Changes between Version 1 and Version 2 of 802.11/MAC/Lower

Timestamp:

Aug 5, 2013, 4:29:00 PM (11 years ago)

Author:

murphpo

Comment:

--

802.11/MAC/Lower

@@ -3 +3 @@
 [[TracNav(802.11/TOC)]]
 
-= Low-level MAC Description =
+= 802.11 Reference Design: Lower-level MAC Description =
 
-This documentation is coming soon.
+The lower level MAC interfaces directly to the PHY Tx and Rx cores and handles all wireless transmissions and receptions. Minimizing processing latency in the lower level MAC is critical in order to meet the 802.11 channel access timing requirements.
+
+Minimal state is maintained at this level. Only the contention window and station retry counters are stored across packet transmission events. All other state (AP vs. STA, association state, etc.) is maintained by the upper layer MAC.
+
+Processing in the lower level MAC is divided across two resources:
+ * The C code in the CPU Low MicroBlaze core (wlan_mac_dcf.c)
+ * The wlan_mac_dcf_hw core in the FPGA fabric (wlan_mac_dcf_hw.mdl)
+
+The C code interfaces with the upper layer MAC via the inter-processor mailbox and accesses the Tx/Rx PHY  via the wlan_mac_dcf_hw core.
+
+The wlan_mac_dcf_hw core connects directly to the Tx/Rx PHY control and status signals. It also implements the timers and state machines required to meet the 802.11 channel access timing requirements. The core is controlled from the lower level MAC C code.