Method and system for simultaneous multi-channel downlink operation in a wireless local area network

Abstract

A method and system for simultaneous multi-channel downlink operation in a wireless local area network are disclosed. A method and apparatus for receiving simultaneous downlink transmissions at a mobile station (STA) are provided. Information about whether the end of simultaneous data transmissions to the mobile station will be aligned is sent to an access point (AP). The simultaneous data transmissions are performed between the AP and the STA via a channel pair. A first data transmission is received from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair. A second data transmission is received from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair. The second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission. When the information indicates that the end of the simultaneous data transmissions will be aligned, reception of the second data transmission is terminated at the end of the first data transmission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless local area networks (WLANs), and more particularly, to a method and system for simultaneous multi-channel downlink operations in a WLAN. Background Art

[0002] There is currently a demand for improved throughput performance in existing WLAN applications and for lower latency and high reliability applications through WLAN. At the same time, devices (e.g., mobile stations and access points (APs)) with multiple radios that can be distributed on multiple channels / links on multiple frequency bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) have been developed. Since frames from service sessions can be sent on multiple channels that provide increased bandwidth, multi-channel or multi-link operations in the same network (e.g., basic service set (BSS)) have the potential to improve throughput. Since devices compete on multiple channels and utilize the first available channel, this multi-channel operation also has the potential to reduce delay. Since frames can be replicated through multiple channels, multi-channel operation also has the potential to increase reliability. This multi-channel operation also has the potential to achieve flexible channel / link switching without negotiation overhead. Multi-channel / multi-band operation represents a paradigm shift from a BSS operating on a single channel to a BSS operating over multiple channels, where a STA can dynamically choose to operate on a subset of channels ranging from a single channel to multiple channels.

[0003] In some forms of multi-channel operation, it may be beneficial for participating devices to have the ability to perform reception on one channel while transmitting on another channel (simultaneous transmit-receive (STR) capability) for a pair of channels. The STR capability on a pair of channels may be determined by several factors of the radio design and BSS operation including, for example, the channels of operation, the bandwidth of each channel, transmit power limits, antenna distribution between channels, etc. Therefore, a multi-radio device may lack STR capability for a particular channel combination. If the AP itself lacks STR capability, multi-channel operation may be limited, resulting in minimal gain over traditional single channel operation. Typically, an AP device is a multi-antenna system, and the AP establishes the channels of operation in the BSS. Therefore, the AP may select the channels of operation so that the AP has STR capability on each pair of channels in its BSS. In contrast, a STA may lack STR capability for a particular set of operating channels due to its smaller shape compared to the AP. A STA lacking STR capability is referred to as a non-STR STA.

[0004] In the case where medium access is independent on each channel, using a random contention-based mechanism, the AP can obtain medium access on each channel in an asynchronous manner. Therefore, if simultaneous downlink transmissions starting at different times are provided to the same non-STR STA, the immediate acknowledgment response in the uplink on the first channel may overlap with the ongoing downlink data transmission on the second channel. The term "overlap" refers to overlap in the time domain, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Such overlap will result in reception failure of downlink data at the non-STR STA. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to one embodiment, a method for receiving simultaneous downlink transmissions at a STA is provided. The STA sends information to the AP regarding whether the end of simultaneous data transmissions to a mobile station will be aligned. The simultaneous data transmissions are performed between the AP and the STA via a channel pair. The STA begins receiving a first data transmission from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair. The STA begins receiving a second data transmission from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair. The second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission. When the information indicates that the end of the simultaneous data transmissions will be aligned, the reception of the second data transmission is terminated at the end of the first data transmission.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method for sending simultaneous downlink transmissions at an AP is provided. The AP receives information from a STA about whether the ends of simultaneous data transmissions to the STA are to be aligned. The simultaneous data transmissions are performed between the AP and the STA via a channel pair. The AP begins sending a first data transmission to the STA on a first channel in the channel pair. The AP begins sending a second data transmission to the STA on a second channel in the channel pair. The second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission. When the information indicates that the ends of the simultaneous data transmissions are to be aligned, the AP aligns the second end of the second data transmission with the first end of the first data transmission.

[0007] According to one embodiment, a STA is provided, the STA having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions. When the instructions are executed, the processor performs the following operations: sending information about whether the end of simultaneous data transmission to the STA will be aligned to an AP, wherein the simultaneous data transmission is performed between the AP and the STA through a channel pair; starting to receive a first data transmission from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair; starting to receive a second data transmission from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; and when the information indicates that the end of the simultaneous data transmission will be aligned, ending the reception of the second data transmission at the end of the first data transmission.

[0008] According to one embodiment, an AP is provided, the AP having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions. When the instructions are executed, the processor performs the following operations: receiving information from a STA about whether the ends of simultaneous data transmissions to the STA are to be aligned, wherein the simultaneous data transmissions are performed between the AP and the STA via a channel pair; starting to send a first data transmission to the STA on a first channel in the channel pair; starting to send a second data transmission to the STA on a second channel in the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; and when the information indicates that the ends of the simultaneous data transmissions are to be aligned, aligning the second end of the second data transmission with the first end of the first data transmission. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating multi-channel medium access by a device;

[0011] Figure 2A-2C is a diagram showing simultaneous downlink transmission to non-STR STAs;

[0012] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating simultaneous downlink transmission to non-STR STAs in the case of end alignment according to an embodiment;

[0013] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for receiving simultaneous downlink transmissions at a STA according to an embodiment;

[0014] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for sending simultaneous downlink transmissions at an AP according to an embodiment; and

[0015] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same elements will be represented by the same figure numerals, although they are shown in different drawings. In the following description, specific details such as detailed configuration and components are only provided to help the overall understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations are omitted. The terms described below are defined in consideration of the functions in the present disclosure, and may be different according to the user, the user's intention or custom. Therefore, the definition of the term should be determined based on the content throughout this specification.

[0017] The present disclosure may have various modifications and various embodiments, wherein the embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents and alternatives within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] Although terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second can be used to describe various elements, structural elements are not limited by the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first structural element may be referred to as the second structural element. Similarly, the second structural element may also be referred to as the first structural element. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated items.

[0019] The terms used herein are only used to describe various embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, it should be understood that the term "including" or "having" indicates the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, structural elements, parts or combinations thereof, and does not exclude the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, structural elements, parts or combinations thereof.

[0020] Unless defined differently, all terms used herein have the same meaning as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as the contextual meaning in the relevant art, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless clearly defined in the present disclosure.

[0021] The electronic device according to one embodiment may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to those described above.

[0022] The terms used in the present disclosure are not intended to limit the present disclosure, but are intended to include various changes, equivalents or alternatives of the corresponding embodiments. For the description of the accompanying drawings, similar figure numerals can be used to refer to similar or related elements. Unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form of the noun corresponding to the project may include one or more of the things. As used herein, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C" and "at least one of A, B or C" may include all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase in the phrase. As used herein, terms such as "the 1st", "the 2nd", "the first" and "the second" can be used to distinguish the corresponding component from another component, but are not intended to limit the component in other aspects (e.g., importance or order). It is intended that if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “coupled with”, “coupled to”, “connected to”, “connected to”, or “connected to” another element (e.g., the second element), with or without the term “operably” or “communicatively”, this indicates that the element may be coupled to the other element directly (e.g., by wire), wirelessly, or via a third element.

[0023] As used herein, the term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic," "logic block," "component," and "circuit"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or the smallest unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0024] The AP can establish BSS operation through multiple channels. Although subsets of these channels can be arranged on the same frequency band, these channels can be arranged on different frequency bands. Examples of multi-channel BSS include 20MHz operation in the 2.4GHz band, 80MHz operation in the 5GHz band, and 160MHz operation in the 6GHz band. Due to the diversity of channel conditions across channels, the data rate used by the device may be different on different channels. The AP announces multi-channel operation with a broadcast frame including, for example, beacons, probe responses, etc. STAs joining the BSS may indicate the channels on which they want to operate during association, and / or dynamically indicate the channels on which they want to operate in the form of an operating mode change indication after association. For example, the STA may temporarily switch to single channel operation for power saving or for coexistence with other technologies (e.g., Bluetooth) when it has no backlog of business. Here, multi-channel operation through two channels is described, but is not limited to this.

[0025] Medium access in each channel does not require synchronization between channels. Figure 1 1 is a diagram illustrating multi-channel medium access by devices operating on channel A and channel B. When energy is detected above an energy detection threshold, the channel may be considered to be in a busy channel state. A first busy channel state 102A is shown on channel A, and a second busy channel state 102B is shown on channel B. When the value of the back-off counter reaches zero, data transmission on the channel begins. A first back-off counter 104A is shown on channel A, and a second back-off counter 104B is shown on channel B.

[0026] A single physical protocol layer data unit (PPDU) transmission consists of a physical (PHY) layer preamble and multiple medium access control (MAC) layer data units (MPDUs). A first PPDU 106A is shown on channel A and includes a first PHY preamble 108A and a first group of MPDUs 110A-1 to 110A-5. A second PPDU 106B is shown on channel B and includes a second PHY preamble 108B and a second group of MPDUs 110B-1 to 110B-4. The corresponding immediate block ACK includes a bitmap in which each bit confirms the successful reception of the corresponding MPDU. In response to the reception of the first PPDU 106A, a first block ACK 112A is shown on channel A, and in response to the reception of the second PPDU 106B, a second block ACK 112B is shown on channel B. Figure 1 The asynchronous nature of the medium access is shown, where the first block ACK 112A on channel A occurs simultaneously with the second PPDU 106B on channel B.

[0027] To realize the full potential of multi-channel operation, participating devices would ideally be able to conduct bidirectional communications simultaneously on multiple channels. With such a capability, uplink and downlink communications can occur simultaneously between the AP and STAs in an asynchronous manner. However, multi-radio devices may lack such a capability due to in-device power leakage caused by insufficient frequency separation of the operating channels.

[0028] Therefore, STAs in a multi-channel BSS can be classified as simultaneous transmit-receive (STR) STAs or non-STR STAs. STR STAs are capable of STR, simultaneous transmit-transmit (STT), and simultaneous receive-receive (SRR). Non-STR STAs cannot perform STR, but can perform STT and SRR. Therefore, when transmitting on channel B, non-STR STAs cannot detect the PHY preamble on channel A or decode the PHY header.

[0029] Reference now Figure 2A , which shows simultaneous downlink transmissions to non-STR STAs. An AP with STR capability can receive a Block Ack transmission on channel A even while transmitting on channel B to non-STR STAs.

[0030] Figure 2A The reference numerals 202A, 202B, 204A, 204B, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 210A-1 to 210A-5, 210B-1 to 210B-4, 212A and 212B correspond to the above-mentioned Figure 1 The transmission of Block Ack 212A by a non-STR STA on channel A interferes with the downlink data transmission of PPDU 206B on channel B to the same non-STR STA. Figure 2A As shown, only the MPDUs received on channel B that overlapped with the Block Ack transmission on channel A are lost. Specifically, MPDUs 210B-2 and 210B-3 are lost due to interference.

[0031] Figure 2B is a diagram showing simultaneous downlink transmission to non-STR STAs. Figure 2A , Figure 2B 2 shows that the transmission of Block Ack 212A by a non-STR STA on channel A interferes with the downlink data transmission of PPDU 206B on channel B to the same non-STR STA. Figure 2BAs shown, the transmission of Block Ack 212A on channel A affects the signal-to-noise-interference ratio on channel B to the extent that reception is out of sync, resulting in reception failure of all MPDUs from the start of Block Ack transmission to the end of data transmission. Specifically, MPDUs 210B-2, 210B-3, and 210B-4 are lost due to interference.

[0032] Figure 2C is a diagram showing simultaneous downlink transmission to non-STR STAs. Specifically, Figure 2C The transmission of a Block Ack by a non-STR STA on channel A is shown overlapping the start of a downlink transmission to the non-STR STA on channel B. Specifically, Block Ack 212A overlaps the PHY preamble 208B and MPDU 210B-1 of PPDU 206B. Since the non-STR STA cannot decode the PHY preamble 208B, the non-STR STA cannot receive all of MPDUs 210B-1 to 210B-4 on channel B and does not respond with a Block Ack on channel B.

[0033] Therefore, if Figure 2A-2C As shown, downlink performance degradation may occur if the AP attempts to transmit on a first channel without regard to ongoing frame exchanges on a second channel.

[0034] As described above, depending on the reception capability of the non-STR STA for the operating channel, it may not receive the MPDU on the other channel outside the Block Ack transmission phase. If the AP aligns the end of the data transmission on the two channels, such reception failure will not occur. Therefore, the Block ACK is sent on the two channels at the same time.

[0035] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating simultaneous downlink transmission to non-STR STAs in the case of end alignment according to an embodiment. Figure 3 The reference numerals 302A, 302B, 304A, 304B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B, 310A-1 to 310A-5, 310B-1 to 310B-3, 312A and 312B correspond to the above-mentioned Figure 1 102A, 102B, 104A, 104B, 106A, 106B, 108A, 108B, 110A-1 to 110A-5, 110B-1 to 110B-3, 112A and 112B.

[0036] For each pair of channels, the non-STR STA indicates to the AP whether the AP should always align the end of simultaneous downlink data transmission to the non-STR STA or can adaptively align the end of simultaneous downlink data transmission to the non-STR STA. The non-STR STA may provide such information during the initial association with the AP and / or in a dynamic manner after association. For example, each time the operating parameters of a channel are updated by the AP, the non-STR STA may indicate the requirement for its update, because the operating parameters determine the STR capability and reception capability at the non-STR STA on the corresponding channel pair.

[0037] If a non-STR STA indicates that the AP should always align the end of a downlink transmission, the AP will always align simultaneous downlink transmissions to the same non-STR STA. Figure 3 As shown, the AP starts sending PPDU 306B to the non-STR STA on channel B immediately after the backoff counter 304B reaches zero, and aligns the end of the PPDU 306B on channel B with the end of the ongoing data transmission of PPDU 306A to the same non-STR STA on channel A. To achieve this alignment, the AP may employ segmentation and padding mechanisms known to those skilled in the art.

[0038] If the non-STR STA indicates that the AP can adaptively align downlink transmissions, then in the case where no alignment is performed (e.g., Figure 2A-2C ), the AP adaptively aligns the end of data transmission based on the potential data reception failure at the non-STR STA. Based on the interference conditions on channel B and the rate adaptation mechanism employed by the AP, the AP determines the modulation and coding rate for data transmission on channel B. Therefore, the AP uses the knowledge of the start time and end time of the potential Block Ack transmission on channel A by the non-STR STA to determine the number of MPDUs that the non-STR STA will not receive if the end of the data transmission on channel B is not aligned with the end of the data transmission on channel A. If the data transmission on channel B ends earlier than the data transmission on channel A, the MPDU reception failure at the non-STR STA may occur on channel A instead of channel B.

[0039] Therefore, using a predefined MPDU loss threshold, if the estimated number of MPDUs that may suffer reception failure at a non-STR STA is greater than or equal to the predefined threshold, the AP may align the end of the data transmission on channel B with the end of the data transmission on channel A. Otherwise, the AP may perform the transmission on channel B without any alignment with the ongoing transmission on channel A to the same non-STR STA.

[0040] Return to reference Figure 2C, the uplink Block Ack transmission 212A on channel A overlaps with the PHY preamble 208B of the data on channel B, and the entire data transmission on channel B is not received at the non-STR STA. Since the AP reserves the channel A medium for both data transmission and corresponding acknowledgment reception, the AP has accurate knowledge of the start time and end time of the potential Block Ack response on channel A from the non-STR STA. In addition, the AP has knowledge of the start and end of the PHY preamble corresponding to the potential transmission on channel B. Therefore, after the backoff counter reaches zero on channel B, if the AP determines that an overlap will occur between the Block Ack from the non-STR STA on channel A and the PHY preamble to the same non-STR STA on channel B, the AP will not initiate a data transmission on channel B to the same non-STR STA, and may retry the transmission after the medium time reserved by the AP on channel A expires. However, since the AP does not perform the transmission, the medium may be acquired by a neighboring device operating on channel B before the medium time reserved on channel A expires. The AP may also choose to transmit to other STAs instead of the same non-STRSTA to avoid this problem.

[0041] Figure 4 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for receiving simultaneous downlink transmissions at a STA according to an embodiment. As described above, the STA is a non-STR STA. At 402, information is sent to the AP regarding whether the end of simultaneous data transmissions to the mobile station will be aligned. The information is sent during an initial association between the STA and the AP and / or is sent in a dynamic manner after the initial association. Simultaneous data transmission is performed between the AP and the STA over a channel pair.

[0042] At 404, the STA begins receiving a first data transmission from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair. At 406, the STA begins receiving a second data transmission from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair. The second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission. The second data transmission may begin after the first data transmission.

[0043] When the information indicates that the ends of the simultaneous downlink data transmissions are to be aligned, the STA ends reception of the second data transmission at the end of the first data transmission at 408. The second data transmission may be shortened to align the end of the second data transmission with the end of the first data transmission.

[0044] Figure 55 is a flow chart illustrating a method for sending simultaneous downlink transmissions at an AP according to an embodiment. At 502, information is received from a STA regarding whether the end of simultaneous data transmissions to the STA will be aligned. Simultaneous data transmission is performed between the AP and the STA via a channel pair. As described above, the STA is a non-STR STA. The information is sent during an initial association between a mobile station and the AP and / or is sent in a dynamic manner after the initial association.

[0045] At 504, the AP begins sending a first data transmission to the STA on a first channel in the channel pair. At 506, the AP begins sending a second data transmission to the mobile station on a second channel in the channel pair. The second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission. The second data transmission may begin after the first data transmission.

[0046] At 508, a second end of the second data transmission is aligned with the first end of the first data transmission when the information indicates that the ends of the simultaneous data transmissions are to be aligned. At 510, an end of the first data transmission is adaptively aligned with an end of the second data transmission based on a number of packet data units (PDUs) that would not be received if the ends were not aligned.

[0047] For adaptive alignment, determining a number of PDUs of the second transmission that will not be received by the STA due to interference with feedback sent to the AP on the first channel if the second data transmission continues while the second end is not aligned with the first end. The number of PDUs is determined based on information at the AP about the expected transmission time of the feedback and the expected transmission time of the second transmission. When the number of PDUs is greater than or equal to a predefined threshold, the second end is aligned with the first end. When the number of PDUs is less than the predefined threshold, the transmission of the second downlink data transmission is maintained after the first end.

[0048] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment. Figure 6, the electronic device 601 in the network environment 600 may communicate with the electronic device 602 via the first network 698 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with the electronic device 604 or the server 608 via the second network 699 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). The electronic device 601 may communicate with the electronic device 604 via the server 608. The electronic device 601 may include a processor 620, a memory 630, an input device 650, a sound output device 655, a display device 660, an audio module 670, a sensor module 676, an interface 677, a haptic module 679, a camera module 680, a power management module 688, a battery 689, a communication module 690, a user identification module (SIM) 696, or an antenna module 697. In some embodiments, at least one of the components (e.g., the display device 660 or the camera module 680) may be omitted from the electronic device 601, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 601. In one embodiment, some of the components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC).For example, the sensor module 676 (eg, a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illumination sensor) may be embedded in the display device 660 (eg, a display).

[0049] The processor 620 may run, for example, software (e.g., program 640) to control at least one other component (e.g., hardware component or software component) of the electronic device 601 coupled to the processor 620, and may perform various data processing or calculations. As at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 620 may load commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 676 or communication module 690) into the volatile memory 632, process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory 632, and store the resultant data in the non-volatile memory 634. The processor 620 may include a main processor 621 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)) and an auxiliary processor 623 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operationally independent or combined with the main processor 621. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 623 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 621, or to perform a specific function. The auxiliary processor 623 may be implemented separately from the main processor 621 , or may be implemented as a part of the main processor 621 .

[0050] When the main processor 621 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 623 (rather than the main processor 621) may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display device 660, sensor module 676, or communication module 690) among the components of the electronic device 601, or when the main processor 621 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 623 may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display device 660, sensor module 676, or communication module 690) among the components of the electronic device 601 together with the main processor 621. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 623 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., a camera module 680 or a communication module 690) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 623.

[0051] The memory 630 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 601 (e.g., the processor 620 or the sensor module 676). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 640) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 630 may include a volatile memory 632 or a non-volatile memory 634.

[0052] The program 640 may be stored as software in the memory 630 , and may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 642 , middleware 644 , or an application 646 .

[0053] The input device 650 may receive commands or data to be used by other components (eg, the processor 620) of the electronic device 601 from outside the electronic device 601 (eg, a user). The input device 650 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, or a keyboard.

[0054] The sound output device 655 can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 601. The sound output device 655 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing records, and the receiver may be used to receive an incoming call. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented as being separated from the speaker, or as a part of the speaker.

[0055] The display device 660 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 601 (e.g., a user). The display device 660 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to one embodiment, the display device 660 may include a touch circuit adapted to detect a touch or a sensor circuit (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the strength of a force caused by a touch.

[0056] The audio module 670 may convert sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to one embodiment, the audio module 670 may obtain sound via the input device 650 or output sound via the sound output device 655 or an earphone of an external electronic device 602 directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly coupled to the electronic device 601.

[0057] The sensor module 676 may detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 601 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) outside the electronic device 601, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. The sensor module 676 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor.

[0058] The interface 677 may support one or more designated protocols to be used to directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly couple the electronic device 601 with the external electronic device 602. According to one embodiment, the interface 677 may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0059] The connection end 678 may include a connector via which the electronic device 601 may be physically connected to the external electronic device 602. According to one embodiment, the connection end 678 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0060] The haptic module 679 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation (eg, vibration or motion) or electrical stimulation that can be recognized by the user via tactile or kinesthetic sense. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 679 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0061] The camera module 680 may capture still images or moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 680 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0062] The power management module 688 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 601. The power management module 688 may be implemented as, for example, at least a portion of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0063] The battery 689 may power at least one component of the electronic device 601. According to one embodiment, the battery 689 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0064] The communication module 690 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 601 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 602, electronic device 604, or server 608) and performing communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 690 may include one or more communication processors that can operate independently of the processor 620 (e.g., AP) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 690 may include a wireless communication module 692 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 694 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). The corresponding one of these communication modules may communicate via a first network 698 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth TM , Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct, or Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standards) or a second network 699 (e.g., a long-distance communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or a wide area network (WAN)))). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single IC), or may be implemented as multiple components separated from each other (e.g., multiple ICs). The wireless communication module 692 may use user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 696 to identify and authenticate the electronic device 601 in a communication network (such as the first network 698 or the second network 699). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more wireless communication modules 692 may communicate with both a cellular network and a LAN via the second network 699.

[0065] The antenna module 697 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside of the electronic device 601 (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 697 may include one or more antennas, and thus, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network (such as the first network 698 or the second network 699) may be selected by, for example, the communication module 690 (e.g., the wireless communication module 692). Then, a signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 690 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna.

[0066] At least some of the above components may be coupled to each other via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, general purpose input output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicate signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

[0067] According to one embodiment, a command or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 601 and the external electronic device 604 via a server 608 connected to the second network 699. Each of the electronic device 602 and the electronic device 604 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 601, or a device of a different type from the electronic device 601. All or some operations to be run on the electronic device 601 may be run on one or more of the external electronic device 602, the external electronic device 604, or the server 608. For example, if the electronic device 601 should automatically perform a function or service or perform a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 601 may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of running the function or service, or the electronic device 601 may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service in addition to running the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that receive the request may perform at least part of the function or service requested, or perform another function or another service related to the request, and send the result of the execution to the electronic device 601. The electronic device 601 may provide the result as at least a partial reply to the request with or without further processing the result. To this end, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology or client-server computing technology may be used, for example.

[0068] One embodiment may be implemented as software (e.g., program 640) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 636 or external memory 638) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 601). For example, the processor of the electronic device 601 may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium, and run the at least one instruction under the control of the processor with or without other components. Thus, the machine may be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be run by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. The term "non-transitory" indicates that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), but this term does not distinguish between data being semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and data being temporarily stored in the storage medium.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the method according to the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be released in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be downloaded via an application store (e.g., PlayStore). TM ) The computer program product may be published online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) or may be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). If published online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or at least temporarily stored in a machine-readable storage medium (such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server).

[0070] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., module or program) in the above-mentioned components may include a single entity or multiple entities. One or more components in the above-mentioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each component in the multiple components in the same or similar manner as a corresponding component in the multiple components before integration. The operations performed by a module, program or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly or in a heuristic manner, or one or more operations in the operations may be run or omitted in different orders, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0071] Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in the detailed description of the present disclosure, the present disclosure may be modified in various forms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be determined based solely on the described embodiments, but rather on the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for receiving simultaneous downlink transmissions at a mobile station, the method comprising: sending information to an access point AP indicating that the end of simultaneous data transmission to the mobile station will be adaptively aligned based on a data unit loss threshold, wherein the simultaneous data transmission is performed between the AP and the mobile station via a channel pair; commence receiving a first data transmission from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair; Beginning to receive a second data transmission from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; and When the ends of the simultaneous data transmissions are aligned based on the data unit loss threshold, reception of the second data transmission is ended when the first data transmission ends.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The mobile station cannot perform simultaneous transmission-reception through the channel pair, but can perform simultaneous transmission-transmission and simultaneous reception-reception through the channel pair.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The information is sent during an initial association between the mobile station and the AP and / or in a dynamic manner after the initial association.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the reception of the first data transmission, the reception of the second data transmission begins.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of ending reception of the second data transmission includes shortening the second data transmission such that an end of the second data transmission is aligned with an end of the first data transmission.

6. A method for sending simultaneous downlink transmissions at an access point AP, the method comprising: receiving, from a mobile station, information indicating that ends of simultaneous data transmissions to the mobile station are to be adaptively aligned, wherein the simultaneous data transmissions are between the AP and the mobile station over a channel pair; commencing transmission of a first data transmission to the mobile station on a first channel of the channel pair; beginning to send a second data transmission to the mobile station on a second channel of the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; determining based on a data unit loss threshold that an end of the first data transmission and an end of the second data transmission are to be adaptively aligned; A second end of the second data transmission is aligned with the first end of the first data transmission.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: Determining that the end of the first data transmission and the end of the second data transmission are to be adaptively aligned includes: Determining that a number of packet data units of a second data transmission is greater than or equal to the data unit loss threshold when the second data transmission continues and the second end is not aligned with the first end, wherein the packet data units are not received by the mobile station due to interference with feedback sent to the AP on the first channel.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The number of packet data units is determined based on information at the AP regarding an expected transmission time of the feedback and an expected transmission time of a second transmission.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The mobile station cannot perform simultaneous transmission-reception through the channel pair, but can perform simultaneous transmission-transmission and simultaneous reception-reception through the channel pair.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The information is received dynamically during an initial association between the mobile station and the AP and / or after the initial association.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The sending of the second data transmission begins after the sending of the first data transmission.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The step of aligning the second end with the first end includes shortening the second data transmission.

13. A mobile station, comprising: processor; as well as A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to perform the following operations: sending information to an access point AP indicating that the end of simultaneous data transmission to the mobile station will be adaptively aligned based on a data unit loss threshold, wherein the simultaneous data transmission is performed between the AP and the mobile station via a channel pair; commence receiving a first data transmission from the AP on a first channel in the channel pair; Beginning to receive a second data transmission from the AP on a second channel in the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; and When the ends of the simultaneous data transmissions are aligned based on the data unit loss threshold, reception of the second data transmission is ended when the first data transmission ends.

14. The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein: The mobile station cannot perform simultaneous transmission-reception through the channel pair, but can perform simultaneous transmission-transmission and simultaneous reception-reception through the channel pair.

15. The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein: The information is sent during an initial association between the mobile station and the AP and / or in a dynamic manner after the initial association.

16. The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein: In ending receipt of the second data transmission, the instructions cause the processor to shorten the second data transmission such that an end of the second data transmission is aligned with an end of the first data transmission.

17. An access point AP, comprising: processor; as well as A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to perform the following operations: receiving, from a mobile station, information indicating that ends of simultaneous data transmissions to the mobile station are to be adaptively aligned, wherein the simultaneous data transmissions are between the AP and the mobile station over a channel pair; commencing transmission of a first data transmission to the mobile station on a first channel of the channel pair; beginning to send a second data transmission to the mobile station on a second channel of the channel pair, wherein the second data transmission overlaps at least a portion of the first data transmission; determining based on a data unit loss threshold that the end of the first data transmission is to be adaptively aligned with the end of the second data transmission; and A second end of the second data transmission is aligned with the first end of the first data transmission.

18. The AP according to claim 17, wherein: Upon determining that the ends of the first data transmission and the second data transmission are to be adaptively aligned, the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to perform the following operations: Determining that a number of packet data units of a second data transmission is greater than or equal to the data unit loss threshold when the second data transmission continues and the second end is not aligned with the first end, wherein the packet data units are not received by the mobile station due to interference with feedback sent to the AP on the first channel.

19. The AP according to claim 18, wherein: The number of packet data units is determined based on information at the AP regarding an expected transmission time of the feedback and an expected transmission time of a second transmission.

20. The AP according to claim 18, wherein: The mobile station cannot perform simultaneous transmission-reception through the channel pair, but can perform simultaneous transmission-transmission and simultaneous reception-reception through the channel pair.

Images