ALTERNATION BETWEEN COMMUNICATION USING CSMA/CA AND OFDMA

摘要

A method for an access point of a wireless communication network is disclosed. The access point is adapted to use a communication channel resource to communicate with a plurality of first wireless communication devices using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)and to communicate with a plurality of second wireless communication devices using carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA). The communication channel resource comprises a bandwidth of frequencies dividable into a plurality of sub-carriers for OFDMA. The method comprises alternating between communication using OFDMA and communication using CSMA/CA, and–during communication using OFDMA– alternating between uplink communication and downlink communication. In the alternation between uplink communication and downlink communication, each time period between an end of uplink communication and a start of downlink communication has a duration that is smaller than a time period threshold, and each time period between an end of downlink communication and a start of uplink communication has a duration that is smaller than the time period threshold. The time period threshold is smaller than or equal to a minimum time period required for any of the second wireless communication devices to acquire access to communication with the access point using CSMA/CA. Corresponding arrangement, access point and computer program product are also disclosed.