Apple Inc.

Jarkko L Kneckt

Yong Liu

Su Khiong Yong

Tianyu Wu

Guoqing Li

Jinjing Jiang

Christiaan A Hartman

Oren Shani

Qi Wang

Lochan Verma

Joonsuk Kim

Yoel Boger

Qi S Wang

Matthew L Semersky

Charles Francis Dominguez

Daniel R Borges

Ashok Ranganath

Anuj Batra

Debashis Dash

Veerendra Boodannavar

Noam Ginsburg

Sidharth R Thakur

Welly Kasten

Elliot S Briggs

Gaurav Jain

Syed Aon Mujtaba

Christian W Mucke

Xiaowen Wang

Rajneesh Kumar

Yang Yu

Josef Peery

Tushar Ramanlal Shah

Aniruddha Subhash Diwan

Nathan A Kralian

Sundar Sriram

Ahmet G Cepni

Mingguang Xu

Lawrie Kurian

Tashbeeb Haque

Chiu Ngok E Wong

Mithat C Dogan

Koby Vainapel

Zheng Zeng

Yaniv Dvory

Leor Kehaty

Ilan Evron

Nisan Reuven

Udi Atar

Embodiments are disclosed for encrypting media access control (MAC) Header fields for Wireless LAN (WLAN) privacy enhancement. For example, a transceiver of a station (STA) or an access point (AP) can set a real time Media Access Control (MAC) header bit in a payload of an aggregated MAC Protocol Data Unit (A-MPDU) subframe to an actual value of a power management (PM) field of a MAC header of the A-MPDU subframe. The transceiver can encrypt the payload, set the PM field to an over the air (OTA) PM value, and transmit the A-MPDU subframe over the air. The OTA PM value can include all zeros, a predetermined value, or a randomized value The transceiver can also set static MAC header bits in the payload of the A-MPDU subframe to corresponding actual values of an aggregated MAC service data unit (A-MSDU) present field of the A-MPDU subframe.

Encrypting MAC header fields for WLAN privacy enhancement

Systems, methods, and mechanisms for WLAN enhancements to facilitate co-existence with other radio access technologies, such as Bluetooth, 5G NR, and/or UWB. For example, WLAN transmissions may be shortened, e.g., to better fit within available transmission times. A wireless device may shorten WLAN transmissions of a peer device by specifying a frame size limitation for WLAN communications. The frame size limitation may be indicated via a data frame, a management frame, a beacon frame, an association request frame, and/or an association response frame.

WLAN enhancements for co-existence

Embodiments are disclosed for address changing schemes for a multi-link device in a wireless communications system. Some embodiments include a privacy enhanced (PE) access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) that includes one or more affiliated APs operating on different links. The PE AP MLD can generate a first randomized OTA MLD address based at least on the MLD address of the PE AP MLD for a first affiliated PE AP (PE AP). The PE AP MLD can transmit a first data transmission using the first OTA MLD address where the first data transmission includes an encrypted aggregated MAC service data unit (A-MSDU) subframe that includes the MLD address. The PE AP MLD can correlate the MLD address of the PE AP MPL with multiple addresses comprising: the first OTA MLD, a unique MLD address, and a Media Access Control (MAC) service access point (SAP) MLD address.

Address randomization schemes for multi-link devices

Some embodiments include utilizing a multilink media access control (MAC) address structure to support multilink devices (MLDs) that can operate concurrently in more than one link such as extremely high throughput (EHT) access points (APs) and EHT stations (STA), where the multilink MAC address structure is compatible with legacy devices. An EHT AP can utilize a multilink basic service set (BSS) identification (BSSID) MAC address to communicate with an EHT STA identified by a multilink MAC address. Values of the multilink BSSID and the multilink MAC address of the EHT STA are independent of which of the multiple links are used in the communication. In addition, to utilizing a multilink BSSID, the EHT AP can also support unique link-specific MAC addresses to concurrently support legacy and MLD stations. The EHT STA can also utilize unique link-specific MAC addresses that can be different than the EHT AP's link-specific MAC addresses.

System and method for multilink devices

Embodiments are disclosed for address changing schemes in a wireless communications system. Some embodiments include an access point (AP) that can establish two or more address profiles with a station (STA), establish a schedule for switching from a first address profile to a second address profile, where the first and second address profiles are of the two or more address profiles, and transmit a first data transmission using the first address profile. Some embodiments include switching from the first address profile to the second address profile based on the schedule, and transmitting a second data transmission using the second address profile. The schedule can be based on a randomized time synchronization function (TSF). The AP can establish a joint algorithm with the STA, and use the joint algorithm determine the first and the second address profiles as well as transition times for the schedule.

Address randomization schemes

Embodiments are disclosed for group cast with retries (GCR) in a multi-link wireless communications system. In some embodiments, an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) can exchange information with a non-AP MLD to establish a GCR-multi-link operation (MLO) agreement corresponding to a group address, wherein the information includes, but is not limited to: a GCR primary link or a GCR primary link set of the AP MLD, an association identifier (AID) that corresponds to the group address. In some embodiments, the AP MLD can transmit a GCR frame subject to the GCR-MLO agreement, where the GCR frame includes a sequence number assigned from sequence number space (SNS)_GCR_MLO defined at a MLD level, and generate a Group Temporal Key (GTK)_GCR_ML at the MLD level, where the GTK_GCR_ML enables encryption and decryption of the GCR frame.

Group cast with retries (GCR) for multi-link operation (MLO)

An electronic device (such as an access point) is described. This electronic device transmits an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame to a recipient electronic device (such as a client or a station). The OFDMA frame includes multiple predefined resource units (RUs) allocated to the recipient electronic device in a set of predefined RUs having associated frequency bandwidths. Moreover, the multiple predefined RUs include two or more first predefined RUs having a first number of tones less than a predefined amount, or two or more second predefined RUs having a second number of tones greater than or equal to the predefined amount. For example, the predefined amount may include 242 tones. Note that the multiple predefined RUs may have the same or different numbers of tones. Moreover, the electronic may receive an acknowledgment or a block acknowledgment from the recipient electronic device.

Multi-resource-unit aggregation

Methods, systems and apparatuses for negotiating mapping between traffic flows and different links by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and non-AP MLD are described. An AP MLD may transmit an initial request for a first limited mapping. A non-AP MLD may change to the first limited mapping. The non-AP MLD may register one or more high priority traffic flows and may change to a second mapping accommodating the high priority traffic flows on at least one additional link. The non-AP MLD and AP MLD may additionally exchange second and final mapping negotiation messages.

Link negotiation including priority traffic

Systems, methods, and mechanisms for a privacy enhanced basic service set (BSS), including privacy enhancements for both access points and wireless stations as well as privacy enchantments for authentication, association, and discovery operations. Further, the systems, methods, and mechanisms disclosed may continue to support legacy wireless stations and are thus, backward compatible. A station may communicate with a legacy BSS of a wireless network to transition to a PE BSS of the wireless network. The station may receive, from the PE BSS of the wireless network, an encrypted beacon, wherein the encrypted beacon is decoded based on information received from the legacy BSS and perform, with the PE BSS of the wireless network, an encrypted handshake procedure to authenticate and associate with the PE BSS of the wireless network.

Privacy enhanced BSS and discovery mechanisms

An electronic device that performs a scan is described. During operation, the electronic device may perform, using a scanning radio, the scan of a band of frequencies, where the scanning radio only receives frames. Then, the electronic device may receive, using the scanning radio, a beacon associated with a second electronic device, where the beacon includes information associated with operation of a third electronic device in a second band of frequencies. Next, the electronic device may perform, using a data radio, a second scan of the second band of frequencies based at least in part on the information, where the data radio transmits and/or receives second frames, and where the second scan is performed, at least in part, while the scan is performed. Note that the electronic device may not be associated with (or may not have a connection with) the second electronic device and/or the third electronic device.

Beacon and probe-response frame type information for out-of-band discovery

Methods, systems and apparatuses for performing a channel switch by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and non-AP MLD are described. An AP MLD may transmit information about parameters of an AP that will be implemented following an upcoming channel switch. The non-AP MLD may use the information to implement the channel switch.

Channel switching

Methods, systems and apparatuses for performing a channel validation by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and non-AP MLD are described. An AP MLD may transmit information about multiple affiliated APs. A non-AP MLD and AP MLD may validate multiple links for communication.

Operating channel validation

Methods for performing robust discovery of a new access point (AP) in AP MLD, robust link addition to an AP MLD association, AP beaconing modes when the AP is added or deleted to/from an AP MLD, and robust BSS transition management (BTM) signaling to steer a non-AP MLD to a best AP MLD and to most suitable APs, as well as privacy improvements for associated non-AP MLD.

MLD privacy and operation enhancements

This disclosure relates to methods for conducting multilink communications between a user equipment device (UE) and a wireless access point (AP) over a wireless local area network (WLAN). The UE establishes a connection with an access point through a WLAN, wherein the connection utilizes a plurality of links. The UE transmits an indication to the access point through a first link of the plurality of links, where the indication specifies one or more available links of the plurality of links that are available for the UE to receive downlink (DL) communications from the access point. The UE receives one or more DL communications from the access point through at least one of the one or more available links.

Power savings for multi-link wireless local area network infrastructure

During operation, an electronic device may perform, using a scanning radio, a scan of a band of frequencies, where the scanning radio only receives frames. Then, the electronic device may receive, using the scanning radio, a beacon frame associated with a second electronic device, where the beacon frame includes information associated with operation of a third electronic device in a second band of frequencies. Next, the electronic device may perform, using a data radio, a second scan of the second band of frequencies based at least in part on the information, where the data radio transmits and/or receives second frames, and where the second scan is performed, at least in part, while the scan is performed. Note that the electronic device may not be associated with (or may not have a connection with) the second electronic device and/or the third electronic device.

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Jarkko L Kneckt