Communication method and device

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, relating to the field of communication technology, provide a type of wireless frame to support different usage requirements for time resources in a variety of application scenarios, so that the wireless frame has universality. The communication method includes: a first device generates a first frame, the first frame includes a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, and the second field is used to indicate the purpose of the first time resource. The purpose of the first time resource includes: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, or the first time resource is used for frame interaction. The first device sends a first frame to a second device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to communication methods and devices. Background Art

[0002] In order to meet the specific needs of users, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11be standard may support some special application scenarios, such as scheduled peer-to-peer (P2P) scenarios, coordinated time division multiple access (CO-TDMA) scenarios, etc.

[0003] In the Scheduled P2P scenario, multiple stations (STAs) are connected through P2P technology to form a small network, so that multiple STAs can communicate directly with each other. The access point (AP) can allocate time resources to a STA so that the STA can communicate with other STAs within the allocated time resources.

[0004] Two AP roles are defined in the CO-TDMA scenario: sharing AP and shared AP. After obtaining a TXOP, a sharing AP can allocate a portion of the time resources in the TXOP to the shared AP, so that the shared AP uses the time resources to communicate with the stations associated with the shared AP.

[0005] It can be seen that various application scenarios in the current communication system have different usage requirements for time resources. However, for different application scenarios, using different frame types of radio frames to meet the usage requirements for time resources will introduce multiple frame type indication information, which will complicate the communication protocol. Therefore, how to use one type of radio frame to support different usage requirements for time resources in multiple application scenarios so that the radio frame has universality is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present application provides a communication method for realizing the use of one type of wireless frame to support different usage requirements of time resources in multiple application scenarios, so that the wireless frame has universality.

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a first device generates a first frame, the first frame comprising a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, the purpose of the first time resource comprising: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user physical layer protocol data unit (PHY protocol data unit, PPDU), or the first time resource is used for frame interaction; the first device sends the first frame to the second device.

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, the first frame includes a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of the first time resource, and the second field can be used to indicate that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, or the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for frame interaction. The first frame can be applied to scenarios with different uses for time resources, so that the first frame has universality.

[0009] In one possible design, when the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource. In this way, it is ensured that a multi-link device that does not support STR can align single-user PPDUs sent on different links.

[0010] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0011] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for collaborative devices to perform frame interaction, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set (BSS); when the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end stations to perform frame interaction.

[0012] In one possible design, the first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

[0013] In a possible design, the first frame is a basic type (basic) trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

[0014] In one possible design, the first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

[0015] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field, the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field, the value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

[0016] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field using triggered response scheduling (TRS), the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRS control field includes a first field and a second field, and the reserved bit in the TRS control field is set to 1.

[0017] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the first device receives a response frame sent by the second device, the response frame includes a third field, and the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0018] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: the first device receives a first radio frame sent by the second device in the first time resource, and the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used in sending the radio frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device. In this way, the first device can parse the first radio frame to learn that the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0019] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: the first device receives cache status information sent by the second device, the cache status information being used to indicate the amount of cached data. It should be understood that the second device can assist the first device in allocating time resources by sending the cache status information to the first device.

[0020] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0021] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0022] According to a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which includes: a second device receives a first frame sent by a first device, the first frame includes a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, and the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, and the purpose of the first time resource includes: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, or the first time resource is used for frame interaction; the second device parses the first frame.

[0023] Based on the above technical solution, the first frame includes a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of the first time resource, and the second field can be used to indicate that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, or the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for frame interaction. The first frame can be applied to scenarios with different uses for time resources, so that the first frame has universality.

[0024] In one possible design, when the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource. In this way, it is ensured that a multi-link device that does not support STR can align single-user PPDUs sent on different links.

[0025] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0026] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for collaborative devices to perform frame interaction, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set; or, when the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end station frame interaction.

[0027] In one possible design, the first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

[0028] In a possible design, the first frame is a basic type basic trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

[0029] In one possible design, the first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

[0030] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field, the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field, the value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

[0031] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field using a trigger response scheduling type TRS, the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRS control field includes a first field and a second field, and the reserved bit in the TRScontrol field is set to 1.

[0032] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: the second device sends a response frame to the first device, the response frame includes a third field, and the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0033] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the second device sends a first radio frame in a first time resource, and the MCS used to send the radio frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0034] In one possible design, the above-mentioned communication method also includes: cache status information sent by the second device to the first device, and the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0035] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0036] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0037] In a third aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a first device generates a second frame carrying a command and status (CAS) control field, the CAS control field comprising a fourth field and a fifth field, the fourth field being used to determine whether to transfer a remaining time of a transmission opportunity (TXOP) to a second device so that the second device communicates with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; the fifth field being used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device communicates with a third device within the remaining time of the TXOP, the third device not including the first device; the first device sends a second frame carrying the CAS control field to the second device.

[0038] Based on the above technical solution, the fourth field can support the use setting of the remaining time of TXOP in one type of application scenario, and the fifth field can support the use setting of the remaining time of TXOP in another type of application scenario. Therefore, based on the fourth field and the fifth field, the second frame can be applied to application scenarios with different arrangements for the remaining time of TXOP, such as scenarios applying the RDG mechanism, Scheduled P2P scenarios, or CO-TDMA scenarios. Thus, the second frame has universality.

[0039] In one possible design, when the fourth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device can communicate with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fourth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0040] In one possible design, when the fifth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate a determination to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device can communicate with the third device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fifth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fifth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0041] In one possible design, the fourth field and the fifth field cannot be set to the fourth preset value at the same time.

[0042] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a sixth field, which is used to indicate whether there is any limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0043] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a seventh field, where the seventh field is used to indicate whether the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices except the first device.

[0044] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the first device receives a response frame sent by the second device, the response frame includes an eighth field, and the eighth field is used to determine whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0045] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the first device receives the first wireless frame sent by the second device within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0046] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the first device receives cache status information sent by the second device, and the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0047] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0048] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0049] In a fourth aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a second device receives a second frame carrying a CAS control field sent by a first device, the CAS control field comprising a fourth field and a fifth field, the fourth field being used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device communicates with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; the fifth field being used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device communicates with a third device within the remaining time of the TXOP, the third device not including the first device; the second device parses the second frame carrying the CAS control field.

[0050] Based on the above technical solution, the fourth field can support the use setting of the remaining time of TXOP in one type of application scenario, and the fifth field can support the use setting of the remaining time of TXOP in another type of application scenario. Therefore, based on the fourth field and the fifth field, the second frame can be applied to application scenarios with different arrangements for the remaining time of TXOP, such as scenarios applying the RDG mechanism, Scheduled P2P scenarios, or CO-TDMA scenarios. Thus, the second frame has universality.

[0051] In one possible design, when the fourth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device can communicate with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fourth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0052] In one possible design, when the fifth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate a determination to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device can communicate with the third device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fifth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fifth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0053] In one possible design, the fourth field and the fifth field cannot be set to the fourth preset value at the same time.

[0054] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a sixth field, which is used to indicate whether there is any limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0055] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a seventh field, where the seventh field is used to indicate whether the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices except the first device.

[0056] In one possible design, the communication method further includes: the second device sends a response frame to the first device, the response frame includes an eighth field, and the eighth field is used to determine whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0057] In one possible design, the above communication method also includes: the second device sends the first wireless frame within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the MCS used for sending the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0058] In one possible design, the above-mentioned communication method also includes: cache status information sent by the second device to the first device, and the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0059] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0060] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0061] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a processing module and a communication module. The processing module is used to generate a first frame, the first frame comprising a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, the purpose of the first time resource comprising: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, or the first time resource is used for frame interaction. The communication module is used to send the first frame to a second device.

[0062] In one possible design, when the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource.

[0063] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0064] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for collaborative devices to perform frame interaction, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set; when the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end sites to perform frame interaction.

[0065] In one possible design, the first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

[0066] In one possible design, the first frame is a basic trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

[0067] In one possible design, the first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

[0068] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field, the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field, the value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

[0069] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field using TRS, the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRS control field includes a first field and a second field, and the reserved bit in the TRS control field is set to 1.

[0070] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive a response frame sent by the second device, where the response frame includes a third field, and the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0071] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive the first wireless frame sent by the second device in the first time resource, and the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0072] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive cache status information sent by the second device, and the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0073] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0074] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0075] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a processing module and a communication module. The communication module is used to receive a first frame sent by a first device, the first frame comprising a first field and a second field, the first field being used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, the second field being used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, the purpose of the first time resource comprising: the first time resource being used to transmit a single-user physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, or the first time resource being used for frame interaction. The processing module is used to parse the first frame.

[0076] In one possible design, when the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource.

[0077] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0078] In one possible design, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: when the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, when the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for collaborative devices to perform frame interaction, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set; or, when the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end station frame interaction.

[0079] In one possible design, the first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

[0080] In a possible design, the first frame is a basic type basic trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

[0081] In one possible design, the first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

[0082] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field, the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field, the value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

[0083] In one possible design, the first frame also includes an A-control field for triggering TRS, the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRS control field includes a first field and a second field, and the reserved bit in the TRS control field is set to 1.

[0084] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send a response frame to the first device, and the response frame includes a third field, and the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0085] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send the first wireless frame in the first time resource, and the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0086] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send cache status information to the first device, where the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0087] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0088] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0089] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a processing module and a communication module. The processing module is used to generate a second frame carrying a command and status CAS control field, the CAS control field comprising a fourth field and a fifth field, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device and the first device communicate within the remaining time of the TXOP; the fifth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device, so that the second device and the third device communicate within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the third device does not include the first device. The communication module is used to send the second frame carrying the CAS control field to the second device.

[0090] In one possible design, when the fourth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device can communicate with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fourth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0091] In one possible design, when the fifth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate a determination to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device can communicate with the third device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fifth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fifth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0092] In one possible design, the fourth field and the fifth field cannot be set to the fourth preset value at the same time.

[0093] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a sixth field, which is used to indicate whether there is any limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0094] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a seventh field, where the seventh field is used to indicate whether the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices except the first device.

[0095] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive a response frame sent by the second device, and the response frame includes an eighth field, and the eighth field is used to determine whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0096] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive the first wireless frame sent by the second device within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0097] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to receive cache status information sent by the second device, and the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0098] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0099] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0100] In an eighth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a processing module and a communication module. The communication module is used to receive a second frame carrying a CAS control field sent by a first device, the CAS control field comprising a fourth field and a fifth field, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; the fifth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device, so that the second device communicates with a third device within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the third device does not include the first device. The processing module is used to parse the second frame carrying the CAS control field.

[0101] In one possible design, when the fourth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine whether to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device, so that the second device can communicate with the first device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fourth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fourth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0102] In one possible design, when the fifth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate a determination to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device so that the second device can communicate with the third device within the remaining time of the TXOP; or, when the fifth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fifth field is used to determine not to transfer the remaining time of the transmission opportunity TXOP to the second device.

[0103] In one possible design, the fourth field and the fifth field cannot be set to the fourth preset value at the same time.

[0104] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a sixth field, which is used to indicate whether there is any limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0105] In one possible design, the CAS control field also includes a seventh field, where the seventh field is used to indicate whether the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices except the first device.

[0106] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send a response frame to the first device, and the response frame includes an eighth field, and the eighth field is used to determine whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0107] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send the first wireless frame within the remaining time of the TXOP, and the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0108] In one possible design, the communication module is also used to send cache status information to the first device, where the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

[0109] In one possible design, when the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data amount includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data amount, the total downlink cached data amount, or the sum of the total uplink cached data amount and the total downlink cached data amount; wherein the total uplink cached data amount is the sum of the uplink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data amount is the sum of the downlink cached data amounts of one or more sites associated with the second device.

[0110] In one possible design, when the second device is a P2P site, the cached data amount is the sum of the cached data amounts on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

[0111] In a ninth aspect, a communication device is provided, the communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver, the processor and the transceiver are used to implement any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects above. The processor is used to perform the processing actions in the corresponding method, and the transceiver is used to perform the receiving / sending actions in the corresponding method.

[0112] In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects.

[0113] In an eleventh aspect, a computer program product comprising computer instructions is provided. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects.

[0114] In a twelfth aspect, a chip is provided, comprising: a processing circuit and a transceiver pin, wherein the processing circuit and the transceiver pin are used to implement any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects above. The processing circuit is used to perform the processing action in the corresponding method, and the transceiver pin is used to perform the receiving / sending action in the corresponding method.

[0115] It should be noted that the technical effects brought about by any design in the above-mentioned fifth to twelfth aspects can refer to the technical effects brought about by the corresponding designs in the first to fourth aspects, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0116] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a trigger frame;

[0117] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a common information field in a trigger frame;

[0118] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a user information field in a trigger frame;

[0119] FIG4( a ) is a schematic diagram of an A-control field;

[0120] FIG4( b) is a schematic diagram of a TRS control field;

[0121] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a communication scenario between an AP multi-link device and a STA multi-link device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0122] 6(a) and 6(b) are schematic diagrams of the structures of an AP multi-link device and a STA multi-link device participating in communication;

[0123] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a wireless frame #1 provided in an embodiment of the present application applied to a multi-link scenario;

[0124] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a Scheduled P2P scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0125] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a CO-TDMA scenario provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0126] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a wireless frame #2 provided in an embodiment of the present application applied to a scheduled P2P scenario;

[0127] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of a radio frame #2 provided in an embodiment of the present application applied to a CO-TDMA scenario;

[0128] Fig.12 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0129] Fig.13 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0130] Fig.14 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0131] Fig.15It is a schematic diagram of a CAS control field in the prior art;

[0132] Fig.16 A schematic diagram of a CAS control field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0133] Fig.17 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0134] Fig.18 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0135] Fig.19 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0136] Fig. 20 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0137] Fig.21 A schematic diagram of the structure of cache status information provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0138] Fig. 22 A schematic diagram of another structure of cache status information provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0139] Fig.23 A schematic diagram of another structure of cache status information provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0140] Fig.24 A schematic diagram of another structure of cache status information provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0141] Fig.25 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0142] Fig.26 A schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0143] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means "or", for example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this article is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, "at least one" means one or more, and "plurality" means two or more. The words "first", "second", etc. do not limit the quantity and execution order, and the words "first", "second", etc. do not limit them to be different.

[0144] In this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the related concepts in a concrete way.

[0145] The technical solution provided by the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as systems adopting the IEEE 802.11 standard. Exemplarily, the IEEE 802.11 standard includes, but is not limited to, the 802.11be standard, or a later generation of the 802.11 standard. The technical solution of the present application is applicable to scenarios including: communication between AP and STA, communication between AP and AP, and communication between STA and STA.

[0146] The STA involved in this application may be various user terminals, user devices, access devices, subscriber stations, subscriber units, mobile stations, user agents, user equipment or other names with wireless communication functions, wherein the user terminal may include various handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem with wireless communication functions, as well as various forms of user equipment (UE), mobile stations (MS), terminals, terminal equipment, portable communication devices, handheld devices, portable computing devices, entertainment devices, gaming devices or systems, global positioning system devices or any other suitable devices configured to communicate over a wireless medium. Here, for the convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices are collectively referred to as stations or STAs.

[0147] The access point AP involved in this application is a device deployed in a wireless communication network to provide wireless communication functions for its associated STA. The access point AP can be used as the hub of the communication system and can be a communication device such as a base station, a router, a gateway, a repeater, a communication server, a switch or a bridge, wherein the base station may include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, relay stations, etc. Here, for the convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices are collectively referred to as access points AP.

[0148] The following is a brief introduction to the technical terms involved in the embodiments of the present application to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the present application.

[0149] 1. BSS

[0150] BSS is used to describe a group of devices that can communicate with each other in wireless local area networks (WLAN). A WLAN can include multiple BSSs. Each BSS has a unique identifier, called a basic service set identifier (BSSID). Optionally, a BSS can include an AP and multiple STAs associated with the AP.

[0151] 2. TXOP

[0152] TXOP is the basic unit of wireless channel access. TXOP consists of an initial time and a maximum duration (TXOP limit). A station that obtains TXOP can continue to use the channel to transmit multiple data frames without re-competing for the channel within the TXOP limit.

[0153] The TXOP can be obtained through contention or hybrid coordinator (HC) allocation. Among them, the TXOP obtained through contention can be called enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) TXOP. The TXOP obtained through HC allocation can be called hybrid coordination function controlled channel access (HCCA) TXOP.

[0154] It should be understood that the present application does not involve the acquisition of TXOP, and the specific details of the method for acquiring TXOP can refer to the prior art.

[0155] 3. Trigger frame

[0156] During uplink or downlink transmission, trigger frames are needed to implement information interaction among multiple users.

[0157] For example, Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a frame structure of a trigger frame. Figure 1 As shown, the trigger frame includes: a frame control field, a duration field, a receiving address (RA) field, a transmitting address (TA) field, a common information field, a user information list field, a padding field, and a frame check sequence (FCS) field.

[0158] The public information field contains public information that all sites need to read. Figure 2 As shown, the common information field includes: trigger frame type subfield, uplink length (UL length) subfield, more trigger frames (more TF) subfield, carrier sense required (CS required) subfield, uplink bandwidth (UL bandwidth) subfield, guard interval and HE long training sequence type (GI and HE-LTF type) subfield, mode (MU-MIMO HE-LTFmode) subfield, HE-LTF number and midambleperidicity (number of HE-LTF symbols and Midambleperidicity) subfield, uplink space-time block coding (UL STBC) subfield, LDPC extra symbol part (LDPC extrasymbol segment) subfield, AP transmit power (AP TX power) subfield, forward error correction code before filling factor (Pre-FEC padding factor) subfield, packet extension ambiguity (PE disambiguilty) subfield, uplink spatial reuse (UL spatial reuse) subfield, Doppler (Doppler) subfield, uplink HE-SIG-A2 reserved (UL HE-SIG-A2 The trigger frame type includes a trigger frame type field, a reserved subfield, and a trigger-dependent Common info field.

[0159] The trigger frame type subfield occupies 4 bits and is used to indicate the type of the trigger frame. In the prior art, the corresponding relationship between the value of the trigger frame type subfield and the type of the trigger frame can be referred to in Table 1.

[0160] Table 1

[0161]

[0162] The user information list field of the trigger frame may include multiple user information fields. In the 802.11ax standard, the structure of the user information field may be as follows: Figure 3The user information field may include: AID subfield, resource block allocation (RUallocation) field, uplink forward error correction coding type (UL FEC coding type) field, uplink modulation and coding strategy (UL HE-MCS) field, uplink dual carrier modulation (UL DCM) field, spatial stream allocation / random access RU information (SSallocation / RA-RU information) field, uplink target received signal strength indication (UL target RSSI) field, reserved field, and trigger dependent userinfo field.

[0163] 4. PPDU type

[0164] To adapt to different transmission scenarios, 802.11ax adds four new PPDU types at the physical layer: single-user (signal user, SU) PPDU, extended range (extended range) PPDU, multi-user (multi user, MU) PPDU, and trigger-based frame (trigger-based, TB) PPDU.

[0165] Among them, single-user PPDU is mainly used in single-user scenarios.

[0166] The extended-range PPDU is mainly used in single-user scenarios far away from the AP, such as outdoor scenarios.

[0167] Multi-user PPDU is mainly used in multi-user scenarios and can be transmitted to one or more users at the same time once or multiple times.

[0168] TB PPDU is used to respond to the trigger frame. TB PPDU is mainly transmitted in uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) or uplink MU-multiple in multiple out (MIMO) scenarios.

[0169] 5. A-control field

[0170] As shown in Figure 4(a), the A-control field includes a control ID field and a control information field. The control ID field occupies 4 bits. The number of bits occupied by the control information field varies according to the value of the control ID field.

[0171] Currently, the correspondence between the value and meaning of the control ID field can be referred to Table 2.

[0172] Table 2

[0173]

[0174] Exemplarily, as described in conjunction with Table 2, when the value of the control ID field in the A-control field is 3, the control information field in the A-control field is used as the BSR control field.

[0175] When the value of the control ID field in the A-control field is 6, the controlinformation field in the A-control field serves as the CAS control field.

[0176] When the value of the control ID field in the A-control field is 8, the controlinformation field in the A-control field serves as the TRS control field.

[0177] As shown in FIG. 4( b ), the TRS control field in the prior art includes: an uplink data symbol (UL datasymbols) field, a resource block allocation (RU allocation) field, an access point transmit power (AP TX power) field, a ULtarget RSSI field, a UL HE-MCS field, and a reserved field.

[0178] In Figure 4(b), the bits occupied by the TRS control field are arranged from low to high, and can be numbered as bits B0-B25. Among them, the UL data symbols field occupies bits B0-B4, the RU allocation field occupies bits B5-B12, the AP TX power field occupies bits B13-B17, the UL target RSSI field occupies bits B18-B22, the UL HE-MCS field occupies bits B23-B24, and the reserved field occupies bits B25.

[0179] The above is an introduction to the terms involved in the embodiments of the present application, which will not be repeated below.

[0180] Currently, the extremely high throughput (EHT) equipment of the next generation Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) protocol of IEEE 802.11 supports increasing peak throughput and reducing service transmission latency through multiple streams, multiple frequency bands (e.g., 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz frequency bands), and cooperation of multiple channels on the same frequency band. The multiple frequency bands or multiple channels can be collectively referred to as multi-links.

[0181] The multi-link device includes one or more subordinate sites, and the subordinate sites may be logical sites or physical sites. In the embodiment of the present application, "the multi-link device includes subordinate sites" may be briefly described as "the multi-link device includes sites".

[0182] The subordinate station may be an access point (AP) or a non-access point station (non-AP STA). For the convenience of description, in the embodiment of the present application, a multi-link device whose subordinate station is an AP may be referred to as a multi-link AP, or an AP MLD, or a multi-link AP device; and a multi-link device whose subordinate station is a STA may be referred to as a multi-link STA, or a multi-link STA device, or a STA MLD, or a non-AP MLD.

[0183] The multi-link device can implement wireless communication in accordance with the 802.11 system protocol. Exemplarily, the 802.11 system protocol can be the 802.11ax protocol, the 802.11be protocol, and the next generation 802.11 protocol, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0184] The multi-link device can communicate with other devices. In the embodiment of the present application, the other devices may be multi-link devices or may not be multi-link devices.

[0185] For example, Figure 5 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the communication scenario between an AP multi-link device and a STA multi-link device. Figure 5 As shown, an AP multi-link device can be associated with multiple STA multi-link devices and single-link STAs. For example, AP multi-link device 100 is associated with STA multi-link device 200, STA multi-link device 300, and STA 400. It should be understood that multiple APs in the AP multi-link device work on multiple links respectively, multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device work on multiple links respectively, and one STA in the STA multi-link device is associated with one AP in the AP multi-link device on its working link. A single-link STA is associated with one AP in the AP multi-link device on its working link.

[0186] Figure 6(a) and Figure 6(b) show the schematic diagrams of the structures of AP multi-link devices and STA multi-link devices participating in the communication. The 802.11 standard focuses on the 802.11 physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layer in AP multi-link devices and STA multi-link devices (such as mobile phones and laptops).

[0187] As shown in Figure 6(a), the AP multi-link device includes multiple APs that are independent of each other at the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and are also independent of each other at the high MAC layer. The STA multi-link device includes multiple STAs that are independent of each other at the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and are also independent of each other at the high MAC layer.

[0188] As shown in Figure 6(b), the multiple APs included in the AP multi-link device are independent of each other in the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the high MAC layer. The multiple STAs included in the STA multi-link device are independent of each other in the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the high MAC layer.

[0189] Of course, the STA multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is independent of each other, while the AP multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is shared. Alternatively, the STA multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is shared, while the AP multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is independent of each other. Exemplarily, the high MAC layer or the low MAC layer may be implemented by a processor in a chip system of the multi-link device, or may be implemented by different processing modules in a chip system.

[0190] The frequency bands in which the multi-link device operates may include but are not limited to: sub 1GHz, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz and high frequency 60GHz.

[0191] A multi-link device may support simultaneous transmission and reception (STR) of data, or may not support simultaneous transmission and reception of data. Supporting simultaneous transmission and reception of data means that the multi-link device can receive data on another link while sending data on one link. Not supporting simultaneous transmission and reception of data means that the multi-link device cannot receive data on another link while sending data on one link.

[0192] When the STA multi-link device does not support simultaneous data transmission and reception, during the data transmission between the STA multi-link device and the AP multi-link device, the wireless frames sent by the multi-link device AP on multiple links are aligned at the end, and the response frames sent by the STA multi-link device on multiple links are aligned at the start time and the end time.

[0193] In a communication scenario with multi-link devices that do not support STR, a wireless frame is required to control the length of the response frame to ensure that the response frames transmitted on different links can be aligned.

[0194] For the convenience of description, the “communication scenario of a multi-link device that does not support STR” is referred to as a “multi-link scenario” hereinafter.

[0195] The trigger frame defined in the current standard is not suitable for the multi-link scenario described above. The reasons are:

[0196] (1) The existing trigger frame is designed for multiple users to simultaneously send uplink TB PPDUs. Therefore, the existing trigger frame needs to indicate information such as MCS, RU, and transmit power, which causes unnecessary system overhead.

[0197] (2) Existing trigger frames can only trigger TB PPDU. In a multi-link scenario, the wireless frame used to control the length of the response frame is only used to trigger a station to respond accordingly, so the station does not need to use TB PPDU, but can use single-user PPDU. Single-user PDDU has more advantages than TB PPDU: 1) Single-user PPDU can better protect the channel. This is because third-party stations can parse the content of single-user PDDU but cannot parse the content of TB PPDU. 2) Single-user PPDU has less overhead in the physical layer frame header than TB PPDU.

[0198] In order to solve this technical problem, a radio frame #1 applied to a multi-link scenario is proposed, which can trigger a station to respond using a single-user PPDU. The radio frame #1 includes an assigned time duration field. The assigned time duration field is used to indicate the length of the single-user PPDU fed back by the station.

[0199] The above radio frame #1 may be referred to as a single-user triggered frame. It should be understood that the radio frame #1 may be aggregated or carried in downlink data.

[0200] For example, Figure 7 An example of the application of radio frame #1 in a multi-link scenario is shown. The transmitter sends data 1 and radio frame #1 to the receiver on link 1, and sends data 2 and radio frame #1 to the receiver on link 2. The receiver sends a block ack (BA) frame 1 on link 1 and a BA frame 2 on link 2 according to the instruction of the single-user trigger frame. BA1 frame 1 and BA frame 2 are aligned in the time domain. Figure 7 “Tr” represents wireless frame #1.

[0201] Furthermore, the IEEE802.11be standard also supports the Scheduled P2P mechanism and the CO-TDMA mechanism.

[0202] For example, Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a Scheduled P2P scenario is shown. Figure 8 As shown, AP is associated with STA1; AP and STA2 may be associated or unassociated. A P2P link is established between STA1 and STA2. AP may allocate time resources to STA1 so that STA1 communicates with STA2 via the P2P link in the allocated time resources.

[0203] For example, Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a CO-TDMA scenario is shown. Fig. 9 As shown, AP1 is associated with STA1, and AP2 is associated with STA2. After AP1 obtains TXOP, AP1 can allocate the time resources of TXOP to AP2. Thus, AP2 can use the time resources to communicate with STA2.

[0204] In order to support the allocation of time resources in Scheduled P2P scenarios and CO-TDMA scenarios, the present application provides a radio frame #2, which is used to allocate time resources.

[0205] For example, Fig.10Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of wireless frame #2 applied to the Scheduled P2P scenario. Fig.10 As shown, in the TXOP obtained by the AP, the AP sends a radio frame #2 to STA1, and the radio frame #2 allocates a time resource #1 to STA1. Therefore, in the time resource #1, STA1 can send a PPDU to STA2, and STA2 can send an ACK frame of the PPDU to STA1.

[0206] For example, Fig.11 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of radio frame #2 applied to a CO-TDMA scenario. Fig.11 As shown, AP1 is the owner of the TXOP. In the TXOP, AP1 can send a radio frame #2 to AP2 to allocate a time resource #1 to AP2. In the time resource #1, AP2 communicates with one or more STAs associated with it.

[0207] Currently, the radio frame #1 applied to the multi-link scenario is not universal with the radio frame #2 applied to the Scheduled P2P scenario or the CO-TDMA scenario. Therefore, in order for a device to identify whether a radio frame is radio frame #1 or radio frame #2, radio frame #1 and radio frame #2 need to have their own frame types, which complicates the communication protocol.

[0208] In order to solve this technical problem, an embodiment of the present application provides a first frame. The first frame includes a first field and a second field. The first field is used to indicate the duration of the first time resource. The second field is used to indicate the purpose of the first time resource. The above-mentioned time resource may have other names, such as time period, time domain resource, time, etc., which are not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0209] It should be understood that the first field is different from the duration field included in the first frame, and the duration field is used to reserve a period of time for using a medium.

[0210] Exemplarily, the first field may have other names, such as an assigned time duration field; the second field may have other names, such as an assigned type field. This embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0211] Optional, first-time resource uses include:

[0212] Use 1: The first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU.

[0213] Optionally, the duration of the first time resource may be the length of a single-user PPDU.

[0214] Optionally, the duration of the first time resource may be equal to the sum of the length of a single-user PPDU, an inter-frame space (SIFS), and the length of a conventional physical layer preamble.

[0215] It should be understood that when the purpose of the first time resource is purpose 1, it means that the first frame is applied to a first type of scenario, and the first type of scenario includes but is not limited to: a multi-link scenario.

[0216] Purpose 2: The first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0217] Based on usage 2, the start time of the first time resource is the time when the receiving end receives the first frame.

[0218] It should be understood that when the purpose of the first time resource is purpose 2, it means that the first frame is applied to the second type of scenario, and the second type of scenario includes but is not limited to: Scheduled P2P scenario or CO-TDMA scenario.

[0219] In a possible design, the second field is used to indicate the usage of the first time resource, including one of the following situations:

[0220] Case 1-1: when the value of the second field is the first preset value, the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU.

[0221] Case 1-2: when the value of the second field is the second preset value, the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

[0222] Exemplarily, the second field occupies 1 bit, the first preset value may be 0, and the second preset value may be 1.

[0223] In another possible design, the second field is used to indicate the usage of the first time resource, including one of the following situations:

[0224] Case 2-1: when the value of the second field is the first preset value, the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU.

[0225] Scenario 2-2: when the value of the second field is the second preset value, the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for the collaborative device to perform frame interaction.

[0226] The cooperation device and the first device do not belong to the same BSS. Exemplarily, the cooperation device may be a shared AP in a CO-TDMA scenario.

[0227] Case 2-3: when the value of the second field is the third preset value, the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for the P2P site to perform frame interaction.

[0228] Exemplarily, the second field occupies 2 bits, the first preset value is 0, the second preset value is 1, and the third preset value is 2.

[0229] The design of the first frame is introduced below. It should be understood that the first frame can adopt any one of the following design methods.

[0230] Design method 1: The first frame is a new type of trigger frame. That is, the first frame includes a trigger frame type field whose value is a first value, and the first value is any one of 8-15.

[0231] Design method 2: The first frame is an improvement based on the basic trigger frame. That is, the first frame includes a trigger frame type field with a value of 0. In addition, the B63 bit of the first frame is set to 1 to indicate that the basic trigger frame is the first frame.

[0232] It should be understood that the B63 bit of the basic trigger frame in the current standard is a reserved bit.

[0233] Optionally, based on design method one or design method two, the first field and the second field may be located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

[0234] Exemplarily, when the first field and the second field are located in a common information field of a first frame, the first field may be a UL length field, and the second field may multiplex other fields in the common information field except the UL length field.

[0235] Design method three: the first trigger frame includes an A-control field using a new control type. That is, the first frame includes the A-control field, and the value of the control identification field in the A-control field is a second value, and the second value is any one of 7-14.

[0236] Based on design method three, the first field and the second field can be located in the controlinformation field of the A-control field.

[0237] Design method 4: The first frame is based on improving the TRS control type in the existing A-control field.

[0238] Specifically, the first frame is a wireless frame carrying an A-control field. The control ID field in the A-control field has a value of 0, and the A-control field includes a TRS control field. The B25 bit in the TRS control field is set to 1, and all or part of the B0-B24 bits in the TRS control field are used to carry the first field and the second field.

[0239] The above is an introduction to the first frame provided in the embodiment of the present application, which is explained here uniformly and will not be repeated below.

[0240] like Fig.12 As shown, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application comprises the following steps:

[0241] S101. A first device generates a first frame.

[0242] The first device may be an AP or a STA.

[0243] It should be understood that the first device may determine the duration of the first time resource according to actual conditions. For example, the first device may determine the duration of the first time resource according to the cache status information reported by the second device.

[0244] S102: The first device sends a first frame to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives a trigger frame sent by the first device.

[0245] S103: The second device parses the first frame.

[0246] Optionally, after the second device parses the first frame, the second device uses the first time resource indicated by the first field according to the second field in the first frame.

[0247] Exemplarily, the second device determines, based on the second field in the first frame, that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU. In this case, the second device sends a single-user PPDU to the first device.

[0248] Exemplarily, when the second device determines that the first time resource is used for frame interaction according to the second field in the first frame, if the second device is an AP, the second device performs frame interaction with other devices associated with the second device within the first time resource according to the CO-TDMA mechanism. If the second device is a STA, the second device performs frame interaction with other P2P sites according to the Scheduled P2P mechanism.

[0249] based on Fig.12In the technical solution shown, the first frame includes a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of the first time resource, and the second field can be used to indicate that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, or the second field is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for frame interaction. The first frame can be applied to scenarios with different uses of time resources, so that the first frame has universality.

[0250] Optionally, after receiving the first frame, the second device may use Fig.13 The illustrated embodiment feeds back a first response frame. Fig.13 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Fig.13 As shown, the communication method includes the following steps:

[0251] S201. The second device generates a first response frame.

[0252] The first response frame includes a third field. The third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts or rejects the first time resource. In other words, the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0253] In one example, when the third field is set to 0, the third field is used to indicate that the second device accepts the first time resource. Alternatively, when the third field is set to 1, the third field is used to indicate that the second device rejects the first time resource.

[0254] In another example, when the third field is set to 1, the third field is used to indicate that the second device accepts the first time resource. Alternatively, when the third field is set to 0, the third field is used to indicate that the second device rejects the first time resource.

[0255] S202: The second device sends a first response frame to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first response frame sent by the second device.

[0256] It should be understood that after receiving the first response frame, the first device can know that the second device has correctly received the first frame. Accordingly, if the first device does not receive the first response frame, the first device can assume that the second device has not correctly received the first frame.

[0257] based on Fig.13 In the embodiment shown, on the one hand, the first device can know whether the second device has correctly received the first frame according to whether the first response frame is received. On the other hand, the first device can determine whether the second device accepts the first time resource according to the third field in the first response frame, so that when the second device rejects the first time resource, the first device can allocate the first time resource to other devices again to avoid wasting time resources.

[0258] Optionally, when the second field in the first frame is used to indicate that the first time resource is used for frame interaction, after the second device receives the first frame, the second device may not feed back a response frame to the first device, but directly interact with other devices. In this case, the second device may use Fig.14 The illustrated embodiment enables the first device to learn that the second device accepts the first time resource allocated by the first device.

[0259] like Fig.14 As shown, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application comprises the following steps:

[0260] S301. The second device sends a first radio frame within a first time resource.

[0261] Optionally, the receiving address of the above wireless frame is not the MAC address of the first device.

[0262] In the embodiment of the present application, the frame format adopted by the first wireless frame sent by the second device is the frame format supported by the first device. Moreover, the physical layer parameters adopted by sending the wireless frame are the physical layer parameters supported by the first device.

[0263] Exemplarily, the physical layer parameters include, but are not limited to: number of spatial streams, MCS.

[0264] Optionally, the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the first MCS, and the first MCS is the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0265] Optionally, the MCS used to send the radio frame is less than or equal to the target MCS. The target MCS is the minimum value of the first MCS and the second MCS. The second MCS is the maximum MCS that the first device is expected to be able to resolve under current channel conditions.

[0266] S302. The first device receives a first radio frame sent by the second device within a first time resource.

[0267] based on Fig.14 In the illustrated embodiment, since the frame format and physical layer parameters used by the second device to send the first radio frame within the first time resource take into account the parsing capability of the first device, the first device can parse the radio frame to learn that the second device accepts the first time resource.

[0268] Optionally, if the first device does not receive the wireless frame sent by the second device within a preset time period, the first device may consider that the second device has not correctly received the first frame, or the first device may consider that the second device rejects the first time resource indicated by the first field in the first frame. In this case, the first device may allocate time resources to other devices.

[0269] It should be understood that the second device may send other radio frames (such as the second radio frame, the third radio frame, etc.) other than the first radio frame on the first time resource without considering the parsing capability of the first device. That is, the frame format used by the other radio frames may not be the frame format supported by the first device, and the physical layer parameters used to send the other radio frames may not be the physical layer parameters supported by the first device.

[0270] The existing standard supports a reverse direction grant (RDG) mechanism. In the RDG mechanism, the RDG initiator can transfer the remaining time of the TXOP held by the RDG initiator to the RDG responder. After that, the RDG responder uses a single-user PPDU to communicate with the RDG initiator; or, the RDG responder uses a downlink multi-user PPDU or a trigger frame to communicate with multiple devices, which must include the RDG initiator.

[0271] Based on the RDG mechanism, the sender can send RDG indication information to the receiver so that the receiver can know whether the sender transfers the remaining time of the TXOP held by the sender to the receiver. It should be understood that when the sender transfers the remaining time of the TXOP held by it to the receiver, the sender is the RDG initiator and the receiver is the RDG responder.

[0272] Currently, the RDG indication information is carried in the CAS control field in the A-control field. Fig.15 As shown, the existing CAS control field includes an AC constraint field, an RDG / more PPDU field, a parameterized spatial reuse transmission (PSRT) PPDU field, and 5 reserved bits. Among them, the AC constraint field, the RDG / more PPDU field, and the PSRT PPDU field each occupy 1 bit.

[0273] The RDG / more PPDU field is used as RDG indication information. Specifically, when the RDG / more PPDU field is set to 1, it indicates that the transmitter transfers the remaining time of the TXOP it holds to the receiver. When the RDG / more PPDU field is set to 0, it indicates that the transmitter does not transfer the remaining time of the TXOP it holds to the receiver.

[0274] The AC constraint field is used to indicate whether there is a restriction on the type of data frames sent by the RDG responder during the remaining time of the TXOP. Specifically, when the AC constraint field is set to 0, it means that there is no restriction on the type of data frames sent by the RDG responder during the remaining time of the TXOP. When the AC constraint field is set to 1, it means that there is a restriction on the type of data frames sent by the RDG responder during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0275] There are restrictions on the type of data frames sent by the RDG responder, specifically, the RDG responder can only send data of the primary access category (AC) corresponding to the TXOP.

[0276] The PSRT PPDU field is used to indicate that the current PPDU is a spatial multiplexing PPDU sent under the parameter spatial multiplexing transmission condition.

[0277] The IEEE 802.11be standard may also support the Scheduled P2P mechanism and the CO-TDMA mechanism. In the Scheduled P2P scenario, the first AP may also need to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP it holds to the STA associated with the first AP. In the CO-TDMA scenario, the first AP may also need to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP it holds to the second AP.

[0278] However, the above RDG mechanism cannot be applied to other application scenarios (such as Scheduled P2P scenarios or CO-TDMA scenarios) because: based on the RDG mechanism, the RDG responder needs to communicate with the RDG initiator when receiving the remaining time of the TXOP. However, in the Scheduled P2P scenario or CO-TDMA scenario, the device that receives the remaining time of the TXOP communicates with other devices, and the other devices do not include the holder of the TXOP.

[0279] If a new type of radio frame is provided for the above-mentioned Scheduled P2P scenario or CO-TDMA scenario, the communication protocol will be complicated.

[0280] Therefore, in order to avoid complication of the communication protocol, an embodiment of the present application provides a second frame. The second frame includes an A-control field, the A-control field includes a CAS control field, and the CAS control field includes a fourth field and a fifth field.

[0281] Optionally, the second frame is a data frame, such as a quality of service (QoS) frame or a QoS null frame.

[0282] The fourth field is used to indicate whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP. In other words, the fourth field is used to indicate whether to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to the RDG responder.

[0283] It should be understood that the fourth field may have other names, such as RDG / more PPDU field.

[0284] Optionally, when the fourth field is set to a fourth preset value, the fourth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP. When the fourth field is set to a fifth preset value, the fourth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is not transferred to the second device. The fourth preset value is different from the fifth preset value.

[0285] It should be understood that the above-mentioned second device communicates with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP, which can be: the second device uses a single-user PPDU to communicate with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP; or, the second device uses a downlink multi-user PPDU or a trigger frame to communicate with multiple devices including the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0286] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the values ​​of the fourth preset value and the fifth preset value. Exemplarily, the fourth preset value is 1 and the fifth preset value is 0.

[0287] The fifth field is used to indicate whether the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the third device during the remaining time of the TXOP, and the third device does not include the first device. In other words, the fifth field is used to indicate whether the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the cooperative device or the P2P STA.

[0288] Optionally, when the fifth field is set to the fourth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the third device within the remaining time of the TXOP. When the fifth field is set to the fifth preset value, the fifth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is not transferred to the second device.

[0289] The third device may be one or more.

[0290] It should be understood that when the fifth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device so that the second device communicates with the third device during the remaining time of the TXOP, the second device will not communicate with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0291] It should be understood that the fifth field may have other names, such as a time sharing field.

[0292] In this embodiment of the present application, the fourth field and the fifth field cannot be set to the fourth preset value at the same time.

[0293] It should be noted that the second frame also includes a duration field, and the duration field can be used to determine the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0294] Optionally, the CAS control field also includes a sixth field, and the sixth field is used to indicate whether there is a limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device in the remaining time of the TXOP. Specifically, when the sixth field is set to 0, the sixth field is used to indicate that there is no limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device in the remaining time of the TXOP. When the sixth field is set to 1, the sixth field is used to indicate that there is a limitation on the type of data frames sent by the second device in the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0295] It should be understood that the sixth field may have other names, such as an AC constraint field.

[0296] Optionally, the CAS control field also includes a seventh field. The seventh field is used to indicate whether the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices. Specifically, when the seventh field is set to the sixth preset value, the seventh field is used to indicate that the second device is not allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices. When the seventh field is set to the seventh preset value, the seventh field is used to indicate that the second device is allowed to transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices.

[0297] It should be understood that the seventh field may have other names, such as a Further grant field.

[0298] Optionally, in addition to the above fields, the CAS control field may also include other fields, such as a PSRTPPDU field.

[0299] For example, Fig.16A schematic diagram of a CAS control field in a second frame provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. The CAS control field may include a fourth field, a fifth field, a sixth field, a seventh field, a PSRT PPDU field, and 3 reserved bits. The fourth field, the fifth field, the sixth field, the seventh field, and the PSRT PPDU field each occupy 1 bit.

[0300] like Fig.17 As shown, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application comprises the following steps:

[0301] S401: The first device generates a second frame.

[0302] S402: The first device sends a second frame to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the second frame sent by the first device.

[0303] S403: The second device parses the second frame.

[0304] When the fourth field in the CAS control field of the second frame is set to the fourth preset value, the second device communicates with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP. Alternatively, when the fifth field in the CAS control field of the second frame is set to the fifth preset value, the second device communicates with the third device during the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0305] It should be understood that the third device can be determined according to the specific application scenario.

[0306] Exemplarily, in a CO-TDMA scenario, the third device may be a site associated with the second device.

[0307] Exemplarily, in a Scheduled P2P scenario, the third device may be a site that establishes a P2P link with the second device.

[0308] based on Fig.17 In the illustrated embodiment, the second frame carries a CAS control field, and the CAS control field includes a fourth field and a fifth field. Among them, the fourth field is used to indicate that the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the first device during the remaining time of the TXOP. The fifth field is used to indicate whether the remaining time of the TXOP is transferred to the second device, so that the second device communicates with the third device during the remaining time of the TXOP, and the third device does not include the first device. Therefore, based on the fourth field and the fifth field, the second frame can be applied to application scenarios with different arrangements for the remaining time of the TXOP, such as scenarios applying the RDG mechanism, Scheduled P2P scenarios, or CO-TDMA scenarios. Thus, the second frame has universality.

[0309] For ease of description, the remaining time of the TXOP transferred by the first device to the second device through the second frame may be referred to as the second time resource. After the second device uses the second time resource, the remaining time of the second time resource may be referred to as the third time resource.

[0310] Optionally, the second device may return the third time resource to the first device through any one of the following operations.

[0311] Operation 1: The second device sends a second frame carrying a CAS control field to the first device, and the fifth field in the CAS control field is set to a fifth preset value.

[0312] Operation 2: The second device sends a wireless frame that does not carry a CAS control field to the first device.

[0313] Optionally, after the second device receives the second frame, the second device may use Fig.18 The embodiment shown is used to feed back a second response frame. Fig.18 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Fig.18 As shown, the communication method includes the following steps:

[0314] S501. The second device generates a second response frame.

[0315] The second response frame is used to respond to the second frame. The second response frame includes an eighth field. The eighth field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0316] In one example, when the eighth field is set to 0, the eighth field is used to indicate the remaining time for the second device to accept the TXOP. Alternatively, when the eighth field is set to 1, the eighth field is used to indicate the remaining time for the second device to reject the TXOP.

[0317] In another example, when the eighth field is set to 1, the eighth field is used to indicate the remaining time for the second device to accept the TXOP. Alternatively, when the eighth field is set to 0, the eighth field is used to indicate the remaining time for the second device to reject the TXOP.

[0318] S502: The second device sends a second response frame to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the second response frame sent by the second device.

[0319] based on Fig.18In the embodiment shown, on the one hand, the first device can know whether the second device has correctly received the second frame according to whether the second response frame is received. On the other hand, the first device can determine whether the second device accepts the remaining time of the TXOP according to the eighth field in the second response frame, so that when the second device refuses the remaining time of the TXOP, the first device can allocate the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices again to avoid wasting time resources.

[0320] Optionally, when the fifth field in the second frame is set to the fourth preset value, after the second device receives the second frame, the second device may not feed back a response frame to the first device, but directly perform frame interaction with other devices. In this case, the second device adopts Fig.19 According to the embodiment shown, the first device is enabled to know the remaining time for the second device to accept the TXOP allocated by the first device.

[0321] S601: The second device sends the first radio frame during the remaining time of TXOP.

[0322] Optionally, the receiving address of the above wireless frame is not the MAC address of the first device.

[0323] In the embodiment of the present application, the frame format adopted by the first wireless frame sent by the second device is the frame format supported by the first device. Moreover, the physical layer parameters adopted by sending the wireless frame are the physical layer parameters supported by the first device.

[0324] Exemplarily, the physical layer parameters include, but are not limited to: number of spatial streams, MCS.

[0325] Optionally, the MCS used to send the wireless frame is less than or equal to the first MCS, and the first MCS is the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

[0326] S602: The first device receives a first radio frame sent by the second device within the remaining time of the TXOP.

[0327] based on Fig.19 In the illustrated embodiment, since the frame format and physical layer parameters used by the second device to send the first radio frame within the remaining time of the TXOP both take into account the parsing capability of the first device, the first device can parse the radio frame to learn the remaining time for the second device to accept the TXOP.

[0328] Optionally, if the first device does not receive the wireless frame sent by the second device within a preset time, the first device may consider that the second device has not correctly received the second frame, or the first device may consider that the second device refuses the remaining time of the TXOP. In this case, the first device may transfer the remaining time of the TXOP to other devices.

[0329] It should be understood that the second device may send other radio frames (such as the second radio frame, the third radio frame, etc.) other than the first radio frame during the remaining time of the TXOP without considering the parsing capability of the first device. That is, the frame format used by the other radio frames may not be the frame format supported by the first device, and the physical layer parameters used to send the other radio frames may not be the physical layer parameters supported by the first device.

[0330] In some application scenarios (eg, Scheduled P2P scenario or CO-TDMA scenario), the second device needs to report cache status information to the first device in advance, so as to assist the first device in allocating time resources to the second device.

[0331] Based on this, Fig. 20 As shown, a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0332] S701. The second device generates cache status information.

[0333] The cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cache data.

[0334] When the second device is a cooperative device, the buffered data amount may be one or more of the following: a total uplink buffered data amount, a total downlink buffered data amount, or a sum of the total uplink buffered data amount and the total downlink buffered data amount.

[0335] The total uplink buffered data volume is the sum of the data volumes to be sent from each target site to the second device. The total downlink buffered data volume is the sum of the data volumes to be sent from the second device to each target site.

[0336] Optionally, the target site is one of the following:

[0337] (1) The target site is any site associated with the second device.

[0338] That is, when the second device communicates with its associated site within the allocated time resources, there is no location limitation for the selection of the associated site.

[0339] (2) The target station is a station associated with the second device, and the target station is a station that receives capability indication information, wherein the capability indication information is used to indicate that the station participates in CO-TDMA.

[0340] (3) The target site is a site associated with the second device, and the target site meets the selection condition of the second device. The selection condition of the second device includes conditions in terms of location, channel state information, etc. For example, the selection condition of the second device in terms of location is: the distance between the target site and the second device is less than or equal to a first preset value.

[0341] When the second device is a P2P STA, the cached data amount may be the sum of the cached data amounts on K P2P links established by the second device, where K is a positive integer. Alternatively, the cached data amount may be the cached data amount on one P2P link, and the cache state information may also include an identifier of the P2P link.

[0342] In a possible design, without considering the access category (AC) or traffic identifier (TID) of the cached data, the cached data amount indicated by the above cache status information is the sum of the cached data amounts of all ACs or all TIDs.

[0343] In another possible design, considering the access category (AC) or traffic identifier (TID) of the cached data, the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data, which may include the following implementations:

[0344] Implementation 1: The cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cache data corresponding to one or more ACs. Alternatively, the cache status information may be used to indicate the amount of cache data corresponding to one or more TIDs.

[0345] Exemplarily, the cache status information may include multiple cells, each cell is used to carry an identifier of an AC and the amount of cache data corresponding to the AC; or, each cell is used to carry an identifier of a TID and the amount of cache data corresponding to the TID.

[0346] Implementation method 2: The cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cache data corresponding to the primary AC.

[0347] It should be understood that in the current EDCA, there is a cache queue and a backoff counter for each AC, and the data of the AC can be sent after the corresponding backoff counter backs off to 0. Correspondingly, the AC that competes for the TXOP is called the master AC of the TXOP.

[0348] Implementation 3: The cache status information is used to indicate the cache data volume corresponding to the AC combination. Alternatively, the cache status information is used to indicate the cache data volume corresponding to the TID combination.

[0349] The AC combination includes one or more ACs. Accordingly, the cache data volume corresponding to the AC combination is the sum of the cache data volumes corresponding to each AC in the AC combination. For example, AC combination 1 includes AC1 and AC2, and the cache data volume corresponding to AC combination 1 is the sum of the cache data volume corresponding to AC1 and the cache data volume corresponding to AC2.

[0350] The TID combination includes one or more TIDs. Accordingly, the cache data volume corresponding to the TID combination is the sum of the cache data volumes corresponding to each TID in the TID combination. For example, TID combination 1 includes TID1 and TID2, and the cache data volume corresponding to TID combination 1 is the sum of the cache data volume corresponding to TID1 and the cache data volume corresponding to TID2.

[0351] S702: The second device sends cache status information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the cache status information sent by the second device.

[0352] It should be understood that the buffer status information can be carried in the radio frame.

[0353] Optionally, in a scheduled P2P scenario, the wireless frame includes an A-control field, and the A-control field includes cache status information. It should be understood that in this case, the value of the control ID field in the A-control field is 3, and the cache status report field in the A-control field is equivalent to the cache status information.

[0354] Optionally, in a CO-TDMA scenario, the radio frame carrying the buffer status information is a public action (PublicAction) frame.

[0355] For example, in a CO-TDMA scenario, the cache status information may be Fig.21 or Fig. 22 The frame structure is shown.

[0356] like Fig.21 As shown, the buffer status information may include a feedback type (Report Type) field, a scaling factor (scaling factor) field, a downlink total buffer data amount field, an uplink total buffer data amount field, and a reserved bit.

[0357] The zoom factor field is used to indicate the zoom factor. Fig.21 In the frame structure shown, the product of the scaling factor indicated by the scaling factor field and the amount of data indicated by the downlink total buffer data amount field is the downlink total buffer data amount. The product of the scaling factor indicated by the scaling factor field and the amount of data indicated by the uplink total buffer data amount field is the uplink total buffer data amount. In this way, by setting the scaling factor field in the buffer status information, it is possible to indicate the amount of data within a larger value range with a smaller number of bits.

[0358] It should be understood that Fig.21In the frame structure shown, the scaling factor is an optional field. If the buffer status information does not include the scaling factor field, the downlink total buffer data volume field is used to indicate the downlink total buffer data volume, and the uplink total buffer data volume field is used to indicate the uplink total buffer data volume.

[0359] The downlink total buffer data volume field may also have other names, such as a BSS downlink queue size (queuesize BSS DL) field. The uplink total buffer data volume field may also have other names, such as a BSS uplink queue size (queue size BSS UL) field.

[0360] like Fig. 22 As shown, the buffer status information may include: a feedback type field, a scaling factor field, a total buffer data amount field, and a reserved bit.

[0361] exist Fig. 22 In the frame structure shown, the product of the scaling factor indicated by the scaling factor field and the data amount indicated by the total buffer data amount field is the sum of the uplink total buffer data amount and the downlink total buffer data amount.

[0362] It should be understood that Fig. 22 In the frame structure shown, the scaling factor is an optional field. If the buffer status information does not include the scaling factor field, the total buffer data volume field is used to indicate the sum of the uplink total buffer data volume and the downlink total buffer data volume.

[0363] The total buffered data amount field may have other names, such as the queue size BSS DL+UL field.

[0364] For example, in a scheduled P2P scenario, cache status information can be expressed as Fig.23 or Fig.24 The frame structure is shown.

[0365] like Fig.23 As shown, the cache status information includes a report type field, a scaling factor field, a P2P cache data amount field, and a reserved bit.

[0366] It should be understood that the product of the scaling factor indicated by the scaling factor field and the data volume indicated by the P2P cache data volume field is the sum of the cached data on the K P2P links established by the second device.

[0367] It should be understood that Fig.23 In the frame structure shown, the scaling factor is an optional field. If the cache status information does not include the scaling factor field, the P2P cache data volume field is used to indicate the sum of the cache data on the K P2P links established by the second device.

[0368] like Fig.24 As shown, the cache status information includes a report type field, a scaling factor field, a P2P cache data amount field, a P2P end field, and a reserved bit.

[0369] It should be understood that the P2P end field is used to identify the P2P link. The product of the scaling factor indicated by the scaling factor field and the data volume indicated by the P2P cache data volume field is the sum of the cached data on the P2P link indicated by the P2P end field.

[0370] It should be understood that Fig.24 In the frame structure shown, the scaling factor is an optional field.

[0371] Optional, in Figure 21-24 In the frame structure shown, the reserved bit is optional, that is, the buffer status information may not include the reserved bit.

[0372] Optional, in Figure 21-24 In the frame structure shown, the feedback type field is used to indicate the feedback type, and the feedback type includes a first feedback type and a second feedback type. The first feedback type is used to indicate that the cache state information is used in a multi-AP collaboration scenario. The second feedback type is used to indicate that the cache state information is used in a P2P scenario.

[0373] It should be understood that the multi-AP cooperation scenario includes a CO-TDMA scenario.

[0374] Exemplarily, in the communication protocol, the first feedback type may be recorded as multi-AP, and the second feedback type may be recorded as P2P.

[0375] Optional, in Figure 21-24 In the frame structure shown, the feedback type field is an optional field.

[0376] When the cache status information does not include a feedback type field, the first device may acquire the feedback type of the cache status information in any one of the following ways.

[0377] Method 1: The first device determines the feedback type of the cache status information according to the role of the second device. For example, when the second device is an AP, the first device can determine that the feedback type of the cache status information is the first feedback type. When the second device is a STA, the first device can determine that the feedback type of the cache status information is the second feedback type.

[0378] Method 2: The first device may determine the feedback type of the cache status information based on the frame type of the wireless frame carrying the cache status information. For example, when the frame type of the wireless frame carrying the cache status information is the first frame type, the first device may determine that the feedback type of the cache status information is the first feedback type. When the frame type of the wireless frame carrying the cache status information is the second frame type, the first device may determine that the feedback type of the cache status information is the second feedback type.

[0379] based on Fig. 20 In the embodiment shown, the second device sends cache status information to the first device, so that the first device learns the amount of cache data related to the second device. Furthermore, the first device can reasonably allocate time resources to the second device so that the cache data related to the second device can be transmitted within the allocated time resources.

[0380] It should be understood that Fig. 20 The embodiment shown can be compared with the above Fig.12 or Fig.17 The embodiments shown are combined.

[0381] The above mainly introduces the scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of a communication device (e.g., a first device, a second device). It is understandable that, in order to realize the above functions, the communication device includes a hardware structure and / or software module corresponding to each function. It should be easily appreciated by those skilled in the art that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present application.

[0382] The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional modules of the device according to the above method example. For example, each functional module can be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. The division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. The following is an example of dividing each functional module corresponding to each function:

[0383] like Fig.25 As shown, a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a processing module 101 and a communication module 102.

[0384] In one possible design, when the communication device is used as the first device, the processing module 101 is used to execute Fig.12 Step S101 in, and / or Fig.17 The communication module 102 is used to execute Fig.12 In step S102, Fig.13 In step S202, Fig.14 Step S302 in Fig.17 In step S402, Fig.18 In step S502, Fig.19 Step S602 in, and / or Fig. 20 Step S702 in .

[0385] In another possible design, when the communication device is used as the second device, the processing module 101 is used to execute Fig.12 In step S103, Fig.13 In step S201, Fig.17 Step S403 in Fig.18 Step S501 in, and / or Fig. 20 The communication module 102 is used to execute Fig.12 In step S102, Fig.13 Step S202 in the above method, Fig.14 Step S301 in Fig.17 In step S402, Fig.18 In step S502, Fig.19 Step S601 in, and / or Fig. 20 Step S702 in .

[0386] Fig.26 It is a structural diagram of a possible product form of the communication device described in the embodiment of the present application.

[0387] As a possible product form, the communication device described in the embodiment of the present application may be the first device described above, and the first device includes a processor 201 and a transceiver 202. Optionally, the communication device further includes a storage medium 203.

[0388] Processor 201 is used to execute Fig.12 Step S101 in, and / or Fig.17 The transceiver 202 is used to perform step S401. Fig.12 In step S102, Fig.13 In step S202, Fig.14 Step S302 in Fig.17 In step S402, Fig.18 In step S502, Fig.19 Step S602 in, and / or Fig. 20Step S702 in .

[0389] As another possible product form, the communication device described in the embodiment of the present application may be the above-mentioned second device, and the second device includes a processor 201 and a transceiver 202. Optionally, the communication device further includes a storage medium 203.

[0390] Processor 201 is used to execute Fig.12 In step S103, Fig.13 In step S201, Fig.17 Step S403 in Fig.18 Step S501 in, and / or Fig. 20 The transceiver 202 is used to perform step S701 in Fig.12 In step S102, Fig.13 In step S202, Fig.14 Step S301 in Fig.17 In step S402, Fig.18 In step S502, Fig.19 Step S601 in, and / or Fig. 20 Step S702 in .

[0391] As another possible product form, the communication device described in the embodiment of the present application can also be implemented by a chip. The chip includes: a processing circuit 201 and a transceiver pin 202. Optionally, the chip can also include a storage medium 203.

[0392] As another possible product form, the communication device described in the embodiment of the present application can also be implemented using the following circuits or devices: one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), programmable logic devices (PLD), controllers, state machines, gate logic, discrete hardware components, any other suitable circuits, or any combination of circuits that can perform the various functions described throughout the present application.

[0393] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes the communication method in the aforementioned method embodiment.

[0394] Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product comprising computer instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to execute the communication method in the aforementioned method embodiment.

[0395] It should be understood that the computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. that includes one or more available media integrated therein. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium, or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid-state hard disk), etc.

[0396] Through the description of the above implementation methods, technical personnel in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above-mentioned functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0397] It should be understood that the devices and methods disclosed in the several embodiments provided in the present application can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the modules or units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0398] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed in multiple different places. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0399] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0400] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for a device (which can be a single-chip microcomputer, chip, etc.) or a processor to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0401] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: The first device generates a first frame, the first frame including a first field and a second field, the first field is used to indicate the duration of a first time resource, the second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, and the purpose of the first time resource includes: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, or the first time resource is used to perform frame interaction; The first device sends the first frame to the second device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: When the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, When the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: When the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, When the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction of a collaborative device, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set; or, When the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end station frame interaction.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first frame is a basic type basic trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first frame also includes an A-control field, and the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field. The value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first frame also includes an A-control field using a trigger response scheduling type TRS, the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRScontrol field includes the first field and the second field, and the reserved bit in the TRS control field is set to 1.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The first device receives a response frame sent by the second device, where the response frame includes a third field, and the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The first device receives the first radio frame sent by the second device in the first time resource, and the modulation and coding strategy MCS used to send the radio frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The first device receives the cache status information sent by the second device, where the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cache data.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that When the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data volume includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data volume, the total downlink cached data volume, or the sum of the total uplink cached data volume and the total downlink cached data volume; wherein the total uplink cached data volume is the sum of the uplink cached data volume of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data volume is the sum of the downlink cached data volume of one or more sites associated with the second device.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that When the second device is a peer-to-peer site, the cached data volume is the sum of cached data volumes on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

15. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: The second device receives a first frame sent by the first device, where the first frame includes a first field and a second field, where the first field is used to indicate a duration of a first time resource, and the second field is used to determine a purpose of the first time resource, where the purpose of the first time resource includes: the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, or the first time resource is used to perform frame interaction; The second device parses the first frame.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that When the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU, the duration of the single-user PPDU is equal to the duration of the first time resource.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: When the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, When the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction.

18. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The second field is used to determine the purpose of the first time resource, including the following situations: When the second field is set to a first preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used to transmit a single-user PPDU; or, When the second field is set to a second preset value, the second field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for frame interaction of a collaborative device, and the collaborative device and the first device do not belong to the same basic service set; or, When the second field is set to a third preset value, the third field is used to determine that the first time resource is used for end-to-end station frame interaction.

19. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that The first frame also includes a trigger frame type field, and the value of the trigger frame type field is any one of 8-15.

20. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that The first frame is a basic type basic trigger frame, and the B63 bit in the basic trigger frame is set to 1.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that The first field and the second field are located in a common information field or a user information field of the first frame.

22. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that The first frame also includes an A-control field, and the A-control field includes a control identification field and a control information field. The value of the control identification field is any one of 7-14, and the first field and the second field are located in the control information field.

23. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that The first frame also includes an A-control field using a trigger response scheduling type TRS, the A-control field includes a TRS control field, the TRS control field includes the first field and the second field, and the reserved bit in the TRS control field is set to 1.

24. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 23, characterized in that The method further comprises: The second device sends a response frame to the first device, where the response frame includes a third field, where the third field is used to indicate whether the second device accepts the first time resource.

25. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 23, characterized in that The method further comprises: The second device sends a first radio frame in the first time resource, and the MCS used to send the radio frame is less than or equal to the maximum MCS supported by the first device.

26. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 25, characterized in that The method further comprises: The cache status information sent by the second device to the first device, where the cache status information is used to indicate the amount of cached data.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that When the second device is a collaborative device, the cached data volume includes one or more of the following: the total uplink cached data volume, the total downlink cached data volume, or the sum of the total uplink cached data volume and the total downlink cached data volume; wherein the total uplink cached data volume is the sum of the uplink cached data volume of one or more sites associated with the second device, and the total downlink cached data volume is the sum of the downlink cached data volume of one or more sites associated with the second device.

28. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that When the second device is a peer-to-peer site, the cached data volume is the sum of cached data volumes on one or more P2P links established by the second device.

29. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device comprises means for executing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 28.

30. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 28.

31. A chip, characterized in that: The chip includes a processing unit and transceiver pins; the processing unit is used to perform the processing operations in the method involved in any one of claims 1 to 28, and the transceiver pins are used to perform the communication operations in the method involved in any one of claims 1 to 28.

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