WO2018236422A1

WO2018236422A1 - Methods and apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network

Info

Publication number: WO2018236422A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/013550
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yaron Alpert; Ehud Reshef; Laurent Cariou
Original assignee: Intel IP Corporation
Priority date: 2017-06-19
Filing date: 2018-01-12
Publication date: 2018-12-27

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network. An example apparatus operating as an access point includes a trigger frame generator to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and a component interface to transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

Description

METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE COORDINATED PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS IN A WIRELESS

NETWORK

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This patent arises from an application claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/521 ,928, which was filed on June 19, 2017, and from U. S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/552,132, which was filed on August 30, 2017. U.S. Patent Application Serial Nos. 62/521,928 and 62/552,132 are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial Nos.

62/521,928 and 62/552,132 is hereby claimed.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) connectivity, and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer (P2P) communications in a wireless network.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Many locations provide Wi-Fi to connect Wi-Fi enabled devices to networks such as the Internet. Wi-Fi enabled devices include personal computers, video-game consoles, mobile phones and devices, digital cameras, tablets, smart televisions, digital audio players, etc. Wi-Fi allows the Wi-Fi enabled devices to wirelessly access the Internet via a wireless local area network (WLAN). To provide Wi-Fi connectivity to a device, a Wi-Fi access point exchanges radio frequency Wi-Fi signals with the Wi-Fi enabled device within the access point (AP) (e.g., a hotspot) signal range. Some Wi-Fi enabled devices use Wi-Fi P2P (i.e., Wi-Fi Direct), a Wi-Fi standard that enables devices to establish a direct Wi-Fi connection with each other without requiring an intervening AP or a wireless router to facilitate communication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates communications using wireless local area network Wi-Fi protocols to manage P2P communications. [0005] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an example implementation of an example AP trigger frame manager to manage the Wi-Fi P2P transmissions of FIG. 1.

[0006] FIG. 2B is a block diagram of an example implementation of an example STA trigger frame manager to manage and/or execute the Wi-Fi P2P transmissions of FIG. 1.

[0007] FIG. 3 is a first example communication sequence diagram depicting an example AP causing a first example STA and a second example STA to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to the AP.

[0008] FIG. 4 is a second example communication sequence diagram depicting an example AP causing a first example STA to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions from the first STA to a second example STA.

[0009] FIG. 5 is a third example communication sequence diagram depicting an example AP causing a first example STA to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions from a second example STA to the first STA.

[0010] FIG. 6 is a fourth example communication sequence diagram depicting example sequences of frames that can be used to trigger example Wi-Fi P2P transmissions in a cascaded mode.

[0011] FIG. 7 is a fifth example communication sequence diagram depicting an example AP causing a first example STA to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to a first peer device and a second example STA to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to a second peer device.

[0012] FIG. 8 depicts example sequences of frames that can be used to obtain a communication status report from a STA.

[0013] FIGS. 9-11 illustrate example reporting frames that can be used to trigger an example Wi-Fi P2P transmission.

[0014] FIG. 12 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructions and/or hardware implemented state machines that may be executed to implement the example AP trigger frame manager of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A to trigger a STA to execute a data flow.

[0015] FIG. 13 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructions and/or hardware implemented state machines that may be executed to implement the example AP trigger frame manager of FIGS. 1 and/or 2 to generate a trigger frame.

[0016] FIG. 14 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructions and/or hardware implemented state machines that may be executed to implement the example STAs of FIG. 1 to execute a date flow. [0017] FIG. 15 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructions and/or hardware implemented state machines that may be executed to implement the example AP trigger frame manager of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A to exchange P2P queue information and generate a trigger frame to trigger a Wi-Fi P2P transmission.

[0018] FIG. 16 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructions and/or hardware implemented state machines which may be executed to implement the example STAs of FIG. 1 to provide information regarding data to be sent during a Wi-Fi P2P transmission.

[0019] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an example radio architecture in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 18 is a schematic illustration of an example front-end module circuitry for use in the example radio architecture of FIG. 17 in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 19 illustrates an example radio integrated circuit (IC) for use in the example radio architecture of FIG. 17 in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 20 illustrates example baseband processing circuitry for use in the example radio architecture of FIG. 17 in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 21 is a block diagram of an example processing platform structured to execute the instructions and/or the state machines of FIGS. 12, 13, and 15 to implement the example AP trigger frame manager of FIGS. 1 and/or 2 A.

[0024] FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example processing platform structured to execute the instructions and/or the state machines of FIGS. 14 and 16 to implement the example STA trigger frame manager of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B.

[0025] The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. Connecting lines or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Various locations (e.g., homes, offices, coffee shops, restaurants, parks, airports, etc.) may provide Wi-Fi to the Wi-Fi enabled devices (e.g., stations (STA)) to connect the Wi-Fi enabled devices to the Internet, or any other network, with minimal hassle. The locations may provide one or more Wi-Fi access points (APs) to output Wi-Fi signals to the Wi-Fi enabled devices within a range of the Wi-Fi signals (e.g., a hotspot). A Wi-Fi AP is structured to wirelessly connect a Wi-Fi enabled device to the Internet through a wireless local area network (WLAN) using Wi-Fi protocols (e.g., such as IEEE 802.11). The Wi-Fi protocol is the protocol for how the AP communicates with the devices to provide access to the Internet by transmitting uplink (UL) transmissions and receiving downlink (DL) transmissions to/from the Internet.

[0027] The 802.1 lax wireless communication standard, which is a revision of the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication standard, has introduced a trigger frame to solicit UL transmissions in one basic service set (BSS). The trigger frame such as a high-efficiency (HE) trigger frame is a type of data packet or frame that may allow STAs (e.g., wireless STAs) solicited by the trigger frame to perform time synchronization and frequency synchronization so that simultaneous UL transmissions do not interfere with each other. As a result, an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) or multiple user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) UL transmission can be performed through the trigger frame to increase system throughput. The trigger frame may allow the UL traffic to be scheduled by the AP (e.g., the wireless AP) to manage channel access in place of STAs. The scheduling may help reduce contention on the air and may reduce associated collisions.

[0028] The IEEE 802.11 standard also supports P2P traffic between STAs (e.g., tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), P2P/Wi-Fi Direct, etc.) where one of the STAs may initiate transmission to another STA directly (e.g., not via the AP). Currently, the AP may only control UL traffic from the STAs, but not the P2P traffic between the STAs (e.g., P2P traffic via TDLS, P2P/Wi-Fi Direct, the STA operating as a soft-AP, etc.). To fully control the airtime and improve efficiency (e.g., data-throughput efficiency) of the network, there may be benefits in allowing the AP to have control over managing P2P transmissions. By having the AP control the P2P transmissions between STAs within the AP's coverage (e.g., even though the P2P transmissions are not directed at the AP) may be of benefit, as such control may reduce over the air contentions and may increase the network efficiency. The AP may further benefit from managing the P2P traffic by reducing the unknown factor of airtime that will not be available due to UL transmissions by the STAs.

[0029] Examples disclosed herein include a trigger frame manager to manage P2P communications in a wireless network. In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates an enhanced trigger frame such as a high-efficiency (HE) triggered direct (TD) trigger frame (TF) including a TD P2P transmission or a transmit opportunity (TxOP) parameter (e.g., a P2P TxOP, a TD TxOP, a P2P TD TxOP, etc.), during which a triggered STA can uplink data to the serving AP or exchange data with a peer STA (e.g., transmit data to the peer STA and/or receive data from the peer STA). In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates and transmits an HE trigger frame to a STA to initiate uplink data operations from the STA to the AP. In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates and transmits an HE TD TF to a STA to initiate sidelink data operations or P2P

communication between STAs.

[0030] In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates a trigger frame including a TxOP parameter (e.g., an HE trigger frame), during which the triggered STA can uplink trigger-based (TB) PLCP protocol data units (PPDUs) to the serving AP. As used herein, the term "TxOP" refers to a time duration during which a communication device has ownership over a transmission medium to transmit and/or receive data. For example, one or more STA may simultaneously uplink data to the serving AP in response to receiving the trigger frame and determining the TxOP parameter included in the trigger frame.

[0031] In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates a trigger frame such as an HE TD trigger frame including a TD TxOP or a P2P TxOP parameter, during which the serving AP allocates ownership of the transmission medium to a triggered STA for any P2P transmissions. For example, a triggered STA may transmit data to a corresponding peer STA in response to receiving the trigger frame and determining the HE TD P2P TxOP parameter included in the trigger frame. For example, the triggered STA may send single user (SU) PPDU to the corresponding peer STA during a specified time period as defined by the HE TD P2P TxOP parameter. In another example, the triggered STA may send multiple user (MU) PPDU to corresponding peer STAs based on the HE TD P2P TxOP parameter (e.g., when the triggered STA is operating as a soft AP). In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates a trigger frame including an HE TD P2P TxOP, during which the serving AP allocates ownership of the transmission medium to multiple triggered STA for any P2P transmissions if those P2P transmissions do not interfere with each other or the P2P transmissions can coexist with each other. In some examples, one or more STAs in a wireless network may not be connected to the AP for typical AP-STA communications and instead only interact with the AP via the HE TD TF. In some examples, one or more STAs participating in HE managed P2P communications may not be connected to the AP generating the HE TD TF. [0032] In some examples, the trigger frame manager generates a trigger frame by determining one or more parameters included in the trigger frame based on a resource request from a STA. In some examples, the trigger frame manager directs an AP to query a STA to obtain (e.g., collect, receive, etc.) a resource request including data, information, etc., corresponding to the STA P2P communication needs, requirements, etc. For example, the resource request may be a buffer status report (BSR), which may be representative of a buffer queue size or an amount of data to be exchanged in a P2P communication between devices.

[0033] In some examples, the resource request includes a communication status report (CSR), which can be representative of a status of P2P traffic information. For example, the CSR may include a request from the STA to the AP for a specific TxOP time. For example, the trigger frame manager included in the AP may direct the AP to send a CSR trigger frame to the STA and, in response to receiving the CSR trigger frame, the STA transmits a CSR frame (e.g., a P2P CSR frame) to the AP. For example, the P2P CSR frame may include information such as a parameter corresponding to a request for an amount of time for P2P operations (e.g., a P2P airtime request), a queue size (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted), etc. In some examples, the P2P airtime request by the STA is a one-time request for a TxOP to facilitate P2P communications. In some examples, the P2P airtime request by the STA is a periodic request for a TxOP allocation. For example, the P2P airtime request may include a request for a STA to be allocated a TxOP every 20 milliseconds. In some examples, the P2P airtime request by the STA includes a request to terminate a previously requested periodic request by the STA.

[0034] In some examples, the trigger frame determines an ownership duration parameter, a bandwidth parameter, etc., based on information included in the received P2P CSR frame from the STA. In some examples, the trigger frame can be used to implement protection features in a wireless network. For example, the trigger frame may be a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS) trigger frame used to trigger a group of devices instead of a single device. In another example, the trigger frame may be used for initiating report generation and/or collection from devices operating in the network.

[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates communications using wireless local area network Wi-Fi protocols to manage P2P communications. The example of FIG. 1 depicts an example system 101 including an example AP 100, a first example STA 102, a second example STA 104, an example application processor 106, an example AP trigger frame manager 108 a, an example STA trigger frame manager 108b, an example radio architecture 110, and an example network 112. Although the illustrated example of FIG. 1 includes the two STAs 102, 104, the example AP 100 may communicate with any number of STAs. Additionally or alternatively to the example AP 100 communicating with any number of STAs, one or both of the STAs 102, 104 may communicate with any number of STAs in a coordinated P2P mode where one or more of the number of STAs may not be connected to the AP 100. As described herein, the example AP 100 and/or the example STAs 102, 104 may be a transmitting device and/or a receiving device based on the current operation of the devices. For example, the example AP 100 is a transmitting device and the first STA 102 is a receiving device when the AP 100 transmits downlink frames to the first STA 102. In another example, the example AP 100 is a receiving device and the first STA 102 is a transmitting device when the first STA 102 transmits uplink frames to the AP 100.

[0036] The example AP 100 of FIG. 1 is a device that allows the example STAs 102, 104 to wirelessly access the example network 112. The example AP 100 may be a router, a modem-router, and/or any other device that provides a wireless connection to the network 112. A router provides a wireless communication link to a STA. The router accesses the network 112 through a wire connection via a modem. A modem-router combines the functionalities of the modem and the router. In some examples, the AP 100 is a STA that is in communication with the STAs 102, 104. The example AP 100 includes the example AP trigger frame manager 108a to generate trigger frames to be transmitted to the example STAs 102, 104 to trigger P2P transmissions 114 and/or process the frames transmitted by the STAs 102, 104 as further described below.

[0037] The example STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 are Wi-Fi enabled computing devices. Each of the example STAs 102, 104 may be, for example, a computing device, a portable device, a mobile device, a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a tablet, a gaming system, a digital camera, a digital video recorder, a television, a set top box, an e-book reader, and/or any other Wi-Fi enabled device. The example STAs 102, 104 include the example STA trigger frame manager 108b to generate frames to be transmitted to the example AP 100 and/or process the trigger frames transmitted by the example AP 100, as further described below.

[0038] In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the application processor 106 generates data to be transmitted to a device and/or performs operations based on data extracted from one or more data frames. The application processor 106 instructs the example AP trigger frame manager 108a and/or the example STA trigger frame manager 108b to generate frames based on the desired data to be transmitted. Additionally, the application processor 106 receives data that has been received from a transmitting device.

[0039] In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the AP trigger frame manager 108a improves network throughput efficiency and reduces airtime contentions by managing P2P communications between STAs. In some examples, the AP trigger frame manager 108a obtains and processes frames from the STAs 102, 104 via the radio architecture 110. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a may obtain and evaluate a request from one or more of the STAs 102, 104 to control the airtime or obtain a control right to execute a data flow. As used herein, the term "data flow" refers to one or more frames (e.g., data frames, data packets, etc.) being transmitted from a source to a destination. In another example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a may determine a queue size corresponding to a quantity of data that the first STA 102 is to receive from the second STA 104.

[0040] In some examples, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a determines a parameter for the STAs 102, 104 corresponding to the radio architecture 110 included in the STAs 102, 104. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a may determine a bandwidth parameter for the first STA 102 corresponding to a throughput rate (e.g., a rate that the first STA 102 can transmit and/or receive data) to be executed by the first STA 102. In another example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a may determine a transmit power parameter for the second STA 104 corresponding to an amount of power made available to the radio antenna of the second STA 104.

[0041] In some examples, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a generates a trigger frame such as an HE trigger frame and directs the radio architecture 110 to transmit the HE trigger frame to one or more of the STAs 102, 104. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a may generate an HE trigger frame. The example AP trigger frame manager 108a may direct the radio architecture 110 to transmit the HE trigger frame to the radio architectures 110 of the STAs 102, 104 via the downlink paths 116 to initiate uplink transmissions via uplink paths 118 from the radio architectures 110 of the STAs 102, 104 to the AP 100. Alternatively, one or both of the STAs 102, 104 may be connected to the AP 100 only via trigger frames. For example, the STA 102 may not downlink data from the AP 100 or uplink data to the AP 100 and instead only receive an HE TD trigger frame from the AP 100 to trigger the P2P communications 114 with the STA 104. In another alternative, one or both of the STAs 102, 104 participating in the HE TD P2P communications may not be connected at all to the AP 100. For example, the first STA 102 may be connected to the AP 100 by receiving an HE TD trigger frame while the second STA 104 is not connected to the AP 100 (e.g., the second STA 104 does not receive HE TD trigger frames from the AP 100).

[0042] In some examples, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a generates a trigger frame such as an HE TD trigger frame. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a may direct the radio architecture 110 to transmit the HE TD trigger frame to the first STA 102 via the downlink path 116. In response to receiving the HE TD trigger frame, the first STA 102 may initiate an execution of a data flow from the first STA 102 to a corresponding peer device such as the second STA 104 via a first peer data link 120. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a may instruct the AP 100 to transmit the HE TD trigger frame to the first STA 102 to trigger the first STA 102 to communicate with the second STA 104 in a P2P configuration or a P2P mode (e.g., a coordinated P2P mode). In response to completing the data flow, the second STA 104 may transmit an acknowledge (ACK) frame (e.g., a TD ACK frame) to the first STA 102 via a second peer data link 122.

[0043] In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the STAs 102, 104 include the STA trigger frame manager 108b to process obtained trigger frames from the AP 100 and/or generate trigger frames to execute data flows with peer devices. In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the STAs 102, 104 obtain a trigger frame (e.g., an HE trigger frame, an HE TD trigger frame, etc.) from the AP 100 via the downlink paths 116. In some examples, the trigger frame is an HE trigger frame. For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the STAs 102, 104 processes the HE trigger frame from the AP 100 by transmitting data to the AP 100 via the uplink paths 118.

[0044] In some examples, the trigger frame is an HE TD trigger frame. For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 processes the HE TD trigger frame by transmitting data to a peer STA such as the second STA 104. In another example, as depicted in FIG. 1, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 processes the HE TD trigger frame by generating and transmitting an HE TD trigger frame to a peer STA such as the second STA 104. For example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the second STA 104 may transmit data to the first STA 102 in response to receiving and processing the HE TD trigger frame from the first STA 102.

[0045] In some examples, the STA trigger frame manager 108b generates a termination frame to indicate to the AP 100 to retake ownership of the TxOP. For example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 may generate and transmit a termination frame to the AP 100 indicating to the AP 100 that the first STA 102 is ending the TD TxOP sooner than the TxOP end time indicated in the HE trigger frame. For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 may generate and transmit a termination frame to the AP 100 via the uplink path 118.

[0046] In some examples, the STA trigger frame manager 108b prepares a CSR in response to receiving a CSR trigger frame. For example, the first STA 102 may generate and transmit a P2P CSR frame to the AP 100 in response to receiving a CSR trigger frame from the AP 100. For example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b may generate the P2P CSR frame to include information such as a parameter corresponding to a request for an amount of time for P2P operations, a queue size (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted), etc. In some examples, the STA trigger frame manager 108b adjusts a station parameter based on processing a trigger frame obtained from the AP 100. For example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 may direct the first STA 102 to adjust a bandwidth parameter corresponding to a throughput rate to be executed by the first STA 102. In another example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the second STA 104 may direct the second STA 104 to adjust a transmit power parameter corresponding to an amount of power made available to the radio antenna of the second STA 104.

[0047] The example radio architecture 110 of FIG. 1 is included in the AP 100 and the STAs 102, 104. The example radio architecture 110 is used to transmit and/or receive data. For example, once the trigger frame is generated, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a and/or the STA trigger frame manager 108b transmits the trigger frame to the radio architecture 110 to be wirelessly transmitted. The example radio architecture 110 is further described below in conjunction with FIG. 17.

[0048] The example network 112 of FIG. 1 is a system of interconnected systems exchanging data. The example network 1 12 may be implemented using any type of public or private network such as, but not limited to, the Internet, a telephone network, a local area network (LAN), a cable network, and/or a wireless network. To enable communication via the network 112, the example Wi-Fi AP 100 includes a communication interface that enables a connection to an Ethernet, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a telephone line, a coaxial cable, or any wireless connection, etc.

[0049] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an example implementation of the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 to manage the Wi-Fi P2P transmissions 114 of FIG. 1. In the illustrated example of FIG. 2 A, the AP trigger frame manager 108 a includes an example component interface 200, an example network analyzer 210, an example communication (COMM) status report (CSR) analyzer 220, an example station parameter determiner 230, an example trigger frame generator 240, and an example termination frame handler 250.

[0050] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the component interface 200 to interface with components of the transmitting device (e.g., the example AP 100 of FIG. 1) to transmit signals (e.g., frames, data frames, data packets, etc.) and/or receive signals (e.g., instructions to generate a frame). For example, the component interface 200 may instruct the example radio architecture 110 of FIGS. 1 and/or 17 to transmit downlink data and/or receive instructions from the example application processor 106.

[0051] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the network analyzer 210 to identify devices in a Wi-Fi network. For example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that the AP 100 and the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 are operating in a Wi-Fi environment. In some examples, the network analyzer 210 identifies P2P connections in the Wi-Fi environment. For example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that the first STA 102 is communicatively coupled to the second STA 104 of FIG. 1 via a P2P communication link.

[0052] In some examples, the network analyzer 210 determines whether existing P2P communication links interfere with each other. For example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that there is (1) a first P2P communication link between a first STA and a second STA and (2) a second P2P communication link between a third STA and a fourth STA. In such an example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that the first and the second P2P communication links will not interfere with each other. For example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that the first and the third STA may both be given control of a TxOP. For example, the first STA may transmit first data to the second STA and the third STA may transmit second data to the fourth STA during the TxOP.

[0053] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the CSR analyzer 220 to obtain a CSR and process information included in the CSR. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 included in the AP 100 of FIG. 1 may instruct the component interface 200 to query the first STA 102 of FIG. 1 using a CSR trigger frame. In response to receiving the CSR trigger frame, the first STA 102 transmits a P2P CSR frame to the component interface 200 of the AP 100. The example CSR analyzer 220 of the AP 100 may extract information such as the CSR from the P2P CSR frame.

[0054] In some examples, the CSR analyzer 220 determines a parameter to be included in the trigger frame generator based on analyzing the CSR. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter representative of a time duration for a TxOP during which one or more STAs may execute or process a data flow. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter based on a request by the first STA 102 to execute a data flow. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter of 3500 microseconds based on a request by the first STA to control the airtime for 3500 microseconds to execute a data flow. In another example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter based on a queue size included in the CSR. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine that the first STA 102 has a queue size of 300 bytes to be transmitted from the first STA 102 to the second STA 104 of FIG. 1. The example CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter of 1200 microseconds based on the queue size, the transmit power capacity of the antenna, etc., of the first STA 102.

[0055] In some examples, the CSR analyzer 220 determines an ownership duration parameter based on a periodic request for a TD TxOP by a STA. For example, the first STA 102 may include in the CSR a request to the AP 100 for a TD TxOP every 10 milliseconds, 15 milliseconds, 20 milliseconds, etc. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine to generate a trigger frame at an interval corresponding to the periodic request by the STA 102. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may instruct the trigger frame generator 240 to periodically generate a trigger frame to match the periodic request by the STA 102.

[0056] In some examples, the CSR analyzer 220 determines an ownership parameter based on a termination request of a periodic request for a TD TxOP by a STA. For example, the first STA 102 may include in the CSR a request to terminate a previously requested periodic request by the first STA 102. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine to terminate the periodic request by not sending further trigger frames at an interval corresponding to the previous periodic request by the STA 102.

[0057] In some examples, the CSR analyzer 220 determine an ownership parameter based on an airtime request and a queue size. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine based on an obtained CSR that the airtime request by the first STA 102 is 2500 microseconds and the queue size is 500 bytes. The example CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership parameter of 4200 microseconds based on the queue size, which is greater than the airtime request by the first STA 102. In such an example, the CSR analyzer 220 may increase the airtime request by the first STA 102 from 2500 microseconds to 4200 microseconds to accommodate the queue size.

[0058] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the station parameter determiner 230 to determine an adjustment of a parameter of a Wi-Fi device. In some examples, the station parameter determiner 230 included in the AP 100 controls a parameter of one or more of the AP 100, the STAs 102, 104, etc., of FIG. 1. For example, the station parameter determiner 230 of the AP 100 may instruct the first STA 102 to adjust a transmit power parameter of the first STA 102 corresponding to the antenna power used to transmit data to and/or receive data from the second STA 104. For example, the station parameter determiner 230 included in the AP 100 may optimize and/or otherwise improve the data throughput efficiency by directing an adjustment of transmission parameters of the STAs 102, 104.

[0059] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the trigger frame generator 240 to construct a trigger frame (e.g., an HE trigger frame, an HE TD trigger frame, etc.) to be transmitted to the radio architecture 110 for transmission to a Wi-Fi device. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 may construct an HE TD trigger frame based on one or more data fields or parameters such as an ownership duration, a transmit power parameter, a bandwidth parameter, etc., and/or a combination thereof.

[0060] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2A, the AP trigger frame manager 108a includes the termination frame handler 250 to generate a termination frame (e.g., a contention free (CF) end beacon, a CF-end frame, a TD end frame, etc.) and/or process a termination frame. In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 constructs a termination frame to terminate or signal an ending of an ownership of a transmission medium by a Wi-Fi device to another Wi-Fi device. For example, the termination frame may be representative of an AP obtaining a control right to a transmission medium or re-taking a remainder of a TxOP from a STA.

[0061] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 generates a CF-end frame. For example, the termination frame handler 250 included in the AP 100 may generate a CF-end frame. The example termination frame handler 250 may instruct the component interface 200 to transmit the CF-end frame to the first STA 102 indicating to the first STA 102 that the AP 100 is ending the TD TxOP sooner than the TxOP end time indicated in the HE TD trigger frame. In some examples, the AP 100 cannot re-take ownership of the TxOP until the AP 100 transmits the CF-end frame to all of the STAs that received the TxOP. For example, if the AP 100 gave the TxOP to both of the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1, then the AP 100 may need to transmit a CF-end frame to both of the STAs 102, 104 prior to re-taking ownership of the TxOP.

[0062] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 constructs a TD end frame. For example, the termination frame handler 250 included in the AP 100 may generate a TD end frame. The example termination frame handler 250 may instruct the component interface 200 to transmit the TD end frame to the first STA 102 indicating to the first STA 102 that the AP 100 is ending the TD TxOP sooner than the TxOP end time indicated in the HE TD trigger frame. In such an example, the AP 100 may be able to re-take ownership of the TxOP in response to transmitting the TD end frame to the first STA 102.

[0063] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 included in the AP 100 generates a termination frame when one or both of the STAs 102, 104 have not sent a termination frame ending the TxOP. For example, the termination frame handler 250 may determine that (1) a TD TxOP allocated to the first STA 102 has elapsed or is soon to elapse and (2) the AP 100 has not received a termination frame from the first STA 102. In response to not receiving the termination frame from the STA 102 prior to the termination of the TD TxOP, the termination frame handler 250 may generate and transmit a termination frame to the first STA 102 to terminate the TD TxOP.

[0064] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 processes a termination frame obtained from one or both of the STAs 102, 104. In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 directs the AP trigger frame manager 108a to re-take ownership of a TxOP in response to receiving a termination frame from one or both of the STAs 102, 104. In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 instructs the AP trigger frame manager 108a to re-take ownership of a TxOP in response to receiving a termination frame from each STA in a network. For example, the termination frame handler 250 may obtain a first termination frame from the first STA 102 and may instruct the AP trigger frame manager 108 to not retake ownership until the termination frame handler 250 obtains a second termination frame from the second STA 104.

[0065] While an example manner of implementing the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2A, one or more of the elements, processes, and/or devices illustrated in FIG. 2A may be combined, divided, re-arranged, omitted, eliminated, and/or implemented in any other way. Further, the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 1 10, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example communication status report analyzer 220, the example station parameter determiner 230, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, and/or, more generally, the example AP trigger frame manager 108 a of FIG. 1 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and/or any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 110, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example communication status report analyzer 220, the example station parameter determiner 230, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, and/or, more generally, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a could be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuit(s), logic circuits, programmable processor(s), programmable controller(s), graphics processing unit(s) (GPU(s)), digital signal processor(s) (DSP(s)), application specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)), and/or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)). When reading any of the apparatus or system claims of this patent to cover a purely software and/or firmware implementation, at least one of the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 110, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example communication status report analyzer 220, the example station parameter determiner 230, the example trigger frame generator 240, and/or the example termination frame handler 250 is/are hereby expressly defined to include a non-transitory computer readable storage device or storage disk such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc., including the software and/or firmware. Further still, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 may include one or more elements, processes, and/or devices in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 2A, and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes, and devices. As used herein, the phrase "in communication," including variations thereof, encompasses direct communication and/or indirect

communication through one or more intermediary components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and/or constant communication, but rather additionally includes selective communication at periodic intervals, scheduled intervals, aperiodic intervals, and/or one-time events. [0066] FIG. 2B is a block diagram of an example implementation of the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 to manage and/or execute the Wi-Fi P2P transmissions 114 of FIG. 1. In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the example component interface 200 of FIG. 2A, the example network analyzer 210 of FIG. 2 A, the example trigger frame generator 240 of FIG. 2 A, the example termination frame handler 250 of FIG. 2A, an example communication (COMM) status report generator 260, and an example station parameter adjuster 270.

[0067] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the component interface 200 of FIG. 2A to interface with components of the transmitting device (e.g., the example STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1) to transmit signals (e.g., frames, data frames, data packets, etc.) and/or receive signals (e.g., instructions to generate a frame). For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may instruct the example radio architecture 110 of FIGS. 1 and/or 17 to transmit uplink data to the AP 100, transmit sidelink data to the second STA 104, receive data from the second STA 104, etc., and/or a combination thereof.

[0068] In some examples, the component interface 200 determines whether a STA is to transmit data to a P2P device. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may determine based on a data queue included in the first STA 102 that the first STA 102 is to transmit data to the second STA 104. In some examples, the component interface 200 determines whether a STA is to receive data from a P2P device. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may determine based on a data queue included in the first STA 102 that the first STA 102 is to receive data from the second STA 104. In some examples, the component interface 200 determines whether a STA is to transmit data to and receive data from a P2P device. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may determine based on a data queue included in the first STA 102 that the first STA 102 is to transmit data to the second STA 104 and receive data from the second STA 104.

[0069] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the network analyzer 210 to identify devices in a Wi-Fi network. In some examples, the network analyzer 210 identifies P2P connections in the Wi-Fi environment. In some examples, the network analyzer 210 determines whether existing P2P communication links interfere with each other. [0070] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the CSR generator 260 generate a CSR. For example, the CSR generator 260 included in the first STA 102 may receive a CSR trigger frame from the AP 100. In response to receiving the CSR trigger frame, the example CSR generator 260 may prepare and transmit a P2P CSR frame including the CSR to the AP 100. In some examples, the CSR includes information such as a parameter corresponding to a request (e.g., a periodic request, a recurring request, etc.) for an amount of time for P2P operations (e.g., an airtime request, an airtime control request, a medium control request, etc.), a queue size (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted), etc. For example, the CSR generator 260 may include in the CSR a request (e.g., a request to the AP 100) to control the airtime for 1400 microseconds to execute a data flow. In another example, the CSR generator 260 included in the first STA 102 may include in the CSR a queue size of the P2P traffic between the STAs 102, 104 of 4,000 bytes.

[0071] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the station parameter adjustor 270 to adjust a parameter of a Wi-Fi device. In some examples, the station parameter adjustor 270 included in the first STA 102 controls a parameter of the first STA 102 and/or the second STA 104. For example, the station parameter determiner included in the first STA 102 may adjust a bandwidth parameter for the STA 102 corresponding to a data throughput capacity of the STA 102. In another example, the station parameter adjustor 270 included in the first STA 102 may instruct the first STA 102 to adjust a transmit power parameter of the first STA 102 corresponding to the antenna power used to transmit data to and/or receive data from the second STA 104.

[0072] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the trigger frame generator 240 to construct a trigger frame (e.g., an HE TD trigger frame) to be transmitted to the radio architecture 110 for transmission to a Wi-Fi device. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 included in the first STA 102 may receive a first HE TD trigger frame from the AP 100 and, in response, construct a second HE TD trigger frame based on an ownership duration, a transmit power parameter, a bandwidth parameter, etc., and/or a combination thereof included in the first HE TD trigger frame. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 included in the first STA 102 may transmit the second HE TD trigger frame to the second STA 104 to receive data from the STA 104.

[0073] In the illustrated example of FIG. 2B, the STA trigger frame manager 108b includes the termination frame handler 250 of FIG. 2A to generate and/or process a termination frame. In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 constructs a termination frame to terminate or signal an ending of an ownership of a transmission medium by a Wi-Fi device to another Wi-Fi device. For example, the termination frame may be representative of a STA returning a remainder of a TxOP to the serving AP (e.g., the STA indicating that the AP may re-take ownership over the TxOP). In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 generates a CF-end frame. For example, the termination frame handler 250 included in the first STA 102 may generate a CF-end frame. The example termination frame handler 250 may instruct the component interface 200 to transmit the CF- end frame to the AP 100 indicating that the first STA 102 is ending the TD TxOP sooner than the TxOP end time indicated in the HE TD trigger frame. In such an example, the AP 100 may not be able to re-take ownership of the TxOP in response to receiving the CF-end frame. For example, the AP 100 may need to receive a CF-end frame from the second STA 104 before re-taking ownership of the TxOP.

[0074] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 constructs a TD end frame. For example, the termination frame handler 250 included in the first STA 102 may generate a TD end frame. The example termination frame handler 250 may instruct the component interface 200 to transmit the TD end frame to the AP 100 indicating that the first STA 102 is ending the TD TxOP sooner than the TxOP end time indicated in the HE TD trigger frame. In such an example, the AP 100 may be able to re-take ownership of the TxOP in response to receiving the TD end frame.

[0075] In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 included in the STAs 102, 104 process a termination frame obtained from the AP 100. In some examples, the termination frame handler 250 returns ownership of a TxOP in response to receiving a termination frame from the AP 100. For example, the termination frame handler 250 included in the first STA 102 may terminate communication with the second STA 104 in response to receiving a termination frame from the AP 100.

[0076] While an example manner of implementing the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2B, one or more of the elements, processes, and/or devices illustrated in FIG. 2B may be combined, divided, re-arranged, omitted, eliminated, and/or implemented in any other way. Further, the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 110, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, the example buffer communication report generator 260, the example station parameter adjustor 270, and/or, more generally, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and/or any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 110, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, the example communication status report generator 260, the example station parameter adjustor 270, and/or, more generally, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b could be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuit(s), logic circuits, programmable processor(s), programmable controller(s), graphics processing unit(s) (GPU(s)), digital signal processor(s) (DSP(s)), application specific integrated circuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)), and/or field programmable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)). When reading any of the apparatus or system claims of this patent to cover a purely software and/or firmware implementation, at least one of the example application processor 106, the example radio architecture 110, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, the example communication status report generator 260, and/or the example station parameter adjustor 270 is/are hereby expressly defined to include a non-transitory computer readable storage device or storage disk such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc., including the software and/or firmware. Further still, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 may include one or more elements, processes, and/or devices in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 2B, and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes, and devices. As used herein, the phrase "in communication," including variations thereof, encompasses direct communication and/or indirect communication through one or more intermediary components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and/or constant communication, but rather additionally includes selective communication at periodic intervals, scheduled intervals, aperiodic intervals, and/or one-time events.

[0077] FIG. 3 is a first example communication sequence diagram 300 depicting the example AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) causing or enabling the first example STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) and the second example STA 104 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to the AP 100. [0078] In the illustrated example of FIG. 3, the AP 100 transmits a trigger frame 310 such as an HE trigger frame to both STAs 1-2 102, 104 to initiate synchronized uplink transmissions. In response to receiving the trigger frame 310, the STAs 1-2 102, 104 simultaneously (e.g., substantially simultaneously within the tolerances of applicable hardware, firmware, and/or software) transmits data 320, 330 in one or more frames to the AP 100. For example, the first STA 102 transmits the first data 320 to the AP 100 while the second STA 104 simultaneously transmits the second data 330 to the AP 100. In response to the AP 100 receiving the first and the second data 320, 330, the AP 100 transmits an ACK frame 340 to the STAs 1-2 102, 104.

[0079] FIG. 4 is a second example communication sequence diagram 400 depicting the example AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) allocating an example TD TxOP 420 to the first example STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) for the STA 102 to control the transmission medium (e.g., the Wi-Fi channel). For example, the AP 100 may enable the first STA 102 to determine an order of execution of a data flow within the TD TxOP 420. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, in response to the first STA 102 being allocated the TD TxOP 420, the first STA 102 triggers Wi-Fi transmissions from the first STA 102 to the second example STA 104 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B).

[0080] In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, the second communication sequence diagram 400 is representative of a TD P2P mode where a station transmits data to a peer device in response to the station receiving a trigger frame. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, the AP 100 transmits an HE TD trigger frame 410 to the first STA 102. The first STA 102 determines the example TD TxOP 420 based on an ownership duration parameter included in the HE TD trigger frame 410. The example TD TxOP 420 is the amount of time that the first STA 102 has ownership of the airtime as granted by the AP 100.

[0081] In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, in response to receiving the HE TD trigger frame 410 and after a short interface space (SIFS), the first STA 102 transmits data 430 in one or more frames to a peer device such as the second STA 104. In response to receiving the data 430, the second STA 104 transmits an ACK frame 440 to the first STA 102. In response to receiving the ACK frame 440, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a TD end frame 450 to the AP 100. Alternatively, the TD end frame 450 may be a CF-end frame. In some examples, the TD end frame 450 can be sent by the AP 100 to the first STA 102 to terminate the TD TxOP 420. In the illustrated example, the first STA 102 executes the data flow including the data 430 in less time than the TD TxOP 420 defined in the trigger frame 410 as depicted by an effective TD TxOP 460. Alternatively, the first STA 102 may use the entire duration of the TD TxOP 420 and transmit the TD end frame 450 to the AP 100 in response to using the entire duration of the TD TxOP 420.

[0082] FIG. 5 is a third example communication sequence diagram 500 depicting the example AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) allocating an example TD TxOP 520 to the first example STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) for the STA 102 to control the Wi-Fi channel. For example, the AP 100 may enable the first STA 102 to determine an order of execution of a data flow within the TD TxOP 520. In the illustrated example of FIG. 5, in response to being allocated the TD TxOP 520, the first STA 102 triggers Wi-Fi transmissions from the second example STA 104 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) to the first STA 102.

[0083] The third communication sequence diagram 500 of FIG. 5 is representative of a TD P2P mode where a station in response to receiving a first trigger frame triggers a peer device using a second trigger frame to transmit data from the peer device to the station. In the illustrated example of FIG. 5, the AP 100 transmits a first HE TD trigger frame 510 to the first STA 102. The first STA 102 determines an example TD TxOP 520 based on an ownership duration parameter included in the first HE TD trigger frame 510. The example TD TxOP 520 is the amount of time that the first STA 102 has ownership of the airtime as granted by the AP 100.

[0084] In the illustrated example of FIG. 5, in response to receiving the first HE TD trigger frame 510, the first STA 102 transmits a second HE TD trigger frame 530 to a peer device such as the second STA 104. In response to receiving the second HE TD trigger frame 530, the second STA 104 transmits data 540 in one or more frames to the first STA 102. In response to receiving the data 540, the first STA 102 transmits an ACK frame 550 to the second STA 104. In response to transmitting the ACK frame 550, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a TD end frame 560 to the AP 100. Alternatively, the TD end frame 560 may be a CF-end frame. In some examples, the TD end frame 560 can be sent by the AP 100 to the first STA 102 to terminate the TD TxOP 520. In the illustrated example, the first STA 102 executes the data flow including the data 540 in less time than the TD TxOP defined in the HE TD trigger frame 510 as depicted by an effective TD TxOP 570. Alternatively, the first STA 102 may use the entire duration of the TD TxOP 520 and transmit the TD end frame 560 to the AP 100 in response to using the entire duration of the TD TxOP 520.

[0085] FIG. 6 is a fourth example communication sequence diagram 600 depicting example sequences of frames that can be used to trigger example Wi-Fi P2P transmissions in a cascaded mode. In the illustrated example of FIG. 6, the example AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) allocates an example TD TxOP 620 to the first example STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) for the STA 102 to control the Wi-Fi channel. For example, the AP 100 may enable the first STA 102 to determine an order of execution of a data flow within the TD TxOP 620. The fourth communication sequence diagram 600 of FIG. 6 is representative of a TD P2P mode included cascaded communication actions. For example, such a mode may include a station transmitting data to a peer device in response to the station receiving a first trigger frame followed by the station triggering the peer device to transmit data with a second trigger frame to the station.

[0086] In the illustrated example of FIG. 6, the AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108 a of FIG. 1 and/or 2 A) transmits a first HE TD trigger frame 610 to the first STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B). The first STA 102 determines an example TD TxOP 620 based on an ownership duration parameter included in the first HE TD trigger frame 610. The example TD TxOP 620 is the amount of time that the first STA 102 has ownership of the airtime as granted by the AP 100.

[0087] In the illustrated example of FIG. 6, in response to receiving the first HE TD trigger frame 610 and after a SIFS, the first STA 102 transmits first data 630 in one or more frames to a peer device such as the second STA 104 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B). In response to receiving the first data 630, the second STA 104 transmits a first ACK frame 640 to the first STA 102. In response to receiving the first ACK frame 640, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a second HE TD trigger frame 650 to the second STA 104. In response to receiving the second HE TD trigger frame 650, the second STA 104 transmits second data 660 in one or more frames to the first STA 102. In response to receiving the second data 660, the first STA 102 generates a second ACK frame 670.

[0088] In response to receiving the second ACK frame 670, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a TD end frame 680 to the AP 100. Alternatively, the TD end frame 680 may be a CF-end frame. In some examples, the TD end frame 680 can be sent by the AP 100 to the first STA 102 to terminate the TD TxOP 620. In the illustrated example, the first STA 102 executes the cascaded data flow including the first and the second data 630, 660 during approximately an entire duration of the TD TxOP 620 as defined in the first HE TD trigger frame 610. Alternatively, the first STA 102 may use less time than the entire duration of the TD TxOP 620 and transmit the TD end frame 680 to the AP 100 in response to using less time than the entire duration of the TD TxOP 620.

[0089] FIG. 7 is a fifth example communication sequence diagram 700 depicting the example AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) causing or enabling (1) the first example STA 102 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to a first peer device 740 and (2) the second example STA 104 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B) to trigger Wi-Fi transmissions to a second peer device 760. The fifth communication sequence diagram 700 of FIG. 7 is representative of a TD P2P mode where multiple stations transmit data to a corresponding peer device in response to the stations receiving a trigger frame. In the illustrated example of FIG. 7, the AP 100 transmits an HE TD trigger frame 710 to the STAs 102, 104. The STAs 102, 104 determine an example TD TxOP 720 based on an ownership duration parameter included in the HE TD trigger frame 710. The example TD TxOP 720 is the amount of time that the STAs 102, 104 have ownership of the airtime as granted by the AP 100.

[0090] In the illustrated example of FIG. 7, in response to receiving the HE TD trigger frame 710 and after a SIFS, the first STA 102 transmits first data 730 in one or more frames to the first peer device 740 while substantially simultaneously the second STA 104 transmits second data 750 in one or more frames to the second peer device 760. In response to receiving the first data 730, the first peer device 740 transmits a first ACK frame 770 to the first STA 102. In response to receiving the second data 750, the second peer device 760 transmits a second ACK frame 775 to the second STA 104. In the illustrated example, the AP 100 transmits the HE TD trigger frame 710 to the STAs 102, 104 to transmit the first and the second data 730, 750 because there is not interference between (1) the communications of the first STA 102 and the first peer device 740 and (2) the communications of the second STA 104 and the second peer device 760.

[0091] In response to receiving the first ACK frame 770, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a first TD end frame 780 to the AP 100. In response to receiving the second ACK frame 775, the second STA 104 generates and transmits a second TD end frame 785 to the AP 100. For example, the STAs 102, 104 may optionally release the TD TxOP 720 to the AP 100 by transmitting the TD end frames 780, 785 to the AP 100. Although in the illustrated example the AP 100 may receive the second TD end frame 785 prior to receiving the first TD end frame 780, the AP 100 may not have control of the airtime until the AP 100 receives the first TD end frame 780. For example, the AP 100 may wait until the AP 100 receives both the first and the second TD end frames 780, 785 before regaining control or obtaining the control right over the airtime prior to the end of the TD TxOP 720 as defined in the HE TD trigger frame 710.

[0092] In the illustrated example, the STAs 102, 104 execute the data flow including the first and the second data 730, 750 in less time than the TD TxOP 720 defined in the HE TD trigger frame 710 as depicted by an effective TD TxOP 790. Alternatively, the STAs 102, 104 may use the entire duration of the TD TxOP 720 and transmit the TD end frames 780, 785 to the AP 100 in response to using the entire duration of the TD TxOP 720.

Alternatively, the AP 100 may transmit a TD end frame to the first STA 102, the second STA 104, etc., and/or a combination thereof to obtain the control right of the airtime or to request control over the airtime prior to the end of the TD TxOP 720 as defined in the HE TD trigger frame 710.

[0093] In some examples, the transmission time period (e.g., the TD TxOP 720) includes a predefined time duration for a data flow event or a data flow operation. For example, the TD TxOP 720 included in the HE TD trigger frame 710 may include time durations for a data flow operation such as a transmission of the first data 730, the second data 750, the first ACK frame 770, the second ACK frame 775, the first TD end frame 780, the second TD end frame 785, etc., and/or a combination thereof to enable coordination of the airtime by the AP 100 in case the first and/or the second STAs 102, 104 need to uplink data to the AP 100. For example, the AP 100 may define a time duration included in the HE TD trigger frame 710 for the first STA 102 to transmit the first data 730 to the first peer device 740 to ensure there is sufficient time in the TD TxOP 720 in a case where the first STA 102 and/or the first peer device 740 may need to uplink data to the AP 100. In another example, the AP 100 may define a time duration included in the HE TD trigger frame 710 for the first peer device 740 to transmit the first ACK frame 770 to the first STA 102. In yet another example, the AP 100 may define a time duration included in the HE TD trigger frame 710 for the first STA 102 to transmit the first TD end frame 780 to the AP 100. [0094] FIG. 8 is an example CSR communication sequence diagram 800 depicting example sequences of frames that can be used to obtain a CSR from a station. The example CSR communication sequence diagram 800 of FIG. 8 is representative of an AP improving the operation, efficiency, etc. of triggered P2P transmissions, by obtaining information, data, etc., from a station regarding the P2P traffic requirements, needs, etc., of the station. In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, the AP 100 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIG. 1 and/or 2A) sends a CSR trigger frame 810 to the first STA 102 of FIG. 1 (e.g., the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIG. 1 and/or 2B). In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, in response to receiving the CSR trigger frame 810, the first STA 102 sends a P2P CSR frame 820 including a CSR to the AP 100. The example AP 100 may determine one or more parameters to be included in a trigger frame based on information included in the CSR. For example, the AP trigger frame manager 108a included in the AP 100 may determine a TxOP to be owned by one or more of the STAs 102, 104 to execute a data flow.

[0095] In the illustrated example of FIG. 8, the AP 100 generates an HE TD trigger frame 830 based on the CSR included in the P2P CSR frame 820. In the example of FIG. 8, the HE TD trigger frame 830 defines a TD TxOP 835. In response to receiving the HE TD trigger frame 830 and after a SIFS 840, the first STA 102 transmits P2P data 850 in one or more frames to the second STA 104. In the example of FIG. 8, the second STA 104 acknowledges receipt of the P2P data 850 by sending an ACK frame 860. In response to receiving the ACK frame 860, the first STA 102 generates and transmits a TD end frame 870 to the AP 100 to indicate to the AP 100 that the P2P operations have ended. Alternatively, the TD end frame 870 may be a CF-end frame. In some examples, the TD end frame 870 can be sent by the AP 100 to the first STA 102 to terminate the TD TxOP 835. In some examples, the TD TxOP 835 ends before the allocated max end time or duration as depicted by an effective TD TxOP 880, allowing other operations to be performed sooner.

[0096] FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate a first, second, and third example CSR frame 900, 1000, and 1100, respectively, that may be used to implement the example P2P CSR frame 820 of FIG. 8. The first example CSR frame 900 of FIG. 9 includes an example Quality-of-Service (QoS) control field 902 that includes a queue size 904 (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted) associated with a traffic identifier (TID) 906 allocated to P2P transmissions between two STAs, such as the example STAs 102, 104.

[0097] The second example CSR frame 1000 of FIG. 10 includes an example A- control sub-field 1002 of an example HT control field 1004 to provide P2P queue information. In the illustrated example of FIG. 10, the example A-control subfield 1002 has an example control ID value 1006 of three (3) to indicate a CSR, and buffer information 1008 including a TID 1010 allocated to P2P transmissions between two STAs, such as the example STAs 102, 104, and a queue size 1012 (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted).

[0098] The third example CSR frame 1100 of FIG. 11 includes an example A-control sub-field 1102 of an example HT control field 1104 to provide P2P queue information. In the illustrated example, the A-control subfield 1102 has an example control ID value 1106 allocated to P2P CSR reports, and buffer information 1108 including, for example, a request for an amount of time for P2P operations, a queue size (e.g., an amount of data to be transmitted), etc.

[0099] While the first through the third example CSR frames 900, 1000, 1100 are shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 , respectively, other CSR frames that convey P2P buffer, queue, time, etc. information may be used. For example, a STA can piggyback P2P buffer (e.g., queue) information on media access control (MAC) protocol data unit (MPDU) transmissions, using a TID allocated to P2P transmissions between two STAs to include a queue size that describes the amount of data that needs to be transmitted during a P2P operation. In some examples, only one of the STAs of a P2P link communicates with the AP, the reported queue size represents the buffers for both directions of the P2P link. Thus, in some examples, the STA communicating with the AP, includes the buffer information that it collects from a corresponding peer STA.

[00100] Flowcharts representative of example hardware logic or machine readable instructions for implementing the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A and/or the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B are shown in FIGS. 12- 16. The machine readable instructions may be a program or portion of a program for execution by a processor such as a first processor 2112 shown in the example processor platform 2100 discussed below in connection with FIG. 21 and/or a second processor 2212 shown in the example processor platform 2200 discussed below in connection with FIG. 22. The program may be embodied in software stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard drive, a DVD, a Blu-ray disk, or a memory associated with the processors 2112, 2212, but the entire program and/or parts thereof could alternatively be executed by a device other than the processors 2112, 2212 and/or embodied in firmware or dedicated hardware. Further, although the example program is described with reference to the flowcharts illustrated in FIGS. 12-16, many other methods of implementing the example AP trigger frame manager 108a and/or the STA trigger frame manager 108b may alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined. Additionally or alternatively, any or all of the blocks may be implemented by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., discrete and/or integrated analog and/or digital circuitry, an FPGA, an ASIC, a comparator, an operational-amplifier (op-amp), a logic circuit, etc.) structured to perform the corresponding operation without executing software or firmware.

[00101] As mentioned above, the example processes of FIGS. 12-16 may be implemented using executable instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer and/or machine readable medium such as a hard disk drive, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a cache, a random-access memory, and/or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information). Additionally or alternatively, the example processes of FIGS. 12-16 may be implemented using hardware logic or hardware implemented state machines. As used herein, the term non-transitory computer readable medium is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable storage device and/or storage disk and to exclude propagating signals and to exclude transmission media.

[00102] "Including" and "comprising" (and all forms and tenses thereof) are used herein to be open ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim employs any form of "include" or "comprise" (e.g., comprises, includes, comprising, including, having, etc.) as a preamble or within a claim recitation of any kind, it is to be understood that additional elements, terms, etc. may be present without falling outside the scope of the corresponding claim or recitation. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as the transition term in, for example, a preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same manner as the term "comprising" and "including" are open ended. The term "and/or" when used, for example, in a form such as A, B, and/or C refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C such as (1) A alone, (2) B alone, (3) C alone, (4) A with B, (5) A with C, and (6) B with C.

[00103] FIG. 12 is a flowchart representative of an example method 1200 that may be performed by the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A, and/or, more generally, the AP 100, and/or the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B, and/or, more generally, one or more of the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 to manage P2P communications in a wireless network. The example method 1200 begins at block 1202, at which the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines whether the access point (AP) obtains a request from station(s) to execute data flow(s). For example, the component interface 200 of FIG. 2A may obtain the P2P CSR frame 820 of FIG. 8 from the first STA 102 of FIG. 1. The example CSR analyzer 220 of FIG. 2A may determine that the P2P CSR frame 820 may include a request from the first STA 102 to transmit data to a peer device such as the second STA 104.

[00104] If, at block 1202, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines that the AP did not obtain a request from the station(s) to execute data flow(s), control returns to restart the method 1200. If, at block 1202, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines that the AP did obtain a request from the station(s) to execute data flow(s), then, at block 1204, the AP trigger frame manager 108a generates a trigger frame. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 of FIG. 2A may generate an HE TD trigger frame including a TxOP parameter and an identity of one or more stations that have ownership of the TxOP parameter. An example process that may be used to implement block 1204 is described below in connection with FIG. 13.

[00105] At block 1206, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines whether to transmit the trigger frame to more than one station. For example, the network analyzer 210 of FIG. 2 A may determine that the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 7 request ownership of the TxOP to exchange data with corresponding peer devices.

[00106] If, at block 1206, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines to transmit the trigger frame to not more than one station, then, at block 1208, the AP trigger frame manager 108a transmits the trigger frame to the station. For example, the component interface 200 may direct the radio architecture 110 of FIGS. 1 and 17 to transmit the trigger frame to the first STA 102 of FIG. 4. At block 1210, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the station executes the data flow. For example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 may instruct the radio architecture 110 to transmit the data 430 to the second STA 104 as depicted in FIG. 4. An example process that may be used to implement block 1210 is described below in connection with FIG. 14. In response to the example STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the station executing the data flow, the example method 1200 concludes.

[00107] If, at block 1206, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines to transmit the trigger frame to more than one station, then, at block 1212, the AP trigger frame manager 108a transmits the trigger frame to the stations. For example, the component interface 200 may direct the radio architecture 110 of FIGS. 1 and 17 to transmit the trigger frame to the first and the second STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 7. At block 1214, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the stations executes the data flows. For example, the stations may each execute the example process described below in connection with FIG. 14. In another example, the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the first STA 102 may instruct the radio architecture 110 to transmit the first data 730 to the first peer device 740 while the STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the second STA 104 may instruct the radio architecture 110 to transmit the second data 750 to the second peer device 760 as depicted in FIG. 7. In response to the example STA trigger frame manager 108b included in the stations executing the data flows, the example method 1200 concludes.

[00108] FIG. 13 is a flowchart representative of an example method 1300 that may be performed by the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A, and/or, more generally, the AP 100 to generate a trigger frame. The example process of FIG. 13 may be used to implement the operation of block 1204 of FIG. 12. The example method 1300 begins at block 1302, at which the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines station(s) being triggered. For example, the network analyzer 210 of FIG. 2A may determine that the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 3 are being triggered (e.g., based on information included in a CSR corresponding to the STAs 102, 104). In another example, the network analyzer 210 may determine that the first STA 102 of FIG. 4 is being triggered (e.g., based on information included in a CSR corresponding to the first STA 102).

[00109] At block 1304, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines an ownership duration for the station(s). For example, the CSR analyzer 220 of FIG. 2A may determine an ownership duration parameter based on information included in a CSR corresponding to one or more of the STAs 102, 104.

[00110] At block 1306, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines transmit power for the station(s). For example, the station parameter determiner 230 may determine a transmit power parameter for the first STA 102 to transmit the data 430 to the second STA 104 as depicted in FIG. 4. In another example, the station parameter determiner 230 may determine a transmit power parameter for each of the STAs 102, 104 to transmit the first and the second data 730, 750 as depicted in FIG. 7.

[00111] At block 1308, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines a bandwidth for the station(s). For example, the station parameter determiner 230 may determine a bandwidth parameter for the first STA 102 corresponding to a data throughput rate at which the first STA 102 transmits the data 430 to the second STA 104 as depicted in FIG. 4. In another example, the station parameter determiner 230 may determine a bandwidth parameter for each of the STAs 102, 104 corresponding to data throughput rates at which the STAs 102, 104 transmit the first and the second data 730, 750 as depicted in FIG. 7. In response to determining the bandwidth for the station(s), the example method 1300 returns to block 1206 of the example of FIG. 12 to determine whether to transmit the trigger frame to more than one station.

[00112] FIG. 14 is a flowchart representative of an example method 1400 that may be performed by the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B, and/or, more generally, one or more of the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 to execute the data flow (e.g., execute the data flow in response to receiving a trigger frame from the AP 100). The example process of FIG. 14 may be used to implement the operation of block 1210 of FIG. 12. The example method 1400 begins at block 1402, at which the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines whether the station is to transmit data to a peer-to-peer (P2P) device. For example, the component interface 200 of FIG. 2B included in the first STA 102 may determine that the first STA 102 is to transmit the data 430 to the second STA 104 as depicted in FIG. 4. In another example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may determine that the first STA 102 is to receive the data 540 from the second STA 104 as depicted in FIG. 5.

[00113] If, at block 1402, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is not to transmit data to the P2P device, control proceeds to block 1406 to determine whether the station is to receive data from the P2P device. If, at block 1402, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is to transmit data to the P2P device, then, at block 1404, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b instructs the station to transmit the data to the P2P device in response to the station receiving the AP trigger frame. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may transmit the data 430 to the second STA 104 in response to receiving the HE TD trigger 410 as depicted in FIG. 4.

[00114] At block 1406, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines whether the station is to receive data from the P2P device. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may determine that the first STA 102 is to receive the data 540 as depicted in FIG. 5. If, at block 1406, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is not to receive data from the P2P device, control proceeds to block 1410 to determine whether the station is to transmit data to and receive data from the P2P device. If, at block 1406, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is to receive data from the P2P device, then, at block 1408, the STA trigger frame manager 108b instructs the station to direct the P2P device to send the data to the station in response to the station receiving the AP trigger frame. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 included in the first STA 102 may generate and transmit the second HE TD trigger frame 530 to the second STA 104 in response to receiving the first HE TD trigger frame 510 from the AP 100 as depicted in FIG. 5. In response to receiving the second HE TD trigger frame 530, the component interface 200 included in the second STA 104 may transmit the data 540 to the first STA 102 as depicted in FIG. 5.

[00115] At block 1410, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines whether the station is to transmit data to and receive data from the P2P device in response to the AP trigger frame. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may (1) transmit the data 630 to the second STA 104 in response to receiving the first HE TD trigger frame 610 and (2) receive the data 660 from the second STA 104 in response to transmitting the second HE TD trigger frame 650 to the second STA 104.

[00116] If, at block 1410, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is not to transmit data to and receive data from the P2P device, the example method 1400 proceeds to return to the example of FIG. 12 to conclude. If, at block 1410, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b determines that the station is to transmit data to and receive data from the P2P device, then, at block 1412, the STA trigger frame manager 108b instructs the station to transmit first data to the P2P device and receive second data from the P2P device in response to the AP trigger frame. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may transmit data to the second STA 104 and receive data from the second STA 104 in response to receiving the first HE TD trigger frame 610 as described above in accordance with FIG. 6. In response to executing the block 1412, the example method 1400 returns to the example of FIG. 12 to conclude.

[00117] FIG. 15 is a flowchart representative of an example method 1500 that may be performed by the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2Aa, and/or, more generally, the AP 100 of FIG. 1 to generate a trigger frame based on P2P traffic information. The example method 1500 begins at block 1502, at which the AP trigger frame manager 108a instructs the AP to query a station for P2P traffic information. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 of FIG. 2 A may transmit the CSR trigger frame 810 to the first STA 102 as depicted in FIG. 8. At block 1504, the AP receives P2P traffic information from the station. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may receive the P2P CSR frame 820 from the first STA 102 as depicted in FIG. 8.

[00118] At block 1506, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a determines a duration of P2P TxOP based on the P2P traffic information. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine an ownership duration parameter representative of the HE TD P2P TxOP based on information included in a CSR included in the P2P CSR frame 820 of FIG. 8. For example, the CSR analyzer 220 may determine the ownership duration parameter based on a request by the STA 102 for an amount of time to execute a data flow, a queue size, etc., and/or a combination thereof.

[00119] At block 1508, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a generates a trigger frame. For example, the trigger frame generator 240 of FIG. 2 A may generate the HE TD trigger frame 830 including the ownership duration parameter defining the TD TxOP 835 as depicted in FIG. 8. An example process that may be used to implement block 1508 is described above in connection with FIG. 13. In response to generating the trigger frame, the example method 1500 concludes. Although the example method 1500 of FIG. 15 depicts a single iteration of allocating a TD TxOP to a STA via generating a trigger frame, alternatively the method 1500 may be repeated (e.g., iteratively repeated). For example, the method 1500 may be repeated based on a STA requesting an AP for a periodic TD TxOP allocation.

[00120] FIG. 16 is a flowchart representative of an example method 1600 that may be performed by the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B, and/or, more generally, one or more of the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 to transmit a CSR frame to the AP. The example method 1600 begins at block 1602, at which a station receives a query from an AP for P2P traffic information. For example, the component interface 200 of FIG. 2B included in the first STA 102 may receive the CSR trigger frame 810 from the AP 100 as depicted in FIG. 8.

[00121] At block 1604, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b instructs the station to generate a CSR frame. For example, the CSR generator 260 included in the first STA 102 may construct the P2P CSR frame 820 as depicted in FIG. 8. At block 1606, the example STA trigger frame manager 108b instructs the station to transmit the CSR frame to the AP. For example, the component interface 200 included in the first STA 102 may transmit the P2P CSR frame 820 to the AP 100 as depicted in FIG. 8. In response to the example station transmitting the CSR frame to the AP, the example method 1600 concludes.

[00122] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a radio architecture 110 of FIG. 1 in accordance with some examples that may be implemented in the example AP 100 and/or one or more of the example STAs 102, 104. Radio architecture 110 may include radio front-end module (FEM) circuitry 1704a-b, radio IC circuitry 1706a-b and baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b. Radio architecture 110 as shown includes both Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) functionality and Bluetooth (BT) functionality although examples are not so limited. In this disclosure, "WLAN" and "Wi-Fi" are used interchangeably.

[00123] FEM circuitry 1704a-b may include a WLAN or Wi-Fi FEM circuitry 1704a and a Bluetooth (BT) FEM circuitry 1704b. The WLAN FEM circuitry 1704a may include a receive signal path comprising circuitry configured to operate on WLAN RF signals received from one or more antennas 1701, to amplify the received signals and to provide the amplified versions of the received signals to the WLAN radio IC circuitry 1706a for further processing. The BT FEM circuitry 1704b may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry configured to operate on BT RF signals received from one or more antennas 1701, to amplify the received signals and to provide the amplified versions of the received signals to the BT radio IC circuitry 1706b for further processing. FEM circuitry 1704a may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify WLAN signals provided by the radio IC circuitry 1706a for wireless transmission by one or more of the antennas 1701. In addition, FEM circuitry 1704b may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry configured to amplify BT signals provided by the radio IC circuitry 1706b for wireless transmission by the one or more antennas. In the example of FIG. 17, although FEM 1704a and FEM 1704b are shown as being distinct from one another, examples are not so limited, and include within their scope the use of an 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.

[00124] Radio IC circuitry 1706a-b as shown may include WLAN radio IC circuitry 1706a and BT radio IC circuitry 1706b. The WLAN radio IC circuitry 1706a may include a receive signal path which may include circuitry to down-convert WLAN RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 1704a and provide baseband signals to WLAN baseband processing circuitry 1708a. BT radio IC circuitry 1706b may in turn include a receive signal path which may include circuitry to down-convert BT RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 1704b and provide baseband signals to BT baseband processing circuitry 1708b. WLAN radio IC circuitry 1706a may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry to up-convert WLAN baseband signals provided by the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 1708a and provide WLAN RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 1704a for subsequent wireless transmission by the one or more antennas 1701. BT radio IC circuitry 1706b may also include a transmit signal path which may include circuitry to up-convert BT baseband signals provided by the BT baseband processing circuitry 1708b and provide BT RF output signals to the FEM circuitry 1704b for subsequent wireless transmission by the one or more antennas 1701. In the example of FIG. 17, although radio IC circuitries 1706a and 1706b are shown as being distinct from one another, examples 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.

[00125] Baseband processing circuity 1708a-b may include a WLAN baseband processing circuitry 1708a and a BT baseband processing circuitry 1708b. The WLAN baseband processing circuitry 1708a may include a memory, such as, for example, a set of RAM arrays in a Fast Fourier Transform or Inverse Fast Fourier Transform block (not shown) of the WLAN baseband processing circuitry 1708a. Each of the WLAN baseband circuitry 1708a and the BT baseband circuitry 1708b 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 1706a-b, and to also generate

corresponding WLAN or BT baseband signals for the transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b. Each of the baseband processing circuitries 1708a and 1708b may further include physical layer (PHY) and medium access control layer (MAC) circuitry, and may further interface with the application processor 106 for generation and processing of the baseband signals and for controlling operations of the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b.

[00126] Referring still to FIG. 17, according to the shown example, WLAN-BT coexistence circuitry 1713 may include logic providing an interface between the WLAN baseband circuitry 1708a and the BT baseband circuitry 1708b to enable use cases requiring WLAN and BT coexistence. In addition, a switch 1703 may be provided between the WLAN FEM circuitry 1704a and the BT FEM circuitry 1704b to allow switching between the WLAN and BT radios according to application needs. In addition, although the antennas 1701 are depicted as being respectively connected to the WLAN FEM circuitry 1704a and the BT FEM circuitry 1704b, examples include within their scope the sharing of one or more antennas as between the WLAN and BT FEMs, or the provision of more than one antenna connected to each of FEM 1704a or 1704b.

[00127] In some examples, the front-end module circuitry 1704a-b, the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b, and baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b may be provided on a single radio card, such as wireless radio card 1702. In some other examples, the one or more antennas 1701 , the FEM circuitry 1704a-b and the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b may be provided on a single radio card. In some other examples, the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b and the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b may be provided on a single chip or integrated circuit (IC), such as IC 1712.

[00128] In some examples, the wireless radio card 1702 may include a WLAN radio card and may be configured for Wi-Fi communications, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect. In some of these examples, the radio architecture 110 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.

[00129] In some of these multicarrier examples, radio architecture 110 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 examples, the radio architecture 110 may be configured to transmit and receive signals in accordance with specific communication standards and/or protocols, such as any of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards including, 802.11n-2009, IEEE 802.11-2012, IEEE 802.11-2016, 802.11n-2009, 802.1 l ac, 802.11 ah, 802.11 ad, 802.11 ay and/or 802.11 ax standards and/or proposed specifications for WLANs, although the scope of examples is not limited in this respect. The radio architecture 110 may also be suitable to transmit and/or receive communications in accordance with other techniques and standards.

[00130] In some examples, the radio architecture 110 may be configured for high-efficiency Wi-Fi (HEW) communications in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 ax standard. In these examples, the radio architecture 110 may be configured to communicate in accordance with an OFDMA technique, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect.

[00131] In some other examples, the radio architecture 110 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 examples is not limited in this respect.

[00132] In some examples, as further shown in FIG. 17, the BT baseband circuitry 1708b may be compliant with a Bluetooth (BT) connectivity standard such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth 9.0 or Bluetooth 8.0, or any other iteration of the Bluetooth Standard. In examples that include BT functionality as shown for example in FIG. 17, the radio architecture 1 10 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 examples that include functionality, the radio architecture 110 may be configured to establish an extended SCO (eSCO) link for BT communications, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect. In some of these examples that include a BT functionality, the radio architecture may be configured to engage in a BT Asynchronous Connection-Less (ACL) communications, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect. In some examples, as shown in FIG. 17, 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 1702, although examples are not so limited, and include within their scope discrete WLAN and BT radio cards

[00133] In some examples, the radio architecture 110 may include other radio cards, such as a cellular radio card configured for cellular (e.g., 5 GPP such as LTE, LTE- Advanced or 7G communications).

[00134] In some IEEE 802.1 1 examples, the radio architecture 1 10 may be configured for communication over various channel bandwidths including bandwidths having center frequencies of about 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, 7 GHz, and bandwidths of about 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4 MHz, 5 MHz, 5.5 MHz, 6 MHz, 8 MHz, 10 MHz, 16 MHz, 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 100 MHz, 80 MHz (with contiguous bandwidths), 160 MHz (with contiguous bandwidths), 320 MHz (with contiguous bandwidths), 80+80 MHz (160 MHz) (with non-contiguous bandwidths), or 160+160 MHz (320 MHz) (with noncontiguous bandwidths). In some examples, a 920 MHz channel bandwidth may be used. In some examples, the radio architecture 110 can be configured to allow a STA (e.g., the STAs 102, 104 of FIG. 1 ) to operate on more than one channel and band concurrently. The scope of the examples is not limited with respect to the above center frequencies however.

[00135] FIG. 18 illustrates FEM circuitry 1704a-b in accordance with some examples. The FEM circuitry 1704a-b is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the WLAN and/or BT FEM circuitry 1704a/1704b (FIG. 17), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[00136] In some examples, the FEM circuitry 1704a-b may include a TX/RX switch 1802 to switch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEM circuitry 1704a-b may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 1704a-b may include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 1806 to amplify received RF signals 1803 and provide the amplified received RF signals 1807 as an output (e.g., to the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b (FIG. 17)). The transmit signal path of the circuitry 1704a-b may include a power amplifier (PA) to amplify input RF signals 1809 (e.g. , provided by the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b), and one or more filters 1812, such as band -pass filters (BPFs), low-pass filters (LPFs) or other types of filters, to generate RF signals 1815 for subsequent transmission (e.g., by one or more of the antennas 1701 (FIG. 17)) via an example duplexer 1814.

[00137] In some dual-mode examples for Wi-Fi communication, the FEM circuitry 1704a-b may be configured to operate in either the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum or the 5 GHz frequency spectrum. In these examples, the receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 1704a-b may include a receive signal path duplexer 1804 to separate the signals from each spectrum as well as provide a separate LNA 1806 for each spectrum as shown. In these examples, the transmit signal path of the FEM circuitry 1704a-b may also include a power amplifier 1810 and a filter 1812, such as a BPF, a LPF or another type of filter for each frequency spectrum and a transmit signal path duplexer 1804 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 1701 (FIG. 17). In some examples, BT communications may utilize the 2.4 GHZ signal paths and may utilize the same FEM circuitry 1704a-b as the one used for WLAN communications.

[00138] FIG. 19 illustrates radio IC circuitry 1706a-b in accordance with some examples. The radio IC circuitry 1706a-b is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the WLAN or BT radio IC circuitry 1706a/1706b (FIG. 17), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable.

[00139] In some examples, the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b may include a receive signal path and a transmit signal path. The receive signal path of the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b may include at least mixer circuitry 1902, such as, for example, down-conversion mixer circuitry, amplifier circuitry 1906 and filter circuitry 1908. The transmit signal path of the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b may include at least filter circuitry 1912 and mixer circuitry 1914, such as, for example, up-conversion mixer circuitry. Radio IC circuitry 1706a-b may also include synthesizer circuitry 1904 for synthesizing a frequency 1905 for use by the mixer circuitry 1902 and the mixer circuitry 1914. The mixer circuitry 1902 and/or 1914 may each, according to some examples, be configured to provide direct conversion functionality. The latter type of circuitry presents a much simpler architecture as compared with standard superheterodyne mixer circuitries, and any flicker noise brought about by the same may be alleviated for example through the use of OFDM modulation. FIG. 19 illustrates only a simplified version of a radio IC circuitry, and may include, although not shown, examples where each of the depicted circuitries may include more than one component. For instance, mixer circuitry 1914 may each include one or more mixers, and filter circuitries 1908 and/or 1912 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.

[00140] In some examples, mixer circuitry 1902 may be configured to down- convert RF signals 1907 received from the FEM circuitry 1704a-b (FIG. 17) based on the synthesized frequency 1905 provided by synthesizer circuitry 1904. The amplifier circuitry 1906 may be configured to amplify the down-converted signals and the filter circuitry 1908 may include a LPF configured to remove unwanted signals from the down-converted signals to generate output baseband signals 1907. Output baseband signals 1907 may be provided to the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b (FIG. 17) for further processing. In some examples, the output baseband signals 1907 may be zero-frequency baseband signals, although this is not a requirement. In some examples, mixer circuitry 1902 may comprise passive mixers, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect.

[00141] In some examples, the mixer circuitry 1914 may be configured to up- convert input baseband signals 191 1 based on the synthesized frequency 1905 provided by the synthesizer circuitry 1904 to generate RF output signals 1909 for the FEM circuitry 1704a-b. The baseband signals 191 1 may be provided by the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b and may be filtered by filter circuitry 1912. The filter circuitry 1912 may include a LPF or a BPF, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect.

[00142] In some examples, the mixer circuitry 1902 and the mixer circuitry 1914 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 1904. In some examples, the mixer circuitry 1902 and the mixer circuitry 1914 may each include two or more mixers each configured for image rejection (e.g., Hartley image rejection). In some examples, the mixer circuitry 1902 and the mixer circuitry 1914 may be arranged for direct down-conversion and/or direct up-conversion, respectively. In some examples, the mixer circuitry 1902 and the mixer circuitry 1914 may be configured for super-heterodyne operation, although this is not a requirement.

[00143] Mixer circuitry 1902 may comprise, according to one example:

quadrature passive mixers (e.g. , for the in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) paths). In such an example, RF input signal 1907 from FIG. 19 may be down-converted to provide I and Q baseband output signals to be sent to the baseband processor

[00144] Quadrature passive mixers may be driven by zero and ninety-degree time-varying LO switching signals provided by a quadrature circuitry which may be configured to receive a LO frequency (fLO) from a local oscillator or a synthesizer, such as LO frequency 1905 of synthesizer 1904 (FIG. 19). In some examples, the LO frequency may be the carrier frequency, while in other examples, 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 examples, the zero and ninety-degree time-varying switching signals may be generated by the synthesizer, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect.

[00145] In some examples, 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 examples, the LO signals may have a 105% duty cycle and a 100% offset. In some examples, each branch of the mixer circuitry (e.g., the in- phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) path) may operate at a 100% duty cycle, which may result in a significant reduction is power consumption.

[00146] The RF input signal 1907 (FIG. 19) may comprise a balanced signal, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect. The I and Q baseband output signals may be provided to low-nose amplifier, such as amplifier circuitry 1906 (FIG. 19) or to filter circuitry 1908 (FIG. 17).

[00147] In some examples, the output baseband signals 1907 and the input baseband signals 191 1 may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect. In some alternate examples, the output baseband signals 1907 and the input baseband signals 1911 may be digital baseband signals. In these alternate examples, the radio IC circuitry may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry.

[00148] In some dual-mode examples, 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 examples is not limited in this respect.

[00149] In some examples, the synthesizer circuitry 1904 may be a fractional-N synthesizer or a fractional N/N+l synthesizer, although the scope of the examples is not limited in this respect as other types of frequency synthesizers may be suitable. For example, synthesizer circuitry 1904 may be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequency multiplier, or a synthesizer comprising a phase-locked loop with a frequency divider. According to some examples, the synthesizer circuitry 1904 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 examples, frequency input into synthesizer circuity 1904 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 1708a-b (FIG. 17) or the application processor 106 (FIG. 17) depending on the desired output frequency 1905. In some examples, 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 106. The application processor 106 may include, or otherwise be connected to, the example AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A, and/or the example STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B.

[00150] In some examples, synthesizer circuitry 1904 may be configured to generate a carrier frequency as the output frequency 1905, while in other examples, the output frequency 1905 may be a fraction of the carrier frequency (e.g., one-half the carrier frequency, one-third the carrier frequency). In some examples, the output frequency 1905 may be a LO frequency (fLO).

[00151] FIG. 20 illustrates a functional block diagram of baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b in accordance with some examples. The baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b is one example of circuitry that may be suitable for use as the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b (FIG. 17), although other circuitry configurations may also be suitable. The baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b may include a receive baseband processor (RX BBP) 2002 for processing receive baseband signals 2009 provided by the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b (FIG. 17) and a transmit baseband processor (TX BBP) 2004 for generating transmit baseband signals 2011 for the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b. The baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b may also include control logic 2006 for coordinating the operations of the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b.

[00152] In some examples (e.g., when analog baseband signals are exchanged between the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b and the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b), the baseband processing circuitry 1708a-b may include ADC 2010 to convert analog baseband signals 2009 received from the radio IC circuitry 1706a-b to digital baseband signals for processing by the RX BBP 2002. In these examples, the baseband processing circuitry 1708a- b may also include DAC 2012 to convert digital baseband signals from the TX BBP 2004 to analog baseband signals 2011.

[00153] In some examples that communicate OFDM signals or OFDMA signals, such as through baseband processor 1708a, the transmit baseband processor 2004 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 2002 may be configured to process received OFDM signals or OFDMA signals by performing an FFT. In some examples, the receive baseband processor 2002 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 or autocorrelation, to detect a long preamble. The preambles may be part of a predetermined frame structure for Wi-Fi communication.

[00154] Referring back to FIG. 17, in some examples, the antennas 1701 (FIG. 17) 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) examples, the antennas may be effectively separated to take advantage of spatial diversity and the different channel characteristics that may result.

Antennas 1701 may each include a set of phased-array antennas, although examples are not so limited.

[00155] Although the radio architecture 110 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 examples, the functional elements may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[00156] FIG. 21 is a block diagram of an example processor platform 2100 structured to execute the instructions of FIGS. 12-13 and 15 to implement the AP trigger frame manager 108a of FIGS. 1 and/or 2A. The processor platform 2100 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a workstation, a self-learning machine (e.g., a neural network), a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smart phone, a tablet such as an iPad™), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet appliance, a DVD player, a CD player, a digital video recorder, a Blu-ray player, a gaming console, a personal video recorder, a set top box, a headset or other wearable device, or any other type of computing device.

[00157] The processor platform 2100 of the illustrated example includes a processor 2112. The processor 2112 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 2112 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors, GPUs, DSPs, or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer. The hardware processor may be a semiconductor based (e.g., silicon based) device. In this example, the processor 2112 implements the example application processor 106, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example CSR analyzer 220, the example station parameter determiner 230, the example trigger frame generator 240, and the example termination frame handler 250.

[00158] The processor 2112 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 2113 (e.g., a cache). The processor 2112 of the illustrated example is in communication with a main memory including a volatile memory 2114 and a non-volatile memory 2116 via a bus 2118. The volatile memory 2114 may be implemented by Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS® Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM®), and/or any other type of random access memory device. The non-volatile memory 2116 may be implemented by flash memory and/or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory 2114, 2116 is controlled by a memory controller.

[00159] The processor platform 2100 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 2120. The interface circuit 2120 may be implemented by any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), a Bluetooth® interface, a near field communication (NFC) interface, and/or a PCI express interface.

[00160] In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 2122 are connected to the interface circuit 2120. The input device(s) 2122 permit(s) a user to enter data and/or commands into the processor 2112. The input device(s) can be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a track-pad, a trackball, an isopoint device, and/or a voice recognition system.

[00161] One or more output devices 2124 are also connected to the interface circuit 2120 of the illustrated example. The output devices 2124 can be implemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube display (CRT), an in-place switching (IPS) display, a touchscreen, etc.), a tactile output device, a printer, and/or speaker. The interface circuit 2120 of the illustrated example, thus, typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and/or a graphics driver processor.

[00162] The interface circuit 2120 of the illustrated example also includes a communication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a modem, a residential gateway, a wireless access point, and/or a network interface to facilitate exchange of data with external machines (e.g., computing devices of any kind) via a network 2126. The communication can be via, for example, an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection, a telephone line connection, a coaxial cable system, a satellite system, a line-of-site wireless system, a cellular telephone system, etc.

[00163] The processor platform 2100 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage devices 2128 for storing software and/or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 2128 include floppy disk drives, hard drive disks, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, redundant array of independent disks (RAID) systems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.

[00164] The machine executable instructions 2132 of FIGS. 12-13 and 15 may be stored in the mass storage device 2128, in the volatile memory 2114, in the non-volatile memory 2116, and/or on a removable non-transitory computer readable storage medium such as a CD or DVD.

[00165] FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an example processor platform 2200 structured to execute the instructions of FIGS. 14 and 16 to implement the STA trigger frame manager 108b of FIGS. 1 and/or 2B. The processor platform 2200 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a workstation, a self-learning machine (e.g., a neural network), a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smart phone, a tablet such as an iPad™), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet appliance, a DVD player, a CD player, a digital video recorder, a Blu-ray player, a gaming console, a personal video recorder, a set top box, a headset or other wearable device, or any other type of computing device.

[00166] The processor platform 2200 of the illustrated example includes a processor 2212. The processor 2212 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 2212 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors, GPUs, DSPs, or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer. The hardware processor may be a semiconductor based (e.g., silicon based) device. In this example, the processor 2212 implements the example application processor 106, the example component interface 200, the example network analyzer 210, the example trigger frame generator 240, the example termination frame handler 250, the example CSR generator 260, and the example station parameter adjustor 270.

[00167] The processor 2212 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 2213 (e.g., a cache). The processor 2212 of the illustrated example is in communication with a main memory including a volatile memory 2214 and a non-volatile memory 2216 via a bus 2218. The volatile memory 2214 may be implemented by Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS® Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM®), and/or any other type of random access memory device. The non-volatile memory 2216 may be implemented by flash memory and/or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory 2214, 2216 is controlled by a memory controller. [00168] The processor platform 2200 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 2220. The interface circuit 2220 may be implemented by any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), a Bluetooth® interface, a near field communication (NFC) interface, and/or a PCI express interface.

[00169] In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 2222 are connected to the interface circuit 2220. The input device(s) 2222 permit(s) a user to enter data and/or commands into the processor 2212. The input device(s) can be implemented by, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, a button, a mouse, a touchscreen, a track-pad, a trackball, an isopoint device, and/or a voice recognition system.

[00170] One or more output devices 2224 are also connected to the interface circuit 2220 of the illustrated example. The output devices 2224 can be implemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube display (CRT), an in-place switching (IPS) display, a touchscreen, etc.), a tactile output device, a printer, and/or speaker. The interface circuit 2220 of the illustrated example, thus, typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and/or a graphics driver processor.

[00171] The interface circuit 2220 of the illustrated example also includes a communication device such as a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a modem, a residential gateway, a wireless access point, and/or a network interface to facilitate exchange of data with external machines (e.g., computing devices of any kind) via a network 2226. The communication can be via, for example, an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection, a telephone line connection, a coaxial cable system, a satellite system, a line-of-site wireless system, a cellular telephone system, etc.

[00172] The processor platform 2200 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage devices 2228 for storing software and/or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 2228 include floppy disk drives, hard drive disks, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, redundant array of independent disks (RAID) systems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.

[00173] The machine executable instructions 2232 of FIGS. 14 and 16 may be stored in the mass storage device 2228, in the volatile memory 2214, in the non-volatile memory 2216, and/or on a removable non-transitory computer readable storage medium such as a CD or DVD. [00174] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture have been disclosed that manage P2P communications in a wireless network. In some examples disclosed herein, an enhanced and/or otherwise improved trigger frame is constructed to trigger P2P communications. In some disclosed examples herein, a trigger frame manager determines a TxOP based on at least one of a request for airtime or a queue size. In some examples disclosed herein, a trigger frame manager constructs a trigger frame such as an HE TD trigger frame that defines a TxOP during which one or more stations can synchronize data flows between the stations and the serving AP. In some examples disclosed herein, the trigger frame manager constructs a trigger frame such as an HE TD trigger frame that defines a TxOP during which one or more stations can execute data flows between the stations and corresponding peer devices.

Although the P2P communications are not processed through the AP, the trigger frame manager included in the AP can improve data throughput efficiency and reduce over the air contentions especially in dense communication environments by controlling an increased portion of the communication being executed in a wireless network. By improving the data throughput efficiency and/or reducing the over the air contentions, the trigger frame manager included in the AP can improve available routing resources and improve an efficiency of data being exchanged in the wireless network.

[00175] Example 1 includes an apparatus operating as an access point to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising a trigger frame generator to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and a component interface to transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

[00176] Example 2 includes the apparatus of example 1 , wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00177] Example 3 includes the apparatus of example 1 , wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

[00178] Example 4 includes the apparatus of example 1 , wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. [00179] Example 5 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 1 -4, further including a network analyzer to determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

[00180] Example 6 includes the apparatus of example 1, wherein the component interface is to transmit a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information, and obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00181] Example 7 includes the apparatus of example 6, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00182] Example 8 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 1 or 4, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, the component interface is to receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

[00183] Example 9 includes the apparatus of example 1, further including a termination frame handler to generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00184] Example 10 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 1 or 3 or 5, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the first trigger frame is to cause the first wireless station to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00185] Example 11 includes an apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising a component interface to obtain a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the apparatus as a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and communicate with the second wireless station when the trigger frame is received. [00186] Example 12 includes the apparatus of example 11, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00187] Example 13 includes the apparatus of example 11, wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

[00188] Example 14 includes the apparatus of example 11, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00189] Example 15 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 11 -14, wherein the component interface is to obtain a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information, and transmit a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

[00190] Example 16 includes the apparatus of example 15, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00191] Example 17 includes the apparatus of example 11, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including the component interface to transmit data to the second wireless station, a termination frame handler to generate a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and the component interface to transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00192] Example 18 includes the apparatus of example 11, wherein the component interface is to receive a first termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period when the first wireless station does not send a second termination frame prior to the transmission time period expiring.

[00193] Example 19 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 11 or 12, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, further including a trigger frame generator to generate a second trigger frame, and the component interface to transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station, and receive data from the second wireless station when the second wireless station receives the second trigger frame. [00194] Example 20 includes the apparatus of example 19, further including a termination frame handler to generate a termination frame when the first wireless station receives the data in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00195] Example 21 includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a

transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and transmit the trigger frame from an access point to the first wireless station.

[00196] Example 22 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 21, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least transmit a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information, and obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00197] Example 23 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 22, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00198] Example 24 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 21, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

[00199] Example 25 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of examples 21 - 24, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame from the access point to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00200] Example 26 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 21, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the first trigger frame is to cause the first wireless station to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00201] Example 27 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 21, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00202] Example 28 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of examples 21 or 24, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

[00203] Example 29 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 21, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00204] Example 30 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of examples 21 , 23, or 25, further including instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station

communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

[00205] Example 31 includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least obtain a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the apparatus as a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and communicate with the second wireless station when the trigger frame is received.

[00206] Example 32 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 31, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00207] Example 33 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 31, wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

[00208] Example 34 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 31 , wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00209] Example 35 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of examples 31 - 34, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least obtain a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information, and transmit a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

[00210] Example 36 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 35, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00211] Example 37 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 31, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least transmit data to the second wireless station, generate a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00212] Example 38 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 31, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least receive a first termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period when the first wireless station does not send a second termination frame prior to the transmission time period expiring.

[00213] Example 39 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of any one of examples 31 or 32, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least generate a second trigger frame, transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station, and receive data from the second wireless station when the second wireless station receives the second trigger frame.

[00214] Example 40 includes the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of example 39, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least generate a termination frame when the first wireless station receives the data in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00215] Example 41 includes an apparatus operating as an access point to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising a first means to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and a second means to transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

[00216] Example 42 includes the apparatus of example 41, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00217] Example 43 includes the apparatus of example 41, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

[00218] Example 44 includes the apparatus of example 41, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00219] Example 45 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 41 -44, further including a third means to determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station

[00220] Example 46 includes the apparatus of example 41, wherein the second means is to transmit a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information, and obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00221] Example 47 includes the apparatus of example 46, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00222] Example 48 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 41 or 44, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, the second means is to receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period. [00223] Example 49 includes the apparatus of example 41, further including a third means to generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00224] Example 50 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 41 , 43, or 45, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the first trigger frame is to cause the first wireless station to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00225] Example 51 includes an apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising a first means to obtain a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the apparatus as a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and communicate with the second wireless station when the trigger frame is received.

[00226] Example 52 includes the apparatus of example 51, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00227] Example 53 includes the apparatus of example 51, wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

[00228] Example 54 includes the apparatus of example 51, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00229] Example 55 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 51 -54, wherein the first means is to obtain a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information, and transmit a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

[00230] Example 56 includes the apparatus of example 55, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00231] Example 57 includes the apparatus of example 51, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including the first means to transmit data to the second wireless station, a second means to generate a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and the first means to transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00232] Example 58 includes the apparatus of example 51, wherein the first means is to receive a first termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period when the first wireless station does not send a second termination frame prior to the transmission time period expiring.

[00233] Example 59 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 51 or 52, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, further including a second means to generate a second trigger frame, and the first means to transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station, and receive data from the second wireless station when the second wireless station receives the second trigger frame.

[00234] Example 60 includes the apparatus of example 59, further including a third means to generate a termination frame when the first wireless station receives the data in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00235] Example 61 includes an apparatus operating as an access point to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising memory and processing circuitry, configured to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

[00236] Example 62 includes the apparatus of example 61, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00237] Example 63 includes the apparatus of example 61, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

[00238] Example 64 includes the apparatus of example 61, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00239] Example 65 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 61 -64, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station

communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

[00240] Example 66 includes the apparatus of example 61, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to transmit a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information, and obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00241] Example 67 includes the apparatus of example 66, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00242] Example 68 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 61 or 64, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, the memory and the processing circuitry is to receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

[00243] Example 69 includes the apparatus of example 61, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00244] Example 70 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 61 , 63, or 65, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the first trigger frame is to cause the first wireless station to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00245] Example 71 includes an apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising memory and processing circuitry, configured to obtain a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the apparatus as a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and communicate with the second wireless station when the trigger frame is received. [00246] Example 72 includes the apparatus of example 71, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00247] Example 73 includes the apparatus of example 71, wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

[00248] Example 74 includes the apparatus of example 71, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00249] Example 75 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 71 -74, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to obtain a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information, and transmit a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

[00250] Example 76 includes the apparatus of example 75, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00251] Example 77 includes the apparatus of example 71, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to transmit data to the second wireless station, generate a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00252] Example 78 includes the apparatus of example 71, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to receive a first termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period when the first wireless station does not send a second termination frame prior to the transmission time period expiring.

[00253] Example 79 includes the apparatus of any one of examples 71 or 72, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to generate a second trigger frame, transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station, and receive data from the second wireless station when the second wireless station receives the second trigger frame. [00254] Example 80 includes the apparatus of example 79, wherein the memory and the processing circuitry is to generate a termination frame when the first wireless station receives the data in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00255] Example 81 includes a method to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the method comprising generating a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame from an access point and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and transmitting the trigger frame from the access point to the first wireless station.

[00256] Example 82 includes the method of example 81, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00257] Example 83 includes the method of example 81, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

[00258] Example 84 includes the method of example 81, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00259] Example 85 includes the method of any one of examples 81 -84, further including determining that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

[00260] Example 86 includes the method of example 81, further including transmitting a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer- to-peer traffic information, and obtaining a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00261] Example 87 includes the method of example 86, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow. [00262] Example 88 includes the method of any one of examples 81 or 84, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including receiving a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

[00263] Example 89 includes the method of example 81, further including generating a termination frame and transmitting the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00264] Example 90 includes the method of any one of examples 81 or 83 or 85, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, further including generating a second trigger frame at the first wireless station, and transmitting the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00265] Example 91 includes a method to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the method comprising obtaining, at a first wireless station, a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and in response to obtaining the trigger frame, communicating with the second wireless station.

[00266] Example 92 includes the method of example 91, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00267] Example 93 includes the method of example 91, wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

[00268] Example 94 includes the method of example 91, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00269] Example 95 includes the method of any one of examples 91-94, further including obtaining, at the first wireless station, a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information, and transmitting a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

[00270] Example 96 includes the method of example 95, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow. [00271] Example 97 includes the method of example 91, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including transmitting data to the second wireless station, generating a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period, and transmitting the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

[00272] Example 98 includes the method of example 91, further including in response to the first wireless station not sending a first termination frame to the access point prior to the transmission time period expiring, receiving a second termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period.

[00273] Example 99 includes the method of any one of examples 91 or 92, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, further including generating a second trigger frame, transmitting the second trigger frame to the second wireless station, and in response to the second wireless station receiving the second trigger frame, receiving, at the first wireless station, data from the second wireless station.

[00274] Example 100 includes the method of example 99, further including in response to the first wireless station receiving the data in a second time period, generating a termination frame, the second time period less than the first time period, and in response to the first wireless station determining to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point, transmitting the termination frame to the access point.

[00275] Example 101 includes a system to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the system comprising an access point to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a

transmission time period to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode, and transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

[00276] Example 102 includes the system of example 101, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

[00277] Example 103 includes the system of example 101, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame. [00278] Example 104 includes the system of example 101, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

[00279] Example 105 includes the system of any one of examples 101 -104, wherein the access point is to determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

[00280] Example 106 includes the system of example 101, wherein the access point is to transmit a first data frame to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information, and obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

[00281] Example 107 includes the system of example 106, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

[00282] Example 108 includes the system of any one of examples 101 or 104, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, the access point is to receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

[00283] Example 109 includes the system of example 101, wherein the access point is to generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

[00284] Example 110 includes the system of any one of examples 101 or 103 or 105, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, wherein the first wireless station is to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

[00285] Although certain example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture have been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. An apparatus operating as an access point to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a trigger frame generator to generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode; and a component interface to transmit the trigger frame to the first wireless station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access point periodically generates the trigger frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a network analyzer to determine that the first wireless station communicating with the second wireless station does not interfere with a third wireless station communicating with a fourth wireless station, the third wireless station communicating with the fourth wireless station when the third wireless station obtains the trigger frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component interface is to:

transmit a first data frame from the access point to the first wireless station to query peer-to-peer traffic information; and

obtain a second data frame including a resource request from the first wireless station.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, the component interface is to receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a termination frame handler to generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame, the first trigger frame is to cause the first wireless station to generate a second trigger frame and transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station.

1 1. An apparatus to manage coordinated peer-to-peer communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a component interface to:

obtain a trigger frame from an access point, the trigger frame identifying the apparatus as a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode; and

communicate with the second wireless station when the trigger frame is received.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the trigger frame directs the first wireless station to adjust at least one of a bandwidth parameter or a transmit power parameter of the first wireless station.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first wireless station periodically receives the trigger frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the transmission time period includes a predefined time duration for a data flow operation between the first wireless station and the second wireless station.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the component interface is to:

obtain a first data frame from the access point, the first data frame to query the first wireless station for peer-to-peer traffic information; and

transmit a second data frame including a resource request to the access point.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including:

the component interface to transmit data to the second wireless station;

a termination frame handler to generate a termination frame when the data is transmitted in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period; and

the component interface to transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the component interface is to receive a first termination frame from the access point to terminate the transmission time period when the first wireless station does not send a second termination frame prior to the transmission time period expiring.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame and the transmission time period is a first time period, further including:

a trigger frame generator to generate a second trigger frame; and

the component interface to:

transmit the second trigger frame to the second wireless station; and receive data from the second wireless station when the second wireless station receives the second trigger frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further including a termination frame handler to: generate a termination frame when the first wireless station receives the data in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period; and transmit the termination frame to the access point when the first wireless station determines to return ownership of a remainder of the first time period to the access point.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

generate a trigger frame identifying a first wireless station to receive the trigger frame and a transmission time period for the first wireless station to communicate with a second wireless station in a peer-to-peer mode; and

transmit the trigger frame from an access point to the first wireless station.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the resource request includes at least one of a time duration requested to execute a data flow or a queue size representative of a size of the data flow.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the transmission time period is a first time period, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least receive a termination frame directing the access point to re-take ownership of a remainder of the first time period when the first wireless station completes a data flow in a second time period, the second time period less than the first time period.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least generate a termination frame and transmit the termination frame from the access point to the first wireless station to re-take ownership of a remainder of the transmission time period.