CLIAMS:
1. A first wireless communication device comprising:
a processor, a memory, and a wireless communication unit to establish a beamformed communication link with a second wireless communication device;
wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value, the second portion followed by a third portion indicating which of the first and second devices is to act as a master in a communication over the beamformed communication link.

2. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link is to be determined by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

3. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

4. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the field is to be used in a negotiation between the first and second wireless communication devices.

5. A computer-readable non-transient storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which if executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
establishing a beamformed communication link with a wireless communication device;
transmitting a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value, the second portion followed by a third portion indicating whether the wireless communication device is to act as a master in a communication over the beamformed communication link.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise determining a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

7. The medium of claim 5, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

8. The medium of claim 5, wherein the field is to be used in a negotiation with the wireless communication device.

9. A method, comprising:
establishing, by a first wireless communication device, a beamformed communication link with a second wireless communication device;
transmitting a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value, the second portion followed by a third portion indicating which of the first and second devices is to act as a master in a communication over the beamformed communication link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link is to be determined by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the field is to be used in a negotiation between the first and second wireless communication devices.

13. A first wireless communication device comprising:
a processor, a memory, and a wireless communication unit to establish a beamformed communication link with a second wireless communication device;
wherein the wireless communication unit is to receive a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value.

14. The first wireless communication device of claim 13, wherein a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link is equal to an amount determined by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

15. The first wireless communication device of claim 13, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

16. The first wireless communication device of claim 13, wherein the field is to be used in a negotiation between the first and second wireless communication devices.

17. A computer-readable non-transient storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which if executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
establishing a beamformed communication link with a wireless communication device;
receiving a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link is equal to an amount determined by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein the field is to be used in a negotiation with the wireless communication device.

21. A method, comprising:
establishing a beamformed communication link with a wireless communication device;
receiving a field containing a first portion indicating a beamlink maintenance unit index, the first portion followed by a second portion indicating a beamlink maintenance value.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a beamlink maintenance time period for the beamformed communication link is determined by multiplying a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance unit index times a quantity indicated by the beamlink maintenance value.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first portion consists of one bit, the second portion consists of six bits, and the third portion consists of one bit.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the field is used in a negotiation with the wireless communication device.
,TagSPECI:This application claims the benefit of and priority from US Provisional Patent
5 application No. 611361,841, entitled "Beamformed Link Maintenance", filed July 6, 2010,
the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
Beamforming may be used by antennas for directional and/or spatial signal
10 transmission and/or reception.
A first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication
device may establish a wireless communication beamformed link ("beamformed link"),
for example, in accordance with the Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WGA) specification, and
the like.
15 The first and/or second wireless communication devices may include, for example,
a mmWave station (STA) ("mSTA") having a radio transmitter operating on a channel that
is within a directional band ("DBand"). The DBand may include any suitable frequency
band, e.g., having a channel starting frequency above 50 GHz, in which a STA is allowed
to operate, e.g., as defined by the WGA specification.
20 The first wireless communication unit ("the initiator") may initiate the
25
establishment of the beamformed link and, in response, the second wireless
communication unit ("the responder") may perform a link-establishment procedure for
establishing the beamformed link, e.g., as defined by the WGA specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not
necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements
may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore,
reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements. The figures are listed below.
Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system in accordance with
some demonstrative embodiments.
Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a beamformed link maintenance field, III
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a sector-scan feedback frame, in accordance
with some demonstrative embodiments.
Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a sector-scan acknowledgement frame, III
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a method of wireless communication over a
10 beamformed link, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of an article of manufacture, in accordance with
some demonstrative embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in
15 order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments. However, it will be
understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures,
components, units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the
discussion.
20 Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, "processing",
"computing", "calculating", "determining", "establishing", "analyzing", "checking", or the
like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) of a computer, a computing platform, a
computing system, or other electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform
data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer's registers
25 and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the
computer's registers and/or memories or other information storage medium that may store
instructions to perform operations and/or processes.
The terms "plurality" and "a plurality" as used herein include, for example,
"multiple" or "two or more". For example, "a plurality of items" includes two or more
30 items.