Multi-link communication method, storage medium, and electronic device

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of wireless communication, and specifically discloses a multi-link communication method, a storage medium and an electronic device. The multi-link communication method comprises the following steps: a first multi-link access point (AP) of a first device establishes a first link with a first station (STA) of a second device; a second AP of the first device establishes a second link with a second STA of the second device; the first AP sends a first frame containing first information to the first STA, the first information being used to indicate whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link and to indicate whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, wherein the first data is not included in the first frame; and the operation state of at least one of the first AP and the second AP is controlled at least partially according to the first information. The first device and the second device can be put into sleep without data transmission to achieve the purpose of power saving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a multi-link communication method, storage medium, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology, the IEEE 802.11 working group has begun research and development work on the next-generation wireless communication technology (Wi-Fi) standard. The next-generation Wi-Fi standard, abbreviated as EHT (Extremely High Throughput), project codenamed IEEE 802.11be, aims to increase system capacity to 30Gbps to meet the demands of emerging high-bandwidth services such as Augmented Reality (AR) and ultra-high-definition video services.

[0003] The next-generation Wi-Fi standard introduces multi-link devices and communication schemes between them. Multi-link devices can be categorized into two types based on existing access point and site concepts: Access Point Multi-link Logical Entities (APs) and Non-Access Point Multi-link Operation Entities (Non-APs). AP MLOs are also known as Access Point Multi-link Operation Entities (AP MLOs), and Non-Access Point MLOs are also known as Non-Access Point Multi-link Operation Entities (Non-AP MLOs). Both types of entities have multiple radio frequency hardware devices in their physical layer, thus enabling them to simultaneously transmit and receive data on multiple links at different frequency bands. By sharing data and signaling resources on both types of entities and simultaneously transmitting data on multiple fixed-bandwidth links with varying frequency bands between them, the communication throughput is significantly improved by increasing the transmission bandwidth.

[0004] However, due to the use of multiple link devices and multiple links simultaneously, high power consumption has become a problem that must be addressed. There is an urgent need to develop a power management (PM) mechanism, or power-saving management mechanism, suitable for communication between multiple link devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned shortcomings and further enhance PM performance, this application provides a novel multi-link communication method, storage medium, and electronic device, based on some embodiments thereof.

[0006] According to some embodiments of this application, this application discloses a multi-link communication method for a first device, including:

[0007] The first multi-link access point (AP) of the first device establishes a first link with the first station (STAtion) of the second device;

[0008] The second AP of the first device establishes a second link with the second STA of the second device;

[0009] The first AP sends a first frame containing first information to the first STA. This first information indicates whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA via the first link and whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link. The first data and the second data are not included in the first frame.

[0010] The operating state of at least one of the first AP and the second AP is controlled, at least in part, based on the first information.

[0011] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0012] When the first information indicates that the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, the second AP sends a second frame including the second data to the second STA via the second link, wherein the second frame includes second information, the second information being used to indicate whether the second AP has third data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, and the third data is not included in the second frame.

[0013] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0014] The first AP receives a third frame from the first STA to confirm receipt of the first frame, wherein the third frame contains third information indicating whether the first STA has fourth data to be sent to the first AP via the first link, wherein the fourth data is not included in the third frame.

[0015] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0016] The second AP receives a fourth frame from the second STA to acknowledge receipt of the second frame, wherein the fourth frame contains fourth information indicating whether the second STA has fifth data to send to the second AP via the second link, wherein the fifth data is not included in the fourth frame.

[0017] In the above communication method, controlling the operating state of at least one of the first AP and the second AP based at least in part on the first information includes:

[0018] If the first information indicates that the first AP has the first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link, the operation state of the first AP is kept active to send the first data;

[0019] If the first information indicates that the first AP has no first data to send to the first STA via the first link and the third information indicates that the first STA has no fourth data to send to the first AP via the first link, the operating state of the first AP is switched from the active state to the sleep state.

[0020] In the above-described communication method, controlling the operational state of at least one of the first AP and the second AP, at least in part, based on the first information, includes:

[0021] When the first information indicates that the second AP has the second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, and the second AP is in a sleep state, the operating state of the second AP is switched from the sleep state to the active state;

[0022] If the second information indicates that the second AP has no third data to send to the second STA via the second link, and the fourth information indicates that the second STA has no fifth data to send to the second AP via the second link, the operating state of the second AP is switched from the active state to the sleep state.

[0023] In the above communication method, the first information, the second information, the third information, and the fourth information are included in a physical layer frame. The first information, the second information, the third information, and the fourth information include a link map. The link map includes a first bit portion and a second bit portion. The first bit portion corresponds to the first link and is used to indicate whether the first data or the fourth data will be sent through the first link. The second bit portion corresponds to the second link and is used to indicate whether the second data, the third data, or the fifth data will be sent through the second link.

[0024] Compared to existing technologies, this application introduces linkmap information that indicates whether the sending end has cached data to be sent on the corresponding link. The receiving end can partially determine the operating status of its device based on this information, thereby enabling the device to go into sleep mode to save power when there is no data transmission.

[0025] According to some embodiments, this application also proposes a multi-link communication method for a second device, comprising:

[0026] The first station (STAtion, STA) of the second device establishes a first link with the first multi-link access point (AP) of the first device;

[0027] The second STA of the second device establishes a second link with the second AP of the first device;

[0028] The first STA receives a first frame from the first AP containing first information, the first information indicating whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA via the first link and indicating whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, wherein the first data and the second data are not included in the first frame; and

[0029] The operating state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA is controlled, at least in part, based on the first information.

[0030] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0031] When the first information indicates that the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, the second STA receives a second frame from the second AP containing the second data via the second link. The second frame includes second information indicating whether the second AP has third data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, and the third data is not included in the second frame.

[0032] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0033] The first STA sends a third frame to the first AP via the first link to confirm receipt of the first frame. The third frame contains third information indicating whether the first STA has fourth data to send to the first AP via the first link. The fourth data is not included in the third frame.

[0034] The above-mentioned communication methods also include:

[0035] The second STA sends a fourth frame to the second AP via the second link to confirm receipt of the second frame. The fourth frame contains fourth information, which indicates whether the second STA has fifth data to send to the second AP via the second link. The fifth data is not included in the fourth frame.

[0036] In the above communication method, controlling the operating state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA, at least in part, based on the first information, includes:

[0037] When the first information indicates that the first AP has the first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link, the operation state of the first STA is switched / maintained as active to receive the first data.

[0038] If the first information indicates that the first AP has no first data to send to the first STA via the first link and the third information indicates that the first STA has no fourth data to send to the first AP via the first link, the operating state of the first STA is switched from the active state to the sleep state.

[0039] In the above communication method, controlling the operating state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA, at least in part, based on the first information, includes:

[0040] When the first information indicates that the second AP has the second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, and the second STA is in a sleep state, the operating state of the second STA is switched from the sleep state to the active state;

[0041] If the second information indicates that the second AP has no third data to send to the second STA via the second link, and the fourth information indicates that the second STA has no fifth data to send to the second AP via the second link, the operating state of the second STA is switched from the active state to the sleep state.

[0042] In the above communication method, the first information, the second information, the third information, and the fourth information are included in a physical layer frame. The first information, the second information, the third information, and the fourth information include a link map. The link map includes a first bit portion and a second bit portion. The first bit portion corresponds to the first link and is used to indicate whether the first data or the fourth data will be sent through the first link. The second bit portion corresponds to the second link and is used to indicate whether the second data, the third data, or the fifth data will be sent through the second link.

[0043] Compared to existing technologies, this application introduces linkmap information that indicates whether the sending end has cached data to be sent on the corresponding link. The receiving end can partially determine the operating status of its device based on this information, thereby enabling the device to go into sleep mode to save power when there is no data transmission.

[0044] According to some embodiments, this application also proposes a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer instructions that, when executed, implement the above-described communication method.

[0045] According to some embodiments, this application also proposes an electronic device including: a memory and a processor, the memory being used to store instructions executed by one or more of the processors; the processor being one of the processors of the electronic device, used to execute the communication method described above. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system comprising multi-link operation entities provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0047] Figure 2 This illustration shows a link diagram between an AP multi-link operation entity and a non-AP multi-link operation entity according to some embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 3 The physical layer frame structure according to the IEEE 802.11a protocol is shown;

[0049] Figure 4 The physical layer frame structure according to the IEEE 802.11be protocol is shown;

[0050] Figure 5 This shows the order in which the contents of the physical layer frame arrive at the receiving end;

[0051] Figure 6 Some embodiments according to this application are shown, in such Figure 3 The physical layer frame shown contains a linkmap.

[0052] Figure 7 Some embodiments according to this application are shown, in such Figure 4 The linkmap is set in the physical layer frame shown;

[0053] Figures 8-11 A timing diagram is shown illustrating the adjustment of the operational state of a link using a linkmap between an AP multi-link operation entity and a non-AP (STA) multi-link operation entity according to some embodiments of this application.

[0054] Figure 12 A flowchart of an AP multi-link operation entity provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0055] Figure 13 A flowchart of a non-AP (STA) multi-link operation entity provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0056] Figure 14 A system schematic diagram of a user equipment provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of this application will be presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of this application. To provide a thorough understanding of this application, many specific details will be included in the following description. This application may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0058] Furthermore, various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations in a manner most conducive to understanding the illustrative embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed as implying that these operations must depend on the order. In particular, these operations do not need to be performed in the order presented. It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0059] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various features, these features should not be limited by these terms. The use of these terms is merely for distinction and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. For example, without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments, a first feature may be referred to as a second feature, and similarly, a second feature may be referred to as a first feature.

[0060] Unless the context otherwise specifies, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonyms. The phrase “A / B” means “A or B.” The phrase “A and / or B” means “(A), (B), or (A and B).”

[0061] As used herein, the terms “module,” “unit,” and “device” may refer to or include, or include, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) and / or memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) executing one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality, or may be part of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) and / or memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) executing one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

[0062] It should also be stated that the methods and processes in this application are numbered for ease of reference, not to restrict the order of steps. If there is a sequence between the steps, the textual description shall prevail.

[0063] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a system 100 composed of multi-link operating entities according to some embodiments of this application. As shown in the figure, the system 100 may include a user equipment (UE) 101, a first device 102 and a second device 103, and / or other devices (e.g., a third device 104).

[0065] Figure 1The user equipment 101 shown can be a traditional single-antenna device supporting a single frequency. That is, for UE101, only one communication link can be established with other communication devices at any given time. Examples of UE101 include, but are not limited to, portable or mobile devices, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, handheld PCs, wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart bracelets, etc.), portable media players, handheld devices, navigation devices, servers, network devices, graphics devices, video game devices, set-top boxes, laptop devices, virtual reality and / or augmented reality devices, Internet of Things devices, industrial control devices, smart cars, in-vehicle infotainment devices, streaming media client devices, e-books, reading devices, POS machines, and other devices.

[0066] The first device 102 is an AP multi-link operation entity, which has multiple antennas operating in different frequency bands and can simultaneously support multiple frequency bands. That is, the first device 102 can establish multiple communication links with other communication devices at a single point in time. For example, the first device 102 can communicate with multiple UEs 101 simultaneously. Or, the first device 102 can communicate with UE 101 and the second device 103 simultaneously. Examples of the first device 102 can also include various devices that can function as an Access Point (AP), such as servers, network devices, and IoT devices. The difference between the first device 102 and UE 101 is that the first device 102 has multiple antennas and can establish multiple communication links simultaneously. It is worth mentioning that the first device 102 can also be a user device (not shown) with multi-band antennas that can act as an AP (e.g., a hotspot) to communicate with other devices in multiple frequency bands.

[0067] The second device 103 and the third device 104 are non-AP multi-link operating entities. The second device 103 and the third device 104 include multiple antennas that can operate in different frequency bands. In the presence of an existing AP, the non-AP is often also referred to as a station (STA). Hereinafter, the second device 103 and the third device 104 will be referred to as STA or STA multi-link operating entities. The antennas of the second device 103 and the third device 104 can be matched with the antenna of the first device 102, thereby establishing multiple communication links with the first device 102 respectively. The figure illustrates three links, but those skilled in the art will understand that the first device 102, the second device 103, and the third device 104 can all include other numbers of APs or STAs, thus allowing other numbers of links to be established between the AP multi-link operating entities and the non-AP multi-link operating entities, for example, eight links. Examples of the second device 103 and the third device 104 include, but are not limited to, the following devices having multiple antennas: portable or mobile devices, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, handheld PCs, wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart bracelets, etc.), portable media players, handheld devices, navigation devices, servers, network devices, graphics devices, video game devices, set-top boxes, laptop devices, virtual reality and / or augmented reality devices, Internet of Things devices, industrial control devices, smart cars, in-vehicle infotainment devices, streaming media client devices, e-books, reading devices, POS machines, and other devices.

[0068] Figure 1 In this diagram, the first device 102 acts as the access point (AP), forming a star network. It can be seen that the first device 102 has the most antennas to ensure that it can establish links with all STAs in the network. Typically, to reduce the power consumption of various devices, both APs and STAs include power-saving management modules. For example... Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, the third device 104 enters a sleep state when there is no data to be exchanged with the first device 102, and the link between the first device 102 and the third device 104 is disconnected. If neither UE101 nor the second device 103 has data to exchange with the first device 102, both UE101 and the second device 103 can enter a sleep state to reduce power consumption. The first device 102 only needs to periodically send beacons.

[0069] The embodiments of this application illustrate how to enable multi-link devices (e.g., first device 102 and second device 103) to enter a sleep state as quickly as possible when there is no data transmission required between the AP and STA, so as to save power as much as possible.

[0070] Figure 2The AP multi-link operation entity (i.e., according to some embodiments of this application) is shown. Figure 1 The first device 102) and the non-AP multi-link operation entity (i.e. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a multi-link connection between the first device 102 and the second device 103. In the diagram, the first device 102 includes three APs: AP1 operates in the 2.4 GHz band, AP2 operates in the 5 GHz band, and AP3 operates in the 6 GHz band. It should be noted that the number of APs 1-3 and their operating frequency bands shown in the diagram are for illustrative purposes only. In other AP multi-link operation entities, it is not necessary to have three APs; there can be five or eight APs. Furthermore, in other AP multi-link operation entities, it is not necessary to operate in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz bands; other potentially usable frequency bands can be used. In some embodiments, one of the three APs (e.g., AP1) can be fixed as the master AP, meaning AP1 can always remain active. In some embodiments, the master AP (e.g., AP1) can send beacon frames to indicate the presence of the first device 102 when other non-master APs (e.g., AP2, AP3) are in sleep mode. However, in other embodiments, the primary AP may also enter a sleep state when it is not necessary to transmit data frames and / or control frames. In some embodiments, the primary AP may not be fixed, but may be selected from multiple APs in the first device 102 according to a certain decision mechanism. This decision mechanism is not within the scope of this application; existing or future decision mechanisms may be referenced, as long as they do not contradict this application.

[0071] Similarly, the second device 103 includes three STAs, corresponding to the first device 102. STA1 in the second device 103 can operate in the 2.4 GHz band, STA2 can operate in the 5 GHz band, and STA3 can operate in the 6 GHz band. If the first device 102 has four APs operating in other frequency bands, then the second device 103, which communicates with them via multi-link, must at least correspond to the frequency band of the first device 102. In some embodiments, one of the STAs (e.g., STA1) in the second device 103 can act as the master STA. This master STA establishes a master link with the master AP in the first device 102, responds to data sent by the master AP (at this time, the master STA is in an active state), or periodically listens to the master link (at this time, the master STA is in a sleep state) to receive control frames (e.g., association requests, beacons, etc.) sent by the master AP. The other non-master STAs (e.g., STA2 and STA3) in the second device 103 are activated when there is data to be sent / received, and enter a sleep state when there is no data to be sent / received. In some embodiments, the master STA (e.g., STA1) can periodically listen to the channel while other non-master STAs (e.g., STA2, STA3) are in sleep mode, in order to receive instructions from the master AP in a timely manner. However, in other embodiments, the master STA can also enter a sleep state when it is not necessary to transmit data frames and / or control frames. In some embodiments, since the master AP may not be fixed, but selected from multiple APs in the first device 102 according to a certain decision mechanism, the master STA can also change according to the change of the master AP.

[0072] Next, refer to Figure 2 In the diagram, a first link is established between AP1 of the first device 102 and STA1 of the second device 103, a second link is established between AP2 and STA2, and a third link is established between AP3 and STA3. To improve the power management (energy saving) of the first device 102 and the second device 103, it is generally desirable for each operating entity (e.g., AP1-AP3, or STA1-STA3) in the first device 102 and the second device 103 to enter a sleep state promptly when data transmission is not required, thereby reducing power consumption. Here, "data transmission" includes the transmission of data from the sending end (e.g., AP1, AP2, or AP3) to the receiving end (e.g., STA1, STA2, or STA3), the transmission of acknowledgment frames from the receiving end to the sending end regarding the receipt of that data, and / or the transmission of other control information related to data transmission / reception.

[0073] To achieve power saving, this application proposes adding indication information to the physical layer frames transmitted between the first device 102 and the second device 103. This indication information indicates whether the memory of the multi-link device (first device 102 or second device 103) transmitting the physical layer frame contains data to be transmitted on multiple links (e.g., the first link, the second link, and / or the third link). Furthermore, since the multi-link device includes multiple operating nodes, such as AP1, AP2, and AP3, or STA1, STA2, and STA3, the indication information can individually indicate whether the memory of each operating node contains data to be transmitted. For example, a linkmap can be set to indicate whether AP1, AP2, and AP3, or STA1, STA2, and STA3, have buffered data to be transmitted on the first, second, and / or third link. Specifically, the linkmap can include multiple bit portions, each bit portion including one or more bits, and each bit portion can correspond one-to-one with each link in the multi-link communication system shown in the figure to indicate that data transmission will occur on each of the aforementioned links. For example, the linkmap includes 3 bits, each bit being associated with... Figure 2 The first, second, and third links in the linkmap correspond one-to-one. Therefore, when the first bit in the linkmap is 0, it indicates that no data will be transmitted on the first link; when the first bit is 1, it indicates that data will be transmitted on the first link. Alternatively, the definitions of 0 and 1 can be reversed, depending on the designer's decision.

[0074] The “data to be sent” mentioned above may include the moment when the sending end (e.g., AP1 in the first device 102) sends a physical layer frame including a linkmap, and the data is also buffered when the sending end has not sent it to the receiving end (e.g., STA1 in the second device 103).

[0075] Specifically, if the linmap in the frame sent by AP1 indicates that AP1 has data in its buffer to be sent, STA1 needs to enter or remain active to wait for the data that AP1 is about to send. If the linmap in the frame sent by AP1 indicates that AP1 does not have data in its buffer to be sent, STA1 can decide whether to remain active (if there is buffered data in local memory to be sent to AP1) or enter a sleep state (if there is no buffered data in local memory to be sent to AP1) based on whether there is data in its local memory to be sent to AP1. In general, for a link, the sender (e.g., AP1) and receiver (e.g., STA1) can only enter a sleep state if both their linkmaps indicate that there is no data to be sent on that link. Otherwise, the sender and receiver must remain active to continue receiving or sending data in their buffers.

[0076] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the physical layer frame structure according to the IEEE 802.11a protocol. As shown, a typical physical layer frame includes a header and a data body. The data body contains protocol data units from the MAC (Media Access Control) layer; the header includes Short Training Sequence (STS), Long Training Sequence (LTS), Signal, and Service fields. The header primarily contains parameters related to frame transmission, such as synchronization and indicating the data rate of the frame. In current protocol versions, the Service field has many reserved bits, which can be used to store the aforementioned indication information, such as a linkmap.

[0077] Figure 4 The physical layer frame structure according to the IEEE 802.11be protocol is shown. Figure 3 The physical layer frames shown are similar. Figure 4The physical layer frame also includes a frame header and a data body. The data body includes protocol data units from the MAC layer; the frame header includes the Legacy Short Training Field (L-STF), Legacy Long Training Field (L-LTF), Legacy Signal Field (L-SIG), Repeated L-SIG (RL-SIG), Universal Signal Field (U-SIG), Extremely High Throughput Signal Field (EHT-SIG), Extremely High Throughput Short Training Field (EHT-STF), and Extremely High Throughput Long Training Field (EHT-LTF). The EHT-SIG further includes universal fields and user-defined fields. The user-defined fields reserve enough bits to store information such as linkmap indications.

[0078] Figure 5 This illustrates the order in which the contents of a physical layer frame arrive at the receiving end. For example, if a frame of data is sent from the first device 102 to the second device 103, then the second device 103 is the receiving end; otherwise, the first device 102 is the receiving end.

[0079] According to the IEEE 802.11 protocol (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11be, and future improvements), in actual transmission, the physical layer frame header 501 is generally transmitted first, followed by the physical layer frame data body 502. That is, the receiving end first receives the physical layer frame header, and then receives the physical layer frame data body. This application, taking into account this structural characteristic, will be used to indicate multi-link (e.g., Figure 2 In the first, second, and third links of a network, indication information (e.g., a linkmap) indicating whether data is about to be transmitted is set in the header of the physical layer frame. In other words, this indication can be set in the header of the physical layer frame to show whether data is about to be transmitted. Figure 2The information transmitted on the first, second, and / or third links shown is set in the frame header of the physical layer frame in the form of a linkmap. According to some embodiments of this application, the aforementioned indication information (e.g., a linkmap) can be set as follows: Figure 3 The service field in the physical layer frame structure of IEEE 802.11a shown (e.g.) Figure 3 (The 9 free bits reserved in the service field), or as... Figure 4 The user-defined fields in the physical layer frame structure according to the IEEE 802.11be protocol are shown. As mentioned above, the "data to be sent" in the physical layer frame may include data that is still buffered at the time the sender sends a physical layer frame including a linkmap and has not yet sent it to the receiver. Therefore, if the current physical layer frame header 501 includes a linkmap, the "data to be sent" is not included in the data body 502 of the current physical layer frame, but may be included in the data body of the next physical layer frame.

[0080] According to embodiments of this application, both ends of the link (including AP multi-link operation entity 102 or non-AP multi-link operation entity 103) can send information indicating whether the device has cached data to be sent on the corresponding link. For example, AP1 in the AP multi-link operation entity can send a message to STA1 indicating whether AP1 has cached data to be sent to STA1 via the first link. Similarly, STA1 in the non-AP multi-link operation entity can send a message to AP1 indicating whether STA1 has cached data to be sent to AP1 via the first link. Since the linkmap indicates whether there will be data transmission, the receiving end can at least partially determine the operating status of its own device (i.e., the receiving end) based on this indication information. Specifically, if the linkmap indicates that the sending end has buffered data to send and the receiving end is currently in an active state, the receiving end can determine its operating state to remain active to receive the data to be sent based on the linkmap's indication. If the linkmap indicates that the sending end has no buffered data to send and the receiving end is currently in a sleep state, the receiving end can determine its operating state to remain in a sleep state based on the linkmap's indication. If the linkmap indicates that neither the sending nor the receiving end has buffered data to send, and the receiving end is currently in an active state, the receiving end can determine its operating state to switch from active to sleep based on the linkmap's indication.

[0081] As explained above, by introducing linkmap information that indicates whether the sending end has cached data to be sent on the corresponding link, the receiving end can partially determine the operating status of its own device based on this information, thereby achieving the purpose of saving power by putting the device into sleep mode when there is no data transmission.

[0082] Figure 6 Some embodiments according to this application are shown, in such Figure 3 The linkmap is set in the physical layer frame shown. As shown in the figure, Figure 3 The service field shown has nine free bits reserved where the linkmap can be stored. With one bit used to indicate one link, these nine free bits can be used to indicate nine links. That is, if the first device 102 or the second device 103 has nine or fewer APs or STAs, the linkmap can be set in the service field. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a parity bit can be set on the linkmap to improve the error detection capability of the communication system. For example, a parity bit can be set to perform simple error checking on each bit of information in the linkmap. This parity bit can be set in other locations in the physical layer frame, but if it is set in the service field (e.g., ...), it is more suitable for storing the linkmap. Figure 6 As shown in bit B15, with each bit in the linkmap corresponding to a link, the first device 102 or the second device 103 can have eight or fewer APs or STAs. For example, if the first device 102 includes eight APs (AP1 to AP8) and the second device 103 includes eight STAs (STA1 to STA8), bits 1 to 8 in the figure correspond sequentially to the first to eighth links between AP1-AP8 and STA1-STA8. Each bit in the linkmap indicates whether there is data to be transmitted on the corresponding link. For example, when the bit is 0, it indicates that there is no data to be transmitted on the corresponding link, that is, there is no data to be sent in the buffer of the AP or STA; otherwise, it indicates that there is data to be sent.

[0083] Figure 7 Some embodiments according to this application are shown, in such Figure 4 The linkmap is set in the physical layer frame shown. As shown in the figure, Figure 4The user-specific field shown has several spare bits reserved, in which the linkmap can be stored. Because of the large number of reserved bits, it can be used to support simultaneous management of link operation status by multiple multi-link operating entities communicating simultaneously. For example, the linkmaps for the second device 103 and the third device 104 can be merged into a single power linkmap and stored in this user-specific field. For example, if eight links are established between STA1-STA8 (STA4-STA8 not shown) in the second device 103 and AP1-AP8 (AP4-AP8 not shown) in the first device 102, and eight links are established between STA1-STA8 in the third device 104 and AP1-AP8 in the first device 102, then the power linkmap set in the physical layer frame sent by the first device 102 can be used simultaneously for the eight links with the second device 103 and for the eight links with the third device 104, to indicate whether each AP in the first device 102 will send data on the corresponding links, thereby facilitating the AP multi-link operation entity 102 to communicate simultaneously with multiple non-AP multi-link operation entities (e.g., the second device 103 and the third device 104). Figure 6 Similar to the related instructions, a checksum can also be set for each group of linkmaps.

[0084] In some embodiments of this application, the receiving end of multi-link communication (e.g., the second device 103) can adopt a method of simultaneously receiving, decoding, and processing information. Therefore, setting the indication information (i.e., linkmap) indicating whether the sending end will transmit data on the corresponding link in the frame header of the physical layer frame or before the data body of the physical layer frame helps the receiving end to receive and process the indication information more quickly, so as to control the operation state of the relevant operating entities (e.g., STA1, STA3, or STA4 in the second device 103) in the receiving end according to the indication information. For example, activating the relevant operating entity, maintaining the operation state of the relevant operating entity in an active or dormant state, or switching the operation state of the relevant operating entity from an active state to a dormant state. This further saves power consumption at the receiving end.

[0085] Figures 8-11This document illustrates a timing diagram showing the adjustment of the operational states of the transmitting and receiving ends at both ends of a link between an AP multi-link operation entity (e.g., first device 102) and a non-AP (STA) multi-link operation entity (e.g., second device 103) according to some embodiments of this application, using a linkmap. Both the AP and non-AP multi-link operation entities have multiple radio frequency hardware devices, including antennas, thus enabling them to support simultaneous transmission and reception across multiple links. For example, as... Figure 8-11 As shown, the first device 102 includes AP1, AP2, and AP3, and an AP controller 1021. The AP controller 1021 can be used to manage the operational status of the multiple AP operating entities (e.g., AP1-AP3), for example, controlling the operational status of each AP operating entity at least in part based on link maps from each AP operating entity. AP1, AP2, and AP3 are relatively independent, each with antennas operating at different frequency bands, and can each establish links with corresponding non-AP operating entities (or sites, such as STA1, STA2, and STA3 in the second device 103) to transmit data.

[0086] Specifically, Figure 8-11Link 1 (e.g., the main link) is established between AP1 of the first device 102 and STA1 of the second device 103, link 2 is established between AP2 and STA2, and link 3 is established between AP3 and STA2. AP controller 1021 determines whether AP1, AP2, and AP3 in the first device 102 need to enter / maintain a sleep state or an active state based on the linkmap instructions contained in the physical layer frames from AP operating entities and / or non-AP operating entities, as well as the current state of each AP operating entity. AP controller 1021 can be centralized, i.e., a single control module that uniformly manages the linkmaps of AP1, AP2, and AP3 and determines the operating state (active / sleep) to instruct AP1, AP2, and AP3 to work or sleep; or AP controller 1021 can be distributed, integrating the control functions corresponding to AP1, AP2, and AP3 into their respective original control modules, and exchanging the received linkmap values ​​in real time so that AP1, AP2, and AP3 can each determine whether they need to switch operating states. Additionally, according to some embodiments, one AP operating entity (e.g., the main AP) in the first device 102 can also simultaneously perform the functions of the AP controller 1021, while the functions of other AP operating entities remain unchanged. The second device 103 includes STA1, STA2, and STA3, and an STA controller 1031 for managing the STA-side linkmap. The STA controller 1031 determines whether STA1, STA2, and STA3 in the second device 103 need to enter / remain in a sleep state or an active state based on the instructions of the linkmap contained in the physical layer frames from the STA operating entities and / or from the AP operating entities, as well as the current state of each STA operating entity. The STA controller 1031 can be centralized, i.e., a single control module that uniformly manages the linkmaps of STA1, STA2, and STA3 and determines their operating states (active / dormant), thereby instructing STA1, STA2, and STA3 to operate or hibernate. Alternatively, the STA controller 1021 can be distributed, integrating the control functions corresponding to STA1, STA2, and STA3 into their respective original control modules, and exchanging the received linkmap values ​​in real time so that each STA1, STA2, and STA3 can determine whether it needs to switch its operating state. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, one STA operating entity in the second device 103 (e.g., the main STA) can also simultaneously perform the functions of the STA controller 1031, while the functions of other STA operating entities remain unchanged. Those skilled in the art should understand that although the non-AP multi-link operating entity shown in the figure is the second device 102, Figure 8-11The technology shown can also be applied to the third device 104, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0087] Among them, Figures 8-11 In the illustrated embodiments, link 1 can be the main link. For example, AP1 on the main link first sends a linkmap, thereby helping the STA controller at the receiving end to control the operating status of each STA. In some embodiments, AP1 and STA1 in link 1 simultaneously remain in an active state, i.e., maintain an operational state. In this case, the main link reacts faster and can receive or send data, at the cost of slightly poorer power saving. In other embodiments, STA1 is allowed to enter a "sleep" state, but can listen to the channel sometimes (e.g., periodically), and AP1 can also sometimes (e.g., periodically) send beacon frames. According to some embodiments, AP1, as the main AP, can remain active, in which case the power saving effect is better. In other embodiments, when AP1 does not need to send information (e.g., data frames, control frames, or beacon frames), it can also enter a sleep state, thereby further achieving a power saving effect. Links 2 and 3 can enter a sleep state when there is no data to transmit and can send or receive information without using the link.

[0088] Specifically, Figure 8 The timing sequence is given, showing that when link 1 is active, while links 2 and 3 are dormant, link 1 is used to wake up link 3. When link 1 is active (meaning both AP1 and STA1 are active), AP1 first sends a first frame containing linkmap 81 to STA1 via link 1. In linkmap 81, the indication of whether AP1, AP2, and AP3 have data to be transmitted on links 1-3 is (0, 0, 1). This, combined with the previous... Figure 6 and Figure 7 The explanation, comparison Figure 8 As can be seen, the frames in the timing diagram shown in this embodiment conform to the IEEE 802.11a or 802.11be protocol, that is, the linkmap is set in the service field or user-defined field of the physical layer frame. In this embodiment, three links are shown, and correspondingly, the linkmap only displays three bits. The (0, 0, 1) in linkmap81 are used to indicate whether there is data in the buffers of AP1, AP2, and AP3 that will be sent through links 1-3. The three indicator bits of the linkmap shown in this embodiment can be... Figure 6 The three bits shown in bits 1 to 8, i.e. which indicator bit is used to indicate which link, are not strictly required to correspond in sequence. The sequential correspondence is only used for simplicity and ease of understanding.

[0089] Back Figure 8Linkmap81 = (0, 0, 1) indicates that when the first frame is sent, AP1 and AP2 have no data in their memories to be sent via link 1 and link 2, while AP3 has data in its memory to be sent via link 3. Similarly, "data to be sent" can include data that is still buffered at the time when the sending end (e.g., AP1, AP2, and / or AP3) sends a physical layer frame (e.g., the first frame) including the linkmap, but has not yet been sent to the receiving end (e.g., STA1, STA2, and / or STA3 in the second device 103). In this case, "data to be sent" is not included in the first frame.

[0090] Simultaneously, AP controller 1021, based on the indication that AP3 has data to be transmitted in its memory and considering that AP3 is currently in a sleep state, determines to change AP3's operating state from sleep to active state, i.e., wakes up AP3 to prepare for sending the second frame including the aforementioned buffered data. After linkmap 81 is received by STA1 in the second device 103, STA controller 1031, based on the information in the linkmap indicating that AP3 will send data to STA3 via link 3 and that STA3 is currently in a sleep state, determines to switch STA3's operating state from sleep to active state, i.e., activates STA3; on the other hand, STA1 continues to receive the remaining content of the first frame, i.e., the data body included after linkmap 81. After receiving the first frame, STA1 replies with a third frame to acknowledge receipt of the first frame. Furthermore, the service field or user-defined field in the third frame includes linkmap 82. The content of linkmap 82 is determined by STA controller 1031 after collecting information on whether SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have data to be transmitted via links 1-3, and is then sent by STA1 to AP1 via link 1. In this embodiment, linkmap82 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the third frame is sent, SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to send on links 1-3. After transmitting the third frame (that is, after completing one data frame + acknowledgment frame data transmission process), STA1 can combine the linkmap81 received from AP1 and its own buffer to determine whether STA1 needs to remain active or enter a sleep state. In this embodiment, the first bit of linkmap81 indicates that AP1 has no data to transmit, and the first bit of linkmap82 indicates that STA1 has no data to transmit; therefore, STA1 can enter a sleep state. In some embodiments, since AP1 is the primary AP, it can remain active. When other non-primary APs and non-APs are all in sleep mode, AP1 periodically sends Beacon frames to indicate the existence of the AP entity. In other embodiments, AP1, as the primary AP, can also enter a sleep state when there are no data frames or Beacon frames to transmit. Furthermore, since neither AP2 nor STA2 needs to transmit data on the link 2, meaning that the bit corresponding to link 2 in linkmap 81 or linkmap 82 is 0, AP2 and STA2 will not be woken up by AP controller 1021 or STA controller 1031, and thus will always remain in a sleep state.

[0091] After AP controller 1021 wakes up AP3 based on linkmap 81 and the current operating state of AP3, AP controller 1021 first calculates the time required for non-AP multi-link operation entity 103 to receive linkmap 81 in the first frame, decodes it, and activates STA3 according to linkmap 81. This time is the waiting time for AP3. AP3 waits for this waiting time ( Figure 8 The time interval shown is from the end of the service field of the first frame to the start of the second frame. After this period, the second frame is sent to STA3 via link 3. Specifically, this waiting time includes at least the time for STA1 to receive and decode linkmap 81 and the time required for STA controller 1301 to activate STA3. The decoding time is determined by STA1's decoding aapability (DC). In most cases, during the setup phase of link 1, such as when AP1 sends an association request to STA1 and STA1 responds to AP1 for the association request, STA1 notifies AP1 of its own DC. In the second frame mentioned above, linkmap 83 is included in the service field or user-defined field. In this embodiment, linkmap 83 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the second frame is sent, AP1, AP2, and AP3 have no data to send on links 1 to 3. That is to say, AP2 and AP3 can consider entering a sleep state. After receiving the second frame, STA3 sends a fourth frame to AP3 via link 3. This fourth frame includes linkmap84 in the service field or a user-defined field. In this embodiment, linkmap84 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when sending the fourth frame, STA1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to transmit on links 1 through 3. After the fourth frame is transmitted, AP3 and STA3 can each decide whether to remain active or enter a sleep state based on the third indicator bit in linkmap83 and linkmap84, respectively. Figure 8 Since linkmap83 and linkmap84, AP3 and STA3 have no data waiting to be sent, they can enter a sleep state.

[0092] Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, after each data transmission (i.e., after completing a data frame + acknowledgment frame data transmission process), the AP and STA ends control their operational states at least partially according to the instructions of the linkmap. For example, if there is no data to be transmitted on the relevant link at the AP and STA ends, AP1-AP3 and STA1-STA3 can promptly enter a sleep state, thereby enhancing power management and achieving energy savings.

[0093] Furthermore, as illustrated, when Link 1 remains active, Link 3 is woken up via Link 1. Since STA1 can immediately notify STA3 of the information after receiving the linkmap, data transmission on Link 3 can begin some time after the service field or user-defined field on Link 1 is sent (e.g., the aforementioned waiting time), without having to wait until the first frame on Link 1 is completely transmitted (complete transmission includes both data frames and acknowledgment frames). Therefore, for Link 3, the second frame can be transmitted earlier, thereby improving the utilization of Link 3 and increasing data throughput.

[0094] Figure 9 The sequence of events is described: STA1 enters a sleep state in link 1, while links 2 and 3 are also in a sleep state. AP1 wakes up STA1 via an association request (Asso_req), thereby activating link 1, and then wakes up link 3 through link 1. In response to the association request from AP1, STA1 sends its receiver's decoding capability (DC) to AP1 via an association response (Asso_resp) so that AP3 can calculate the waiting time (see reference). Figure 8 (Explanation). Furthermore... Figure 9 Similar to waiting time and Figure 8 For the same nouns and their explanations, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 8 , Figure 9 The details will not be repeated here. In this embodiment, the processes of Asso_req and Asso_resp can follow the existing interaction process and future improvements thereof, which will not be elaborated here. After this interaction process, STA1 enters the active state, and AP1 sends the first frame containing linkmap91 to STA1 through link 1. The indication in linkmap91 whether AP1, AP2, and AP3 have data to be transmitted on links 1-3 is (0, 0, 1). Figure 8 Similarly, (0, 0, 1) in linkmap91 are used to indicate whether there is data to be sent in the buffers of AP1, AP2 and AP3 respectively.

[0095] Figure 9In the diagram, linkmap91 = (0, 0, 1) indicates that when the first frame is sent, AP1 and AP2 have no data to transmit in their memories, while AP3 has data to transmit in its memory. Simultaneously, AP controller 1021, based on the indication that AP3 has data to transmit in its memory and considering that AP3 is currently in a sleep state, determines to change AP3's operating state from sleep to active, i.e., wakes up AP3 to prepare for sending the second frame containing the aforementioned buffered data. After linkmap91 is received by STA1 in the second device 103, STA controller 1031, based on the information in the linkmap indicating that AP3 will send data to STA3 via link 3 and that STA3 is currently in a sleep state, determines to switch STA3's operating state from sleep to active, i.e., activates STA3. Meanwhile, STA1 continues to receive the remaining content of the first frame, which is the data body following linkmap81. After receiving the first frame, STA1 replies with a third frame to acknowledge receipt of the first frame. Furthermore, the service field in the third frame includes linkmap92. The content of linkmap 92 is determined by the STA controller 1031 after collecting information from the memories of SAT1, STA2, and STA3 regarding whether there is data to be transmitted via links 1 to 3. STA1 then transmits this information to AP1 via link 1. In this embodiment, linkmap 92 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the third frame is transmitted, SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to transmit on links 1 to 3. After transmitting the third frame (i.e., after completing one data frame + acknowledgment frame data transmission process), STA1 can combine the linkmap 91 received from AP1 with its own memory to determine whether STA1 needs to remain active or enter a sleep state. Figure 8Similar to the illustrated embodiment, in this embodiment, the first bit of linkmap 91 indicates that AP1 has no data to transmit, and the first bit of linkmap 92 indicates that STA1 has no data to transmit. Therefore, STA1 can enter a sleep state. In some embodiments, since AP1 is the primary AP, it can remain active. When other non-primary APs and non-APs are all in sleep mode, AP1 periodically sends Beacon frames to indicate the presence of the AP entity. In other embodiments, AP1, as the primary AP, can also enter a sleep state when there are no data frames or Beacon frames to transmit. Furthermore, since neither end of link 2, namely AP2 and STA2, has data to transmit on this link, that is, the bit corresponding to the second link in linkmap 91 or linkmap 92 is 0, AP2 and STA2 will not be woken up by AP controller 1021 or STA controller 1031, thus always remaining in a sleep state.

[0096] In link 3, after AP controller 1021 wakes up AP3 according to linkmap 91 and the current operating status of AP3, it connects with... Figure 8 Similar to the related process, firstly, the non-AP multi-link operation entity 103 receives the linkmap 91 in the first frame, decodes it, and activates STA3 according to the linkmap 91. This time is the waiting time of AP3. AP3 waits for this waiting time ( Figure 9 The diagram shows the time period from the end of the service field of the first frame to the start of the second frame. After this period, the second frame is sent to STA3 via link 3. For a detailed explanation of this waiting time, please refer to [link to documentation]. Figure 8 The relevant explanations are as follows. In link 3, linkmap93 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the second frame is sent, AP1, AP2, and AP3 have no data to send on link 1-3, meaning that AP2 and AP3 can consider entering a sleep state. After receiving the second frame, STA3 sends a fourth frame to AP3 through link 3 to confirm receipt of the third frame. This fourth frame includes linkmap94 in the service field or user-defined field. In this embodiment, linkmap94 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the fourth frame is sent, STA1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to send on link 1-3. After the fourth frame is transmitted, AP3 and STA3 can each decide whether to remain active or enter a sleep state based on the indication of the third indicator bit in linkmap93 and linkmap94, respectively. Figure 9 Since linkmap93 and linkmap94, AP3 and STA3 have no data waiting to be sent, they can enter a sleep state.

[0097] Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, after each data transmission (i.e., after completing one data frame + acknowledgment frame data transmission process), the AP and STA ends control their operating states at least partially according to the instructions of the linkmap. For example, when neither the AP nor the STA ends have data to transmit, AP1-AP3 and STA1-STA3 can promptly enter a sleep state, enhancing power management and achieving energy savings.

[0098] Figure 10 The example describes a sequence where STA1 enters a sleep state in link 1, while links 2 and 3 are also in a sleep state. AP1 periodically sends beacon frames to wake up STA1, thereby activating link 1, and then link 1 wakes up link 3. This embodiment also incorporates a More Data flag to assist the communication process.

[0099] Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, since link 1 is set as the primary link, the sleep state of STA1 is a "semi-sleep" state. That is, although there is no data to be transmitted in STA1's memory, STA1 still needs to wake up periodically for a period of time to listen to the channel to confirm whether AP1 has any instructions that STA1 needs to execute. According to some embodiments, AP1 can send a beacon frame during STA1's wake-up period to indicate whether there is data in the AP's memory to be transmitted through link 1 to link 3. Thus, the STA can determine whether it needs to enter the active state (be woken up). The beacon sent by AP1 can conform to existing or future improved protocols, which will not be elaborated here. According to some embodiments of this application, the beacon sent by AP1 can also include the linkmap as described above, so that the STA controller 1031 of the second device 102 can wake up non-primary STAs (such as STA2 and STA3) according to the linkmap in the beacon, without having to wake up the primary STA (i.e., STA1) first. Clearly, for situations where only non-primary APs have data to send through the link, while the primary AP has no data to send through the link, Beacon's approach, following the scheme proposed in this application, is more efficient.

[0100] Figure 10In the first frame, after AP1 sends the Beacon, it sends a first frame containing linkmap 101 and MoreData indication to STA1 via link 1. Linkmap 101 indicates whether AP1, AP2, and AP3 have buffered data to be transmitted via links 1-3 as (1, 0, 1). This means that when sending the first frame, AP2 has no buffered data to transmit, while AP1 and AP3 each have buffered data to transmit. MoreData = 1 also indicates that AP1 has buffered data to transmit after the first frame. Simultaneously, AP controller 1021, based on the indication in linkmap 101 that AP3 has data to transmit, wakes up AP3 to prepare for sending a second frame including the aforementioned buffered data. After linkmap 101 is received by STA1 in the second device 103, STA3 is activated by STA controller 1031, and STA1 continues to receive the remaining content of the first frame (i.e., such as...). Figure 10 The data body carried in the first frame shown. Here, "data to be sent" may include data that is still buffered when the sending end (e.g., AP1) sends a physical layer frame (e.g., the first frame) including the linkmap, but is not sent by the sending end (e.g., AP1, AP2, and / or AP3) to the receiving end (e.g., STA1, STA2, and / or STA3 in the second device 103). In this case, "data to be sent", that is, the data that AP1 and AP3 will send via links 1 and 3 as indicated by the first and third bits in the linkmap 101 above, is not included in the first frame.

[0101] After STA1 receives the first frame, it replies with a third frame to acknowledge receipt of the first frame. The service field in the third frame includes linkmap 102. The content of linkmap 102 is determined by the STA controller 1031 after collecting information on whether SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have cached data to be transmitted via links 1 to 3. STA1 then sends the third frame, including linkmap 102, to AP1 via link 1. In this embodiment, linkmap 102 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have no cached data to be transmitted via links 1 to 3 when the third frame is sent. After transmitting the third frame (i.e., after completing one data frame + acknowledgment frame data transmission process), STA1 can directly determine whether to remain active to prepare for receiving the next frame based on More Data = 1 on link 1, or it can combine the linkmap 101 received from AP1 to decide whether STA1 needs to remain active or enter a sleep state.

[0102] In this embodiment, although STA1 has no data to send, because AP1 still has data to send later (i.e., the buffered data that AP1 will send through link 1 as indicated by the first bit of linkmap 101), link 1 (i.e., AP1 and STA1) needs to remain active. After receiving the third frame, AP1 continues to send a fifth frame containing linkmap 103 to STA1 through link 1. The fifth frame also includes the data that AP1 will send through link 1 as indicated by the first bit of linkmap 101 (i.e., this data is the main data part of the fifth frame). The indication in linkmap 103 whether AP1, AP2, and AP3 have data to send through links 1 to 3 is (0, 0, 0), indicating that when sending the fifth frame, there is no data in the memory of AP1, AP2, and AP3 to be sent through links 1 to 3, and More Data = 0 in the fifth frame also indicates that there is no data to be transmitted on link 1. After linkmap 103 is received by STA1 in the second device 103, the STA controller 1031 saves the linkmap information for use in the subsequent decision-making process. After receiving the fifth frame, STA1 replies with the sixth frame to acknowledge receipt of the fifth frame. Furthermore, the service field or user-defined field in the aforementioned sixth frame includes linkmap 104. The content of linkmap 104 is determined by the STA controller 1031 after collecting information on whether there is data to be transmitted through links 1 to 3 in the memories of SAT1, STA2, and STA3, and is then sent by STA1 to AP1 through link 1. In this embodiment, linkmap 104 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when the sixth frame is sent, SAT1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to be transmitted through links 1 to 3.

[0103] After transmitting the fifth frame, STA1 can determine whether it needs to remain active to prepare to receive data in the next frame, based on whether AP1 has data to send through link 1 as indicated by linkmap 103 and whether STA1 itself has data to send to AP1 (i.e., linkmap 104). In the case shown in the figure, since linkmap 103 and linkmap 104 respectively indicate that AP1 has no data to send to STA1 and STA1 has no data to send to AP1, STA1 can enter a sleep state. In this embodiment, the first bit of linkmap 101 (1,0,1) being 1 indicates that AP1 has data to send to STA1 through link 1. Although the first bit of linkmap 102 (0,0,0) being 0 indicates that STA1 has no data to send to STA1 through link 1, AP1 and STA1 still need to remain active so that AP1 can send the fifth frame to STA1. This fifth frame also includes the buffered data that AP1 will send through link 1 as indicated by the first bit of linkmap 101.

[0104] Secondly, in link 2, since neither AP2 nor STA2 needs to transmit data on this link, meaning the bits corresponding to link 2 in linkmaps 101 to 106 are 0, AP2 and STA2 will not be woken up by AP controller 1021 or STA controller 1031, thus remaining in a sleep state. In link 3, after AP3 is woken up by AP controller 1021, it waits for a certain period (see relevant explanations). Figure 8 and Figure 9 After receiving the second frame, AP1 sends a second frame to STA3 via link 3. This second frame includes the buffered data that AP3 will send via link 3, indicated by the third bit of linkmap 101. As shown in the figure, the second frame also includes linkmap 105 = (1, 0, 0), which indicates that when sending the second frame, AP1 has data in its memory to be sent via link 1, while AP2 and AP3 have no data to be sent via link 2 or link 3. Furthermore, the second frame includes More Data = 0, which also indicates that AP3 has no data to send via link 3 after the second frame. After receiving the second frame, STA3 sends a fourth frame to AP3 via link 3 to confirm receipt of the third frame. In this fourth frame, linkmap 106 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that when sending the fourth frame, AP1, STA2, and STA3 have no data to send via links 1 through 3. After the fourth frame is transmitted, AP3 and STA3 can each decide whether to remain active or enter a sleep state based on linkmap 105 and linkmap 106, respectively. Figure 10Since linkmap105, More Data, and linkmap106, AP3 and STA3 have no data waiting to be sent, they can enter a sleep state.

[0105] Figure 11 A more complex timing diagram is provided to demonstrate the process of simultaneous data transmission on three links. The process is as follows: On link 1, AP1 sends a first frame containing linkmap 111. STA1 replies with a third frame containing linkmap 112, acknowledging receipt of the previous frame and the first frame. Here, linkmap 111 = (0, 0, 1), indicating that when the first frame is sent, AP3 has data to send to STA3 via link 3. Linkmap 112 = (0, 1, 1), indicating that when the third frame is sent, STA2 and STA3 have data to send via links 2 and 3. Here, the "data to be sent" in linkmap 111 can include data that is buffered when the sending end (e.g., AP1, AP2, and / or AP3) sends a physical layer frame (e.g., the first frame) containing the linkmap but has not yet been sent to the receiving end (e.g., STA1, STA2, and / or STA3 in the second device 103). In this case, the "data to be sent" is not included in the first frame. Similarly, the "data to be sent" in linkmap112 is not included in the third frame.

[0106] Therefore, AP controller 1021 first activates AP3 based on the indication that the third bit of linkmap 111 is 1, combined with AP3's current sleep state. Then, upon receiving linkmap 112, it activates AP2 and maintains AP3's active state based on the indication that the second and third bits of linkmap 112 are 1, combined with the current operating states of AP2 and AP3 (sleep and active, respectively). Similarly, STA controller 1031 activates STA3 based on the indication that the third bit of linkmap 111 is 1, combined with STA3's current sleep state, based on the indication that STA3 is in sleep mode. Then, it activates STA2 and maintains STA3's active state based on the indication that the second and third bits of linkmap 112 are 1, combined with the current operating states of STA2 and STA3 (sleep and active, respectively). After this data transmission is completed, STA1 enters sleep mode based on the indication that the first bit of linkmap 111 and linkmap 112 is 0.

[0107] On link 2, after AP2 is activated by AP controller 1021, it waits for a period of time before receiving the fourth frame from STA2, which includes linkmap 113. This fourth frame also includes data that STA2 will transmit on link 2, as indicated by the second bit of linkmap 111 in the first frame. STA2 replies with a seventh frame, containing linkmap 114, to acknowledge receipt of the previous frame. In linkmap 113 (0, 0, 1) and linkmap 114 (0, 0, 0), the bits corresponding to link 2 are all 0, indicating that neither AP2 nor STA2 has any data to transmit via link 2. Therefore, after the data transmission process is complete—that is, after transmitting the fourth frame containing data and the seventh frame acknowledging receipt of the fourth frame—AP2 and STA2 at both ends of link 2 enter a sleep state.

[0108] On link 3, after AP3 is activated by AP controller 1021, it begins sending a second frame containing linkmap 115 after a waiting period. This second frame also includes data that STA3 will transmit on link 3, as indicated by the third bit of linkmap 111 in the first frame. STA3 replies with a fifth frame containing linkmap 116 to acknowledge receipt of the previous frame. In linkmap 115 (0, 0, 0) and linkmap 116 (0, 0, 1), the bits corresponding to link 3 are 0 and 1 respectively, indicating that AP3 has no data to transmit via link 3 when sending the second frame, but has data to transmit via link 3 when sending the fifth frame. As defined above for "data to be transmitted," the "data to be transmitted" in linkmap 116 is not included in the fifth frame.

[0109] Therefore, after the transmission of the second and fifth frames, the AP controller 1021 and the STA controller 1031, based on the indication of the third bit in linkmap 116 and combined with the current operating state of AP3 and / or STA3, keep AP3 and STA3 in an active state to wait for STA3 to send data. After sending the fifth frame, which indicates that the previous frame has been received, STA3 begins to send a sixth frame containing linkmap 117 to AP3 via link 3. The sixth frame includes the data that STA3 will send via link 3, indicated by the third bit of linkmap 116. AP3 replies with an eighth frame containing linkmap 118, which indicates that the previous frame has been received. Linkmap 117 = (0, 0, 0) and linkmap 118 = (0, 0, 0), indicating that neither AP3 nor STA3 has buffered data to send. Therefore, after the sixth and eighth frames are transmitted, the AP controller 1021 and the STA controller 1031, based on the indication of the third bit in the linkmap and combined with the current operating status of AP3 and / or STA3, put AP3 and STA3 into a sleep state.

[0110] Based on the above Figures 8-11 As explained, the linkmap in this application serves to indicate whether there is data to be transmitted in the memory of multiple APs or STAs at the sending end (the end sending the linkmap). The receiving end (the end receiving the aforementioned linkmap) can, at least partially, control the operational state of the multiple APs or STAs at the receiving end based on this indication. For example, the receiving end can combine the received linkmap, information about whether there is data to be transmitted in the memory of its own multiple APs or STAs, and the current state of the multiple APs or STAs at the receiving end to determine whether the multiple APs or STAs at the receiving end should enter / remain active or enter / remain in sleep mode. This application performs a decision on each link in the multi-link device after each transmission (i.e., after both data frames and acknowledgment frames have been sent and received), which can quickly put the link into sleep mode, effectively improving power-saving efficiency.

[0111] Those skilled in the art will understand that when both ends of a non-main link are awakened (e.g., AP3 and ST3 at both ends of link 3), the operational status of the two operating entities (AP or STA) can be determined based on the indication of the corresponding bits in the linkmap sent by those two ends. For example, as Figure 11As shown, after AP3 and STA3 are woken up, their operational status can be determined based on the indication of the third bit in linkmap115 and linkmap116, or based on the indication of the third bit in linkmap117 and linkmap118. Therefore, after both ends of a non-master link are woken up, the lnkmap they send can include only the bits corresponding to that link.

[0112] Figure 12 A flowchart of an AP multi-link operation entity (e.g., first device 102) according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Before formal data transmission, the first device 102 establishes a link with the second device 103. For example, this can be achieved through... Figure 9 or Figure 10 The association request or beacon shown is used to establish the link. Specifically, the first AP (AP1) of the first device 102 establishes a first link with the first STA (STA1) of the second device 103; the second AP (AP2 or AP3) of the first device 102 establishes a second link with the second STA (STA2 or STA3) of the second device 103. Figures 8-11 In this flowchart, AP1, AP2, and AP3 correspond to SAT1, STA2, and STA3. The multi-link communication process is explained starting from the state where the first AP is the master AP. The first AP corresponds to... Figures 8-11 AP1 in the flowchart. The second AP in this flowchart is a non-primary AP, corresponding to AP1. Figures 8-11 AP2 and AP3 in the middle.

[0113] After the link is established, step S1201 is executed first, that is, the first AP sends the first frame to the first STA through the first link (for example, Figures 8-11 The first frame in the document). The first frame includes first information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap81 in Figure 9 linkmap91 in Figure 10 linkmap101 in Figure 11 In linkmap111), the first information is used to indicate whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA via the first link, and to indicate whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link. Specifically, the first information can be as follows: Figures 8-10 The settings shown are in the service field or user-defined field of the physical layer frame conforming to the IEEE 802.11a or IEEE 802.11be protocol, and are set according to... Figure 6 or Figure 7The structure of the linkmap shown indicates whether each AP in the first link and multiple second links has data to transmit. It is important to emphasize that "data to transmit" means that the first data and / or second data is not included in the currently transmitted first frame. For the first data, this data is what the first AP will send after the first frame is transmitted, and it may be included in other physical layer frames transmitted after the first frame (e.g., ...). Figure 10 The fifth frame in the document). For the second data, this data is the data transmitted on the second link (e.g., the fifth frame in the document). Figure 8 In the second frame, the data transmitted is sent later than the first frame, but its transmission time on the link may partially overlap with the transmission time of the first frame. Figures 8-11 As shown. This may be due to the fact that the aforementioned receiver (e.g., the second device 102) receives physical layer frames while simultaneously decoding and processing the linkmaps included within them, which further increases transmission efficiency and channel throughput.

[0114] Next, the communication methods for the first AP and the second AP are divided into two branches. First, let's explain the branch steps related to the first AP.

[0115] The first AP executes step S1202, which is to receive a third frame from the first STA to acknowledge receipt of the first frame (e.g., Figures 8-11 The third frame in the text includes third information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap82 in Figure 9 linkmap92 in Figure 10 linkmap102 in the middle, Figure 11 In linkmap112), this third information is used to indicate whether the first STA has fourth data to send to the first AP via the first link. Similar to the first information, this third information, in accordance with the IEEE 802.11a protocol, is set in the service field of the physical layer frame and is configured accordingly. Figure 6 The structure of the linkmap shown indicates whether each STA in the first link and multiple second links has data to be transmitted; this third information, in accordance with the IEEE 802.11be protocol, is set in the user-specific field of the physical layer frame, and according to... Figure 7 The structure of the linkmap shown indicates whether each STA in the first link and multiple second links has data to be transmitted.

[0116] The first AP executes step S1203, which is that after the transmission of the first frame and the second frame is completed, the first AP determines whether the first information indicates that the first AP will send data to STA1 through the first link. If the first information indicates that the first AP still has first data to send, the first AP executes step S1204, which is to remain in the active state in preparation to send the first data. If the first information indicates that the first AP has no first data to send, then step S1206 is executed.

[0117] In step S1206, the first AP determines whether the third information indicates that the first STA has fourth data to send to AP1 via the first link. As mentioned above, this fourth data is not included in the third frame. If the third information indicates that the first STA has fourth data to send, the first AP executes step S1205, i.e., remains active to prepare to receive the fourth data sent by the first STA. If the third information indicates that the first STA has no fourth data to send, step S1207 is executed, i.e., the first AP can consider going to sleep. Because at this time neither the first AP nor the first STA has data waiting to be sent, the first link will be in an idle state. To save power, the first AP and the first STA on the first link can enter a sleep state.

[0118] Next, let's explain the steps related to the second AP.

[0119] First, step S1208 is executed, which determines the first piece of information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap81 in Figure 9 linkmap91 in Figure 10 linkmap101 in Figure 11 The step S1211 determines whether the second AP has any data to send to the second STA via the second link. If the second AP has no data to send to the second STA via the second link, step S1218 is executed directly, meaning the second AP can go into sleep mode. However, this does not mean the second AP can always go into sleep mode. As previously explained, both the sending and receiving ends determine whether to go into sleep mode by comprehensively considering the indications in the sending and receiving linkmaps. Only when both the sending and receiving linkmaps simultaneously indicate that neither the sending nor the receiving end at either end of the second link has data to send can the second AP truly enter sleep mode.

[0120] If it is determined in step 1208 that the second AP has second data to send to the second STA via the second link, then step S1209 is executed, that is, determining whether the second AP is currently active. If the second AP is not currently active (i.e., in a dormant state), then step S1214 must be executed first to activate the second AP. Otherwise, step S1210 can be executed.

[0121] In step S1210, the second AP sends a second frame, which includes the second data indicated in step S1201 and second information indicating whether the second AP also has third data to send to the second STA (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap83 in Figure 9 linkmap93 in Figure 10 linkmap105 in Figure 11 (linkmap115 in the document). This second piece of information is similar to the first and third pieces of information described earlier, but varies slightly depending on the protocol version, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0122] After executing step S1214, the second AP also needs to execute step S1215, which involves calculating a waiting time. This waiting time is the time the second AP needs to wait for the second STA to receive the instruction in the first information and then prepare to receive data. For detailed explanation, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8 and Figure 9 The relevant explanation is provided below. The second AP will execute step S1210 only after waiting for the specified waiting time.

[0123] Then the second AP executes step S1211, which involves receiving a fourth frame from the second STA to acknowledge receipt of the second frame. This fourth frame includes fourth information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap84 in Figure 9 linkmap94 in Figure 10 linkmap106 in Figure 11 (linkmap116 in the document). Similar to the third information, this fourth information is used to indicate whether the second STA has fifth data to be sent to the second AP via the second link.

[0124] After a data transmission on the second link is completed (i.e., after the transmission of the second data and the confirmation frame transmission process is completed), the second AP can at least partially determine its own operational status based on the second information and the fourth information.

[0125] The second AP can first execute step S1212, that is, determine whether the second information indicates that the second AP has third data to be sent to the second STA through the second link. If so, execute step S1213, that is, the second AP remains active in preparation to send the third data.

[0126] If it is determined in step S1212 that the second AP has no data to send to the second STA, then step S1216 is executed, that is, it is then determined whether the fourth information indicates that the second AP has fifth data to send to the second STA through the second link. If so, then step S1217 is executed, that is, the second AP remains active to prepare to receive the fifth data sent by the second STA. Otherwise, it means that neither the second AP nor the second STA on the second link has data to send, and the second AP can execute step S1218 to enter a sleep state.

[0127] Figure 12 The flowchart shown illustrates the process by which the first device 102 determines the switching of the operating states of the first AP and the second AP after transmitting data on at least one of multiple links. In this embodiment, the data sending end, such as the first AP or the second AP, immediately determines the switching of the operating state after ending data transmission. Compared with the prior art, this earlier determination allows the first device 102 to enter a sleep state sooner, resulting in a significant effect on power-saving management of the communication system.

[0128] Figure 13 A flowchart of a non-AP (STA) multi-link operation entity operation entity provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Due to... Figure 13 and Figure 12 These are two corresponding processes that can be referenced from each other. Therefore, similar parts will not be explained again, and the explanation will start directly from step S1301.

[0129] In step S1301, the first STA receives a first frame from the first AP via the first link. The first frame includes first information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap81 in Figure 9 linkmap91 in Figure 10 linkmap101 in Figure 11 In linkmap111, the first information is used to indicate whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA via the first link, and to indicate whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link. For a detailed explanation of the first information, please refer to [linkmap111]. Figure 12Regarding the relevant explanations: It should be emphasized that the statement "data to be transmitted" indicates that the first data and / or the second data are not included in the currently transmitted first frame. For the first data, this data is the content that the first AP will send after the first frame is completed, and it may be included in the fifth frame (e.g., ...). Figure 10 As shown, it may also include other frames transmitted after the first frame has been transmitted. For the second data, which is transmitted on the second link, its transmission time may partially overlap with the transmission time of the first frame, such as... Figures 8-11 As shown.

[0130] Next, the communication methods for the first STA and the second STA are divided into two parallel branches. First, let's explain the steps for the first STA.

[0131] The first STA executes step S1302, that is, sends a third frame to the first AP to confirm receipt of the first frame. This third frame includes third information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap82 in Figure 9 linkmap92 in Figure 10 linkmap102 in the middle, Figure 11 The third information (linkmap112) indicates whether the first STA has fourth data to be sent to the first AP via the first link. This third information is similar to the first information; see the description of the first information for details.

[0132] Then, the first STA executes step S1303, which means that after the data transmission is completed, the first STA performs subsequent processing based on the first information to determine the subsequent operating state of the first STA. If the first information indicates that the first AP still has first data to transmit, the first AP executes step S1304, which means remaining in an active state to prepare to receive the first data. If the first information indicates that the first AP has no first data to transmit, then step S1306 is executed.

[0133] In step S1306, the first STA interprets the received third information to determine the subsequent operating state of the first AP. If the third information indicates that the first STA has fourth data to send, the first AP executes step S1305, i.e., remains active to prepare for sending the fourth data. If the third information indicates that the first STA has no fourth data to send, step S1307 is executed, i.e., the first STA can consider going to sleep. Because at this time neither the first AP nor the first STA has data waiting to be sent, the first link will be in an idle state. To save power, the first AP and the first STA on the first link can enter a sleep state.

[0134] Next, let's explain the steps for the second STA.

[0135] First, step S1308 is executed, which determines whether the first information indicates that the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link. If the second AP has no second data to be sent to the second STA via the second link, then step S1317 is executed directly, meaning the second STA can go into sleep mode. However, this does not mean that the second STA can definitely go into sleep mode. As previously explained, both the sending and receiving ends determine whether to go into sleep mode by comprehensively considering the indication information in the sending end linkmap and the receiving end linkmap. Only when both the sending end linkmap and the receiving end linkmap simultaneously indicate that neither the sending end nor the receiving end at either end of the second link has data to send can the second STA truly enter a sleep state.

[0136] If the second AP has second data to send to the second STA via the second link, then step S1309 is executed, which determines whether the second STA is currently active. If the second STA is not currently active (i.e., in a dormant state), then step S1314 must be executed first to activate the second STA. Otherwise, step S1310 can be executed.

[0137] In step S1310, the second STA receives a second frame from the second AP, which includes the second data indicated in step S1301 and second information indicating whether the second AP also has third data to send to the second STA (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap83 in Figure 9 linkmap93 in Figure 10 linkmap105 in Figure 11 (linkmap115 in the document). This second piece of information is similar to the first and third pieces of information described earlier, but varies slightly depending on the protocol version, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0138] Then the second STA executes step S1311, which involves sending a fourth frame to the second AP to acknowledge receipt of the second frame. This fourth frame includes fourth information (e.g., Figure 8 linkmap84 in Figure 9 linkmap94 in Figure 10 linkmap106 in Figure 11 (linkmap116 in the document). Similar to the third information, this fourth information is used to indicate whether the second STA has fifth data to be sent to the second AP via the second link.

[0139] After a data transmission on the second link is completed, the second STA determines its own operating state—whether to enter / remain active or enter / remain dormant—based on the second and fourth information.

[0140] The second STA can first execute step S1312, that is, determine whether the second information indicates that the second AP has third data to be sent to the second STA through the second link. If so, execute step S1313, that is, the second STA remains active in preparation to send the third data.

[0141] If the second STA has no data to send, then step S1315 is executed, which involves determining whether the fourth information indicates that the second AP has fifth data to send to the second STA via the second link. If so, step S1316 is executed, whereby the second STA remains active in preparation for sending the fifth data. Otherwise, it means that neither the second AP nor the second STA on the second link has data to send, and the second AP can execute step S1317 to enter a sleep state.

[0142] The above Figure 12 and Figure 13 An example illustrates how the AP multi-link operation entity and the STA multi-link operation entity determine the operation status (active state / dormant state) of multiple links through a linkmap. Since each decision follows a data transmission, the time for issuing the command to put the link into a dormant state is accelerated, thus enabling the link to enter a dormant state as early as possible, thereby improving the power saving level of the communication system.

[0143] Figure 14 A system schematic diagram of an electronic device (first device 102 or second device 103) provided according to some embodiments of this application is shown.

[0144] The first device 102 and / or the second device 103 may include a processor 1000, an external memory interface 120, an internal memory 121, a universal serial bus (USB) connector 130, a charging management module 140, a power management module 141, a battery 142, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 150, a wireless communication module 160, an audio module 170, a speaker 170A, a receiver 170B, a microphone 170C, a headphone jack 170D, a sensor module 180, a button 190, a motor 191, an indicator 192, a camera 193, a display screen 194, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 195, etc. The sensor module 180 may include a pressure sensor 180A, a gyroscope sensor 180B, a barometric pressure sensor 180C, a magnetic sensor 180D, an accelerometer sensor 180E, a distance sensor 180F, a proximity sensor 180G, a fingerprint sensor 180H, a temperature sensor 180J, a touch sensor 180K, an ambient light sensor 180L, a bone conduction sensor 180M, etc.

[0145] Antennas 1 and 2 include various antenna types, suitable for 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, and even future 6G communication, as well as BT / WLAN / GNSS / NFC / IR / FM communication modules. Those skilled in the art will recognize that although the embodiments proposed in this application use the IEEE 802.11 protocol as an example, the technical solutions proposed can be easily ported to communication systems using other protocols. For example, for the same type of antenna, the second device 103 includes multiple 5G antennas, enabling multi-link communication with the AP multi-link operation entity (e.g., the first device 102). During communication, power-saving management can be implemented for both the first device 102 and the second device 103 according to the scheme proposed in this application. Unlike the embodiments shown in this application, the linkmap needs to be set at different positions in the physical layer frames under different protocols.

[0146] It is understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of this application does not constitute a specific limitation on the second device 103. In other embodiments of this application, the second device 103 may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0147] The processor 1000 may include one or more processing units, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-programmed control unit (MCU), an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural network processing unit (NPU).

[0148] The modem is used to modulate the baseband signal to be transmitted into a modulated signal that can be transmitted through the antenna, according to the 3GPP protocol, and to demodulate the signal received by the antenna into a baseband signal that can be processed by the processor of the second device 103. Different processing units can be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0149] The processor can generate operation control signals based on the instruction opcode and timing signals to control the instruction fetching and execution.

[0150] The processor 1000 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in the processor 1000 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that the processor 1000 has just used or that are used repeatedly. If the processor 1000 needs to use the instruction or data again, it can retrieve it directly from the memory. This avoids repeated accesses, reduces the waiting time of the processor 1000, and thus improves the efficiency of the system.

[0151] In some embodiments, the processor 1000 may include one or more interfaces. These interfaces may include an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, an inter-integrated circuit sound (I2S) interface, a pulse code modulation (PCM) interface, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) interface.

[0152] The wireless communication function of the second device 103, for example, the cell search method according to the embodiments of this application, can be implemented by antenna 1, antenna 2, mobile communication module 150, wireless communication module 160, modem processor, and baseband processor.

[0153] Antennas 1 and 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in the second device 103 can be used to cover one or more communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be multiplexed to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 1 can be multiplexed as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with a tuning switch.

[0154] The mobile communication module 150 can provide solutions for wireless communication, including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, applied to the second device 103. The mobile communication module 150 may include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The mobile communication module 150 can receive electromagnetic waves via antenna 1, and perform filtering, amplification, and other processing on the received electromagnetic waves before transmitting them to a modem processor for demodulation. The mobile communication module 150 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modem processor and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation via antenna 1. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 may be housed in the processor 1000. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 and at least some modules of the processor 1000 may be housed in the same device.

[0155] The modem processor may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator modulates the low-frequency baseband signal to be transmitted into a mid-to-high frequency signal. The demodulator demodulates the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After processing by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is transmitted to the application processor. The application processor outputs sound signals through audio devices (not limited to speaker 170A, receiver 170B, etc.) or displays images or videos through the display screen 194. In some embodiments, the modem processor may be a separate device. In other embodiments, the modem processor may be independent of the processor 1000 and may be housed in the same device as the mobile communication module 150 or other functional modules.

[0156] In some embodiments, antenna 1 of the second device 103 is coupled to mobile communication module 150, and antenna 2 is coupled to wireless communication module 160, enabling the second device 103 to communicate with networks and other devices via wireless communication technology. The wireless communication technology may include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Time Division Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), BT, GNSS, WLAN, NFC, FM, and / or IR technologies, etc.

[0157] The external storage interface 120 can be used to connect an external storage card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the second device 103. The external storage card communicates with the processor 1000 through the external storage interface 120 to perform data storage functions. For example, music, video, and other files can be saved on the external storage card. In the embodiments of this application, the cell search parameter table can be stored on the external storage card connected through the external storage interface 120.

[0158] The internal memory 121 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. The internal memory 121 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, at least one application program required for a function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of the second device 103 (such as audio data, phonebook, etc.). Furthermore, the internal memory 121 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc. The processor 1000 executes various functional applications and data processing of the second device 103 by running instructions stored in the internal memory 121 and / or instructions stored in memory disposed in the processor. In embodiments of this application, the internal memory 121 may be used to store a cell search parameter table, and the processor 1000 may be configured to execute according to, for example... Figure 3-4 The cell search method shown.

[0159] The SIM card interface 195 is used to connect a SIM card. The SIM card can be inserted into or removed from the SIM card interface 195 to establish contact with and disconnect from the second device 103. The second device 103 can support one or N SIM card interfaces, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. The SIM card interface 195 can support Nano SIM cards, Micro SIM cards, SIM cards, etc. Multiple cards can be inserted into the same SIM card interface 195 simultaneously. The multiple cards can be of the same or different types. The SIM card interface 195 is also compatible with different types of SIM cards. The SIM card interface 195 is also compatible with external memory cards. The second device 103 interacts with the network through the SIM card to realize functions such as voice calls and data communication. In some embodiments, the second device 103 uses an eSIM, i.e., an embedded SIM card. The eSIM card can be embedded in the second device 103 and cannot be separated from the second device 103. In embodiments of this application, information from wireless communication networks such as PLMNs can be stored in the SIM card.

[0160] All methods and implementations of this application can be implemented in the form of software, magnetic files, firmware, etc.

[0161] Program code can be applied to input instructions to perform the functions described herein and generate output information. The output information can be applied to one or more output devices in a known manner. For the purposes of this application, the processing system includes any system having a processor such as, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a microprocessor.

[0162] The program code can be implemented using a high-level procedural language or an object-oriented programming language to communicate with the processing system. Assembly language or machine language can also be used when needed. In fact, the mechanisms described in this paper are not limited to any particular programming language. In either case, the language can be a compiled language or an interpreted language.

[0163] One or more aspects of at least one embodiment can be implemented by representational instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the instructions representing various logics in a processor, which, when read by a machine, cause the machine to create logic for performing the techniques described herein. These representations, referred to as “IP cores,” can be stored on a tangible computer-readable storage medium and provided to multiple customers or production facilities for loading into manufacturing machines that actually manufacture the logic or processor.

[0164] While the description of this application is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not imply that the features of this application are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may arise based on the claims of this application. To provide a thorough understanding of this application, numerous specific details will be included in the following description. This application may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0165] Furthermore, the various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations in a manner most conducive to understanding the illustrative embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed as implying that these operations must depend on the order. In particular, these operations do not need to be performed in the order presented.

[0166] As used herein, the terms “module” or “unit” may refer to, be, or include: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, (shared, dedicated, or group) processors and / or memories that execute one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuits, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

[0167] In the accompanying drawings, certain structural or methodological features are shown in a specific arrangement and / or order. However, it should be understood that such a specific arrangement and / or order may not be necessary. In some embodiments, these features may be arranged in a manner and / or order different from that shown in the illustrative drawings. Furthermore, the inclusion of structural or methodological features in a particular figure does not imply that such features are required in all embodiments, and in some embodiments, these features may be omitted or may be combined with other features.

[0168] The various embodiments of the mechanisms disclosed in this application can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these implementation methods. Embodiments of this application can be implemented as computer programs or program code executable on a programmable system, which includes multiple processors, a storage system (including volatile and non-volatile memories and / or storage elements), multiple input devices, and multiple output devices.

[0169] Program code can be applied to input instructions to execute the functions described in this application and generate output information. The output information can be applied to one or more output devices in a known manner. For the purposes of this application, the processing system includes any system having a processor such as, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a microprocessor.

[0170] The program code can be implemented using a high-level procedural language or an object-oriented programming language to communicate with the processing system. Assembly language or machine language can also be used when needed. In fact, the mechanisms described in this application are not limited to any particular programming language. In either case, the language can be a compiled language or an interpreted language.

[0171] In some cases, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. In some cases, at least one or more aspects of some embodiments may be implemented by representational instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, the instructions representing various logics in a processor, which, when read by a machine, cause the machine to create logic for performing the techniques described herein. These representations, referred to as “IP cores,” may be stored on tangible computer-readable storage media and provided to multiple customers or production facilities for loading into manufacturing machines that actually manufacture the logic or processor.

[0172] Such computer-readable storage media can include, but are not limited to, non-transient tangible arrangements of articles made or formed by a machine or device, including storage media such as: hard disks and any other type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), compact disc rewritable (CD-RW), and magneto-optical disks; semiconductor devices such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM); phase-change memory (PCM); magnetic cards or optical cards; or any other type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0173] Therefore, embodiments of this application also include a non-transient computer-readable storage medium containing instructions or design data, such as a hardware description language (HDL), which defines the structures, circuits, devices, processors, and / or system features described in this application.

Claims

1. A method of multi-link communication for a first apparatus, the method comprising: comprising: a first Access Point (AP) of the first device establishes a first link with a first Station (STA) of a second device; a second AP of the first device establishes a second link with a second STA of the second device; the first AP sends a first frame containing first information to the first STA, the first information indicating whether the first AP has first data to send to the first STA over the first link and whether the second AP has second data to send to the second STA over the second link, wherein the first information is included in a field in a header portion of the first frame, and the first and second data are not included in the first frame; and controlling an operational state of at least one of the first and second APs based at least in part on the first information. further comprising:

2. The communication method of claim 1, wherein, in a case where the first information indicates that the second AP has second data to send to the second STA over the second link, the second AP sends a second frame including the second data to the second STA over the second link, wherein the second frame includes second information indicating whether the second AP has third data to send to the second STA over the second link, and the third data is not included in the second frame. further comprising:

3. The communication method of claim 2, wherein, the first AP receives a third frame from the first STA acknowledging receipt of the first frame, wherein the third frame includes third information indicating whether the first STA has fourth data to send to the first AP over the first link, and the fourth data is not included in the third frame. further comprising:

4. The communication method of claim 3, wherein, the second AP receives a fourth frame from the second STA acknowledging receipt of the second frame, wherein the fourth frame includes fourth information indicating whether the second STA has fifth data to send to the second AP over the second link, and the fifth data is not included in the fourth frame. the controlling an operational state of at least one of the first and second APs based at least in part on the first information comprises:

5. The communication method of claim 4, wherein, in a case where the first information indicates that the first AP has the first data to send to the first STA over the first link, maintaining an operational state of the first AP in an active state to send the first data; in a case where the first information indicates that the first AP does not have the first data to send to the first STA over the first link and the third information indicates that the first STA does not have fourth data to send to the first AP over the first link, switching the operational state of the first AP from the active state to a dormant state. the controlling an operational state of at least one of the first and second APs based at least in part on the first information comprises:

6. The communication method of claim 5, wherein, ​ switching an operation state of the second AP from the active state to the dormant state, in a case that the first information indicates that the second AP has the second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link and the second AP is in the dormant state; switching the operation state of the second AP from the active state to the dormant state, in a case that the second information indicates that the second AP has no third data to be sent to the second STA through the second link and the fourth information indicates that the second STA has no fifth data to be sent to the second AP through the second link.

7. The communication method of claim 4, wherein, the first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information are included in a physical layer frame, wherein the first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information comprise a link map, the link map comprises a first bit part and a second bit part, wherein the first bit part corresponds to the first link and is used to indicate whether the first data or fourth data is to be sent through the first link, and the second bit part corresponds to the second link and is used to indicate whether the second data, the third data or the fifth data is to be sent through the second link.

8. A method of multi-link communication for a second apparatus, comprising: comprising: a first station (STAtion, STA) of the second device establishes a first link with a first multi-link access point (Access Point, AP) of a first device; a second STA of the second device establishes a second link with a second AP of the first device; the first STA receives a first frame containing first information from the first AP, the first information being used to indicate whether the first AP has first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link and to indicate whether the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, wherein the first information is included in a field of a frame header part of the first frame, and the first data and the second data are not included in the first frame; and controlling an operation state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA at least partially according to the first information.

9. The communication method of claim 8, wherein, further comprising: in a case that the first information indicates that the second AP has second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, the second STA receives a second frame containing second data from the second AP through the second link, wherein the second frame includes second information, the second information being used to indicate whether the second AP has third data to be sent to the second STA through the second link, and the third data is not included in the second frame.

10. The communication method of claim 9, wherein, further comprising: The first STA sends, to the first AP through the first link, a third frame for acknowledging receiving the first frame, wherein the third frame contains third information for indicating whether the first STA has fourth data to be sent to the first AP through the first link, wherein the fourth data is not included in the third frame.

11. The communication method of claim 10, wherein, Further comprising: The second STA sends, to the second AP through the second link, a fourth frame for acknowledging receiving the second frame, wherein the fourth frame contains fourth information for indicating whether the second STA has fifth data to be sent to the second AP through the second link, wherein the fifth data is not included in the fourth frame.

12. The communication method of claim 11, wherein, The operation state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA is controlled at least partially according to the first information, comprising: In a case where the first information indicates that the first AP has the first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link, switching / keeping the operation state of the first STA to an active state for receiving the first data; In a case where the first information indicates that the first AP has no first data to be sent to the first STA through the first link and the third information indicates that the first STA has no fourth data to be sent to the first AP through the first link, switching the operation state of the first STA from the active state to a dormant state.

13. The communication method of claim 12, wherein, The operation state of at least one of the first STA and the second STA is controlled at least partially according to the first information, comprising: In a case where the first information indicates that the second AP has the second data to be sent to the second STA through the second link and the second STA is in a dormant state, switching the operation state of the second STA from the dormant state to the active state; In a case where the second information indicates that the second AP has no third data to be sent to the second STA through the second link and the fourth information indicates that the second STA has no fifth data to be sent to the second AP through the second link, switching the operation state of the second STA from the active state to the dormant state.

14. The communication method of claim 11, wherein, The first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information are included in a physical layer frame, wherein the first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information comprise a link map, the link map comprises a first bit part and a second bit part, wherein the first bit part corresponds to the first link and is used for indicating whether the first data or the fourth data is to be sent through the first link, and the second bit part corresponds to the second link and is used for indicating whether the second data, the third data or the fifth data is to be sent through the second link.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium is configured to store computer instructions which, when executed, implement the method of any one of claims 1-14.

16. An electronic device, comprising: comprising a memory and a processor, the memory is configured to store instructions executed by one or more processors; the processor is one of the processors of the electronic device, configured to execute the method of any one of claims 1-14.

Images