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EP-4740681-A1 - FAST TRANSITION FRAME EXCHANGES FOR MULTI-LINK OPERATION

EP4740681A1EP 4740681 A1EP4740681 A1EP 4740681A1EP-4740681-A1

Abstract

This disclosure provides methods, components, devices, and systems that support fast transition frame exchanges for multi-link operation. Some aspects more specifically relate to an over-the-Distribution System (DS) Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) protocol for multi-link operation (MLO). In some implementations, a first wireless device may transmit a first frame that indicates a medium access control (MAC) address of a first wireless station (STA) affiliated with the first wireless device, a communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with a second wireless device, or both. The first wireless device may receive a second frame that indicates a MAC address of the second wireless STA, the communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA, or both. The first and second frames may be exchanged according to an over-the-DS FT protocol.

Inventors

  • HO, SAI YIU DUNCAN
  • PATIL, Abhishek Pramod
  • NAIK, Gaurang
  • MALINEN, Jouni Kalevi
  • MUSTHAFA, Adil Saeed
  • CHERIAN, GEORGE
  • ASTERJADHI, Alfred
  • AJAMI, Abdel Karim
  • SUN, YANJUN

Assignees

  • QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240619

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A first wireless device, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: transmit, via a second communication link between the first wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first medium access control (MAC) address of a first wireless station (STA) affiliated with the first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with a second wireless device; and receive, via the second communication link between the first wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second MAC address of the second wireless STA or the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA.
  2. 2. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a first Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) Action frame, and the second frame comprises a second FT Action frame.
  3. 3. The first wireless device of claim 2, wherein a Link ID subfield of a STA Control field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the first FT Action frame includes the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with the second wireless STA.
  4. 4. The first wireless device of claim 2, wherein a STA MAC Address subfield of a STA information field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the first FT Action frame includes the first MAC address of the first wireless STA affiliated with the first wireless device.
  5. 5. The first wireless device of claim 2, wherein a Link ID subfield of a STA Control field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the second FT Action frame includes the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA.
  6. 6. The first wireless device of claim 2, wherein a STA MAC Address subfield of a STA Info field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the second FT Action frame includes the second MAC address of the second wireless STA affiliated with the second wireless device.
  7. 7. The first wireless device of claim 2, wherein the first FT Action frame comprises an FT Request frame or an FT Confirm frame, and the second FT Action frame comprises an FT Response frame or an FT Ack frame.
  8. 8. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to individually or collectively execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: receive an indication of a link configuration associated with the second wireless device before initiating a Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) frame exchange between the first wireless device and the second wireless device.
  9. 9. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to individually or collectively execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: establish a connection between the first wireless STA and the second wireless STA in accordance with the first frame and the second frame based at least in part on exchanging one or more frames via the first communication link and the first communication link.
  10. 10. The first wireless device of claim 9, wherein, to exchange the one or more frames, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: transmit a Reassociation Request frame via the first communication link in accordance with the first frame; and receive a Reassociation Response frame via the first communication link in accordance with the second frame.
  11. 11. The first wireless device of claim 10, wherein a Link ID subfield of a STA Control field in a per-STA subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the first frame comprises a value that uniquely identifies the first communication link on which the first wireless STA transmits the Reassociation Request frame.
  12. 12. The first wireless device of claim 10, w herein a Link ID subfield of a STA Control field in a per-STA subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the second frame comprises a value that uniquely identifies the first communication link on which the second wireless STA transmits the Reassociation Response frame.
  13. 13. The first wireless device of claim 10. wherein a STA MAC Address subfield of a STA Info field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the first frame comprises the first MAC address of the first wireless STA that transmits the Reassociation Request frame.
  14. 14. The first wireless device of claim 10, wherein a STA MAC Address subfield of a STA Info field in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Link Info field in a Multi-Link element of the second frame comprises the second MAC address of the second wireless STA that transmits the Reassociation Response frame.
  15. 15. The first wireless device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to individually or collectively execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: verify, for each communication link of a plurality of communication links associated with the second wireless device, that a MAC address and one or more fields in the Reassociation Response frame correspond to an AP affiliated with the second wireless device.
  16. 16. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device comprises a non-access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD), the second wireless device comprises a first AP MLD associated with a current AP serving the first wireless STA, and the third wireless device comprises a second AP MLD associated with the second wireless STA.
  17. 17. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless device comprises a Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) Originator (FTO), the second wireless device comprises a target Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) Responder (FTR), and the third wireless device comprises a current FTR.
  18. 18. The first wireless device of claim 1, wherein information from the first frame is provided to the second wireless device via a third communication link between the third wireless device and the second wireless device in accordance with an over-the-Distribution System (DS) Fast Basic Service Set (BSS) Transition (FT) protocol.
  19. 19. A second wireless device, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the second wireless device to: receive, via a third communication link between the second wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first medium access control (MAC) address of a first wireless station (STA) affiliated with a first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with the second wireless device; and transmit, via the third communication link between the second wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second MAC address of the second wireless STA or the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA.
  20. 20. A method for wireless communication by a first w ireless device, comprising: transmitting, via a second communication link between the first wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first medium access control (MAC) address of a first wireless station (STA) affiliated with the first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with a second wireless device; and receiving, via the second communication link between the first wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second MAC address of the second wireless STA or the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA.

Description

FAST TRANSITION FRAME EXCHANGES FOR MULTI-LINK OPERATION CROSS REFERENCE [0001] The present Application for Patent claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18/346,636 by HO et al., entitled “FAST TRANSITION FRAME EXCHANGES FOR MULTI-LINK OPERATION,” filed July 3, 2023, which is assigned to the assignee hereof and expressly incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This disclosure relates to wireless communication and, more specifically, to fast transition frame exchanges for multi-link operation (MLO). DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNOLOGY [0003] A wireless local area network (WLAN) may be formed by one or more wireless access points (APs) that provide a shared wireless communication medium for use by multiple client devices also referred to as wireless stations (STAs). The basic building block of a WLAN conforming to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family of standards is a Basic Service Set (BSS), which is managed by an AP. Each BSS is identified by a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) that is advertised by the AP. An AP periodically broadcasts beacon frames to enable any STAs within wireless range of the AP to establish or maintain a communication link with the WLAN. [0004] In some networks, a STA associated with a first AP may reassociate with a second AP. To do so, the STA may exchange frames with the second AP over-the-air (OTA) or over-the-Distribution System (DS). However, some reassociation schemes may not be optimized for multi-link operation (MLO). SUMMARY [0005] The systems, methods, and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein. [0006] One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first wireless device. The first wireless device may include one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may, individually or collectively, be operable to execute the code to cause the first wireless device to: transmit, via a second communication link between the first wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first medium access control (MAC) address of a first wireless station (STA) affiliated with the first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with a second wireless device; and receive, via the second communication link between the first wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second MAC address of the second wireless STA or the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA. [0007] Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method for wireless communication by a first wireless device. The method may include: transmitting, via a second communication link between the first wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first MAC address of a first wireless STA affiliated with the first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with a second wireless device; and receiving, via the second communication link between the first wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second MAC address of the second wireless STA or the link identifier associated with the first communication link on which the second wireless STA intends to communicate with the first wireless STA. [0008] One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a second wireless device for wireless communication. The second wireless device may include one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may, individually or collectively, be operable to execute the code to cause the second wireless device to: receive, via a third communication link between the second wireless device and a third wireless device, a first frame that includes at least one of a first MAC address of a first wireless STA affiliated with a first wireless device or a link identifier associated with a first communication link on which the first wireless STA intends to communicate with a second wireless STA affiliated with the second wireless device; and transmit, via the third communication link between the second wireless device and the third wireless device, a second frame that includes at least one of a second M