Efficient network level beamforming training for IEEE 802.11ad WLANs

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication is a promising technology that enables high rate (Giga-bit) multi-media applications. In this paper, we consider the directional multigigabit (DMG) transmission problem in IEEE 802.11ad wireless local area network (WLAN). We propose an amendment to the original MAC design of IEEE 802.11ad to eliminate the need to perform beamforming training during station (STA) to STA communication. During A-BFT access period, all STAs beamform with the Access Point (AP) using different time slots. Our mechanism makes STAs listen to other STAs beamform with the AP. We call this Intelligent Listening during A-BFT (ILA). Using this mechanism, each DMG STA can listen to other DMG STAs sector sweep with the AP and get their approximate beam direction which is later used during STA-STA beamforming to considerably reduce the beamforming overhead. We demonstrate via simulations that ILA mechanism considerably improves the network throughput at higher network size.