CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application

No. 62/507,329, filed May 17, 2017 and entitled "Reducing Probe Responses in Wi-Fi Environments." The content of this prior application is considered part of this application, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Embodiments pertain to wireless networks and wireless communications. Some embodiments relate to wireless local area networks (WLANs) and Wi-Fi networks including networks operating in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE 802.1 1) family of standards. Some embodiments relate to IEEE 802.1 lax. Some embodiments relate to methods, computer readable media, and apparatus for reducing probe responses in Wi-Fi environments.

BACKGROUND [0003] Efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network

(WLAN) is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN. However, often there are many devices trying to share the same resources and some devices may be limited by the communication protocol they use or by their hardware bandwidth. Moreover, wireless devices may need to operate with both newer protocols and with legacy device protocols.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: [0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio architecture, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a front-end module circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0007] FIG 3 illustrates a radio IC circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a baseband processing circuitry for use in the radio architecture of FIG.1, in accordance with some embodiments;

[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates a WLAN, in accordance with some

embodiments.

[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies) discussed herein may perform.

[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless device upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies or operations) discussed herein may perform.

[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates a communication of messages on a wireless medium between a station and multiple access points during an access point discovery process.

[0013] FIG. 9 shows an example format of a probe request message that may be implemented in at least some of the disclosed embodiment s.

[0014] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a probe response message that may be implemented in at least some of the di sclosed embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 11 shows an example of a fast initial link setup (FILS) Request Parameters element, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 12A shows an example format of a multi-band operations

(MBO)-Optimized Connectivity Experience (OCE) information element that may be implemented in some of the disclosed embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 12B shows an example format of an attribute body field that may be implemented in some of the disclosed embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method for generating a probe request and configuring a station to transmit the probe request. [0019] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an example method for receiving a probe request and conditionally configuring an access point to transmit a response to the probe request.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0020] 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, 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.

[0021] IEEE 802.11 defines a discovery process for a station (ST A) to discover neighboring access points (APs) to which it may connect. In one part of the discovery process, an STA may transmit a probe request message. The probe request message may be broadcast over a wireless medium such that all or most other wireless devices within range of the STA receive and decode, at least partially, the probe request message. IEEE 802.11 defines that generally all access points receiving a probe request message are to generate a response message, called a probe response message.

[0022] With this discovery process, as a number of access points and/or stations within a generalized wireless medium increases, an amount of capacity consumed by probe responses may become substantial. For example, if each of one hundred (100) stations broadcast a probe request in a vicinity of ten (10) access points, this results in 1000 probe responses.

[0023] Furthermore, in high density deployments, such as offices, multi residential dwellings, stadiums, subways, and airports, some APs might not respond to one or more probe requests. This could occur, for example, due to packet collisions, AP load, or other responses. To compensate for this intermittent response behavior by access points under these certain conditions, stations may routinely transmit additional probe requests to ensure that they discover a majority of APs that were not discovered following the first probe request (due to congestion/collisions). This behavior by stations further increases the number of probe responses transmitted. In dense networks, this may further increase the capacity of the wireless medium consumed by probe activity.

[0024] In some aspects, a majority of these probe responses may be unnecessary. For example, in some aspects, a first station may transmit multiple probe request messages over time. If the number of access point s within a vicinity of the first station remains unchanged, the station may receive repetitive probe responses from access points of which it is already aware. These repetitive probe responses consume capacity of the wireless medium and may generally provide no value.

[0025] In an attempt to reduce channel load due to un-necessary probe responses, the WFA (Wi-Fi Alliance) has introduced the OCE (Optimized Connectivity Experience) program, which has produced an OCE specification. The OCE specification defines that a station may wait 15 milliseconds (msec) before it is allowed to transmit the first Probe Request. During this time, the STA shall try to discover neighbor APs by listening and identifying one or more of a beacon frame, broadcast probe response frame, or a fast initial link setup (FILS) discovery frame. The beacon frame is broadcast by each access point at a generally periodic interval, such as every 102 msec. The beacon frame includes information to allow a station to associate with an access point. The OCE specification states that an access point is to respond to a probe request frame by broadcasting a probe response frame. This differs from prior devices that generally unicast probe response frames. As a result, stations that did not initiate the probe response may still benefit from the information included in the broadcast probe response frame, and may use the information included therein to associate with the AP. The FILS discovery frame may be broadcast by an access point, for example, at a generally periodic interval of 20 msec. The FILS discovery frame includes information similar to that included in a beacon frame, which allows a receiving station to associate with the transmitting AP.

[0026] However, during that time, the STA may still not discover all the APs within a transmission range of the STA. This may result from one or more factors, such as not all APs being OCE APs, not all APs transmitting the FILS discovery frame, or 15 msec may be shorter than a beacon transmission rate and/or the FILS discovery frame transmission rate of an AP. [0027] Under the OCE specifications described briefly above, a typical

STA shall transmit a probe request following a 15 msec wait-time. This may cause APs with a transmission range of the AP to respond by transmitting probe responses (broadcast or unicast). During the 15msec wait-time, the STA may have already received a beacon, probe response, or FILS discovery frame from some of those APs. Thus, at least some of probe responses may be unnecessarily transmitted.

[0028] As described above, these unnecessarily transmitted probe responses consume capacity of the wireless medium, resulting in increased collisions and reduced throughput. This reduced capacity can, especially in dense environments, cause additional probe request messages to be transmitted, further reducing network capacity due to both the additional probe requests and any corresponding responses.

[0029] Networks implementing the OCE specification may also experience reliability challenges due to the broadcasting of probe responses. As no acknowledgments of broadcast messages are provided, an OCE AP will be unable to determine whether a probe response frame was transmitted properly, and also any built in retry capability of the AP cannot be applied. This reduces the reliability of the di scovery process at least to some degree.

[0030] The disclosed embodiments provide a technical solution for at least some of the technical challenges described above by reducing the number of unnecessary probe responses transmitted by access points. This is achieved by including in probe request messages an indi cation of any access points that do not need to respond to the probe request. Whereas the standard access point behavior is to respond to each probe request message received, in the disclosed embodiments, an AP receiving a probe request may first decode the probe request to see if the access point is identified as an AP that does not need to respond. If the AP finds itself identifi ed in the probe request message, the AP may simply drop the probe request without generating a probe response message. If the AP is not identified, then the AP may respond to the probe request with an appropriate probe response message.

[0031] The stations may implement this solution by maintaining a record of access points for which information is already available to them. For example, a station may receive information for an access point via a number of different mechanisms, including, as discussed above, beacon messages, FILS discovery messages, or broadcast probe response frames (initiated by probe requests from this station or other stations). When the station generates a probe request message, it includes a list of these known access points in the message. The access points may be identified in the message via a known identifier, such as a basic service set identifier (BSS ID) or media access control address of the access point or service set identifier (SS ID) (e.g., network name).

[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio architecture 100, in accordance with some embodiments. Radio architecture 100 may include radio front-end module (FEM) circuitry 104, radio integrated circuit (IC) circuitry 106, and baseband processing circuitry 108. Radio architecture 100 as shown includes both WLAN functionality and Bluetooth (BT) functionality, although embodiments are not so limited. In this disclosure, "WLAN" and "Wi-Fi" are used interchangeably.

[0033] FEM circuitry 104 may include a WLAN or Wi-Fi FEM circuitry

104A and a BT FEM circuitry 104B. The WLAN FEM circuitry 104 A may include a receive signal path comprising circuitry configured to operate on WLAN radio frequency (RF) signals received from one or more antennas 101 , amplify the received signals, and provide the amplified versions of the received signals to a WLAN radio IC circuitry 106A for further processing. The BT FEM circuitry 104B may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry configured to operate on BT RF signals received from one or more antennas 101 , amplify the received signals, and provide the amplified versions of the received signals to a BT radio IC circuitry 106B for further processing. FEM circuitry 104A may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify WLAN signals provided by the radio IC circuitry 106 A for wireless transmission by one or more of the antennas 101. In addition, FEM circuitry 104B may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify BT signals provided by the radio IC circuitry

106B for wireless transmission by the one or more antennas. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, although FEM 104 A and FEM 104B are shown as being distinct from one another, embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope the use of a FEM (not shown) that includes a transmit path and/or a receive path for both WLAN and BT signals, or the use of one or more FEM circuitries where at least some of the FEM circuitries share transmit and/or receive signal paths for both WLAN and BT signals.

[0034] Radio IC circuitry 106 as shown may include WLAN radio IC circuitry 106 A and BT radio IC circuitry 106B. The WLAN radio IC circuitry 106 A may include a receive signal path, which may include circuitry to down- convert WLAN RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 104A and provide baseband signals to WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A. BT radio IC circuitry 106B may in turn include a receive signal path, which may include circuitry to down-convert BT RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 104B and provide baseband signals to BT baseband processing circuitry 108B.

WLAN radio IC circuitry 106 A may also include a transmit signal path, which may include circuitry to up-convert WLAN baseband signals provided by the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A and provide WLAN RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 104 A for subsequent wireless transmission by the one or more antennas 101. BT radio IC circuitry 106B may also include a transmit signal path, which may include circuitry to up-convert BT baseband signals provided by the BT baseband processing circuitry 108B and provide BT RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 104B for subsequent wireless

transmission by the one or more antennas 101. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, although radio IC circuitries 106 A and 106B are shown as being distinct from one another, embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope the use of a radio IC circuitry (not shown) that includes a transmit signal path and/or a receive signal path for both WLAN and BT signals, or the use of one or more radio IC circuitries where at least some of the radio IC circuitries share transmit and/or receive signal paths for both WLAN and BT signals.

[0035] Baseband processing circuity 108 may include a WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A and a BT baseband processing circuitry 108B. The WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A may include a memory, such as, for example, a set of random access memory (RAM) arrays in a Fast Fourier Transform or Inverse Fast Fourier Transform block (not shown) of the WL AN baseband processing circuitry 108 A. Each of the WLAN baseband circuitry 108A and the BT baseband circuitry 108B may further include one or more processors and control logic to process the signals received from the corresponding WLAN or BT receive signal path of the radio IC circuitry 106, and to also generate corresponding WLAN or BT baseband signals for the transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry 106. Each of the baseband processing circuitries 108 A and 108B may further include physical layer (PHY) and medium access control layer (MAC) circuitry, and may further interface with application processor 1 1 1 for generation and processing of the baseband signals and for controlling operations of the radio IC circuitry 106. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the wireless radio card 102 may include separate baseband memory 109 for one or more of the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 108 A and Bluetooth baseband processing circuity 108B, shown as baseband memories 109 A and 109B respectively.

[0036] Referring still to FIG. 1, according to the shown embodiment, WLAN-BT coexistence circuitry 113 may include logic providing an interface between the WLAN baseband circuitry 108 A and the BT baseband circuitry 108B to enable use cases requiring WLAN and BT coexistence. In addition, a switch 103 may be provided between the WLAN FEM circuitry 104 A and the BT FEM circuitry 104B to allow switching between the WLAN and BT radios according to application needs. In addition, although the antennas 101 are depicted as being respectively connected to the WLAN FEM circuitry 104 A and the BT FEM circuitry 104B, embodiments include within their scope the sharing of one or more antennas as between the WL AN and BT FEMs, or the provision of more than one antenna connected to each of FEM 104 A or 104B.

[0037] In some embodiments, the front-end module circuitry 104, the radio IC circuitry 106, and baseband processing circuitry 108 may be provided on a single radio card, such as wireless radio card 102. In some other embodiments, the one or more antennas 101 , the FEM circuitry 104 and the radio IC circuitry 106 may be provided on a single radio card. In some other embodiments, the radio IC circuitry 106 and the baseband processing circuitry

108 may be provided on a single chip or IC, such as IC 112.

[0038] In some embodiments, the wireless radio card 102 may include a

WLAN radio card and may be configured for Wi-Fi communications, although the scope of the embodiments i s not limited in this respect. In some of these embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to receive and transmit orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication signals over a multicarrier communication channel. The OFDM or OFDMA signals may comprise a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers.

[0039] In some of these multicarrier embodiments, radio architecture 100 may be part of a Wi-Fi communication station (STA) such as a wireless access point (AP), a base station, or a mobile device including a Wi-Fi device. In some of these embodiments, radio architecture 100 may be configured to transmit and receive signals in accordance with specific communication standards and/or protocols, such as any of the IEEE standards including, IEEE 802.1 ln-2009, IEEE 802.11-2012, IEEE 802.11-2016, IEEE 802.1 lac, and/or IEEE 802.1 lax standards and/or proposed specifications for WLANs, although the scope of embodiments is not limited in this respect. Radio architecture 100 may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards.

[0040] In some embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured for high-efficiency (HE) Wi-Fi (HEW) communications in accordance with the IEEE 802.1 lax standard. In these embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to communicate in accordance with an OFDMA technique, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0041] In some other embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to transmit and receive signals transmitted using one or more other modulation techniques such as spread spectrum modulation (e.g., direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) and/or frequency hopping code division multiple access (FH-CDMA)), time-division multiplexing (TDM) modulation, and/or frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) modulation, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0042] In some embodiments, as further shown in FIG. 1, the BT baseband circuitry 108B may be compliant with a BT connectivity standard such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth 4.0 or Bluetooth 5.0, or any other iteration of the Bluetooth Standard. In embodiments that include BT functionality (as shown, for example, in Fig. 1), the radio architecture 100 may be configured to establish a BT synchronous connection oriented (SCO) link and/or a BT low energy (BT LE) link. In some of the embodiments that include functionality, the radio architecture 100 may be configured to establish an extended SCO (eSCO) link for BT communications, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some of these embodiments that include a BT functionality, the radio architecture may be configured to engage in BT Asynchronous

Connection-Less (ACL) communications, although the scope of the

embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the functions of a BT radio card and WLAN radio card may be combined on a single wireless radio card, such as single wireless radio card 102, although embodiments are not so limited, and include within their scope discrete WLAN and BT radio cards

[0043] In some embodiments, the radio-architecture 100 may include other radio cards, such as a cellular radio card configured for cellular (e.g., 3GPP such as LTE, LTE- Advanced or 5G communications).

[0044] In some IEEE 802.11 embodiments, the radio architecture 100 may be configured for communication over various channel bandwidths including bandwidths having center frequencies of about 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and bandwidths of about 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4 MHz, 5MHz, 8 MHz, 10 MHz, 16 MHz, 20 MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz (with contiguous bandwidths) or 80+80MHz (160MHz) (with non-contiguous bandwidths). In some embodiments, a 320 MHz channel bandwidth may be used. The scope of the embodiments is not limited with respect to the above center frequencies however.

[0045] FIG 2 illustrates FEM circuitry 200, in accordance with some embodiments. The FEM circuitr ⁷ 200 is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the WLAN and/or BT FEM circuitry 104A/104B (FIG. 1), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[0046] In some embodiments, the FEM circuitry 200 may include a

TX/RX switch 202 to switch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEM circuitry 200 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 200 may include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 206 to amplify received RF signals 203 and provide the amplified received RF signals 207 as an output (e.g., to the radio IC circuitry 106 (FIG. 1)). The transmit signal path of the circuitry 200 may include a power amplifier (PA) 210 to amplify input RF signals 209 (e.g., provided by the radio IC circuitry 106), and one or more filters 212, such as band-pass filters (BPFs), low-pass filters (LPFs) or other types of filters, to generate RF signals 215 for subsequent transmission (e.g., by one or more of the antennas 101 (FIG. 1))·

[0047] In some dual-mode embodiments for Wi-Fi communication, the

FEM circuitry 200 may be configured to operate in either the 2.4 GFIz frequency spectrum or the 5 GHz frequency spectrum. In these embodiments, the receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 200 may include a receive signal path duplexer 204 to separate the signals from each spectrum as well as provide a separate LNA 206 for each spectrum as shown. In these embodiments, the transmit signal path of the FEM circuitry 200 may also include a power amplifier 210 and a filter 212, such as a BPF, a LPF or another type of filter for each frequency spectrum and a transmit signal path duplexer 214 to provide the signals of one of the different spectrums onto a single transmit path for subsequent transmission by the one or more of the antennas 101 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, BT communications may utilize the 2.4 GHZ signal paths and may utilize the same FEM circuitry 200 as the one used for WLAN communications.

[0048] FIG. 3 illustrates radio IC circuitry 300, in accordance with some embodiments. The radio IC circuitry 300 is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the WLAN or BT radio IC circuitry 106A/106B (FIG. 1), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[0049] In some embodiments, the radio IC circuitry 300 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the radio IC circuitry 300 may include at least mixer circuitry 302, such as, for example, down-conversion mixer circuitry, amplifier circuitr ⁷ 306, and filter circuitry 308. The transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry 300 may include at least filter circuitry 312 and mixer circuitry 314, such as, for example, up- conversion mixer circuitry. Radio IC circuitry 300 may also include synthesizer circuitry 304 for synthesizing a frequency 305 for use by the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry 314. The mixer circuitry 302 and/or 314 may each, according to some embodiments, be configured to provide direct conversion functionality. The latter type of circuitry presents a much simpler architecture as compared with standard super-heterodyne mixer circuitries, and any flicker noise brought about by the same may be alleviated for example through the use of OFDM modulation. Fig. 3 illustrates only a simplified version of a radio IC circuitry, and may include, although not shown, embodiments where each of the depicted circuitries may include more than one component. For instance, mixer circuitry 320 and/or 314 may each include one or more mixers, and filter circuitries 308 and/or 312 may each include one or more filters, such as one or more BPFs and/or LPFs according to application needs. For example, when mixer circuitries are of the direct-conversion type, they may each include two or more mixers.

[0050] In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 302 may be configured to down-convert RF signals 207 received from the FEM circuitry 104 (FIG. 1) based on the synthesized frequency 305 provided by synthesizer circuitry 304. The amplifier circuitry 306 may be configured to amplify the down-converted signals, and the filter circuitry 308 may include a LPF configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signals to generate output baseband signals 307. Output baseband signals 307 may be provided to the baseband processing circuitry 108 (FIG. 1) for further processing. In some embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 may be zero-frequency baseband signals, although this is not a requirement. In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 302 may comprise passive mixers, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0051] In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 314 may be configured to up-convert input baseband signals 31 1 based on the synthesized frequency

305 provided by the synthesizer circuitry 304 to generate RF output signals 209 for the FEM circuitry 104. The baseband signals 31 1 may be provided by the baseband processing circuitry 108 and may be filtered by filter circuitry 312.

The filter circuitry 312 may include a LPF or a BPF, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. [0052] In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry 314 may each include two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadrature down-conversion and/or up-conversion respectively with the help of synthesizer 304. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry 314 may each include two or more mixers each configured for image rejection (e.g., Hartley image rejection). In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry 314 may be arranged for direct down- conversion and/or direct up-conversion, respectively. In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 302 and the mixer circuitry 314 may be configured for super- heterodyne operation, although this is not a requirement.

[0053] Mixer circuitry 302 may comprise, according to one embodiment: quadrature passive mixers (e.g., for the in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) paths). In such an embodiment, RF input signal 207 from Fig. 3 may be down- converted to provide I and Q baseband output signals to be sent to the baseband processor

[0054] Quadrature passive mixers may be driven by zero and ninety- degree time-varying local oscillator (LO) switching signals provided by a quadrature circuitry which may be configured to receive a LO frequency (Ho) from a local oscillator or a synthesizer, such as LO frequency 305 of synthesizer 304 (FIG. 3). In some embodiments, the LO frequency may be the carrier frequency, while in other embodiments, the LO frequency may be a fraction of the carrier frequency (e.g., one-half the carrier frequency, one-third the carrier frequency). In some embodiments, the zero and ninety-degree time-varying switching signals may be generated by the synthesizer, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0055] In some embodiments, the LO signals may differ in duty cycle

(the percentage of one period in which the LO signal is high) and/or offset (the difference between start points of the period). In some embodiments, the LO signals may have a 25% duty cycle and a 50% offset. In some embodiments, each branch of the mixer circuitry (e.g., the in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) path) may operate at a 25% duty cycle, which may result in a significant reduction in power consumption. [0056] The RF input signal 207 (FIG. 2) may comprise a balanced signal, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. The I and Q baseband output signals may be provided to a low-nose amplifier, such as amplifier circuitry 306 (FIG. 3) or to filter circuitry 308 (FIG. 3).

[0057] In some embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 and the input baseband signals 311 may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect. In some alternate

embodiments, the output baseband signals 307 and the input baseband signals 311 may be digital baseband signals. In these alternate embodiments, the radio IC circuitry may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry.

[0058] In some dual-mode embodiments, a separate radio IC circuitry may be provided for processing signals for each spectrum, or for other spectrums not mentioned here, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect.

[0059] In some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 304 may be a fractional-N synthesizer or a fractional N/N+l synthesizer, although the scope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect as other types of frequency synthesizers may be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuitr ⁷ 304 may be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer comprising a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider. According to some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 304 may include digital synthesizer circuitry. An advantage of using a digital synthesizer circuitry is that, although it may still include some analog components, its footprint may be scaled down much more than the footprint of an analog synthesizer circuitry. In some embodiments, frequency input into synthesizer circuity 304 may be provided by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), although that is not a requirement. A divider control input may further be provided by either the baseband processing circuitry 108 (FIG. 1) or the application processor 111 (FIG. 1) depending on the desired output frequency 305. In some embodiments, a divider control input (e.g., N) may be determined from a look-up table (e.g., within a Wi-Fi card) based on a channel number and a channel center frequency as determined or indicated by the application processor 111. [0060] In some embodiments, synthesizer circuitry 304 may be configured to generate a carrier frequency as the output frequency 305, while in other embodiments, the output frequency 305 may be a fraction of the carrier frequency (e.g., one-half the carrier frequency, one-third the carrier frequency). In some embodiments, the output frequency 305 may be a LO frequency (fLo).

[0061] FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of baseband processing circuitry 400, in accordance with some embodiments. The baseband processing circuitry 400 is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the baseband processing circuitry 108 (FIG. 1), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable. The baseband processing circuitry 400 may include a receive baseband processor (RX BBP) 402 for processing receive baseband signals 309 provided by the radio IC circuitry 106 (FIG. 1) and a transmit baseband processor (TX BBP) 404 for generating transmit baseband signals 31 1 for the radio IC circuitry 106. The baseband processing circuitry 400 may also include control logic 406 for coordinating the operations of the baseband processing circuitry 400.

[0062] In some embodiments (e.g., when analog baseband signals are exchanged between the baseband processing circuitry 400 and the radio IC circuitry 106), the baseband processing circuitry 400 may include ADC 410 to convert analog baseband signals received from the radio IC circuitry 106 to digital baseband signals for processing by the RX BBP 402. In these

embodiments, the baseband processing circuitry 400 may also include DAC 412 to convert digital baseband signals from the TX BBP 404 to analog baseband signals.

[0063] In some embodiments that communicate OFDM signals or

OFDM A signals, such as through baseband processor 108 A, the transmit baseband processor 404 may be configured to generate OFDM or OFDMA signals as appropriate for transmission by performing an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT). The receive baseband processor 402 may be configured to process received OFDM signals or OFDMA signals by performing an FFT. In some embodiments, the receive baseband processor 402 may be configured to detect the presence of an OFDM signal or OFDMA signal by performing an autocorrelation, to detect a preamble, such as a short preamble, and by performing a cross-correlation, to detect a long preamble. The preambles may be part of a predetermined frame structure for Wi-Fi communication.

[0064] Referring back to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the antennas 101 may each comprise one or more directional or omnidirectional antennas, including, for example, dipole antennas, monopole antennas, patch antennas, loop antennas, microstrip antennas or other types of antennas suitable for transmission of RF signals. In some multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) embodiments, the antennas may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result.

Antennas 101 may each include a set of phased-array antennas, although embodiments are not so limited.

[0065] Although the radio-architecture 100 is illustrated as having several separate functional elements, one or more of the functional elements may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may comprise one or more microprocessors, DSPs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[0066] FIG. 5 illustrates a WLAN 500, in accordance with some embodiments. The WLAN 500 may comprise a basic service set (BSS) that may include a HE access point (AP) 502, which may be an AP, a plurality of HE wireless (e.g., IEEE 802.11 ax) stations 504, and a plurality of legacy (e.g., IEEE 802.1 ln/ac) devices 506.

[0067] The HE AP 502 may be an AP using the IEEE 802.1 1 to transmit and receive. The HE AP 502 may be a base station. The HE AP 502 may use other communications protocols as well as the IEEE 802.11 protocol. The IEEE

802.11 protocol may be IEEE 802.1 lax. The IEEE 802.11 protocol may include using OFDMA, time division multiple access (TDMA), and/or CDMA. The

IEEE 802.11 protocol may include a multiple access technique. For example, the IEEE 802.1 1 protocol may include space-division multiple access (SDMA) and/or multiple-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO). There may be more than one HE AP 502 that is part of an extended service set (ESS). A controller (not illustrated) may store information that is common to the more than one HE APs 502.

[0068] The legacy devices 506 may operate in accordance with one or more of IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ad/af/ah/aj/ay, or another legacy wireless communication standard. The legacy devices 506 may be STAs or IEEE STAs. The HE STAs 504 may be wireless transmit and receive devices such as cellular telephone, portable electronic wireless communication devices, smart telephone, handheld wireless device, wireless glasses, wireless watch, wireless personal device, tablet, or another device that may be transmitting and receiving using the IEEE 802.11 protocol such as IEEE 802.1 lax or another wireless protocol. In some embodiments, the HE STAs 504 may be termed HE stations.

[0069] The HE AP 502 may communicate with legacy devices 506 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.11 communication techniques. In example embodiments, the HE AP 502 may also be configured to communicate with HE STAs 504 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.11 communication techniques.

[0070] In some embodiments, a HE frame may be configurable to have the same bandwidth as a channel. The HE frame may be a physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU). In some embodiments, there may be different types of PPDUs that may have different fields and different physical layers and/or different media access control (MAC) layers.

[0071] The bandwidth of a channel may be 20MHz, 40MHz, or 80MHz,

160MHz, 320MHz contiguous bandwidths, or an 80+80MHz (160MHz) noncontiguous bandwidth. In some embodiment s, the band width of a channel may be 1 MHz, 1.25MHz, 2.03MHz, 2.5MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5MHz and 10MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used. In some embodiments the bandwidth of the channels may be based on a number of active data subcarriers. In some embodiments the band width of the channels is based on 26, 52, 106, 242, 484,

996, or 2x996 active data subcarriers or tones that are spaced by 20 MHz. In some embodiments the bandwidth of the channels is 256 tones spaced by 20 MHz. In some embodiments the channels are multiple of 26 tones or a multiple of 20 MHz. In some embodiments a 20 MHz channel may comprise 242 active data subcarriers or tones, which may determine the size of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). An allocation of a bandwidth or a number of tones or sub- carriers may be termed a resource unit (RU) allocation, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0072] In some embodiments, the 26-subcarrier RU and 52-subcarrier

RU are used in the 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, and 80+80 MHz OFDMA HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 106-subcarrier RU is used in the 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 242-subcarrier RU is used in the 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU- MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 484-subcarrier RU is used in the 80 MHz, 160 MHz, and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats. In some embodiments, the 996-subcarrier RU is used in the 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz OFDMA and MU-MIMO HE PPDU formats.

[0073] A HE frame may be configured for transmitting a number of spatial streams, which may be in accordance with MU-MIMO and may be in accordance with OFDMA. In other embodiments, the HE AP 502, HE STA 504, and/or legacy device 506 may also implement different technologies such as CDMA 2000, CDMA 2000 IX, CDMA 2000 Evolution-Data Optimized (EV- DO), Interim Standard 2000 (IS-2000), Interim Standard 95 (IS-95), Interim Standard 856 (IS-856), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE (GERAN), IEEE 802.16 (e.g., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), BlueTooth®, or other technologies.

[0074] Some embodiments relate to HE communications. In accordance with some IEEE 802.11 embodiments, e.g., IEEE 802.1 lax embodiments, a HE AP 502 may operate as a master station which may be arranged to contend for a wireless medium (e.g., during a contention period) to receive exclusive control of the medium for an HE control period. In some embodiments, the HE control period may be termed a transmission opportunity (TXOP). The HE AP 502 may transmit a HE master- sync transmission, which may be a trigger frame or HE control and schedule transmission, at the beginning of the HE control period. The HE AP 502 may transmit a time duration of the TXOP and sub-channel information. During the HE control period, HE ST As 504 may communicate with the HE AP 502 in accordance with a non-contention based multiple access technique such as OFDM A or MU-MIMO. This is unlike conventional WLAN communications in which devices communicate in accordance with a contention-based communication technique, rather than a multiple access technique. During the HE control period, the HE AP 502 may communicate with HE stations 504 using one or more HE frames. During the HE control period, the HE STAs 504 may operate on a sub-channel smaller than the operating range of the HE AP 502. During the HE control period, legacy stations refrain from communicating. The legacy stations may need to receive the communication from the HE AP 502 to defer from communicating.

[0075] In accordance with some embodiments, during the TXOP, the HE

STAs 504 may contend for the wireless medium with the legacy devices 506 being excluded from contending for the wireless medium during the master-sync transmission. In some embodiments the trigger frame may indicate an uplink (UL) UL-MU-MIMO and/or UL OFDMA TXOP. In some embodiments, the trigger frame may include a DL UL-MU-MEVIO and/or DL OFDMA with a schedule indicated in a preamble portion of trigger frame.

[0076] In some embodiments, the multiple-access technique used during the HE TXOP may be a scheduled OFDMA technique, although this is not a requirement. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a TDMA technique or a FDMA technique. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a SDMA technique. In some embodiments, the multiple access technique may be a CDMA.

[0077] The HE AP 502 may also communicate with legacy devices 506 and/or HE stations 504 in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.11 communication techniques. In some embodiments, the HE AP 502 may also be configurable to communicate with HE stations 504 outside the HE TXOP in accordance with legacy IEEE 802.1 1 communication techniques, although this is not a requirement. [0078] In some embodiments the HE station 504 may be a "group owner" (GO) for peer-to-peer modes of operation. A wireless device may be a HE station 502 or a HE AP 502.

[0079] In some embodiments, the HE station 504 and/or HE AP 502 may be configured to operate in accordance with IEEE 802.1 lmc. In example embodiments, the radio architecture of FIG. 1 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the front-end module circuitry of FIG. 2 i s configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502. In example embodiments, the base-band processing circuitry of FIG. 4 is configured to implement the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP 502.

[0080] In example embodiments, the HE stations 504, HE AP 502, an apparatus of the HE stations 504, and/or an apparatus of the HE AP 502 may include one or more of the following: the radio architecture of FIG. 1, the front- end module circuitry of FIG. 2, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3, and/or the baseband processing circuitry of FIG. 4.

[0081] In example embodiments, the radio architecture of FIG. 1, the front-end module circuitry of FIG. 2, the radio IC circuitry of FIG. 3, and/or the base-band processing circuitry of FIG. 4 may be configured to perform the methods and operations/functions herein described in conjunction with FIGS. 1- 14.

[0082] In example embodiments, the HE station 504 and/or the HE AP

502 are configured to perform the methods and operations/functions described herein in conjunction with FIGS. 1-14. In example embodiments, an apparatus of the HE station 504 and/or an apparatus of the HE AP 502 are configured to perform the methods and functions described herein in conjunction with FIGS. 1-14. The term Wi-Fi may refer to one or more of the IEEE 802.11

communication standards. AP and STA may refer to HE access point 502 and/or HE station 504 as well as legacy devices 506.

[0083] In some embodiments, a HE AP STA may refer to a HE AP 502 and a HE STAs 504 that is operating a HE APs 502. In some embodiments, when an HE STA 504 is not operating as a HE AP, it may be referred to as a HE non-AP STA or HE non-AP. In some embodiments, HE STA 504 may be referred to as either a HE AP STA or a HE non-AP.

[0084] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an example machine 600 upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies) discussed herein may perform. In alternative embodiments, the machine 600 may operate as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 600 may operate in the capacity of a server machine, a client machine, or both in server-client network environments. In an example, the machine 600 may act as a peer machine in peer-to-peer (P2P) (or other distributed) network environment. The machine 600 may be a HE AP 502, HE station 504, personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable communications device, a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, such as cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), other computer cluster configurations.

[0085] Machine (e.g., computer system) 600 may include a hardware processor 602 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a main memory 604 and a static memory 606, some or all of which may communicate with each other via an interlink (e.g., bus) 608.

[0086] Specific examples of main memory 604 include RAM, and semiconductor memory devices, which may include, in some embodiments, storage locations in semiconductors such as registers. Specific examples of static memory 606 include non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM),

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. [0087] The machine 600 may further include a display device 610, an input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 614 (e.g., a mouse). In an example, the display device 610, input device 612 and UI navigation device 614 may be a touch screen display. The machine 600 may additionally include a mass storage (e.g., drive unit) 616, a signal generation device 618 (e.g., a speaker), a network interface device 620, and one or more sensors 621, such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, compass, accelerometer, or other sensor. The machine 600 may include an output controller 628, such as a serial (e.g., universal serial bus (USB), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection to communicate or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, card reader, etc.). In some embodiments, the processor 602 and/or instructions 624 may comprise processing circuitry and/or transceiver circuitry.

[0088] The storage device 616 may include a machine readable medium 622 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures or instructions 624 (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. The instructions 624 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 604, within static memory 606, or within the hardware processor 602 during execution thereof by the machine 600. In an example, one or any combination of the hardware processor 602, the main memory 604, the static memory 606, or the storage device 616 may constitute machine readable media.

[0089] Specific examples of machine readable media may include: nonvolatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM or EEPROM) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

[0090] While the machine readable medium 622 is illustrated as a single medium, the term "machine readable medium" may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) configured to store the one or more instructions 624.

[0091] An apparatus of the machine 600 may be one or more of a hardware processor 602 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a main memory 604 and a static memory 606, sensors 621, network interface device 620, antennas 660, a display device 610, an input device 612, a UI navigation device 614, a mass storage 616, instructions 624, a signal generation device 618, and an output controller 628. The apparatus may be configured to perform one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein. The apparatus may be intended as a component of the machine 600 to perform one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein, and/or to perform a portion of one or more of the methods and/or operations disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a pin or other means to receive power. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include power conditioning hardware.

[0092] The term "machine readable medium" may include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the machine 600 and that cause the machine 600 to perform any one or more of the techniques of the present disclosure, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Non- limiting machine readable medium examples may include solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Specific examples of machine readable media may include: non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; RAM; and CD- ROM and DVD-ROM disks. In some examples, machine readable media may include non-transitory machine readable media. In some examples, machine readable media may include machine readable media that is not a transitory propagating signal.

[0093] The instructions 624 may further be transmitted or received over a communications network 626 using a transmission medium via the network interface device 620 utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame relay, internet protocol (IP), transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communication networks may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a packet data network (e.g., the Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), Plain Old Telephone (POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11 family of standards known as Wi-Fi®, IEEE 802.16 family of standards known as WiMax®), IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards, a LTE family of standards, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) family of standards, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, among others.

[0094] In an example, the network interface device 620 may include one or more physical jacks (e.g., Ethernet, coaxial, or phone jacks) or one or more antennas to connect to the communications network 626. In an example, the network interface device 620 may include one or more antennas 660 to wirelessly communicate using at least one of single-input multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or multiple-input single-output (MISO) techniques. In some examples, the network interface device 620 may wirelessly communicate using Multiple User MEVIO techniques. The term "transmission medium" shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying instructions for execution by the machine 600, and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible medium to facilitate communication of such software.

[0095] Examples, as described herein, may include, or may operate on, logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of performing specified operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In an example, circuits may be arranged (e.g., internally or with respect to external entities such as other circuits) in a specified manner as a module. In an example, the whole or part of one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more hardware processors may be configured by firmware or software (e.g., instructions, an application portion, or an application) as a module that operates to perform specified operations. In an example, the software may reside on a machine readable medium. In an example, the software, when executed by the underlying hardware of the module, causes the hardware to perform the specified operations.

[0096] Accordingly, the term "module" is understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily (e.g., transitorily) configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a specified manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein. Considering examples in which modules are temporarily configured, each of the modules need not be instantiated at any one moment in time. For example, where the modules comprise a general-purpose hardware processor configured using software, the general-purpose hardware processor may be configured as respective different modules at different times. Software may accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to constitute a particular module at one instance of time and to constitute a different module at a different instance of time.

[0097] Some embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer-readable medium may include any tangible non- transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to ROM; RAM; magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory, and the like.

[0098] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of an example wireless device

700 upon which any one or more of the techniques (e.g., methodologies or operations) discussed herein may perform. The wireless device 700 may be a HE device. The wireless device 700 may be a HE STA 504 and/or HE AP 502 (e.g., FIG. 5). A HE STA 504 and/or HE AP 502 may include some or all of the components shown in FIGS. 1-7. The wireless device 700 may be an example machine 600 as disclosed in conjunction with FIG. 6.

[0099] The wireless device 700 may include processing circuitry 708. The processing circuitry 708 may include a transceiver 702, physical layer circuitry (PHY circuitry) 704, and MAC layer circuitry (MAC circuitry) 706, one or more of which may enable transmission and reception of signals to and from other wireless devices 700 (e.g., HE AP 502, HE STA 504, and/or legacy devices 506) using one or more antennas 712. As an example, the PHY circuitry 704 may perform various encoding and decoding functions that may include formation of baseband signals for transmission and decoding of received signals. As another example, the transceiver 702 may perform various transmission and reception functions such as conversion of signals between a baseband range and a Radio Frequency (RF) range.

[00100] Accordingly, the PHY circuitry 704 and the transceiver 702 may be separate components or may be part of a combined component, e.g., processing circuitry 708. In addition, some of the described functionality related to transmission and reception of signals may be performed by a combination that may include one, any or all of the PHY circuitry 704 the transceiver 702, MAC circuitry 706, memory 710, and other components or layers. The MAC circuitry 706 may control access to the wireless medium. The wireless device 700 may also include memory 710 arranged to perform the operations described herein (e.g., some of the operations described herein may be performed by instructions stored in the memory 710).

[00101] The antennas 712 (some embodiments may include only one antenna) may comprise one or more directional or omnidirectional antennas, including, for example, dipole antennas, monopole antennas, patch antennas, loop antennas, microstrip antennas or other types of antennas suitable for transmission of RF signals. In some ΜΓΜΟ embodiment s, the antennas 712 may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result.

[00102] One or more of the memory 710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry 706, the antennas 712, and/or the processing circuitry 708 may be coupled with one another. Moreover, although memory

710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry 706, the antennas 712 are illustrated as separate components, one or more of memory

710, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry 706, and/or the antennas 712 may be integrated in an electronic package or chip.

[00103] In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 may be a mobile device as described in conjunction with FIG. 6. In some embodiments the wireless device 700 may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more wireless communication standards as described herein (e.g., as described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-6, IEEE 802.11). In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 may include one or more of the components as described i n conjunction with FIG. 6 (e.g., display device 610, input device 612, etc.) Although the wireless device 700 is illustrated as having several separate functional elements, one or more of the functional elements may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including DSPs, and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may comprise one or more microprocessors, DSPs, FPGAs, ASICs, RFICs, and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[00104] In some embodiments, an apparatus of or used by the wireless device 700 may include various components of the wireless device 700 as shown in FIG. 7 and/or components from FIGS. 1-6. Accordingly, techniques and operations described herein that refer to the wireless device 700 may be applicable to an apparatus for a wireless device 700 (e.g., HE AP 502 and/or HE STA 504), in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the wireless device 700 is configured to decode and/or encode signals, packets, and/or frames as described herein, e.g., PPDUs.

[00105] In some embodiments, the MAC circuitry 706 may be arranged to contend for a wireless medium during a contention period to receive control of the medium for a HE TXOP and encode or decode an HE PPDU. In some embodiments, the MAC circuitry 706 may be arranged to contend for the wireless medium based on channel contention settings, a transmitting power level, and a clear channel assessment level (e.g., an energy detect level).

[00106] The PHY circuitry 704 may be arranged to transmit signals in accordance with one or more communication standards described herein. For example, the PHY circuitry 704 may be configured to transmit a HE PPDU. The

PHY circuitry 704 may include circuitry for modulation/demodulation, upconversion/downconversion, filtering, amplification, and the like. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 708 may include one or more processors. The processing circuitr ⁷ 708 may be configured to perform functions based on instructions being stored in a RAM or ROM, or based on special purpose circuitry. The processing circuitry 708 may include a processor such as a general purpose processor or special purpose processor. The processing circuitry 708 may implement one or more functions associated with antennas 712, the transceiver 702, the PHY circuitry 704, the MAC circuitry 706, and/or the memory 710. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 708 may be configured to perform one or more of the functions/operations and/or methods described herein.

[00107] In mmWave technology, communication between a station (e.g., the HE stations 504 of FIG. 5 or wireless device 700) and an access point (e.g., the HE AP 502 of FIG. 5 or wireless device 700) may use associated effective wireless channels that are highly directionally dependent. To accommodate the directionality, beamforming techniques may be utilized to radiate energy in a certain direction with certain beamwidth to communicate between two devices. The directed propagation concentrates transmitted energy toward a target device in order to compensate for significant energy loss in the channel between the two communicating devices. Using directed transmission may extend the range of the mi Hi m eter- wave communication versus utili zing the same tran smitted energy in omni-directional propagation.

[00108] FIG. 8 illustrates a communication of messages on a wireless medium 800 between a station and multiple access points during an access point discovery process. FIG. 8 shows three access points 502a-c and four stations 504a-d. Before a station, such as the station 504b shown in FIG. 8, determines an AP with which it is to associate, the STA 504b may need to discover the AP. In some cases, the STA 504b may receive a beacon from the AP and discover the AP via the beacon. In other cases, the STA may transmit a probe request message, shown in FIG. 8 as message 802. The probe request message 802 may be broadcast in some aspects. The probe request message 802 may be configured to elicit a probe response message from an access point, such as any of the APs 502a-c.

[00109] Each of the APs 502a-c may receive the probe request message

802 since the message 802 is broadcast. Upon receiving the probe request message 802, each of the APs 502a-c may generate and transmit a probe response message, shown as probe response messages 804a-c transmitted by each of the APs 502a-502c, respectively. In the example of FIG. 8, four messages are generated in order for the STA 504b to discover the three APs 502a-c.

[00110] In some cases, the STA 504b may already be aware of one or more of the APs 502a-c when it transmits the probe request message 802. If the ST A 504b is already aware of the AP 502a, for example, when it transmits the probe request message 802, the probe response message 804a may have no value to the STA 504b, but may still consume bandwidth or capacity of the wireless medium 800. While FIG. 8 illustrates a relatively simple wireless network configuration, the problem of needlessly consumed network capacity caused by probe response messages not needed by receiving stations becomes more acute when real network environments are considered, which may include many more stations and/or more APs illustrated in FIG. 8. For example, if many of the STAs in the network 800 transmit probe requests, and many of these STAs are already aware of one or more of the APs 802a-c, then responses to those probe requests from those already discovered APs also needlessly consume capacity of the wireless medium. Furthermore, those unnecessary probe response messages may be generated and transmitted by the AP, needlessly consuming processing power, memory bandwidth, and network input/output (I/O) capacity of the AP. Furthermore, the unnecessary probe response messages are received and interpreted by the requesting STA, unnecessarily consuming memory, processing capacity, and network I/O capacity of the requesting STA.

[00111] The disclosed embodiments provide a technical solution to this technical problem by, in some aspects, having a STA generating a probe request include a list of APs of which it is already aware. Upon receiving the probe request, a receiving AP may determine whether it is already known by the STA transmitting the probe request by comparing its identifier to the list of known AP identifiers. If the AP is on the list, the AP may drop the probe request without responding. If the AP is not on the list, the AP may generate a probe response message responsive to the probe request, and transmit the probe response message to the requesting STA. Such a solution may reduce or eliminate the transmission of unnecessary probe response messages, reducing network capacity consumed by the AP discovery process.

[00112] FIG. 9 shows an example format of a probe request message that may be implemented in at least some of the disclosed embodiments. The probe request message includes a frame control field 902, duration field 904, destination address field 906, source address field 908, BSSID field 910, sequence control field 912, SSID field 914, supported rates field 916, extended supported rates field 918, an access point suppression list field 920, and a frame check sequence (FCS) field 922.

[00113] The frame control field 902 may include a type field 930 and a subtype field 932. The probe request message may be identified via a first predetermined value in the type field 930 and a second predetermined value in the subtype field 932. For example, the first predetermined value may indicate the message 900 is a management frame, while the second predetermined value, in combination with the first predetermined value, may indicate the message 900 is a probe request frame.

[00114] The destination address field 906 may, in some aspects, be set to a broadcast address. The AP suppression list field 920 is discussed further below, but may include data indicating one or more access points for which a device sending the message 900 has already collected information, and thus, does not need a response from these indicated access points. Examples of these indications are illustrated as fields 944a-944n in FIG. 9. In some aspects, the access point(s) may be indicated in the AP suppression list field 920 via their respective BSSIDs or SSIDs. In some aspects, the BSSIDs may be station addresses or MAC addresses of the access points. In some aspects, the access point(s) may be indicated via their respective SSIDs. In some aspects, the AP suppression list field 920 may also include an indication of how many access points are identified in the message 900 as already being known by the transmitting device. FIG. 9 shows one example of this via field 942, which indicates a number of AP identified subsequent to the field 942 in the message 900. Various embodiments of probe request messages may include fewer or more fields than those illustrated in FIG. 9, and FIG. 9 should not be considered limiting as to the format of a probe request message that may be transmitted and/or decoded by the disclosed embodiments.

[00115] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a probe response message that may be implemented in at least some of the disclosed embodiments. The probe response message 1000 includes a frame control field 1002, duration field 1004, destination address field 1006, source address field 1008, BSSID field 1010, sequence control field 1012, frame body field 1014, and FCS field 1016. The frame control field 1002 may include a type field 1030 and a subtype field 1032. Similar to the probe request embodiment of message 900, the probe response frame embodiment of message 1000 may be identified via a combination of predetermined values in each of the type field 1030 and the subtype field 1032. For example, a first predetermined value in the type field 1030 may indicate the message 1000 is a management frame, while a combination of the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value may indicate the message 1000 is a probe response frame. Note the first and second

predetermined values discussed with respect to FIG. 10 are completely independent of the first and second predetermined values discussed above with respect to FIG. 9. For example, a probe request embodiment of the message 900 and a probe response embodiment of the messagelOOO may be indicated via different values in a subtype field of their respective frame control fields 902/1002.

[00116] The frame body field 1014 may include a timestamp field 1040, beacon interval field 1042, capability info field 1044, SSID field 1046, FH parameter set field 1048, DS parameter set field 1050, CF parameter set field 1052, and IBSS parameter set field 1054. Various embodiments of probe response frames may include fewer or more fields than those illustrated in FIG. 10, and FIG. 10 should not be considered limiting as to the format of a probe response message that may be transmitted and/or decoded by the disclosed embodiments.

[00117] FIG. 1 1 shows an example of a fast initial link setup (FILS)

Request Parameters element, in accordance with some embodiments. In some aspects, the element 1100 illustrated in FIG. 11 may be included in a probe response message, such as the probe response frame embodiment of the message 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10.

[00118] The FILS Request Parameters element may include one or more of an element id field 1102, length field 1104, element id extension field 1106, parameter control bitmap field 1108, max channel time field 1110, FILS criteria field 1112, max delay limit field 1114, minimum data rate field 1116, RCPI limit field 1118, OUI response criteria field 1120, and an AP suppression list field 1122.

[00119] The parameter control bitmap field 1108 may include a FILS criteria present field 1 132, max delay limit present field 1134, minimum data rate present field 1136, RCPI limit present field 1138, OUI response criteria present field 1 142, an AP Suppression list present field 1144, and a reserved field 1146. Each of the fields of the parameter control bitmap field indicates whether its respective field is included in the element 1100. For example, field 1132 indicates whether field 1112 is present, 1134 indicates whether field 1114 is present, field 1136 indicates whether field 1116 is present, field 1138 indicates whether field 1 1 18 is present, field 1 142 indicates whether field 1120 is present, and field 1144 indicates whether field 1122 is present.

[00120] In some aspects, the AP suppression list field 1 122 includes a num AP IDs field 1152, and one or more AP ID fields, shown in FIG. 11 as 1154a- 1154n. The num AP IDs field 1152 may indicate how many AP IDs (such as BSSIDs or SSIDs) are indicated subsequent to the field 1152 in the element 1100.

[00121] FIG. 12A is an exemplary message format of a MBO-OCE information element. In some aspects, the MBO-OCE information element may be included in a probe request message, such as the probe request message embodiment of the message 900 discussed above.

[00122] The MBO-OCE information element 1200 includes an element id field 1205 having a length of 1 octet, length field 1210 having a length of one octet, OUI field 1215 having a length of three octets, OUI type field 1220 having a length of one octet, and a OCE attributes field 1225 having a variable length.

The element id field 1205 may have a value of OxFF to distinguish it as an

MBO-OCE information element that includes a probe suppression attribute. The OCE attributes field 1225 includes one or more OCE attributes 1250, discussed below.

[00123] FIG. 12A also illustrates an exemplar ⁷ format of an OCE attribute. The exemplary format 1250 includes an attribute identifier 1252 having a length of one octet, a length field 1254 having a length of one octet, and an attribute body field 1256 having a variable length.

[00124] In some aspects, one OCE attribute included in the MBO-OCE information element 1200 may be a probe suppression attribute. The probe suppression attribute may be indicated via a predetermined value in the attribute ID field 1252. This attribute may provide an access point suppression list as discussed above. For example, turning to FIG. 12B, an attribute body field 1256 may include a field 1260 indicating a number of access points identified in a suppression list. In some aspects, field 1260 is one byte in length. The attribute body field 1256 may further include a list of one or more access point identifiers 1262a-n. In various aspects, the AP identifiers 1262a-n may store a BSSID or SSID for an identified access point. In some aspects, the AP ID fields 1262a-n may store a media access control address for the identified access point.

[00125] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method for generating a probe request and configuring a station to transmit the probe request. In some aspects, one or more of the functions discussed below with respect to process

1300 and FIG. 13 may be performed by the application processor 111, discussed above with respect to FIG. 1 and/or by the control logic 406, discussed above with respect to FIG 4. In the discussi on of FIG 13 below, a device performi ng process 1300 may be referred to as an "executing device."

[00126] Block 1305 receives a message from a network. The message includes information for an access point. In some aspects, the received message may be a beacon message or a probe response message. The information for the access point may include at least a basic service set identifier for the access point, and may also include one or more of a media access control address of the access point, supported rates of the access poi nt, a beacon interval of the access point, and capabilities of the access point. In some aspects, block 1305 may include decoding multiple message from the network, with each of the multiple messages indicating information for a different access point. [00127] In block 1310, a probe request message is generated to include an indication of the access point. For example, in some aspects, a message including one or more of the fields shown with respect to message 900, discussed above with respect to FIG. 9, may be generated in block 1310. In some aspects, the probe request message may be generated to indicate one or more access points for which the executing device has information, per the one or more messages received in block 1305. For example, in some aspects, the executing device may receive zero or more probe responses and/or beacons from zero or more corresponding access points. These messages may provide the executing device with information it may need to associate with the respective access points. Thus, if this information is already available to the executing device, it may not need for those known access points to respond to any subsequent probe request messages transmitted by the executing device, at least within a predetermined time of receiving the information from the access point(s).

[00128] In some aspects, the message may be generated to indicate a number of access points for which information has already been received by the executing device. This number may be indicated in a field of the message (e.g., 942 or 1 152). Identifiers for each of the APs known to the executing device may also be included in the message (for example, via fields 944a-n or 1154a-n). In some aspects, the message generated in block 1310 may be generated to include a FILS Request Parameters element (e.g., 1100). In these aspects, block 1310 may include generating the message to indicate whether a list of one or more access point identifiers is present in the message (for example, via field 1144 discussed above with respect to FIG. 1 1).

[00129] In block 1320, a station is configured to transmit the probe request. In some aspects, the station may be configured to transmit the probe request using a broadcast destination address. For example, the probe request message may be generated in block 1310 to include a destination address field (e.g., 906) set to all ones (OxFFFFFF) which indicates a broadcast address in some aspects.

[00130] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an example method for receiving a probe request and conditionally configuring an access point to transmit a response to the probe request. In some aspects, one or more of the functions discussed below with respect to process 1400 and FIG. 14 may be performed by the application processor 111, discussed above with respect to FIG. 1 and/or by the control logic 406, discussed above with respect to FIG. 4. In the discussion of FIG. 14 belo w, a device performing process 1400 may be referred to as an "executing device."

[00131] In block 1405, a message is decoded. The message may have been transmitted by a station. For example, the message may include a source address (e.g., 908) identifying a station. In some aspects, the message is decoded to determine that the message is a probe request. For example, as discussed above with respect to message 900, the decoded message may include a frame control field having a type (e.g., 930) and subtype field (e.g., 932) having values, with the values matching predetermined values that indicate the message is a probe request (e.g., 900).

[00132] Decision block 1410 determines whether the message identifies the access point. For example, in some aspects, the message may be decoded to identify a field indicating zero or more access points that have previously been discovered or identified by the transmitting station. In some aspects, block 1410 may include decoding a field indicating a number of access point identifiers included in the message. Based on the number, block 1410 may also include decoding one or more of the included identifiers to determine if any of the included identifiers identifies the executing device or access point. In some aspects, the identifiers may be MAC addresses or BSSIDs of the identified access points. These zero or more identifiers may be compared against the executing device's own corresponding identifier (i.e. MAC address or BSSID or SSID (e.g., network name), for example). If a match is found, block 1410 determines that the access point/executing device is identified.

[00133] In some aspects, the message may be decoded to identify a FILS Request Parameters element (e.g., 1100). The FILS Request Parameters element may then be decoded to determine whether the message requests information from the executing device or access point. For example, in some aspects, the message may be decoded to determine whether any access points are indicated by the probe request, for example, by decoding the AP suppression list present field 1 144 illustrated in FIG. 1 1 . If the message indi cates some access points are indicated by the message, block 1410 may then decode one or more of the num AP IDs field 1 152 and/or one or more individual AP ID fields 1154a- 1154n. The identifiers indicated in the fields 1154a-l 154n may then be compared to an identifier of the executing device to determine whether the message identifies the executing device.

[00134] If the executing device or access point receiving the message is identified by the message, then process 1400 transitions from block 1410 to block 1415, where the probe request is dropped. Dropping the probe request may include not generating and/or transmitting a response to the probe request.

[00135] If the probe request does not identify the executing device or access point, process 1400 moves from block 1410 to block 1420, where a response to the probe request is generated. Generating the response may include allocating a portion of memory to initialize, according to a predetermined message format, such as the format of message 1000, discussed above with respect to FIG. 10. Generating the response may also include initializing the memory to communicate appropriate values for various fields included in the message, such as one or more of the fields indicated in the example probe response embodiment of message 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10.

[00136] In block 1425, the access point is configured to transmit the response. Configuring the access point to transmit the response may include, in some aspects, configuring baseband processing circuitry, such as baseband processing circuitry 108 A, 109 A or 108b, 109b to transmit the message. In some aspects, this may include copying data defining the message from memory allocated to the application processor 111 to the respective baseband memory 109A or 109B, and/or signaling the respective baseband circuitry 108a or 108b that the message is available for transmission.

[00137] Examples, as described herein, may include, or may operate on, logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules are tangible entities (e.g., hardware) capable of performing specified operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. In an example, circuits may be arranged (e.g., internally or with respect to external entities such as other circuits) in a specified manner as a module. In an example, the whole or part of one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more hardware processors may be configured by firmware or software (e.g., instructions, an application portion, or an application) as a module that operates to perform specified operations. In an example, the software may reside on a machine readable medium. In an example, the software, when executed by the underlying hardware of the module, causes the hardware to perform the specified operations.

Accordingly, the term "module" is understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily (e.g., transitorily) configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a specified manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein. Considering examples in which modules are temporarily configured, each of the modules need not be instantiated at any one moment in time. For example, where the modules comprise a general-purpose hardware processor configured using software, the general-purpose hardware processor may be configured as respective different modules at different times. Software may accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to constitute a particular module at one instance of time and to constitute a different module at a different instance of time.

[00138] Example 1 is an apparatus of an access point configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) access point, the apparatus comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity configured to: decode a probe request message to determine whether the access point is identified in a list of suppressed access points included in the probe request message; determine whether a response to the probe request message is suppressed based on whether the access point is identified in the list of suppressed access points; and configure the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining the response is not suppressed, and suppress configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining that the response to the probe request message is suppressed.

[00139] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: decode the probe request message to determine a number of suppressed access points indicated in the probe request message; and iteratively decode the probe request message based on the determined number to determin e whether any of the indicated suppressed access points are the access point, wherein the

determination that the response by the access point is suppressed is in response to the iterative determinations.

[00140] In Example 3, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-2 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to decode a multi-band operations ( BO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE) from the probe request message to determine whether the response by the access point is suppressed.

[00141] In Example 4, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-3 optionally include wherein the list of suppressed access points may indicate zero or more basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) of suppressed access points, and the determining of whether the access point is identified is based on a comparison of a BSSID of the access point to the zero or more BSSIDs in the list.

[00142] In Example 5, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 1-4 optionally include transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry.

[00143] In Example 6, the subject matter of Example 5 optionally includes one or more antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry.

[00144] Example 7 is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more hardware processors configure an access point configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) access point, to perform operations comprising: decoding a probe request message to determine whether the access point is identified in a list of suppressed access point basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) included in the probe request message; determining whether a response to the probe request message is suppressed based on the access point being identified in the list of suppressed access points; configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining the response is not suppressed, and suppress configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining that the response to the probe request message is suppressed.

[00145] In Example 8, the subject matter of Example 7 optionally includes the operations further comprising: decoding the probe request message to determine a number of suppressed access points indicated in the probe request message; and iteratively decoding the probe request message based on the determined number to determine whether any of the indicated suppressed access points are the access point, wherein the determination that the response by the access point is suppressed is in response to the iterative determinations.

[00146] In Example 9, the subject matter of any one or more of Examples 7-8 optionally include the operations further comprising decoding a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE) from the probe request message to determine whether the response by the access point is suppressed.

[00147] In Example 10, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 7-9 optionally include wherein the list of suppressed access points may indicate zero or more basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) of suppressed access points, and the determining of whether the access point is identified is based on a comparison of a BSSID of the access point to the zero or more BSSIDs in the list.

[00148] Example 11 is a method for an access point configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) access point, the method comprising: decoding a probe request message to determine whether the access point is identified in a list of suppressed access points included in the probe request message; determining whether a response to the probe request message is suppressed based on whether the access point is identified in the list of suppressed access points; and configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining the response is not suppressed, and suppress configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining that the response to the probe request message is suppressed.

[00149] In Example 12, the subject matter of Example 11 optionally includes wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: decode the probe request message to determine a number of suppressed access points indicated in the probe request message; and iteratively decode the probe request message based on the determined number to determin e whether any of the indicated suppressed access points are the access point, wherein the

determination that the response by the access point is suppressed is in response to the iterative determinations.

[00150] In Example 13, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 11-12 optionally include decoding a multi-band operations (MBO)- optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE) from the probe request message to determine whether the response by the access point is suppressed.

[00151] In Example 14, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 11-13 optionally include wherein the list of suppressed access points may indicate zero or more basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) of suppressed access points, and the determining of whether the access point is identified is based on a comparison of a BSSID of the access point to the zero or more BSSIDs in the list.

[00152] Example 15 is an apparatus of an access point configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) access point, the apparatus comprising: means for decoding a probe request message to determine whether the access point is identified in a list of suppressed access points included in the probe request message; means for determining whether a response to the probe request message is suppressed based on whether the access point is identified in the list of suppressed access points; and means for configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining the response is not suppressed, and suppress configuring the access point to transmit a response to the probe request message in response to determining that the response to the probe request message is suppressed.

[00153] In Example 16, the subject matter of Example 15 optionally includes means for decoding the probe request message to determine a number of suppressed access points indicated in the probe request message; and means for iteratively decoding the probe request message based on the determined number to determine whether any of the indicated suppressed access points are the access point, wherein the determination that the response by the access point is suppressed is in response to the iterative determinations.

[00154] In Example 17, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 15-16 optionally include means for decoding a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE) from the probe request message to determine whether the response by the access point is suppressed.

[00155] In Example 18, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 15-17 optionally include wherein the list of suppressed access points may indicate zero or more basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) of suppressed access points, and the determining of whether the access point is identified is based on a comparison of a BSSID of the access point to the zero or more BSSIDs in the list.

[00156] Example 19 is an apparatus of a station configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) station, the station comprising memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, the processing circuity configured to: decode a first message to determine information for a first access point, the information identifying the first access point; generate a probe request message to include the information identifying the first access point in a list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed; and configure the station to transmit the probe request message.

[00157] In Example 20, the subject matter of Example 19 optionally includes wherein the information identifying the first access point is a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the first access point.

[00158] In Example 21, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-20 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to further decode the first message to determine the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message, wherein the decoding of the first message to determine information for the first access point is in response to determination that the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message. [00159] In Example 22, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-21 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to configure the station to transmit the probe request message with a broadcast destination address.

[00160] In Example 23, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-22 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to decode an additional message including information for a second access point, the second information identifying the second access point, wherein the probe request message is further generated to include the second information identifying the second access point in the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00161] In Example 24, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-23 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a number of access points for which the station has information, and generate the probe request message to indicate the determined number.

[00162] In Example 25, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-24 optionally include wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the probe request message to include a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE), the MBO-OCE IE generated to indicate the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00163] In Example 26, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 19-25 optionally include transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry.

[00164] In Example 27, the subject matter of Example 26 optionally includes one or more antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry.

[00165] Example 28 is a method for a station configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) station, the method comprising:

decoding a first message to determine information for a first access point, the information identifying the first access point; generating a probe request message to include the information identifying the first access point in a list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed; and configuring the station to transmit the probe request message.

[00166] In Example 29, the subject matter of Example 28 optionally includes further decoding the first message to determine the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message, wherein the decoding of the first message to determine information for the first access point is in response to determination that the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message.

[00167] In Example 30, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-29 optionally include wherein the information identifying the first access point is a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the first access point.

[00168] In Example 31, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-30 optionally include configuring the station to transmit the probe request message with a broadcast destination address.

[00169] In Example 32, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-31 optionally include decoding an additional message including information for a second access point, the second information identifying the second access point, wherein the probe request message is further generated to include the second information identifying the second access point in the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00170] In Example 33, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-32 optionally include determining a number of access points for which the station has information, and generating the probe request message to indicate the determined number.

[00171] In Example 34, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 28-33 optionally include generating the probe request message to include a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE), the MBO-OCE IE generated to indicate the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00172] Example 35 is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more hardware processors of a station configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) station configure the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising: decoding a first message to determine information for a first access point, the information identifying the first access point; generating a probe request message to include the information identifying the first access point in a list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed; and configuring the station to transmit the probe request message.

[00173] In Example 36, the subject matter of Example 35 optionally includes the operations further comprising further decoding the first message to determine the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message, wherein the decoding of the first m essage to determine information for the first access point is in response to determination that the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message.

[00174] In Example 37, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-36 optionally include wherein the information identifying the first access point is a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the first access point.

[00175] In Example 38, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-37 optionally include the operations further comprising configuring the station to transmit the probe request message with a broadcast destination address.

[00176] In Example 39, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-38 optionally include the operations further comprising decoding an additional message including information for a second access point, the second information identifying the second access point, wherein the probe request message is further generated to include the second information identifying the second access point in the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00177] In Example 40, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-39 optionally include the operations further comprising determining a number of access points for which the station has information, and generating the probe request message to indicate the determined number.

[00178] In Example 41, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 35-40 optionally include the operations further comprising generating the probe request message to include a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE), the MBO-OCE IE generated to indicate the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00179] Example 42 is an apparatus of a station configured to operate as an optimized connectivity experience (OCE) station, the method comprising: means for decoding a first message to determine information for a first access point, the information identifying the first access point; means for generating a probe request message to include the information identifying the first access point in a list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed; and means for configuring the station to transmit the probe request message.

[00180] In Example 43, the subject matter of Example 42 optionally includes means for further decoding the first message to determine the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message, wherein the decoding of the first message to determine information for the first access point is in response to determination that the first message is a probe response message or a beacon message.

[00181] In Example 44, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 42-43 optionally include wherein the information identifying the first access point is a basic service set identifier (BSSID) of the first access point.

[00182] In Example 45, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 42-44 optionally include means for configuring the station to transmit the probe request message with a broadcast destination address.

[00183] In Example 46, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 42^15 optionally include means for decoding an additional message including information for a second access point, the second information identifying the second access point, wherein the probe request message is further generated to include the second information identifying the second access point in the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00184] In Example 47, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 42^46 optionally include means for determining a number of access points for which the station has information, and generating the probe request message to indicate the determined number.

[00185] In Example 48, the subject matter of any one or more of

Examples 42-47 optionally include means for generating the probe request message to include a multi-band operations (MBO)-optimized connectivity experience (OCE) information element (IE), the MBO-OCE IE generated to indicate the list of access points for which a response to the probe request is suppressed.

[00186] Various embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer-readable medium may include any tangible non- transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory, etc.