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BR-122025010801-A2 - MULTIPLE LINK COMMUNICATION METHOD, MULTIPLE LINK ACCESS POINT DEVICE AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

BR122025010801A2BR 122025010801 A2BR122025010801 A2BR 122025010801A2BR-122025010801-A2

Abstract

The embodiments of this application relate to the field of communication and, in particular, to a multi-link communication method and an apparatus. The embodiments of this application provide the multi-link communication method and apparatus. A STA in an MLD STA sends an information frame on a link corresponding to the station, and the information frame is used to indicate an STA in an active state in the MLD STA. An MLD AP receives the information frame and sends a downlink message frame on one or more links corresponding to some or all of the active STAs in the MLD STA, to assist some or all stations in fast access to a channel without waiting for a NAVSyncDelay period. In this way, the channel access time efficiency of the active STA is improved and the power consumption of the active STA is reduced.

Inventors

  • Ming Gan
  • Yifan Zhou
  • Yunbo Li
  • Yuchen Guo
  • Jian Yu
  • Dandan LIANG

Assignees

  • HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20210310
Priority Date
20200313

Claims (13)

  1. 1. A multi-link communication method, characterized in that it comprises: receiving, by a first access point in an access point multi-link device (AP MLD), an information frame on a first link corresponding to a first station in a station multi-link device (STA MLD), wherein the information frame indicates a second link corresponding to a second station in the STA MLD, wherein the second station loses channel state information on the second link and has uplink service to send on the second link; sending, by a second access point in the AP MLD, a synchronization frame on the second link to a second station, wherein the synchronization frame is used to assist the second station in sending uplink service; and receiving, from the second station, uplink service on the second link based on the synchronization frame.
  2. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the synchronization frame is a triggering frame.
  3. 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first station and the second station are devoid of simultaneous transmission and reception support.
  4. 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the STA MLD is a single radio station.
  5. 5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the STA MLD is in an energy-saving mode.
  6. 6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information frame comprises a link identifier of the second link.
  7. 7. Access Point Multi-Link Device (AP MLD), characterized in that it comprises a first access point and a second access point, wherein the first access point in the access point multi-link device receives an information frame on a first link corresponding to a first station in a station multi-link device (STA MLD), wherein the information frame indicates a second link corresponding to a second station in the STA MLD, wherein the second station loses channel state information on the second link and has uplink service to send on the second link; and the second access point sends a synchronization frame on the second link to a second station, wherein the synchronization frame is used to assist the second station in sending the uplink service, and receives, from the second station, the uplink service on the second link based on the synchronization frame.
  8. 8. A multi-link device according to claim 7, characterized in that the synchronization frame is a trigger frame.
  9. 9. A multi-link device according to claim 7, characterized in that the first station and the second station lack support for simultaneous transmission and reception.
  10. 10. Multi-link device according to claim 7, characterized in that the multi-link device is a single radio station.
  11. 11. Multi-link device according to claim 7, characterized in that the STA MLD is in power saving mode.
  12. 12. Multi-link device, according to claim 7, characterized in that the information frame comprises a link identifier of the second link.
  13. 13. A computer-readable storage medium, configured to store a computer instruction, characterized in that the computer instruction is used to execute the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010177787.4, filed with the National Intellectual Property Administration of China on March 13, 2020, and entitled “MULTI-LINK COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The modalities of this application relate to the field of communication and, in particular, to a method of communication with multiple links and an apparatus. BACKGROUND [0003] During the formulation of 802.11ax in 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened a new free frequency band 5925-7125 MHz, wherein the frequency band is referred to below as 6 GHz. Therefore, workers on the 802.11ax standard extend a working range of 802.11ax devices from 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz in the 802.11ax Project Authorization Requests (PARs). [0004] In the IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi extremely high throughput (EHT) protocol, in addition to utilizing a continuous ultra-wide bandwidth of the new 6 GHz frequency band, multiple discontinuous links can also be aggregated using multi-link cooperation technology to form an ultra-wide bandwidth. Correspondingly, a multi-link device (MLD) appears, and the frequency bands in which the multi-link device operates are all or part of sub-1 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and a high frequency of 60 GHz. [0005] For various reasons, channel state information is missing on some links of the multi-link device. After a station (STA) or access point (AP) on a link lacking channel state information changes from a suspended state to an active state, the station or AP must wait a period of time (NAVSyncDelay) before the station or AP prioritizes a channel. Alternatively, an STA or AP that changes from a suspended state to an active state must receive a data packet including NAV information and wait for the NAV information to expire before the STA or AP begins prioritizing a channel. In this way, a delay in data transmission by the STA or AP is relatively large, and the STA or AP's power consumption is wasted. SUMMARY [0006] The embodiments of this application provide a multi-link communication method and device. A STA in an MLD STA sends an information frame on a link corresponding to the station, and the information frame is used to indicate an STA in an active state in the MLD STA. An MLD AP receives the information frame and sends a downlink message frame on one or more links corresponding to some or all of the active STAs in the MLD STA, to assist some or all of the stations in quickly accessing a channel without waiting for a NAVSyncDelay period. In this way, the channel access time efficiency of the active STA is improved and the power consumption of the active STA is reduced. [0007] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a multi-link communication method, including: a station in a station multi-link device sends an information frame on a link corresponding to the station, wherein the information frame is used to indicate one or more stations in an active state in the station multi-link device; and some or all of the stations in the active state in the station multi-link device receive, on one or more links corresponding to some or all of the stations, a downlink message frame sent by an access point multi-link device. [0008] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a multi-link communication method, including: an access point multi-link device receives an information frame on a link corresponding to a station, wherein the information frame is used to indicate one or more active stations on a station multi-link device; and the access point multi-link device sends a downlink message frame on one or more links corresponding to some or all of the active stations on the station multi-link device. [0009] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a method of multi-link communication, including: a station in a sending state on a station multi-link device sends an information frame on a link corresponding to the station, wherein the information frame is used to indicate stations to which the station multi-link device should switch to send data or the information frame is used to indicate links to which the station multi-link device should switch to send data; and all or part of the stations indicated by the information frame receive, on a corresponding link, a synchronization frame sent by an access point multi-link device, wherein the synchronization frame is used to assist all or part of the stations in sending an uplink service. [0010] According to a fourth aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a method of multi-link communication, including: an access point multi-link device receives, on a link, an information frame sent by a station in a sending state on a station multi-link device, wherein the information frame is used to indicate sta