CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on PCT filing PCT/JP2018/023766, filed Jun. 22, 2018, which claims priority to JP 2017-132694, filed Jul. 6, 2017, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates to a wireless communication apparatus and method, and particularly to a wireless communication apparatus and method by which communication can be performed with a higher efficiency.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, research and development of a high density wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system have been and are being done, and methods for applying an advanced space reuse (Spatial Reuse) technology that increases the capacity of existing wireless LAN terminals to implement a high throughput have been invented.

Among such methods, as an advanced space reuse (Spatial Reuse) technology, a technology has been invented which allows coexistence of a signal of a basic service set (BSS (Basis Service Set)) of a wireless communication apparatus itself and a signal from an overlap basic service set (OBSS (Overlapping Basic Service Set)) existing in the neighborhood of the wireless communication apparatus itself. In particular, for example, a communication method has been invented which carries out, if a signal from an OBSS neighboring with a wireless communication apparatus itself has a predetermined reception electric field strength (reception power) or less, then transmission of a signal of the wireless communication apparatus itself within a range within which the transmission does not have an influence on the OBSS.

Further, a technology is generally known which inserts a midamble for resynchronization in the middle of a frame of transmission data to correct a phase, a frequency error and so forth of the frame configured from a long information amount.

As such a technology as just described, a technology is available by which, for example, an MSDU (MAC (Media Access Control) Service Data Unit) into MPDUs (MAC Protocol Data Units) determined in advance and a sub frame to which a PHY (Physical layer) preamble is added is deployed at the top MPDU while, to each succeeding MPDU, a sub frame to which a midamble is added is configured to perform data transmission (for example, refer to PTL 1).

Also a technology has been proposed by which a training field is added to each n OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbols to configure successive frames (for example, refer to PTL 2). In this technology, the training field part is a midamble.

The technologies mentioned adopt a configuration that a training field is deployed for each n OFDM symbols determined in advance.

Further, the technologies adopt a configuration that a single VHT SIG-A field that is added to the preceding stage to the training field is deployed at the succeeding stage and only one VHT SIG-B field that is added to the succeeding stage of the training field is deployed only at the top portion, and they are accommodated in n OFDM symbols.

Also technologies have been disclosed that, from among training fields, a training field of a LTF (Long Training Field) is deployed for each n OFDM symbols and training fields of another STF (Short Training Field) and a LTF are added for each m OFDM symbols where m is an integer multiple of n.

Among the technologies, also a technology has been disclosed that a training field and signaling called N-SIG are added to notify an OFDM symbol number to a next training field.

As described above, in the past, a configuration for adding a midamble for each predetermined OFDM symbols has been used.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[PTL 1]

JP 2014-522610T[PTL 2]

JP 2015-507889T

SUMMARY

Technical Problems

However, it is difficult for the technologies described above to perform communication efficiently.

In particular, in the case where the advanced space reuse technology is applied, it is prescribed that, even if a signal from a neighboring OBSS is received, a BSS can perform transmission of data. Therefore, in the case where a signal in the BSS is being received, a state in which it becomes less likely to grasp a utilization situation of a transmission line due to signal transmission from a neighboring OBSS is established and, on the contrary, it becomes difficult to perform communication in the BSS of the wireless communication apparatus itself.

In particular, since, during transmission of a frame toward the inside of the BSS of the wireless communication apparatus itself, also signal transmission from the different OBSS is started, it is difficult to specify whether the transmission line is being utilized after frame transmission in the BSS of the wireless communication apparatus itself comes to an end.

Further, even in the case where a signal level equal to or higher than a predetermined reception electric field strength (reception power) is detected in regard to a received signal, if the signal is not received beginning with the header part, then it cannot be decided whether the signal is a signal from an OBSS or a signal from within the BSS.

If it cannot be decided whether the received signal is a signal from within the BSS of the wireless communication apparatus itself or a signal from an OBSS, then it cannot be decided whether or not it is possible to perform multiplex transmission applying the advanced space reuse technology and advanced space reuse cannot be performed efficiently. In short, communication cannot be performed efficiently.

Further, even if a signal is detected in the middle of a frame, since information indicative of the duration (Duration) of the signal cannot be obtained, reception end time of the frame cannot be grasped. Accordingly, in order to start new signal transmission after an end of a frame detected, detection of the signal level must always be continued.

In the related art configuration that a midamble or a training field is inserted in the middle of a frame, since information of the header part is deployed only at the top of a frame, if the top of the frame cannot be decoded correctly, then the header information cannot be grasped. This makes it impossible to decide whether a frame being received is a signal from an OBSS or a signal from within the BSS.

The present technology has been made in view of such a situation as described above and makes it possible to perform communication with a higher efficiency.

Solution to Problems

A wireless communication apparatus of a first aspect of the present technology includes a preamble generation section configured to generate a preamble that is to be deployed at a top of a transmission frame and includes header information, a midamble generation section configured to generate a midamble that is to be deployed in a middle of the transmission frame and includes information of at least part of the header information, and a wireless transmission processing section configured to transmit the transmission frame including the preamble and the midamble.

A wireless communication method of the first aspect of the present technology includes the steps of generating a preamble that is to be deployed at a top of a transmission frame and includes header information, generating a midamble that is to be deployed in a middle of the transmission frame and includes information of at least part of the header information, and transmitting the transmission frame including the preamble and the midamble.

In the first aspect of the present technology, a preamble that is to be deployed at the top of a transmission frame and includes header information is generated, and a midamble that is to be deployed in the middle of the transmission frame and includes information of at least part of the header information is generated. Then, the transmission frame including the preamble and the midamble is transmitted.

A wireless communication apparatus according to a second aspect of the present technology includes a wireless reception processing section configured to receive a reception frame that includes a preamble deployed at a top of the reception frame and including header information and a midamble deployed in a middle of the frame and including information of at least part of the header information, and a midamble detection section configured to detect the midamble from the reception frame and extract the information of the at least part of the header information included in the midamble.

A wireless communication method according to the second aspect of the present technology includes the steps of receiving a reception frame that includes a preamble deployed at a top of the reception frame and including header information and a midamble deployed in a middle of the frame and including information of at least part of the header information, and detecting the midamble from the reception frame and extracting the information of the at least part of the header information included in the midamble.

In the second aspect of the present technology, a reception frame that includes a preamble deployed at the top of the reception frame and including header information and a midamble deployed in the middle of the frame and including information of at least part of the header information is received, and the midamble is detected from the reception frame. Then, the information of the at least part of the header information included in the midamble is extracted.

Advantageous Effect of Invention

According to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present technology, communication can be performed with a high efficiency.

It is to be noted that the effect described here is not necessarily restrictive, and some effects indicated in the present disclosure may be applicable.

