KR-20260066712-A - Context acquisition for seamless roaming

KR20260066712AKR 20260066712 AKR20260066712 AKR 20260066712AKR-20260066712-A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods, components, devices, and systems that support context acquisition for seamless roaming. Some aspects, more specifically, relate to partitioning a packet number (PN) space into subsets that are dynamically allocated to access points (APs) associated with a station (STA). In some implementations, a first radio device (e.g., STA) may communicate with a second radio device (e.g., serving AP) using a first subset of user data context parameters (e.g., a group or segment of PNs) corresponding to a first index assigned to a second radio device. For example, if the first radio device decides to roam to a third radio device (e.g., target AP), the first radio device may transmit one or more packets to the third radio device using a second subset of user data context parameters assigned to the third radio device.

Inventors

호, 사이 이유 던컨
파틸, 아비r 프라모드
체리안, 조지
아자미, 압델 카림
선, 얀준
나익, 가우랑
아스테르자디, 알프레드

Assignees

퀄컴 인코포레이티드

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240823
Priority Date: 20230908

Claims (20)

As a first wireless device, A processing system comprising a processor circuit and a memory circuit for storing code, wherein the processing system enables the first wireless device, Communicating with the second wireless device through a first set of one or more communication links between the first wireless device and the second wireless device using a first subset of a plurality of user data context parameters corresponding to a first index assigned to the second wireless device; Roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device based at least partially on the state of a first set of one or more communication links and at least partially on the state of a second set of one or more communication links between the first wireless device and the third wireless device—the roaming includes transmitting user data to the third wireless device through the second set of one or more communication links using a second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters corresponding to a second index assigned to the third wireless device—; A first wireless device configured to communicate with the third wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links, at least partially based on roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device using the second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters.
In claim 1, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit or receive packets through a second set of one or more communication links using a second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters, wherein the user data context parameters include at least one of an encryption key, a packet number, a sequence number, or a block acknowledgment associated with the second index assigned to the third wireless device.
In paragraph 1, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device further configured to obtain a representation of the plurality of user data context parameters partitioned into two or more subsets associated with their respective indices, wherein each subset includes a plurality of values associated with their respective indices.
In claim 1, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit or receive a message including a packet number field associated with a second index assigned to a third wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links, wherein a first bit number in the packet number field indicates the second index and a second bit number in the packet number field indicates a packet number in a packet number segment associated with the second index.
In paragraph 4, The length of the above packet number field is 48 bits, and The most significant 8 bits of the above packet number field indicate the above second index, and A first wireless device in which the remaining 40 bits of the above packet number field indicate the packet number within the above packet number segment associated with the above second index.
In claim 1, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit or receive a frame including a separate field indicating a packet number associated with a second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters and a second index assigned to the third wireless device, through a second set of the one or more communication links.
In paragraph 1, The first wireless device includes a non-access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD), a station (STA) belonging to the non-AP MLD, or a non-MLD non-AP STA, and The second wireless device includes a first non-MLD AP or a first AP MLD, and The above third wireless device is a first wireless device comprising a second non-MLD AP or a second AP MLD.
In Paragraph 7, The above first AP includes the serving AP of the above STA, and The above second AP is a first wireless device comprising a candidate or target AP to which the STA roams toward it.
In paragraph 8, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit or receive one or more packets through a second set of one or more communication links, wherein the one or more packets include packet numbers within a packet number segment associated with the second index assigned to the candidate or target AP.
In claim 8, a first wireless device in which a different subset of user data context parameters from the plurality of user data context parameters is assigned to each candidate or target AP of the STA.
In paragraph 1, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device further configured to receive an indication that a third index corresponding to a third subset of the plurality of user data context parameters has been reassigned to the second wireless device that previously served the first wireless device.
In claim 1, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit one or more packets to a third wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links in connection with determining that a threshold amount of time has elapsed for the last uplink packet transmitted through a first set of one or more communication links.
In claim 1, in order to transmit or receive the user data, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to perform active user data exchange with a target access point (AP) of the third wireless device after the sequence number for the third wireless device is set to a predetermined value higher than the current sequence number, wherein the active user data exchange is performed using a packet number segment associated with the second index assigned to the third wireless device.
In claim 1, for the above roaming, the processing system causes the first wireless device, Transmitting a first set of packets using a first set of sequence numbers associated with the first index assigned to the second wireless device; A first wireless device configured to transmit a second set of packets using a second set of sequence numbers associated with a second index assigned to the third wireless device, wherein the first set of sequence numbers is offset from the second set of sequence numbers.
In claim 1, in order to communicate with the second wireless device, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to receive a link recommendation message indicating one or more candidate access points (APs) for the first wireless device through a first set of one or more communication links, wherein each of the one or more candidate APs is assigned a different packet number index for the plurality of user data context parameters.
In claim 1, in order to communicate with the third wireless device, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to transmit a Multi-Link Add Link request to the third wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links using one or more packet number values within a second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters assigned to the third wireless device.
In claim 1, in order to communicate with the third wireless device, the processing system causes the first wireless device, A first wireless device configured to receive a Multi-Link Add Link response from the third wireless device through a second set of the one or more communication links, wherein the Multi-Link Add Link response indicates a set of encryption keys to be used to communicate with a target access point (AP) of the third wireless device.
As a third wireless device, A processing system comprising a processor circuit and a memory circuit for storing code, wherein the processing system enables the third wireless device, Obtaining an indication of a second index assigned to the third wireless device - said second index corresponds to a second subset of multiple user data context parameters available for communications with the first wireless device -; Receiving user data indicating the second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters corresponding to the second index assigned to the third wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links between the third wireless device and the first wireless device roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device, and - the first subset of the plurality of user data context parameters corresponds to the first index assigned to the second wireless device from which the first wireless device roams -; A third wireless device configured to communicate with the first wireless device through a second set of one or more communication links using the second subset of the plurality of user data context parameters corresponding to the second index assigned to the third wireless device, at least partially based on receiving the user data from the first wireless device roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device.
In paragraph 18, the processing system causes the third wireless device, A third wireless device further configured to instantiate its own 48-bit packet number counter for each access point (AP) associated with the first wireless device, wherein each 48-bit packet number counter is initialized according to a first packet number segment currently in use to communicate with the first wireless device.
In paragraph 19, the processing system causes the third wireless device, A third wireless device further configured to perform an anti-replay packet number check using the respective 48-bit packet number counter associated with the AP of the third wireless device that received the user data from the first wireless device.

Description

Context acquisition for seamless roaming Cross-reference This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 18/464,193 filed by HO et al. on September 8, 2023, titled “CONTEXT ACQUISITION FOR SEAMLESS ROAMING”, which has been assigned to the assignee of this application and is expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technology field The present disclosure relates to wireless communication, and more specifically to context acquisition for seamless roaming. A wireless local area network (WLAN) can 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 compliant with the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 standard family is the Basic Service Set (BSS) managed by the AP. Each BSS is identified by a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) advertised by the AP. The AP periodically broadcasts beacon frames, enabling any STA within the AP's wireless range to establish or maintain a communication link with the WLAN. In some WLANs, a STA can roam from one AP (e.g., serving AP) to another AP (e.g., target AP) based on various conditions, including (but not limited to) the location of the STA or the signal strength of the target AP. However, in some implementations, the STA may not be able to exchange data with the target AP until it obtains context information (e.g., a set of encryption keys) from the target AP, which can increase the latency associated with roaming operations. The systems, methods, and devices of the present disclosure each have various innovative aspects, and no single aspect among the aspects alone possesses the preferred attributes disclosed herein. A first wireless device is described. The first wireless device includes a processing system comprising a processor circuit and a memory circuit for storing code, and the processing system is configured to enable the first wireless device to communicate with the second wireless device through a first set of communication links between the first wireless device and the second wireless device using a first subset of user data context parameters corresponding to a first index assigned to the second wireless device; to roam from the second wireless device to the third wireless device based on the state of the first set of communication links and based on the state of the second set of communication links between the first wireless device and the third wireless device - roaming includes transmitting user data to the third wireless device through a second set of communication links using a second subset of user data context parameters corresponding to a second index assigned to the third wireless device -; and to communicate with the third wireless device through a second set of communication links based on roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device using a second subset of user data context parameters. A third wireless device is described. The third wireless device includes a processing system comprising a processor circuit and a memory circuit for storing code, and the processing system is configured to enable the third wireless device to obtain a representation of a second index assigned to the third wireless device—the second index corresponds to a second subset of user data context parameters available for communication with the first wireless device—; receive user data representing a second subset of user data context parameters corresponding to the second index assigned to the third wireless device through a second set of communication links between the third wireless device and the first wireless device roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device—the first subset of user data context parameters corresponds to a first index assigned to the second wireless device roaming from the first wireless device—; and communicate with the first wireless device through the second set of communication links using the second subset of user data context parameters corresponding to the second index assigned to the third wireless device based on receiving user data from the first wireless device roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device. A method for wireless communications by a first wireless device is described. The method comprises: communicating with a second wireless device through a first set of communication links between the first wireless device and the second wireless device using a first subset of user data context parameters corresponding to a first index assigned to the second wireless device; roaming from the second wireless device to the third wireless device based on the state of the first set of communication links and the state of the second set of communication links between the first wireless device and the third wireless device, wherein roaming includes t