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JP-2026074729-A - Communication device, control method, and program

JP2026074729AJP 2026074729 AJP2026074729 AJP 2026074729AJP-2026074729-A

Abstract

[Problem] To enable efficient operation of communication devices in a communication system that uses communication links consisting of multiple channels. [Solution] A communication device compliant with IEEE 802.11 bonds a first channel with one or more second channels different from the first channel, and communicates using a plurality of communication methods including a first communication method that uses the first channel for communication, and a second communication method that uses a third channel included in the second channel when the first channel cannot be used for communication. The device acquires Target Wake Time Service Period (TWT SP) information set in the Overlapping BSS (OBSS) that uses the first channel, determines whether to use the second communication method for communication during the period in which the TWT SP is set based on the duration of the set TWT SP, and sends a notification to other communication devices indicating that communication will be performed using the second communication method based on the determination result. [Selection Diagram] Figure 6

Inventors

  • 大内 雅智

Assignees

  • キヤノン株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241021

Claims (14)

  1. A communication device that communicates with other communication devices using wireless frames compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard series, A first communication method configured to enable communication by bonding a first channel with one or more second channels different from the first channel, comprising: a first communication method that acquires transmission rights and performs communication using the first channel; and a second communication method that, when the first channel cannot be used, acquires transmission rights using a third channel included in the second channel and performs communication using at least the third channel; and a communication means for performing communication using a plurality of communication methods, An acquisition means for acquiring information regarding a Target Wake Time Service Period (TWT SP) set in an Overlapping BSS (OBSS) that covers at least a portion of the geographical area covered by the Basic Service Set (BSS) provided by the communication device and uses the first channel, A determination means for determining whether or not to perform communication using the second communication method during the period in which the TWT SP is set, based on the duration of the TWT SP set in the OBSS, A communication device characterized by having a notification means for notifying the other communication device that communication using the second communication method will be performed based on the result of the determination.
  2. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a means for specifying the period during which communication using the second communication method is performed.
  3. The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that the communication means performs communication using the second communication method without attempting to acquire the right to transmit using the first channel in the first communication method during the specified period.
  4. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires information regarding the TWT SP set in the OBSS from the access points constituting the OBSS.
  5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition means acquires information regarding the TWT SP set in the OBSS by the communication device or the other communication device receiving a wireless frame transmitted in the OBSS.
  6. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination means determines that communication using the second communication method will be performed during the period in which the TWT SP is set, based on the fact that the period length of the TWT SP set in the OBSS is longer than a predetermined value.
  7. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination means determines that communication using the second communication method will be performed during the period in which the TWT SP is set, based on the fact that the sum of the period lengths of the TWT SP set in the OBSS over a certain period is longer than a predetermined value.
  8. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination means performs the determination based on the period length of the TWT SP which is set periodically among the TWT SP set in the OBSS.
  9. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination means performs the determination based on the duration of a TWT SP in which more than a predetermined number of terminal devices participate, among the TWT SPs set in the OBSS.
  10. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, when a first TWT and a second TWT are set in the OBSS, the determination means further performs the determination based on the length of the period covering the first TWT SP of the first TWT, the second TWT SP of the second TWT, and the period between the first TWT SP and the second TWT SP.
  11. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the notification means provides the notification which further includes information indicating that, upon the commencement of the specified period, the communication should be switched from communication using the first communication method to communication using the second communication method.
  12. The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that the notification means provides a notification that, upon receiving a Trigger frame transmitted in the OBSS within the specified period, the device should switch from communication using the first communication method to communication using the second communication method.
  13. A control method performed by a communication device that communicates with other communication devices using wireless frames compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard series, A first communication method configured to enable communication by bonding a first channel with one or more second channels different from the first channel, comprising a first communication method that acquires transmission rights and performs communication using the first channel, and a second communication method that, when the first channel cannot be used, acquires transmission rights using a third channel included in the second channel and performs communication using at least the third channel, and a communication process that uses a plurality of communication methods, An acquisition step of acquiring information regarding the Target Wake Time Service Period (TWT SP) set in an Overlapping BSS (OBSS) that covers at least a portion of the geographical area covered by the Basic Service Set (BSS) provided by the communication device and uses the first channel, A determination step of determining whether or not to perform communication using the second communication method during the period in which the TWT SP is set, based on the duration of the TWT SP set in the OBSS, A control method characterized by comprising: a notification step of notifying the other communication device that communication using the second communication method will be performed based on the result of the determination.
  14. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the communication device described in claim 1.

Description

This invention relates to data communication technology in a communication device capable of communicating using a communication link composed of multiple channels. In recent years, with the increase in the amount of data transmitted, the development of communication technologies such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) has been progressing. The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 standard series is known as a major communication standard for wireless LAN. The IEEE 802.11 standard series includes IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be standards, etc. To further improve communication reliability, development of the IEEE 802.11bn standard is underway as a successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard. As one of the candidate technologies included in the IEEE 802.11bn standard, a technology for efficiently utilizing frequency resources in a communication method using a single communication link composed of multiple channels is being considered. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technology for performing communication using other channels included in the same communication link as the Primary Channel (PCH) when the PCH used to acquire transmission rights is unavailable. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0205732 This is a diagram showing an example configuration of a wireless communication system.This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a time chart for when a communication device transmits data.This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a communication device.This diagram shows an example of the AP's functional configuration.This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of STA.This figure shows an example of a sequence of events performed between AP and STA.This figure shows an example of the configuration of a TWT element.This figure shows an example of the configuration of the Control field.This diagram shows an example of the configuration of the TWT Parameter Information field.This diagram shows an example of the configuration of the TWT Parameter Information field.This diagram shows an overview of the method for determining whether or not communication using SP-based NPCA can be executed.This diagram shows an overview of the method for generating integrated TWT.This diagram shows an overview of the method for generating integrated TWT.This figure shows an example of a processing flow executed by the application application (AP).This figure shows an example of a processing flow executed by the application application (AP).This figure shows an example of a processing flow executed by STA.This figure shows an example of a processing flow executed by STA.This figure shows an example of a sequence of events performed between AP and STA. The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these features are necessarily essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. (System configuration) Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system according to this embodiment. The wireless communication system includes, for example, an access point (AP) 101 and stations (STA) 111 and STA 112. AP 101, STA 111, and STA 112 are communication devices capable of performing wireless communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard series. IEEE is an abbreviation for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Figure 1 shows a configuration in which STA 111 and STA 112 participate in a network 121 provided by AP 101. Network 121 may also be called a Basic Service Set (BSS). BSS may refer to a collection of communication devices consisting of AP101 and STAs participating in the network 121 provided by AP101, or it may refer to the geographical range in which AP101 can communicate with STAs participating in the network 121 provided by AP101. The geographical range in which AP101 can communicate with STAs participating in the network 121 provided by AP101 may be called the Basic Service Area (BSA). In Figure 1, the network 121 is shown as having one AP101 and two STAs 111 and 112, but for example, there may be multiple APs in the network 121, and there may be one or more STAs. Also, each STA may be connected to one AP, or one STA may be connected to multiple APs. In Figure 1, near network 121, there are two networks: network 122, consisting of AP 102, STA 113, and STA 114; and network 123, consisting of AP 103, STA 115, and STA 116. AP 101 is assumed to be communicably connected to AP 102 via a Distribution System (DS) 141, which is configured as either a wired or wireless line. DS 141 may be a wired communication line such as Ethernet® or a telephon