JP-2026076209-A - Channel access method and related apparatus for multi-link devices

JP2026076209AJP 2026076209 AJP2026076209 AJP 2026076209AJP-2026076209-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a channel access method and related apparatus for a non-STR (simultaneous transmission/reception) MLD (multi-link device) that improves channel access efficiency when the MLD is in a blind/self-interfering state. [Solution] A method applicable to a wireless local area network supporting the IEEE 802.11be standard, comprising the step that if the length of a first PPDU transmitted by the first MLD over a first link is less than or equal to a first value, the first MLD skips starting a medium synchronization delay timer with respect to a second link, and the first MLD is not permitted to perform simultaneous transmission and reception on the first and second links. Channel access efficiency can be improved when a non-STR MLD is in a blind/self-interfering state. [Selection Diagram] Figure 5

Inventors

グオ，ユイチェン
リー，ユインボー
リー，イーチーン
ガン，ミーン

Assignees

華為技術有限公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20260114
Priority Date: 20200904

Claims (13)

A channel access method for multi-link devices: A method comprising the steps of: if the length of a first physical layer protocol data unit PPDU transmitted over a first link by a first multilink device is less than or equal to a first value, the first multilink device skips starting a media synchronization delay timer with respect to a second link, and the first multilink device sets an energy detection threshold used by a clear channel evaluation (CCA) performed with respect to the second link to -62 dBm.
A method according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-link device is not permitted to perform simultaneous transmission and reception with respect to the first link and the second link.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, further: A method comprising the step of the first multi-link device receiving the first value, wherein the first value is carried in a beacon frame, an association response frame, or a reassociation response frame.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, further: A method comprising the steps of: when the length of the first PPDU is greater than the first value, the first multi-link device determines an initial value for the media synchronization delay timer that corresponds to the length of the first PPDU, and starts the media synchronization delay timer with respect to the second link using the initial value.
The method according to claim 4, further: A method comprising the step of a first multi-link device receiving first instruction information, wherein the first instruction information is used to indicate a mapping relationship between the PPDU length and the initial value of the media synchronization delay timer.
The first multi-link device is: A first multi-link device including a processing unit configured to skip starting a media synchronization delay timer for a second link and to set an energy detection threshold used by a clear channel evaluation (CCA) performed for the second link to -62 dB when the length of a first PPDU transmitted over a first link by the first multi-link device is less than or equal to a first value.
The first multi-link device according to claim 6, wherein the first multi-link device is not permitted to perform simultaneous transmission and reception with respect to the first link and the second link.
The first multi-link device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first multi-link device further includes a transceiver unit configured to receive the first value, the first value being carried in a beacon frame, an association response frame, or a re-association response frame.
The first multi-link device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the processing unit is further configured to: determine an initial value for the media synchronization delay timer corresponding to the length of the first PPDU when the length of the first PPDU is greater than the first value, and to start the media synchronization delay timer with respect to the second link using the initial value.
The first multi-link device according to claim 9, wherein the first multi-link device further includes a transceiver unit, the transceiver unit configured to receive first instruction information, the first instruction information being used to indicate a mapping relationship between the PPDU length and the initial value of the media synchronization delay timer.
A first multi-link device including a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: skip starting the media synchronization delay timer for a second link when the length of a first PPDU transmitted by the first multi-link device over a first link is less than or equal to a first value; and set the energy detection threshold used by the clear channel evaluation (CCA) performed on the second link to -62 dB.
A first multi-link device comprising an input/output interface and a processing circuit, wherein the input/output interface is configured to receive code instructions and transmit the code instructions to the processing circuit; and the processing circuit is configured to: skip initiating a medium synchronization delay timer with respect to a second link when the length of a first PPDU transmitted on the first link is less than or equal to a first value; and set the energy detection threshold used by a clear channel evaluation (CCA) performed on the second link to -62 dB.
A computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed on a computer, the computer becomes capable of performing the method described in claim 1.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010924423.8, entitled "Method and Related Apparatus for Channel Access of Multi-Link Devices," filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on September 4, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0002] Technical Field The present application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, in particular to channel access methods and related devices for multi-link devices. [0003] As wireless communication technology develops, an increasing number of wireless communication devices support multi-link communication, for example, simultaneous communication on frequency bands such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, or simultaneous communication on different channels within the same frequency band. These types of wireless communication devices are commonly called multi-link devices (MLDs). Clearly, multi-link devices can perform parallel communication using multiple links, thereby significantly increasing the transmission rate. [0004] While multi-link devices can perform parallel communication by using multiple links to increase the transmission rate, if the frequency spacing between the multiple frequency bands supported by an extremely high throughput (EHT) multi-link device is small, signal transmission in one frequency band will affect signal reception in another frequency band. For example, if an EHT multi-link device performs transmission on link 1, and the frequency spacing between link 1 and link 2 is small, signal transmission in link 1 will cause channel interference to link 2, affecting channel access and information reception in link 2. Therefore, to avoid mutual interference, devices are not permitted to independently perform simultaneous transmission and reception in multiple frequency bands. According to the current progress of the 802.11 TGbe standardization group, EHT multi-link devices may have both simultaneous transmitting and receiving (STR) and non-simultaneous transmitting and receiving (non-STR) capabilities. [0005] When a non-STR capable MLD (referred to as a non-STR MLD) transmits on a link, the non-STR MLD is in a blind state (referred to as a blind period or hearing loss period) because it interferes with clear channel assessment (CCA) performed on another link. A blind state means that no information on the channel can be heard, or the non-STR MLD fails to hear any information on the channel. Therefore, if non-STR MLDs are blind on some links, how the non-STR MLDs perform channel access on those links becomes an urgent issue to be resolved. [0006] Embodiments of the present invention provide a channel access method and related apparatus for multi-link devices that improve channel access efficiency when non-STR MLDs are in a blind/self-interfering state. [0007] The present invention will be described below from various perspectives. It should be understood that cross-referencing may be made to the various implementations and beneficial effects described below. [0008] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a channel access method for a multilink device. The method is as follows: If the length of a first PPDU transmitted by the first multilink device over a first link is less than or equal to a first value, the first multilink device does not start a medium synchronization delay timer with respect to the second link. The first multilink device is not permitted to perform simultaneous transmission and reception with respect to the first and second links. [0009] The first multi-link device not initiating a media synchronization delay timer with respect to the second link includes: when channel contention is performed with respect to the second link, the first link device sets the energy detection threshold used by the clear channel evaluation CCA performed with respect to the second link to a first threshold, where the first threshold is -62 dBm; or, after the back-off counter has backed off to 0 with respect to the second link, the first multi-link device is permitted to transmit frames other than RTS frames and MU-RTS frames. [0010] In this solution, if the length of the PPDU transmitted on one link is below a certain value, the media synchronization delay timer is not started for the other link; or, if channel contention occurs on another link, the energy detection threshold used in the CCA is set to -62 dBm; or, it is not necessary to use RTS frames on the other link to attempt channel protection/availability detection. Therefore, the channel access efficiency or channel access success rate of the first multi-link device on the other link is improved, or the channel access opportunities of the first multi-link device on the other link are increased. [0011] With respect to the first embodiment, in possible implementations, the method further includes: a first multi-link device receiving a first value. The first value may be carried in a be