Method and apparatus for performing traffic flow management in a wireless communication system

Abstract

The present application provides a method for performing service flow management in a wireless communication system having a SCS and comprising a first device (e.g., an AP device) and a second device (e.g., a STA device), and a related device, which is suitable for the second device. The method can comprise carrying a first descriptor element in a first request frame and transmitting the first request frame to request a SCS flow from the first device, wherein the first request frame comprises a first indication, and the first indication is used to indicate whether the second device agrees that the SCS flow and any other flow from the first device to the second device share the same traffic identifier (TID).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to communication control, and more specifically, to a method for traffic flow management in a wireless communication system having a stream classification service (SCS), and related equipment such as access point (AP) devices and station (STA) devices. Background Technology

[0002] According to existing technologies, on the AP side, if multiple Stream Classification Service (SCS) flows are mapped to the same Traffic Identifier (TID), or if other non-SCS flows are mapped to the same TID, the receiving STA cannot identify which Medium Access Control (MAC) Service Data Unit (MSDU) is part of an SCS flow with Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Therefore, it cannot use the appropriate receiving strategy to process these multiple SCS or non-SCS flows. Thus, a novel method and related architecture are needed to solve the problems of related technologies without introducing any side effects or with the likelihood of introducing side effects. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to provide a service flow management method and related equipment in a wireless communication system with SCS to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a method for traffic flow management in a wireless communication system with an SCS, wherein the wireless communication system includes a first device (e.g., an AP device) and a second device (e.g., a STA device), and the method is applicable to the second device. The method may include: carrying a first descriptor element in a first request frame and sending the first request frame to request an SCS flow from the first device, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with the SCS, and wherein the first request frame includes a first indication for indicating whether the second device agrees that the SCS flow and any other flow from the first device to the second device share the same Traffic Identifier (TID).

[0005] The present invention also provides a second device (e.g., a STA device) for traffic flow management in a wireless communication system with an SCS, the wireless communication system including a first device (e.g., an AP device) and a second device (e.g., a STA device). The second device may include processing circuitry and at least one communication control circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry may be arranged to control the operation of the second device, and the at least one communication control circuitry may be arranged to perform communication control and perform wireless communication operations with the first device for the second device. The second device is configured to carry a first descriptor element in a first request frame and send the first request frame to request an SCS flow from the first device, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with an SCS, and wherein the first request frame includes a first indication indicating whether the second device agrees to allow the SCS flow to share the same Service Identifier (TID) with any other flow from the first device to the second device.

[0006] At least one embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for traffic flow management in a wireless communication system with an SCS, wherein the wireless communication system includes a first device (e.g., an AP device) and a second device (e.g., a STA device), and the method is applicable to the first device. For example, the method may include: receiving from the second device a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element, the first descriptor element requesting an SCS flow from the first device, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with an SCS, and the first request frame includes a first indication indicating whether the second device agrees that the SCS flow and any other flow from the first device to the second device share the same TID; and in response to the first request frame, sending a first response frame to the second device indicating whether the first device accepts the request for the SCS flow. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the present invention also provides a first device operating according to the above method.

[0007] At least one advantage of the present invention is that, with proper design, the method of the present invention and related devices, such as a first device (e.g., an AP device) and a second device (e.g., a STA device), can improve the overall performance of a wireless communication system. For example, the receiving STA can send preference information, such as a first indication, to the AP device in advance (e.g., during SCS negotiation) to indicate whether the STA device agrees to share the same TID with the SCS flow and any other flow from the AP device to the STA device. For example, the first indication can indicate an additional request (different from the aforementioned at least one request for the SCS flow) that the SCS flow should not share the same TID with any other flow from the AP device to the STA device. On the AP side, if there are multiple SCS flows, or one or more other flows such as one or more non-SCS flows, the AP device can selectively accept or reject the additional request indicated by the preference information (e.g., the first indication). In cases where the additional request includes that the SCS flow and any other flow from the AP device to the STA device are not assigned the same TID, the AP device can prevent the SCS flow and any other flow (e.g., another SCS flow among multiple SCS flows, or any non-SCS flow among one or more non-SCS flows) from being mapped or assigned to the same TID. Therefore, the method of the present invention can ensure that the receiving STA can process data units (e.g., MSDUs) with a corresponding receiving strategy (the data unit may, for example, be part of an SCS stream with certain QoS requirements). Furthermore, the method and apparatus of the present invention can solve related technical problems without introducing any side effects or are unlikely to introduce side effects.

[0008] These and other objects of the invention will undoubtedly become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments shown in the various accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first control scheme according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a preference-aware data processing control scheme for a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with SCS according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 This is an example of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 The diagram shows some implementation details of the preference-aware data processing control scheme.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a preference information control scheme according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 6 This is an example illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme.

[0015] Figure 7 This illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme.

[0016] Figure 8 This illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme.

[0017] Figure 9 The workflow of a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with an SCS according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0018] Figure 10 The workflow of a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with an SCS according to another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that electronic device manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not distinguish components by differences in name, but rather by differences in function. The term "comprising" throughout the specification and subsequent claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to." Furthermore, the term "coupled" here includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Therefore, if the text describes a first device electrically connected to a second device, it means that the first device can be directly connected to the second device, or indirectly connected to the second device through other devices or connection means.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For better understanding, the wireless communication system 100 (e.g., any device therein) may be compatible with or backward compatible with one or more versions of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard, but the invention is not limited thereto. Figure 1As shown, the wireless communication system 100 may include multiple devices, such as a first device like an AP device 110 and a second device like a STA device 120. The AP device 110 may include a processing circuit 112, at least one communication control circuit (e.g., one or more communication control circuits) that may be collectively referred to as communication control circuit 114, and at least one antenna (e.g., one or more antennas) of the communication control circuit 114. The STA device 120 may include a processing circuit 122, at least one communication control circuit (e.g., one or more communication control circuits) that may be collectively referred to as communication control circuit 124, and at least one antenna (e.g., one or more antennas) of the communication control circuit 124.

[0021] Processing circuit 112 can be used to control the operation of AP device 110 so that AP device 110 acts as AP in wireless communication system 100, and communication control circuit 114 can be used to perform communication control, and more specifically, to perform wireless communication operation between AP device 110 and STA device 120 (e.g., its communication control circuit 124). Furthermore, processing circuit 122 can be used to control the operation of STA device 120 so that STA device 120 acts as STA in wireless communication system 100, and communication control circuit 124 can be used to perform communication control, and more specifically, to perform wireless communication operation between STA device 120 and AP device 110 (e.g., its communication control circuit 114).

[0022] According to some embodiments, the processing circuit 112 can be implemented using at least one processor / microprocessor, at least one random access memory (RAM), at least one bus, etc., and the communication control circuit 114 can be implemented using at least one wireless network control circuit and / or at least one wired network control circuit, but the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the processing circuit 122 can be implemented using at least one processor / microprocessor, at least one RAM, at least one bus, etc., while the communication control circuit 124 can be implemented using at least one wireless network control circuit, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0023] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a first control scheme according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication system 200 may include an AP device 210 (referred to as "AP" for simplicity) acting as an AP in the wireless communication system 200, and may also include a STA device 220 (referred to as "STA" for simplicity) acting as a STA in the wireless communication system 200. The AP device 210 may include a host circuit 212 (e.g., at least one processor / microprocessor running program code for controlling the AP) as the host in the AP (referred to as "host" for simplicity), and further includes at least one communication control circuit (e.g., one or more communication control circuits), such as a communication control circuit 214. The STA device 220 may include a host circuit 222 (e.g., at least one processor / microprocessor running program code for controlling the STA) as the host in the STA (referred to as "host" for simplicity), and further includes at least one communication control circuit (e.g., one or more communication control circuits), such as a communication control circuit 224. Furthermore, AP device 210 (e.g., communication control circuit 214) and STA device 220 (e.g., communication control circuit 224) can communicate with each other according to the IEEE 802.11 protocol. Figure 2 The AP device 210 and STA device 220 shown can be respectively used as Figure 1 The examples of AP device 110 and STA device 120 shown include host circuit 212 and communication control circuit 214, which can be examples of processing circuit 112 and communication control circuit 114, respectively, and host circuit 222 and communication control circuit 224, which can be examples of processing circuit 122 and communication control circuit 124, respectively. In some embodiments, host circuits 212 and 222 can be regarded as the upper layer of AP device 210 and STA device 220, respectively, while communication control circuits 214 and 224 can be regarded as the lower layer of AP device 210 and STA device 220, respectively. This includes the wireless communication system 200 of AP device 210 and STA device 220 being regarded as a local area network (LAN), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0024] Data transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220, such as data transmitted from host circuit 212 to host circuit 222 via communication control circuits 214 and 224, may be obtained from at least one network (e.g., one or more networks), which may be, for example, via the Internet with a wired or wireless connection. More specifically, the data may include a first stream such as SCS stream #1, and may also include at least one other stream (e.g., one or more other streams), wherein the at least one other stream may include one or a combination of at least one non-SCS stream and at least one other SCS stream, such as one or more non-SCS streams and / or one or more other SCS streams. For better understanding, at least one other stream may be exemplified as a second stream such as SCS stream #2 and other streams such as non-SCS streams (e.g., unclassified data), but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the streams in the data transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220 (e.g., a first stream such as SCS stream #1, a second stream such as SCS stream #2, and other streams such as non-SCS streams, such as...) Figure 2 The data streams (as shown) may differ, which does not preclude the implementation of the invention. For example, in a first case, the data streams transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220 may include a first stream such as SCS stream #1 and other streams such as unclassified data, but not a second stream such as SCS stream #2. As another example, in a second case, the data streams transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220 may include a second stream such as SCS stream #2 and other streams such as unclassified data, but not a first stream such as SCS stream #1. As yet another example, in a third case, the data streams transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220 may include a first stream such as SCS stream #1 and a second stream such as SCS stream #2, but not other streams such as unclassified data.

[0025] According to this embodiment, the data streams transmitted from AP device 210 to STA device 220 include a first stream such as SCS stream #1, a second stream such as SCS stream #2, and other streams such as unclassified data. This initial case is provided as an example for better understanding. On the AP side, such as AP device 210, host circuitry 212 can be arranged to prepare the first stream such as SCS stream #1, the second stream such as SCS stream #2, and other streams such as unclassified data. More specifically, it prepares corresponding data units for the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), the second stream (e.g., SCS stream #2), and other streams (e.g., unclassified data). Furthermore, the communication control circuit 214 can be arranged to map a first stream, such as SCS stream #1, a second stream, such as SCS stream #2, and other streams, such as unclassified data, to the same traffic identifier (TID), and to combine corresponding data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), the second stream (e.g., SCS stream #2), and other streams (e.g., unclassified data) into a plurality of data units having a predetermined order, such as a series of data units having a series of sequence numbers, thereby sending them to the STA side, such as STA device 220. For example, the aforementioned identical TID can be one of a plurality of predetermined TIDs, such as one of the TIDs defined in one or more versions of the IEEE 802.11 standard, more specifically, it can be equal to 7 (labeled "TID7" for better understanding), but the present invention is not limited thereto. In some examples, the aforementioned identical TID can be any of a plurality of predetermined TIDs, and more specifically, it can be equal to any value selected from the values ​​{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}.

[0026] like Figure 2As shown, the communication control circuit 224 on the STA side (e.g., STA device 220) may include a reordering buffer on the receive (RX) path, such as RX reordering buffer 224R. RX reordering buffer 224R may include multiple storage locations (e.g., consecutive storage locations) of a series of storage locations {SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4, SL5, SL6, ...} for buffering at least a portion (e.g., a portion or all) of the data units received from AP device 210, such as multiple data units having a predetermined order (e.g., a sequence of data units each having a sequence number). Due to interference and retransmissions, the STA device 220 may receive the multiple data units in an alternate order (e.g., a random order that is usually different from the predetermined order). Therefore, the STA device 220 can use the RX reordering buffer 224R to perform a reordering operation on the received data units. More specifically, the received data units are cached (or temporarily stored) in multiple storage locations such as a series of storage locations {SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4, SL5, SL6...} according to the corresponding sequence number of the received data units, so that the received data units already cached in the RX reordering buffer 224R conform to the predetermined order. One or more data units among the multiple data units, such as the data unit that should be cached in storage location SL1 according to its sequence number, may not have been received and not cached in the RX reordering buffer 224R during reception (labeled "unreceived" for brevity). After the reordering operation is performed, all data units in the multiple data units may have been cached in the RX reordering buffer 224R in a predetermined order, and the communication control circuit 224 can perform a buffer flush operation, and more specifically, send or flush the multiple data units in the predetermined order from the RX reordering buffer 224R to the host circuit 222 for further processing in the host circuit 222.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the corresponding data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), the second stream (e.g., SCS stream #2), and other streams (e.g., unclassified data) can be implemented using service data units (MSDUs), but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the corresponding data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), the second stream (e.g., SCS stream #2), and other streams (e.g., unclassified data) can be implemented using MAC protocol data units (MPDUs). According to some embodiments, the corresponding data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), the second stream (e.g., SCS stream #2), and other streams (e.g., unclassified data) can be implemented using one or a combination of MSDUs, MPDUs, and aggregated MSDUs (A-MSDUs).

[0028] According to some embodiments, the communication control circuit 214 on the AP side (e.g., AP device 210) may include at least one transmit (TX) buffer (e.g., one or more TX buffers) on the TX path for preparing data units to be sent to the communication control circuit 224 on the STA side (e.g., STA device 220). For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a preference-aware data processing control scheme for a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with SCS according to an embodiment of the present invention. For better understanding, the communication control circuit 224 on the STA side (e.g., STA device 220) may include a TX buffer 224T on its TX path for preparing a first request frame to be sent to the communication control circuit 214 on the AP side (e.g., AP device 210), and the communication control circuit 214 on the AP side (e.g., AP device 210) may include a TX buffer 214T on its TX path for preparing a first response frame to be sent to the communication control circuit 224 (e.g., STA device 220) on the STA side, wherein at least one TX buffer on the TX path of the communication control circuit 214 may include a TX buffer 214T, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the architecture of the AP device 210 (e.g., communication control circuit 214) and / or the architecture of the STA device 220 (e.g., communication control circuit 224) may differ.

[0030] For example, operations related to the STA side may include:

[0031] (1) Wireless communication system 200 may use STA device 220 to prepare a first request frame (e.g., a first SCS request frame) in TX buffer 214T to carry a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS descriptor element) for indicating at least one request (e.g., one or more requests) regarding a first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from AP device 210 to STA device 220. For example, the first descriptor element in the first request frame may request SCS stream #1 from AP device 210 to STA device 220, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with SCS (e.g., the first descriptor element is specific to the first stream and describes the characteristics and related behavioral requirements associated with the first SCS stream, such as QoS requirements, classification rules, rate, or throughput, etc.).

[0032] (2) The wireless communication system 200 can use the STA device 220 to send a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS request frame carrying a first SCS descriptor element) to the AP device 210, wherein the first request frame may also include a first indication indicating whether the STA device 220 agrees to allow a first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and at least one other stream other than a non-SCS stream) to share the same TID. For example, the first indication may serve as preference information (e.g., preference information regarding whether SCS stream #1 and any other streams mentioned above can share the same TID); and

[0033] (3) The wireless communication system 200 may use the STA device 220 to receive a first response frame (e.g., a first SCS response frame) from the AP device 210, such as a first response frame sent by the AP device 210 in response to a first request frame (e.g., a first SCS request frame), to indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts the request for SCS stream #1.

[0034] Wherein, when the first response frame instructs AP device 210 to accept the request for SCS flow #1, the first response frame may also be arranged to instruct AP device 210 to accept or reject a request regarding a first indication that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with any other flow (this request may be, for example, an additional request that "SCS flow #1 is not assigned the same TID as, for example, SCS flow #2 and any other non-SCS flow"), but the invention is not limited thereto. Figure 3As shown in the right half, a first request frame (e.g., a first SCS request frame) can be prepared in the TX buffer 224T for transmission to the AP device 210 (for brevity, labeled "SCS request frame ready to be sent to the AP"), and preference information such as a first indication can be embedded in the first request frame (e.g., the first SCS request frame), for example, at a predetermined location within the first request frame. Therefore, when the first request frame is sent to the AP device 210, the STA device 220 can inform the AP device 210 of the preferences indicated by the preference information such as the first indication.

[0035] In addition, operations related to the AP side may include:

[0036] (1) The wireless communication system 200 can utilize the AP device 210 to receive a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS request frame carrying a first SCS descriptor element) from the STA device 220, wherein the first descriptor element carried in the first request frame (e.g., the first SCS request frame) can request a first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with an SCS. Furthermore, the first request frame may also include a first indication to indicate whether the STA device 220 agrees to share the same TID with any other stream from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220 (e.g., SCS stream #2 and / or non-SCS streams); and

[0037] (2) In response to the first request frame, the wireless communication system 200 may use the AP device 210 to send a first response frame (e.g., a first SCS response frame) to the STA device 220 to indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts the request for the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), and further indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts or rejects the request indicated in the first indication (this request may be, for example, an additional request that "SCS stream #1 is not assigned the same TID as, for example, SCS stream #2 and any other non-SCS stream", which is different from the above-described request for the first stream); however, the invention is not limited thereto. Figure 3As shown in the left half, a first response frame (e.g., a first SCS response frame) to be sent to the STA device 220 can be prepared in the TX buffer 214T (for simplicity, labeled "SCS response frame to be sent to the STA"). Preference-related response information corresponding to the preference information, such as response information instructing the AP device 210 whether to accept or reject the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) and at least one other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS stream) from being assigned the same TID, can be embedded in the first response frame (e.g., the first SCS response frame), for example, at a predetermined position within the first response frame. Therefore, when the first response frame is sent to the STA device 220, the AP device 210 can notify the STA device 220 of the determination result indicated by the preference-related response information.

[0038] According to some embodiments, when a first response frame instructs AP device 210 to accept a request for SCS flow #1, the first response frame can reject a request regarding a first indication, which may indicate that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with any other flow. More specifically, the first indication embedded in the first request frame may indicate that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with SCS flow #1 from AP device 210 and any other flow (e.g., SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow), and when the first response frame instructs AP device 210 to accept a request regarding the first flow, the first response frame may indicate, using preference-related response information therein, that AP device 210 rejects a request for a preference that does not share the same TID, such as a request regarding the first indication (e.g., an additional request that SCS flow #1 is not assigned the same TID with any other flow such as SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow), but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0039] For example, the first response frame could instruct AP device 210 to accept the request for SCS stream #1 and also accept the request for a first indication instructing STA device 220 not to share the same TID with any other stream. More specifically, the determination result indicated by the preference-related response information could represent, for example, a first determination result of "yes" (which could instruct AP device 210 to accept the request for the first indication instructing STA device 220 not to share the same TID with any other stream). In this case, AP device 210 could map or assign the first stream, such as SCS stream #1, to a dedicated TID (e.g., 7) among a plurality of predetermined TIDs, and prevent any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) from being mapped or assigned to this dedicated TID (e.g., 7), to allow STA device 220 to receive and process the data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) as quickly and efficiently as possible, thereby improving overall performance. Again, for example, the first response frame could instruct AP device 210 to accept the request for SCS stream #1, but reject the request for a first indication instructing STA device 220 not to share the same TID with any other stream. More specifically, the determination result indicated by the preference-related response information may represent a second determination result, such as "No," (which may instruct AP device 210 to reject a request regarding a first indication that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with any other flow). In this case (e.g., where multiple pre-defined TIDs may have been exhausted and AP device 210 may have no other choice but to not accept the request from STA device 220 indicated by preference information such as the first indication), AP device 210 may map or assign a first flow, such as SCS flow #1, and any other flow (e.g., SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow) to the same TID (e.g., 7) to conserve relevant resources (e.g., TIDs). For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0040] Figure 4 This is an example of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3The diagram illustrates some implementation details of a preference-aware data processing control scheme, where the determination result indicated by the preference-related response information can represent, for example, a first determination result of "yes" (which can instruct AP device 210 to accept a request regarding a first indication that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with any other flow). In this case, AP device 210 can map or assign a first flow, such as SCS flow #1, to a dedicated TID (e.g., 7) among a plurality of predetermined TIDs (labeled "TID 7" for simplicity), and further map or assign the aforementioned other flows (e.g., SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow) to at least one other TID (e.g., 6) among a plurality of predetermined TIDs (labeled "TID 6" for simplicity) to allow STA device 220 to receive data units of the first flow (e.g., SCS flow #1) as quickly as possible and process the received data units of the first flow efficiently, thereby improving overall performance, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the dedicated TID among the plurality of predetermined TIDs can be any TID among the plurality of predetermined TIDs, more specifically, it can be equal to any value selected from the values ​​{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7}, and at least one other TID among the plurality of predetermined TIDs can be another value selected from the values ​​{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7}, and more specifically, it can be at least one other value among the values ​​{0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7}.

[0041] For better understanding, it is assumed that the symbol "K" can represent a positive integer greater than 1, and more specifically, it can represent a predetermined count of data units for the first-order data transmission, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the data units received by the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) may include K data units of the first-order data. Figure 4 As shown in the right half, K data units can be received and cached in the first K storage locations {SL(1),SL(2),...,SL(K)} of a series of storage locations {SL(1),SL(2),SL(3),SL(4),SL(5),SL(6),...}. Therefore, the STA device 220 can effectively process the first batch of K data units and refresh the K data units from the first K storage locations {SL(1),SL(2),...,SL(K)} to the host circuit 222 in advance for further processing by the host circuit 222, thereby improving the overall performance. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions in this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0042] exist Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, one or more data units of any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) can be received and cached in one or more subsequent storage locations in a series of storage locations {SL(1), SL(2), SL(3), SL(4), SL(5), SL(6), ...}, wherein at least one or more data units of any other stream can be exemplified as a data unit of SCS stream #2 and a data unit of non-SCS stream, which are received and cached in the first two subsequent storage locations SL(K+1) and SL(K+2), respectively, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, when the number of data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) is greater than K, the AP device 210 can first send all data units of the first stream to the STA device 220 and prevent the sending of any data units of any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) to the STA device 220 before the sending of all data units of the first stream is completed. For example, data units cached at storage locations SL(K+1) and SL(K+2) can be exemplified as data units of the first stream to instruct STA device 220 to process the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) first. Thus, STA device 220 can efficiently process all data units of the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) and refresh the data units from storage locations {SL(1), SL(2), ..., SL(K), SL(K+1), SL(K+2), ...} to host circuit 222 in advance for further processing by host circuit 222, thereby improving overall performance. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0043] According to some embodiments, during SCS negotiation of a particular flow among multiple flows (e.g., a first flow and at least one other flow) from AP device 210 to STA device 220, such as SCS negotiation of a target SCS flow among multiple SCS flows from AP device 210 to STA device 220 (e.g., SCS flow #1 and SCS flow #2), STA device 220 may send an SCS request frame regarding the target SCS flow to AP device 210. The SCS request frame regarding the target SCS flow may carry an SCS descriptor element indicating at least one request (e.g., one or more requests) regarding the target SCS flow, and the SCS descriptor element may include an SCS identifier (SCSID), a request type, and one or more other elements (e.g., optional elements and sub-elements). Furthermore, at least one request for a target SCS flow indicated by the SCS descriptor element may include QoS requirements or classification rules sent from STA device 220. AP device 210 may accept at least one request for the target SCS flow and may generate the target SCS flow taking into account at least one request for the target SCS flow indicated by the SCS descriptor element. More specifically, the SCS request frame for the target SCS flow may also include a preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF, where the preference information INFO_PREF may be an example of the aforementioned preference information. In response to the SCS request frame for the target SCS flow, AP device 210 may send an SCS response frame for the target SCS flow.

[0044] For example, the SCS descriptor element carried in the SCS request frame regarding the target SCS stream can represent a first SCS descriptor element including a first SCSID SCSID_1, and the target SCS stream can represent SCS stream #1 corresponding to the first SCSID SCSID_1. The first SCS descriptor element including the first SCSID SCSID_1 can be configured to indicate one or more requests regarding SCS stream #1 (e.g., QoS requirements and / or classification rules sent from STA device 220) such that SCS stream #1 is generated on the AP side taking into account one or more requests for SCS stream #1. More specifically, the SCS request frame and SCS response frame regarding the target SCS stream can respectively represent, as follows: Figure 3The first SCS request frame and first SCS response frame described in the illustrated embodiment regarding SCS stream #1 may include a first indication (e.g., a first preference indication used as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) indicating whether STA device 220 disagrees with SCS stream #1 from AP device 210 to STA device 220 sharing the same TID with any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams), but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the SCS descriptor element carried in the SCS request frame regarding the target SCS stream may represent a second SCS descriptor element including a second SCSID SCSID_2, and the target SCS stream may represent SCS stream #2 corresponding to the second SCSID SCSID_2. The second SCS descriptor element, including the second SCSID SCSID_2, can be configured to indicate one or more requests regarding SCS flow #2 (e.g., QoS requirements and / or classification rules sent from STA device 220) such that SCS flow #2 is generated on the AP side in consideration of one or more requests for SCS flow #2. More specifically, the SCS request frame and SCS response frame regarding the target SCS flow can respectively represent the second SCS request frame and the second SCS response frame regarding SCS flow #2, wherein the second SCS request frame regarding SCS flow #2 may include a second indication (e.g., a second preference indication used as preference information INFO_PREF(2) corresponding to SCS flow #2) that may indicate whether STA device 220 disagrees with SCS flow #2 from AP device 210 to STA device 220 sharing the same TID with any other flow (e.g., SCS flow #1 and non-SCS flow). For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0045] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram illustrating a preference information control scheme according to an embodiment of the present invention. The STA side (e.g., STA device 220) can set the preference information INFO_PREF at a predetermined position within an SCS request frame concerning a target SCS flow. More specifically, the predetermined position can represent at least one field (e.g., one or more fields) within a predetermined portion of the SCS request frame. For example, the predetermined portion of the SCS request frame concerning the target SCS flow can represent a specific element (e.g., a traffic specification (TSPEC) element, subsequent elements, etc.) or other position within the frame body of the SCS request frame concerning the target SCS flow, wherein the preference information INFO_PREF can be located within a TSPEC element, a subsequent element, or any other position within the frame body of the SCS request frame, but the invention is not limited thereto. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the SCS descriptor element carried by the SCS request frame (e.g., the first descriptor element carried by the first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1) may include one or more elements, and one or more elements of the descriptor element (e.g., the first descriptor element) may include a TSPEC element, and more specifically, may include subsequent elements, wherein a preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) may be embedded in the TSPEC element, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the SCS descriptor element carried by the SCS request frame (e.g., the first descriptor element carried by the first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1) may include one or more optional elements, and the one or more optional elements may include one of the one or more optional elements (e.g., the subsequent element described above), such as an element different from the TSPEC element, wherein the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., the first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) may be embedded in an optional element such as a subsequent element. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0047] Figure 6 This is an example illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme, wherein... Figure 6The symbol “…” in the text indicates some optional fields, but the invention is not limited thereto. The SCS descriptor elements carried in the SCS request frame regarding the target SCS stream (e.g., the first descriptor element carried in the first SCS request frame regarding SCS stream #1) may include a predetermined SCS descriptor element format (e.g., Figure 6 The SCS descriptor element format shown may include multiple fields, and any field in the multiple fields of the SCS descriptor element format may include one or more octets (e.g., one or more bytes).

[0048] For example, in the predefined SCS descriptor element format of the SCS descriptor element for the target SCS stream carried in the SCS request frame, such as Figure 6 The SCS descriptor element format shown includes a first four field and subsequent fields for storing the element identifier (ID), length, SCSID for identifying the target SCS stream, request type, and TSPEC elements (labeled for brevity as “Element ID”, “Length”, “SCSID”, “Request Type”, and “TSPEC Element”, respectively) for defining one or more requests from STA device 220 regarding the target SCS stream. Each of the first four fields may include a single octet (e.g., 1 byte) (labeled as “1” for brevity), and subsequent fields may include 57 octets (e.g., 57 bytes) (labeled as “57” for brevity). Since there may be optional elements / sub-elements following the TSPEC element, the length of these optional elements / sub-elements can be considered a variable number of octets (labeled as “Variable” for brevity), depending on the various implementations of the SCS descriptor, but the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., the first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) can be located in Figure 5 In the TSPEC element mentioned in the illustrated embodiment, for example Figure 6 The TSPEC element in the SCS descriptor element format shown herein, and the predetermined position can represent, as Figure 6 The TSPEC element shown contains at least one subfield (e.g., one or more subfields). For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions for this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0049] Figure 7 This illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme, wherein... Figure 7The symbol “…” in the text indicates some optional fields, but the invention is not limited thereto. The SCS descriptor elements carried in the SCS request frame for the target SCS stream (e.g., the first descriptor element carried in the first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1) may include a predetermined SCS descriptor element format (e.g., Figure 7 The SCS descriptor element format shown may include multiple fields, and any field in the multiple fields of the SCS descriptor element format may include one or more octets (e.g., one or more bytes).

[0050] For example, in the predefined SCS descriptor element format of the SCS descriptor element carried in the SCS request frame for the target SCS stream, such as Figure 7 The SCS descriptor element format shown has four fields for storing the element ID, length, SCSID for identifying the target SCS stream, and request type (labeled "Element ID", "Length", "SCSID", and "Request Type" for simplicity). The subsequent fields for storing TSPEC elements mentioned earlier are optional in this embodiment. Each of the first four fields may include a single octet (e.g., 1 byte) (labeled "1" for simplicity), and the subsequent fields may include 0 or 57 octets (e.g., 0 or 57 bytes) (labeled "0 or 57" for simplicity), depending on whether the subsequent fields are omitted or retained, but the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, a preference indicator used as the preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indicator used as the preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) may be located in... Figure 5 Among the subsequent elements mentioned in the illustrated embodiment, for example Figure 7 In the SCS descriptor element format shown, at least one of the subsequent elements is a predetermined subsequent element, and the predetermined position can represent... Figure 5 The at least one sub-field (e.g., one or more sub-fields) within the subsequent element mentioned in the illustrated embodiment, for example, at least one sub-field within a predetermined subsequent element. Because in Figure 7 The SCS descriptor element format shown contains one or more subsequent elements among at least one subsequent element. Therefore, the length of the aforementioned at least one subsequent element can be considered as a variable number of octets (labeled "variable" for simplicity), depending on the various implementations of the SCS descriptor, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For the sake of simplicity, similar descriptions to those in this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0051] According to some embodiments, an SCS request frame for a target SCS stream (e.g., a first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1) may include a frame body, and a preference indication used as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) may be embedded in the frame body. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0052] Figure 8 This illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 The diagram shows the predetermined locations related to the preference information control scheme, in which... Figure 8 At least a portion (e.g., part or all) of the architecture shown can serve as an example of the frame body described above, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0053] For example, in the predefined SCS request frame action field format of the action field within an SCS request frame for a target SCS stream (e.g., the first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1), for example... Figure 8 The SCS request frame action field format shown can be configured such that the first three fields can store the category information, robust action information, and dialog token information of the SCS request frame (labeled "Category", "Robust Action", and "Dialog Token" for simplicity), respectively. At least one remaining field (e.g., one or more remaining fields) can be used to store a list of predefined SCS descriptors, including at least one predefined SCS descriptor element (e.g., one or more predefined SCS descriptor elements, each corresponding to an SCS stream). Each of the first three fields can include a single octet, such as a single byte (labeled "1" for simplicity), but the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., the first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) can be located in Figure 5 In the frame body mentioned in the illustrated embodiment, for example Figure 8 The SCS request frame action field format shown includes at least one remaining field, and a predetermined position may represent at least one subfield (e.g., one or more subfields) within the aforementioned at least one remaining field. Because in Figure 8The SCS request frame action field format shown may contain one or more predefined SCS descriptor elements in the predefined SCS descriptor list. Therefore, the length of the predefined SCS descriptor list can be considered as a variable octet count (labeled "variable" for simplicity), depending on the various implementations of the SCS request frame. For simplicity, similar descriptions in this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0054] According to some embodiments, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., as the first preference indication of preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) can be located in Figure 5 In the frame body mentioned in the illustrated embodiment, for example Figure 8 The additional field following at least one remaining field in the SCS request frame action field format shown. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0055] Figure 9 The workflow of a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with an SCS according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the method is applicable to a second device (e.g., STA device 120 and STA device 220) wirelessly connected to a first device (e.g., AP device 110 and AP device 210).

[0056] In step S11, the wireless communication system 200 may use the STA device 220 to prepare a first request frame (e.g., a first SCS request frame) in the TX buffer 214T to carry a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS descriptor element) in the first request frame for requesting a first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with an SCS.

[0057] In step S12, the wireless communication system 200 may use the STA device 220 to send a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS request frame carrying a first SCS descriptor element) to a first device (e.g., AP device 210). The first request frame may include a first indication used as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication used as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1), and the first indication may indicate whether the second device agrees to share the same TID for the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from AP device 210 to STA device 220 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS stream).

[0058] In step S13, the wireless communication system 200 may utilize the STA device 220 to receive a first response frame (e.g., a first SCS response frame) from a first device (e.g., AP device 210), and more specifically, receive the first response frame sent by the first device in response to the first request frame, for indicating whether the AP device 210 accepts the request regarding SCS stream #1. More specifically, the first response frame may indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts at least one request regarding the first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1), and also indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts or rejects an additional request indicated by preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication used as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) (which is different from the above-described at least one request regarding the first stream), such as a request that SCS stream #1 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) are not assigned the same TID.

[0059] For example, a first indication embedded in the first request frame (e.g., a first preference indication used as the preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) can indicate that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with SCS stream #1 from AP device 210 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams). Furthermore, the first response frame can indicate whether AP device 210 accepts the request regarding the first indication that STA device 220 does not agree to share the same TID with any other stream. Specifically, it can indicate whether AP device 210 accepts or rejects additional requests indicated by the preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication used as the preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1), such as a request that SCS stream #1 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) not be assigned the same TID. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions in this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0060] To better understand this method, it can be used... Figure 9 The workflow shown is illustrated, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, it is possible to... Figure 9 Add, delete, or change one or more steps in the workflow shown.

[0061] exist Figure 9In the illustrated embodiment, the operations of steps S11, S12, and S13 are exemplified for the following situation: the target SCS flow represents SCS flow #1 corresponding to the first SCSID SCSID_1. The first SCS request frame for SCS flow #1, the first SCS descriptor element indicating one or more requests for SCS flow #1 (e.g., QoS requirements and / or classification rules sent from STA device 220), the first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) (indicating additional requests for SCS flow #1) corresponding to SCS flow #1, and the first SCS response frame for SCS flow #1 can respectively serve as examples of an SCS request frame for the target SCS flow, an SCS descriptor element indicating at least one request for the target SCS flow, a preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (indicating additional requests for the target SCS flow), and an SCS response frame for the target SCS flow; however, the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the operations of steps S11, S12, and S13 can be exemplified as representing SCS stream #2 corresponding to the second SCSID SCSID_2 for the target SCS stream. Similarly, the second SCS request frame, second SCS descriptor element, second preference indication, and second SCS response frame associated with SCS stream #2 can be respectively exemplified as SCS request frame, SCS descriptor element, preference indication, and SCS response frame for the target SCS stream. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0062] Figure 10 The workflow of a traffic flow management method in a wireless communication system with an SCS according to another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the method is applicable to a first device (e.g., AP device 110 and AP device 210) wirelessly connected to a second device (e.g., STA device 120 and STA device 220).

[0063] In step S21, the wireless communication system 200 may use the AP device 210 to receive a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element (e.g., a first SCS request frame carrying a first SCS descriptor element) from a second device (e.g., STA device 220). For example, the first descriptor element (e.g., the first SCS descriptor element) is carried in a first request frame (e.g., a first SCS request frame) for requesting a first stream (e.g., SCS stream #1) from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220, and the first descriptor element is related to SCS. The first request frame may include a first indication as preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., a first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1), and the first indication may indicate whether the second device, such as the STA device 220, agrees that the first stream from the AP device 210 to the STA device 220, such as SCS stream #1, and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) share the same TID.

[0064] In step S22, in response to the first request frame, the wireless communication system 200 may use the AP device 210 to send a first response frame (e.g., a first SCS response frame) to a second device (e.g., STA device 220) to indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts the request for SCS stream #1, and to indicate whether the AP device 210 accepts or rejects the additional request indicated by the preference information INFO_PREF (e.g., as a first preference indication of the preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1), such as the request that SCS stream #1 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) are not assigned the same TID.

[0065] For example, if a first indication embedded in the first request frame (e.g., used as a first preference indication for preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1) indicates that STA device 220 does not agree that SCS stream #1 from AP device 210 to STA device 220 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) share the same TID, the first response frame may indicate whether AP device 210 accepts or rejects a request regarding the first indication. More specifically, it may indicate whether AP device 210 accepts or rejects an additional request indicated by preference information INFO_PREF, such as a request that SCS stream #1 and any other stream (e.g., SCS stream #2 and non-SCS streams) are not assigned the same TID, wherein preference information INFO_PREF may, for example, serve as a first preference indication for preference information INFO_PREF(1) corresponding to SCS stream #1.

[0066] To better understand this method, it can be used... Figure 10The workflow shown is illustrated, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, it is possible to... Figure 10 Add, delete, or change one or more steps in the workflow shown.

[0067] exist Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, the operations of steps S21 and S22 can be exemplified as representing SCS flow #1 corresponding to the first SCSID SCSID_1 for the target SCS flow. The first SCS request frame for SCS flow #1, the first SCS descriptor element indicating one or more requests for SCS flow #1 (e.g., QoS requirements and / or classification rules sent from STA device 220), the first preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF(1) (indicating additional requests for SCS flow #1) corresponding to SCS flow #1, and the first SCS response frame for SCS flow #1 can respectively serve as examples of the SCS request frame for the target SCS flow, the SCS descriptor element indicating at least one request for the target SCS flow, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF (indicating additional requests for the target SCS flow), and the SCS response frame for the target SCS flow. However, the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the operations of steps S21 and S22 can be exemplified as being for the target SCS stream representing SCS stream #2 corresponding to the second SCSID SCSID_2. Similarly, the second SCS request frame, second SCS descriptor element, second preference indication, and second SCS response frame associated with SCS stream #2 can be respectively used as examples of the SCS request frame, SCS descriptor element, preference indication, and SCS response frame for the target SCS stream. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0068] According to some embodiments, when STA device 220 initializes a target SCS flow (e.g., SCS flow #1) with AP device 210, STA device 220 may request to associate or assign the target SCS identified by a specific SCSID (e.g., SCS flow #1 identified by first SCSID SCSID_1) to a specific TID or user priority (UP). For example, there may be many downlink (DL) traffic flows between AP device 210 and STA device 220, and AP device 210 needs to map or assign other traffic flows to the same TID as the SCS flow because packets can be marked with Differentiated Services Code Points (DSCPs) that naturally map to the same service category (e.g., access category (AC) video (AC_VO) or AC voice (AC_VI)). Furthermore, some traffic flows with different characteristics (e.g., latency and / or jitter) may be mapped or assigned to the same TID as the SCS flow, allowing these traffic flows to be cached in the same queue at the receiving end on the receiving side. To better understand, let's assume some control schemes (e.g., in the wireless communication system 100, AP device 210 and STA device 220) are used in the method. Figure 3 The preference-aware data processing control scheme shown and Figure 5 The preference-related functions corresponding to the preference information control scheme shown can be temporarily disabled, but the present invention is not limited thereto. When preference-related functions are temporarily disabled, the receiving side, such as STA device 220, may be unable to selectively process packets from the RX reordering buffer 224R, resulting in reduced priority and performance loss of the SCS stream. These control schemes based on this method (e.g., Figure 3 The preference-aware data processing control scheme shown and Figure 5 As shown in the preference information control scheme, STA device 220 can indicate to AP device 210 during SCS setup whether service flows not belonging to the SCS flow can be mixed using the same TID. Therefore, the method of the present invention can ensure that the receiving STA (e.g., STA device 220) can process data units (e.g., MSDUs) with appropriate reception policies, where the data unit is part of an SCS flow with specific requirements (e.g., QoS requirements), thereby improving overall performance. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0069] According to some embodiments, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF may include a first bit indication, which may include a single bit configured to indicate whether STA device 220 agrees to share the same TID between SCS flow #1 from AP device 210 to STA device 220 and any other flow (e.g., SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow). More specifically, the preference indication as preference information INFO_PREF may also include a second bit indication, which may include multiple bits. If the first bit indication indicates that the second device agrees to share the same TID between SCS flow #1 and any other flow (e.g., SCS flow #2 and non-SCS flow), the second bit indication may be configured to indicate the level (e.g., willingness level) of sharing TID between different SCSIDs. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0070] According to some embodiments, STA device 220 may use a first bit indication, such as a single bit, to inform AP device 210 that a target SCS flow identified by a certain SCSID (e.g., SCS flow #1 identified by first SCSID SCSID_1) may or may not share a TID with other flows (e.g., other service flows that are not SCS service flows). For example, if a target SCS flow identified by a certain SCSID (e.g., SCS flow #1 identified by first SCSID SCSID_1) can share a TID, then STA device 220 may use a second bit indication, such as multiple bits, to inform AP device 210 of the level of willingness to share a TID among different SCSIDs, wherein the level of willingness may be further indicated by the second bit indication, such as multiple bits. Furthermore, AP device 210 may accordingly decide which SCSID to share. For better understanding, the number of bits in the second bit indication may be equal to two, and the second bit indication may be considered a two-bit indication, for example, a target two-bit indication selected from a plurality of predetermined two-bit indications. Multiple predetermined two-bit indications may be, for example, predetermined two-bit indications 3, 2, 1, 0, corresponding to two binary values ​​11, 10, 01, 00, where predetermined two-bit indication 3 indicates a strong willingness to share the TID, predetermined two-bit indication 0 indicates a least willingness to share the TID, and predetermined two-bit indications 2 and 1 are intermediate levels of willingness between predetermined two-bit indications 3 and 0, but the invention is not limited thereto. Additionally, a second bit indication, such as a two-bit indication, may be carried at a predetermined position after the first bit indication within the SCS request frame concerning the target SCS flow, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first bit indication and / or the second bit indication may be carried along with the TID or UP indicated in some elements, such as Traffic Classification (TCLAS) elements and / or TSPE elements defined in one or more versions of the IEEE 802.11 standard. Regarding the response on the AP side, AP device 210 may accept an SCS request indicated by an SCS descriptor element in an SCS request frame (e.g., the first SCS descriptor element in the first SCS request frame for SCS stream #1), but may reject additional requests regarding the target SCS stream (e.g., requests not to share a TID with other non-SCS streams). When all TIDs (e.g., TIDs for AC_VO and AC_VI) are mapped to at least one SCSID and all SCSIDs do not share TIDs with other non-SCS streams, AP device 210 may respond that AP device 210 must map or assign the non-SCS stream (if any) to a TID associated with the SCS stream. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions of these embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0071] Table 1

[0072]

[0073] Apart from Figure 6 and Figure 7 In addition to the example shown, Table 1 illustrates another example of the SCS descriptor element format for an SCS request frame of a target SCS stream, where the first bit indication (e.g., a single bit) and the second bit indication (e.g., multiple bits) can be carried in the "Share TID with other non-SCS streams" and "Share Policy" fields of the aforementioned SCS descriptor element format, but the invention is not limited thereto. For better understanding, the "Element ID," "Length," and "Element ID Extension" fields in the SCS descriptor element format shown in Table 1 can be used to carry the element ID of the SCS descriptor element, the length of the SCS descriptor element, and the SCSID used to identify the target SCS stream, respectively. The "Padding" field can be used to carry padding information, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the "Padding" field can be reserved for further use. For the sake of brevity, similar descriptions in this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0074] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that many modifications and changes can be made to the apparatus and method while maintaining the teachings of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing disclosure should be construed as being limited only by the scope and limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for managing traffic in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system having a Flow Classification Service (SCS) and including a first device and a second device, the method being applicable to the second device, the method comprising: The first request frame carries a first descriptor element and is sent to request an SCS stream from the first device. The first request frame includes a first indication, which indicates whether the second device agrees that the SCS flow and any other flow from the first device to the second device share the same service identifier (TID).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first device is an access point (AP) device, and the second device is a station (STA) device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to the first request frame, a first response frame is received from the first device, the first response frame indicating whether the first device accepts the request for the SCS stream.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the first response frame indicates that the first device accepts the request for the SCS stream, the first response frame is capable of rejecting the request for the first indication that the second device does not agree to share the same TID with the other stream.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first descriptor element includes a first SCS identifier SCSID.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The other stream includes one or a combination of at least one non-SCS stream having a SCSID different from the first SCSID and at least one other SCS stream.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The first request frame includes QoS requirements or classification rules for the SCS flow sent from the second device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first indication includes a first bit indication, which includes one bit and is configured to indicate whether the second device agrees that the SCS stream and any other stream share the same TID.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The first indication also includes a second bit indication comprising multiple bits, and the second bit indication is configured to indicate the level of sharing between different SCSIDs if the first bit indication indicates that the second device agrees that the SCS stream and any other stream share the same TID.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first descriptor element includes one or more elements, the one or more elements including a Traffic Specification (TSPEC) element, and the first indication is embedded in the TSPEC element.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first descriptor element includes one or more optional elements, and the first indication is embedded in an optional element within the one or more optional elements.

12. A second device for managing traffic in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system having an SCS and including a first device and a second device, the second device comprising: Processing circuitry for controlling the operation of the second device; as well as At least one communication control circuit coupled to the processing circuit is used to perform communication control, wherein the at least one communication control circuit is used to perform wireless communication operation with the first device; in: The second device is configured to carry a first descriptor element in a first request frame and send the first request frame to request an SCS stream from the first device. The first request frame includes a first indication for indicating whether the second device agrees that the SCS flow shares the same Service Identifier (TID) with any other flow from the first device to the second device.

13. The second device according to claim 12, wherein, The first device is an AP device, and the second device is a STA device.

14. The second device according to claim 12, wherein, The second device is configured to receive a first response frame from the first device in response to the first request frame, the first response frame indicating whether the first device accepts the request for the SCS stream.

15. The second device of claim 14, wherein when the first response frame indicates that the first device accepts a request for the SCS stream, the first response frame is capable of rejecting a request for the first indication that the second device does not agree to share the same TID with the other stream.

16. The second device according to claim 12, wherein, The first descriptor element includes a first SCSID.

17. The second device according to claim 16, wherein, The other stream includes one or a combination of at least one non-SCS stream having a SCSID different from the first SCSID and at least one other SCS stream.

18. The second device according to claim 16, wherein, The first request frame includes QoS requirements or classification rules for the SCS stream sent from the second device.

19. The second device of claim 12, wherein the first indication includes a first bit indication, the first bit indication including one bit and configured to indicate whether the second device agrees that the SCS stream and the other stream share the same TID.

20. The second device of claim 19, wherein the first indication further comprises a second bit indication comprising a plurality of bits, and the second bit indication is configured to indicate a level shared between different SCSIDs if the first bit indication indicates that the second device agrees that the SCS stream and the other stream share the same TID.

21. The second device according to claim 12, wherein, The first descriptor element includes one or more elements, the one or more elements including a TSPEC element, and the first indication is embedded in the TSPEC element.

22. The second device according to claim 12, wherein, The first descriptor element includes one or more optional elements, and the first indication is embedded in an optional element within the one or more optional elements.

23. A method for managing traffic in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system having an SCS and including a first device and a second device, the method being applicable to the first device, the method comprising: The second device receives a first request frame carrying a first descriptor element, the first descriptor element requesting an SCS stream from the first device, wherein the first descriptor element is associated with the SCS, and the first request frame includes a first indication for indicating whether the second device agrees that the SCS stream and any other stream from the first device to the second device share the same TID; as well as In response to the first request frame, a first response frame is sent to the second device to indicate whether the first device accepts the request for the SCS stream.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein, The first device is an AP device, the second device is a STA device, and the first response frame further indicates whether the first device accepts the request regarding the first indication.

25. A first device for managing traffic in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system having an SCS and including the first device and a second device, the first device comprising: Processing circuitry, used to control the operation of the first device; as well as At least one communication control circuit coupled to the processing circuit is used to perform communication control, wherein the at least one communication control circuit is used to perform wireless communication operation with the second device. The first device operates according to the method described in claim 23.

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