the first wireless node.
13. 13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third frame comprises a TA field set to an identifier of the first wireless node.
14. 14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one transceiver configured to transmit the first frame, wherein the apparatus is configured as an access point.
15. 15 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: at least one processor; memory coupled with the at least one processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: obtain, from a first wireless node, a first frame indicating at least one of the apparatus or one or more candidate nodes with which a transmission opportunity (TXOP) may be shared; prepare for a frame exchange with one or more second wireless nodes that shares a first basic service set (BSS) with the apparatus in response to obtaining the first frame; obtain, from the first wireless node, a second frame indicating that a portion of the TXOP is to be shared with the apparatus; perform the frame exchange with the one or more second wireless nodes after obtaining of the second frame; and output, for transmission to the first wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the first wireless node.
16. 16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first frame is configured to indicate each of the one or more candidate nodes based on one or more identifiers.
17. 17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first frame indicates a length of the TXOP, and wherein preparing for the frame exchange is based on the length of the TXOP.
18. 18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second frame indicates a duration of the portion of TXOP being shared with the first wireless node, and wherein a duration of the frame exchange is less than or equal to the duration of the portion of the TXOP.
19. 19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor further cause the apparatus to output, for transmission, a buffer status associated with the apparatus.
20. 20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first frame is configured to at least one of: cause an intra-BSS network allocation vector (NAV) to be set for one or more third wireless nodes belonging to a second BSS associated with the first wireless node; or cause a basic-NAV to be set for one or more fourth wireless nodes belonging to at least one third BSS different than the second BSS.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/491,621, filed Oct. 20, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically, to techniques for scheduling transmit opportunity (TXOP) sharing scenarios. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNOLOGY A wireless local area network (WLAN) may be formed by one or more wireless access points (APs) that provide a shared wireless communication medium for use by multiple client devices also referred to as wireless stations (STAs). The basic building block of a WLAN conforming to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards is a Basic Service Set (BSS), which is managed by an AP. Each BSS is identified by a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) that is advertised by the AP. An AP periodically broadcasts beacon frames to enable any STAs within wireless range of the AP to establish or maintain a communication link with the WLAN. SUMMARY The systems, methods and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein. Certain aspects provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes at least one processor, memory coupled with the at least one processor, and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: output, for transmission to a first wireless node, a first frame indicating one or more candidate nodes with which a transmission opportunity (TXOP) may be shared, the one or more candidate nodes including the first wireless node; performing a frame exchange with one or more second wireless nodes that shares a first basic service set (BSS) with the apparatus; output, for transmission to the first wireless node, a second frame indicating a portion of the TXOP to be shared with the first wireless node, the second frame being outputted for transmission after the frame exchange; and obtain, from the first wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the apparatus. Certain aspects provide an apparatus for wireless communications. The apparatus generally includes at least one processor, memory coupled with the at least one processor, and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to at least one processor, memory coupled with the at least one processor, and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to: obtain, from a first wireless node, a first frame indicating at least one of the apparatus or one or more candidate nodes with which a TXOP may be shared; preparing for a frame exchange with one or more second wireless nodes that shares a first BSS with the apparatus in response to obtaining the first frame; obtain, from the first wireless node, a second frame indicating that a portion of the TXOP is to be shared with the apparatus; performing the frame exchange with the one or more second wireless nodes after obtaining of the second frame; and output, for transmission to the first wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the first wireless node. Certain aspects provide a method for wireless communications at a first wireless node. The method generally includes: outputting, for transmission to a second wireless node, a first frame indicating one or more candidate nodes with which a TXOP may be shared, the one or more candidate nodes including the second wireless node; performing a frame exchange with one or more third wireless nodes that shares a first BSS with the first wireless node; outputting, for transmission to the second wireless node, a second frame indicating a portion of the TXOP to be shared with the second wireless node, the second frame being outputted for transmission after the frame exchange; and obtaining, from the second wireless node, a third frame indicating that the TXOP is being returned back to the first wireless node. Certain aspects provide a method for wireless communications at a first wireless node. The method generally includes: obtaining, from a second wireless node, a first frame indicating at least one of the first wireless node or one or more candidate nodes with which a TXOP may be shared; preparing for a frame exchange with one or more third wireless nodes that shares a first basic service set (BSS) with the first wireless node in response to obtaining the first frame; obtaining, from the second wireless node, a second frame indicating that a portion of the TXOP is to be shared with the first wireless node; performing the frame exchange with the one or more third wireless nodes after obtaining of the second frame; and output, for transmission to the second wireless node,