Communication method and communication apparatus under multi-connection

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a communication method and a communication device under multi-connection. The communication method comprises: a communication method under multi-connection, applied to an access point supporting multi-connection communication, the communication method comprising: determining a first message frame under a first connection in a plurality of connections, wherein the first message frame comprises time information of a delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) beacon frame transmitted under other connections in the plurality of connections different from the first connection; and transmitting the first message frame under the first connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication, and more specifically, to communication methods and devices under multiple connections. Background Technology

[0002] Current Wi-Fi technology research focuses on 320MHz bandwidth transmission, aggregation and coordination of multiple frequency bands, etc., with the aim of improving the speed and throughput by at least four times compared to existing standards. Its main application scenarios are video transmission, AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), etc.

[0003] Multi-band aggregation and coordination refers to communication between devices simultaneously in frequency bands such as 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz. Managing this simultaneous communication across multiple frequency bands requires defining a new MAC (Media Access Control) mechanism. Furthermore, it is expected that multi-band aggregation and coordination can support low-latency transmission.

[0004] The maximum bandwidth currently supported in multi-band aggregation and system technology is 320MHz (160MHz+160MHz), and it may also support 240MHz (160MHz+80MHz) and other bandwidths.

[0005] In current technology, stations (STAs) and access points (APs) can be multi-link devices (MLDs), meaning they support the ability to send and / or receive simultaneously under multiple connections. Therefore, in current technology, multiple connections can exist between STAs and APs, and research is underway on communication between these two types of devices under multiple connections. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Various aspects of this disclosure will at least address the aforementioned problems and / or drawbacks. The various embodiments of this disclosure provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] A communication method under multiple connections is provided according to an example embodiment of this disclosure. The communication method can be applied to an access point supporting multiple connection communication and may include: determining a first message frame under a first connection among multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes time information for sending a Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the multiple connections different from the first connection; and sending the first message frame under the first connection.

[0008] A communication method under multiple connections is provided according to an example embodiment of this disclosure. The communication method can be applied to a site supporting multiple connection communication and may include: receiving a first message frame under a first connection among multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the multiple connections different from the first connection; and performing a communication operation based on the first message frame.

[0009] According to an example embodiment of this disclosure, a communication device under multiple connections is provided. The communication device can be applied to an access point supporting multiple connection communication and may include: a processing module configured to: determine a first message frame under a first connection among the multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the multiple connections different from the first connection; and a transceiver module configured to: send the first message frame under the first connection.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a communication device under multiple connections is provided. The communication device can be applied to a site supporting multiple connection communication and may include: a transceiver module configured to: receive a first message frame under a first connection among the multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the multiple connections different from the first connection; and a processing module configured to: control communication operations based on the first message frame.

[0011] An electronic device is provided according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. The electronic device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described above.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. A computer program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium. When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the method described above.

[0013] The technical solutions provided by the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure help devices save power. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating a communication scenario with multiple connections.

[0016] Figure 2This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a detailed flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a detailed flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, is provided to aid in a comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The various embodiments of this disclosure include a variety of specific details, but these details are to be considered exemplary only. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known techniques, functions, and constructions may be omitted.

[0022] The terms and words used in this disclosure are not limited to their literal meanings, but are used solely by the inventors to ensure a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Therefore, the descriptions of various embodiments of the disclosure provided are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes.

[0023] It should be understood that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the word “comprising” as used in this disclosure means the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0024] It will be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element.

[0025] It should be understood that when an element is referred to as “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be an intermediate element. Furthermore, the use of “connected” or “coupled” herein can include wireless connections or wireless couplings. The terms “and / or” or the expression “at least one of…” as used herein include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

[0027] Figure 1 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating a communication scenario with multiple connections.

[0028] In a wireless local area network (WLAN), a basic service set (BSS) can consist of an access point (AP) and one or more stations (STAs) communicating with the AP. A BSS can connect to a distribution system (DS) through its APs, and then connect to another BSS to form an extended service set (ESS).

[0029] An Access Point (AP) is a wireless switch used in wireless networks and is the core of a wireless network. AP devices can be used as wireless base stations, primarily serving as bridges connecting wireless and wired networks. Using this type of access point (AP), wired and wireless networks can be integrated.

[0030] An access point (AP) may include software applications and / or circuitry to enable other types of nodes in a wireless network to communicate with the outside and inside of the wireless network via the AP. In some examples, for instance, the AP may be a terminal device or network device equipped with a Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) chip.

[0031] As an example, a site (STA) may include, but is not limited to: cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal communication system (PCS) devices, personal information managers (PIMs), personal navigation devices (PNDs), global positioning systems, multimedia devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the AP and STA can support multi-connection devices, for example, they can be represented as AP MLD and non-AP STA MLD, respectively. For ease of description, the following mainly describes an example of one AP and one STA communicating under multi-connection conditions; however, the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0033] exist Figure 1 In this context, by way of example only, AP MLD can represent an access point that supports multi-connection communication functionality, and non-AP STA MLD can represent a site that supports multi-connection communication functionality. (See also...) Figure 1 The AP MLD can operate in three connection modes, such as... Figure 1 As shown, AP1, AP2, and AP3, the non-AP STA MLD can also operate under all three connections, such as... Figure 1 STA1, STA2, and STA3 are shown. In... Figure 1 In the example, it is assumed that AP1 communicates with STA1 through the corresponding first connection Link 1. Similarly, AP2 and AP3 communicate with STA2 and STA3 through the second connection Link 2 and the third connection Link 3, respectively. Furthermore, Link 1 to Link 3 can be multiple connections at different frequencies, such as connections at 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz, or several connections with the same or different bandwidths at 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz. Additionally, multiple channels can exist under each connection. However, it should be understood that... Figure 1 The communication scenarios shown are merely illustrative, and the inventive concept is not limited thereto. For example, an APMLD can connect to multiple non-AP STA MLDs, or under each connection, the AP can communicate with multiple other types of sites.

[0034] In an EHT (Extreme High-Throughput) communication environment, a station in power-saving (PS) mode (non-AP STA MLD) should be able to perform basic operations, such as receiving traffic indications, time synchronization, and receiving BSS parameter updates, by monitoring beacon frames under one or more enabled connections. Furthermore, upon successful multi-connection establishment, the AP MLD can assign a single AID (Association Identifier) ​​to the non-AP STA MLD, and all STAs within the non-AP STA MLD should have the same AID as those assigned to the non-AP STA MLD during multi-connection establishment; that is, the AID assigned during multi-connection establishment can be MLD-level.

[0035] When a station in PS state (non-AP STA MLD) receives, for example, a traffic indication under a connection, the station determines whether to wake up to receive buffered downlink data frames based on the traffic indication message (TIM) in the received beacon frame. This is because the AP MLD's auxiliary APs (such as...) Figure 1 The broadcast period and the period for transmitting delivery traffic indication messages (DTIM) for beacon frames of AP1, AP2, and AP3 may differ. If a station wakes up and receives a beacon frame under one connection, and that beacon frame only identifies downlink data frames buffered under other connections without identifying DTIM time information (e.g., the arrival time of the DTIM beacon frame), then STAs belonging to the same non-AP STA MLD will continuously wake up under other connections to listen for beacon frames, which is detrimental to device power saving. In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a communication method and communication apparatus under multiple connections.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The communication method shown can be applied to access points (AP MLDs) that support multi-connection communication.

[0037] Reference Figure 2 In step 210, a first message frame is determined. Specifically, the first message frame is determined under a first connection among multiple connections. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may include: timing information for sending a Delivery Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under connections other than the first connection among the multiple connections. According to embodiments, the multiple connections may be multiple connections established between an AP MLD and a non-AP STA MLD for communication. The connections other than the first connection may be all connections among the multiple connections except the first connection, or a subset of all connections except the first connection, which can be determined based on whether each connection has buffered downlink data frames.

[0038] The first message frame can be a beacon frame. In embodiments of this disclosure, there can be many ways to determine the first message frame. For example, the access point device can generate the first message frame based on at least one of the following: network conditions, load conditions, hardware capabilities of the sending / receiving devices, service type, and relevant protocol specifications; this disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this. In embodiments of this disclosure, the access point device can also obtain the first message frame from an external device; this disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this either.

[0039] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may further include a connection identifier for the connection corresponding to the transmission of the DTIM beacon frame. For example, the first message frame may have the format shown in Table 1 below.

[0040] Table 1. Format of the first message frame

[0041]

[0042] Referring to Table 1, the connection identifier included in the first message frame can be in the form of a link set or a separate connection identifier (link ID).

[0043] In one embodiment of this disclosure, for the form of a Link set, for example, if n connections are established between the initiator and the receiver for communication, the Link set may have n bits (each bit corresponds to one of the n connections), and the corresponding bits in the Link set may be set to a first value (e.g., "1") to identify that the first message frame includes the DTIM time information of the connection corresponding to the corresponding bit.

[0044] In another embodiment of this disclosure, for the Link ID format, the first message frame may carry one or more Link IDs corresponding to other connections with cached downlink data. For example, but not limited to, each Link ID refers to a combination of information such as operating spectrum, bandwidth / channel, and BSSID (basic service set identifier). Each Link ID in Table 1 may indicate that the first message frame includes DTIM time information corresponding to that Link ID.

[0045] In Table 1, DTIM1, DTIM2, etc., can correspond to the time information of the subsequent transmission of DTIM beacon frames under the corresponding connection. As an example, this time information can be represented by the period of DTIM or the timing offset of DTIM. For example, the period of DTIM can refer to the time interval of broadcasting DTIM beacon frames, and the timing offset of DTIM can refer to the Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT) offset.

[0046] By carrying time information and connection identifier in the first message frame, the access point can notify the station of the time information of DTIM under different other connections (e.g., the sending or arrival time of DTIM beacon frames) under one connection (the first connection). Therefore, the stations corresponding to other connections can wake up to listen for beacon frames according to the corresponding time information, instead of waking up continuously, which helps the device save power.

[0047] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may include a Communication Indication Message (TIM) information element, wherein the time information and / or connection identifier shown in Table 1 may be included in the TIM information element. By carrying the time information and / or connection identifier shown in Table 1 in the TIM information element, the station can conveniently obtain the DTIM time information corresponding to different connections simply by parsing the TIM information element.

[0048] As a descriptive example only, TIM information elements may have the format described in Table 2 below:

[0049] Table 2. Format of TIM Information Elements

[0050]

[0051] Referring to Table 2, the Element ID indicates that the information element corresponds to the TIM information element; the Length indicates the length of the TIM information element; the DTIM Count can be a variable count value, when DTIM count = 0, it means that the TIM is a DTIM; the Link set / Link ID, DTIM1 and DTIM2 can be similar to the embodiments described in Table 1, and repeated descriptions are omitted here to avoid redundancy.

[0052] It is understood that the contents shown in Table 2 are descriptive in nature and not intended to limit this disclosure. For example, some contents may be omitted from Table 2, or other contents (Bitmap Control or Partial Virtual Bitmap, etc.) may be included. For instance, when Table 2 includes Bitmap Control and Partial Virtual Bitmap, it may represent the AID of the station where the cached downlink data frame exists. In this case, the Link set / Link ID may represent information about the specific connection where the cached downlink data frame exists. Furthermore, although not specifically shown, when a cached downlink data frame also exists under this connection (e.g., the first connection), its related time information may also be carried in the first message frame (e.g., TIM information element).

[0053] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the first message frame may include a Reduced Neighbor Report (RNRE) element, in which case the time information and / or connection identifier shown in Table 1 may be included in the RNRE element. The RNRE element may carry the TBTT offset of other APs attached to the same AP MLD. For example, the TBTT offset may be included in the TBTT information field of the RNRE element and may correspond to the time information for sending DTIM beacon frames under the corresponding connection. By carrying the time information and / or connection identifier in the RNRE element, changes to the format of existing elements (e.g., TIM information elements) can be avoided, facilitating backward compatibility.

[0054] Return to reference Figure 2 In step 220, a first message frame is sent under the first connection. When a station in PS state (non-AP STA MLD) receives a communication indication under a connection (i.e., the first connection), the station determines the wake-up time of each other connection based on the connection identifiers of other connections and DTIM time information carried in the first message frame, in order to receive the downlink data frames buffered for it.

[0055] Figure 3 This is a detailed flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The communication method shown can be applied to access points (AP MLDs) that support multi-connection communication.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 In step 310, a second message frame can be received from a station supporting multi-connection communication. This second message frame includes information about the station's listen interval (LI). The listen interval can refer to the period during which a station in PS state listens for beacon frames.

[0057] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second message frame may be, for example, but not limited to, an association request frame or a re-association request frame. That is, during the initial association / re-association establishment process (multi-link setup / re-setup), the AP MLD may receive a second message frame carrying the site's listen interval (LI) from a non-AP STA MLD under one of multiple connections, as a beacon frame to be periodically broadcast according to the listen interval (LI). For example, the identifier bits of the LI may be included in the common info field or the STA info field of the multi-connection (ML) information element of the second message frame (association request frame or re-association request frame). The negotiated listen interval (LI) may be MLD-level, meaning that the listen interval negotiated under one connection may apply to all established connections.

[0058] In step 320, the connection used for transmitting downlink buffered data can be determined. For the AP MLD, the connection used for transmitting (sending) downlink buffered data can be determined based on the load under each connection, and information about such connections is sent to the station in the form of frames. As an example, information about such connections can be represented as a link set or a link ID.

[0059] Figure 3 Steps 330 and 340 can be similar to respectively Figure 2 Steps 210 and 220 are omitted here for brevity.

[0060] According to embodiments of this disclosure, since a connection for transmitting downlink buffered data is determined in step 320 and a listening interval (e.g., the period of LI) is determined in step 310, the access point can periodically broadcast beacon frame TIM information (which may identify buffered downlink data frames under other connections). Furthermore, the access point can set the period of DTIM under other connections or the DTIM timing offset in the first message frame described in step 330 (or step 210) so that the station can determine the TBTT time point under other connections.

[0061] Will understand, Figure 3 The communication method shown is merely exemplary, and this disclosure is not limited thereto; some steps may be omitted or additional steps may be added. For example, Figure 3The communication method shown may also include, prior to step 330, periodically sending additional frames carrying information that identifies a connection among the established multiple connections where a buffered downlink data frame exists; and subsequently, in step 330, determining and sending a first message frame carrying time information for sending DTIM beacon frames under such a connection.

[0062] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The communication method shown can be applied to sites that support multi-connection communication (non-AP STA MLD).

[0063] Reference Figure 4 In step 410, a first message frame is received under the first connection among the multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a DTIM beacon frame for transmitting communication indication message under a connection other than the first connection among the multiple connections.

[0064] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the timing information for sending a Transmitting Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame can be represented by the DTIM period or the DTIM timing offset.

[0065] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may further include: a connection identifier for the connection corresponding to the transmission of the DTIM beacon frame.

[0066] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may include a communication indication message information element, wherein time information and / or connection identifier are included in the communication indication message information element.

[0067] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first message frame may include a simplified neighbor report information element, wherein time information and / or connection identifier are included in the simplified neighbor report information element.

[0068] The first message frame, time information, connection identifier, communication indication message information element, and simplified neighbor report information element described in step 410 can be similar to those in step 410. Figure 2 The embodiments described in step 210 are omitted here for the sake of brevity.

[0069] In step 420, a communication operation is performed based on the first message frame. For example, based on the time information and / or connection identifier carried in the first message frame, stations under corresponding connections can periodically wake up to receive DTIM beacon frames, and subsequently receive downlink data frames buffered by the access point.

[0070] Figure 5 This is a detailed flowchart illustrating another communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 The communication method shown can be applied to sites that support multi-connection communication (non-AP STA MLD).

[0071] Reference Figure 5 In step 510, a second message frame can be sent to the access point supporting multi-link communication. This second message frame may include information about the listening interval (LI) of the site. That is, during the initial association / re-association process (multi-link setup / re-setup), the non-AP STA MLD and AP MLD can negotiate the listening interval (LI) under one of the multiple connections to periodically listen for beacon frames broadcast by the AP MLD. For example, the LI identifier can be included in the common info field or STA info field of the multi-link (ML) information element in the second message frame (association request frame or re-association request frame). The negotiated listening interval (LI) can be MLD-level, meaning that the listening interval negotiated under one connection can apply to all established connections.

[0072] In step 520, a connection for transmitting downlink buffered data can be determined. For example, the non-AP STA MLD can determine the connection for transmitting (receiving) downlink buffered data based on TIM information from the AP MLD. According to embodiments of this disclosure, after the non-AP STA MLD and AP MLD complete the establishment of multiple connections, they can define, for example but not limited to, action frames to determine the connection for receiving downlink buffered data frames. The action frame may include an identifier for determining the connection for receiving downlink buffered data frames. Since the establishment of multiple connections has been completed by both parties in step 510, the connection for receiving downlink buffered data frames can be identified using a link set. For example, but not limited to, in a link set with multiple bits, the bit corresponding to a single link ID can be set to "1" to identify it as a connection for receiving downlink buffered data frames. There can be multiple such connections, or the connection used for negotiating LI in step 510.

[0073] Figure 5 Steps 530 and 540 can be similar to respectively Figure 4 Steps 410 and 420 are omitted here for brevity.

[0074] According to embodiments of this disclosure, since a connection for transmitting downlink buffered data is determined in step 520 and a listening interval (e.g., the period of LI) is determined in step 510, the station can periodically listen to the beacon frame TIM information broadcast by the access point (the TIM information can identify downlink data frames that are buffered under other connections). Furthermore, the station can obtain the period of DTIM or the DTIM timing offset under other connections from the first message frame described in step 530 (or step 410) to determine the TBTT time point under other connections.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating a communication device 600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] Reference Figure 6 The communication device 600 may include a processing module 610 and a transceiver module 620. Figure 6 The communication device shown can be applied to AP MLD or non-AP STA MLD.

[0077] exist Figure 6 When the communication device shown is applied to an AP MLD, the processing module 610 can be configured to: determine a first message frame under a first connection among multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a DTIM beacon frame for transmission under connections other than the first connection among the multiple connections; the transceiver module 620 can be configured to: send the first message frame under the first connection. In this case, the communication device 600 can perform the reference... Figure 2 and / or Figure 3 For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of the communication method described are omitted here.

[0078] exist Figure 6 When the communication device shown is applied to a non-AP STA MLD, the transceiver module 620 can be configured to receive a first message frame under a first connection among multiple connections, wherein the first message frame includes time information for sending a DTIM beacon frame for transmitting communication indication messages under connections other than the first connection among the multiple connections; the processing module 610 can be configured to control communication operations based on the first message frame. In this case, the communication device 600 can perform the reference... Figure 4 and / or Figure 5 For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of the communication method described are omitted here.

[0079] also, Figure 6The communication device 600 shown is merely exemplary, and the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, the communication device 600 may also include other modules, such as a memory module. Furthermore, the various modules in the communication device 600 may be combined into more complex modules, or may be divided into more individual modules.

[0080] The communication method and communication apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure enable a station in PS state to periodically wake up under different connections to receive cached downlink data frames, thereby achieving better power saving.

[0081] Based on the same principles as the methods provided in the embodiments of this disclosure, embodiments of this disclosure also provide an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory; wherein the memory stores machine-readable instructions (also referred to as a "computer program"); ​​and the processor is configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to implement the reference... Figures 2 to 5 The method described.

[0082] Embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements a reference... Figures 2 to 5 The method described.

[0083] In exemplary embodiments, the processor may be a variety of exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with this disclosure, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The processor may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0084] In the example embodiment, the memory may be, for example, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or other optical disc storage, optical disk storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto.

[0085] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Furthermore, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0086] While this disclosure has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the embodiments, but rather should be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A communication method under multiple connections, applied to an access point supporting multiple connection communication, the communication method comprising: In one of a plurality of connections, a second message frame carrying information about the listening interval of the site is received from a site that supports multi-connection communication. The listening interval applies to the plurality of connections and refers to the period during which the site in power-saving mode listens for the first message frame. The first message frame is determined under a first connection among the plurality of connections, wherein the first message frame includes time information for sending a Transmit Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the plurality of connections that are different from the first connection, wherein the first message frame further includes: a connection identifier of the connection corresponding to the connection that sent the Transmit Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame; The first message frame is sent under the first connection.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein, The timing information for sending the DTIM beacon frame is represented by the DTIM period or the DTIM timing offset.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein, The first message frame includes a communication indication message information element. The time information and / or the connection identifier are included in the communication indication message information element.

4. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein, The first message frame includes a simplified neighbor report information element. The time information and / or the connection identifier are included in the simplified neighbor report information element.

5. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The communication method further includes: determining a connection for transmitting downlink cached data.

6. A communication method under multiple connections, applied to a site supporting multiple connection communication, the communication method comprising: In one of the multiple connections, a second message frame is sent to an access point supporting multi-connection communication, providing information about the site's listening interval, to periodically receive a first message frame according to the listening interval applicable to the multiple connections. The listening interval refers to the period during which a site in power-saving mode listens for the first message frame. The first message frame is received under a first connection among the plurality of connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the plurality of connections that are different from the first connection, wherein the first message frame further includes: a connection identifier of the connection corresponding to the connection that sent the Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame; The communication operation is performed based on the first message frame.

7. The communication method according to claim 6, wherein, The timing information for sending the DTIM beacon frame is represented by the DTIM period or the DTIM timing offset.

8. The communication method according to claim 6, wherein, The first message frame includes a communication indication message information element. The time information and / or the connection identifier are included in the communication indication message information element.

9. The communication method according to claim 6, wherein, The first message frame includes a simplified neighbor report information element. The time information and / or the connection identifier are included in the simplified neighbor report information element.

10. The communication method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein, The communication method further includes: determining a connection for transmitting downlink cached data.

11. A communication device for multiple connections, applied to an access point supporting multiple connection communication, the communication device comprising: The transceiver module is configured to receive, in one of a plurality of connections, a second message frame carrying information about the listening interval of a station supporting multi-connection communication, the listening interval being applicable to the plurality of connections, the listening interval being the period during which a station in a power-saving state listens for a first message frame; The processing module is configured to: determine the first message frame under a first connection among the plurality of connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Transmit Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the plurality of connections different from the first connection, wherein the first message frame further includes: a connection identifier of the connection corresponding to the connection that sent the Transmit Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame; The transceiver module is also configured to send the first message frame under the first connection.

12. A communication device for multiple connections, applied to a site supporting multiple connection communication, the communication device comprising: The transceiver module is configured to: send a second message frame containing information about the listening interval of the site to an access point supporting multi-connection communication under one of multiple connections, and periodically receive a first message frame according to the listening interval, wherein the listening interval applies to the multiple connections and the listening interval refers to the period during which the site in power-saving mode listens for the first message frame; And receiving the first message frame under the first connection among the plurality of connections, wherein the first message frame includes: time information for sending a Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame under other connections among the plurality of connections different from the first connection, wherein the first message frame further includes: a connection identifier of the connection corresponding to the connection that sent the Transmission Communication Indication Message (DTIM) beacon frame; The processing module is configured to control communication operations based on the first message frame.

13. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5 or any one of claims 6 to 10.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5 or any one of claims 6 to 10.

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