Communication method, device and system

Abstract

The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, device and system, which relate to the field of communication technology and can support R2 devices with more features and functions when the number of reserved bits for available signaling in the existing PPDU field is small. The method includes: a first device can receive a PPDU including an extended function field sent by a second device, and parse the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device can determine the configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, device and system. Background Art

[0002] The existing wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system started with the 802.11a / b / g standard and has gone through multiple generations, such as the 802.11n standard, the 802.11ac standard, the 802.11ax standard and the 802.11be standard. Based on the aforementioned standards, a transmitting device can communicate with a receiving device through a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU).

[0003] Exemplarily, for the 802.11be standard, the PPDU may include fields such as a universal signal field (U-SIG) and an extremely high throughput signal field (EHT-SIG), wherein the EHT-SIG field may include a traditional common field and a traditional user specific field.

[0004] At present, with the advancement of the standard, some discussions on EHT Release 1 (R1) devices and Release 2 (R2) devices have begun in the 802.11be standard, aiming to divide the technical research into two stages. Among them, R1 devices can meet the requirements of the first stage technical protocol. For R2 devices, due to the introduction of new features, R2 devices will be able to support more features and functions, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), multi access point (multi-AP), extended multi-resource unit merging, fast link adaptation, low latency configuration, etc.

[0005] However, in the 802.11be standard, there are no longer a large number of reserved bits available in the U-SIG field and the traditional common fields and traditional user-specific fields in the EHT-SIG field. For example, the number of disregard field bits that can be used in the U-SIG field is 5, the number of validate field bits is 3, and some bits have been reserved for other purposes; the number of disregard field bits that can be used in the traditional common fields in the EHT-SIG is 4, and the traditional user field has 1 bit reserved in the non-multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (non-MU-MIMO) mode, and there are no remaining reserved bits in the MU-MIMO mode.

[0006] Based on the fact that the number of reserved bits for available signaling in the above-mentioned existing PPDU field is relatively small, how to support R2 devices with more features and functions becomes a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of this, the present application provides a communication method, apparatus and system, which can support R2 devices with more features and functions when the number of reserved bits for available signaling in the existing PPDU field is small.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the method comprising: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0009] Based on the first aspect, the second device can add an extended function field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field, and then configure the first feature. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more features and functions through the extended function field.

[0010] In one possible design, the PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field; the traditional common field is used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field is used to indicate the configuration information of the second feature; the second feature is a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device; based on the traditional common field, the traditional user field is parsed; based on the traditional user field, the configuration information of the second feature is parsed.

[0011] Based on this possible design, by carrying the second feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device in the traditional user field, and carrying the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device in the extended function field, it is possible to better support R2 devices with more features and functions while ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0012] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information for indicating whether a first characteristic exists and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; according to the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; according to the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0013] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information. If it exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If it does not exist, there is no need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0014] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with a first characteristic and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic is parsed; based on the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0015] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed not to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0016] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information for indicating whether a first characteristic exists, second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; based on the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0017] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information, and indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic and the first characteristic exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0018] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended user field; wherein the sub-extended user field includes identification information for indicating an R2 device and user characteristic indication information for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; according to the identification information, the R2 device is parsed out; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed out.

[0019] Based on this possible design, the R2 device can determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the sub-extended user field, and configure the first identification of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the sub-extended user field, which provides a feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device from the sub-extended user field of the PPDU.

[0020] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended feature field, and the extended feature field includes a sub-extended user field; the device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is the same as the device corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the sub-extended user field includes a sub-extended user field of the R1 device and a sub-extended user field of the R2 device; the sub-extended user field of the R2 device includes user feature indication information for indicating configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; and the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed according to the user feature indication information.

[0021] In one possible design, the device corresponding to at least one sub-extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to at least one traditional user field.

[0022] Based on the above two possible designs, the sub-extended user fields corresponding to the devices can be set in sequence according to the order of the devices corresponding to the traditional user fields, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field of the PPDU according to the position of the traditional user field of the R2 device in the traditional user field of the PPDU. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device from the sub-extended user field of the PPDU.

[0023] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended feature field, and the extended feature field includes a sub-extended user field; the sub-extended user field includes location information and user feature indication information; wherein the user feature indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field; the sub-extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user feature indication information, the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed out; or, wherein the user feature indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field; the sub-extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user feature indication information, the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed out.

[0024] Based on this possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the traditional user field; or the position of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the resource unit. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended function field of the R2 device from the sub-extended function field of the PPDU.

[0025] In one possible design, the sub-extended user field also includes third indication information for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; based on the third indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0026] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device through the third indication information whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the user characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0027] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extension common field and a sub-extension user field; wherein the sub-extension common field is used to parse the sub-extension user field; and the sub-extension user field is parsed based on the sub-extension common field.

[0028] Based on this possible design, the extended feature field may include a sub-extended common field and a sub-extended user field at the same time. Based on the sub-extended common field and the sub-extended user field, R2 devices with more features and functions may be better supported.

[0029] In one possible design, the sub-extended common field includes one or more of the following: common characteristic indication information, first indication information, second indication information, fourth indication information, and fifth indication information; wherein the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used to indicate the type of the sub-extended user field; the fifth indication information is used to indicate whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device; according to the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed; according to the first indication information, whether the first characteristic exists is parsed; according to the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; according to the fourth indication information, the type of the sub-extended user field is parsed; according to the fifth indication information, whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device is parsed.

[0030] Based on this possible design, the sub-extended common field may also include one or more of the above information, thereby increasing the flexibility of the sub-extended common field design and thus better supporting R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0031] In one possible design, the sub-extended public field also includes first public user information; wherein the first public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field; and based on the first public user information, the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed.

[0032] Based on this possible design, the signaling overhead can be reduced by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the sub-extension common field.

[0033] A possible design is that the extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the identification information is used to indicate the R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; based on the identification information, the R2 device is parsed; based on the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed.

[0034] Based on this possible design, the R2 device can determine the extended user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the extended user field, and configure the first identification of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the extended user field, which provides a feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended user field of the R2 device from the extended user field of the PPDU.

[0035] In a possible design, the extended function field is an extended user field, and the device corresponding to the extended user field is the device corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extended user field includes the extended user field of the R1 device and the extended user field of the R2 device; the extended user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; and according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed.

[0036] In one possible design, the device corresponding to at least one extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to at least one traditional user field.

[0037] Based on the above two possible designs, the extended user fields corresponding to the devices can be set in sequence according to the order of the devices corresponding to the traditional user fields, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field of the PPDU according to the position of the traditional user field of the R2 device in the traditional user field of the PPDU. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

[0038] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field; the extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed out; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field; the extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field is parsed out.

[0039] Based on this possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the traditional user field; or the position of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the resource unit. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

[0040] In one possible design, the extended user field also includes third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; based on the third indication information, it is analyzed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0041] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device through the third indication information whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the user characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0042] In one possible design, the extended function field is located in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0043] Based on this possible design, by setting the extended function field in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, the R1 device can regard the extended function field as a padding field, thereby eliminating the need to parse the extended function field, ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0044] In one possible design, receiving a PPDU includes: receiving a PPDU carrying an EHT-SIG field through at least two content channels; wherein the extended function field is located in at least two content channels, after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field where the traditional user specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field includes a traditional user specific field; the traditional user specific field includes a traditional user field; or, the extended function field is located in at least two content channels, after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0045] Based on this possible design, when the PPDU is sent through at least two content channels, a feasible solution is provided for setting the location of the extended function field in the PPDU.

[0046] In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended function field is located is N OFDM symbols away from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located.

[0047] Based on this possible design, another feasible solution is provided for setting the location of the extended function field in the PPDU.

[0048] In one possible design, the fill field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also includes eighth indication information; wherein the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extended function field; and based on the eighth indication information, it is determined whether the PPDU includes an extended function field.

[0049] Based on the possible type, the second device indicates whether the PPDU includes an extended function field through the eighth indication information. If the PPDU is indicated to include an extended function field, the R2 device can continue to parse subsequent extended function fields. Otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse subsequent extended function fields, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0050] In one possible design, the U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; wherein the ninth indication information is used to indicate the type of the extended function field; and according to the ninth indication information, the type of the extended function field is parsed.

[0051] Based on this possible design, the type of the extended function field may include information such as the field type and field length of the extended function field. The type of the extended function field can be determined through the ninth indication information, which facilitates the R2 device to parse the extended function field according to the type of the extended function field and improve the success rate of the parsing.

[0052] In one possible design, the traditional user field of the PPDU includes the traditional user field of the R2 device; wherein the traditional user field of the R2 device includes location information, and the location information is used to indicate the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field; based on the location information, the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field is parsed.

[0053] Based on this possible design, the meaning of the traditional user field of the R2 device can be rewritten, and the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field of the PPDU can be indicated by the location information, so as to better support R2 devices with more performance and functions.

[0054] In a possible design, the traditional user field of the R2 device also includes tenth indication information; wherein the tenth indication information is used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device; based on the tenth indication information, it is analyzed whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device.

[0055] Based on this possible design, the tenth indication information can be used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device. If it is included, the R2 device can continue to parse the subsequent extended function fields. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the subsequent extended function fields, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0056] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a second device generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the second device sends the PPDU.

[0057] Based on the second aspect, the second device can add an extended function field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field, and then configure the first feature. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more features and functions through the extended function field.

[0058] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the second aspect can refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the common configuration information of the first characteristic based on the extended common field.

[0060] Based on the third aspect, the second device can add an extended common field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field, and then configure the first feature. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more features and functions by extending the common field.

[0061] In one possible design, the PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field; the traditional common field is used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field is used to indicate the configuration information of the second feature; the second feature is a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device; based on the traditional common field, the traditional user field is parsed; based on the traditional user field, the configuration information of the second feature is parsed.

[0062] Based on this possible design, by carrying the second feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device in the traditional user field, and carrying the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device in the extended function field, it is possible to better support R2 devices with more features and functions while ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0063] In one possible design, the extended public field includes first indication information for indicating whether the first characteristic exists and public characteristic indication information for indicating public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists, and based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0064] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information. If it exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If it does not exist, there is no need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0065] In one possible design, the extended public field includes second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic and public characteristic indication information for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0066] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed not to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0067] In a possible design, the extended public field includes first indication information, second indication information and public characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0068] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information, and indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic and the first characteristic exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0069] In a possible design, the extended public field also includes second public user information; wherein the second public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device; and the public configuration information of the R2 device is parsed based on the second public user information.

[0070] Based on this possible design, the signaling overhead can be reduced by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device in the extended common field.

[0071] In one possible design, the extended common field is located in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0072] Based on this possible design, by setting the extended common field in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, the R1 device can regard the extended common field as a padding field, thereby eliminating the need to parse the extended common field, ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0073] In one possible design, receiving a PPDU includes: receiving a PPDU carrying an EHT-SIG field through at least two content channels; wherein the extended common field is located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in an EHT-SIG field having a longer legacy user specific field; the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user specific field; the legacy user specific field includes a legacy user field; or, the extended common field is located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0074] Based on this possible design, when the PPDU is sent through at least two content channels, a feasible solution is provided for expanding the setting position of the common field in the PPDU.

[0075] In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the extended common field starts and the OFDM symbol where the last traditional user field of the PPDU ends are separated by N OFDM symbols.

[0076] Based on this possible design, another feasible solution is provided for expanding the setting position of the common field in the PPDU.

[0077] In one possible design, the fill field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also includes eighth indication information; wherein the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extended common field; and based on the eighth indication information, it is determined whether the PPDU includes an extended common field.

[0078] Based on the possible type, the second device indicates whether the PPDU includes an extended common field through the eighth indication information. If the PPDU is indicated to include an extended common field, the R2 device can continue to parse the subsequent extended common fields. Otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extended common fields, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0079] In one possible design, the U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; wherein the ninth indication information is used to indicate the type of the extended common field; and according to the ninth indication information, the type of the extended common field is parsed.

[0080] Based on this possible design, the type of the extended common field may include information such as the field type and field length of the extended common field. The type of the extended common field can be determined through the ninth indication information, which facilitates the R2 device to parse the extended common field according to the type of the extended common field, thereby improving the success rate of the parsing.

[0081] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a second device generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the second device sends the PPDU.

[0082] Based on the fourth aspect, the second device can add an extended common field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field, and then configure the first feature. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more features and functions by extending the common field.

[0083] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the fourth aspect can refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the third aspect or any possible design of the third aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0084] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the method comprising: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field; and parses the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0085] Based on the first aspect, the second device can add an extended common field and an extended function field in the PPDU, so that the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field, determine the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field, and then configure the first feature. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more features and functions by extending the common field and the extended function field.

[0086] In one possible design, the PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field; the traditional common field is used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field is used to indicate the configuration information of the second feature; the second feature is a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device; based on the traditional common field, the traditional user field is parsed; based on the traditional user field, the configuration information of the second feature is parsed.

[0087] Based on this possible design, by carrying the second feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device in the traditional user field, and carrying the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device in the extended function field, it is possible to better support R2 devices with more features and functions while ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0088] In one possible design, the extended public field includes first indication information for indicating whether the first characteristic exists and public characteristic indication information for indicating public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists, and based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0089] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information. If it exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If it does not exist, there is no need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0090] In one possible design, the extended public field includes second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic and public characteristic indication information for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0091] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed not to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0092] In a possible design, the extended public field includes first indication information, second indication information and public characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; based on the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0093] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information, and indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic and the first characteristic exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0094] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information for indicating whether a first characteristic exists and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; according to the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; according to the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0095] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information. If it exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If it does not exist, there is no need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0096] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with a first characteristic and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic is parsed; based on the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0097] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed not to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0098] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information for indicating whether a first characteristic exists, second indication information for indicating whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and common characteristic indication information for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; based on the first indication information, it is parsed whether the first characteristic exists; based on the second indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; based on the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

[0099] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device whether the first characteristic exists through the first indication information, and indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic through the second indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic and the first characteristic exists, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the public characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0100] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field; the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended user field; wherein the sub-extended user field includes identification information for indicating an R2 device and user characteristic indication information for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; according to the identification information, the R2 device is parsed out; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed out.

[0101] Based on this possible design, the R2 device can determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the sub-extended user field, and configure the first identification of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the sub-extended user field, which provides a feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device from the sub-extended user field of the PPDU.

[0102] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended feature field, and the extended feature field includes a sub-extended user field; the device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is the same as the device corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the sub-extended user field includes a sub-extended user field of the R1 device and a sub-extended user field of the R2 device; the sub-extended user field of the R2 device includes user feature indication information for indicating configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; and the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed according to the user feature indication information.

[0103] In one possible design, the device corresponding to at least one sub-extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to at least one traditional user field.

[0104] Based on the above two possible designs, the sub-extended user fields corresponding to the devices can be set in sequence according to the order of the devices corresponding to the traditional user fields, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field of the PPDU according to the position of the traditional user field of the R2 device in the traditional user field of the PPDU. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended user field of the R2 device from the sub-extended user field of the PPDU.

[0105] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended feature field, and the extended feature field includes a sub-extended user field; the sub-extended user field includes location information and user feature indication information; wherein the user feature indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field; the sub-extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user feature indication information, the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed out; or, wherein the user feature indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field; the sub-extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user feature indication information, the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed out.

[0106] Based on this possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the traditional user field; or the position of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the resource unit. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the sub-extended function field of the R2 device from the sub-extended function field of the PPDU.

[0107] In one possible design, the sub-extended user field also includes third indication information for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; based on the third indication information, it is parsed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0108] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device through the third indication information whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the user characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0109] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extension common field and a sub-extension user field; wherein the sub-extension common field is used to parse the sub-extension user field; and the sub-extension user field is parsed based on the sub-extension common field.

[0110] Based on this possible design, the extended feature field may include a sub-extended common field and a sub-extended user field at the same time. Based on the sub-extended common field and the sub-extended user field, R2 devices with more features and functions may be better supported.

[0111] In one possible design, the sub-extended common field includes one or more of the following: common characteristic indication information, first indication information, second indication information, fourth indication information, and fifth indication information; wherein the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used to indicate the type of the sub-extended user field; the fifth indication information is used to indicate whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device; according to the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed; according to the first indication information, whether the first characteristic exists is parsed; according to the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; according to the fourth indication information, the type of the sub-extended user field is parsed; according to the fifth indication information, whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device is parsed.

[0112] Based on this possible design, the sub-extended common field may also include one or more of the above information, thereby increasing the flexibility of the sub-extended common field design and thus better supporting R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0113] In one possible design, the sub-extended public field also includes first public user information; wherein the first public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field; and based on the first public user information, the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed.

[0114] Based on this possible design, by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the sub-extension common field, the signaling overhead can be reduced.

[0115] A possible design is that the extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the identification information is used to indicate the R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; based on the identification information, the R2 device is parsed; based on the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed.

[0116] Based on this possible design, the R2 device can determine the extended user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the extended user field, and configure the first identification of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the extended user field, which provides a feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended user field of the R2 device from the extended user field of the PPDU.

[0117] In a possible design, the extended function field is an extended user field, and the device corresponding to the extended user field is the device corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extended user field includes the extended user field of the R1 device and the extended user field of the R2 device; the extended user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; and according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed.

[0118] In one possible design, the device corresponding to at least one extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to at least one traditional user field.

[0119] Based on the above two possible designs, the extended user fields corresponding to the devices can be set in sequence according to the order of the devices corresponding to the traditional user fields, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field of the PPDU according to the position of the traditional user field of the R2 device in the traditional user field of the PPDU. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

[0120] In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field; the extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed out; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field; the extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed out; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field is parsed out.

[0121] Based on this possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the traditional user field; or the position of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device can be identified according to the resource unit. This provides another feasible solution for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

[0122] In one possible design, the extended user field also includes third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; based on the third indication information, it is analyzed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0123] Based on this possible design, the second device can indicate to the R2 device through the third indication information whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. If the R2 device is instructed to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, the R2 device can continue to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the user characteristic indication information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0124] In a possible design, the extended common fields are also used to parse the extended function fields; the extended function fields are parsed based on the extended common fields.

[0125] Based on this possible design, the PPDU may include both an extended common field and an extended function field. Based on the extended common field and the extended function field, it may better support R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0126] In one possible design, the extended common field includes one or more of the following: public characteristic indication information, first indication information, second indication information, sixth indication information, and seventh indication information; the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; the sixth indication information is used to indicate the type of at least one extended function field; the seventh indication information is used to indicate whether there is an extended function field of the R2 device; according to the public characteristic indication information, the public configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed; according to the first indication information, whether the first characteristic exists is parsed; according to the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; according to the sixth indication information, the type of at least one extended function field is parsed; according to the seventh indication information, whether there is an extended function field of the R2 device is parsed.

[0127] Based on this possible design, the extended common field may also include one or more of the above information, thereby increasing the flexibility of the extended common field design and better supporting R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0128] In a possible design, the extended public field also includes second public user information; wherein the second public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device; and the public configuration information of the R2 device is parsed based on the second public user information.

[0129] Based on this possible design, the signaling overhead can be reduced by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field in the extended common field.

[0130] In one possible design, the extended common field and the extended function field are located in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0131] Based on this possible design, by setting the extended common field and the extended function field in the padding area in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, the R1 device can regard the extended common field and the extended function field as padding fields, thereby eliminating the need to parse the extended common field and the extended function field, thereby ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0132] In one possible design, receiving a PPDU includes: receiving a PPDU carrying an EHT-SIG field through at least two content channels; wherein the extended common field and the extended function field are located in at least two content channels, after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field where the traditional user specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field includes a traditional user specific field; the traditional user specific field includes a traditional user field; or, the extended common field and the extended function field are located in at least two content channels, after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0133] Based on this possible design, when a PPDU is sent through at least two content channels, a feasible solution is provided for setting the positions of the extended common field and the extended function field in the PPDU.

[0134] In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the extended common field and the extended function field start is located and the OFDM symbol where the last traditional user field of the PPDU ends is located is separated by N OFDM symbols.

[0135] Based on this possible design, another feasible solution is provided for setting the location of the extended common field and the extended function field in the PPDU.

[0136] In one possible design, the fill field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also includes eighth indication information; wherein the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes extended common fields and extended function fields; based on the eighth indication information, it is parsed whether the PPDU includes extended common fields and extended function fields.

[0137] Based on the possible type, the second device indicates whether the PPDU includes extended common fields and extended function fields through the eighth indication information. If the PPDU is indicated to include extended common fields and extended function fields, the R2 device can continue to parse the subsequent extended common fields and extended function fields. Otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extended common fields and extended function fields, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0138] In one possible design, the U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; wherein the ninth indication information is used to indicate the types of extended common fields and extended function fields; and according to the ninth indication information, the types of extended common fields and extended function fields are parsed.

[0139] Based on this possible design, the types of extended common fields and extended function fields may include field types, field lengths and other information of the extended common fields and extended function fields. The types of the extended common fields and extended function fields may be determined through the ninth indication information, which facilitates the R2 device to parse the extended common fields and extended function fields according to their types, thereby improving the success rate of parsing.

[0140] In one possible design, the traditional user field of the PPDU includes the traditional user field of the R2 device; wherein the traditional user field of the R2 device includes location information, and the location information is used to indicate the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field; based on the location information, the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field is parsed.

[0141] Based on this possible design, the meaning of the traditional user field of the R2 device can be rewritten, and the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field of the PPDU can be indicated by the location information, so as to better support R2 devices with more performance and functions.

[0142] In a possible design, the traditional user field of the R2 device also includes tenth indication information; wherein the tenth indication information is used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device; based on the tenth indication information, it is analyzed whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device.

[0143] Based on this possible design, the tenth indication information can be used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device. If it is included, the R2 device can continue to parse the subsequent extended function fields. Otherwise, the R2 device does not need to continue to parse the subsequent extended function fields, thereby reducing the power consumption of the R2 device.

[0144] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a second device generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the second device sends the PPDU.

[0145] Based on the sixth aspect, the second device can add an extended common field and an extended function field in the PPDU, so that the R2 device can determine the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended common field and the extended function field, and then configure the first characteristic. The embodiment of the present application can well support R2 devices with more characteristics and functions by extending the common field and the extended function field.

[0146] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the sixth aspect can refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0147] In the seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a first device receives a PPDU including a user-specific field; the user-specific field includes at least one extended user field; the user-specific field supports an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the first number of bits.

[0148] Based on the seventh aspect, the second device can indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device by extending the first bit number in the user field. Compared with the traditional user field, the additional first bit number can well support R2 devices with more characteristics and functions.

[0149] In one possible design, the PPDU includes a traditional common field; the traditional common field includes an eleventh indication information; the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that a user field in a user-specific field is an extended user field; according to the eleventh indication information, the user field in the user-specific field is parsed as an extended user field; or, the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that a user field in a user-specific field is a traditional user field; according to the eleventh indication information, the user field in the user-specific field is parsed as a traditional user field.

[0150] In one possible design, the PPDU includes a U-SIG field, and the U-SIG field includes an eleventh indication information; the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field; according to the eleventh indication information, the user field in the user-specific field is parsed as an extended user field; or, the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a traditional user field; according to the eleventh indication information, the user field in the user-specific field is parsed as a traditional user field.

[0151] Based on the above two possible designs, the second device can carry the eleventh indication information in the traditional common field or U-SIG field of the PPDU to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field or a traditional user field. If it is an extended user field, the R2 device can parse the first bit number in the extended user field, which can well support R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0152] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a second device generates a PPDU including a user-specific field; the user-specific field includes at least one extended user field; the user-specific field supports an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the second device sends the PPDU.

[0153] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the eighth aspect can refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible design of the seventh aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0154] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0155] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the ninth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the ninth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the first device in the communication method provided by the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0156] In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first feature of an R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0157] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the tenth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible design of the second aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the tenth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the second device in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible design of the second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0158] In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first feature; the first feature is a feature supported by an R2 device but not supported by an R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the common configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field.

[0159] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the eleventh aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the third aspect or any possible design of the third aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the eleventh aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the first device in the communication method provided by the third aspect or any possible design of the third aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0160] In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0161] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the twelfth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible design of the fourth aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the twelfth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the second device in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible design of the fourth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0162] In a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended common field for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field; and parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0163] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the thirteenth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the thirteenth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the first device in the communication method provided by the fifth aspect or any possible design of the fifth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0164] In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0165] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the fourteenth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the sixth aspect or any possible design of the sixth aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the fourteenth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the second device in the communication method provided by the sixth aspect or any possible design of the sixth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0166] In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module is used to receive a PPDU including a user-specific field; the user-specific field includes at least one extended user field; the user-specific field supports an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of an R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing unit is used to parse out the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the first number of bits.

[0167] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the fifteenth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the seventh aspect or any possible design of the seventh aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the fifteenth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the first device in the communication method provided by the seventh aspect or any possible design of the seventh aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0168] In a sixteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device comprising: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used to generate a PPDU including a user-specific field; the user-specific field includes at least one extended user field; the user-specific field supports an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of an R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0169] It should be noted that the specific description of PPDU in the sixteenth aspect may refer to the relevant description of PPDU in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible design of the eighth aspect, and the specific implementation method of the communication device in the sixteenth aspect may refer to the behavioral function of the second device in the communication method provided by the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible design of the eighth aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0170] In the seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which includes a processor and a transceiver connected to and communicating with the processor internally; the transceiver is used to receive PPDU; and the processor is used to parse PPDU.

[0171] It should be noted that the communication device provided in the seventeenth aspect is used to execute the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect. For specific details, please refer to the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect, and no further details will be given here.

[0172] In the eighteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which includes a processor and a transceiver connected and communicating with the processor internally; the processor is used to generate and parse PPDU; and the transceiver is used to send PPDU.

[0173] It should be noted that the communication device provided in the eighteenth aspect is used to execute the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect. For specific details, please refer to the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect, and no further details will be given here.

[0174] In a nineteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a processing circuit and an input / output interface internally connected to and communicating with the processing circuit, wherein the input / output interface is used to receive a PPDU; and the processing circuit is used to parse the PPDU.

[0175] It should be noted that the communication device provided in the nineteenth aspect is used to execute the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect. For specific details, please refer to the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect, and no further details will be given here.

[0176] In the twentieth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which includes a processing circuit and an input-output interface connected to and communicating with the internal part of the processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit is used to generate a PPDU; and the input-output interface is used to send the PPDU.

[0177] It should be noted that the communication device provided in the twentieth aspect is used to execute the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect, or to execute the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect. For specific details, please refer to the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect, or refer to the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect, and no further details will be given here.

[0178] In the twenty-first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, wherein the computer program includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect.

[0179] In the twenty-second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, wherein the computer program product includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned seventh aspect or any possible implementation of the seventh aspect; or includes instructions for executing the above-mentioned eighth aspect or any possible implementation of the eighth aspect.

[0180] In the twenty-third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes the first device shown in the above-mentioned ninth aspect and the second device provided in the tenth aspect; or, includes the first device shown in the above-mentioned eleventh aspect and the second device provided in the twelfth aspect; or, includes the first device shown in the above-mentioned thirteenth aspect and the second device provided in the fourteenth aspect; or, includes the first device shown in the above-mentioned fifteenth aspect and the second device provided in the sixteenth aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0181] Figure 1a A schematic diagram of a frame structure of a HE-SIG-B field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0182] Figure 1b A schematic diagram of a 20MHz subcarrier distribution and RU distribution provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0183] Figure 1c A schematic diagram of a 40MHz subcarrier distribution and RU distribution provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0184] Figure 1d A schematic diagram of 80MHz subcarrier distribution and RU distribution provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0185] Figure 1e A schematic diagram of a frame structure of a HE-SIG-B field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0186] Figure 1f A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0187] Figure 1g A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0188] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0189] Figure 3 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0190] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0191] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0192] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0193] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0194] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0195] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0196] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0197] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0198] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0199] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0200] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0201] Fig.15 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0202] Fig.16 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0203] Fig.17 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0204] Fig.18A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0205] Fig.19 A schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0206] Fig. 20 A schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0207] Before describing the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of the present application are described.

[0208] Wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system: Starting from the 802.11a / b / g standard, it has gone through multiple generations, such as the 802.11n standard, 802.11ac standard, 802.11ax standard and 802.11be standard.

[0209] Among them, the 802.11n standard can also be called a high throughput (HT) standard. The 802.11ac standard can also be called a very high throughput (VHT) standard. The 802.11a standard can be called a high efficient (HE) standard, or the sixth wireless fidelity (WiFi 6) standard. The 802.11be standard can be called an extremely high throughput (EHT) standard, or the WiFi 7 standard. Standards before the HT standard, such as 802.11a / b / g, can be collectively referred to as non-high throughput (Non-HT) standards.

[0210] In a WLAN communication system, a transmitting device may communicate with a receiving device by sending a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) to the receiving device.

[0211] For example, taking the 802.11ax standard as an example, Figure 1a As shown, the PPDU may include a high efficient signaling field B (HE-SIG-B), which may include a traditional common field and a traditional user specific field.

[0212] Among them, Figure 1a As shown, the traditional common field may include 1 to N resource unit allocation subfields (resource unit allocation subfield, RU allocation subfield), a center-26-tone resource unit indication field (center-26-tone RU indication), a cyclic redundancy code (cyclic redundancy code, CRC) field and a tail field; wherein the receiving device can determine the traditional user field of the receiving device in at least one traditional user field of the traditional user-specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield, the CRC field is used for verification, and the tail field is used for cyclic decoding. It should be noted that when the bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80MHz, the above-mentioned center-26-tone resource unit indication field exists.

[0213] Among them, Figure 1a As shown, in the traditional user specific field, according to the order of resource unit allocation, 1 to M traditional user fields may be included, and the M traditional user fields are usually grouped in two, and each two user fields are followed by a CRC field and a Tail field, but it should be noted that in the last group, there may be 1 or 2 traditional user fields. After the Tail field, the traditional user specific field may also include a padding field, and the bit value setting in the padding field is not restricted and can be set to any value.

[0214] Exemplarily, in the 802.11ax standard, the PPDU may also include a HE-SIG-A field, which may include a 4-bit HE-SIG-B symbol number or a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) user number (number of HE-SIG-B symbols or MU-MIMO users) field to indicate the length of the HE-SIG-B field. For example, the length of the HE-SIG-B field may be set to 1 to 16 orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, and in some cases, combined with the userfield number indication, it may even support more OFDM symbols without limitation.

[0215] Furthermore, when the receiving device receives a PPDU including the above-mentioned HE-SIG-A field and the above-mentioned HE-SIG-B field, it can determine the length of the traditional user specific field and the length of the padding field in the traditional user specific field according to the traditional common field in the HE-SIG-A field and the HE-SIG-B field; and determine the traditional user field of the receiving device among 1 to M traditional user fields of the traditional user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the traditional common field.

[0216] Among them, in the 802.11ax standard, such as Figure 1b As shown, when the data packet bandwidth is 20 MHz, the entire bandwidth can be composed of a whole 242-tone RU (242-tone RU), or can be composed of various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, and 106-tone RU.

[0217] like Figure 1c As shown, when the data packet bandwidth is 40 MHz, the entire bandwidth can be roughly equivalent to a replication of the 20 MHz subcarrier distribution. The entire bandwidth can be composed of a whole 484-tone RU, or various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, and 242-tone RU.

[0218] like Figure 1d As shown in the figure, when the data packet bandwidth is 80MHz, the entire bandwidth can be composed of four resource units of 242-tone RU. In particular, in the middle of the entire bandwidth, there is also an intermediate 26-tone RU composed of two 13-tone sub-units. The entire bandwidth can be composed of the entire 996-tone RU, or various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, 242-tone RU, and 484-tone RU.

[0219] In addition, in the above Figure 1b to Figure 1d In the data packet bandwidth shown, in addition to the RU used to transmit data, it can also include one or more of the following subcarriers: guard subcarrier, empty subcarrier, direct current (DC) subcarrier, etc., without limitation.

[0220] Based on the above Figure 1b to Figure 1dIt can be understood that when the data packet bandwidth is 160MHz or 80+80MHz, the entire bandwidth can be regarded as a replication of two 80MHz subcarrier distributions. The entire bandwidth can be composed of a whole 2*996-tone RU, or it can be composed of various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, 242-tone RU, 484-tone RU, and 996-tone RU, which will not be elaborated.

[0221] It should be noted that based on the above Figure 1b to Figure 1d In the subcarrier distribution of various data packet bandwidths shown, the left side of the figure can be regarded as the lowest frequency, and the right side of the figure can be regarded as the highest frequency. From left to right, the 242-tone RU can be numbered: 1 st It should be noted that in the data field, the eight 242-tone RUs correspond to the eight 20 MHz channels in order of frequency from low to high, but due to the presence of the 26-tone RU in the middle, the frequencies do not completely overlap.

[0222] The 802.11ax standard also introduces the concept of content channel (CC). When the data packet bandwidth is only 20MHz, the HE-SIG-B field contains only one content channel, which can contain one resource unit allocation subfield to indicate the resource unit allocation indication within the 242-tone RU range of the data part. The resource unit allocation subfield can be 8 bits.

[0223] Exemplarily, the transmitting device may indicate all possible resource unit permutations and combinations in a 242-tone RU by means of an index. In addition, for RUs with a size greater than or equal to 106-tone, the number of users performing SU / MU-MIMO transmission in the RU may also be indicated by means of an index.

[0224] For example, taking the index table of the resource unit allocation subfield as the following Table 1 as an example, each row in Table 1 represents an RU configuration, wherein most of the RU configurations in Table 1 are within the range of 242-tone, and a small number of RU configurations indicate that the RU belongs to 242-tone RU, 484-tone RU or 996-tone RU. Each 8-bit resource unit allocation subfield will inform the RU allocation status within the corresponding 20MHz range, which can also be described as: 20MHz has 1 resource unit allocation subfield, 40MHz has 2 resource unit allocation subfields, 80MHz has 4 resource unit allocation subfields, and 160MHz has 8 resource unit allocation subfields.

[0225] Table 1 Resource Unit Allocation Subfield in 802.11ax

[0226]

[0227]

[0228] It should be noted that the order in which users appear in the traditional user-specific field is consistent with the RU order divided in the corresponding resource unit allocation subfield. The user can identify whether the traditional user field belongs to himself by reading the station ID (STA ID) in the traditional user field. If it does, he can determine his own RU allocation situation by combining the position where the traditional user field appears with the corresponding resource unit allocation subfield.

[0229] At the same time, in order to effectively multiplex resources, in the 802.11ax standard, CC1 and CC2 can be used to represent the content in the HE-SIG-B field when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 40 MHz.

[0230] For example, Figure 1e As shown, when the data packet bandwidth is 40MHz, there may be two HE-SIG-B content channels, namely CC1 and CC2. Among them, CC1 of the first HE-SIG-B channel may include the resource unit allocation subfield within the first 242-tone RU range and the corresponding traditional user-specific field; CC2 of the second HE-SIG-B channel may include the resource unit allocation subfield within the second 242-tone RU range and the corresponding traditional user-specific field.

[0231] Exemplarily, when the data packet bandwidth is 80MHz, there may be two groups of content channels, each group of content channels includes CC1 and CC2, a total of 4 channels, and the content channels as a whole indicate the resource unit allocation information on 4 channels according to the structure of CC1, CC2, CC1, CC2 from low to high frequency. Among them, CC1 contains the first and third resource unit allocation subfields within the 242-toneRU range and the corresponding traditional user-specific fields within the range; CC2 contains the second and fourth resource unit subfields within the 242-tone RU range and the corresponding traditional user-specific fields within the range.

[0232] It should be noted that the array grouping in the case of a larger data grouping bandwidth is similar to the above-mentioned 40 MHz and 80 MHz, and is not described in detail.

[0233] In summary, the content of the resource unit allocation subfield will be displayed in part in CC1 and CC2 respectively. By reading the information in CC1 and CC2, the user can determine the corresponding RU allocation status on each 20MHz.

[0234] Similar to the HE-SIG-B field in the above 802.11ax standard, Figure 1f As shown, in the 802.11be standard, the PPDU may include a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long training field (L-LTF), a legacy signaling field (L-SIG), a repeated legacy signaling field (RL-SIG), a universal field symbol 1 (U-SIGSYM1), a universal field symbol 2 (U-SIG SYM2), an extremely high throughput signaling field (EHT-SIG), an ETH-STF field, an ETH-LTF field, and a data field.

[0235] The U-SIG field may include a version-independent field, a version-dependent field, a cyclic redundancy field, and a tail field. The EHT-SIG field may include a traditional common field and a traditional user-specific field. The traditional user-specific field may also include a padding field, and the bit value setting in the padding field is not restricted and can be set to any value.

[0236] Specifically, in the 802.11be standard, the 5-bit EHT-SIG symbol number field in the U-SIG field can be used to indicate the number of OFDM symbols of the EHT-SIG field that follows it, and can indicate up to 32 OFDM symbols.

[0237] Furthermore, when the receiving device receives a PPDU including the above-mentioned U-SIG field and the above-mentioned EHT-SIG field, it can determine the length of the traditional user-specific field in the EHT-SIG field according to the traditional common field in the U-SIG field and the EHT-SIG field, and determine the length of the padding field in the traditional user-specific field according to the length of the user-specific field and the length of the user field; and determine the traditional user field of the receiving device among the multiple traditional user fields of the traditional user-specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the traditional common field.

[0238] It should be noted that in the 802.11be standard, the specific description of the receiving device determining the traditional user field of the receiving device in multiple traditional user fields of the traditional user specific field based on the resource unit allocation subfield in the traditional common field can be referred to the relevant description of the receiving device determining the traditional user field of the receiving device in multiple traditional user fields of the traditional user specific field based on the resource unit allocation subfield in the traditional common field in the above-mentioned 802.11ax standard, and no further details are given.

[0239] At present, with the continuous advancement of the standard, some discussions have begun in the 802.11be standard about EHT release 1 (release 1, R1) equipment and release 2 (release 2, R2) equipment, aiming to divide the technical research into two stages. Among them, R1 equipment can meet the requirements of the first stage technical protocol. For R2 equipment, due to the introduction of new features, R2 equipment will be able to support more features and functions, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ), multi access point (multi-AP), etc.

[0240] However, in the 802.11be standard, there are no longer a large number of reserved bits available in the U-SIG field and the traditional common fields and traditional user-specific fields in the EHT-SIG field. For example, the number of disregard field bits that can be used in the U-SIG field is 5, the number of validate field bits is 3, and some bits have been reserved for other purposes; the number of disregard field bits that can be used in the traditional common fields in the EHT-SIG is 4, and the traditional user-specific field has 1 bit reserved in the non-multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (non-MU-MIMO) mode, and there are no remaining reserved bits in the MU-MIMO mode.

[0241] Among them, each effective field is 1 bit. When the R1 device reads the field, if the 1 bit is not the value specified in the communication protocol, the R1 device stops the subsequent reading; ignoring the field means that the R1 device does not need to care about the value of the field, which has no meaning for the operation of the R1 device.

[0242] Based on the situation that the number of reserved bits available for signaling in the above existing PPDU field is small, such as Figure 1gAs shown, one or more bits can be used at the U-SIG field to indicate subsequent R2 signaling, and additional bits can be added to the EHT-SIG field to indicate the R2 signaling of the R2 device, which can be additional signaling fields, multi-AP signaling fields, and HARQ signaling fields.

[0243] For example, taking the use of 1 bit in the U-SIG field to indicate subsequent R2 signaling as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that there is an R2 signaling field of the R2 device after the EHT-SIG field, or the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that there is no R2 signaling field of the R2 device after the EHT-SIG field.

[0244] However, the above method only provides a method for indicating whether the R2 signaling field of the R2 device in the PPDU exists, and does not design the details of the R2 signaling field. Therefore, based on the fact that the number of reserved bits available for signaling in the above existing PPDU field is small, how to support R2 devices with more features and functions becomes a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0245] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, wherein a first device can receive a PPDU including an extended common field and / or an extended function field sent by a second device, and parse the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field; determine the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. In an embodiment of the present application, by adding an extended common field and / or an extended function field to the PPDU, the extended common field is used to indicate the public configuration information of the first characteristic, and the extended function field is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device. By extending the common field and / or the extended function field, R2 devices with more characteristics and functions can be well supported.

[0246] The implementation of the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0247] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the communication system may include an access point device and a station device.

[0248] The access point device may be an access point (AP), and the station device may be a station (STA).

[0249] Exemplarily, the AP may be a device supporting multiple WLAN standards such as the 802.11a / b / g standard, the 802.11n standard, the 802.11ac standard, the 802.11ax standard, or the 802.11be standard.

[0250] For example, an AP can be a terminal device or network device with a WiFi chip. AP can also be an access point for mobile users to enter the wired network. It is mainly deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses. The typical coverage radius is tens to hundreds of meters. Of course, it can also be deployed outdoors. AP is equivalent to a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks. Its main function is to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to Ethernet. AP can also be a terminal device or network device with a WiFi chip.

[0251] Exemplarily, the STA may be a device supporting multiple WLAN standards, such as a device supporting the 802.11a / b / g standard, the 802.11n standard, the 802.11ac standard, the 802.11ax standard, or the 802.11be standard.

[0252] For example, STA can be a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor or a wireless communication terminal. For example, STA can be a mobile phone supporting WiFi communication function, a tablet supporting WiFi communication function, a set-top box supporting WiFi communication function, a smart TV supporting WiFi communication function, a smart wearable device supporting WiFi communication function, a vehicle-mounted communication device supporting WiFi communication function, and a computer supporting WiFi communication function, etc., without limitation.

[0253] Combine the following Figure 2 The communication system shown in the figure takes the PPDU in the 802.11be standard as an example, referring to the following Figure 3 , the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is described, wherein the first device can be Figure 2 In the access point device or station device in the communication system shown, the second device may be Figure 2 Any access point device or station device except the first device in the communication system shown.

[0254] Figure 3 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the method may include:

[0255] Step 301: The second device generates a PPDU.

[0256] Among them, Figure 4 As shown, the PPDU may include an extended function field.

[0257] Specifically, the extended function field may be used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; the first feature may be a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

[0258] Exemplarily, the first characteristic may be one or more of the following: distributed resource units, HARQ signaling, multi-AP signaling, etc., without limitation.

[0259] Among them, the distributed resource unit may refer to a resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are discrete and discontinuous. Compared with the resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are continuous, it can enhance frequency diversity and alleviate the restrictions on transmission power in regulations related to transmission power.

[0260] Exemplarily, when the first characteristic includes a distributed resource unit, one bit may be used to indicate whether the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used. If the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used, one or more bits may be used to indicate the specific format of the distributed resource unit under a given resource unit. The given resource unit may be a resource unit given by the RU Allocation subfield in the traditional common field. The description of the traditional user-specific field may refer to the above Figure 1f The description of traditional user-specific fields is not repeated here.

[0261] Exemplarily, when the first characteristic includes HARQ signaling, the HARQ signaling may include one or more of the following: retransmission indication, process ID, HARQ type indication (such as chase combining (CC), redundant retransmission (incremental redundancy, IR)), redundant version, sending address, receiving address, etc., without limitation.

[0262] The extended function field may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device. The R2 device that receives the PPDU may configure the first characteristic according to the configuration information of its own first characteristic in the extended function field.

[0263] Exemplarily, taking the case where the PPDU generated by the second device includes an extended function field, and the extended function field includes the configuration information of the HARQ signaling of R2 device 1 and the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling of R2 device 2, after R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it can determine the configuration information of the HARQ signaling of R2 device 1 according to the extended function field, and configure HARQ according to the configuration information; after R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it can determine the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling of R2 device 2 according to the extended function field, and configure multi-AP according to the configuration information.

[0264] It should be noted that if there is no common first characteristic among the R2 devices, or there is a common first characteristic but the configuration information of the first characteristic is different, the second device can carry the configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in the extended function field.

[0265] For example, taking the R2 devices including R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, assuming that there is no common first characteristic between R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3, for example, the first characteristic of R2 device 1 is a distributed resource unit, the first characteristic of R2 device 2 is HARQ signaling, and the first characteristic of R2 device 3 is multi-AP signaling, then the second device can carry the configuration information of the first characteristics of each R2 device in the extended function field, so that after R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the distributed resource unit according to the extended function field, and configures the distributed resource unit; after R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configures HARQ; after R2 device 3 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling according to the extended function field, and configures multiple APs.

[0266] Optional, based on the above Figure 4 , PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field.

[0267] The traditional public field may be used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field may be used to indicate configuration information of the second feature; the second feature may be a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device.

[0268] Specifically, the description of the traditional public field and the traditional user field can refer to the above Figure 1f The description of the EHT-SIG field is not repeated here.

[0269] Exemplarily, the extended function field may be as follows: Figures 5 to 8 Any of the extended function fields shown.

[0270] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include an extended function field, such as Figure 5 As shown, the extended characteristic field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field may include a sub-extended common field.

[0271] In one possible design, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0272] The first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0273] Exemplarily, taking the case where the sub-extension common field includes the sub-extension common field 1, the sub-extension common field 2 and the sub-extension common field 3 as an example, it is assumed that the sub-extension common field 1 corresponds to the first characteristic 1, the sub-extension common field 2 corresponds to the first characteristic 2, and the sub-extension common field 3 corresponds to the first characteristic 3. The first indication information of the sub-extension common field 1 may be set to 0 to indicate that the first characteristic 1 does not exist in the sub-extension common field 1, or the first indication information of the sub-extension common field 1 may be set to 1 to indicate that the first characteristic 1 exists in the sub-extension common field 1. The first indication information of the sub-extension common field 2 may be set to 0 to indicate that the first characteristic 2 does not exist in the sub-extension common field 2, or the first indication information of the sub-extension common field 2 may be set to 1 to indicate that the first characteristic 2 exists in the sub-extension common field 2. The first indication information of the sub-extension common field 3 may be set to 0 to indicate that the first characteristic 3 does not exist in the sub-extension common field 3, or the first indication information of the sub-extension common field 3 may be set to 1 to indicate that the first characteristic 3 exists in the sub-extension common field 1. If the first indication information in the sub-extension common field indicates that the first feature exists, the R2 device may configure the first feature according to the common feature indication information.

[0274] In another possible design, the sub-extended common field includes second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0275] The second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0276] Exemplarily, taking the second indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the R2 device does not need to configure the first feature, or the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 device configures the first feature.

[0277] When the second indication information instructs the R2 device to configure the first feature, the R2 device may configure the first feature according to the public configuration information of the first feature indicated by the public feature indication information.

[0278] In another possible design, the sub-extended common field includes first indication information, second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0279] The first indication information may be used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information may be used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0280] Specifically, when the R2 device receives the PPDU, the R2 device can determine whether to configure the first characteristic included in each sub-extension common field based on the second indication information in each sub-extension common field. If the second indication information in the sub-extension common field indicates that the R2 device configures the first characteristic, the R2 device can determine whether the first characteristic exists in the sub-extension common field based on the first indication information in the sub-extension common field. If so, configure the first characteristic according to the public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0281] Exemplarily, taking the case where sub-extension common field 1 corresponds to first characteristic 1 and sub-extension common field 2 corresponds to first characteristic 2 as an example, the R2 device may determine whether to configure first characteristic 1 according to the second indication information in sub-extension common field 1. If it is determined to configure first characteristic 1, it may determine whether first characteristic 1 exists in sub-extension common field 1 according to the first indication information in sub-extension common field 1. If it exists, first characteristic 1 is configured according to the public configuration information in sub-extension common field 1. The R2 device may determine whether to configure first characteristic 2 according to the second indication information in sub-extension common field 2. If it is determined to configure first characteristic 2, it may determine whether first characteristic 2 exists in sub-extension common field 2 according to the first indication information in sub-extension common field 2. If it exists, first characteristic 2 is configured according to the public configuration information in sub-extension common field 2.

[0282] and Figure 5 The PPDU shown is different. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include an extended function field, such as Figure 6 As shown, the extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field may include a sub-extended user field.

[0283] In one possible design, the sub-extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information.

[0284] The identification information is used to indicate the R2 device, and the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information.

[0285] Exemplarily, the identification information of the R2 device may be a site ID (STA ID) or the like, which may be used to indicate the identification information of the R2 device, without limitation.

[0286] Exemplarily, taking the case where the PPDU includes the sub-extended user field 1 and the sub-extended user field 2, it is assumed that the sub-extended user field 1 includes the identification information of the R2 device 1 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 1, and the sub-extended user field 2 includes the identification information of the R2 device 2 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 2. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 1 can determine that the sub-extended user field 1 is the sub-extended user field of the R2 device 1 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 1 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 1 in the sub-extended user field 1. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 2 can determine that the sub-extended user field 2 is the sub-extended user field of the R2 device 2 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 2 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 in the sub-extended user field 2.

[0287] It should be noted that in this possible design, the length of the sub-extension user field can be fixed, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the identification information in each sub-extension user field according to the length of the sub-extension user field, and then identify the identification information.

[0288] In another possible design, the sub-extended user field includes user characteristic indication information.

[0289] The user characteristic indication information may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device.

[0290] Optionally, the device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to the traditional user field; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; that is, the sub-extended user field includes the sub-extended user field of the R1 device and the sub-extended user field of the R2 device.

[0291] Exemplarily, the sub-extended user field of the R1 device may be set as a pseudo user field, and the information inside the pseudo user field may be fixed or random without limitation, and the R1 device does not need to parse the pseudo user field.

[0292] Based on the pseudo user field of the R1 device, when setting the sub-extended user field, the second device can set the sub-extended user field according to the order of devices corresponding to the traditional user field, so that the R2 device determines the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field according to the position of its own traditional user field in the traditional user field.

[0293] For example, taking the example that the traditional user field includes the traditional user field of R1 device, the traditional user field of R2 device 1, and the traditional user field of R2 device 2 in sequence, when the second device generates PPDU, the sub-extended user field may include the sub-extended user field of R1 device, the sub-extended user field of R2 device 1, and the sub-extended user field of R2 device 2 in sequence; wherein the sub-extended user field of R1 device is a pseudo user field. When R2 device 1 receives PPDU, it may determine that the sub-extended user field of R2 device 1 is the second sub-extended user field on the basis of determining that the traditional user field of R2 device 1 is the second traditional user field. When R2 device 2 receives PPDU, it may determine that the sub-extended user field of R2 device 2 is the third sub-extended user field on the basis of determining that the traditional user field of R2 device 2 is the third traditional user field.

[0294] It should be noted that, in this possible design, the length of the sub-extended user field may be fixed, so that the R2 device may determine the bit position of each sub-extended user field according to the length of the sub-extended user field.

[0295] In another possible design, the sub-extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information.

[0296] The user characteristic indication information may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device.

[0297] In an example, the position information may be used to indicate the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field; the sub-extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device.

[0298] For example, taking the PPDU including 8 traditional user fields as an example, assuming that the traditional user field of the R2 device 1 is the 7th traditional user field in the traditional user field, the second device can set the position information of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device 1 to 110. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 1 can parse the position information of each sub-extended user field to determine the traditional user field corresponding to each sub-extended user field, and determine whether the traditional user field is its own traditional user field according to the identification information carried in the traditional user field. If yes, the sub-extended user field corresponding to the traditional user field is determined as its own sub-extended user field.

[0299] In another example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extension user field; the sub-extension user field and the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extension user field correspond to the same R2 device.

[0300] Specifically, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device can parse the location information of each sub-extended user field, determine the resource unit corresponding to each sub-extended user field, and determine whether the resource unit is its own resource unit based on the R2 device corresponding to the resource unit. If so, the sub-extended user field corresponding to the resource unit is determined as its own sub-extended user field.

[0301] In yet another example, the location information may be used to indicate a frequency band and a user location.

[0302] For example, taking the location information as 8 bits, a part of the bits can be used to indicate the corresponding frequency band, and the other part of the bits can be used to indicate the number of users to be informed. For example, 4 bits can inform the number of 20MHz of the corresponding frequency band, and 4 bits are used to inform the number of users. By placing the location information at the head of each sub-extended user field, each R2 device can find its corresponding sub-extended user field.

[0303] Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device further adopts a bitmap indication method based on bandwidth granularity to determine the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field.

[0304] Exemplarily, taking the use of 8-bit (or 16-bit) bitmap indication for 320MHz as an example, 1 can indicate that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 0 indicates that it is not related, so that in the sub-extension user field later, the information of the user served on the 20MHz corresponding to 0 can no longer be indicated, such as the sub-extension user field corresponding to the 20MHz does not exist. Among them, it can be determined whether to use 8 bits or 16 bits according to whether different content channel information is different or the same. In addition to using the fixed number of bits, the number of bits can also change with the bandwidth without restriction.

[0305] It should be noted that the definitions of 0 and 1 above can be replaced, that is, 0 indicates that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 1 indicates that it is not related and is not restricted.

[0306] Furthermore, the R2 device may determine the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field based on a bitmap indication method of bandwidth granularity in combination with the above-mentioned multiple possible designs, which will not be described in detail.

[0307] Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device uses a one-by-one indication bitmap method to determine the position of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field.

[0308] Exemplarily, since each 20MHz can serve up to 9 users, a bitmap can be used to indicate whether each user corresponding to the previous RU Allocation subfield is an R1 device or an R2 device. Taking the data packet bandwidth of 320MHz as an example, 16*9=144 bits can be used to indicate whether each user is an R1 device or an R2 device; if different CC contents are used in different ways, 8*9=72 bits can be used to indicate whether each user is an R1 device or an R2 device. Among them, 1 can represent an R2 device, and 0 can represent an R1 device. According to the order of 1, the order of the sub-extended user field of the R2 device in the sub-extended user field can be known. Alternatively, 1 can be used to indicate that there is a sub-extended user field corresponding to the R2 device in the sub-extended user field, and 0 can be used to indicate that there is no sub-extended user field corresponding to the R2 device in the sub-extended user field. In addition, for 9 bits, the valid indication is only the valid position in the 9 bits. For example, if there are 2 users on one RU Allocation subfied, only the first 2 bits are valid information.

[0309] It should be noted that in the above possible designs, in the designs where the number of bits is related to the setting of CC, if the CCs are different, the number of bits required can be shortened and is not limited. In addition, the position of the CC where the sub-extended user field of the same R2 device is located can be consistent with the position of the CC where the traditional user field of the R2 device is located.

[0310] Furthermore, among the multiple possible designs mentioned above, any two or more possible designs may be used in combination without limitation.

[0311] Based on the above multiple possible designs, the sub-extension user field may also include third indication information.

[0312] The third indication information may be used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0313] Exemplarily, taking the third indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the R2 device does not configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, or the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0314] In another example, taking the third indication information as multiple bits as an example, assuming that in the sub-extended user field 1 of the R2 device 1, the first characteristic includes the first characteristic 1, the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3, the third indication information can indicate the R2 device 1 to configure the second characteristic 2 through 010.

[0315] Based on the above Figure 5 and Figure 6 The PPDU shown, Figure 7 A PPDU frame structure is provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include an extended function field, such as Figure 7 As shown, the extended function field is an extended feature field, and the extended feature field may include the above Figure 5 The sub-extension public fields shown and as mentioned above Figure 6 Sub-extended user fields shown.

[0316] For a detailed description of the sub-extension public fields, please refer to Figure 5 For the description of sub-extension public fields, please refer to the description of sub-extension user fields. Figure 6 The description of the sub-extension user fields is not repeated here.

[0317] Optionally, the sub-extension common field also includes indication information for indicating the length of the sub-extension user field.

[0318] Among them, the length of the sub-extension common field can be fixed, and the length of the sub-extension user field can be fixed or variable, without restriction.

[0319] Exemplarily, when the length of the sub-extended user field is a fixed value, taking the sub-extended user field including the bit of the first characteristic 1 as an example, assuming that the R2 device does not need to be configured with the first characteristic 1, the bit of the first characteristic 1 can still be retained in the sub-extended user field. At this time, the bit of the first characteristic 1 can be set to a null value.

[0320] Exemplarily, when the length of the sub-extended user field is a variable value, taking the sub-extended user field including the bit of the first characteristic 1 as an example, assuming that the R2 device does not need to be configured with the first characteristic 1, the sub-extended user field may not include the bit of the first characteristic 1.

[0321] Optionally, the sub-extended common field also includes one or more of the following: fourth indication information and fifth indication information.

[0322] The fourth indication information may be used to indicate the type of the sub-extended user field.

[0323] The fifth indication information may be used to indicate whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device.

[0324] For example, taking the example that the R2 devices include R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3 in sequence, assuming that the fifth indication information is 010, it can be determined that the sub-extended user field of R2 device 2 exists.

[0325] Optionally, the sub-extended public field also includes first public user information.

[0326] The first public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field.

[0327] Exemplarily, the first public user information may include one or more of the following: the length of the next field, the MCS of the next field, the format of the next field, etc., without limitation.

[0328] With the above Figures 5 to 7 The PPDU shown is different. Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include an extended function field, such as Figure 8 As shown, the extended attribute field may be an extended user field.

[0329] In one possible design, the extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information.

[0330] The identification information is used to indicate the R2 device, and the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information.

[0331] Exemplarily, the identification information of the R2 device may be a site ID (STA ID) or the like, which may be used to indicate the identification information of the R2 device, without limitation.

[0332] Exemplarily, taking the case where the PPDU includes the extended user field 1 and the extended user field 2, it is assumed that the extended user field 1 includes the identification information of the R2 device 1, the configuration information of the first characteristic 1, and the configuration information of the first characteristic 2, and the extended user field 2 includes the identification information of the R2 device 2, the configuration information of the first characteristic 2, and the configuration information of the first characteristic 3. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 1 can determine that the extended user field 1 is the extended user field of the R2 device 1 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 1 and the first characteristic 2 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 1 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 in the extended user field 1. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 2 can determine that the extended user field 2 is the extended user field of the R2 device 2 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 3 in the extended user field 2.

[0333] It should be noted that in this possible design, the length of the extended user field can be fixed, so that the R2 device can determine the position of the identification information in each extended user field according to the length of the extended user field, and then identify the identification information.

[0334] In another possible design, the extended user field includes user characteristic indication information.

[0335] The user characteristic indication information may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device.

[0336] Optionally, the device corresponding to the extended user field is in turn the device corresponding to the traditional user field; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; that is, the extended user field includes the extended user field of the R1 device and the extended user field of the R2 device.

[0337] Exemplarily, the extended user field of the R1 device may be set as a pseudo user field, and the information inside the pseudo user field may be fixed or random without limitation, and the R1 device does not need to parse the pseudo user field.

[0338] Based on the pseudo user field of the R1 device, when setting the extended user field, the second device can set the extended user field according to the order of devices corresponding to the traditional user field, so that the R2 device determines the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field according to the position of its own traditional user field in the traditional user field.

[0339] For example, taking the example that the traditional user field includes the traditional user field of the R1 device, the traditional user field of the R2 device 1, and the traditional user field of the R2 device 2 in sequence, when the second device generates the PPDU, the extended user field may include the extended user field of the R1 device, the extended user field of the R2 device 1, and the extended user field of the R2 device 2 in sequence; wherein the extended user field of the R1 device is a pseudo user field. When the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may determine that the extended user field of the R2 device 1 is the second extended user field on the basis of determining that the traditional user field of the R2 device 1 is the second traditional user field. When the R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it may determine that the extended user field of the R2 device 2 is the third extended user field on the basis of determining that the traditional user field of the R2 device 2 is the third traditional user field.

[0340] It should be noted that in this possible design, the length of the extended user field can be fixed, so that the R2 device can determine the bit position of each extended user field according to the length of the extended user field.

[0341] In another possible design, the extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information.

[0342] The user characteristic indication information may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device.

[0343] In one example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field; the extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device.

[0344] For example, taking the PPDU including 8 traditional user fields as an example, assuming that the traditional user field of the R2 device 1 is the 7th traditional user field in the traditional user field, the second device can set the location information of the extended user field of the R2 device 1 to 110. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 1 can parse the location information of each extended user field to determine the traditional user field corresponding to each extended user field, and determine whether the traditional user field is its own traditional user field according to the identification information carried in the traditional user field. If yes, the extended user field corresponding to the traditional user field is determined as its own extended user field.

[0345] In another example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field; the extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device.

[0346] Specifically, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device can parse the location information of each extended user field, determine the resource unit corresponding to each extended user field, and determine whether the resource unit is its own resource unit according to the R2 device corresponding to the resource unit. If so, the extended user field corresponding to the resource unit is determined as its own extended user field.

[0347] In yet another example, the location information may be used to indicate a frequency band and a user location.

[0348] For example, taking the location information as 8 bits, a part of the bits can be used to indicate the corresponding frequency band, and the other part of the bits can be used to indicate the number of users to be informed. For example, 4 bits can inform the number of 20MHz of the corresponding frequency band, and 4 bits are used to inform the number of users. By placing the location information in the header of each extended user field, each R2 device can find its corresponding extended user field.

[0349] Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device also uses a bitmap indication method based on bandwidth granularity to determine the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field.

[0350] Exemplarily, taking the use of 8-bit (or 16-bit) bitmap indication for 320MHz as an example, 1 can indicate that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 0 indicates that it is not related, so that in the extended user field later, the information of the user served on the 20MHz corresponding to 0 can no longer be indicated, such as the extended user field corresponding to the 20MHz does not exist. Among them, it can be determined whether to use 8 bits or 16 bits according to whether different content channel information is different or the same. In addition to using the fixed number of bits, the number of bits can also change with the bandwidth without restriction.

[0351] It should be noted that the definitions of 0 and 1 above can be replaced, that is, 0 indicates that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 1 indicates that it is not related and is not restricted.

[0352] Furthermore, the R2 device may combine the above-mentioned multiple possible designs and determine the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field based on the bitmap indication method of bandwidth granularity, which will not be described in detail.

[0353] Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device uses a one-by-one indication bitmap method to determine the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field.

[0354] Exemplarily, since each 20MHz can serve up to 9 users, a bitmap can be used to indicate whether each user corresponding to the previous RU Allocation subfield is an R1 device or an R2 device. Taking the data packet bandwidth of 320MHz as an example, 16*9=144 bits can be used to indicate whether each user is an R1 device or an R2 device; if different CC contents are used in different ways, 8*9=72 bits can be used to indicate whether each user is an R1 device or an R2 device. Among them, 1 can represent an R2 device, and 0 can represent an R1 device. According to the order of 1, the order of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field can be known. Alternatively, 1 can be used to indicate that there is an extended user field corresponding to the R2 device in the extended user field, and 0 can be used to indicate that there is no extended user field corresponding to the R2 device in the extended user field. In addition, for 9 bits, the valid indication is only the valid position in the 9 bits. For example, if there are 2 users on one RU Allocation subfied, only the first 2 bits are valid information.

[0355] It should be noted that in the above possible designs, in the designs where the number of bits is related to the setting of CC, if the CCs are different, the number of bits required can be shortened and is not limited. In addition, the position of the CC where the extended user field of the same R2 device is located is consistent with the position of the CC where the traditional user field of the R2 device is located.

[0356] Furthermore, among the multiple possible designs mentioned above, any two or more possible designs may be used in combination without limitation.

[0357] Based on the above-mentioned various possible designs, the extended user field may further include third indication information.

[0358] The third indication information may be used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0359] Exemplarily, taking the third indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the R2 device does not configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, or the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

[0360] In another example, taking the third indication information as multiple bits as an example, assuming that in the extended user field 1 of the R2 device 1, the first characteristic includes the first characteristic 1, the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3, the third indication information can indicate the R2 device 1 to configure the second characteristic 2 through 010.

[0361] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, only an extended function field is added on the basis of the traditional common field and the traditional user field to indicate the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. It can be understood that the PPDU may also include the above Figure 1f The other fields shown are not described in detail.

[0362] Step 302: The second device sends a PPDU to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the PPDU.

[0363] In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extended function field is located in a padding area in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0364] Specifically, the second device sets the extended function field in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts the EHT-SIG symbol number field in the U-SIG field for indicating the length of the EHT-SIG field according to the length of the padding area, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, it can determine the length of the padding area in the traditional user-specific field according to the U-SIG field and the traditional common field. The relevant description of the traditional user-specific field can refer to the above Figure 1f The description of traditional user-specific fields is not repeated here.

[0365] Since the R1 device does not need to parse the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device will not parse the extended function field in the padding area, thereby avoiding the extended function field from affecting the R1 device and ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0366] For example, Fig. 9 As shown in (a), the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended function field is located can be separated by N OFDM symbols from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located, and the N OFDM symbols can be padding fields.

[0367] Optionally, the extended function field starts at the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the last traditional user field of the PPDU ends.

[0368] Further, such as Fig. 9 As shown in (b), the extended function field also includes a padding field, and the length of the padding field can be set arbitrarily without restriction.

[0369] Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80 MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extended function field to the first device through at least two content channels.

[0370] Exemplarily, the extended function field may be located after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field having a longer legacy user specific field in at least two content channels.

[0371] Among them, the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user specific field; the legacy user specific field includes a legacy user field.

[0372] For example, Fig. 9 As shown in (b), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended function field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field with a longer traditional user specific field.

[0373] In yet another example, the extended function field may be located after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel in at least two content channels.

[0374] For example, Fig. 9 As shown in (c), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended function field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0375] In another possible design, when the first device only includes R2 devices, the extended function field is located after the EHT-SIG field.

[0376] For example, Fig. 9 As shown in (d) in FIG. 8 , the extended function field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

[0377] Step 303: The first device parses the PPDU.

[0378] When the first device is an R1 device, the R1 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device from a traditional common field and a traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device.

[0379] When the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the traditional common field and the traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0380] It should be noted that, for the specific description of configuring the second characteristic of the above R1 device and the R2 device according to the traditional common field and the traditional user field, reference may be made to the relevant description in the 802.11be standard, which will not be described in detail.

[0381] The R2 device may also determine the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0382] It should be noted that, in the description of the first characteristic and the second characteristic in the embodiment of the present application, the first characteristic can also be understood as an extended characteristic of the second characteristic.

[0383] Exemplarily, taking the second characteristic as the configuration of the spatial stream as an example, assuming that there are x bits in the traditional user field of the R2 device indicating the configuration of the spatial stream, y bits can be added to the extended function field of the R2 device to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is essentially the configuration of the extended spatial stream. At this time, the spatial stream configuration of the R2 device includes the configuration of the spatial stream of x bits and the configuration of the spatial stream of y bits.

[0384] Based on the above Figure 3 In the method shown, the second device can add an extended function field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field. The extended function field can well support R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0385] Based on the above Figure 3 The flowchart shown is similar to the above Figures 4 to 9 The PPDU including the extended function field shown is different. Fig.10 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided for an embodiment of the present application, wherein the PPDU may include an extended common field.

[0386] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 The communication method shown is a flowchart, and the method may include:

[0387] Step 301: The second device generates a PPDU.

[0388] Among them, Fig.10 As shown, the PPDU may include an extended common field.

[0389] Specifically, the extended common field may be used to indicate common configuration information of a first feature; the first feature may be a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

[0390] Exemplarily, the first characteristic may be one or more of the following: distributed resource units, HARQ signaling, multi-AP signaling, etc., without limitation.

[0391] Among them, the distributed resource unit may refer to a resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are discrete and discontinuous. Compared with the resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are continuous, it can enhance frequency diversity and alleviate the restrictions on transmission power in regulations related to transmission power.

[0392] Exemplarily, when the first characteristic includes a distributed resource unit, one bit may be used to indicate whether the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used. If the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used, one or more bits may be used to indicate the specific format of the distributed resource unit under a given resource unit. The given resource unit may be a resource unit given by the RU Allocation subfield in the traditional common field. The description of the traditional user-specific field may refer to the above Figure 1f The description of traditional user-specific fields is not repeated here.

[0393] Exemplarily, when the first characteristic includes HARQ signaling, the HARQ signaling may include one or more of the following: retransmission indication, process ID, HARQ type indication (such as chase combining (CC), redundant retransmission (incremental redundancy, IR)), redundant version, sending address, receiving address, etc., without limitation.

[0394] The extended common field may be used to indicate the common configuration information of the first characteristic, and the R2 device that receives the PPDU may configure the first characteristic according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0395] Exemplarily, taking the case where the PPDU generated by the second device includes an extended common field, and the first characteristic includes HARQ signaling and multi-AP signaling, the extended common field may include common configuration information of HARQ signaling and common configuration information of multi-AP signaling. When R2 device 1 and R2 device 2 receive the PPDU, both R2 device 1 and R2 device 2 can configure HARQ according to the common configuration information of HARQ signaling, and configure multi-AP according to the common configuration information of multi-AP.

[0396] It should be noted that when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, if there is a common first characteristic between the R2 devices and the configuration information of the first characteristic is the same, the second device can carry the common configuration information of the first characteristic common to the R2 devices in the extended common field, thereby reducing the signaling overhead and reducing the processing complexity of the second device and each R2 device.

[0397] For example, taking the R2 devices including R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends PPDU to each R2 device, assuming that there is common HARQ signaling between R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3, and the configuration information of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device is the same, the second device can carry the configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extended common field, so that after each R2 device receives the PPDU, it configures HARQ according to the public configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extended common field.

[0398] In one possible design, the extended common field includes first indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0399] The first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0400] Exemplarily, taking the first characteristic including the first characteristic 1, the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3 as an example, assuming that the first indication information is 3 bits, the R2 device can determine whether each first characteristic exists based on the 3 bits. For example, taking the first indication information as 011 as an example, the R2 device can determine that the first characteristic 2 exists in the extended common field, but the first characteristic 1 and the first characteristic 3 do not exist, based on the first indication information, and then determine the public configuration information of the first characteristic 2 based on the public characteristic indication information, and configure the first characteristic 2 based on the public configuration information of the first characteristic 2.

[0401] In another possible design, the extended common field includes second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0402] The second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0403] Exemplarily, taking the second indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the R2 device does not need to configure the first feature, or the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 device configures the first feature.

[0404] When the second indication information instructs the R2 device to configure the first feature, the R2 device may configure the first feature according to the public configuration information of the first feature indicated by the public feature indication information.

[0405] In another possible design, the extended common field includes first indication information, second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

[0406] The first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the public characteristic indication information is used to indicate public configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0407] Specifically, when the R2 device receives the PPDU, the R2 device can determine whether to configure the first characteristic based on the second indication information. If the second indication information instructs the R2 device to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device can determine the first characteristic existing in the extended common field indicated by the first indication information based on the first indication information, and configure the first characteristic based on the public configuration information of the first characteristic in the public characteristic indication information.

[0408] Exemplarily, taking the case where the first characteristic includes the first characteristic 1, the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3, the first indication information is 011, and the second indication information is 1, the R2 device determines that the R2 device needs to configure the first characteristic based on the second indication information, and then determines that the first characteristic existing in the extended public field includes the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3 based on the first indication information, and determines the public configuration information of the first characteristic 2 and the public configuration information of the first characteristic 3 based on the public characteristic indication information, thereby configuring the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3.

[0409] Optional, based on the above Fig.10 , PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field.

[0410] The traditional public field may be used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field may be used to indicate configuration information of the second feature; the second feature may be a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device.

[0411] Specifically, the description of the traditional public field and the traditional user field can refer to the above Figure 1fThe description of the EHT-SIG field is not repeated here.

[0412] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, only an extended common field is added on the basis of the traditional common field and the traditional user field to indicate the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. It can be understood that the PPDU may also include the above Figure 1f The other fields shown are not described in detail.

[0413] Step 302: The second device sends a PPDU to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the PPDU.

[0414] In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extended common field is located in a padding area in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0415] Specifically, the second device sets the extended common field in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts the EHT-SIG symbol number field in the U-SIG field used to indicate the length of the EHT-SIG field according to the length of the padding area, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, it can determine the length of the padding area in the traditional user-specific field according to the U-SIG field and the traditional common field. The relevant description of the traditional user-specific field can refer to the above Figure 1f The description of traditional user-specific fields is not repeated here.

[0416] Since the R1 device does not need to parse the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device will not parse the extended common field in the padding area, thereby avoiding the extended common field from affecting the R1 device and ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0417] For example, Fig.11 As shown in (a), the OFDM symbol where the starting position of the extended common field is located may be separated by N OFDM symbols from the OFDM symbol where the ending position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located, and the N OFDM symbols may be padding fields.

[0418] Optionally, the extended common field starts at the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the last traditional user field of the PPDU ends.

[0419] Further, such as Fig.11 As shown in (a), after the common field is extended, a padding field is also included, and the length of the padding field can be set arbitrarily without restriction.

[0420] Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80 MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extended common field to the first device through at least two content channels.

[0421] Exemplarily, the extended common field may be located after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field having a longer legacy user specific field in at least two content channels.

[0422] Among them, the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user specific field; the legacy user specific field includes a legacy user field.

[0423] For example, Fig.11 As shown in (b), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended common field and / or an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field with a longer traditional user specific field.

[0424] In yet another example, the extended common field may be located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0425] For example, Fig.11 As shown in (c), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended common field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0426] In another possible design, when the first device includes only R2 devices, the extended common field is located after the EHT-SIG field.

[0427] For example, Fig.11 As shown in (d) in FIG. 8 , the extended common field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

[0428] Step 303: The first device parses the PPDU.

[0429] When the first device is an R1 device, the R1 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device from a traditional common field and a traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device.

[0430] When the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the traditional common field and the traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0431] It should be noted that, for the specific description of configuring the second characteristic of the above R1 device and the R2 device according to the traditional common field and the traditional user field, reference may be made to the relevant description in the 802.11be standard, which will not be described in detail.

[0432] The R2 device may also determine the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the extended common field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0433] It should be noted that, in the description of the first characteristic and the second characteristic in the embodiment of the present application, the first characteristic can also be understood as an extended characteristic of the second characteristic.

[0434] Exemplarily, taking the second characteristic as the configuration of the spatial stream as an example, assuming that there are x bits in the traditional user field of the R2 device indicating the configuration of the spatial stream, y bits can be added to the extended common field to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is essentially the configuration of the extended spatial stream. At this time, the spatial stream configuration of the R2 device includes the configuration of the spatial stream of x bits and the configuration of the spatial stream of y bits.

[0435] Based on the above Figure 3 In the method shown, the second device can add an extended common field in the PPDU so that the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field. The extended common field can well support R2 devices with more features and functions.

[0436] Based on the above Figure 3 The flowchart shown in the figure is combined with the above Figures 4 to 8 The extended function fields shown above Fig.10 The extended public fields shown, Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the PPDU may include the above Fig.10 The extended public fields shown above Figures 4 to 8 Any of the extended function fields shown.

[0437] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 The communication method shown is a flowchart, and the method may include:

[0438] Step 301: The second device generates a PPDU.

[0439] Among them, Fig.12 As shown, the PPDU may include an extended common field and an extended function field.

[0440] Specifically, the extended public field may be used to indicate the public configuration information of the first feature; the extended function field may be used to indicate the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device; the first feature may be a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

[0441] The description of the extended public fields can refer to the above Fig.10 For the description of the extended public fields, refer to the description of the extended function fields above. Figures 4 to 8 The description of the extended function fields in will not be repeated here.

[0442] Optionally, the extended common field is used to parse the extended function field.

[0443] Exemplarily, the extended common field may include indication information for indicating the length of the extended function field. After receiving the PPDU, the R2 device may determine the length of the extended function field according to the indication information for indicating the length of the extended function field in the extended common field.

[0444] Exemplarily, the extended common field may include indication information for indicating the total length of the extended common field and the extended function field. After the R2 device receives the PPDU, it can determine the total length of the extended common field and the extended function field based on the indication information in the extended common field for indicating the total length of the extended common field and the extended function field.

[0445] Optionally, the extended public field includes second public user information.

[0446] The second public user information may be used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field.

[0447] Exemplarily, the second public user information may be one or more of the following: the length of the next field, the MCS of the next field, the format of the next field, etc., without limitation.

[0448] It should be noted that when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, if there is a common first characteristic between each R2 device, and the configuration information of the first characteristic is the same or part of the configuration information is the same, then the second device can carry the common configuration information of the first characteristic shared by each R2 device in the extended common field, thereby reducing signaling overhead and reducing the processing complexity of the second device and each R2 device. If there is no common first characteristic between each R2 device, or there is a common first characteristic but the configuration information of the first characteristic is different, then the second device can carry the configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in the extended function field, that is, the extended common field does not include the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

[0449] For example, taking the R2 devices including R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, assuming that there is a common HARQ signaling between R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3, and the configuration information part of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device is the same, the second device can carry the same part of the configuration information of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device in the extended common field, and carry the different parts in the extended function field of each R2 device respectively, so that after each R2 device receives the PPDU, it configures part of the HARQ according to the public configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extended common field, determines the remaining configuration information of its own HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configures the remaining part of the HARQ according to the remaining configuration information.

[0450] For another example, taking the R2 devices including R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, assuming that there is no common first characteristic between R2 device 1, R2 device 2 and R2 device 3, for example, the first characteristic of R2 device 1 is a distributed resource unit, the first characteristic of R2 device 2 is HARQ signaling, and the first characteristic of R2 device 3 is multi-AP signaling, then the second device can carry the configuration information of the first characteristics of each R2 device in the extended function field, so that after R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the distributed resource unit according to the extended function field, and configures the distributed resource unit; after R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configures HARQ; after R2 device 3 receives the PPDU, it determines the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling according to the extended function field, and configures multiple APs.

[0451] Optional, based on the above Fig.12 , PPDU also includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field.

[0452] The traditional public field may be used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field may be used to indicate configuration information of the second feature; the second feature may be a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device.

[0453] Specifically, the description of the traditional public field and the traditional user field can refer to the above Figure 1f The description of the EHT-SIG field is not repeated here.

[0454] For example, Fig.12 The PPDU shown can be as follows Fig.13 The PPDU shown is Fig.13 As shown, the PPDU may include the above Fig.10 The extended public fields shown above are Figures 5 to 7 Any of the extended attribute fields shown. Fig.12 The PPDU shown may also be as follows: Fig.14 The PPDU shown is Fig.14 As shown, the PPDU may include the above Fig.10 The extended public fields shown and the extended user fields shown in 8 above.

[0455] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include the above-mentioned Fig.10 The extended public fields shown above are Figures 5 to 7 Any of the extended properties fields shown.

[0456] Among them, the description of the extended common fields and the extended characteristic fields can refer to the aforementioned description of the extended common fields and the extended characteristic fields, and will not be repeated here.

[0457] Optionally, the extended common field also includes indication information for indicating the length of the extended user field.

[0458] Among them, the length of the extended common field can be fixed, and the length of the extended characteristic field can be fixed or variable, without restriction.

[0459] Optionally, the extended common field also includes seventh indication information.

[0460] The seventh indication information may be used to indicate whether there is an extended characteristic field of the R2 device.

[0461] For example, taking the example that the R2 devices include R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3 in sequence, assuming that the seventh indication information is 010, it can be determined that the extended user field of R2 device 2 exists.

[0462] Fig.14A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include the above-mentioned Fig.10 The extended public fields shown above are Figure 8 The extended user fields shown.

[0463] Optionally, the extended common field also includes indication information for indicating the length of the extended user field.

[0464] Among them, the length of the extended public field can be fixed, and the length of the extended user field can be fixed or variable, without restriction.

[0465] Exemplarily, when the length of the extended user field is a fixed value, taking the example that the extended user field includes the bits of the first characteristic 1 and the bits of the first characteristic 2, assuming that the R2 device does not need to be configured with the first characteristic 2, the bits of the first characteristic 2 can still be retained in the extended user field. At this time, the bits of the first characteristic 2 can be set to a null value.

[0466] Exemplarily, when the length of the extended user field is a variable value, taking the example that the extended user field includes bits of the first characteristic 1 and bits of the first characteristic 2, assuming that the R2 device does not need to be configured with the first characteristic 2, the extended user field can include bits of the first characteristic 1, and the bits of the first characteristic 2 are not retained.

[0467] Optionally, the extended common field also includes seventh indication information.

[0468] The seventh indication information may be used to indicate whether there is an extended user field of the R2 device.

[0469] For example, taking the example that the R2 devices include R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3 in sequence, assuming that the seventh indication information is 010, it can be determined that the extended user field of R2 device 2 exists.

[0470] Optional, based on the above Figure 12 to Figure 14 The extended public field shown also includes second public user information.

[0471] The second public user information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field.

[0472] Optional, based on the above Figure 12 to Figure 14 The extended common field shown also includes sixth indication information.

[0473] The sixth indication information may be used to indicate the type of the extended function field, which may be the type of the extended function field. Figure 5 The extended function field shown, or the above Figure 6The extended function field shown, or the above Figure 7 The extended function field shown, or the above Figure 8 The extended function fields shown are not restricted.

[0474] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, only the extended common field and the extended function field are added on the basis of the traditional common field and the traditional user field to indicate the first feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. It can be understood that the PPDU may also include the above Figure 1f The other fields shown are not described in detail.

[0475] Step 302: The second device sends a PPDU to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the PPDU.

[0476] In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extended common field and the extended function field are located in a padding area in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

[0477] Specifically, the second device sets the extended common field and the extended function field in the padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts the EHT-SIG symbol number field in the U-SIG field for indicating the length of the EHT-SIG field according to the length of the padding area, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, it can determine the length of the padding area in the traditional user-specific field according to the U-SIG field and the traditional common field. The relevant description of the traditional user-specific field can refer to the above Figure 1f The description of traditional user-specific fields is not repeated here.

[0478] Since the R1 device does not need to parse the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device will not parse the extended common field and extended function field in the padding area, thereby avoiding the extended common field and extended function field from affecting the R1 device and ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

[0479] For example, Fig.15 As shown in (a), the OFDM symbol where the starting position of the extended common field and the extended function field is located can be separated by N OFDM symbols from the OFDM symbol where the ending position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located, and the N OFDM symbols can be padding fields.

[0480] Optionally, the extended common field and the extended function field start at the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the last traditional user field of the PPDU ends.

[0481] Further, such as Fig.15 As shown in (a), after the extended common field and the extended function field, a padding field is also included, and the length of the padding field can be set arbitrarily without restriction.

[0482] Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80 MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extended common field and the extended function field to the first device through at least two content channels.

[0483] Exemplarily, the extended common field and the extended function field may be located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field where the legacy user specific field is longer.

[0484] Among them, the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user specific field; the legacy user specific field includes a legacy user field.

[0485] For example, Fig.15 As shown in (b), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended common field and an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field and the extended function field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field with a longer traditional user specific field.

[0486] In yet another example, the extended common field and the extended function field may be located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0487] For example, Fig.15 As shown in (c), taking the example of the second device sending a PPDU carrying an extended common field and an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field and the extended function field can be located in the two content channels, after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

[0488] In another possible design, when the first device includes only R2 devices, the extended common field and the extended function field are located after the EHT-SIG field.

[0489] For example, Fig.15 As shown in (d) in FIG. 1 , the extended common field and the extended function field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

[0490] Step 303: The first device parses the PPDU.

[0491] When the first device is an R1 device, the R1 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device from a traditional common field and a traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device.

[0492] When the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the traditional common field and the traditional user field of the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0493] It should be noted that, for the specific description of configuring the second characteristic of the above R1 device and the R2 device according to the traditional common field and the traditional user field, reference may be made to the relevant description in the 802.11be standard, which will not be described in detail.

[0494] The R2 device may also determine the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from the extended common field and the extended function field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

[0495] It should be noted that, in the description of the first characteristic and the second characteristic in the embodiment of the present application, the first characteristic can also be understood as an extended characteristic of the second characteristic.

[0496] Exemplarily, taking the second characteristic as the configuration of the spatial stream as an example, assuming that there are x bits in the traditional user field of the R2 device indicating the configuration of the spatial stream, y bits can be added to the extended function field of the R2 device to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is essentially the configuration of the extended spatial stream. At this time, the spatial stream configuration of the R2 device includes the configuration of the spatial stream of x bits and the configuration of the spatial stream of y bits.

[0497] Based on the above Figure 3 In the method shown, the second device can add an extended common field and an extended function field in the PPDU, so that the R2 device can determine the public configuration information of the first feature according to the extended common field, and determine the configuration information of the first feature of the R2 device according to the extended function field. By extending the common field and / or the extended function field, R2 devices with more features and functions can be well supported.

[0498] Based on the above Figures 3 to 15 The PPDU shown, optionally, the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also includes eighth indication information.

[0499] Among them, when PPDU is the above Figures 4 to 9When the PPDU is any of the PPDUs shown in the above, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extended function field; when the PPDU is Figure 10 to Figure 11 When the PPDU is any of the PPDUs shown in the above, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extended common field; when the PPDU is Figure 12 to Figure 14 When the PPDU is shown in any item, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extended common field and an extended function field.

[0500] For example, PPDU is used as the above Figures 4 to 9 For example, if the PPDU shown in any one of the items is 1 bit, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the PPDU does not include the extended function field, and the R2 device does not need to parse the subsequent fields according to the eighth indication information. Alternatively, the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the PPDU includes the extended function field, and the R2 device can parse the subsequent extended function fields according to the eighth indication information, thereby configuring the first characteristic indicated by the extended function field.

[0501] Exemplarily, the eighth indication information may also be a preset ID. When the preset ID is included in the PPDU, it indicates that the PPDU includes an extended function field; or includes an extended common field; or includes an extended common field and an extended function field.

[0502] Alternatively, the eighth indication information is located in a reserved bit of a U-SIG field, a reserved bit of a traditional common field, or a traditional user-specific field, without limitation.

[0503] The reserved bits may include a valid field and an ignored field.

[0504] Optionally, the U-SIG field of the PPDU also includes ninth indication information.

[0505] The ninth indication information may be used to indicate the type of the extended common field and / or the extended function field.

[0506] Specifically, the types of the extended common fields and / or extended function fields may be as described above. Figures 4 to 14 Any of the frame structures shown.

[0507] Alternatively, the ninth indication information is located in a reserved bit of a traditional common field.

[0508] Alternative, such as Fig.16 As shown, when the PPDU includes an extended common field, the ninth indication information is located in the extended common field without limitation.

[0509] Based on the above Figures 4 to 16The PPDU may add a CRC field and a Tail field after an extended common field or a sub-extended common field, and may add a CRC field and a Tail field after every x extended user fields or sub-extended user fields, where x>=1. Alternatively, a CRC field and a Tail field may be added after a certain fixed number of bits, without limitation.

[0510] Further, such as Fig.17 As shown, the meaning of the traditional user field of the R2 device can also be rewritten.

[0511] Exemplarily, when the traditional user field of the PPDU includes the traditional user field of the R2 device, the traditional user field of the R2 device may include position information, and the position of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field is determined according to the position information.

[0512] For example, taking the traditional user field of PPDU including the traditional user field of R1 device, the traditional user field of R2 device 1, and the traditional user field of R2 device 2 as an example, assuming that the position information in the traditional user field of R2 device 1 is 5, and the position information in the traditional user field of R2 device 1 is 9, then R2 device 1 can determine that the extended function field of R2 device 1 is located at the 5th bit in the extended function field based on the position information, and R2 device 2 can determine that the extended function field of R2 device 2 is located at the 9th bit in the extended function field based on the position information.

[0513] Optionally, the traditional user field of the R2 device also includes tenth indication information.

[0514] The tenth indication information is used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device.

[0515] For example, taking the tenth indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the extended function field does not include the extended function field of the R2 device, and the R2 device does not need to parse the subsequent extended user field according to the tenth indication information. Alternatively, the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device, and the R2 device can parse the subsequent extended function field according to the tenth indication information to determine the extended user field of the R2 device.

[0516] It should be noted that the above Fig.17 In the PPDU, the length of the legacy user field of the R2 device may be consistent with the length of the legacy user field of the R1 device.

[0517] Based on the above Figures 4 to 17In the PPDU shown, the extended common field and / or extended function field of the embodiment of the present application can also be used similarly in various areas with padding field functions, such as end of frame padding (EOF padding), pre-forward error correction code padding (Pre-FEC padding), post-forward error correction code padding (Post-FEC padding), packet extension field, signal padding, etc. It can also be used to indicate new configuration or content information provided for the R2 device without limitation.

[0518] With the above Figures 4 to 17 The PPDU shown does not change the length of the traditional user field. Fig.17 , an embodiment of the present application also provides a PPDU frame structure.

[0519] Fig.18 A schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided for an embodiment of the present application; wherein, the PPDU may include a user-specific field; the user-specific field may include an extended user field.

[0520] Specifically, the user-specific field can support an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field can be equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits can be used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device.

[0521] The R2 device may configure the first characteristic according to the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the first number of bits.

[0522] It should be noted that, for the R1 device, the field corresponding to the first bit number in the extended user field may be a padding field, and the R1 device does not need to parse the padding field, thereby avoiding the first bit number from affecting the R1 device.

[0523] For example, for an R1 device, the content of the extended user field may be {{content of the R1 device}, padding field}, and the padding field may be set to 0 or 1 without restriction. When reading the extended user field, the R1 device only needs to analyze the content of the R1 device without parsing the padding field, that is, these first bits may be in the form of ignored fields.

[0524] Optionally, the PPDU includes a traditional common field; the traditional common field includes an eleventh indication information.

[0525] The eleventh indication information may be used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field, or the eleventh indication information may be used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a traditional user field.

[0526] Alternatively, the eleventh indication information is located in the U-SIG field without limitation.

[0527] Exemplarily, taking the eleventh indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit can be set to 0 to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a traditional user field, or the 1 bit can be set to 1 to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field.

[0528] It should be noted that the length of the traditional user field can be 22 bits, the length of the extended user field can be 32 bits, etc., without limitation.

[0529] The communication method of an embodiment of the present application is introduced above, and the communication device of an embodiment of the present application is introduced below. The communication device of the embodiment of the present application includes a communication device applied to the sending end and a communication device applied to the receiving end. It should be understood that the communication device applied to the sending end is the second device in the above method, which has any function of the second device in the above method, and the communication device applied to the receiving end is the first device in the above method, which has any function of the first device in the above method.

[0530] like Fig.19 As shown, the communication device applied to the sending end includes: a processing module and a transceiver module.

[0531] The processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device, wherein the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. The transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0532] or,

[0533] A processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended public field for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; a transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0534] or,

[0535] A processing module is used to generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; a transceiver module is used to send the PPDU.

[0536] or,

[0537] A processing module, used for generating a PPDU including user-specific fields; the user-specific fields include at least one extended user field; the user-specific fields support extended user fields and traditional user fields; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; a transceiver module, used for sending the PPDU.

[0538] The communication device applied to the sending end provided in the embodiment of the present application is the second device in the above method, which has any function of the second device in the above method. The specific details can be found in the above method and will not be repeated here.

[0539] like Fig. 20 As shown, the communication device applied to the receiving end includes: a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0540] A transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0541] or,

[0542] A transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by an R2 device but not supported by an R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the public configuration information of the first characteristic based on the extended common field.

[0543] or,

[0544] A transceiver module is used to receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended common field for indicating common configuration information of a first characteristic and an extended function field for indicating configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is used to parse out the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field; and parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

[0545] or,

[0546] A transceiver module is used to receive a PPDU including a user-specific field; the user-specific field includes at least one extended user field; the user-specific field supports an extended user field and a traditional user field; wherein the number of bits of the extended user field is equal to the sum of the number of bits of the traditional user field and a first number of bits; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device parses the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the processing unit is used to parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the first number of bits.

[0547] The communication device applied to the receiving end provided in the embodiment of the present application is the first device in the above method, which has any function of the first device in the above method. The specific details can be found in the above method and will not be repeated here.

[0548] The above describes the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end of the embodiment of the present application. The following describes possible product forms of the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end. It should be understood that any communication device having the above Fig.19 Any product having the characteristics of the communication device applied to the transmitting end, and any product having the characteristics of the communication device applied to the transmitting end Fig. 20 Any form of product with the characteristics of the communication device applied to the receiving end falls within the protection scope of this application. It should also be understood that the following introduction is only an example and does not limit the product form of the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the product form of the communication device applied to the receiving end of the embodiment of this application to only this.

[0549] As a possible product form, the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end described in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a general bus architecture.

[0550] The communication device applied to the transmitting end includes a processor and a transceiver connected to the processor for communication; the processor is used to generate a PPDU; the transceiver is used to send the PPDU. Optionally, the communication device applied to the transmitting end may also include a memory, the memory is used to store instructions executed by the processor.

[0551] The communication device applied to the receiving end includes a processor and a transceiver connected to the processor for communication; the transceiver is used to receive the PPDU; the processor is used to parse the PPDU. Optionally, the communication device applied to the receiving end may also include a memory, the memory is used to store instructions executed by the processor.

[0552] As a possible product form, the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end described in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by a general-purpose processor.

[0553] The general processor implementing the communication device applied to the transmitting end includes a processing circuit and an input / output interface connected to and communicating with the processing circuit; the processing circuit is used to generate a PPDU; the input / output interface is used to send the PPDU. Optionally, the general processor may also include a storage medium, the storage medium is used to store instructions executed by the processing circuit.

[0554] The general processor for implementing the communication device applied to the receiving end includes a processing circuit and an input / output interface connected to and communicating with the processing circuit, wherein the input / output interface is used to receive the PPDU; and the processing circuit is used to parse the PPDU. Optionally, the general processor may also include a storage medium, wherein the storage medium is used to store instructions executed by the processing circuit.

[0555] As a possible product form, the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end described in the embodiments of the present application can also be implemented using the following: one or more FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), PLDs (programmable logic devices), 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.

[0556] It should be understood that the resource allocation device applied to the transmitting end and the resource allocation device applied to the receiving end in the above-mentioned various product forms respectively have any functions of the transmitting end and the receiving end in the above-mentioned method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0557] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0558] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various method steps and units described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of the two. In order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the steps and components of each embodiment have been generally described in the above description according to function. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those of ordinary skill in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0559] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0560] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the 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 system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, or it can be an electrical, mechanical or other form of connection.

[0561] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the embodiments of the present application.

[0562] 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.

[0563] 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 computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution 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, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk and other media that can store program code.

[0564] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receive a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field; the extended function field is used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; Parse the PPDU; wherein, according to the extended function field, parse out the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The PPDU further includes a traditional common field and a traditional user field; wherein the traditional common field is used to parse the traditional user field, and the traditional user field is used to indicate configuration information of a second feature; the second feature is a feature supported by both the R1 device and the R2 device; According to the traditional public field, the traditional user field is parsed; According to the traditional user field, configuration information of the second feature is parsed.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, and the sub-extended common field includes first indication information and common characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; and the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; Analyze whether the first characteristic exists according to the first indication information; According to the common characteristic indication information, common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, and the sub-extended common field includes second indication information and common characteristic indication information; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic, and the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; parse, according to the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first feature; According to the common characteristic indication information, common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field; wherein the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended common field, and the sub-extended common field includes first indication information, second indication information, and common characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; Analyze whether the first characteristic exists according to the first indication information; parse, according to the second indication information, whether the R2 device is configured with the first feature; According to the common characteristic indication information, common configuration information of the first characteristic is parsed.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field; the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended user field; The sub-extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information; the identification information is used to indicate the R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; According to the identification information, parse out the R2 device; According to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended user field; The device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is sequentially the same as the device corresponding to the traditional user field; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the sub-extended user field includes the sub-extended user field of the R1 device and the sub-extended user field of the R2 device; The sub-extended user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; According to the user characteristic indication information, configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The devices corresponding to the sub-extended user field are sequentially the same as the devices corresponding to the traditional user field, including: The device corresponding to at least one of the sub-extended user fields is in turn the same as the device corresponding to at least one of the traditional user fields.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extended user field; The sub-extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the position information is used to indicate a position of a traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field; the sub-extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed; according to the position information, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed; or Among them, the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field; the sub-extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed.

10. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The sub-extended user field also includes third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first feature according to the user feature indication information; According to the third indication information, it is analyzed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

11. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended characteristic field, and the extended characteristic field includes a sub-extension common field and the sub-extension user field; wherein the sub-extension common field is used to parse the sub-extension user field; The sub-extension user field is parsed according to the sub-extension common field.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The sub-extended common field includes one or more of the following: common characteristic indication information, first indication information, second indication information, fourth indication information, and fifth indication information; The public characteristic indication information is used to indicate the public configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists; the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used to indicate the type of the sub-extended user field; the fifth indication information is used to indicate whether the sub-extended user field of the R2 device exists; According to the public characteristic indication information, parse out the public configuration information of the first characteristic; according to the first indication information, parse out whether the first characteristic exists; according to the second indication information, parse out whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic; according to the fourth indication information, parse out the type of the sub-extended user field; according to the fifth indication information, parse out whether there is a sub-extended user field of the R2 device.

13. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The sub-extended public field also includes first public user information; wherein the first public user information is used to indicate public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field; According to the first public user information, the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub-extended user field is parsed.

14. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information; The identification information is used to indicate the R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; According to the identification information, the R2 device is parsed out; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information is parsed out.

15. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The extended function field is an extended user field, and the device corresponding to the extended user field is the device corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extended user field includes the extended user field of the R1 device and the extended user field of the R2 device; The extended user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; According to the user characteristic indication information, configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The devices corresponding to the extended user field are in turn the devices corresponding to the traditional user field, including: The device corresponding to at least one of the extended user fields is in turn the device corresponding to at least one of the traditional user fields.

17. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The extended function field is an extended user field, and the extended user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information; The user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used to indicate the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field; the extended user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed; according to the position information, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the extended user field in the traditional user field is parsed; or Among them, the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the location information is used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field; the extended user field and the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device is parsed; according to the location information, the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extended user field is parsed.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that: The extended user field also includes third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first feature according to the user feature indication information; According to the third indication information, it is analyzed whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1-2, 7-8, 15-17, characterized in that: The extended function field is located in a padding area of ​​the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that Receiving the PPDU, comprising: receiving the PPDU carrying the EHT-SIG field through at least two content channels; The extended function field is located after the last traditional user field in the EHT-SIG field having a longer traditional user specific field in the at least two content channels; the EHT-SIG field includes the traditional user specific field; the traditional user specific field includes the traditional user field; or The extended function field is located after the last traditional user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel in the at least two content channels.

21. The method according to any one of claims 1-2, 7-8, 15-17, characterized in that: The OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended function field is located and the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located are separated by N OFDM symbols.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1-2, 7-8, 15-17, characterized in that: The padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also includes eighth indication information; wherein the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes the extended function field; According to the eighth indication information, it is parsed whether the PPDU includes the extended function field.

23. The method according to any one of claims 1-2, 7-8, 15-17, characterized in that: The U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; wherein the ninth indication information is used to indicate the type of the extended function field; According to the ninth indication information, the type of the extended function field is parsed.

24. The method according to any one of claims 2, 7-8, 15-17, characterized in that: The traditional user field of the PPDU includes a traditional user field of an R2 device; wherein the traditional user field of the R2 device includes position information, and the position information is used to indicate the position of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field; According to the position information, the position of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field is parsed.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that The traditional user field of the R2 device further includes tenth indication information; wherein the tenth indication information is used to indicate whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device; According to the tenth indication information, it is analyzed whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device.

26. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Generate a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU includes an extended function field, and the extended function field is used to indicate configuration information of a first feature of the R2 device; the first feature is a feature supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; The PPDU is sent.

27. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a unit for executing the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: Used to store a computer program, wherein the computer program includes instructions for executing the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

29. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program comprises instructions for executing the communication method according to any one of claims 1-26.

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