Systems and methods for off-channel sensing measurements by non-AP stations

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for off-channel sensing measurements carried out by non-Access Point stations. Methods are provided for off-channel sensing measurements. The method may be carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions. The method includes transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device. Further, the method includes receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device. The method further includes performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum. The method also includes participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion. Thereafter, the method includes performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OFF-CHANNEL SENSING MEASUREMENTS BY NON-AP STATIONSTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for wireless local area (WLAN) sensing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for off-channel sensing measurements carried out by non-Access Point stations.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] Motion detection systems have been used to detect movement, for example, of objects in a room or an outdoor area. In some example motion detection systems, infrared or optical sensors are used to detect movement of objects in the sensor’s field of view. Motion detection systems have been used in security systems, automated control systems, and other types of systems. A WLAN sensing system (which may be referred to as a Wi-Fi sensing system or a wireless sensing system) is one recent addition to motion detection systems. The Wi-Fi sensing system may be a network of Wi-Fi-enabled devices that may be a part of an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 network. In an example, the Wi-Fi sensing system may be configured to detect features of interest in a sensing space. The sensing space may refer to any physical space in which the Wi-Fi sensing system may operate, such as a place of residence, a place of work, a shopping mall, a sports hall or sports stadium, a garden, or any other physical space. Features of interest may include motion of objects and motion tracking, presence detection, intrusion detection, gesture recognition, fall detection, breathing rate detection, and other applications.

[0003] Further, the motion is determined in the sensing space by a sensing algorithm / technique on a device detecting perturbation in the local environment based on analysis of sensing measurements (channel state information) over time. Further, a sensing transmission is sent from a sensing transmitter. Furthermore, a sensing receiver performs a sensing measurement at the Physical (PHY)ZMedia Access Control layer (MAC) layer and passes this sensing measurement up to the sensing agent or sensing algorithm at a higher layer to detect motion.

[0004] Furthermore, a basic service set (BSS) is a set of an Access Point Station (AP STA) and non-AP STAs associated together at the PHY / MAC layer to form a wireless network. TheBSS comprises a single device acting as an access point (AP or AP STA) and one or more devices connected to and controlled by the AP (non-AP STA, or simply STA where the access point is AP). The BSS is identified in IEEE 802.11 by a BSS identifier (BSSID). Further, an extended services set (ESS) is a set of STAs that includes a set of APs and form a single logical service set. The ESS is a group of two or more BSSs and is logically identified by a service set identifier (SSID) representing the overall wireless network. The ESS allows client devices to roam between different BSSs while maintaining connectivity to the network.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for establishing a Wi-Fi sensing network. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for off-channel sensing measurements carried out by non-Access Point stations.

[0006] Methods are provided to perform off-channel sensing measurements. In an example, a method for off-channel sensing measurements carried out by non-Access Point stations is described. The method may be carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions. The method includes transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device. Further, the method includes receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device. The method further includes performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum. Further, the method includes participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion. The method also includes performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

[0007] In some embodiments, the method including the performing the second retuning of the radio includes establishing a wireless communication link.

[0008] In some embodiments, the sensing capability information includes one or more of an indication that the first networking device is capable of participating in off-channel sensing measurement sessions, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for off-channel sensing measurements, channel bandwidths or maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for off-channel sensing measurements, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for off-channel sensing measurements.

[0009] In some embodiments, the sensing measurement configuration is based on one or more of the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a basic service set of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring basic service set information.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sensing measurement configuration includes one or more of a frequency of the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

[0012] In some embodiments, the off-channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0013] In some embodiments, participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device in response to receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device.

[0014] In some embodiments, participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device subsequent to receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device.

[0015] In some embodiments, participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device, and receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device.

[0016] In some embodiments, participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing trigger message from a second networking device, and transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sensing initiator device is an access point of a basic service set including the first networking device as a station.

[0018] In some embodiments, the sensing initiator device is a first station of a basic service set including the first networking device as a second station.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method includes dropping a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first networking device is a multi-link device, and the radio includes a first radio and a second radio. The method includes the first retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the off-channel portion and maintaining a wireless communication link with an access point with the first radio, and the second retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the previous configuration and maintaining the wireless communication link with the access point with the first radio.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method includes sending a sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with an access point.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example wireless communication system.

[0024] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are diagrams showing example wireless signals communicated between wireless communication devices.

[0025] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are plots showing examples of channel responses computed from the wireless signals communicated between wireless communication devices in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

[0026] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams showing example channel responses associated with motion of an object in distinct regions of a space.

[0027] FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D are plots showing the example channel responses of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B overlaid on an example channel response associated with no motion occurring in the space.

[0028] FIG. 5 depicts an implementation of some of an architecture of a system for establishing an off-channel sensing measurement session by non-access point stations, according to some embodiments.

[0029] FIG. 6 depicts an example of a WLAN sensing procedure, according to some embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 7A depicts an example of a Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame Action field format, according to some embodiments.

[0031] FIG. 7B illustrates an example of a Sensing Measurement Parameters element, according to some embodiments.

[0032] FIG. 7C illustrates an example of a format of a Sensing Measurement Parameters field, according to some embodiments.

[0033] FIG. 7D depicts an example of a Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame Action field format, according to some embodiments.

[0034] FIG. 8A depicts one-to-many and many-to-one aspects of an example of a WLAN sensing procedure, according to some embodiments.

[0035] FIG. 8B depicts pairwise aspects of an example of a WLAN sensing procedure, according to some embodiments.

[0036] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B depict an example of message flows of a trigger-based (TB) sensing measurement exchange of a WLAN sensing procedure that consists of a sensing measurement setup phase, a Null Data Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) Announcement (NDPA) sounding and reporting phase, a trigger-frame (TF) sounding phase, and a sensing measurement setup termination phase, according to some embodiments.

[0037] FIG. 10A depicts an example of phases of a TB sensing measurement exchange, according to some embodiments.

[0038] FIG. 10B indicates valid combinations of phases of a TB sensing measurement exchange, according to some embodiments.

[0039] FIG. 11 depicts an example of a TB sensing measurement exchange including a polling phase, an NDPA sounding phase, aTF sounding phase and a reporting phase, according to some embodiments.

[0040] FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B depict a message flow of a non-TB sensing measurement exchange of a WLAN sensing procedure that consists of a sensing measurement setup phase, an NDPA sounding phase with sensing initiator to sensing responder (SI2SR) sounding and reporting, an NDPA sounding phase with sensing responder to sensing initiator (SR2SI) sounding, an NDPA sounding phase with both SI2SR sounding and reporting and SR2SI sounding, and a sensing measurement setup termination phase, according to some embodiments.

[0041] FIG. 13 depicts an example of a single non-TB sensing measurement exchange consisting of a measurement sounding phase and a reporting phase, according to some embodiments.

[0042] FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B depict an example of an Action field format of a Sensing Measurement Report frame Action field and a Sensing Measurement Report Container field format, according to some embodiments.

[0043] FIG. 15A to FIG. 151 depict a hierarchy of fields within a Sensing Trigger frame, according to some embodiments.

[0044] FIG. 16 depicts an exemplary Enhanced Multi -Link Single Radio (EMLSR) and an Enhanced Multi-Link Multiple Radio (EMLMR) Multi-Link device (MLD), according to some embodiments.

[0045] FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary Basic Service Set (BSS), according to some embodiments.

[0046] FIG. 18 depicts an example of subchannels as a function of subchannel bandwidth and operating channel bandwidth, according to some embodiments.

[0047] FIG. 19 depicts examples of off-channel sensing measurement configurations for a BSS with a 160 MHz operating channel, according to some embodiments.

[0048] FIG. 20 depicts examples of off-channel sensing measurement configurations for a BSS with a 160 MHz operating channel, according to some embodiments.

[0049] FIG. 21 depicts an example of a bandwidth-reduced transmission, according to some embodiments.

[0050] FIG. 22 depicts an example of a punctured transmission, according to some embodiments.

[0051] FIG. 23 depicts an example of an off-channel sensing transmission punctured to reduce interference impact on at least one neighboring BSS, according to some embodiments.

[0052] FIG. 24 depicts an example of temporary off-channel primary and secondary channels, according to some embodiments.

[0053] FIG. 25 depicts an example of transmission of a regular Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) and a sensing measurement-related PPDU, according to some embodiments.

[0054] FIG. 26 depicts an example of off-channel sensing measurement links, according to some embodiments.

[0055] FIG. 27 depicts another example of off-channel sensing measurements, according to some other embodiments.

[0056] FIG. 28 depicts a set of operations of a sensing initiator device for performing an off-channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments.

[0057] FIG. 29 depicts a set of operations of a networking device for performing an off- channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments.

[0058] FIG. 30 depicts an exemplary flowchart for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a networking device to establish an off-channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments.

[0059] FIG. 31 depicts an exemplary flowchart for participation of a second networking device in a sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments.

[0060] FIG. 32 depicts an exemplary flowchart for participation of the second networking device in a sensing measurement session, according to some other embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] Wireless sensing enables a device to obtain sensing measurements of transmission channel(s) between two or more devices. With the execution of a wireless sensing procedure, it is possible for a device to obtain sensing measurements useful for detecting and tracking changes in the environment. In some aspects of what is described herein, a wireless sensing system may be used for a variety of wireless sensing applications by processing wireless signals (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signals) transmitted through a space between wireless communication devices. Example wireless sensing applications include motion detection, which can include the following: detecting motion of objects in the space, motion tracking, breathing detection, breathing monitoring, presence detection, gesture detection, gesture recognition, human detection (moving and stationary human detection), human tracking, fall detection, speed estimation, intrusion detection, walking detection, step counting, respiration rate detection, apnea estimation, posture change detection, activity recognition, gait rate classification, gesture decoding, sign language recognition, hand tracking, heart rate estimation, breathing rate estimation, room occupancy detection, human dynamics monitoring, and other types of motion detection applications. Other examples of wireless sensing applications include object recognition, speaking recognition, keystroke detection and recognition, tamper detection, touch detection, attack detection, user authentication, driver fatigue detection, traffic monitoring, smoking detection, school safety issue detection, human counting, human recognition, bike localization, human queue estimation, Wi-Fi imaging, and other types of wireless sensing applications. For instance, the wireless sensing system may operate as a motion detection system to detect the existence and location of motion based on Wi-Fi signals or other types of wireless signals. As described in more detail below, a wireless sensing system may be configured to control measurement rates, wireless connections, and device participation, for example, to improve system operation or to achieve other technical advantages. The system improvements and technical advantages achieved when the wireless sensing system is used for motion detection are also achieved in examples where the wireless sensing system is used for another type of wireless sensing application.

[0062] In some example wireless sensing systems, a wireless signal includes a component (e.g., a synchronization preamble in a Wi-Fi PHY frame, or another type of component) that wireless devices can use to estimate a channel response or other channel information, and thewireless sensing system can detect motion (or another characteristic depending on the wireless sensing application) by analyzing changes in the channel information collected over time. In some examples, a wireless sensing system can operate similarly to a bistatic radar system, where a Wi-Fi access point (AP) assumes the receiver role, and each Wi-Fi device (station (STA), node, or peer) connected to the AP assumes the transmitter role. The wireless sensing system may trigger a connected device to generate a transmission and produce a channel response measurement at a receiver device. This triggering process can be repeated periodically to obtain a sequence of time-variant measurements. A wireless sensing algorithm or a wireless sensing application may then receive the generated time-series of channel response measurements (e.g., computed by Wi-Fi receivers) as input, and through a correlation or fdtering process, may then make a determination (e.g., determine if there is motion or no motion within the environment represented by the channel response, for example, based on changes or patterns in the channel estimations). In examples where the wireless sensing system detects motion, it may also be possible to identify a location of the motion within the environment based on motion detection results among a number of wireless devices.

[0063] Accordingly, wireless signals received at each of the wireless communication devices in a wireless communication network may be analyzed to determine channel information for the various communication links (between respective pairs of wireless communication devices) in the network. The channel information may be representative of a physical medium that applies a transfer function to wireless signals that traverse a space. In some instances, the channel information includes a channel response. Channel responses can characterize a physical communication path, representing the combined effect of, for example, scattering, fading, and power decay within the space between the transmitter and receiver. In some instances, the channel information includes beamforming state information (e.g., a feedback matrix, a steering matrix, channel state information, etc.) provided by a beamforming system. Beamforming is a signal processing technique often used in multi-antenna (multiple- input / multiple-output (MIMO)) radio systems for directional signal transmission or reception. Beamforming can be achieved by operating elements in an antenna array in such a way that signals at some angles experience constructive interference while others experience destructive interference.

[0064] The channel information for each of the communication links may be analyzed (e.g., by a hub device or other device in a wireless communication network, or by a sensing transmitter, sensing receiver, or sensing initiator communicably coupled to the network) to, for example, detect whether motion has occurred in the space, to determine a relative location ofthe detected motion, or both. In some aspects, the channel information for each of the communication links may be analyzed to detect whether an object is present or absent, e.g., when no motion is detected in the space.

[0065] In some cases, a wireless sensing system can control a node measurement rate. For instance, a Wi-Fi motion system may configure variable measurement rates (e.g., channel estimation / environment measurement / sampling rates) based on criteria given by a current wireless sensing application (e.g., motion detection). In some implementations, when no motion is present or no motion is detected for a period of time, for example, the wireless sensing system can reduce the rate at which the environment is measured, such that the connected device will be triggered or caused to make sensing transmissions or sensing measurements less frequently. In some implementations, when motion is present, for example, the wireless sensing system can increase the triggering rate or sensing transmissions rate or sensing measurement rate to produce a time-series of measurements with finer time resolution. Controlling a variable sensing measurement rate can allow energy conservation (through the device triggering), reduce processing (less data to correlate or filter), and improve resolution during specified times.

[0066] In some cases, a wireless sensing system can perform band steering or client steering of nodes throughout a wireless network, for example, in a Wi-Fi multi -AP or extended service set (ESS) topology, multiple coordinating wireless APs each provide a basic service set (BSS) which may occupy different frequency bands and allow devices to transparently move from one participating AP to another (e.g., mesh). For instance, within a home mesh network, Wi-Fi devices can connect to any of the APs, but typically select one with good signal strength. The coverage footprints of the mesh APs typically overlap, often putting each device within communication range of more than one AP. If the AP supports multi-bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), the wireless sensing system may keep a device connected to the same physical AP but instruct it to use a different frequency band to obtain more diverse information to help improve the accuracy or results of the wireless sensing algorithm (e.g., motion detection algorithm). In some implementations, the wireless sensing system can change a device from being connected to one mesh AP to being connected to another mesh AP. Such device steering can be performed, for example, during wireless sensing (e.g., motion detection), based on criteria detected in a specific area to improve detection coverage, or to better localize motion within an area.

[0067] In some cases, beamforming may be performed between wireless communication devices based on some knowledge of the communication channel (e.g., through feedback properties generated by a receiver), which can be used to generate one or more steeringproperties (e.g., a steering matrix) that are applied by a transmitter device to shape the transmitted beam / signal in a particular direction or directions. Thus, changes to the steering or feedback properties used in the beamforming process indicate changes, which may be caused by moving objects, in the space accessed by the wireless communication system. For example, motion may be detected by substantial changes in the communication channel, e.g., as indicated by a channel response, or steering or feedback properties, or any combination thereof, over a period of time.

[0068] In some implementations, for example, a steering matrix may be generated at a transmitter device (beamformer) based on a feedback matrix provided by a receiver device (beamformee) based on channel sounding. Because the steering and feedback matrices are related to propagation characteristics of the channel, these matrices change as objects move within the channel. Changes in the channel characteristics are accordingly reflected in these matrices, and by analyzing the matrices, motion can be detected, and different characteristics of the detected motion can be determined. In some implementations, a spatial map may be generated based on one or more beamforming matrices. The spatial map may indicate a general direction of an object in a space relative to a wireless communication device. In some cases, many beamforming matrices (e.g., feedback matrices or steering matrices) may be generated to represent a multitude of directions that an object may be located relative to a wireless communication device. These many beamforming matrices may be used to generate the spatial map. The spatial map may be used to detect the presence of motion in the space or to detect a location of the detected motion.

[0069] In some instances, a motion detection system can control a variable device measurement rate in a motion detection process. For example, a feedback control system for a multi-node wireless motion detection system may adaptively change the sample rate based on environmental conditions. In some cases, such controls can improve the operation of the motion detection system or provide other technical advantages. For example, the measurement rate may be controlled in a manner that optimizes or otherwise improves air-time usage versus detection ability suitable for a wide range of different environments and different motion detection applications. The measurement rate may be controlled in a manner that reduces redundant measurement data to be processed, thereby reducing processor load / power requirements. In some cases, the measurement rate is controlled in a manner that is adaptive, for instance, an adaptive sample can be controlled individually for each participating device. An adaptive sample rate can be used with a tuning control loop for different use cases, or device characteristics.

[0070] In some cases, a wireless sensing system can allow devices to dynamically indicate and communicate their wireless sensing capability or wireless sensing willingness to the wireless sensing system. For example, there may be times when a device does not want to be periodically interrupted or triggered to transmit a wireless signal that would allow the AP to produce a channel measurement. For instance, if a device is sleeping, frequently waking the device up to transmit or receive wireless sensing signals could consume resources (e.g., causing a cell phone battery to discharge faster). These and other events could make a device willing or not willing to participate in wireless sensing system operations. In some cases, a cell phone running on its battery may not want to participate, but when the cell phone is plugged into a charger, it may be willing to participate. Accordingly, if the cell phone is unplugged, it may indicate to the wireless sensing system to exclude the cell phone from participating; whereas if the cell phone is plugged in, it may indicate to the wireless sensing system to include the cell phone in wireless sensing system operations. In some cases, if a device is under load (e.g., a device streaming audio or video) or is busy performing a primary function, the device may not want to participate; whereas when the same device’s load is reduced and participating will not interfere with a primary function, the device may indicate to the wireless sensing system that it is willing to participate.

[0071] Example wireless sensing systems are described below in the context of motion detection (detecting motion of objects in a space, motion tracking, breathing detection, breathing monitoring, presence detection, gesture detection, gesture recognition, human detection (moving and stationary human detection), human tracking, fall detection, speed estimation, intrusion detection, walking detection, step counting, respiration rate detection, apnea estimation, posture change detection, activity recognition, gait rate classification, gesture decoding, sign language recognition, hand tracking, heart rate estimation, breathing rate estimation, room occupancy detection, human dynamics monitoring, and other types of motion detection applications). However, the operation, system improvements, and technical advantages achieved when the wireless sensing system is operating as a motion detection system are also applicable in examples where the wireless sensing system is used for another type of wireless sensing application.

[0072] In various embodiments of the disclosure, non-limiting definitions of one or more terms that will be used in the description are provided below.

[0073] A networking device is a device used in the WLAN network. For example, a Multi - AP device or a STA device may be a networking device.

[0074] A wireless access point (WAP) or simply an access point (AP) is a networking device in a WLAN network that allows other networking devices in a WLAN network to connect to a wired network. In examples, an AP creates a wireless local area network.

[0075] A station (STA) is any device that is connected to a WLAN network and which contains 802. 11 compliant MAC and PHY interfaces to the wireless medium. A STA may be a laptop, desktop, smartphone, or a smart appliance. A STA may be fixed, mobile or portable. A STA that does not take on the role of an AP may be referred to as a non-AP STA.

[0076] A term “sensing space” may refer to any physical space in which a WLAN sensing system may operate.

[0077] A term “sensing area” may refer to a part or subset of a sensing space. For example, if a sensing space represents a house, then an individual room may be a sensing area within that sensing space.

[0078] A term “sensing procedure” may refer to a procedure that allows a high-efficiency (HE) STA or extremely high throughput (EHT) STA to perform sensing. A sensing procedure may be initiated with the establishment of a sensing measurement session, which may be followed by zero or more sensing measurement exchanges, and may be terminated either implicitly or explicitly with a sensing measurement session termination.

[0079] A term “sensing capabilities exchange” may refer to the beginning part of a sensing procedure, during which the sensing capabilities may be exchanged between the sensing STAs. A term “sensing capabilities exchange” may also be referred to as “sensing session setup” or “session setup”.

[0080] A term “sensing measurement session” may refer to a set of sensing measurement exchanges that use operational parameters agreed to between a sensing initiator and sensing responder and is identified by a Measurement Session ID. The term “sensing measurement session” may also be referred to as “sensing session” or “sensing measurement setup” or “measurement setup”. The term “Measurement Session ID” may also be referred to as “Measurement Setup ID”.

[0081] A term “sensing measurement exchange” may refer to part of a sensing procedure, during which sensing measurements are performed.

[0082] A term “sensing initiator” may refer to an HE STA or EHT STA that initiates a sensing procedure by transmitting a Sensing Measurement Request frame, or a DirectionalMulti-Gigabit (DMG) STA that initiates a DMG sensing procedure by transmitting a DMG Sensing Measurement Request frame.

[0083] A term “sensing responder” may refer to an HE STA or EHT STA that participates in a sensing procedure by responding to a sensing initiator, or a DMG STA that participates in a DMG sensing procedure by responding to a sensing initiator.

[0084] A term “sensing transmitter” may refer to a STA that transmits PPDUs used for measurements in a sensing procedure or a DMG sensing procedure.

[0085] A term “sensing receiver” may refer to a STA that is the intended recipient of PPDUs sent by a sensing transmitter to obtain sensing measurements in either a sensing procedure or a DMG sensing procedure.

[0086] A term “Proxy AP Client Device” (or “PACD”) may refer to a client device that can act as a proxy AP and initiate the forming of a WLAN sensing network among the client devices in the ESS.

[0087] A term “client device” (or “CD”) refers to a piece of software or hardware that requests and receives information or resources from a server. The client device is typically used to access data, services, or applications provided by servers over a network, such as the internet. For example, client devices include smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, and other devices that may connect to the network and communicate with servers. A CD may be a networking device, non-AP STA or Multi-AP device with a sensing agent (or sensing algorithm) on it.

[0088] A term “sensing link” may refer to a link that traverses a sensing area of interest between two networking devices in a Wi-Fi network.

[0089] A term “normal client devices” (or “NCD”) may refer to a client device which is not the proxy AP client device in the ESS.

[0090] A term “sensing pulse packet” may refer to a packet sent from the client device to its associated AP to indicate that the client device capability and status for sensing.

[0091] A term “BeaconSNR” may refer to the signal-to-noise ratio of the received Beacon frames, in dB. This may be time-averaged over recent history by a vendor-specific smoothing function (as defined in Table 6-7 — ESS Link Parameter Set of Draft P802.1 lREVme_D5.0).

[0092] A term “DataFrameSNR” may refer to the signal-to-noise ratio of the received Data frames, in dB. This may be time-averaged over recent history by a vendor-specific smoothing function (as defined in Table 6-7 — ESS Link Parameter Set of Draft P802.1 lREVme_D5.0).

[0093] A term “PACD capability” may refer to a capability to indicate if a client device could be a PACD.

[0094] A term “PACD capable device” may refer to a client device whose PACD capability value=l.

[0095] A term “current PACD status” may refer to a status to indicate if the client device is the current PACD.

[0096] A term “interference profile” may refer to the average noise plus interference power indicator. A medium access control (MAC) indication of the average noise plus interference power measured on a channel that meets the two simultaneous conditions: 1) the STA is not transmitting a frame, and 2) the STA is not receiving a frame addressed to it (as defined in 3.1 Definitions of Draft P802.11REVme_D5.0).

[0097] A term “current selected AP” may refer to an AP with most associated client devices in the ESS.

[0098] A term “median value indicator” may refer to an indicator to indicate the location of a value in a list of values which are in an order from the smallest value to the largest value.

[0099] A term “current associated NCD” may refer to a normal client device associated with the current selected AP. A current associated NCD may be a normal client device associated with the current selected AP before PACD selection or a normal client device switched to the current selected AP before PACD selection for sensing.

[0100] A term “transmission opportunity (TXOP)” may refer to a negotiated interval of time during which a particular quality of service (QoS) station (e.g., a STA, an AP, or either a STA or an AP, for example, in the role of a sensing initiator, a sensing responder, a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver) may have the right to initiate a frame exchange onto a wireless medium. A QoS access category (AC) of the transmission opportunity may be requested as part of a service or session negotiation.

[0101] A term “Quality of Service (QoS) access category (AC)” may refer to an identifier for a frame which classifies a priority of transmission that the frame requires. In an example, four QoS access categories are defined namely AC_VI: Video, AC_VO: Voice, AC BE: Best-Effort, and AC BK: Background. Further, each QoS access category may have different TXOP parameters defined for it.

[0102] A term “interframe space (IFS)” may refer to the time interval between certain adjacent PPDU (+SigExt (signal extension)). A STA shall determine that the medium is idle through the use of the Carrier Sense (CS) function for the interval specified. Different IFSs are defined to provide priority levels for access to the wireless medium. Timings for IFSs are referenced from the occurrence of the PHY interface primitives PHY-TXEND. confirm, PHY- TXSTART. confirm, PHY-RXSTART.indication, and PHY-RXEND. indication. One of thedefined IFS is a “short interframe space (SIFS)”. In an example, a short interframe space may be approximately 10 ps. In another example, a short interframe space may be approximately 16 ps.

[0103] A term “PHY-layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU)” may refer to a data unit that includes preamble and data fields. The preamble field may include transmission vector format information and the data field may include payload and higher layer headers.

[0104] A term “null data PPDU (NDP)” may refer to a PPDU that does not include a data field. In an example, a null data PPDU may be used for a sensing transmission, where a MAC header of the NDP includes information required for a sensing receiver to make a sensing measurement on the sensing transmission.

[0105] A term “transmission parameters” may refer to a set of IEEE 802.11 PHY transmitter configuration parameters which are defined as a part of a transmission vector (TXVECTOR) corresponding to a specific PHY and which may be configurable for each PHY-layer PPDU transmission or each NDP transmission.

[0106] A term “resource unit (RU)” may refer to an allocation of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channels which may be used to carry a modulated signal. An RU may include a variable number of carriers depending on the mode of the modem.

[0107] A term “tone” may refer to an individual subcarrier in an OFDM signal. A tone may be represented in the frequency domain. In the frequency domain, a tone may also be referred to as a subcarrier.

[0108] A term “time domain pulse” may refer to a complex number that represents amplitude and phase of discretized energy in the time domain. When frequency domain channel state information values are obtained for each tone from a baseband receiver, time domain pulses may be obtained by performing an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) on the channel state information values.

[0109] A term “sensing goal” may refer to a goal of a sensing activity at a time. A sensing goal is not static and may change at any time. In an example, a sensing goal may require sensing measurements of a specific type, a specific format, or a specific precision, resolution, or accuracy to be available to a sensing algorithm.

[0110] A term “wireless local area network (WLAN) sensing session” or “Wi-Fi sensing session” may refer to a period during which objects in a physical space may be probed, detected and / or characterized. In an example, during a WLAN sensing session, several devices participate in, and thereby contribute to the generation of sensing measurements. A WLAN sensing session may be referred to as a “measurement campaign”.

[0111] A term “non-sensing message” may refer to a message which is not primarily related to sensing. In an example, non-sensing messages may include data, management, and control messages.

[0112] A term “sensing measurement” may refer to a measurement of a state of a wireless channel between a transmitter device (for example, a sensing transmitter) and a receiver device (for example, a sensing receiver) derived from a sensing transmission. In an example, sensing measurement may also be referred to as channel response measurement.

[0113] A term “sensing algorithm” may refer to a computational algorithm that achieves a sensing goal. A sensing algorithm may be executed on any device in a Wi-Fi sensing system.

[0114] Wireless network management (WNM) may provide information on network conditions and may also provide a means to obtain and exchange WLAN sensing information.

[0115] A sensing receiver is a STA that receives sensing transmissions (for example, PPDUs or any other transmission including a data transmission which may be opportunistically used as a sensing transmission) sent by a sensing transmitter and performs sensing measurements as part of a WLAN sensing procedure. An AP is an example of a sensing receiver. In some examples, a STA may also be a sensing receiver.

[0116] A sensing transmitter is a STA that transmits a sensing transmission (for example, PPDUs or any other transmission) used for sensing measurements (for example, channel state information) in a WLAN sensing procedure. In an example, a STA is an example of a sensing transmitter. In some examples, an AP may be a sensing transmitter for WLAN sensing purposes, for example where a STA acts as a sensing receiver.

[0117] A sensing initiator is a STA that initiates a WLAN sensing procedure. The role of sensing initiator may be taken on by a sensing receiver, a sensing transmitter, or a separate device which includes a sensing algorithm (for example, a remote processing device).

[0118] A sensing responder is a STA that participates in a WLAN sensing procedure initiated by a sensing initiator. The role of sensing responder may be taken on by a sensing receiver or a sensing transmitter. In examples, multiple sensing responders may take part in a WLAN sensing session.

[0119] A sensing by proxy (SBP) initiator is defined as a non-AP STA acting as a sensing initiator that transmits an SBP Request frame. In examples, sensing by proxy enables a non- AP STA to obtain sensing measurements of the channel between an AP and one or more non- AP STAs or between a receiving antenna and a transmitting antenna of an AP. With the execution of the SBP procedure, it is possible for a non-AP STA to obtain sensingmeasurements necessary for detecting and tracking changes in the environment. An SBP responder is an AP that receives or is the intended recipient of an SBP Request frame.

[0120] A term “sensing transmission” may refer to a transmission made from a sensing transmitter to a sensing receiver which may be used to make a sensing measurement. In an example, a sensing transmission may also be referred to as a wireless sensing signal or a wireless signal.

[0121] A term “sensing trigger message” may refer to a message sent from a sensing initiator to a sensing transmitter to initiate or trigger one or more sensing transmissions.

[0122] A term “sensing response message” may refer to a message which is included within a sensing transmission from a sensing transmitter to a sensing receiver. A sensing transmission that includes a sensing response message may be used by a sensing receiver to perform a sensing measurement.

[0123] A term “sensing response announcement” may refer to a message that is included within a sensing transmission from a sensing transmitter to a sensing receiver that announces that a sensing response NDP will follow within a short interframe space (SIFS). An example of a sensing response announcement is an NDP announcement, or NDP A. In examples, a sensing response NDP may be transmitted using a requested transmission configuration.

[0124] A term “sensing response NDP” may refer to a response transmitted by a sensing transmitter and used for a sensing measurement at a sensing receiver. In examples, a sensing response NDP may be used when a requested transmission configuration is incompatible with transmission parameters required for successful non-sensing message reception. A sensing response NDP may be announced by a sensing response announcement. In an example, a sensing response NDP may be implemented with a null data PPDU. In some examples, a sensing response NDP may be implemented with a frame that does not contain any data.

[0125] A term “channel representation information (CRI)” or “channel impulse response (CIR)” may refer to properties of a communications channel, such as how wireless signals propagate from a sensing transmitter to a sensing receiver along multiple paths, which are known or measured by a technique of channel estimation. For example, CRI may refer to one or more sensing measurements made on one or more sensing transmissions during a sampling instance which together represent the state of the channel at the sampling instance between two devices.

[0126] A term “channel state information (CSI)” may refer to an example of CRI which is represented in the frequency domain. CSI indicates the properties of a communications channel which is measured by channel estimation in subcarrier-levelgranularity. CSI is typically a matrix of complex values representing the amplitude attenuation and phase shift of signals, which provides an estimation of a communications channel. A CSI of a subcarrier may be represented as an in-phase (real) component (I) and a quadrature (imaginary) component (Q).

[0127] A term “time-domain channel representation information (TD-CRI)” or “channel impulse response (CIR)” in time-domain may refer to an example of CRI which is represented in the time domain. TD-CRI may be generated by applying an inverse transform, such as an Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) or an IFFT, to CSI. TD- CRI or CIR of a time domain pulse may be represented as an in-phase (real) component (I) and a quadrature (imaginary) component (Q).

[0128] A term “full time-domain channel representation information (full TD-CRI)” may refer to a series of complex pairs of time domain pulses which are created by performing an IFFT on CSI values, for example CSI calculated by a baseband receiver.

[0129] A term “filtered time-domain channel representation information (fdtered TD- CRI)” may refer to a reduced series of complex pairs of time domain pulses created by applying an algorithm to a full TD-CRI. The algorithm may select some time domain pulses and reject others. The fdtered TD-CRI may contain information that relates a selected time domain pulse to the corresponding time domain pulse in the full TD-CRI.

[0130] A term “reconstructed fdtered time-domain channel representation information (reconstructed fdtered TD-CRI)” may refer to a version of a full TD-CRI created from a fdtered TD-CRI.

[0131] A term “channel representation information transmission message” may refer to a message sent by a sensing receiver that has performed a sensing measurement on a sensing transmission, in which the sensing receiver sends CRI to a sensing initiator which may be a sensing transmitter which contains a sensing algorithm or a remote processing device which contains a sensing algorithm.

[0132] A term “reconstructed CSI (R-CSI)” may refer to a representation of original CSI values as measured by the baseband receiver that is reconstructed from a time domain channel representation information (TD-CRI). In an example, R-CSI may be calculated by taking original CSI values (frequency domain), performing an IFFT to translate those values into the time domain, selecting a number of time domain pulses, zeroing or nulling time domain values that do not include a selected time domain pulse, and performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The resulting frequency domain complex values are the R-CSI.

[0133] A term “feature of interest” may refer to an item or state of an item in a sensing space which is positively detected and / or identified by a sensing algorithm.

[0134] A term “sensing imprint” may refer to a steady state or semi-static representation of the propagation channel between a sensing transmitter and a sensing receiver in the sensing space calculated by the sensing receiver in the form of a time domain channel impulse response.

[0135] A term “requested transmission configuration” may refer to transmission parameters a sensing transmitter is requested to use when sending a sensing transmission.

[0136] A term “delivered transmission configuration” may refer to transmission parameters applied by a sensing transmitter to a sensing transmission.

[0137] A term “imprint delta” may refer to a single dimension matrix of complex values which represent the difference between a time domain channel impulse response generated by converting a CSI measurement to the time domain using an IFFT, and a stored sensing imprint.

[0138] A term “measurement imprint delta threshold” may refer to a minimum difference between a TD-CRI value and the corresponding sensing imprint value for which a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm considers that there is a change in the propagation channel propagation characteristics.

[0139] A term “measurement imprint delta count” may refer to a number of times which a measurement imprint delta threshold is exceeded before a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm considers that there is a change in propagation channel propagation characteristics.

[0140] A term “imprint delta derivative period” may refer to a period during which imprint delta derivatives must remain below an imprint delta derivative threshold before a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm may determine that a new sensing imprint needs to be calculated.

[0141] A term “imprint delta derivative” may refer to a rate of change of the imprint delta over one or more tones and over one or more frames.

[0142] A term “imprint delta derivative threshold” may refer to a minimum value of the imprint delta derivative for which a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm considers that there is ongoing movement or motion in the sensing space. If the imprint delta derivative drops below the imprint delta derivative threshold, a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm may determine that a new sensing imprint needs to be calculated.

[0143] A term “steady-state imprint delta threshold” may refer to a maximum difference between a TD-CRI value and a corresponding sensing imprint value for which a sensing receiver or a sensing algorithm considers that the TD-CRI has not returned to its steady-state (e.g., a stored sensing imprint).

[0144] A term “sensing imprint average count” may refer to a number of sensing measurements which may be averaged to generate a sensing imprint.

[0145] A term “steering matrix configuration” may refer to a matrix of complex values representing real and complex phases required to pre-condition one or more antennas of a radio frequency (RF) transmission signal chain for each transmit signal. Application of a steering matrix configuration (for example, by a spatial mapper) enables beamforming and beamsteering.

[0146] A term “spatial mapper” may refer to a signal processing element that adjusts the amplitude and phase of a signal input to an RF transmission chain in a sensing transmitter. A spatial mapper may include elements to process the signal to each RF chain implemented. The operation carried out may be called spatial mapping. The output of a spatial mapper is one or more spatial streams.

[0147] A mesh network or a wireless mesh network may refer to a communications network (e.g., WLAN) made up of radio nodes (e.g., mesh stations or mesh STAs, mesh clients, or Multi-AP devices, etc.) organized in a mesh topology. In examples, the mesh network may also be referred to as “Mesh”.

[0148] A sensing controller is a controller that facilitates and coordinates WLAN sensing related connections and activities.

[0149] A Multi-AP device may refer to a physical device of a mesh network that may act as both a station and an AP or a device that has a Backhaul STA module for backhaul link connection and a Fronthaul AP module for fronthaul link connection.

[0150] A term “Multi-AP Network” or “Multi-AP Network Deployment”, or “Mesh BSS” may refer to a collection of interconnected physical devices.

[0151] A term “mesh root node” may refer to a Multi-AP device with a Multi-AP controller in a mesh network. In examples, a backhaul of the mesh root node is connected to a wide area network (WAN).

[0152] A term “leaf node” may refer to a Multi-AP device without a Multi-AP controller in the mesh network. The leaf node may connect to the mesh root node directly or via other leaf nodes.

[0153] A term “hop” in a mesh network may refer to a backhaul connection between two Multi-AP devices.

[0154] A term “mesh network configuration option (MNCO)” may refer to a possible way to configure backhaul links in the mesh network.

[0155] A term “sensing preferred MNCO” may refer to an MNCO that is best suited or adequately suited to sensing according to one or more established criteria. In examples, a sensing preferred MNCO must also be adequately suited for data communications.

[0156] A term “preferred sensing link” may refer to a link that traverses a sensing area of interest between two multi-AP devices in a mesh network. In an example, the preferred sensing link may be determined by a sensing algorithm or a sensing controller to be the best sensing link by some criteria.

[0157] A term “sensing PPDU” may refer to a customized data packet with one or more training fields on which sensing measurements can be made and a header and data field portion which contain Motion Information elements to be shared with other networked devices in the Wi-Fi network.

[0158] A term “Basic Service Set (BSS)” may refer to a collection of an AP STA and non- AP STAs which are associated together at the PHY / MAC layer to form a wireless network. The BSS includes a single STA acting as an AP (or AP STA) and one or more STAs (non-AP STA, or simply STA where the access point is referred to as AP) connected to and controlled by the AP device. A BSS is identified in IEEE 802.11 by a BSSID.

[0159] A term “Out-of-BSS (OBSS)” may be used by IEEE P802.11bf to describe communications between STAs which are not part of a BSS (and may or may not be part of an ESS). In the case of WLAN sensing, OBSS may describe sensing messages and sensing transmissions made between STAs which are not part of a BSS, but which may generate useful sensing measurements. A STA which is not part of a BSS and which is participating in WLAN sensing may be referred to as an unassociated STA.

[0160] For purposes of reading the description of the various embodiments below, the following descriptions of the sections of the specifications and their respective contents may be helpful:

[0161] Section A describes a wireless communications system, wireless transmissions and sensing measurements which may be useful for practicing embodiments described herein.

[0162] Section B describes systems and methods that are useful for a wireless sensing system configured to send sensing transmissions and make sensing measurements.

[0163] Section C describes embodiments of systems and methods that are useful for off- channel sensing measurements carried out by a client device.A. Wireless communications system, wireless transmissions and sensing measurements

[0164] FIG. 1 illustrates wireless communication system 100. Wireless communication system 100 includes three wireless communication devices: first wireless communication device 102A, second wireless communication device 102B, and third wireless communication device 102C. Wireless communication system 100 may include additional wireless communication devices and other components (e.g., additional wireless communication devices, one or more network servers, network routers, network switches, cables, or other communication links, etc.).

[0165] Wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C can operate in a wireless network, for example, according to a wireless network standard or another type of wireless communication protocol. For example, the wireless network may be configured to operate as a wireless local area network (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or another type of wireless network. Examples of WLANs include networks configured to operate according to one or more of the 802.11 family of standards developed by IEEE (e.g., Wi-Fi networks), and others. Examples of PANs include networks that operate according to short-range communication standards (e.g., Bluetooth®., Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee), millimeter wave communications, and others.

[0166] In some implementations, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C may be configured to communicate in a cellular network, for example, according to a cellular network standard. Examples of cellular networks include networks configured according to 2G standards such as Global System for Mobile (GSM) and Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) or Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS); 3G standards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA); 4G standards such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A); 5G standards, and others.

[0167] In the example shown in FIG. 1, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C can be, or may include, standard wireless network components. For example, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C may be commercially-available Wi-Fi APs or another type of wireless access point (WAP) performing one or more operations as described herein that are embedded as instructions (e.g., software or firmware) in the modem of the WAP. In some cases, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C may be nodes of a wireless mesh network, such as, for example, a commercially-available mesh network system (e.g.,Plume Wi-Fi, Google Wi-Fi, Qualcomm Wi-Fi SoN, etc.). In some cases, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C acting as nodes of a mesh network system may adhere to a mesh networking standard such as Wi-Fi Alliance Easy Mesh or IEEE P802.1 Is. In some cases, another type of standard or conventional Wi-Fi transmitter device may be used. In some instances, one or more of wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C may be implemented as WAPs in a mesh network, while other wireless communication device(s) 102A, 102B, 102C are implemented as leaf devices (e.g., mobile devices, smart devices, etc.) that access the mesh network through one of the WAPs. In some cases, one or more of wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C is a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet, a laptop computer, etc.), a wireless-enabled device (e.g., a smart thermostat, a Wi-Fi enabled camera, a smart TV), or another type of device that communicates in a wireless network.

[0168] Wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C may be implemented without Wi-Fi components; for example, other types of standard or non-standard wireless communication may be used for motion detection. In some cases, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C can be, or they may be part of, a dedicated motion detection system. For example, a dedicated motion detection system can include a hub device and one or more beacon devices (as remote sensor devices), and wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C can be either a hub device or a beacon device in the motion detection system.

[0169] As shown in FIG. 1, wireless communication device 102C includes modem 112, processor 114, memory 116, and power unit 118; any of wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C in wireless communication system 100 may include the same, additional, or different components, and the components may be configured to operate as shown in FIG. 1 or in another manner. In some implementations, modem 112, processor 114, memory 116, and power unit 118 of a wireless communication device are housed together in a common housing or other assembly. In some implementations, one or more of the components of a wireless communication device can be housed separately, for example, in a separate housing or other assembly.

[0170] Modem 112 can communicate (receive, transmit, or both) wireless signals. For example, modem 112 may be configured to communicate RF signals formatted according to a wireless communication standard (e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth). Modem 112 may be implemented as the example wireless network modem 112 shown in FIG. 1, or may be implemented in another manner, for example, with other types of components or subsystems. In some implementations, modem 112 includes a radio subsystem and a baseband subsystem. In somecases, the baseband subsystem and radio subsystem can be implemented on a common chip or chipset, or they may be implemented in a card or another type of assembled device. The baseband subsystem can be coupled to the radio subsystem, for example, by leads, pins, wires, or other types of connections.

[0171] In some cases, a radio subsystem in modem 112 can include one or more antennas and RF circuitry. The RF circuitry can include, for example, circuitry that fdters, amplifies, or otherwise conditions analog signals, circuitry that up-converts baseband signals to RF signals, circuitry that down-converts RF signals to baseband signals, etc. Such circuitry may include, for example, filters, amplifiers, mixers, a local oscillator, etc. The radio subsystem can be configured to communicate radio frequency wireless signals on the wireless communication channels. As an example, the radio subsystem may include a radio chip, an RF front end, and one or more antennas. A radio subsystem may include additional or different components. In some implementations, the radio subsystem can be or may include the radio electronics (e.g., RF front end, radio chip, or analogous components) from a conventional modem, for example, from a Wi-Fi modem, pico base station modem, etc. In some implementations, the antenna includes multiple antennas.

[0172] In some cases, a baseband subsystem in modem 112 can include, for example, digital electronics configured to process digital baseband data. As an example, the baseband subsystem may include a baseband chip. A baseband subsystem may include additional or different components. In some cases, the baseband subsystem may include a digital signal processor (DSP) device or another type of processor device. In some cases, the baseband system includes digital processing logic to operate the radio subsystem, to communicate wireless network traffic through the radio subsystem, to detect motion based on motion detection signals received through the radio subsystem or to perform other types of processes. For instance, the baseband subsystem may include one or more chips, chipsets, or other types of devices that are configured to encode signals and deliver the encoded signals to the radio subsystem for transmission, or to identify and analyze data encoded in signals from the radio subsystem (e.g., by decoding the signals according to a wireless communication standard, by processing the signals according to a motion detection process, or otherwise).

[0173] In some instances, the radio subsystem in modem 112 receives baseband signals from the baseband subsystem, up-converts the baseband signals to RF signals, and wirelessly transmits the RF signals (e.g., through an antenna). In some instances, the radio subsystem in modem 112 wirelessly receives RF signals (e.g., through an antenna), down-converts the RF to baseband signals, and sends the baseband signals to the baseband subsystem. The signalsexchanged between the radio subsystem and the baseband subsystem may be digital or analog signals. In some examples, the baseband subsystem includes conversion circuitry (e.g., a digital-to-analog converter, an analog-to-digital converter) and exchanges analog signals with the radio subsystem. In some examples, the radio subsystem includes conversion circuitry (e.g., a digital-to-analog converter, an analog-to-digital converter) and exchanges digital signals with the baseband subsystem.

[0174] In some cases, the baseband subsystem of modem 112 can communicate wireless network traffic (e.g., data packets) in the wireless communication network through the radio subsystem on one or more network traffic channels. The baseband subsystem of modem 112 may also transmit or receive (or both) signals (e.g., motion probe signals or motion detection signals) through the radio subsystem on a dedicated wireless communication channel. In some instances, the baseband subsystem generates motion probe signals for transmission, for example, to probe a space for motion. In some instances, the baseband subsystem processes the received motion detection signals (signals based on motion probe signals transmitted through a space), for example, to detect motion of an object in the space.

[0175] Processor 114 can execute instructions, for example, to generate output data based on data inputs. The instructions can include programs, codes, scripts, or other types of data stored in memory. Additionally, or alternatively, the instructions can be encoded as preprogrammed or re-programmable logic circuits, logic gates, or other types of hardware or firmware components. Processor 114 may be or may include a general-purpose microprocessor, a specialized co-processor or another type of data processing apparatus. In some cases, processor 114 performs high-level operation of the wireless communication device 102C. For example, processor 114 may be configured to execute or interpret software, scripts, programs, functions, executables, or other instructions stored in memory 116. In some implementations, processor 114 may be included in modem 112.

[0176] Memory 116 can include computer-readable storage media, for example, a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, or both. Memory 116 can include one or more read-only memory devices, random-access memory devices, buffer memory devices, or a combination of these and other types of memory devices. In some instances, one or more components of the memory can be integrated or otherwise associated with another component of wireless communication device 102C. Memory 116 may store instructions that are executable by processor 114. For example, the instructions may include instructions for timealigning signals using an interference buffer and a motion detection buffer, such as through one or more of the operations of the example processes herein disclosed.

[0177] Power unit 118 provides power to the other components of wireless communication device 102C. For example, the other components may operate based on electrical power provided by power unit 118 through a voltage bus or other connection. In some implementations, power unit 118 includes a battery or a battery system, for example, a rechargeable battery. In some implementations, power unit 118 includes an adapter (e.g., an alternating current (AC) adapter) that receives an external power signal (from an external source) and converts the external power signal to an internal power signal conditioned for a component of wireless communication device 102C. Power unit 118 may include other components or may operate in another manner.

[0178] In the example shown in FIG. 1, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B transmit wireless signals (e.g., according to a wireless network standard, a motion detection protocol, or otherwise). For instance, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B may broadcast wireless motion probe signals (e.g., reference signals, beacon signals, status signals, etc.), or they may send wireless signals addressed to other devices (e.g., a user equipment, a client device, a server, etc.), and the other devices (not shown) as well as wireless communication device 102C may receive the wireless signals transmitted by wireless communication devices 102A, 102B. In some cases, the wireless signals transmitted by wireless communication devices 102A, 102B are repeated periodically, for example, according to a wireless communication standard or otherwise.

[0179] In the example shown, wireless communication device 102C processes the wireless signals from wireless communication devices 102A, 102B to detect motion of an object in a space accessed by the wireless signals, to determine a location of the detected motion, or both. For example, wireless communication device 102C may perform one or more operations of the example processes described below with respect to FIG. 30 to FIG. 32, or another type of process for detecting motion or determining a location of detected motion. The space accessed by the wireless signals can be an indoor or outdoor space, which may include, for example, one or more fully or partially enclosed areas, an open area without enclosure, etc. The space can be or can include an interior of a room, multiple rooms, a building, or the like. In some cases, the wireless communication system 100 can be modified, for instance, such that wireless communication device 102C can transmit wireless signals and wireless communication devices 102A, 102B can process the wireless signals from wireless communication device 102C to detect motion or determine a location of detected motion.

[0180] The wireless signals used for motion detection can include, for example, a beacon signal (e.g., Bluetooth Beacons, Wi-Fi Beacons, other wireless beacon signals), anotherstandard signal generated for other purposes according to a wireless network standard, or nonstandard signals (e.g., random signals, reference signals, etc.) generated for motion detection or other purposes. In examples, motion detection may be carried out by analyzing one or more training fields carried by the wireless signals or by analyzing other data carried by the signal. In some examples data may be added for the express purpose of motion detection or the data used may nominally be for another purpose and may be reused or repurposed for motion detection. In some examples, the wireless signals propagate through an object (e.g., a wall) before or after interacting with a moving object, which may allow the moving object's movement to be detected without an optical line-of-sight between the moving object and the transmission or receiving hardware. Based on the received signals, wireless communication device 102C may generate motion detection data. In some instances, wireless communication device 102C may communicate the motion detection data to another device or system, such as a security system, which may include a control center for monitoring movement within a space, such as a room, building, outdoor area, etc.

[0181] In some implementations, wireless communication devices 102 A, 102B can be modified to transmit motion probe signals (which may include, e.g., a reference signal, beacon signal, or another signal used to probe a space for motion) on a separate wireless communication channel (e.g., a frequency channel or coded channel) from wireless network traffic signals. For example, the modulation applied to the payload of a motion probe signal and the type of data or data structure in the payload may be known by wireless communication device 102C, which may reduce the amount of processing that wireless communication device 102C performs for motion sensing. The header may include additional information such as, for example, an indication of whether motion was detected by another device in wireless communication system 100, an indication of the modulation type, an identification of the device transmitting the signal, etc.

[0182] In the example shown in FIG. 1, wireless communication system 100 is a wireless mesh network, with wireless communication links between each of wireless communication devices 102. In the example shown, the wireless communication link between wireless communication device 102C and wireless communication device 102A can be used to probe motion detection field 110A, the wireless communication link between wireless communication device 102C and wireless communication device 102B can be used to probe motion detection field HOB, and the wireless communication link between wireless communication device 102A and wireless communication device 102B can be used to probe motion detection field HOC. In some instances, each wireless communication device 102detects motion in motion detection fields 110 accessed by that device by processing received signals that are based on wireless signals transmitted by wireless communication devices 102 through motion detection fields 110. For example, when person 106 shown in FIG. 1 moves in motion detection field 110A and motion detection field 1 IOC, wireless communication devices 102 may detect the motion based on signals they receive that are based on wireless signals transmitted through respective motion detection fields 110. For instance, wireless communication device 102A can detect motion of person 106 in motion detection fields 110A, HOC, wireless communication device 102B can detect motion of person 106 in motion detection field HOC, and wireless communication device 102C can detect motion of person 106 in motion detection field 110A.

[0183] In some instances, motion detection fields 110 can include, for example, air, solid materials, liquids, or another medium through which wireless electromagnetic signals may propagate. In the example shown in FIG. 1, motion detection field 110A provides a wireless communication channel between wireless communication device 102A and wireless communication device 102C, motion detection field HOB provides a wireless communication channel between wireless communication device 102B and wireless communication device 102C, and motion detection field HOC provides a wireless communication channel between wireless communication device 102A and wireless communication device 102B. In some aspects of operation, wireless signals transmitted on a wireless communication channel (separate from or shared with the wireless communication channel for network traffic) are used to detect movement of an object in a space. The objects can be any type of static or moveable object and can be living or inanimate. For example, the object can be a human (e.g., person 106 shown in FIG. 1), an animal, an inorganic object, or another device, apparatus, or assembly, an object that defines all or part of the boundary of a space (e.g., a wall, door, window, etc.), or another type of object. In some implementations, motion information from the wireless communication devices may be analyzed to determine a location of the detected motion. For example, as described further below, one of wireless communication devices 102 (or another device communicably coupled to wireless communications devices 102) may determine that the detected motion is near a particular wireless communication device.

[0184] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are diagrams showing example wireless signals communicated between wireless communication devices 204A, 204B, 204C. Wireless communication devices 204A, 204B, 204C can be, for example, wireless communication devices 102A, 102B, 102C shown in FIG. 1, or other types of wireless communication devices. Wireless communication devices 204A, 204B, 204C transmit wireless signals through space200. Space 200 can be completely or partially enclosed or open at one or more boundaries. In an example, space 200 may be a sensing space. Space 200 can be or can include an interior of a room, multiple rooms, a building, an indoor area, outdoor area, or the like. First wall 202A, second wall 202B, and third wall 202C at least partially enclose space 200 in the example shown.

[0185] In the example shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, wireless communication device 204A is operable to transmit wireless signals repeatedly (e.g., periodically, intermittently, at scheduled, unscheduled or random intervals, etc.). Wireless communication devices 204B, 204C are operable to receive signals based on those transmitted by wireless communication device 204A. Wireless communication devices 204B and 204C each have a modem (e.g., modem 112 shown in FIG. 1) that is configured to process received signals to detect motion of an object in space 200.

[0186] As shown, an object is in first position 214A in FIG. 2 A, and the object has moved to second position 214B in FIG. 2B. In FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the moving object in space 200 is represented as a human, but the moving object can be another type of object. For example, the moving object can be an animal, an inorganic object (e.g., a system, device, apparatus, or assembly), an object that defines all or part of the boundary of space 200 (e.g., a wall, door, window, etc.), or another type of object.

[0187] As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, multiple example paths of the wireless signals transmitted from wireless communication device 204A are illustrated by dashed lines. Along first signal path 216, the wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A and reflected off first wall 202A toward wireless communication device 204B. Along second signal path 218, the wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A and reflected off second wall 202B and first wall 202A toward wireless communication device 204C. Along third signal path 220, the wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A and reflected off second wall 202B toward wireless communication device 204C. Along fourth signal path 222, the wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A and reflected off third wall 202C toward wireless communication device 204B.

[0188] In FIG. 2A, along fifth signal path 224A, the wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A and reflected off the object at first position 214A toward wireless communication device 204C. Between FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, a surface of the object moves from first position 214A to second position 214B in space 200 (e.g., some distance away from first position 214A). In FIG. 2B, along sixth signal path 224B, the wireless signal istransmitted from wireless communication device 204 A and reflected off the object at second position 214B toward wireless communication device 204C. Sixth signal path 224B depicted in FIG. 2B is longer than fifth signal path 224A depicted in FIG. 2A due to the movement of the object from first position 214A to second position 214B. In some examples, a signal path can be added, removed, or otherwise modified due to movement of an object in a space.

[0189] The example wireless signals shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B may experience attenuation, frequency shifts, phase shifts, or other effects through their respective paths and may have portions that propagate in another direction, for example, through the first, second and third walls 202A, 202B, and 202C. In some examples, the wireless signals are radio frequency (RF) signals. The wireless signals may include other types of signals.

[0190] In the example shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, wireless communication device 204A can repeatedly transmit a wireless signal. In particular, FIG. 2A shows the wireless signal being transmitted from wireless communication device 204A at a first time, and FIG. 2B shows the same wireless signal being transmitted from wireless communication device 204A at a second, later time. The transmitted signal can be transmitted continuously, periodically, at random or intermittent times or the like, or a combination thereof. The transmitted signal can have a number of frequency components in a frequency bandwidth. The transmitted signal can be transmitted from wireless communication device 204A in an omnidirectional manner, in a directional manner or otherwise. In the example shown, the wireless signals traverse multiple respective paths in space 200, and the signal along each path may become attenuated due to path losses, scattering, reflection, or the like and may have a phase or frequency offset.

[0191] As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the signals from first to sixth paths 216, 218, 220, 222, 224A, and 224B combine at wireless communication device 204C and wireless communication device 204B to form received signals. Because of the effects of the multiple paths in space 200 on the transmitted signal, space 200 may be represented as a transfer function (e.g., a filter) in which the transmitted signal is input and the received signal is output. When an object moves in space 200, the attenuation or phase offset affected upon a signal in a signal path can change, and hence, the transfer function of space 200 can change. Assuming the same wireless signal is transmitted from wireless communication device 204A, if the transfer function of space 200 changes, the output of that transfer function - the received signal - will also change. A change in the received signal can be used to detect movement of an object.

[0192] Mathematically, a transmitted signal (t) transmitted from the first wireless communication device 204A may be described according to Equation (1):= n=- cneia)nt... . (1) where a)nrepresents the frequency of / 7th frequency component of the transmitted signal, cnrepresents the complex coefficient of the / 7th frequency component, and t represents time. With the (t) being transmitted from the first wireless communication device 204 A, an output signal rk(t) from a path, k. may be described according to Equation (2):where an krepresents an attenuation factor (or channel response; e.g., due to scattering, reflection, and path losses) for the / 7th frequency component along k. and <pn krepresents the phase of the signal for / 7th frequency component along k. Then, the received signal, R, at a wireless communication device can be described as the summation of all output signals rfe(t) from all paths to the wireless communication device, which is shown in Equation (3):R = rk(t) ... . (3)

[0193] Substituting Equation (2) into Equation (3) renders the following Equation (4):

[0194] 7? at a wireless communication device can then be analyzed. 7? at a wireless communication device can be transformed to the frequency domain, for example, using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or another type of algorithm. The transformed signal can represent R as a series of n complex values, one for each of the respective frequency components (at the n frequencies u>„). For a frequency component at frequency a>n. a complex value, Hn. may be represented as follows in Equation (5):

[0195] Hnfor a given a>nindicates a relative magnitude and phase offset of the received signal at con. When an object moves in the space, Hnchanges due to an kof the space changing. Accordingly, a change detected in the channel response can be indicative of movement of an object within the communication channel. In some instances, noise, interference, or other phenomena can influence the channel response detected by the receiver, and the motion detection system can reduce or isolate such influences to improve the accuracy and quality of motion detection capabilities. In some implementations, the overall channel response can be represented as follows in Equation (6):

[0196] In some instances, the channel response, hch, for a space can be determined, for example, based on the mathematical theory of estimation. For instance, a reference signal, Rref,can be modified with candidate hch, and then a maximum likelihood approach can be used to select the candidate channel which gives the best match to the received signal (RrCvd)- hi some cases, an estimated received signal (RrcVd) is obtained from the convolution of Rref with the candidate hcfl, and then the channel coefficients of hchare varied to minimize the squared error of RrCvd- This can be mathematically illustrated as follows in Equation (7):

[0197] with the optimization criterion as in Equation (8):

[0198] The minimizing, or optimizing, process can utilize an adaptive filtering technique, such as least mean squares (LMS), recursive least squares (RLS), batch least squares (BLS), etc. The channel response can be a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, infinite impulse response (IIR) filter, or the like. As shown in the equation above, the received signal can be considered as a convolution of the reference signal and the channel response. The convolution operation means that the channel coefficients possess a degree of correlation with each of the delayed replicas of the reference signal. The convolution operation as shown in the equation above therefore shows that the received signal appears at different delay points, each delayed replica being weighted by the channel coefficient.

[0199] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are plots showing examples of channel responses 360, 370 computed from the wireless signals communicated between wireless communication devices 204A, 204B, 204C in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. FIG. 3 A and FIG. 3B also show frequency domain representation 350 of an initial wireless signal transmitted by wireless communication device 204 A. In the examples shown, channel response 360 in FIG. 3A represents the signals received by wireless communication device 204B when there is no motion in space 200, and channel response 370 in FIG. 3B represents the signals received by wireless communication device 204B in FIG. 2B after the object has moved in space 200.

[0200] In the example shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, for illustration purposes, wireless communication device 204A transmits a signal that has a flat frequency profile (the magnitude of each frequency component, , fa and3is the same), as shown in frequency domain representation 350. Because of the interaction of the signal with space 200 (and the objects therein), the signals received at wireless communication device 204B that are based on the signal sent from wireless communication device 204A are different from the transmitted signal. In this example, where the transmitted signal has a flat frequency profile, the received signal represents the channel response of space 200. As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, channelresponses 360, 370 are different from frequency domain representation 350 of the transmitted signal. When motion occurs in space 200, a variation in the channel response will also occur. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, channel response 370 that is associated with motion of object in space 200 varies from channel response 360 in FIG. 3A that is associated with no motion in space 200.

[0201] Furthermore, as an object moves within space 200, the channel response may vary from channel response 370. In some cases, space 200 can be divided into distinct regions and the channel responses associated with each region may share one or more characteristics (e.g., shape), as described below. Thus, motion of an object within different distinct regions can be distinguished, and the location of detected motion can be determined based on an analysis of channel responses.

[0202] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams showing example channel responses 401, 403 associated with motion of object 406 in distinct regions 408, 412 of space 400. In the examples shown, space 400 is a building, and space 400 is divided into a plurality of distinct regions - first region 408, second region 410, third region 412, fourth region 414, and fifth region 416. Space 400 may include additional or fewer regions, in some instances. As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the regions within space 400 may be defined by walls between rooms. In addition, the regions may be defined by ceilings between floors of a building. For example, space 400 may include additional floors with additional rooms. In addition, in some instances, the plurality of regions of a space can be or can include a number of floors in a multistory building, a number of rooms in the building, or a number of rooms on a particular floor of the building. In the example shown in FIG. 4A, an object located in first region 408 is represented as person 406, but the moving object can be another type of object, such as an animal or an inorganic object.

[0203] In the example shown, wireless communication device 402A is located in fourth region 414 of space 400, wireless communication device 402B is located in second region 410 of space 400, and wireless communication device 402C is located in fifth region 416 of space 400. Wireless communication devices 402 can operate in the same or similar manner as wireless communication devices 102 of FIG. 1. For instance, wireless communication devices 402 may be configured to transmit and receive wireless signals and detect whether motion has occurred in space 400 based on the received signals. As an example, wireless communication devices 402 may periodically or repeatedly transmit motion probe signals through space 400, and receive signals based on the motion probe signals. Wireless communication devices 402 can analyze the received signals to detect whether an object has moved in space 400, such as,for example, by analyzing channel responses associated with space 400 based on the received signals. In addition, in some implementations, wireless communication devices 402 can analyze the received signals to identify a location of detected motion within space 400. For example, wireless communication devices 402 can analyze characteristics of the channel response to determine whether the channel responses share the same or similar characteristics to channel responses known to be associated with first to fifth regions 408, 410, 412, 414, 416 of space 400.

[0204] In the examples shown, one (or more) of wireless communication devices 402 repeatedly transmits a motion probe signal (e.g., a reference signal) through space 400. The motion probe signals may have a flat frequency profile in some instances, wherein the magnitude of fr, f2and3is the same or nearly the same. For example, the motion probe signals may have a frequency response similar to frequency domain representation 350 shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. The motion probe signals may have a different frequency profile in some instances. Because of the interaction of the reference signal with space 400 (and the objects therein), the signals received at another wireless communication device 402 that are based on the motion probe signal transmitted from the other wireless communication device 402 are different from the transmitted reference signal.

[0205] Based on the received signals, wireless communication devices 402 can determine a channel response for space 400. When motion occurs in distinct regions within the space, distinct characteristics may be seen in the channel responses. For example, while the channel responses may differ slightly for motion within the same region of space 400, the channel responses associated with motion in distinct regions may generally share the same shape or other characteristics. For instance, channel response 401 of FIG. 4A represents an example channel response associated with motion of object 406 in first region 408 of space 400, while channel response 403 of FIG. 4B represents an example channel response associated with motion of object 406 in third region 412 of space 400. Channel responses 401, 403 are associated with signals received by the same wireless communication device 402 in space 400.

[0206] FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D are plots showing channel responses 401, 403 of FIG. 4 A and FIG. 4B overlaid on channel response 460 associated with no motion occurring in space 400. In the example shown, wireless communication device 402 transmits a motion probe signal that has a flat frequency profile as shown in frequency domain representation 450. When motion occurs in space 400, a variation in the channel response will occur relative to channel response 460 associated with no motion, and thus, motion of an object in space 400 can be detected by analyzing variations in the channel responses. In addition, a relative location of thedetected motion within space 400 can be identified. For example, the shape of channel responses associated with motion can be compared with reference information (e.g., using a trained artificial intelligence (Al) model) to categorize the motion as having occurred within a distinct region of space 400.

[0207] When there is no motion in space 400 (e.g., when object 406 is not present), wireless communication device 402 may compute channel response 460 associated with no motion. Slight variations may occur in the channel response due to a number of factors; however, multiple channel responses 460 associated with different periods of time may share one or more characteristics. In the example shown, channel response 460 associated with no motion has a decreasing frequency profile (the magnitude of each of , fa and3is less than the previous). The profile of channel response 460 may differ in some instances (e.g., based on different room layouts or placement of wireless communication devices 402).

[0208] When motion occurs in space 400, a variation in the channel response will occur. For instance, in the examples shown in FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D, channel response 401 associated with motion of object 406 in first region 408 differs from channel response 460 associated with no motion, and channel response 403 associated with motion of object 406 in third region 412 differs from channel response 460 associated with no motion. Channel response 401 has a concave-parabolic frequency profile (the magnitude of the middle frequency component, fa, is less than the outer frequency components fa and3), while channel response 403 has a convex- asymptotic frequency profile (the magnitude of the middle frequency component, fa, is greater than the outer frequency components, fa and3). The profiles of channel responses 401, 403 may differ in some instances (e.g., based on different room layouts or placement of the wireless communication devices 402).

[0209] Analyzing channel responses may be considered similar to analyzing a digital filter. A channel response may be formed through the reflections of objects in a space as well as reflections created by a moving or static human. When a reflector (e.g., a human) moves, it changes the channel response. This may translate to a change in equivalent taps of a digital filter, which can be thought of as having poles and zeros (poles amplify the frequency components of a channel response and appear as peaks or high points in the response, while zeros attenuate the frequency components of a channel response and appear as troughs, low points, or nulls in the response). A changing digital filter can be characterized by the locations of its peaks and troughs, and a channel response may be characterized similarly by its peaks and troughs. For example, in some implementations, analyzing nulls and peaks in the frequencycomponents of a channel response (e.g., by marking their location on the frequency axis and their magnitude), motion can be detected.

[0210] In some implementations, a time series aggregation can be used to detect motion. A time series aggregation may be performed by observing the features of a channel response over a moving window and aggregating the windowed result by using statistical measures (e.g., mean, variance, principal components, etc.). During instances of motion, the characteristic digital-fdter features would be displaced in location and flip-flop between some values due to the continuous change in the scattering scene. That is, an equivalent digital filter exhibits a range of values for its peaks and nulls (due to the motion). By looking at this range of values, unique profiles (in examples profiles may also be referred to as signatures) may be identified for distinct regions within a space.

[0211] In some implementations, an artificial intelligence (Al) model may be used to process data. Al models may be of a variety of types, for example linear regression models, logistic regression models, linear discriminant analysis models, decision tree models, naive Bayes models, / / -nearest neighbors models, learning vector quantization models, support vector machines, bagging and random forest models, and deep neural networks. In general, all Al models aim to learn a function which provides the most precise correlation between input values and output values and are trained using historic sets of inputs and outputs that are known to be correlated. In examples, artificial intelligence may also be referred to as machine learning.

[0212] In some implementations, the profiles of the channel responses associated with motion in distinct regions of space 400 can be learned. For example, machine learning may be used to categorize channel response characteristics with motion of an object within distinct regions of a space. In some cases, a user associated with wireless communication devices 402 (e.g., an owner or other occupier of space 400) can assist with the learning process. For instance, referring to the examples shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the user can move in each of first to fifth regions 408, 410, 412, 414, 416 during a learning phase and may indicate (e.g., through a user interface on a mobile computing device) that he / she is moving in one of the particular regions in space 400. For example, while the user is moving through first region 408 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4A) the user may indicate on a mobile computing device that he / she is in first region 408 (and may name the region as “bedroom”, “living room”, “kitchen”, or another type of room of a building, as appropriate). Channel responses may be obtained as the user moves through the region, and the channel responses may be “tagged” with the user's indicated location (region). The user may repeat the same process for the other regions of space400. The term “tagged” as used herein may refer to marking and identifying channel responses with the user's indicated location or any other information.

[0213] The tagged channel responses can then be processed (e.g., by machine learning software) to identify unique characteristics of the channel responses associated with motion in the distinct regions. Once identified, the identified unique characteristics may be used to determine a location of detected motion for newly computed channel responses. For example, an Al model may be trained using the tagged channel responses, and once trained, newly computed channel responses can be input to the Al model, and the Al model can output a location of the detected motion. For example, in some cases, mean, range, and absolute values are input to an Al model. In some instances, magnitude and phase of the complex channel response itself may be input as well. These values allow the Al model to design arbitrary frontend filters to pick out the features that are most relevant to making accurate predictions with respect to motion in distinct regions of a space. In some implementations, the Al model is trained by performing a stochastic gradient descent. For instance, channel response variations that are most active during a certain zone may be monitored during the training, and the specific channel variations may be weighted heavily (by training and adapting the weights in the first layer to correlate with those shapes, trends, etc.). The weighted channel variations may be used to create a metric that activates when a user is present in a certain region.

[0214] For extracted features like channel response nulls and peaks, a time-series (of the nulls / peaks) may be created using an aggregation within a moving window, taking a snapshot of a few features in the past and present, and using that aggregated value as input to the network. Thus, the network, while adapting its weights, will be trying to aggregate values in a certain region to cluster them, which can be done by creating logistic classifier-based decision surfaces. The decision surfaces divide different clusters and subsequent layers can form categories based on a single cluster or a combination of clusters.

[0215] In some implementations, an Al model includes two or more layers of inference. The first layer acts as a logistic classifier which can divide different concentrations of values into separate clusters, while the second layer combines some of these clusters together to create a category for a distinct region. Additionally, subsequent layers can help in extending the distinct regions over more than two categories of clusters. For example, a fully-connected Al model may include an input layer corresponding to the number of features tracked, a middle layer corresponding to the number of effective clusters (through iterating between choices), and a final layer corresponding to different regions. Where complete channel response information is input to the Al model, the first layer may act as a shape filter that can correlatecertain shapes. Thus, the first layer may lock to a certain shape, the second layer may generate a measure of variation happening in those shapes, and third and subsequent layers may create a combination of those variations and map them to different regions within the space. The output of different layers may then be combined through a fusing layer.B. Wi-Fi sensing system example methods and apparatus

[0216] Section B describes systems and methods that are useful for a wireless sensing system configured to establish a Wi-Fi sensing network and make sensing measurements.

[0217] FIG. 5 depicts an implementation of some of an architecture of a system 500 for establishing an off-channel sensing measurement session by non-access point stations, according to some embodiments.

[0218] System 500 may include a plurality of client devices. The plurality of client devices may include client device 502 and additional client devices 504-(l-N). In an embodiment, a plurality of client devices may be associated with an Extended Service Set (ESS). The ESS may be a collection of STAs which include more than one AP device and form a single, logical service set called the ESS. The ESS may include more than one Basic Service Set (BSS) and may be identified logically by an SSID which describes the overall wireless network. In an embodiment, the ESS may include two or more BSSs. A BSS is a collection of an AP STA and non-AP STAs which are associated together at the PHY / MAC layer to form a wireless network. The BSS may include a single STA acting as an Access Point (AP or AP STA) and one or more STAs (non-AP STA, or simply STA where the access point is AP) connected to and controlled by the AP device. A BSS may be identified in IEEE 802.11 by a BSSID. Further, an AP device may include Access Point (AP) device 506. In an example, system 500 may include client device 502, additional client devices 504-(l-N), AP device 506, and network 564 enabling communication between the system components for information exchange. Further, each client device 502 and additional client devices 504-(l-N) may include sensing controller 510 and sensing controllers 544-(l-N), respectively. In an embodiment, sensing controller 510 and sensing controller 544-(l-N) may be controllers that facilitate and coordinate WLAN sensing related connections and activities.

[0219] In an example implementation, additional client devices 504-(l-N) may include at least first additional client device 504-1 and second additional client device 504-2. System 500 may be an example or instance of wireless communication system 100 and network 564 maybe an example or instance of wireless network or cellular network, details of which are provided with reference to FIG. 1 and its accompanying description.

[0220] According to an embodiment, client device 502 may be configured to receive one or more sensing transmissions (for example, from one or more of additional client devices 504- (1-N) and AP device 506) and perform one or more measurements (for example, channel representation information (CRI) measurements such as channel state information (CSI) or time domain channel representation information (TD-CRI)) useful for WLAN sensing. In examples, these measurements may be known as sensing measurements. Sensing measurements may be processed to achieve a sensing goal of system 500. In examples, any of client device 502, additional client devices 504-(l-N), and AP device 506 may be any computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet computer, a mobile device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or any other computing device. In some embodiments, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may take a role of sensing transmitter and / or sensing receiver. In an embodiment, sensing application 522, 542-(l-N) may be implemented in each of plurality of client devices 502, 504-(l-N) for establishing the Wi-Fi sensing network. For ease of explanation and understanding, descriptions provided above may be with reference to additional client device 504-1, however, the description is equally applicable to any of additional client devices 504-(l-N).

[0221] According to an implementation, client device 502 may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 102 shown in FIG. 1. In some implementations, client device 502 may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 204 shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Further, client device 502 may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 402 shown in FIG. 4 A and FIG. 4B. In an implementation, client device 502 may coordinate and control communication among additional client devices 504-(l-N). According to an implementation, client device 502 may be enabled to control a sensing measurement session comprising one or more sensing measurement exchanges to ensure that required sensing transmissions are made at required times and to ensure an accurate determination of one or more sensing measurements. In some embodiments, client device 502 may process sensing measurements to achieve the sensing goal of system 500. In some embodiments, client device 502 may be configured to achieve the sensing goal of the system by using AP device 506. In other embodiments, client device 502 may be configured to achieve the sensing goal without using AP device 506. In some embodiments, client device 502 may be configured to transmit sensing measurements to one or more of additional client devices504-(l-N). Further, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may be configured to process the sensing measurements to achieve a sensing result of system 500. In some embodiments, client device 502 may be configured to establish the Wi-Fi sensing network using AP device 506 and additional client devices 504-(l-N).

[0222] In an embodiment, client device 502 may be an STA. In some embodiments, client device 502 may be a non-AP STA. In some embodiments, client device 502 may be configured to receive sensing measurements from one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N). Further, client device 502 may be configured to establish the Wi-Fi sensing network for processing sensing measurements to achieve the sensing goal of system 500.

[0223] Referring again to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, additional client devices 504-(l- N) may be configured to send one or more sensing transmissions to client device 502 based on which one or more sensing measurements may be performed for WLAN sensing. In an embodiment, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may be a STA, a non-AP STA, or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l- N) may take a role of sensing initiator and / or sensing responder.

[0224] According to an implementation, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l- N) may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 102 shown in FIG. 1. In some implementations, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 204 shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Further, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 402 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. In some embodiments, any of additional client devices 504-(l-N) may be any computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet computer, a mobile device, a PDA, or any other computing device. In some implementations, communication between client device 502, one or more of additional client devices 504-(l -N), and AP device 506 may be performed via station management entity (SME) and MAC layer management entity (MLME) protocols.

[0225] In some embodiments, AP device 506 may be configured to facilitate the process of WLAN sensing, as explained in further paragraphs using FIG. 6 to FIG. 32. For example, AP device 506 may provide the information associated with additional client devices 504-(l- N) to client device 502 to facilitate the process of WLAN sensing. Accordingly, client device 502 may perform WLAN sensing based on the received information associated with additional client devices 504-(l-N). According to some implementations, AP device 506 may or may not include / execute a sensing algorithm. In an embodiment, remote processing device (also referred as AP device 506) may be a STA. According to an implementation, AP device 506may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 102 shown in FIG. 1. In some implementations, AP device 506 may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 204 shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Further, AP device 506 may be implemented by a device, such as wireless communication device 402 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. In some embodiments, AP device 506 may be a hardware device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi. For example, AP device 506 may be a wireless router, a wireless range extender, WAP, an outdoor access point, and the like. In embodiments, AP device 506 may fail to support IEEE P802.11bf. In other embodiments, AP device 506 may not be capable of acting as a sensing controller which can manage sensing measurement sessions and a sensing algorithm. Accordingly, client device 502 may take the role of sensing initiator where a sensing algorithm determines a WLAN sensing session and the sensing measurements required to fulfill the measurement campaign. In an example, client device 502 may communicate sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters required to initiate a WLAN sensing session to additional client devices 504-(l-N) to coordinate and control sensing transmissions for performing sensing measurements.

[0226] Referring to FIG. 5 in more detail, client device 502 may include processor 508 and memory 514. For example, processor 508 and memory 514 of client device 502 may be processor 114 and memory 116, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. In an embodiment, client device 502 may further include transmitting antenna(s) 516, receiving antenna(s) 518, and sensing agent 520. In an embodiment, sensing agent 520 may be a module which allows client device 502 to participate in the WLAN sensing. Client device 502, which implements sensing agent 520, may implement techniques and technology defined by IEEE P802.11bf which is a standard that describes enhancements to a WLAN MAC and PHY layer for WLAN sensing. In some embodiments, an antenna may be used to both transmit and receive signals in a halfduplex format. When the antenna is transmitting, it may be referred to as transmitting antenna 516, and when the antenna is receiving, it may be referred to as receiving antenna 518. It is understood by a person of normal skill in the art that the same antenna may be transmitting antenna 516 in some instances and receiving antenna 518 in other instances. In the case of an antenna array, one or more antenna elements may be used to transmit or receive a signal, for example, in a beamforming environment. In some examples, a group of antenna elements used to transmit a composite signal may be referred to as transmitting antenna 516, and a group of antenna elements used to receive a composite signal may be referred to as receiving antenna 518. In some examples, each antenna is equipped with its own transmission and receive paths,which may be alternately switched to connect to the antenna depending on whether the antenna is operating as transmitting antenna 516 or receiving antenna 518.

[0227] In an implementation, sensing agent 520 may be responsible for causing client device 502 to receive sensing transmissions and associated sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters, to calculate sensing measurements. In examples, sensing agent 520 may be responsible for processing sensing measurements to fulfill a sensing goal. In some implementations, receiving sensing transmissions and optionally associated sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters, may be carried out by sensing agent 520 running in the medium access control (MAC) layer of client device 502. Further, calculating sensing measurements may also be carried out by sensing agent 520 running in the medium access control (MAC) layer of client device 502. Additionally, processing sensing measurements to fulfill a sensing goal may be carried out by an algorithm running in the application layer of client device 502, for example sensing application 522. In examples, a sensing application 522 running in the application layer of client device 502 may be known as a WLAN sensing agent, a sensing application, or a sensing algorithm. In examples, sensing application 522 may include and / or execute sensing agent 520. According to some implementations, sensing agent 520 may include and / or execute sensing application 522. In some implementations, sensing agent 520 running in the MAC layer of client device 502 and sensing application 522 running in the application layer of client device 502 may run separately on processor 508. In an implementation, sensing agent 520 may pass one or more of sensing measurement parameters, transmission parameters, or physical layer parameters (e.g., such as channel representation information, examples of which are CSI, CIR, and TD-CRI) between the MAC layer of client device 502 and the application layer of client device 502. In an example, sensing agent 520 in the MAC layer or sensing application 522 in the application layer may operate on physical layer parameters, for example to detect one or more features of interest. In examples, sensing application 522 may form services or features, which may be presented to an end-user. According to an implementation, communication between the MAC layer of client device 502 and other layers or components of client device 502 (including the application layer) may take place based on communication interfaces, such as an MLME interface and a data interface. In examples, sensing agent 520 may be configured to determine a number or timing or an amplitude or a phase of sensing transmissions and sensing measurements for the purpose of WLAN sensing. In some implementations, sensing agent 520 may be configured to transmit sensing measurements to additional client devices 504-(l-N) and / or remote processing device (or the AP device 506) for further processing. In animplementation, sensing agent 520 may be configured to cause at least one of transmitting antenna(s) 516 to transmit messages to one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) and / or to AP device 506. Further, sensing agent 520 may be configured to receive, via at least one of receiving antenna(s) 518, messages from one or more of additional client devices 504- (1-N) or from AP device 506. In an example, sensing agent 520 may be configured to make sensing measurements based on sensing transmissions received from one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N) and / or AP device 506.

[0228] In some embodiments, client device 502 may include sensing measurements storage 524. In an implementation, sensing measurements storage 524 may store sensing measurements computed by client device 502 based on received sensing transmissions. Further, sensing measurements storage 524 may store sensing measurements received by client device 502 based on received messages. In an example, sensing measurements stored in sensing measurements storage 524 may be periodically or dynamically updated as per requirement. In some embodiments, client device 502 may include sensing measurement configuration storage 526. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 526 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement setups. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 526 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement sessions. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 526 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement exchanges. In an example, sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters stored in sensing measurement configuration storage 526 may be periodically or dynamically updated as required. In an implementation, sensing measurements storage 524 and sensing measurement configuration storage 526 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a file system, or may be coupled to memory 514. Details on information stored in sensing measurement configuration storage 526 and sensing measurements storage 524 have been explained in further paragraphs using FIG. 28.

[0229] In an embodiment, client device 502 may include sensing capability information storage 512. In an example, sensing capability information storage 512 may store sensing capabilities computed by client device 502 based on received sensing transmissions. The sensing capability information storage 512 may store sensing capability information received by client device 502 based on received messages. In an example, sensing capabilities stored insensing capability information storage 512 may be periodically or dynamically updated as required. In an embodiment, client device 502 may include sensing measurement report storage 528. In an example, sensing measurement report storage 528 may store sensing measurement reports received from the plurality of client devices 502, 504-(l-N) in the ESS including the information collected in the associated mode by client device 502. In an embodiment, a sensing measurement report may be a report sent from client device 502 to AP device 506 to indicate the client device capability and status for sensing. In an implementation, sensing capability information storage 512 and sensing measurement report storage 528 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a file system, or may be coupled to memory 514. Details on information stored in sensing capability information storage 512 and sensing measurement report storage 528 have been explained in further paragraphs using FIG. 28.

[0230] Referring again to FIG. 5, additional client device 504-1 (which is an example of one or more of additional client devices 504-(l-N)) may include processor 532-1 and memory 534-1. For example, processor 532-1 and memory 534-1 of additional client device 504-1 may be processor 114 and memory 116, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. In an embodiment, additional client device 504-1 may further include transmitting antenna(s) 536-1, receiving antenna(s) 538-1, and sensing agent 540-1.

[0231] Sensing agent 540-1 may be configured to cause at least one transmitting antenna of transmitting antenna(s) 536-1 and at least one receiving antenna of receiving antenna(s) 538- 1 to exchange messages with client device 502 or with AP device 506. In some embodiments, an antenna may be used to both transmit and receive in a half-duplex format. When the antenna is transmitting, it may be referred to as transmitting antenna 536-1, and when the antenna is receiving, it may be referred to as receiving antenna 538-1. It is understood by a person of normal skill in the art that the same antenna may be transmitting antenna 536-1 in some instances and receiving antenna 538-1 in other instances. In the case of an antenna array, one or more antenna elements may be used to transmit or receive a signal, for example, in a beamforming environment. In some examples, a group of antenna elements used to transmit a composite signal may be referred to as transmitting antenna 536-1, and a group of antenna elements used to receive a composite signal may be referred to as receiving antenna 538-1. In some examples, each antenna is equipped with its own transmission and receive paths, which may be alternately switched to connect to the antenna depending on whether the antenna is operating as transmitting antenna 536-1 or receiving antenna 538-1.

[0232] In an implementation, sensing agent 540-1 may be responsible for causing additional client device 504-1 to send sensing transmissions and, in examples, receive associated sensing measurements from client device 502 and / or AP device 506. In examples, sensing agent 540-1 may be responsible for processing sensing measurements to fulfill a sensing goal. In some implementations, sensing agent 540-1 may run in the medium access control (MAC) layer of additional client device 504-1 Further, sensing measurements may be processed to fulfill a sensing goal which may be carried out by sensing application 542-1, which in examples may run in the application layer of additional client device 504-1. In examples, sensing application 542-1 running in the application layer of additional client device 504-1 may be known as a WLAN sensing agent, a sensing application, or a sensing algorithm. In examples, sensing application 542-1 may include and / or execute sensing agent 540-1. According to some implementations, sensing agent 540-1 may include and / or execute sensing application 542-1. In some implementations, sensing agent 540-1 may run in the MAC layer of additional client device 504-1 and sensing application 542-1 may run in the application layer of additional client device 504-1. In some implementations, sensing agent 540-1 of additional client device 504-1 and sensing application 542-1 may run separately on processor 532-1. In an implementation, sensing agent 540-1 may pass sensing measurement parameters, transmission parameters, or physical layer parameters between the MAC layer of additional client device 504-1 and the application layer of additional client device 504-1. In an example, sensing agent 540-1 in the MAC layer or sensing application 542-1 in the application layer may control physical layer parameters, for example physical layer parameters used to generate one or more sensing transmissions. In examples, sensing application 542-1 may form services or features, which may be presented to an end user. According to an implementation, communication between the MAC layer of additional client device 504-1 and other layers or components of additional client device 504-1 (including the application layer) may take place based on communication interfaces, such as an MLME interface and a data interface. In examples, sensing agent 540-1 may be configured to determine a number, timing, an amplitude, or a phase of sensing transmissions for the purpose of WLAN sensing. In some implementations, sensing agent 540-1 may be configured to cause additional client device 504- 1 to transmit sensing transmissions to client device 502 and / or AP device 506. In an implementation, sensing agent 540-1 may be configured to cause at least one transmitting antenna of transmitting antenna(s) 536-1 to transmit messages to client device 502 or to AP device 506. Further, sensing agent 540-1 may be configured to receive, via at least onereceiving antenna of receiving antenna(s) 538-1, messages from client device 502 or from AP device 506.

[0233] In some embodiments, additional client device 504-1 may include sensing measurements storage 546-1. In an implementation, sensing measurements storage 546-1 may store sensing measurements computed by additional client device 504-1 or received in a message by additional client device 504-1. In an implementation, sensing measurements storage 546-1 may store sensing measurements computed by client device 502 based on sensing transmissions sent by client device 502 to additional client device 504-1. Further, sensing measurements storage 546-1 may store sensing measurements computed by client device 502 based on sensing transmissions sent by additional client device 504-1 to additional client device 504-2. In an example, sensing measurements stored in sensing measurements storage 546-1 may be periodically or dynamically updated as required. In an implementation, sensing measurements storage 546-1 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a fde system, or coupled to memory 534-1.

[0234] In some embodiments, additional client device 504-1 may include sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement sessions. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement setups. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1 may store sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters applicable to one or more sensing measurement exchanges. In an example, sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters stored in sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1 may be periodically or dynamically updated as required. In an implementation, sensing measurement configuration storage 548-1 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a file system, or may be coupled to memory 534-1.

[0235] In an embodiment, additional client device 504-1 may include sensing capability information storage 530-1. In an example, sensing capability information storage 530-1 may store sensing capabilities computed by additional client device 504-1 based on received sensing transmissions or sensing measurements received by additional client device 504-1 based on received messages. In an example, sensing capabilities stored in sensing capability information storage 530-1 may be periodically or dynamically updated as required. In an embodiment,additional client device 504-1 may include sensing measurement report storage 550-1. In an example, sensing measurement report storage 550-1 may store sensing measurement reports received from the plurality of client devices in the ESS including the information collected in the associated mode by additional client device 504-1. In an embodiment, a sensing measurement report may be a report sent from additional client device 504-1 to its associated AP device 506 for indicating the client device capability and status for sensing. In an implementation, sensing capability information storage 530-1 and sensing measurement report storage 550-1 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a fde system, or may be coupled to memory 534-1

[0236] Referring to FIG. 5 in more detail, AP device 506 may include processor 554 and memory 556. For example, processor 554 and memory 556 of AP device 506 may be processor 114 and memory 116, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. In an embodiment, AP device 506 may further include transmitting antenna(s) 558 and receiving antenna(s) 560. In some embodiments, an antenna may be used to both transmit and receive signals in a half-duplex format. When the antenna is transmitting, it may be referred to as transmitting antenna 558, and when the antenna is receiving, it may be referred to as receiving antenna 560. It is understood by a person of normal skill in the art that the same antenna may be transmitting antenna 558 in some instances and receiving antenna 560 in other instances. In the case of an antenna array, one or more antenna elements may be used to transmit or receive a signal, for example, in a beamforming environment. In some examples, a group of antenna elements used to transmit a composite signal may be referred to as transmitting antenna 558, and a group of antenna elements used to receive a composite signal may be referred to as receiving antenna 560. In some examples, each antenna is equipped with its own transmission and receive paths, which may be alternately switched to connect to the antenna depending on whether the antenna is operating as transmitting antenna 558 or receiving antenna 560. Further, AP device 506 may include sensing capability configuration storage 552. In an embodiment, sensing capability configuration storage 552 may store sensing capabilities computed by AP device 506 based on received sensing transmissions or sensing measurements received by AP device 506 based on received messages. Further, the AP device 506 may include sensing measurement report storage 562. In an embodiment, sensing capability configuration storage 552 and sensing measurement report storage 562 may include any type or form of storage, such as a database or a file system, or may be coupled to memory 556.

[0237] In an embodiment, AP device 506 may include a sensing agent and / or a sensing application (not shown). In an implementation, the sensing agent may be responsible fordetermining sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters for one or more sensing measurement setups. In examples, the sensing agent may receive sensing measurement parameters and / or transmission parameters for one or more sensing measurement setups from the sensing algorithm. In an example, the sensing agent may receive sensing measurements from one or more of a plurality of client devices 502, 504-(l-N) and may process the sensing measurements to fulfdl a sensing goal. In an example, the sensing agent may receive channel representation information (such as CSI or TD-CRI) from client device 502 and additional client devices to process the channel representation information for fulfilling a sensing goal. In some implementations, the sensing agent may receive sensing measurements or channel representation information and may provide the received sensing measurements or channel representation information to the sensing algorithm (or sensing application). Further the sensing algorithm may receive the sensing measurements or channel representation information from the sensing agent and may process the channel representation information to fulfill a sensing goal. In other implementations, AP device 506 may fail to perform the functionalities / task associated with the sensing agent due to one or more errors.

[0238] In an embodiment, client device 502 acting as a sensing transmitter may perform a sensing transmission which is received by additional client devices 504-(l-N) acting as sensing receivers. Further, client device 502 may act as a sensing transmitter for a sensing measurement instance. Furthermore, client device 502 may act as a sensing receiver for the same sensing measurement instance.

[0239] In an embodiment, a single client device 502 is shown in FIG. 5. However, there may be multiple client devices (not shown) acting as a sensing transmitter for a sensing measurement instance and / or a sensing receiver for the same sensing measurement instance. Further, each of the plurality of client devices may use the systems and methods of the present disclosure to form the sensing network.

[0240] For ease of explanation and understanding, the descriptions provided above may be with reference to additional client device 504-1 ; however, the descriptions are equally applicable to additional client devices 504-(l-N). For ease of explanation and understanding, the descriptions provided above may be with reference to client device 502; however, the descriptions are equally applicable to a plurality of client devices.

[0241] According to one or more implementations, communications in network 564 may be governed by one or more of the 802. 11 family of standards developed by IEEE. Some example IEEE standards may include IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802. 11 ax, IEEE 802. l ime, IEEE802.11az and IEEE 802.11be. IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.11ax are fully ratified standards whilst IEEE 802. lime reflects an ongoing maintenance update to the IEEE 802.11 standard and IEEE 802.11 be defines the next generation of standard. IEEE 802.11 az is an extension of the IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.1 lax standards which adds new functionality. In some implementations, communications may be governed by other standards (other or additional IEEE standards or other types of standards). In some embodiments, parts of network 564 which are not required by system 500 to be governed by one or more of the 802.11 family of standards may be implemented by an instance of any type of network, including wireless networks or cellular networks. Further, IEEE 802.1 lax includes Orthogonal Frequency- Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), which allows client device 502 to simultaneously transmit data to all participating devices, such as additional client devices 504-(l-N), and vice versa using a single transmission opportunity (TXOP). The efficiency of OFDMA depends on how client device 502 schedules channel resources (interchangeably referred to as Resource Units (RUs)) among additional client devices 504-(l-N) and configures transmission parameters. According to an implementation, system 500 may be an OFDMA-enabled system.

[0242] In a Wi-Fi system, both data transmissions and sensing transmissions may happen at different TXOPs. The Wi-Fi sensing system may utilize a TXOP that is not used for data transmissions for Wi-Fi sensing. The TXOP used for data transmissions may be named as the data TXOP, while the TXOP used for sensing transmissions may be named as the sensing TXOP.

[0243] Referring back to FIG. 5, according to one or more implementations, WLAN sensing system 500 may participate in a sensing session. In examples, a sensing session is an agreement between a sensing initiator and a sensing responder to participate in a WLAN sensing procedure (also known as a Wi-Fi sensing procedure.) In examples, sensing measurement parameters associated with a sensing session may be determined by a sensing initiator and may be exchanged between the sensing initiator and a sensing responder. In examples, a sensing initiator may be client device 502 and sensing responder(s) may be one (or more) of the additional client devices. In examples, a sensing initiator may be client device 502 and a sensing responder may be additional client device 504-1. In examples, a sensing initiator may be additional client device 504-1, and a sensing responder may be client device 502. In examples, a networking device (e.g., client device, additional client device 504-1 or AP device 506) may participate in multiple sensing sessions either as a sensing initiator or as a sensing responder. In examples, client device 502 may participate in multiple sensing sessions eitheras a sensing initiator or as a sensing responder. In examples, AP device 506 may or may not participate in multiple sensing sessions as a sensing initiator or as a sensing responder.

[0244] FIG. 6 is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf and illustrates an example of WLAN sensing procedure 600 (also known as Wi-Fi sensing procedure 600) according to some embodiments. In examples, a WLAN sensing procedure allows a STA to perform WLAN sensing. In an example, a WLAN sensing procedure enables a STA to obtain one or more sensing measurements of the wireless transmission channel between two or more STAs and or the wireless transmission channel between a receiving antenna and a transmitting antenna of a STA. In examples, a WLAN sensing procedure is composed of one or more of a sensing session setup, a sensing measurement setup, one or more sensing measurement exchanges, sensing measurement setup termination, and sensing session termination.

[0245] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of WLAN sensing procedure 600 with a sensing measurement session setup with a STA with MAC ADDR=A and Association Identifier (AID)=1 and is a reproduction of Figure AD-1 of IEEE P802. 1 Ibf D3.0. In examples, a sensing measurement session setup establishes a sensing session or a sensing procedure. In examples, the sensing measurement session may be identified by the AID of the STA involved in the sensing measurement session. FIG. 6 illustrates a measurement session setup procedure for the STA with MAC ADDR=A, where the measurement session ID = 1.

[0246] In examples, a sensing measurement session setup allows for a sensing initiator and a sensing responder to exchange and agree on operational attributes associated with a sensing measurement exchange. A sensing initiator may transmit a Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame to a sensing responder with which it intends to perform a sensing measurement session setup. An example of a Sensing Measurement Request frame Action field format 702 (which may also be referred to as a Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame Action field format) as described by IEEE P802.11bf D3.0 in Figure 9-1198a is provided in FIG. 7A. As shown in the example illustrated in FIG. 7A, in embodiments, a Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame Action field format may include one or more of a Category field, a Public Action field, a Dialog Token field, a Sensing Comeback Info field, a Measurement Session ID Indication field, and a Sensing Measurement Parameters element. In examples, a Category value code is defined for a “Protected Sensing Frame”. In an embodiment, a Protected Sensing Action field is defined in the octet immediately after the Category field in order to differentiate Protected Sensing Frame formats from Public Sensing Frame formats.

[0247] FIG. 7B is reproduced from IEEE P802. 1 Ibf D3.0, Figure 9-1001bc and illustrates an example, according to some embodiments, of a Sensing Measurement Parameters elementformat 704. In examples, a Sensing Measurement Parameters element indicates operational attributes of a corresponding sensing measurement exchange. In examples, the Sensing Measurement Parameters element comprises a Sensing Measurement Parameters field and a Sensing sub elements field. FIG. 7C is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 9- lOOlbd and illustrates an example of a format of a Sensing Measurement Parameters field format, according to some embodiments. In an example, a Sensing Measurement Parameters field comprises a Sensing Transmitter subfield. The Sensing Transmitter subfield may be set to 1 to indicate a sensing responder assumes a sensing transmitter role, such as additional client device 504-1. In an example the sensing responder assumes a sensing transmitter role according to the Sensing Transmitter subfield for the Sensing Measurement Session ID Indication associated with the Sensing Measurement Parameters field. In an example, the Sensing Measurement Parameters field comprises a Sensing Receiver subfield. The Sensing Receiver subfield may be set to 1 to indicate a sensing responder assumes a sensing receiver role, such as client device 502. In an example the sensing responder assumes a sensing receiver role according to the Sensing Receiver subfield for the Sensing Measurement Session ID Indication associated with the Sensing Measurement Parameters field.

[0248] Referring again to FIG. 7C, in examples, Sensing Measurement Parameters field format 706 includes a Sensing Measurement Report Requested subfield if the Sensing Receiver subfield indicates that the sensing responder should assume a sensing receiver role. In an example, the Sensing Measurement Report Requested subfield may indicate that whether or not a sensing responder sends Sensing Measurement Report frames in sensing measurement exchanges that result from the sensing measurement session setup.

[0249] In examples, after the sensing responder receives the Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame, the sensing responder may transmit a Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame. An example of Sensing Measurement Response frame Action field format 708 (which may also be referred to as a Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame Action field format) is described by IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 9-1198d and provided in FIG. 7D. In examples, the sensing responder may use a Status Code field in the Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame to indicate whether the sensing responder accepts the requested sensing measurement setup parameters in the received Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame. In an embodiment, the Status Code field may be set to 0 indicating a successful sensing measurement setup, where the sensing responder accepts the operational attributes included in the Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame. In examples, the sensing responder may indicate in the Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame that the operational attributes included in theSensing Measurement Setup Request frame sent by the sensing initiator are not accepted, for example by setting the Status Code field to a non-zero value. In examples, the sensing responder may indicate in the Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame suggested sensing measurement parameters, for example to indicate to the sensing initiator one or more operational attributes preferred by the sensing responder. In examples, the sensing responder may indicate to the sensing initiator that suggested sensing measurement parameters are included in the Sensing Measurement Setup Response frame by setting the Status Code field to a non-zero value.

[0250] In examples, the sensing initiator may assign a role to the sensing responder as part of the sensing measurement setup sent in the Sensing Measurement Setup Request frame. For example, the sensing initiator may indicate to a sensing responder that the sensing responder is to assume the role of a sensing receiver, such as client device 502, or the role of a sensing transmitter, such as additional client device 504-1, or the role of sensing receiver and sensing transmitter. In examples, the sensing initiator may indicate to the sensing responder whether the sensing responder sends sensing measurement report frames in sensing measurement exchanges. In an embodiment, the role assigned to the sensing responder and / or whether the sensing responder sends sensing measurement report frames persists until the sensing measurement setup is terminated.

[0251] Referring again to FIG. 6 and the measurement session with the STA with MAC ADDR=A and AID=1, the measurement session setup is followed by one or more sensing measurement exchanges and measurement reporting instances which may be performed based on the defined operational attribute set. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the one or more sensing measurement exchanges and measurement reporting instances for the STA with MAC ADDR=A may be assigned measurement exchange IDs; for example a first measurement exchange may be assigned measurement exchange ID=1, and a second measurement exchange may be assigned measurement exchange ID=2. In examples, a measurement exchange may be uniquely associated with a measurement session setup.

[0252] Referring again to FIG. 6, a second measurement session setup may be initiated for the STA with MAC ADDR=A, which may be identified as measurement session ID=2. Measurement session ID=2 may be associated with a second operational attribute set. In examples, after the second sensing measurement session setup, any subsequent one or more sensing measurement exchanges may be performed based on either the first operational attribute set (measurement session ID=1) or the second operational attribute set (measurement session ID=2).

[0253] Referring again to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 illustrates a measurement session setup with a STA with MAC ADDR=B and Unassociated STA Identifier (USID)=2. In examples, the measurement session may be identified by the USID of the STA with MAC ADDR=B. FIG. 6 further illustrates a sensing measurement exchange for the STA with MAC ADDR=B. In the example, the operational attribute set for the measurement session for the STA with MAC ADDR=B is the same as the second operational attribute set established with the STA with MAC ADDR=A, and the same measurement session ID is used for both the STA with MAC ADDR=A and the STA with MAC ADDR=B. That is, a sensing measurement session ID (which may also be referred to as a sensing measurement session label) may apply to one or more STAs. In examples according to FIG. 6, subsequent sensing measurement exchanges associated with measurement session ID=2 may be associated with the STA with MAC ADDR=A, the STA with MAC ADDR=B, or with both the STA with MAC ADDR=A and the STA with MAC ADDR=B. Each sensing measurement exchange may have one-to-many (including one-to-one) announcement and / or triggering and may have either one-to-many or many-to-one (including one-to-one) sounding.

[0254] In examples, an operational attribute set of a measurement session may be terminated by performing a sensing measurement session termination procedure, for example as is shown in FIG. 6 for sensing measurement session ID=1 and the STA with MAC ADDR=A. In examples, the sensing measurement session ID of a terminated sensing measurement setup may be used for a subsequent sensing measurement session. This is shown in FIG. 6 where a sensing measurement session with ID=1 is established for the STA with MAC ADDR=B, after the termination of the sensing measurement session ID=1 with the STA with MAC ADDR=A. In some embodiments, a sensing measurement session may be terminated using a sensing measurement session termination procedure, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0255] FIG. 8A illustrates that measurement exchanges 802 between a sensing initiator and a sensing responder may be one-to-many or many-to-one. In examples, a measurement exchange and / or measurement reporting may have a one-to-one (single device to single device) announcement or triggering or may have a one-to-many (single device to multiple devices) announcement or triggering. In examples, a measurement exchange may have one-to-one, one- to-many, or many-to-one (many devices to a single device) sounding.

[0256] As previously described, a sensing session is an agreement between a sensing initiator and a sensing responder to participate in a WLAN (Wi-Fi) sensing procedure. In examples, a sensing session is pairwise and in examples, may be identified by a sensing measurement ID, MAC addresses of the sensing initiator and the sensing responder, byAID / USID values, or by any combination of these or other identifiers. FIG. 8B shows example 810 of a sensing procedure which includes pairwise exchanges or procedures 804 that may take place between a sensing initiator and a sensing responder. The sensing procedure may be related to a sensing measurement session. The example may include one or more of a sensing capabilities exchange, a sensing measurement session (a sensing measurement session setup), one or more sensing measurement exchanges, and a sensing measurement termination (a sensing measurement session termination).

[0257] In examples, a sensing measurement exchange of a WLAN sensing procedure may be a trigger-based (TB) sensing measurement exchange. FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B depict a message flow 900 of a sensing measurement session of a WLAN sensing procedure comprising a sensing measurement session setup procedure followed by one or more trigger-based (TB) sensing measurement exchanges that consist of either NDPA sounding or trigger frame (TF) sounding, followed by a sensing measurement session termination procedure, according to some examples. In examples, a TB sensing measurement exchange may be used where the sensing initiator is an AP, and one or more non-AP STAs are sensing responders. In examples, a TB sensing measurement exchange may include a polling phase, an NDPA sounding phase, a trigger frame (TF) sounding phase, and a reporting phase.

[0258] FIG. lOA is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 1 l-102b and illustrates an example of a TB sensing measurement exchange 1002 including a polling phase, an NDPA sounding phase, a TF sounding phase, and a reporting phase. The table in FIG. 10B indicates valid combinations of phases 1004 of a TB sensing measurement exchange, in some examples.

[0259] FIG. 11 is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure l l-102c and provides one example of a TB sensing measurement exchange 1100 with client device 502, additional client devices 504-(l-N)), AP device 506, or any combination thereof in the role of a sensing initiator and six STAs, referred to as STA 1, STA 2, STA 3, STA 4, STA 5 and STA 6 (such as client devices 502 and additional client devices 504-(l-N)), as discussed with reference to FIG. 5), all of which in the example are sensing responders. In example, the client device (for example, any one of STA 4, STA 5 and STA 6) communicates with the sensing initiator to achieve the sensing goal. In the example, the TB sensing measurement exchange comprises a polling phase, an NDPA sounding phase, a TF sounding phase, and a reporting phase. In the example, STA 1, STA 2 and STA 3 are acting as sensing transmitters, such as additional client device 504-1, additional client device 504-2 and additional client device 504-3. In the example of FIG. 11, STA 4, STA 5, and STA 6 act as sensing receivers, such as client device 502. In examples, in the polling phase, the AP acting as the sensing initiator transmits a Sensing PollingTrigger frame to STA 1, STA 2, STA 3, STA 4, STA 5, and STA 6. In an embodiment, sensing transmitter STA 1 and sensing transmitter STA 2 respond to the Sensing Polling Trigger frame with an indication that the STA is available to participate in a sensing measurement exchange. In examples, the indication is a CTS-to-self (Clear To Send) frame. In the example, sensing transmitter STA 3 does not respond to the Sensing Polling Trigger frame sent by the sensing initiator, indicating that STA 3 will not participate in the sensing measurement exchange. In an embodiment, sensing receiver STA 4 and sensing receiver STA 5 each respond to the Sensing Polling Trigger frame with an indication that the STA is available to participate in a sensing measurement exchange. In examples, the indication is a CTS-to-self frame. In the example, sensing receiver STA 6 does not respond to the Sensing Polling Trigger frame sent by the AP as the sensing initiator, indicating that STA 6 will not participate in the sensing measurement exchange.

[0260] Referring again to FIG. 11, in a NDPA sounding phase, the AP acting as sensing initiator assumes the role of sensing transmitter. In examples, the AP as sensing transmitter transmits a sensing transmission. In examples, the sensing transmission may be a broadcast transmission. In examples, the sensing transmission may be a unicast transmission to one or more STAs, for example to sensing receiver STA 4, sensing receiver STA 5 and / or to sensing receiver STA 6. In examples, a period of one or more SIFS elapses between the AP as sensing transmitter sending the sensing NDPA frame and when the AP as sensing transmitter sends the one or more sensing transmissions. In examples, one or more of the sensing transmissions may be a full bandwidth NDP frame. In examples, one or more of the sensing transmissions may be a partial bandwidth NDP frame. In examples, one or more of the NDP frames may be an SI2SR NDP frame.

[0261] The sensing measurement exchange of FIG. 11 includes a TF Sounding phase. In examples, in the TF Sounding phase, the AP as the sensing initiator sends a Sensing Sounding Trigger frame to sensing transmitter STA 1 and to sensing transmitter STA 2. In examples, responsive to receiving the Sensing SR2SI Sounding Trigger frame, sensing transmitter STA 1 and sensing transmitter STA 2 send sensing transmissions to the AP. In examples, the sensing transmissions may comprise NDP transmissions. In an example, one or more of the NDP transmissions to the AP may be SR2SI NDP transmissions (as shown in the example of FIG. 11). In examples, a period of one or more SIFS elapses between sensing transmitter STA 1 receiving the Sensing SR2SI Sounding Trigger frame and transmitting a sensing transmission, and in examples a period of one or more SIFS elapses between sensing transmitter STA 2 receiving the Sensing SR2SI Sounding Trigger frame and transmitting a sensing transmission.In examples, the AP may assume the role of sensing receiver, and the AP may make sensing measurements on the sensing transmissions from sensing transmitter STA 1 and sensing transmitter STA 2.

[0262] In examples, a sensing measurement exchange of a WLAN sensing procedure may be a non-trigger-based (non-TB) sensing measurement exchange. FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B depict a message flow 1200 of a sensing measurement session setup procedure followed by one or more non-TB sensing measurement exchanges of a WLAN sensing procedure that consist of one or more of downlink sounding or uplink sounding, according to some embodiments, followed by a sensing measurement session termination procedure, according to some examples. In examples, a non-TB sensing measurement exchange may be used where the sensing initiator is a non-AP STA, and an AP is the sensing responder. In examples of uplink sounding described by IEEE P802.11bf, an example of which is shown in FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, the sensing initiator (non-AP STA) acting as a sensing transmitter (for example, additional client device 504-1) transmits a sensing announcement frame followed by a sensing transmission. In examples, the sensing announcement frame may be an NDPA frame. In examples, the sensing transmission may be an NDP frame (for example, an SI2SR NDP frame). In examples, responsive to receiving the sensing transmission, the AP acting as a sensing receiver (for example, client device 502), may transmit to the sensing initiator (non-AP STA in the role of additional client device 504-1) a sensing measurement report, for example one or more Sensing Measurement Report frames. In examples of downlink sounding as shown in FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, the sensing initiator (non-AP STA) acting as a sensing receiver transmits a sensing announcement frame. In examples, the sensing announcement frame may be an NDPA frame. In examples, responsive to receiving the sensing announcement frame, the AP acting as sensing transmitter may transmit one or more sensing transmissions. In examples, one or more of the sensing transmissions may be an NDP frame (for example, an SI2SR NDP frame). In examples, the non-AP STA acting as a sensing receiver, responsive to receiving a sensing transmission, may make a sensing measurement on the sensing transmission. In examples, the sensing measurement session may be terminated by the sensing initiator or the sensing responder transmitting a SENS Measurement Setup Termination frame. In examples, the sensing responder or sensing initiator (respectively) may respond with an acknowledgment.

[0263] FIG. 13 is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 1 l-102i and illustrates a detailed example of a non-TB sensing measurement exchange 1300, according to some embodiments. In examples, STA 1 (such as additional client device 504-1), acting as sensing initiator and sensing transmitter, transmits a sensing announcement frame. In examples, thesensing announcement frame may be a sensing NDPA frame. In examples, one or more SIFS may elapse followed by STA 1, acting as sensing initiator and sensing transmitter, transmitting one or more sensing transmissions. In examples, one or more of the sensing transmissions may be an NDP frame (for example, a SI2SR NDP frame). In an example, STA 1, acting as sensing initiator and sensing receiver, may transmit a sensing announcement frame followed after a period of time by an SI2SR NDP frame. In examples, the sensing announcement frame may be a sensing NDPA frame, and the period of time may be a SIFS. In examples, one or more SIFS may elapse followed by the AP, acting as sensing responder and sensing transmitter, transmitting one or more sensing transmissions. In examples, the AP, acting as sensing responder and sensing transmitter, does not transmit an NDPA frame and instead transmits a sensing transmission one SIFS after receiving the SI2SR NDP. In examples, the sensing transmission may be an NDP frame (for example, an SR2SI NDP frame).

[0264] FIG. 14A is reproduced from IEEE P802.1 Ibf D3.0, Figure 9- 1198f and illustrates an example of a Sensing Measurement Report frame Action field format 1402. In some examples, a Sensing Measurement Report frame may be transmitted to provide WLAN sensing measurements, for example to a sensing agent or a sensing algorithm of a sensing initiator. In examples, a Sensing Measurement Report frame may comprise one or more Sensing Measurement Report Containers. FIG. 14B is reproduced from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 9-189g and is an example of a Sensing Measurement Report Container field format 1401. A Sensing Measurement Report Container may comprise a single sensing measurement report, in some embodiments.

[0265] Referring again to FIG. 14B, in embodiments a Sensing Measurement Report Container may include a Sensing Measurement Report Control field 1404. In examples, the Sensing Measurement Report Control field 1404 may contain information necessary to interpret the Sensing Measurement Report field. For example, the Sensing Measurement Report Control field 1404 format may comprise one or more subfields. In an embodiment, one or more subfields of the Sensing Measurement Report Control field may include PHY layer parameters used by the sensing receiver when performing the sensing measurement, for example receiver antenna beamforming or spatial layer information. In examples, Sensing Measurement Report Control field 1404 definitions are shown in Table 9-127h from IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, which is reproduced in TABLE 1 below.TABLE 1Table 9-127h — Sensing Measurement Report Control field definition

[0266] In a sensing session, exchanges of transmissions between a sensing receiver (i.e., client device 502 or additional client devices 504-(l-N)) and one or more of a plurality of sensing transmitters (i.e., additional client devices 504-(l-N) or client device 502) may occur. In an example, control of these transmissions may be with the MAC layer of the IEEE 802.11 stack. According to an implementation, a sensing receiver may secure a TXOP which may be allocated to one or more sensing transmissions by one or more of the plurality of sensing transmitters. According to an implementation, a sensing receiver may allocate channel resources (or RUs) within a TXOP to the one or more of the plurality of sensing transmitters. In an example, a sensing receiver may allocate the channel resources to the one or more of the plurality of sensing transmitters by allocating time and bandwidth within the TXOP to the one or more of the plurality of sensing transmitters.

[0267] According to an implementation, example 1500 of a hierarchy of fields within a sensing trigger message is shown in FIG. 15A to FIG. 151.

[0268] As described in FIG. 15 A and based upon a Trigger frame as described by IEEE P802.11, the Common Info field may contain information which is common to one or more of a plurality of sensing transmitters (e.g., additional client devices 504-(l-N), as shown in FIG. 5). According to some implementations, the requirement of an NDPA preceding an NDP maybe optional. This may be indicated to one or more of the plurality of sensing transmitters and may, for example, be encoded into a “Trigger Dependent Common Info” field if the requirement is common to the plurality of sensing transmitters, or into a “Trigger Dependent User Info” field if the requirement is specific to one or more sensing transmitters of the plurality of sensing transmitters. According to an example, the requirement for a sensing announcement (for example, an NDPA) preceding a sensing response NDP may be encoded by a single bit where 0 (bit clear) indicates that a sensing announcement is optional and 1 (bit set) indicates that a sensing announcement is required.

[0269] As described by FIG. 15B which is a reproduction of IEEE P802.11bf D3.0, Figure 9-102a (Trigger Dependent Common Info field format of the Sensing Polling, SR2SI Sounding, Sensing Reporting, and Sensing Threshold-based Reporting Trigger frame), a Trigger Dependent Common Info field format may include the Sensing Trigger Subtype field with different values to indicate different Sensing Trigger frame variants. The Sensing Trigger frame variants may be used for Sensing Polling, SR2SI Sounding, Sensing Threshold-based Report, Sensing Reporting, or sensing responder to sensing responder (SR2SR) Sounding.

[0270] As adapted from IEEE P802.11 and IEEE P802.1 Ibf and described in FIG. 15C, a Trigger Type (within B0..B3 of the “Common Info” field) may be defined as a sensing trigger message. In examples, a sensing trigger message may have a Trigger Type subfield value of 8.

[0271] As described by IEEE P802.l l and reproduced in FIG. 15D the sensing trigger message may have an uplink bandwidth (UL BW) subfield value of 0, 1, 2 or 3 corresponding to bandwidths of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 80+80 MHz (160 MHz).

[0272] As described in FIG. 15E and based upon a Trigger frame as described by IEEE P802.ll, the User Info field contains information which is specific to each of the plurality of sensing transmitters. In examples, the User Info field may include the AID or the USID of a sensing transmitter, an RU allocation for a sensing transmitter, the number of long training field (LTF) repetitions in a corresponding sensing transmission from a sensing transmitter, and other Trigger Dependent User Info.

[0273] As described in FIG. 15F and leveraging the definition of IEEE P802.ll, the AID12 subfield of the User Info field illustrated in FIG. 15D may be used to address a specific sensing transmitter of the plurality of sensing transmitters.

[0274] As described in FIG. 15G and FIG. 15H and leveraging the definition of IEEE P802.ll, the RU Allocation subfield is used to allocate resource units (RU) to each of the plurality of sensing transmitters 504-(l-N).

[0275] As described in FIG. 151, the Trigger Dependent User Info subfield may be used to request the transmission configuration and / or steering matrix configuration for one or more sensing transmitters of the plurality of sensing transmitters that the sensing trigger message is triggering.C. Systems and methods to form a sensing network

[0276] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods to form a sensing network. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for off-channel sensing measurements carried out by a client device.

[0277] A WLAN sensing system may be configured to detect features of interest in a sensing space. The WLAN sensing system may be a network of Wi-Fi enabled devices which are part of an IEEE 802.11 network (sometimes referred to as a Basic Service Set (BSS) or Extended Service Set (ESS)). The features of interest may include motion of objects and motion tracking, presence detection, intrusion detection, gesture recognition, fall detection, breathing rate detection, and other applications. The sensing space may refer to any physical space in which the WLAN sensing system may operate and may include a place of abode, a place of work, a shopping mall, a sports hall or sports stadium, a garden, or any other physical space.

[0278] FIG. 16 depicts an exemplary Multi-Link device (MLD) 1600. MLD 1600 may comprise AP MLD 1602 or non-AP MLD 1604. MLD 1600 may be an Enhanced Multi -Link Single Radio (EMLSR) or an Enhanced Multi-Link Multiple Radio (EMLMR), according to some embodiments.

[0279] MLD 1600 is a networking device capable of establishing and managing one or more communication links with another networking device, which may itself be an MLD. Further, the one or more communication links may be used to improve performance by increasing data throughput, and selecting an optimal link (for example, lowest traffic loading) at a given time. Further, non-AP MLD 1604 may include one or more non-AP STAs, each operating at a different frequency and / or in a different frequency band. Further, each non-AP STA may be associated with a different wireless link. It is to be noted that, the term AP is used to refer to a network node that is an access point, and the term STA is used to refer to a network node that is not an access point, throughout the disclosure.

[0280] Referring to FIG. 16 in detail, MLD 1600 may comprise an AP MLD (such as AP MLD 1602) or a non-AP MLD (such as non-AP MLD 1604). Further, AP MLD 1602 may include two APs such as AP 1602 A and AP 1602B. Each of APs 1602A and 1602B may operate on a different frequency (or in a different frequency band) and / or with a different channelbandwidth. For example, AP 1602A may operate in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, and AP 1602B may operate in the 5 GHz frequency band. Similarly, non-AP MLD 1604 may include STA 1604A and STA 1604B. In an example, STA 1604A may have an established wireless link 1606 with AP 1602A, and STA 1604B may have an established wireless link 1608 with AP 1602B.

[0281] In some embodiments, non-AP MLD 1604 is an EMLSR MLD. This may facilitate non-AP MLD 1604 with multiple receive wireless links 1606 and 1608 to communicate on one or more EMLSR links when the corresponding STAs within non-AP MLD 1604 are in the awake state. The EMLSR links are a specified set of enabled links between non-AP MLD 1604 and its associated AP MLD 1602 on which the EMLSR mode is applied. Further, EMLSR mode allows dynamic and coordinated switching between wireless links 1606 and 1608. However, simultaneous operation on multiple links by an EMLSR-capable non-AP MLD 1604 is not supported. In an example, if non-AP MLD 1604 is an EMLSR MLD (with a single radio), then non-AP MLD 1604 cannot operate concurrently on wireless link 1606 and on wireless link 1608. Further, non-AP MLD 1604 can dynamically select between operation on wireless link 1606 or on wireless link 1608.

[0282] In some embodiments, non-AP MLD 1604 is an EMLMR MLD. This may facilitate non-AP MLD 1604 with multiple radios on multiple wireless links 1606 and 1608 to communicate on a set of links between non-AP MLD 1604 and its associated AP MLD 1602. The EMLMR links are a specified set of enabled links between non-AP MLD 1604 and its associated AP MLD 1602 on which the EMLMR mode is applied. Further, EMLMR mode allows dynamic and coordinated switching between wireless links 1606 and 1608. However, unlike for EMLSR, simultaneous operation on multiple links is supported by an EMLMR- capable non-AP MLD 1604. In an example, if non-AP MLD 1604 is an EMLMR MLD (with multiple radios), then non-AP MLD 1604 can operate concurrently on both wireless link 1606 and wireless link 1608 at the same time.

[0283] FIG. 17 depicts exemplary Basic Service Set (BSS) 1700, according to some embodiments. BSS 1700 may include an AP device, and multiple client devices. In an embodiment, the multiple client devices may communicate with the AP on different frequency channels. In an example, a client device may be a networking device, or a non-AP STA with a sensing application (also known as a sensing agent or a sensing algorithm) pre-installed. In an embodiment, the AP device may be a device that has a Backhaul STA module for backhaul link connection and a Fronthaul AP module for fronthaul link connection. In an embodiment, the client device may support multiple frequency channels and may communicate with the APdevice for data transmission on a single frequency channel of the multiple frequency channels. In an embodiment, the client device may communicate with another client device for sensing transmissions on a different frequency channel of the multiple frequency channels. However, the client device may also be an ordinary device capable of operating on a single frequency channel at a time. In an example, BSS 1700 may include an AP device and one or more STAs associated with the AP device. Each STA may have one or more established wireless communication links with the AP device, over which packets or PPDUs may be transmitted in either direction. A wireless communication link (or comm link) may carry PPDUs containing data frames, management frames, and / or control frames or any other type of wireless signal.

[0284] Referring to FIG. 17 in detail, BSS 1700 may include AP device 1702, first STA 1704, second STA 1706, third STA 1708, fourth STA 1710, fifth STA 1712, and sixth STA 1714. Each STA 1704, 1706, 1708, 1710, 1712 and 1714 may communicate with AP device 1702 via multiple data links. In an example, first STA 1704 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via first data link 1716. Further, second STA 1706 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via second data link 1718, and third STA 1708 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via third data link 1720. Further, fourth STA 1710 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via fourth data link 1722, fifth STA 1712 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via fifth data link 1724, and sixth STA 1714 may be communicatively coupled with AP device 1702 via sixth data link 1726. In an embodiment, first data link 1716, second data link 1718, third data link 1720, fourth data link 1722, fifth data link 1724, and sixth data link 1726 may be on a common frequency channel (e.g., Frequency Channel 11). Furthermore, AP device 1702 may receive information about or from client devices in BSS 1700. Further, a movement or motion may occur within the coverage area of BSS 1700. Such a movement needs to be detected by one or more wireless sensing links between AP device 1702 and one or more STAs 1704, 1706, 1708, 1710, 1712, 1714 participating in BSS 1700.

[0285] Referring to FIG. 17 in detail, in BSS 1700, AP device 1702 and the STAs (one or more of STAs 1704, 1706, 1708, 1710, 1712, and 1714) in BSS 1700 may support sensing. To detect motion in a sensing space, it may be helpful to sense between STAs that support sensing. For example, in FIG. 17, it may be advantageous to perform sensing to detect the motion (e.g., motion of an object 1728) to provide a more comprehensive analysis of motion in the sensing space. Details on the system and method for off-channel sensing measurements by non-AP STAs are explained in further paragraphs using FIG. 18 to FIG. 32.

[0286] FIG. 18 depicts an example of subchannels 1800 (or segments 1800) as a function of subchannel (or segment) bandwidth and operating channel bandwidth, according to some embodiments. The operating channel bandwidth may correspond to a total bandwidth allocated for communication within a BSS. The operating channel bandwidth may be, but is not limited to, 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz. Further, the operating channel bandwidth of a channel frequency, and the position of the primary 20 MHz channel within the defined total operating channel bandwidth may correspond to a channel information for a particular BSS. Further, the channel frequency may specify a center frequency of the operating channel. In an example, the channel frequency may specify the center frequency of the primary 20 MHz channel, or some other defined frequency value that allows the position of the defined operating channel within the radio frequency (RF) spectrum to be determined. Further, subchannels 1800 may refer to smaller frequency bands within the operating channel bandwidth. In an example, subchannels 1800 may be narrowband subchannels to allow efficient and resilient data transmission.

[0287] Referring to FIG. 18 in detail, segments 1800 of different segment bandwidths may be indexed within multiple different operating channel bandwidths. Further, segments 1800 may be indexed for operating channel bandwidths of up to 320 MHz. Segments 1800 for a segment bandwidth of 20 MHz may be indexed as, in a total bandwidth of 320 MHz, segment 0, segment 1, segment 2, segment 3, segment 4, segment 5, segment 6, segment 7, segment 8, segment 9, segment 10, segment 11, segment 12, segment 13, segment 14, and segment 15. The segments for a segment bandwidth of 40 MHz may be indexed as, in a total bandwidth of 320 MHz, segment 0, segment 1, segment 2, segment 3, segment 4, segment 5, segment 6 and segment 7. Further, the segments for a segment bandwidth of 80 MHz may be indexed as, in a total bandwidth of 320 MHz, segment 0, segment 1, segment 2 and segment 3. Similarly, the segments for a segment bandwidth of 160 MHz may be indexed as, in a total bandwidth of 320 MHz, segment 0 and segment 1. Further, the segments for a segment bandwidth of 320 MHz may be indexed, in a total bandwidth of 320 MHz, as segment 0. In an example, segment 0 in the “160 MHz segments” row may represent a 160 MHz operating channel. 160 MHz segment 0 may include two 80 MHz segments or subchannels (indexed 0 and 1), four 40 MHz segments or subchannels (indexed 0, 1, 2, and 3), and eight 20 MHz segments or subchannels (indexed 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) within that 160 MHz operating channel.

[0288] Further, the indexed subchannels may include a primary channel and a secondary channel for each possible subchannel bandwidth. The primary channel for a particular subchannel bandwidth may correspond to a communication channel over which actual datatransmission takes place. Further, the primary channel for a particular subchannel bandwidth is used for sending and receiving data between a transmitter and a receiver. The primary channel for a particular subchannel bandwidth is the focus of the communication system and is crucial for ensuring the reliable transmission of data.

[0289] In an example, the primary 20 MHz channel may be defined by providing the index of the appropriate 20 MHz segment or subchannel within the operating channel. Further, an example primary 20 MHz channel within an example 160 MHz operating channel may be the 20 MHz subchannel with an index of 4. In some embodiments, the position of the primary 20 MHz channel within the defined operating channel may be specified as a relative index of the selected 20 MHz subchannel in the set of 20 MHz subchannels within the operating channel. In an example, a number of subchannels of a specified bandwidth as a function of the defined operating channel bandwidth is shown in Table 1, which is reproduced below.

[0290] In an example, the 80+80 MHz channel bandwidth includes two non-contiguous (in frequency) or non-adjacent 80 MHz channel segments. Conversely, a 160 MHz channel bandwidth includes two contiguous (in frequency) or adjacent 80 MHz channel segments.

[0291] In some embodiments, the primary channels of subchannel bandwidths greater than or equal to 40 MHz and the secondary channels are defined as a function of the operating channel bandwidth and the position (index) of the primary 20 MHz channel. The primary and secondary channel definitions are shown in Table 2, which is reproduced below and is to be interpreted in conjunction with the segments or subchannels shown in FIG. 18.

[0292] In an example, the primary and secondary channels can be derived using Error! Reference source not found.Table 2 and Error! Reference source not found. Figure 18. Further, the check marks in Error! Reference source not found.Table 2 indicate whether the corresponding primary or secondary channel exists or is applicable for the indicated operating channel bandwidth. For example, an 80 MHz operating channel only has a primary 20 MHz channel, a secondary 20 MHz channel, a primary 40 MHz channel, and a secondary 40 MHzchannel. Further, the 80 MHz operating channel cannot have primary and secondary channels of 80 MHz or greater.

[0293] In an example, the operating channel bandwidth may be 160 MHz and the primary 20 MHz channel may be configured as subchannel 4 in the “20 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18. The remaining primary and secondary channels of the example can be immediately derived using Table 2 and FIG. 18. The primary 80 MHz channel corresponds to subchannel 1 in the “80 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18, since this 80 MHz subchannel contains the primary 20 MHz channel (subchannel 4 in the “20 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18). The secondary 80 MHz channel is therefore subchannel 0 in the “80 MHz” segments row of FIG. 18. The primary 80 MHz channel comprises the primary 40 MHz channel (subchannel 2 in the “40 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18) and the secondary 40 MHz channel (subchannel 3 in the “40 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18). The primary 40 MHz channel comprises the primary 20 MHz channel (already configured as subchannel 4 in the “20 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18) and the secondary 20 MHz channel (subchannel 5 in the “20 MHz segments” row of FIG. 18).

[0294] FIG. 19 depicts examples of off-channel sensing measurement configurations 1900 for a BSS with a 160 MHz operating channel 1902, according to some embodiments. The off- channel sensing measurement refers to detection and analysis of communication that happens outside at least one of the primary channels. Off-channel sensing measurement configurations 1900 may depict allocation of the wireless channel(s) and bandwidth(s) for off-channel sensing measurements. In an embodiment, accuracy and ability to detect motion(s) within a sensing space may be enhanced if less interfering traffic (e.g., data frames, management frames, control frames, or any other packet transmissions) is present. Further, a lower level or rate of interference may permit sensing measurements to be made more frequently, more regularly, with fewer possible packet collisions, and / or with greater accuracy. Therefore, the resulting off-channel sensing measurements may facilitate more accurate conclusions or higher- resolution models to be obtained by downstream applications that consume sensing measurement data as an input. In an example, the AP device may instruct a set of one or more STAs to conduct the off-channel sensing measurement session in a portion of the RF spectrum including lower incidence of interfering packet traffic. Such a portion or region of the RF spectrum may be referred to as an off-channel region. For example, in operation, a STA may only be able to access the primary 160 MHz channel of the BSS, and thus the secondary 160 MHz channel of the BSS may represent an off-channel region for that STA.

[0295] Further, the BSS with 160 MHz operating channel 1902 may include relative positionings of the various primary and secondary channels. The example off-channel portionsand bandwidths shown in FIG. 19 are illustrative only and are not meant to be limiting. For instance, the off-channel portions and bandwidths may be extended to a 320 MHz operating channel bandwidth. In an example, the AP may operate with a 320 MHz operating channel and a STA (for example, a sensing responder) may support a maximum bandwidth of 160 MHz.

[0296] Referring to FIG. 19 in detail, 160 MHz operating channel 1902 includes primary 20 MHz channel 1904A and secondary 20 MHz channel 1904B. Further, the 160 MHz operating channel 1902 includes primary 40 MHz channel 1906A and secondary 40 MHz channel 1906B. Further, the 160 MHz operating channel 1902 includes primary 80 MHz channel 1908A and secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B.

[0297] Referring to FIG. 19 in detail, sensing channel 1910 occupies the secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B, sensing channel 1912 occupies the upper 40 MHz of the secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B, sensing channel 1914 occupies the secondary 40 MHz channel 1906B and the lower 40 MHz of the secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B, and sensing channel 1916 occupies the combined secondary 40 MHz channel 1906B and secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B. It is to be noted that the term off-channel and sensing channel are used interchangeably throughout this disclosure.

[0298] FIG. 20 depicts further examples of off-channel measurement configurations 2000 for a BSS with a 160 MHz operating channel, according to some embodiments. In an example, the AP may operate with a 320 MHz channel and an STA (for example, a sensing responder) may support a maximum bandwidth of 160 MHz. In an example, the off-channel region may correspond to a portion of the RF spectrum that does not overlap with at least one of the primary channels of a BSS (e.g., primary 20 MHz channel, primary 40 MHz channel, primary 80 MHz channel, primary 160 MHz channel). In another example, the off-channel region may correspond to a portion of the RF spectrum that fully overlaps or partially overlaps the operating channel of the BSS. This may not normally be accessible by the sensing responder associated with that BSS.

[0299] Referring to FIG. 20 in detail, Error! Reference source not found.the BSS is configured with 160 MHz operating channel 2002A that occupies the leftmost (lower frequency) 160 MHz segment of the total 320 MHz bandwidth 2004 of the RF spectrum that is shown. 320 MHz bandwidth 2004 includes 160 MHz operating channel 2002A and adjacent 160 MHz channel 2002B). Further, 160 MHz operating channel 2002A includes primary 40 MHz channel 2006A and secondary 40 MHz channel 2006B. Further, 160 MHz operating channel 2002A includes primary 80 MHz channel 2008A and secondary 80 MHz channel2008B. The primary 20 MHz channel and secondary 20 MHz channel of the BSS are not shown in FIG. 20.

[0300] Referring to FIG. 20 in detail, sensing channel 2010 has a channel bandwidth of 80 MHz and occupies secondary 80 MHz channel 2008B of the BSS. This may fully overlap 160 MHz portion 2002A of the RF spectrum that is used by the BSS for its operating channel. Further, sensing channel 2012 also has a channel bandwidth of 80 MHz which partially overlaps 160 MHz portion 2002A of the RF spectrum that is used by the BSS for its operating channel. In this example, the lower 40 MHz portion of sensing channel 2012 overlaps with the uppermost 40 MHz portion of the BSS’s 160 MHz operating channel 2002A (that is also the uppermost 40 MHz portion of secondary 80 MHz channel 2008B). Further, sensing channel 2014 also has a channel bandwidth of 80 MHz. However, sensing channel 2014 lies above the RF spectrum portion corresponding to the BSS’s 160 MHz operating channel 2002A. Sensing channel 2014 does not overlap 160 MHz operating channel 2002 A of the RF spectrum that is used by the BSS for its operating channel.

[0301] FIG. 21 depicts an example of a bandwidth-reduced transmission 2100, according to some embodiments. Bandwidth-reduced transmission 2100 or bandwidth-downgraded transmission includes an example operating channel bandwidth of a BSS of 160 MHz. Further, bandwidth-reduced transmission 2100 or the bandwidth-downgraded transmission refers to process of reducing a bandwidth of a PPDU transmitted within the operating channel bandwidth of the BSS. Such a bandwidth reduction may be done to adapt to network conditions such as interference.

[0302] Referring to FIG. 21 in detail, bandwidth-reduced transmission 2100 includes downgraded transmission 2102, interference 2104, and wasted spectrum 2106. Bandwidth- reduced transmission 2100 may only make use of a primary BSS channel (e.g., the primary 20 MHz, primary 40 MHz, primary 80 MHz, or primary 160 MHz channel). In this example, downgraded transmission 2102 occupies the primary 40 MHz channel, with the remaining 120 MHz of the operating channel (comprising the secondary 40 MHz channel and the secondary 80 MHz channel) essentially being wasted. Further, interference 2104 exists in the secondary 40 MHz channel, and the secondary 80 MHz channel that is not affected by interference 2104 corresponds to wasted spectrum 2106 that is not used for data transmission.

[0303] FIG. 22 depicts an example 2200 of a punctured transmission, according to some embodiments. The punctured transmission does not transmit data within a certain frequency portion or subchannel of an overall PPDU in order to, for example, mitigate the effects of interference from other sources or to reduce the interference that might be caused to otherdevices by the transmission of the PPDU. Further, the puncturing reduces the net available data transmission bandwidth, but yields a better spectrum utilization efficiency than would be obtained from a simple bandwidth reduction or bandwidth downgrade. In an example, puncturing is defined for the 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands but not the 2.4 GHz band, due to the limited channel bandwidths available in that frequency band. For example, 20 MHz puncturing is achieved by puncturing (not transmitting any data in) a 242 -tone MRU (Multiple Resource Unit) (which has an effective bandwidth of 20 MHz), 40 MHz puncturing is achieved by puncturing a 484-tone MRU (which has an effective bandwidth of 40 MHz), and 80 MHz puncturing is achieved by puncturing a 996-tone MRU (which has an effective bandwidth of 80 MHz).

[0304] In an example, the available puncturing patterns for the EHT (Extremely High Throughput) sounding NDP are shown in Table 3, which is reproduced below.

[0305] Referring to FIG. 22 in detail, punctured transmission 2200 of a PPDU includes an example operating channel bandwidth of the BSS of 160 MHz. Further, transmission portion 2202 of the PPDU occupies the primary 40 MHz channel, and transmission portion 2204 of the PPDU occupies the secondary 80 MHz channel with puncturing applied to the transmission instead of bandwidth reduction. As shown, the 40 MHz channel including interference 2206 has been punctured so that no data transmission occurs in that 40 MHz channel, but transmission portions 2202 and 2204 of the PPDU are able to occupy the primary 40 MHz channel and the secondary 80 MHz channel, respectively. Therefore, a total of 120 MHz of bandwidth may be utilized for PPDU transmission. This is a much more efficient use of the available operating channel spectrum than is the case for the bandwidth-reduced transmission 2100 shown FIG. 21 where transmission 2102 only utilizes the primary 40 MHz channel of the total 160 MHz operating channel bandwidth. The spectrum utilization efficiency discrepancy tends to become larger (and thus more of an issue) as the operating channel bandwidth increases.

[0306] In an embodiment, the available puncturing patterns for the EHT sounding PPDU may achieve the off-channel sensing measurement transmissions. For example, a PPDU bandwidth of 80 MHz may have the primary 20 MHz channel punctured to permit off-channel sensing measurements in the secondary 20 MHz channel and the secondary 40 MHz channel. In an example, a PPDU bandwidth of 160 MHz may have the primary 20 MHz channel punctured to permit off-channel sensing measurements in the secondary 20 MHz channel, the secondary 40 MHz channel, and the secondary 80 MHz channel. In another example a PPDU bandwidth of 160 MHz may have the primary 40 MHz channel punctured to permit off-channel sensing measurements in the secondary 40 MHz channel and the secondary 80 MHz channel. This may be illustratively shown as a punctured PPDU transmission on sensing channel 1916 in FIG. 19, where the operating channel bandwidth 1902 of the BSS is 160 MHz, 1906A represents the primary 40 MHz channel, 1906B represents the secondary 40 MHz channel, and 1908B represents the secondary 80 MHz channel. Sensing channel 1916 exactly aligns with the amalgamation of secondary 40 MHz channel 1906B and secondary 80 MHz channel 1908B. In yet another example, a PPDU bandwidth of 320 MHz may have the primary 40 MHz channel punctured to permit off-channel sensing measurements in the secondary 40 MHz channel, the secondary 80 MHz channel, and the secondary 160 MHz channel. Further, a PPDU bandwidth of 320 MHz may have the primary 80 MHz channel punctured to permit off-channel sensing measurements in the secondary 80 MHz channel and the secondary 160 MHz channel.

[0307] FIG. 23 depicts an example 2300 of an off-channel sensing transmission punctured to reduce interference impact on at least one neighboring BSS, according to some embodiments. The neighboring BSS includes first BSS operating channel 2302, and second BSS operating channel 2304. In an embodiment, first BSS operating channel 2302 may be configured with a greater operating channel bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz) than for one or more neighboring BSSs that may be configured with a narrower operating channel bandwidth (for example, second BSS operating channel 2304). Further, second BSS operating channel 2304 may be positioned within the wider first BSS operating channel 2302. The neighboring second BSS may be configured with a center channel frequency such that at least some of the neighboring second BSS’s operating channel 2304 may overlap with the first BSS operating channel 2302. In an example at least some frequency portion of first BSS operating channel 2302 may overlap with at least some frequency portion of the neighboring second BSS’s operating channel 2304, thereby causing interference therewith. Further, subchannel puncturing may be used to have sensing responders conduct off-channel sensing transmissions within first BSS operating channel 2302, using a frequency portion that is currently free, unoccupied, without interference, or with minimal interference from other BSSs.

[0308] Referring to FIG. 23 in detail, an example includes first BSS operating channel 2302 having an operating channel bandwidth of 320 MHz and second BSS operating channel 2304 having an operating channel bandwidth of 80 MHz. Further, first BSS operating channel 2302 and second BSS operating channel 2304 include various primary and secondary channels. First BSS operating channel 2302 may represent the BSS of interest (i.e., the BSS that includes the sensing initiator for the off-channel measurement session). Further, second BSS operating channel 2304 may be a known neighbor BSS. Further, second BSS operating channel 2304 may occupy the same RF spectrum as the lower 80 MHz portion of secondary 160 MHz channel 2306B of first BSS operating channel 2302.

[0309] Referring to FIG. 23 in detail, first BSS operating channel 2302 includes primary 40 MHz channel 2308A, secondary 40 MHz channel 2308B, primary 80 MHz channel 2310A, secondary 80 MHz channel 2310B, primary 160 MHz channel 2306A, and secondary 160 MHz channel 2306B. Further, the primary and secondary 20 MHz channels of first BSS operating channel 2302 are not shown in the diagram, but together those two 20 MHz channels may constitute primary 40 MHz channel 2308A of first BSS operating channel 2302. Further, second BSS operating channel 2304 includes primary 40 MHz channel 2312A, and secondary 40 MHz channel 2312B. Similarly to first BSS operating channel 2302, the primary and secondary 20 MHz channels of second BSS operating channel 2304 are not shown in thediagram, but together those two 20 MHz channels may constitute primary 40 MHz channel 2312A of second BSS operating channel 2304.

[0310] Referring to FIG. 23 in detail, in secondary 160 MHz channel 2306B of first BSS operating channel 2302, 160 MHz EHT sounding NDP 2316 may be used for off-channel sensing measurements. Further, the 40 MHz portion of the 160 MHz EHT sounding NDP 2316 that corresponds to primary 40 MHz channel 2312A of second BSS operating channel 2304 may be punctured 2314, thereby reducing the interference impact of the sensing transmission on wireless transmissions within second BSS operating channel 2304. In an example, primary 40 MHz channel 2312A of second BSS operating channel 2304 may include the primary 20 MHz channel of second BSS operating channel 2304.

[0311] FIG. 24 depicts an example of temporary off-channel primary and secondary channels 2400, according to some embodiments. The one or more STAs (or off-channel sensing responders) may be temporarily reconfigured to use different portions of the operating channel of the BSS as the primary channels for wireless communication. Further, the one or more STAs may be configured to temporarily treat one of the secondary channels of the BSS as the corresponding primary channel of the same bandwidth. This temporary off-channel “primary” channel may be configured to subdivide into temporary off-channel primary and secondary channels of narrower bandwidths. For example, an off-channel sensing responder may be instructed to regard the secondary 80 MHz channel of a 160 MHz BSS as a temporary off- channel “primary” 80 MHz channel. Further, a temporary off-channel “primary” 20 MHz channel may be designated within that temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel. This may determine the configurations of the temporary off-channel secondary 20 MHz channel, the temporary off-channel primary 40 MHz channel, and the temporary off-channel secondary 40 MHz channel. Further, the temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel may be explicitly configured via the index of a particular 20 MHz subchannel within the operating channel bandwidth of the BSS. In an example, the temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel may be implicitly configured by using the same relative position within the temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel (that may represent the same frequency portion as is represented by the actual secondary 80 MHz channel of the BSS). Further, the temporary off- channel primary 20 MHz channel may be configured to occupy the same relative frequency position within the temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel as for the actual primary 20 MHz channel within the actual primary 80 MHz channel.

[0312] Referring to FIG. 24 in detail, a lower half (below a frequency axis) corresponds to 160 MHz operating channel 2402, and a top half (above the frequency axis) corresponds toa temporary “reconfiguration” for temporary off-channel primary and secondary channels. Further, 160 MHz operating channel 2402 includes primary 20 MHz channel 2404 A, secondary 20 MHz channel 2404B, primary 40 MHz channel 2406 A, secondary 40 MHz channel 2406B, primary 80 MHz channel 2408A, and secondary 80 MHz channel 2408B. Additionally, temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2410 includes temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2414A, temporary off-channel secondary 20 MHz channel 2414B, temporary off-channel primary 40 MHz channel 2412A, and temporary off-channel secondary 40 MHz channel 2412B.

[0313] In an example, secondary 80 MHz channel 2408B of the BSS may be considered to be the temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2410, in that secondary 80 MHz channel 2408B and temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2410 occupy the same frequency portion of 160 MHz operating channel 2402. Further, temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2414A may be selected to be the 20 MHz subchannel within the temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2410 with the same relative 20 MHz subchannel index as the actual primary 20 MHz channel 2404A within actual primary 80 MHz channel 2408A. Further, primary 20 MHz channel 2404A may be configured to be the lowest-frequency 20 MHz subchannel within the 160 MHz operating channel 2402. This may correspond to the lowest-frequency 20 MHz subchannel within primary 80 MHz channel 2408A. In this example, temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2414A may similarly be selected to be the lowest-frequency 20 MHz subchannel within temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2410. This is not meant to be limiting, and the temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel may also be selected to be any of the other 20 MHz subchannels within the temporary off- channel primary 80 MHz channel. In an embodiment, a positioning of temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2414A may automatically determine the positioning of temporary off-channel secondary 20 MHz channel 2414B, temporary off-channel primary 40 MHz channel 2412 A, and temporary off-channel secondary 40 MHz channel 2412B.

[0314] FIG. 25 depicts an example 2500 of transmission of regular Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) 2516 and sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518, according to some embodiments. Regular PPDU 2516 may represent typical data traffic or other typical frame transmissions that may include management frames or control frames. Further, regular PPDU 2516 may have a narrower (e.g., 20 MHz) or wider (e.g., 80 MHz) bandwidth than the 40 MHz bandwidth shown in FIG. 25. Sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518 may represent a sensing trigger message or trigger frame (e.g., SR2SI TF, SR2SR TF), an NDPA (or sensing announcement frame), or an NDP (e.g., a SR2SI NDP). Further, the bandwidth of sensingmeasurement-related PPDU 2518 may be different (e.g., greater) than the 20 MHz shown in FIG. 25. In an example, relative timings of regular PPDU 2516 and sensing measurement- related PPDU 2518 may be different. For example, regular PPDU 2516 and sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518 may completely overlap in time. In another example, regular PPDU 2516 and sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518 may partially overlap in time. In yet another example, regular PPDU 2516 and sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518 may not overlap in time at all.

[0315] In an embodiment, TFs and NDPAs may be transmitted over a wireless communication link. However, for an off-channel sensing measurement session, a sensing responder device may have temporarily dropped at least one of its wireless communication links and may have retuned the corresponding radio(s) to participate in the off-channel sensing measurement session. Further, the sensing responder device may be able to maintain a wireless communication link with the AP device while also performing sensing transmissions and / or sensing receptions in the off-channel region of the operating channel for the AP device. In an example, the AP device may be configured with a 160 MHz operating channel. Further, the sensing responder device may be able to simultaneously monitor the full 160 MHz operating channel, including both the primary 80 MHz channel (that may be used for data packet transmission and / or reception) and the secondary 80 MHz channel (that may be used for off- channel sensing measurements). In such an example, the sensing responder device may need to temporarily expand its operating channel bandwidth for the duration of the off-channel sensing measurement session. For example, the sensing responder device may normally be configured with an operating channel bandwidth of 80 MHz. This may allow the sensing responder to utilize the primary 20 MHz, primary 40 MHz, and primary 80 MHz channels of the BSS. The sensing responder device may temporarily expand its operating channel bandwidth to the full 160 MHz bandwidth of the operating channel of the BSS. This may allow the sensing responder to utilize the secondary 80 MHz channel for off-channel sensing measurement purposes.

[0316] In an example, the sensing responder device is an MLD that may be capable of maintaining multiple wireless communication links with an MLD AP. Such links may normally operate at different channel frequencies and / or in different frequency bands. In such an instance, an MLD sensing responder device may be able to receive TFs and / or NDPAs on a different link with the AP that may not have temporarily been dropped. In an example, the MLD sensing responder device may be able to retune one of its radios or receive chains to operate in the same frequency band, for example, the frequency band of the wirelesscommunication link with the AP device. In another example, the MLD may have two radios or receive chains operating with channel frequencies in close proximity with each other. Further, one radio may cover a primary channel of a BSS while the other radio covers an off-channel secondary channel of the same BSS. For example, the AP device may be configured with an operating channel bandwidth of 160 MHz. In another example, an MLD sensing responder device may be able to configure a first radio to operate in the primary 80 MHz channel of the corresponding BSS. This may allow the sensing responder to configure a second radio to operate in the secondary 80 MHz channel of the same BSS. Further, the second radio may be configured in this manner for the duration of an off-channel sensing measurement session.

[0317] Referring to FIG. 25 in detail, a lower half (below a frequency axis) corresponds to 160 MHz operating channel 2502, and a top half (above the frequency axis) corresponds to temporary “reconfiguration” for temporary off-channel primary and secondary channels. Further, 160 MHz operating channel 2502 includes primary 20 MHz channel 2504A, secondary 20 MHz channel 2504B, primary 40 MHz channel 2506 A, secondary 40 MHz channel 2506B, primary 80 MHz channel 2508A, and secondary 80 MHz channel 2508B. Additionally, temporary off-channel primary 80 MHz channel 2510 includes temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2514A, temporary off-channel secondary 20 MHz channel 2514B, temporary off-channel primary 40 MHz channel 2512A, and temporary off-channel secondary 40 MHz channel 2512B. Further, regular PPDU 2516 with a bandwidth of 40 MHz may be transmitted in primary 40 MHz channel 2506A of 160 MHz operating channel 2502, and sensing measurement-related PPDU 2518 may be transmitted in temporary off-channel primary 20 MHz channel 2514 A. In an example, the AP may be configured to transmit and / or receive normal traffic in its primary channel of a particular bandwidth, such as in primary 20 MHz channel 2504A, primary 40 MHz channel 2506 A, or primary 80 MHz channel 2508A. Further, the AP may be configured to transmit and / or receive off-channel sensing measurement-related PPDUs (that may include one or more of SR2SI TFs, SR2SR TFs, NDPs, and NDPAs) in at least a portion of the secondary channel of the same bandwidth or in some other off-channel portion of the RF spectrum, at the same time.

[0318] FIG. 26 depicts an example of off-channel sensing measurement links, according to some embodiments. BSS 2600 includes an AP device, one or more STAs operating within BSS 2600 coordinated by the AP device. In an example, the one or more STAs may be a networking device, a non-AP STA, or a STA with a sensing application (also known as a sensing agent or a sensing algorithm) pre-installed. In an embodiment, the AP device may be a device that has a Backhaul STA module for backhaul link connection and a Fronthaul APmodule for fronthaul link connection. In an embodiment, the one or more STAs may support multiple frequency channels and may communicate with the AP device for data transmission on a single frequency channel. In an embodiment, the one or more STAs may communicate with each other for sensing transmissions on a different frequency channel. However, the one or more STAs may also be an ordinary device capable of operating on a single frequency channel at a time. In an example, one or more STAs within BSS 2600 that may not be participating in an off-channel sensing measurement session may continue to use the normal primary channel organization of the BSS.

[0319] Referring to FIG. 26 in detail, BSS 2600 may include AP 2602, first STA 2604 second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, fifth STA 2612, and sixth STA 2614. Further, second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612 may be operating within BSS 2600 coordinated by AP 2602 and may be sensing responders. In an example, one or more of these four STAs may be designated as an off-channel sensing transmitter, and one or more of these four STAs may be designated as an off-channel sensing receiver. During a time period coordinated by AP 2602, second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612 may temporarily drop, discontinue, or suspend their regular wireless communication links with AP 2602. Thereafter, the frequency and / or bandwidth used by their radios may be adjusted to temporarily set up off-channel sensing links (SL) between second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612 to sense any motion (e.g., motion of object 2632 within BSS 2600) that may be present. Within this time period, a sensing responder STA (e.g., second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612) may be an off-channel sensing transmitter, may be an off- channel sensing receiver, or may fulfill both of these roles at different points in time. In an embodiment, a sensing link may refer to a link that traverses a sensing area of interest between two networking devices in a Wi-Fi network.

[0320] In an embodiment, first communication link 2616 may be established between first STA 2604 and AP 2602. Further, second communication link 2618 may be established between sixth STA 2614 and AP 2602.

[0321] A particular sensing link may be established between the two STAs that act as the off-channel sensing transmitter and off-channel sensing receiver for that particular sensing link. For example, SL 2620 refers to the sensing link between second STA 2606 and third STA 2608. For SL 2620, second STA 2606 may be the off-channel sensing transmitter and third STA 2608 may be the off-channel sensing receiver, or third STA 2608 may be the off-channel sensing transmitter and second STA 2606 may be the off-channel sensing receiver. The rolesof the two STAs on a particular sensing link may vary with time (e.g., second STA 2606 may act as the off-channel sensing transmitter and may then become the off-channel sensing receiver).

[0322] More than two STAs may be involved in a particular sensing measurement. In an example, second STA 2606 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off- channel sensing receivers third STA 2608 over sensing link 2620, fourth STA 2610 over sensing link 2622, and fifth STA 2612 over sensing link 2624. In another example, third STA 2608 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers second STA 2606 over sensing link 2620, fourth STA 2610 over sensing link 2628, and fifth STA 2612 over sensing link 2626. In yet another example, fourth STA 2610 may act as an off- channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers second STA 2606 over sensing link 2622, third STA 2608 over sensing link 2628, and fifth STA 2612 over sensing link 2630. In a further example, fifth STA 2612 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers second STA 2606 over sensing link 2624, third STA 2608 over sensing link 2626, and fourth STA 2610 over sensing link 2630.

[0323] In an embodiment, each link between a sensing transmitter and a sensing receiver is termed a sensing link. The sensing link may be under the control of a higher-layer sensing algorithm on the sensing transmitter, the sensing receiver, and / or a separate sensing initiator device. The sensing transmitter or sensing receiver may also act as the sensing initiator. Any of these three entities may be a STA or an AP. A particular node may act as a sensing transmitter at one point in time and as a sensing receiver at another point in time.

[0324] Following the end of the sensing measurement session, second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612 may resume their normal wireless communication links with AP 2602 and may return to previous channel configurations. Sensing measurements collected by the off-channel sensing receivers (one or more of second STA 2606, third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612) may then be sent to the sensing initiator (AP 2602) and / or to some additional client device(s).

[0325] In an embodiment, an off-channel sensing responder assumes the usual coordinating role of the sensing initiator. Such a device may be termed as an off-channel sensing controller. Instead of the sensing initiator or the AP coordinating an off-channel sensing measurement session via TF and / or NDPA transmissions, an off-channel sensing controller may assume this responsibility. TF and / or NDPA transmissions may be made in the configured off-channel portion of the RF spectrum and may be received by other off-channel sensing responder(s), that may then take appropriate action in response to reception of the TFand / or NDPA transmissions. In an example, second STA 2606 may assume the role of an off- channel sensing controller and may transmit TFs, NDPAs, and NDPs as applicable to other off- channel sensing responder(s) that may include one or more of third STA 2608, fourth STA 2610, and fifth STA 2612. At the end of the off-channel sensing measurement session, sensing measurement report(s) may be sent to the sensing initiator (that may be AP 2602) and / or to the off-channel sensing controller (second STA 2606).

[0326] In an embodiment, there are at least three different types of off-channel sensing links that may be formed depending upon which participating device(s) are configured as sensing transmitter(s) and which participating device(s) are configured as sensing receivers. A participating device may include one or more sensing responder devices (STAs) and may also include the sensing initiator device (which may be an AP device). During an off-channel sensing measurement session, a participating device may act as a sensing transmitter, a sensing receiver, or both the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver (possibly during different time intervals in the sensing measurement session).

[0327] In an example, sensing responder device to sensing initiator device (SR2SI) sensing may form an off-channel sensing link in the uplink direction (i.e., from AP to STA). Further, the one or more sensing responder devices (STAs) may act as off-channel sensing transmitter(s) and the sensing initiator may act as an off-channel sensing receiver. In an example, relevant channels or puncturing information may be signaled in the SR2SI Trigger Frame (TF) that triggers off-channel sensing transmissions by the sensing responder devices.

[0328] In another example, sensing initiator device to sensing responder device (SI2SR) sensing may form an off-channel sensing link in the downlink direction (i.e., STA to AP). Further, the one or more sensing responder devices (STAs) may act as off-channel sensing receiver(s) and the sensing initiator may act as the off-channel sensing transmitter. In an example, relevant channels or puncturing information may be signaled in the Null Data PPDU Announcement (NDPA) that announces subsequent off-channel sensing transmissions by the sensing initiator device.

[0329] In another example, sensing responder device to sensing responder device (SR2SR) sensing may form an off-channel sensing link. Further, the one or more sensing responders (STAs) may act as off-channel sensing transmitter(s), and one or more sensing responders (STAs) may act as off-channel sensing receiver(s). The sensing initiator device may additionally act as an off-channel sensing receiver. In an example, relevant channels or puncturing information may be signaled in the SR2SR Trigger Frame that triggers off-channel sensing transmissions by the sensing responder STAs.

[0330] FIG. 27 depicts another example of off-channel sensing measurement links, according to some other embodiments. BSS 2700 includes an AP device and one or more STAs operating within BSS 2700 coordinated by the AP device. In an example, the one or more STAs may be a networking device, a non-AP STA, or a STA with a sensing application (also known as a sensing agent or a sensing algorithm) pre-installed. In an embodiment, the AP device may be a device that has a Backhaul STA module for backhaul link connection and a Fronthaul AP module for fronthaul link connection. In an embodiment, the one or more STAs may support multiple frequency channels and may communicate with the AP device for data transmission on a single frequency channel. In an embodiment, the one or more STAs may communicate with each other for sensing transmissions on a different frequency channel. However, the one or more STAs may also be an ordinary device capable of operating on a single frequency channel at a time.

[0331] Referring to FIG. 27 in detail, BSS 2700 may include AP 2702, first STA 2704 second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, fifth STA 2712, and sixth STA 2714. In an embodiment, sensing links (SL) may be established between two or more of AP 2702, first STA 2704, second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, fifth STA 2712, and sixth STA 2714 to sense any motion that may be present (e.g., motion of object 2716 within BSS 2700). Further, second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, and fifth STA 2712 may be operating within BSS 2700 coordinated by AP 2702 and may be sensing responders. Further, AP 2702 may be a sensing initiator that may also participate as an off-channel sensing transmitter and / or an off-channel sensing receiver. AP 2702 may know which subchannels or resource units (RUs) are being used within the overall BSS bandwidth and may therefore be able to conduct sensing transmissions and / or sensing receptions in off-channel bandwidth, while still maintaining wireless communication links to the other non-participating STAs (first STA 2704 and sixth STA 2714).

[0332] In an embodiment, first communication link 2718 may be established between first STA 2704 and AP 2702. Further, a second communication link 2720 may be established between sixth STA 2714 and AP 2702.

[0333] Sensing responder to sensing responder (SR2SR) sensing may include sensing links between two or more of second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, and fifth STA 2712. In an example, second STA 2706 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers third STA 2708 over sensing link 2724, fourth STA 2710 over sensing link 2726, and fifth STA 2712 over sensing link 2728. In another example, third STA 2708 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channelsensing receivers second STA 2706 over sensing link 2724, fourth STA 2710 over sensing link 2732, and fifth STA 2712 over sensing link 2734. In yet another example, fourth STA 2710 may act as an off-channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers second STA 2706 over sensing link 2726, third STA 2708 over sensing link 2732, and fifth STA 2712 over sensing link 2738. In a further example, fifth STA 2712 may act as an off- channel sensing transmitter to one or more off-channel sensing receivers second STA 2706 over sensing link 2728, third STA 2708 over sensing link 2734, and fourth STA 2710 over sensing link 2738.

[0334] Further, sensing responder to sensing initiator (SR2SI) sensing in the uplink direction may include one or more of sensing link 2722, sensing link 2730, sensing link 2740, and sensing link 2736, with second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, and fifth STA 2712, respectively, being the corresponding off-channel sensing transmitters, and AP 2702 being an off-channel sensing receiver.

[0335] In an example, sensing initiator to sensing responder (SI2SR) sensing in the downlink direction may include sensing link 2722, sensing link 2730, sensing link 2740, and sensing link 2736 with AP 2702 being an off-channel sensing transmitter, and second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, and fifth STA 2712, respectively, being the corresponding off-channel sensing receivers.

[0336] FIG. 28 depicts set of operations 2800 for performing an off-channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments. In an implementation, set of operations 2800 may be carried out by a sensing initiator device (for example, AP device 506 or a STA that instructs the AP device via Sensing by Proxy (SBP)).

[0337] In a brief overview of an implementation of set of operations 2800, at step 2802, an appropriate networking device may be determined for participating in an off-channel sensing measurement session. At step 2804, a sensing measurement configuration may be determined and transmitted to the networking device. Furthermore, at step 2806, the off- channel sensing measurement session may be initiated, using the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum. At step 2808, the off-channel sensing measurement session may be concluded.

[0338] Step 2802 includes determining the first networking device for participating in the off-channel sensing measurement session. According to some implementations, AP device 506 (the sensing initiator device) may be configured to determine the first networking device (for example, client device 502) for participating in the off-channel sensing measurement session.In an example, the sensing initiator device may determine which sensing responder device may participate in the off-channel sensing measurement session.

[0339] In an embodiment, when a STA (for example, first STA 2704, second STA 2706, third STA 2708, fourth STA 2710, fifth STA 2712, or sixth STA 2714) associates with the AP device (for example, AP 2701), the STA typically communicates sensing capability information to the AP device via the transmitting antenna. The transmitting antenna may include a set of one or more parameters in a defined format. For example, the Sensing Capabilities element is defined in Section 9.4.2.330 of the IEEE 802.1 lbf_D4.0 specification. Further, the Sensing Capabilities element includes fields that are used to advertise optional sensing capabilities and sensing operation information. Further, a STA that is a sensing responder for an off-channel sensing measurement session may need to have previously communicated its relevant off-channel sensing capability information to the associated AP device via one or more relevant transmitting antennas. Examples of the sensing capability information that may be relevant to off-channel sensing measurements may include, but is not necessarily limited to, one or more indications that the STA is capable of participating in off- channel sensing measurement sessions as a sensing transmitter, as a sensing receiver, or in either role. Examples of the sensing capability information that may be relevant to off-channel sensing measurements may further include the frequency bands and / or channel frequencies that the STA can use for off-channel sensing measurements, and the channel bandwidths and / or maximum channel bandwidth that the STA can use for off-channel sensing measurements. Further, if the STA is an MLD, the sensing capability information may also include the number of links that the STA can use concurrently for off-channel sensing measurements.

[0340] Step 2804 includes determining a sensing measurement configuration and transmitting the sensing measurement configuration to the networking device. According to some implementations, the sensing initiator device (which may be AP device 506) may determine an appropriate sensing measurement configuration for the off-channel sensing measurement session. Further, the sensing initiator device may send the sensing measurement configuration to the participating sensing responder devices (optionally through AP device 506 if using SBP). The sensing responder devices may include one or more client devices 502, 504- (1-N). In an example, the sensing initiator device may determine the sensing measurement configuration and transmit the sensing measurement configuration to the selected sensing responder device(s). The sensing measurement configuration may be based, at least in part, on at least one of the sensing capability information of the selected sensing responder device(s),the channel configuration of the AP device in the BSS, and any known neighbor BSS information.

[0341] Further, the sensing measurement configuration may include, but may not be limited to, sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a BSS of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring BSS information. In an example, the one or more sensing responder devices (STA(s)) may provide relevant sensing capability information to the sensing initiator device. Such capability information may include an indication as to whether the sensing responder device can perform off-channel sensing measurements, as well as related parameters (e.g., maximum channel bandwidth that can be handled).

[0342] In an example, the sensing measurement configuration may include information such as, but not limited to, a frequency and bandwidth in which the off-channel sensing measurements may be conducted. Further, the sensing measurement configuration may include information such as, but not limited, to sensing responder device(s) that may be acting as sensing transmitter(s) and sensing responder device(s) that may be acting as sensing receiver(s). In an example, the sensing measurement configuration may be transmitted from the sensing initiator device via a transmitting antenna.

[0343] In an embodiment, the sensing initiator device may be responsible for creating an appropriate sensing measurement configuration for an off-channel sensing measurement session. Further, the sensing initiator device may coordinate the activities of the sensing responder devices that participate in the off-channel sensing measurement session(s). This may include, but is not limited to, determining and / or communicating one or more configuration parameters that may control the wireless channel (s) (e.g., frequency position, channel bandwidth(s), timing(s) (e.g., time window(s), time point(s) for sensing transmissions, etc.), and / or periodicity to be used for the sensing transmissions and measurements).

[0344] Further, the sensing initiator device may consider any neighbor reports, beacon frames, and / or probe responses that may have been received and / or any other information that may be known about nearby known BSSs, as part of the off-channel sensing measurement coordination. This may include information about frequency channels or bandwidths that may be in use in neighboring BSSs and may allow the sensing initiator device to determine what parts of the RF spectrum may be available, free, or relatively unoccupied for off-channel sensing measurements.

[0345] In another embodiment, the sensing responder devices may have partial or complete autonomy to select and / or communicate one or more of the configuration parameters related to the off-channel sensing measurement session(s). For example, the sensing initiatordevice may provide some of the configuration parameters such as the channel frequency and / or channel bandwidth, whereas one or more of the sensing responders may select the exact timing information of sensing measurements.

[0346] In yet another embodiment, the sensing initiator device may provide specific values for one or more of the configuration parameters and may provide guidance (e.g., an allowable range of parameter values) for one or more of the sensing responder devices to select specific values for one or more of the remaining configuration parameters. In an embodiment, one or more of the sensing responder devices may provide information to the sensing initiator device and / or one or more of the other sensing responder devices to indicate the configuration parameters of any sensing measurement transmissions.

[0347] According to some implementations, AP device 506 (the sensing initiator device) may transmit a first message to a first networking device instructing it to drop its wireless connection and retune its radio to an off-channel portion of allocated radio frequency spectrum. For example, the sensing responder device(s) that may be participating in the off-channel sensing measurement session may then temporarily drop at least one wireless communication link and may retune their radio(s) in order to operate in the configured or designated off- channel portion of the RF spectrum. In an example, the sensing responder device(s) may temporarily drop at least one wireless communication link with the AP device and retune their radio(s) as instructed or as required to an off-channel portion of the RF spectrum.

[0348] Step 2806 includes initiating an off-channel sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum. According to some implementations, the sensing initiator device (which may be AP device 506) may coordinate the off-channel sensing measurement session. In an example, one or more sensing transmitters may transmit at least one sensing transmission, and one or more sensing receivers may receive such sensing transmissions to make appropriate sensing measurements on them. Further, a sensing responder device that has been configured as an off-channel sensing transmitter may transmit one or more off-channel sensing transmissions. Such transmissions may be triggered by the reception of a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator, the AP device, or from a selected off-channel sensing controller (which may be one of the other sensing responders). Further, off-channel sensing transmissions may also be sent autonomously by an off-channel sensing transmitter.

[0349] In an embodiment, a sensing transmission may take the form of an NDP (Null Data PPDU). Such an NDP may contain special pre-defined training fields or reference signals that may be used at a sensing receiver in order to make appropriate sensing measurements. Suchsensing measurements may include Channel State Information (CSI). Further, NDP instances for sensing measurements may include HE-LTF (High Efficiency Long Training Field) or EHT-LTF (Extremely High Throughput Long Training Field) components. In an example, a sensing responder device may be configured as an off-channel sensing receiver and may receive and process one or more off-channel sensing transmissions. Reception of a sensing trigger message or anNDPA (sensing announcment frame) may instruct an off-channel sensing receiver to expect the imminent arrival of an off-channel sensing transmission. Further, an off- channel sensing receiver may make sensing measurements upon the reception of an off-channel sensing transmission, and these sensing measurements may include CSI.

[0350] Step 2808 includes concluding the off-channel sensing measurement session. According to some implementations, the sensing initiator device (which may be AP device 506) may conclude the off-channel sensing measurement session. In an example, the sensing initiator device may transmit a second message to the first networking device instructing it to retune its radio and resume its previous wireless communication configuration. Further, the sensing responders may retune their radios to return on-channel with the AP and thus resume any wireless communication link(s) with the AP that were temporarily dropped. For example, once the off-channel sensing measurement session is concluded, the sensing responder device(s) may retune their radio(s) as required and resume any wireless communication link(s) with the AP device that were temporarily dropped.

[0351] While the above steps shown in FIG. 28 are described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, details related to various steps of FIG. 28 which are already covered in the description related to FIG. 1 to FIG. 27 are not discussed again in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0352] In an embodiment, the sensing initiator device that initiates and coordinates the sensing measurements may remain on the same frequency channel. For example, the AP device may not alter the frequency or wireless channel(s) that have been configured for normal BSS operation. Further, the AP device and / or the sensing initiator device may continue to operate on those wireless channel(s). Conversely, the sensing responder device(s) may use wireless channels and / or bandwidths outside at least one of the primary channels configured for the BSS. For example, the sensing transmissions may be configured to take place in a portion or all of a combination of one or more of the secondary 20 MHz channel, the secondary 40 MHz channel, the secondary 80 MHz channel, and the secondary 160 MHz channel of the BSS. In another embodiment, the sensing measurements may occur in a wireless channel that may notoverlap or may only partially overlap any of the primary and secondary channels used in the BSS. This may facilitate the sensing measurements to occur in a portion of the RF spectrum that may have no overlap with the RF spectrum that may be configured for the BSS. In an example, certain primary and secondary channels may or may not be directly adjacent in frequency. For example, in an 80+80 MHz configuration, the primary 80 MHz segment and secondary 80 MHz segment may not generally be adjacent to each other in frequency. Further, the use of OFDMA may facilitate the possible off-channel transmission and / or reception of sensing measurements that may occupy two or more non-frequency-adjacent portions of the RF spectrum.

[0353] In an embodiment, the channel bandwidth used by the sensing responder devices may be less than, equal to, or greater than the channel bandwidth that may be used by the sensing initiator device, in particular when the sensing initiator device is the AP device of the BSS. In an example, the maximum channel bandwidth capability of a sensing responder device (non-AP STA) may be expected to be less than the maximum channel bandwidth capability of a sensing initiator device (especially when an AP is the sensing initiator device). In another example, the AP device may be capable of operating with a maximum channel bandwidth of 320 MHz in a particular frequency band, whereas a non-AP station may have been designed with a maximum channel bandwidth of only 80 MHz in that same frequency band.

[0354] In an embodiment, the AP device may be the sensing initiator device and may have a degree of control over how smaller subchannels are utilized within the full operating channel bandwidth configured in the BSS. This facilitates the AP device to control other transmissions (e.g., data packets, control packets) within the BSS, including, but not limited to, the particular subchannels (frequencies and bandwidths) on which non-sensing transmissions may occur and / or the timing of those non-sensing transmissions. Further, the AP device may be able to reduce or block any potentially interfering transmissions within the BSS that may overlap with any portion of the RF spectrum that may have been designated for off-channel sensing measurements. Specifically, the AP device may keep that portion of the RF spectrum “unoccupied” (e.g., unused for data transmissions, sounding transmissions, or any other transmissions) or lightly occupied (e.g., minimal interfering transmissions) in order to keep that portion of the RF spectrum clean for sensing measurements.

[0355] In an example, a first BSS configured with a wider operating channel (e.g., 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz) may have one or more neighboring BSSs that may be configured with a narrower operating channel. Further, one or more neighboring BSSs may operate within the wider operating channel of the first BSS. A neighboring BSS may be configured with acenter channel frequency such that at least some of the neighboring BSS’s operating channel may overlap the first BSS’s operating channel. In both situations, at least some of the first BSS’s operating channel may overlap with at least some of the neighboring BSS’s operating channel, and this may potentially cause interference. Subchannel puncturing may be used to have sensing responders conduct off-channel sensing transmissions within the first BSS’s operating channel, but using a portion of the first BSS that is currently free, unoccupied, without interference, or with minimal interference from other BSSs.

[0356] In some embodiments, some or all of the frequency portions of a wireless channel configured for normal communication (e.g., data) use by the BSS may limit the ability to perform sensing measurements on that same wireless link due to the presence of interference such as, but not limited to, packet transmissions in those portions of the wireless channel. This interference and / or the presence of other transmitted wireless signals may collide with, delay, and / or negatively affect the periodicity, quality, and / or reception of sensing measurements. For example, scheduled data packet transmissions by the AP or by other active STAs within the BSS on a particular wireless link may negatively affect the ability to perform sensing measurements on that same wireless link (e.g., delaying or restricting sensing measurement transmissions due to competing packet transmissions), or vice versa (e.g., delaying data transmissions due to scheduled sensing measurement transmissions). It is also important to consider the minimum amount and / or rate of sampling required from a sensing link in order for the data to be useful to any downstream algorithms making use of that data. For example, a minimum amount and / or rate of sampling may be required in order to be able to make any valid inferences from the channel response of the sensing link. Delayed or restricted sensing measurement transmissions may not allow the required minimum amount and / or rate of sampling to be attained. To overcome such limitations the disclosed method may utilize off- channel portions of the RF spectrum for sensing measurement purposes.

[0357] In an example, an AP device may instruct a STA (and possibly other sensing responders) to temporarily switch to the secondary 160 MHz channel of a BSS to perform SR2SR (sensing responder to sensing responder) sensing measurements. Since the AP device manages the entire 320 MHz operating channel, the AP device will know when the secondary 160 MHz channel is clear. The off-channel region may also correspond to a portion of the RF spectrum that does not overlap any part of the operating channel of the BSS.

[0358] Further, the sensing responder devices may be configured to temporarily drop at least one wireless communication link with an AP device and may then tune their radios to a non-primary channel frequency (a frequency that may not overlap at least one of the configuredprimary channels of the AP) or to a frequency that has no overlap with any of the RF spectrum normally used by the AP device in order to conduct sensing measurements. The use of an “off- channel” portion of the RF spectrum may allow more effective (e.g., more frequent, more accurate, etc.) sensing measurements to be made due to a lower expected amount of interference that may be present in the off-channel region. At the end of an off-channel sensing measurement session, participating sensing responders may retune their radios and resume any previous wireless communication links with the AP device that were temporarily dropped.

[0359] In an example, a sensing receiver calculates the sensing measurement as a channel state measurement (e.g., CSI) consisting of a real and imaginary part for each element, or an in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) part for each element, or an amplitude and phase part for each element, and this CSI is passed via a Wi-Fi sensing agent to a sensing algorithm at a higher layer to detect motion. Further, the sensing measurement session corresponds to a time period during which one or more sensing transmissions and corresponding sensing measurements are made. The sensing measurement session includes at least one or more sensing transmitters and at least one or more sensing receivers. A sensing measurement session is under the control of a sensing initiator that may be a higher-layer (i.e. above the PHY and MAC layers) sensing algorithm. The sensing initiator sends sensing measurement configurations to sensing transmitter(s) and / or sensing receiver(s) to provide parameters and any other required information for performing the sensing measurements.

[0360] Further, the one or more STAs (all of which may be sensing responders) may go “off-channel” temporarily to perform wireless sensing measurements with each other during one or more measurement sessions. “Off-channel” may be defined as using wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of the primary channels (e.g., the primary 20 MHz, primary 40 MHz, primary 80 MHz, and primary 160 MHz channels) used by the BSS. Further, one or more of these STAs may fulfill the role of sensing transmitter, and one or more of the STAs may fulfill the role of sensing receiver. In an example, a participating STA may act as a sensing transmitter, a sensing receiver, or both. Further, going off-channel may indicate a STA temporarily drops at least one wireless communication link with the associated AP. Such a utilization of the off-channel measurements may improve the quality of the sensing measurements due to the ability to use a wireless channel that contains less interference, or which is less heavily used by competing transmissions.

[0361] FIG. 29 depicts set of operations 2900 of a networking device for performing an off-channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments. In an implementation, set of operations 2900 may be carried out by a sensing responder device (forexample, client device 504) that may participate in an off-channel sensing measurement session.

[0362] In a brief overview of an implementation of set of operations 2900, at step 2902, sensing measurement capability information may be transmitted to a sensing initiator device. At step 2904, a sensing measurement configuration may be received from the sensing initiator device. Furthermore, at step 2906, a radio may be re-tuned to an off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum upon dropping at least one wireless communication link. At step 2908, the networking device determines if it has been configured as a sensing transmitter or sensing receiver. If the networking device is a sensing transmitter, control may pass to step 2910. At step 2910, an off-channel sensing transmission may be transmitted. Furthermore, at step 2912, the radio may be re-tuned to resume the previous wireless communication link. Conversely, if the networking device is a sensing receiver, control may pass to step 2914. At step 2914, an off-channel sensing transmission may be received. Furthermore, at step 2916, the radio may be re-tuned to resume the previous wireless communication link. At step 2918, a sensing measurement report may be transmitted to the sensing initiator device.

[0363] Step 2902 includes transmitting sensing measurement capability information to the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may transmit sensing measurement capability information to the sensing initiator device. In an example, the sensing responder device (which may be a STA) first provides relevant sensing capability information to the sensing initiator (which may be an AP device or may be another STA). The sensing capability information may include, but is not limited to, an indication that the sensing responder is able to perform off-channel sensing measurements and may also include additional information related to this functionality.

[0364] Step 2904 includes receiving a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may receive a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator. The sensing measurement configuration may include information such as, but not limited to, the frequency and bandwidth in which off-channel sensing measurements may be conducted, as well as whether the sensing responder may act as a sensing transmitter and / or as a sensing receiver.

[0365] Step 2906 includes re-tuning a radio to an off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum upon dropping at least one wireless communication link. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may re-tune the radio to an off-channel portion of allocated radio frequency spectrum upon dropping at least one wirelesscommunication link. In an example, the sensing responder device may temporarily drop or disconnect its wireless communication link with the AP device and may retune its radio to the configured off-channel frequency and bandwidth as required. Thereafter, the sensing measurement transmissions and receptions may now be conducted.

[0366] Step 2908 includes determining if the first networking device is a sensing transmitter or sensing receiver. If the first networking device is a sensing transmitter, control may pass to step 2910. Conversely, if the first networking device is a sensing receiver, control may pass to step 2914.

[0367] Step 2910 includes transmitting one or more off-channel sensing transmissions. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may transmit one or more off- channel sensing transmissions. In an example, if the sensing responder device is a sensing transmitter, then the sensing responder device may transmit one or more off-channel sensing transmissions. Further, the sensing transmission may be triggered by the reception of a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device. In an example, the sensing measurement configuration may contain information about when a sensing transmitter may transmit sensing transmissions, or the sensing transmitter may be configured or instructed to transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

[0368] Step 2912 includes re-tuning the radio to resume the previous wireless communication link or configuration. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may re-tune the radio to resume the previous wireless communication link or configuration. In an example, the sensing responder device may retune its radio and may resume its wireless communication link with the AP device, after the sensing transmissions and sensing measurements have been performed and that portion of the sensing measurement session has concluded.

[0369] Step 2914 includes receiving one or more off-channel sensing transmissions. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may receive one or more off- channel sensing transmissions. In an example, the sensing responder device may perform one or more off-channel sensing measurements on one or more received sensing transmissions. Further, the sensing receiver may know when to receive a sensing transmission via the reception of a preceding sensing trigger message or sensing announcement frame that indicates that a sensing transmission will follow. In an example, the sensing receiver may simply perform sensing measurement(s) on any sensing transmissions that the sensing receiver receives or any sensing transmissions that the sensing receiver receives according to a preconfigured, predetermined, or prearranged schedule.

[0370] Step 2916 includes re-tuning the radio to resume the previous wireless communication link or configuration. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may re-tune the radio to resume the previous wireless communication link or configuration. In an example, the sensing responder device may retune its radio and may resume its wireless communication link with the AP device, after the sensing transmissions and measurements have been performed and that portion of the sensing measurement session has concluded.

[0371] Step 2918 includes transmitting a sensing measurement report to the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, the sensing responder device may transmit a sensing measurement report to the sensing initiator device. In an example, when a sensing receiver has an operational wireless communication link with the AP device, the sensing receiver may transmit one or more sensing measurement reports to the sensing initiator. Sensing measurement report(s) may also be transmitted to another device in addition to or in lieu of transmitting the sensing measurement report(s) to the sensing initiator device. In an example, the sensing responder device may send the sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with the access point.

[0372] In an embodiment, the sensing measurement report or other relevant measurement data may be sent by the sensing receivers to the sensing initiator device at this point in time when the reception of a request, instruction, or trigger to transmit the report may be triggered. Further, the transmission of the report may be considered to be part of a sensing measurement session. In an example, the sensing responder device may not be able to transmit a report unless or until the sensing responder device has an operational wireless communication link with the AP device. In another example, the sensing responder device that may be configured as an off- channel sensing receiver may transmit an off-channel sensing measurement report(s) to the sensing initiator device or to another participating device. Further, the report may be transmitted (after the sensing responder has been instructed to do so) when the sensing responder has an operational wireless communication link with the AP device.

[0373] While the above steps shown in FIG. 29 are described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, details related to various steps of FIG. 29 which are already covered in the description related to FIG. 1 to FIG. 28 are not discussed again in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0374] FIG. 30 depicts exemplary flowchart 3000 for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a networking device to establish an off-channel sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments. In an implementation, flowchart 3000 may be carried out by a system (for example, system 500).

[0375] In a brief overview of an implementation of flowchart 3000, at step 3002, sensing measurement capability information may be transmitted to a sensing initiator device by a transmitting antenna. At step 3004, a sensing measurement configuration may be received from the sensing initiator device by a receiving antenna. Furthermore, at step 3006, a first retuning of a radio to an off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum may be performed. At step 3008, the networking device may participate in a sensing measurement session using an off-channel portion of the RF spectrum. At step 3010, a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to its previous configuration may be performed.

[0376] Step 3002 includes transmitting, by a transmitting antenna, sensing measurement capability information to a sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may transmit, by a transmitting antenna, the sensing measurement capability information to the sensing initiator device. Further, the sensing measurement capability information may include, but is not limited to, an indication that a first networking device is capable of participating in off-channel sensing measurement sessions, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for off-channel sensing measurements, channel bandwidths or a maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for off-channel sensing measurements, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for off-channel sensing measurements. In an example, the off-channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of the primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0377] Step 3004 includes receiving, by a receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may receive, by the receiving antenna, the sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device. Further, the sensing measurement configuration may include, but is not limited to, a frequency of the off-channel portion, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver. In an embodiment, the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously. Further, the sensingmeasurement configuration is determined based on, but not limited to, the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a BSS of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring BSS information.

[0378] Step 3006 includes performing a first retuning of a radio to an off-channel portion of allocated radio frequency spectrum. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may perform the first retuning of the radio to the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum. In an example, the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio. Further, the radio may be configured to drop a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio, thereby initiating a sensing measurement session in the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0379] Step 3008 includes participating in the sensing measurement session using the off- channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may participate in the sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0380] Step 3010 includes performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to its previous configuration. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may perform the second retuning of the radio to return the radio to its previous configuration. In an example, the second retuning includes establishing a wireless communication link after concluding the sensing measurement session.

[0381] While the above steps shown in FIG. 30 are described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, details related to various steps of FIG. 30 which are already covered in the description related to FIG. 1 to FIG. 29 are not discussed again in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0382] FIG. 31 depicts exemplary flowchart 3100 for participating in a sensing measurement session, according to some embodiments. In an implementation, flowchart 3100 may be carried out by a client device (for example, client device 502), a networking device, or a sensing responder device.

[0383] In a brief overview of an implementation of flowchart 3100, at step 3102, a networking device determines if it is a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver. If the networking device is a sensing transmitter, control may pass to step 3104. At step 3104, a sensing trigger message may be received from a sensing initiator device. Furthermore, at step 3106, a sensing transmission may be transmitted to the sensing initiator device. Conversely, if the networking device is a sensing receiver, control may pass to step 3108. At step 3108, asensing announcement frame may be received from the sensing initiator device. Furthermore, at step 3110, a sensing transmission may be received from the sensing initiator device.

[0384] If a networking device determines that it is a sensing transmitter at step 3102, thenStep 3104 includes receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may receive the sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device. In an example, the sensing initiator (which may be an AP) may transmit an SR2SI trigger frame (TF). Further, when sensing measurement exchanges are conducted, there may be a form of “advance warning” of the sensing transmission so that a sensing transmitter knows to transmit a sensing transmission and / or a sensing receiver(s) knows to expect reception of a sensing transmission.

[0385] Step 3106 includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may transmit the sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device. In an example, a designated sensing transmitter may transmit a sensing transmission upon reception of an SR2SI TF.

[0386] If a networking device determines that it is a sensing receiver at step 3102, then step 3108 includes receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may receive the sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device. In an example, the sensing initiator device (e.g., an AP device) may transmit an NDPA that may announce subsequent sensing transmissions by the AP device. Further, the AP device may then transmit one or more sensing transmissions.

[0387] Step 3110 includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may receive the sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device. In an example, a designated sensing receiver may know to expect the imminent reception of a sensing transmission, upon reception of an NDPA.

[0388] While the above steps shown in FIG. 31 are described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, details related to various steps of FIG. 31 which are already covered in the description related to FIG. 1 to FIG. 30 are not discussed again in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0389] FIG. 32 depicts exemplary flowchart 3200 for participating in a sensing measurement session, according to some other embodiments. In an implementation, flowchart 3200 may be carried out by a client device (for example, client device 502), a networking device, or a sensing responder device.

[0390] In a brief overview of an implementation of flowchart 3200, at step 3202, a first networking device determines if it is sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver. If the first networking device is a sensing receiver, control may pass to step 3204. At step 3204, a sensing trigger message may be transmitted to a second networking device. Furthermore, at step 3206, a sensing transmission may be received from the second networking device. Conversely, if the first networking device is a sensing transmitter, control may pass to step 3208. At step 3208, a sensing trigger message may be received from the second networking device. Furthermore, at step 3210, a sensing transmission may be transmitted to the second networking device.

[0391] If a networking device determines that it is a sensing receiver at step 3202, then step 3204 includes transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may transmit the sensing trigger message to the second networking device. In an example, the sensing initiator device (e.g., client device 502) may transmit an SR2SR Trigger Frame to the second networking device (e.g., client device 504-1).

[0392] Step 3206 includes receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may receive the sensing transmission from the second networking device. In an example, a designated sensing receiver may receive a sensing transmission upon prior transmission of an SR2SR TF.

[0393] If a networking device determines that it is a sensing transmitter at step 3202, then step 3208 includes receiving a sensing trigger message from the second networking device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may receive the sensing trigger message from the second networking device. In an example, the sensing initiator device (which may be client device 502) may receive an SR2SR Trigger Frame from the second networking device (which may be client device 504-1)

[0394] Step 3210 includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device. According to some embodiments, client device 502 may transmit the sensing transmission to the second networking device. In an example, a designated sensing receiver may know to expect the imminent reception of a sensing transmission upon reception of an SR2SR TF.

[0395] While the above steps shown in FIG. 32 are described in a particular sequence, the steps may occur in variations to the sequence in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, details related to various steps of FIG. 32 which are already covered in the description related to FIG. 1 to FIG. 31 are not discussed again in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0396] Embodiment 1 is a method for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions, the method comprising: transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device; receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device; performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum; participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion; and performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

[0397] Embodiment 2 is the method of embodiment 1, wherein performing the second retuning includes establishing a wireless communication link.

[0398] Embodiment 3 is the method of embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, wherein the sensing capability information includes one or more of: an indication that the first networking device is capable of off-channel sensing measurements comprising participating in a sensing measurement session using one or more off-channel portions of a radio frequency spectrum, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, channel bandwidths or maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for the off-channel sensing measurements.

[0399] Embodiment 4 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-3, wherein the sensing measurement configuration is based on one or more of: the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a basic service set of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring basic service set information.

[0400] Embodiment 5 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-4, wherein the sensing measurement configuration includes one or more of: a frequency of the off-channel portion, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver.

[0401] Embodiment 6 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

[0402] Embodiment 7 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-6, wherein the off- channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0403] Embodiment 8 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device in response to receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device.

[0404] Embodiment 9 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device subsequent to receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device.

[0405] Embodiment 10 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device; and receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device.

[0406] Embodiment 11 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-7, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: receiving a sensing trigger message from a second networking device; and transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device.

[0407] Embodiment 12 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-11, wherein the sensing initiator device is an access point of a basic service set including the first networking device as a station.

[0408] Embodiment 13 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-12, wherein the sensing initiator device is a first station of a basic service set including the first networking device as a second station.

[0409] Embodiment 14 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-13, further comprising dropping a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio.

[0410] Embodiment 15 is the method of any one of embodiments 1-14, wherein the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio.

[0411] Embodiment 16 is the method any one of embodiments 1-15, wherein the first networking device is a multi-link device, the radio includes a first radio and a second radio, and further wherein: the first retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the off- channel portion and maintaining a wireless communication link with an access point with the first radio, and the second retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the previous configuration and maintaining the wireless communication link with the access point with the first radio.

[0412] Embodiment 17 is the method of embodiment 2, further comprising sending a sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with an access point.

[0413] Embodiment 18 is a system for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions for: transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device; receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device; performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum; participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion; and performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

[0414] Embodiment 19 is the system of embodiment 18, wherein performing the second retuning includes establishing a wireless communication link.

[0415] Embodiment 20 is the system of embodiment 18 or embodiment 19, wherein the sensing capability information includes one or more of: an indication that the first networking device is capable of off-channel sensing measurements comprising participating in a sensing measurement session using one or more off-channel portions of a radio frequency spectrum, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, channel bandwidths or maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for the off-channel sensing measurements.

[0416] Embodiment 21 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-20, wherein the sensing measurement configuration is based on one or more of: the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a basic service set of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring basic service set information.

[0417] Embodiment 22 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-21, wherein the sensing measurement configuration includes one or more of: a frequency of the off-channel portion, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver.

[0418] Embodiment 23 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-22, wherein the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when the first networking device may transmitsensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

[0419] Embodiment 24 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-23, wherein the off- channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

[0420] Embodiment 25 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-24, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device in response to receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device.

[0421] Embodiment 26 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-24, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device subsequent to receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device.

[0422] Embodiment 27 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-24, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device; and receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device.

[0423] Embodiment 28 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-24, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: receiving a sensing trigger message from a second networking device; and transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device.

[0424] Embodiment 29 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-28, wherein the sensing initiator device is an access point of a basic service set including the first networking device as a station.

[0425] Embodiment 30 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-29, wherein the sensing initiator device is a first station of a basic service set including the first networking device as a second station.

[0426] Embodiment 31 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-30, wherein the at least one processor further includes instructions for dropping a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio.

[0427] Embodiment 32 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-31, wherein the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio.

[0428] Embodiment 33 is the system of any one of embodiments 18-32, wherein the first networking device is a multi-link device, the radio includes a first radio and a second radio,and further wherein: the first retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the off- channel portion and maintaining a wireless communication link with an access point with the first radio, and the second retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the previous configuration and maintaining the wireless communication link with the access point with the first radio.

[0429] Embodiment 34 is the system of embodiment 19, wherein the at least one processor further includes instructions for sending a sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with an access point.

[0430] While various embodiments of the methods and systems have been described, these embodiments are illustrative and in no way limit the scope of the described methods or systems. Those having skill in the relevant art can effect changes to form and details of the described methods and systems without departing from the broadest scope of the described methods and systems. Thus, the scope of the methods and systems described herein should not be limited by any of the illustrative embodiments and should be defined in accordance with the accompanying claims and their equivalents.

Claims

ClaimsWe claim:

1. A method for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions, the method comprising: transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device; receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device; performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum; participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion; and performing a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the second retuning includes establishing a wireless communication link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing capability information includes one or more of: an indication that the first networking device is capable of off-channel sensing measurements comprising participating in a sensing measurement session using one or more off-channel portions of a radio frequency spectrum, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, channel bandwidths or maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for the off- channel sensing measurements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing measurement configuration is based on one or more of: the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a basic service set of which the first networking device is a station, andneighboring basic service set information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing measurement configuration includes one or more of: a frequency of the off-channel portion, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the off-channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device in response to receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device subsequent to receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device; and receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: receiving a sensing trigger message from a second networking device; and transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing initiator device is an access point of a basic service set including the first networking device as a station.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing initiator device is a first station of a basic service set including the first networking device as a second station.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising dropping a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first networking device is a multi -link device, the radio includes a first radio and a second radio, and further wherein: the first retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the off-channel portion and maintaining a wireless communication link with an access point with the first radio, and the second retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the previous configuration and maintaining the wireless communication link with the access point with the first radio.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with an access point.

18. A system for Wi-Fi sensing carried out by a first networking device including a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a radio, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions for: transmitting, by the transmitting antenna, sensing capability information to a sensing initiator device; receiving, by the receiving antenna, a sensing measurement configuration from the sensing initiator device; performing a first retuning of the radio to an off-channel portion of an allocated radio frequency spectrum; participating in a sensing measurement session using the off-channel portion; andperforming a second retuning of the radio to return the radio to a previous configuration.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein performing the second retuning includes establishing a wireless communication link.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing capability information includes one or more of: an indication that the first networking device is capable of off-channel sensing measurements comprising participating in a sensing measurement session using one or more off-channel portions of a radio frequency spectrum, frequency bands or channel frequencies that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, channel bandwidths or maximum channel bandwidth that the first networking device can use for the one or more off-channel portions, and a number of links that the first networking device can use concurrently for the off- channel sensing measurements.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing measurement configuration is based on one or more of: the sensing capability information, a channel configuration of a basic service set of which the first networking device is a station, and neighboring basic service set information.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing measurement configuration includes one or more of: a frequency of the off-channel portion, a bandwidth of the off-channel portion, and an indication that the first networking device is to operate as a sensing transmitter or a sensing receiver.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing measurement configuration indicates that the first networking device may be triggered to transmit sensing transmissions, indicates when thefirst networking device may transmit sensing transmissions, or indicates that the first networking device may transmit sensing transmissions autonomously.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the off-channel portion includes wireless bandwidth that does not overlap with at least one of primary channels of the allocated radio frequency spectrum.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes transmitting a sensing transmission to the sensing initiator device in response to receiving a sensing trigger message from the sensing initiator device.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes receiving a sensing transmission from the sensing initiator device subsequent to receiving a sensing announcement frame from the sensing initiator device.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: transmitting a sensing trigger message to a second networking device; and receiving a sensing transmission from the second networking device.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein participating in the sensing measurement session includes: receiving a sensing trigger message from a second networking device; and transmitting a sensing transmission to the second networking device.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing initiator device is an access point of a basic service set including the first networking device as a station.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the sensing initiator device is a first station of a basic service set including the first networking device as a second station.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor further includes instructions for dropping a wireless connection with the sensing initiator device prior to the first retuning of the radio.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the first retuning of the radio includes expanding an operating channel bandwidth of the radio.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the first networking device is a multi-link device, the radio includes a first radio and a second radio, and further wherein: the first retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the off-channel portion and maintaining a wireless communication link with an access point with the first radio, and the second retuning of the radio includes tuning the second radio to the previous configuration and maintaining the wireless communication link with the access point with the first radio.

34. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor further includes instructions for sending a sensing measurement report related to the sensing measurement session to the sensing initiator device subsequent to the second retuning of the radio to establish the wireless communication link with an access point.

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