Low power listening method in wireless communication and related apparatus

Abstract

Techniques related to low power enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) listening in wireless communications are described. A first multi-link device (MLD) reduces power consumption while supporting delay-sensitive applications by performing certain operations. The first MLD first listens in a narrower bandwidth at a lower power to receive an initial physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) from a second MLD as part of a frame exchange. In response to receiving the initial PPDU, the first MLD switches from the narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth to complete the frame exchange with the second MLD in the wider bandwidth. In reducing power consumption, the first MLD reduces its power consumption to a lower power when operating in the narrower bandwidth as compared to a higher power that the first MLD uses when operating in the wider bandwidth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically, to low-power enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) eavesdropping in wireless communication. Background Technology

[0002] Unless otherwise stated herein, the methods described in this section are not prior art to the claims listed below and are not included in this section as prior art.

[0003] With the increasing popularity of battery-powered devices such as mobile phones, low power consumption is a key performance indicator for these devices. In Wi-Fi 7, which conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard, multi-link devices (MLDs) operating in multi-link operation (MLO) tend to consume more power due to the use of multiple communication links in the MLO. On the other hand, in low-traffic scenarios, devices often enter power-saving modes to conserve power. However, this can lead to high latency, which is unacceptable for some latency-sensitive applications such as gaming and virtual reality (VR). Therefore, one issue that needs to be addressed is saving listening power for low-latency applications. Thus, a solution for achieving low-power EMLSR listening in wireless communication is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following overview is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, it is provided to introduce the concepts, highlights, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Selected embodiments are further described in the detailed embodiments below. Therefore, the following overview is not intended to identify the essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide schemes, concepts, designs, techniques, methods, and apparatus related to low-power EMLSR eavesdropping in wireless communications. Under the various proposed schemes according to the invention, power used by devices when eavesdropping on channels can be saved for low-latency applications. Furthermore, the proposed schemes may also be applicable to other scenarios, including spatial-multiplexing power-save (SMPS) and custom systems (e.g., low-power MLD / STA / tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) / peer-to-peer (P2P) eavesdropping). Therefore, the various schemes proposed herein can solve or otherwise alleviate the aforementioned problems.

[0006] In one aspect, a method may involve a first MLD reducing power consumption by performing certain operations. For example, the method may involve the first MLD listening at lower power in a narrower bandwidth to receive initial physical-layer protocol data units (PPDUs) from a second MLD as part of frame exchange. The method may also include the first MLD switching from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth in response to receiving the initial PPDU, to complete frame exchange with the second MLD in the wider bandwidth. Regarding power reduction, the method may involve the first MLD reducing its power consumption to a lower power level when operating in a narrower bandwidth compared to the higher power used when operating in a wider bandwidth. That is, the first MLD uses less power when operating in a narrower bandwidth than it does when operating in a wider bandwidth. If the first MLD supports latency-sensitive applications, this method does not result in high latency and therefore does not affect latency-sensitive applications.

[0007] On the other hand, the apparatus that can be implemented in the first MLD may include a transceiver configured for wireless communication and a processor coupled to the transceiver. The processor can reduce power consumption by performing certain operations. For example, the processor can listen at low power in a narrower bandwidth via the transceiver to receive an initial PPDU from the second MLD as part of a frame exchange. In response to receiving the initial PPDU, the processor can switch the transceiver from the narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth to complete the frame exchange with the second MLD in the wider bandwidth. In terms of power reduction, the processor can reduce the power consumption of the first MLD to a lower power when operating in a narrower bandwidth compared to the higher power used by the first MLD when operating in a wider bandwidth.

[0008] It is worth noting that although the descriptions provided herein may be applicable in the context of certain radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies (e.g., Wi-Fi), the proposed concepts, schemes, and any variations / derivatives may also be implemented in other types of radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies, such as, but not limited to, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and 5G (5G). th Generation (5G) / New Radio (NR), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial IoT (IIoT), and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). Therefore, the scope of this invention is not limited to the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the embodiments, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as some components may be shown out of proportion to their actual dimensions in order to clearly illustrate the concepts of the invention.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an example network environment in which various solutions and schemes according to the present invention can be implemented.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an example scenario under the proposed solution according to the present invention.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an example scenario under the proposed solution according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a diagram of an example scenario under the proposed solution according to the present invention.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of an example communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an example process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] This document discloses detailed embodiments and implementations of the claimed subject matter. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the claimed subject matter, which can be embodied in various forms. The invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments and implementations set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments and implementations are provided so that the description of the invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the following description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments and implementations.

[0017] Overview

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention relate to various techniques, methods, schemes, and / or solutions related to low-power EMLSR sniffing in wireless communication. According to the present invention, multiple possible solutions can be implemented individually or in combination. That is, although these possible solutions may be described individually below, two or more of these possible solutions may be implemented in one combination or another.

[0019] This invention provides a method for reducing power consumption of a processor in a first MLD, comprising: listening at a first power in a first bandwidth to receive an initial PPDU from a second MLD as part of a frame exchange; and in response to receiving the initial PPDU, switching from the first bandwidth to a second bandwidth to complete a frame exchange with the second MLD in the second bandwidth, wherein the first power is lower than the power used by the first MLD when operating in the wider bandwidth, for example, the first power is lower than the power used to perform a frame exchange with the second MLD in the second bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth is smaller than the second bandwidth, the first bandwidth may be a narrower bandwidth in subsequent embodiments, and the second bandwidth may be a wider bandwidth in subsequent embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 An example network environment 100 is shown that can implement various solutions and schemes according to the present invention. Figures 2-6 Example implementations of various proposed schemes in a network environment 100 according to the present invention are shown. Reference Figures 1-6 The following descriptions provide various suggested solutions.

[0021] like Figure 1As shown, network environment 100 may involve a first communication entity or station (STA) 110 that wirelessly communicates with a second communication entity or STA 120. Each of STA 110 and STA 120 may be an access point (AP) STA or a non-access point (non-AP) STA. Each of STA 110 and STA 120 may belong to an MLD capable of operating with EMLSR enabled. In some cases, STA 110 and STA 120 may be associated with a basic service set (BSS) according to one or more IEEE 802.11 standards such as Wi-Fi 7 (e.g., IEEE 802.11be and future standards). STA 110 and STA 120 may be configured to communicate with each other by utilizing various proposed schemes related to low-power EMLSR eavesdropping in wireless communication as described herein. It is worth noting that although the various proposed schemes may be described individually or separately below, in actual implementation, each proposed scheme may be used individually or separately, or some or all of the proposed schemes may be used in combination.

[0022] Under the proposed scheme of the present invention, the MLD (e.g., EMLSR MLD (e.g., STA 110 and / or STA 120)) can reduce power consumption by listening to one or more channels or links with reduced power in a 20MHz band or sub-block (e.g., a primary 20MHz band or sub-block, or a primary 20MHz band or sub-block plus one or more non-primary 20MHz bands or sub-blocks) and then dynamically switching to a wider data bandwidth (e.g., including 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz or 320MHz of the primary 20MHz band or sub-block and one or more non-primary 20MHz bands or sub-blocks). It is worth noting that the “reduced power” in this article refers to the power used by the MLD when operating in a narrower bandwidth (e.g., 20MHz band), which is lower than the power used by the MLD when operating in a wider bandwidth (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz). Specifically, the MLD uses lower power when operating in the 20MHz band compared to the higher power used by the MLD when operating in a wider frequency band (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz). Figure 2 Example scenario 200 shows a comparison between the traditional approach and the proposed approach. (Reference) Figure 2The conventional scheme for STAs belonging to the EMLSR MLD is shown in the upper half of Part (A), where the STA listens at a single power level across a wider bandwidth (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz), which remains consistent across different operating modes. In the lower half of Part (A), an example scenario of the proposed scheme is shown. Instead of listening in a wider data bandwidth (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz), STAs (e.g., STA 110 and / or STA 120) can initially listen in a primary 20MHz band or sub-block. Upon receiving a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS) from another device or STA, the STA can dynamically switch to a wider bandwidth (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz) to respond using a clear-to-send (CTS) and to receive data and acknowledge using block acknowledgement (BA). Figure 2 Part (A) shows an example of low-power listening in a 20MHz band or sub-block and then switching to an 80MHz bandwidth for subsequent frame switching. Figure 2 Part (B) illustrates an example of low-power listening in a 20MHz band or sub-block followed by switching to a 160MHz bandwidth for subsequent frame switching. Advantageously, a certain amount of power saving can be achieved when performing the listening (e.g., 15%, since the listening power can be reduced from 240mW to 208mW in implementation). It is worth noting that the received (Rx) power used can depend on the received data bandwidth (DBW).

[0023] In the scheme proposed according to the present invention for non-EMLSR links (or MLDs or STAs that do not support ELMSR), a handshake process (e.g., a medium access control (MAC) protocol) can occur first, so that the MLD or STA (e.g., STA 110 and / or STA 120) can notify other communication entities (e.g., AP MLD / STA) that it can perform low-power listening in bandwidth power-save (BWPS) mode. Accordingly, when performing low-power listening in a narrower bandwidth in BWPS mode, the MLD can receive initial PPDUs in a non-high-throughput (non-HT) replica format in a narrower bandwidth (e.g., the primary 20MHz band or sub-block), instead of receiving initial PPDUs in a wider DBW (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz). The initial PPDU contains a Physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP) service data unit (PSDU) with a MU-RTS, RTS, or buffer status report poll (BSRP). Based on the information contained in the MU-RTS or PPDU, the MLD can dynamically switch its transceiver operating bandwidth to a wider DBW for subsequent frame switching.

[0024] Several hardware implementation methods can be used for the scheme regarding low-power eavesdropping and dynamic switching to a wider DBW proposed according to the present invention. In the first method, the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth used for low-power eavesdropping is the same as the center frequency within the DBW. When switching to the DBW for frame exchange, the synthesizer (SX) is not required to perform center frequency switching. When the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth used for low-power eavesdropping is different from the center frequency within the DBW, when switching to the DBW for frame exchange, baseband signal processing and filtering can be used to receive the signal at the original center frequency (i.e., the original center frequency of the narrower bandwidth), thus also eliminating the need for the synthesizer to perform center frequency switching. Here, the DBW can be the DBW indicated in the initial PPDU or the maximum DBW, where the negotiated bandwidth capability indicates the maximum supported DBW. In the second method, fast synthesizer switching can be used to switch from the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider bandwidth (e.g., from the center frequency of the 20MHz band to the center frequency of the DBW). Switching can be made to the center frequency of the received data bandwidth. Therefore, when the received data bandwidth is less than the negotiated bandwidth capability, Rx power can be saved. Alternatively, the center frequency of the negotiated bandwidth capability can be switched. In this approach, the settling time of the fast synthesizer can be critical. In a third approach, a base synthesizer and an additional offset synthesizer can be used. The offset synthesizer can be used to offset the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer (which performs low-power listening on the original center frequency, which can be a narrow-bandwidth center frequency) to obtain a wider-bandwidth center frequency.

[0025] Under the scheme proposed according to the present invention, bandwidth switching can occur after the initial PPDU is received correctly and without errors. Figure 3 Example scenario 300 under the proposed scheme is shown. (Reference) Figure 3A first STA (e.g., STA 110 or STA 120) belonging to a first MLD can listen in a narrower bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) to receive an initial PPDU (e.g., MU-RTS) from a second STA (e.g., STA 120 or STA 110) belonging to a second MLD. The first STA belonging to the first MLD can obtain bandwidth information about the data bandwidth (e.g., 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz) in the service field of the initial PPDU. For example, after a reception delay at the physical (PHY) layer of the first MLD, the media access control (MAC) layer of the first MLD can obtain the bandwidth information and notify the PHY layer (e.g., the baseband processing module) and the RF transceiver. After correctly receiving the initial PPDU, the first MLD can switch its radio frequency (RF) transceiver and / or baseband processing module from operating in a narrower bandwidth to operating in a wider data bandwidth (e.g., 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz), determined based on information in the service field of the initial PPDU. In scenario 300, the processor of the first MLD can notify the synthesizer to switch from a narrower bandwidth (e.g., 20MHz) to a data bandwidth (e.g., 80MHz) or negotiated bandwidth capabilities. This may also involve switching the center frequency corresponding to the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider data bandwidth. Accordingly, reconfiguration can be performed at the PHY layer (e.g., the baseband processing module) and the RF transceiver. After switching to the wider data bandwidth, the first MLD performs energy detection (ED) and RF switching (from receive to transmit), both of which involve a certain delay. After receiving the transmit (Rx-to-Tx) turnaround delay, the first MLD can exchange frames with the second MLD, such as CTS, data, and BA, over a wider data bandwidth. The duration between the end of the initial PPDU reception and the start of the solicited frame (e.g., CTS transmission) can be a short inter-frame space (SIFS). After frame exchange, the first MLD can switch the operating bandwidth of the transceiver and / or baseband processing module from a wider data bandwidth back to a narrower bandwidth to minimize power consumption. For example, after detecting that the point coordination function (PCF) inter-frame space (PIFS) period is idle, the first STA can switch back to low-power listening mode to listen in a narrower bandwidth, where detecting that the PIFS period is idle indicates that no frames were received or transmitted during that period.

[0026] According to the scheme proposed in this invention, bandwidth switching can occur after the bandwidth of the initial PPDU is identified. The bandwidth of the initial PPDU is identified before the complete initial PPDU is received, and the data bandwidth obtained from the fields (e.g., the service field) of the initial PPDU can be used as the bandwidth of the identified initial PPDU. Figure 4 Example scenario 400 under the proposed scheme is shown. (Reference) Figure 4 A first STA (e.g., STA 110 or STA 120) belonging to a first MLD can listen in a narrower bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) to receive an initial PPDU (e.g., MU-RTS) from a second STA (e.g., STA 120 or STA 110) belonging to a second MLD. The first STA belonging to the first MLD can obtain bandwidth information about the data bandwidth (e.g., 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz) in the service field of the initial PPDU. For example, after a receive delay at the PHY layer of the first MLD, the MAC layer of the first MLD can obtain the bandwidth information and notify the PHY layer (e.g., the baseband processing module) and the RF transceiver. After identifying the bandwidth of the initial PPDU, the first MLD can switch its RF transceiver and baseband processing module from operating in the narrower bandwidth to operating in the wider data bandwidth (e.g., 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz) determined based on the information in the service field of the initial PPDU. In scenario 400, the first STA belonging to the first MLD switches from using the basic compositor to using an additional offset compositor. The processor of the first STA can notify the additional offset compositor (e.g., Figure 4 The ESX 5240 in the first MLD is used to offset the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer, which is associated with a narrower bandwidth, to obtain a center frequency with a wider bandwidth. Accordingly, reconfiguration can be performed at the PHY layer (e.g., the baseband processing module) and the RF transceiver. After switching to the wider data bandwidth, the first STA belonging to the first MLD can perform physical layer ED and RF handover (from receive to transmit), both of which involve a certain delay. Then, after the Rx-to-Tx turnaround delay, the first MLD can exchange CTS, data, BA, and other frames with the second MLD in the wider data bandwidth. After frame exchange, switching back from the wider data bandwidth to the narrower bandwidth, the first STA of the first MLD switches from using an additional offset synthesizer to using the base synthesizer, i.e., using the base synthesizer (e.g., the baseband processing module). Figure 4The processor generates a raw center frequency associated with a narrower bandwidth (as per the BSX 5200) to minimize power consumption. For example, after detecting that the PIFS period is idle, the first STA can switch back to low-power listening mode to listen in a narrower bandwidth. The processor can also disable the base synthesizer or additional offset synthesizers.

[0027] In the EMLSR low-power eavesdropping scheme proposed according to the present invention, when a non-AP MLD operates in EMLSR mode and the AP MLD supports EMLSR mode, the non-AP MLD can eavesdrop on the EMLSR link corresponding to a STA that is in a wake-up state. The eavesdropping operation may include clear channel assessment (CCA) and an initial control frame for receiving frame exchange, which is initiated by the AP MLD. An AP belonging to the AP MLD that initiates frame exchange with a non-AP MLD on one of multiple EMLSR links can begin frame exchange by sending the initial control frame to the non-AP MLD, wherein the initial control frame is transmitted at a rate of 6 Mbps, 12 Mbps, or 24 Mbps in a non-HT PPDU or non-HT copied PPDU format.

[0028] It is worth noting that the various schemes proposed above can be applied not only to EMLSR scenarios, but also to other scenarios, such as, but not limited to, enhanced multi-link multiple radios (EMLMR), non-EMLSR, multi-link multiple radios (MLMR), multi-link single radio (MLSR), spatial-multiplexing power-save (SMPS), bandwidth power-save (BWPS), peer-to-peer (P2P), and tunneled direct link setup (TDLS).

[0029] Illustrative Implementation

[0030] Figure 5An example system 500 with at least example apparatus 510 and example apparatus 520 according to embodiments of the present invention is shown. Each of apparatus 510 and apparatus 520 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes, and methods described herein related to low-power EMLSR sniffing in wireless communications, including the various schemes described above with respect to various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems, and methods, as well as the processes described below. For example, apparatus 510 can be implemented in STA 110 and apparatus 520 can be implemented in STA 120, and vice versa.

[0031] Each of devices 510 and 520 can be part of an electronic device, which can be a non-APSTA or AP STA, such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. When implemented in an STA, each of devices 510 and 520 can be implemented in a smartphone, smartwatch, personal digital assistant, digital camera, or computing device such as a tablet, laptop, or notebook computer. Each of devices 510 and 520 can also be part of a machine-type device, which can be an IoT device such as a fixed or stationary device, a home appliance, a wired communication device, or a computing device. For example, each of devices 510 and 520 can be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart refrigerator, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker, or a home control center. When implemented in a network device or as a network device, devices 510 and / or 520 can be implemented in a network node, such as an AP in a WLAN.

[0032] In some embodiments, each of devices 510 and 520 may be implemented as one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more reduced-instruction-set computing (RISC) processors, or one or more complex-instruction-set computing (CISC) processors. In the various embodiments described above, each of devices 510 and 520 may be implemented in or as a STA or AP. Each of devices 510 and 520 may include... Figure 5 At least some of the components shown, for example, such as Figure 5Processors 512 and 522 are shown. Each of devices 510 and 520 may also include one or more other components unrelated to the proposed solution (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device). Therefore, for simplicity, such components (one or more) of devices 510 and 520 are not listed in the table. Figure 5 It is shown in the image and not described below.

[0033] In one aspect, each of processors 512 and 522 may be implemented as one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more RISC processors, or one or more CISC processors. That is, even though the singular term "processor" is used herein to refer to processors 512 and 522, according to the invention, each of processors 512 and 522 may include multiple processors in some embodiments and may include a single processor disclosure in other embodiments. In another aspect, each of processors 512 and 522 may be implemented as hardware (and optionally, firmware) having electronic components including, for example, but not limited to, one or more transistors, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more memristors, and / or one or more varactor diodes, configured and arranged to perform a specific purpose according to the invention. In other words, in at least some embodiments, each of processors 512 and 522 is a dedicated machine specifically designed, arranged, and configured to perform specific tasks, including tasks related to low-power EMLSR eavesdropping in wireless communications based on various embodiments of the invention.

[0034] In some embodiments, device 510 may further include a transceiver 516 coupled to processor 512. Transceiver 516 may include a transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting data and a receiver capable of wirelessly receiving data. In some embodiments, device 520 may further include a transceiver 526 coupled to processor 522. Transceiver 526 may include a transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting data and a receiver capable of wirelessly receiving data. It is worth noting that although transceivers 516 and 526 are shown as being external to and separate from processor 522, respectively, in some embodiments, transceiver 516 may be a component of processor 512 as a system-on-a-chip (SoC) and / or transceiver 526 may be a component of processor 522 as a SoC.

[0035] In some embodiments, device 510 may further include memory 514 coupled to and accessible by processor 512 and storing data therein. In some embodiments, device 520 may further include memory 524 coupled to and accessible by processor 522 and storing data therein. Each of memory 514 and memory 524 may include a random-access memory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), thyristor RAM (T-RAM), and / or zero-capacitor RAM (Z-RAM). Alternatively or additionally, each of memory 514 and memory 524 may include a read-only memory (ROM), such as mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and / or electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). Alternatively or additionally, each of memories 514 and 524 may include a non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), such as flash memory, solid-state memory, ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), and / or phase-change memory.

[0036] Each of devices 510 and 520 can be a communication entity capable of communicating with each other using various proposed schemes based on the present invention. For illustrative purposes and without limitation, a description of the capabilities of device 510 as STA 110 and device 520 as STA 120 is provided below. It is worth noting that while a detailed description of the capabilities, functions, and / or technical features of device 520 is provided below, the same applies to device 510, although its detailed description is omitted merely for brevity. It is also worth noting that although the example embodiments described below are provided in a WLAN environment, they can also be implemented in other types of networks.

[0037] In various proposed schemes related to low-power EMLSR eavesdropping in wireless communication based on the present invention, device 510 is implemented in or as STA 110 of the first MLD in network environment 100, and device 520 is implemented in or as STA 120 of the second MLD in network environment 100. The processor 512 of device 510 can reduce power consumption by performing certain operations without affecting latency-sensitive applications (e.g., games or VR) if the processor supports them. For example, processor 512 can eavesdrop at low power in a narrower bandwidth via transceiver 516 to receive an initial PPDU from device 520 as part of frame exchange. Additionally, processor 512 can switch transceiver 516 from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth in response to receiving the initial PPDU to complete frame exchange with device 520 in the wider bandwidth. Furthermore, processor 512 can switch transceiver 516 back to a narrower bandwidth after frame exchange.

[0038] In some implementations, the narrower bandwidth may include a bandwidth of 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz, or 160MHz, while the wider bandwidth may include a bandwidth of 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz. In some implementations, in terms of power consumption reduction, the processor 512 can reduce the power consumption of the MLD to a lower level when operating in a narrower bandwidth compared to the higher power used by the MLD when operating in a wider bandwidth.

[0039] In some implementations, when switching from a narrower bandwidth (sniffing bandwidth) to a wider bandwidth (e.g., receive data bandwidth), the processor 512 can switch from a narrower bandwidth (sniffing bandwidth) to a wider bandwidth (e.g., receive data bandwidth) without switching the center frequency.

[0040] In some implementations, when switching from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth, the processor 512 may control the synthesizer to perform a center frequency switch to switch from the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider bandwidth.

[0041] In some implementations, when switching from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth, the processor 512 may utilize an offset synthesizer that offsets the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer and used in the listening to obtain a center frequency for a wider bandwidth.

[0042] In some implementations, during handover, processor 512 may switch the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or transceiver 516 of the first MLD from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth in response to having correctly received the initial PPDU. Alternatively, during handover, processor 512 may switch the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or transceiver 516 of the first MLD from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth after identifying the bandwidth of the initial PPDU.

[0043] In some implementations, during listening, the processor 512 can listen in EMLSR mode, EMLMR mode, MLSR mode, MLMR mode, non-EMLSR mode, SMPS mode, BWPS mode, P2P mode, or TDLS mode.

[0044] In some implementations, processor 512 may notify device 520 that device 510 is capable of low-power listening in BWPS mode. In this case, the initial PPDU may be a non-HT copy format initial PPDU, wherein the PSDU of the initial PPDU contains MU-RTS, RTS, or buffer status report poll (BSRP).

[0045] Exemplary process

[0046] Figure 6 An example process 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Process 600 may present one aspect of implementing the various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems, and methods described above. More specifically, process 600 may present one aspect of proposed concepts and schemes related to low-power EMLSR eavesdropping in wireless communication based on the present invention. Process 600 may include one or more blocks as shown in block 610 and one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in sub-blocks 612, 614, and 616. Although shown as discrete blocks, the individual blocks of process 600 may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or deleted, depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the blocks / sub-blocks of process 600 may be arranged in... Figure 6The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Furthermore, one or more boxes / sub-boxes of process 600 can be executed repeatedly or iteratively. Process 600 can be implemented by or within devices 510 and 520 and any variations thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 600 is described below in the context of devices 510 and 520, where device 510 is implemented in or as STA 110 of a wireless network (e.g., WLAN) in a network environment 100 based on one or more IEEE 802.11 standards, wherein STA 110 is used as a non-AP STA, and device 520 is implemented in or as STA 120 of a wireless network (e.g., WLAN) in the network environment 100, wherein STA 120 is used as an AP STA. Process 600 may begin at box 610.

[0047] At 610, process 600 may involve a processor 512 of device 510 (as a first STA (e.g., STA110) belonging to the first MLD) to reduce power consumption by performing certain operations shown by 612, 614 and 616, which does not affect latency-sensitive applications if the processor supports them.

[0048] At 612, process 600 may involve processor 512 listening at low power in a narrower bandwidth via transceiver 516 to receive an initial PPDU from device 520 (as a second STA belonging to the second MLD) as part of frame switching. Process 600 may proceed from 612 to 614.

[0049] At 614, process 600 may involve processor 512, in response to receiving the initial PPDU, switching transceiver 516 from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth to complete frame exchange with the second MLD in the wider bandwidth. Process 600 can proceed from 614 to 616.

[0050] At 616, process 600 may involve processor 512 switching transceiver 516 back to a narrower bandwidth after frame switching.

[0051] In some embodiments, the narrower bandwidth includes a 20MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or the narrower bandwidth includes a 40MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or the narrower bandwidth includes an 80MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes 160MHz or 320MHz bandwidth; or the narrower bandwidth includes a 160MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 320MHz bandwidth. In some embodiments, in terms of reducing power consumption, process 600 may involve the processor 512 reducing the power consumption of the MLD to a lower power level when operating in a narrower bandwidth compared to the higher power used by the MLD when operating in a wider bandwidth.

[0052] In some implementations, the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth is the same as the center frequency of the wider bandwidth, or the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth is different from the center frequency of the wider bandwidth. When switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth, process 600 may involve the processor 512 switching from the narrower bandwidth (sense bandwidth) to the wider bandwidth (e.g., receive data bandwidth) without switching the center frequency. Not switching the center frequency means using the original center frequency (i.e., the original center frequency of the narrower bandwidth) to receive the signal in the wider bandwidth. For example, when the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth is different from the center frequency of the wider bandwidth, the synthesizer does not perform a center frequency switch, and the first STA belonging to the first MLD uses the original center frequency (i.e., the original center frequency of the narrower bandwidth) to receive the signal.

[0053] In some implementations, when switching from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth, process 600 may involve processor 512 controlling the synthesizer to perform a center frequency switch to switch from the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider bandwidth.

[0054] In some implementations, when switching from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth, process 600 may involve processor 512 controlling an offset synthesizer to offset the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer for use in listening.

[0055] In some implementations, during handover, process 600 may involve processor 512 switching the operating bandwidth of transceiver 516 from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth in response to having correctly received the initial PPDU. Alternatively, during handover, process 600 may involve processor 512 switching the operating bandwidth of transceiver 516 from a narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth after identifying the bandwidth of the initial PPDU.

[0056] In some implementations, during listening, process 600 may involve processor 512 listening in EMLSR mode, EMLMR mode, non-EMLSR mode, MLSR mode, MLMR mode, SMPS mode, BWPS mode, P2P mode, or TDLS mode.

[0057] In some implementations, during listening, process 600 may involve processor 512 notifying device 520 that device 510 is capable of low-power listening in BWPS mode. In this case, the initial PPDU may be a non-HT copy format initial PPDU, wherein the PSDU of the initial PPDU has MU-RTS, RTS, or buffer status report poll (BSRP).

[0058] Additional notes

[0059] The topics described herein sometimes illustrate different components contained within or connected to other different components. It is important to understand that the architectures depicted are merely examples, and many other architectures can actually be implemented to achieve the same functionality. Conceptually, any arrangement of components that achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” to achieve the desired function. Therefore, any two components combined here to achieve a particular function can be considered “associated” with each other to achieve the desired function, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two components so associated can also be considered “operably connected” or “operably coupled” to each other to achieve the desired function, and any two components that can be so associated can also be considered “operably coupled” to each other to achieve the desired function. Specific examples of operational coupling include, but are not limited to, physically pairable and / or physically interacting components and / or wirelessly interactive components and / or logically interacting and / or logically interactive components.

[0060] Furthermore, regarding the use of virtually any plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can convert from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural substitutions may be explicitly described herein.

[0061] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the terms generally used herein, particularly those used in the appended claims, such as the body of the appended claims, are generally intended as “open-ended” terms. For example, the term “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” and so on. Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a specific number of introduced claim elements are intended, such intent will be explicitly stated in the claim, and in the absence of such a statement, such intent does not exist. For example, to aid understanding, the appended claims may contain the use of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as implying that the claim element introduced by the indefinite article “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such an introduced claim element to containing only one such element, even when the same claim contains the introductory phrase “one or more” or “at least one” and the indefinite article such as “a” or “an,” for example, “a” and / or “an” should be interpreted as referring to “at least one” or “one or more,” and the same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce claim elements. Furthermore, even when a specific number of the introduced claim elements are explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should be interpreted as meaning at least the number listed. For example, the statement "two elements" without other modifiers means at least two elements or two or more elements. Additionally, in the use of phrases like "at least one of A, B, and C," for its purpose, such a structure is generally understood by those skilled in the art to be conventional. For example, "the system has at least one of A, B, and C" will include, but is not limited to, the system having a single A, a single B, a single C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc. Similarly, in the use of phrases like "at least one of A, B, or C," for its purpose, such a structure is generally understood by those skilled in the art to be conventional. For example, "the system has at least one of A, B, or C" will include, but is not limited to, the system having a single A, a single B, a single C, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc. Those skilled in the art will further understand that any transitional words and / or phrases that actually represent two or more options, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to include the possibility of including one of a plurality of terms, any one of a plurality of terms, or two terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibility of “A” or “B” or “A and B”.

[0062] As can be seen from the foregoing, it is understood that various embodiments of this application have been described herein for illustrative purposes, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. Therefore, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope and spirit are determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption of a processor in a first multi-link device (MLD), characterized in that, include: Listening at a first power in a narrower bandwidth to receive an initial physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) from a second MLD as part of frame switching; wherein the initial PPDU is an initial PPDU in a non-high throughput (HT) replication format; and Upon receiving the initial PPDU, the system switches from the narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth to complete frame exchange with the second MLD within the wider bandwidth; wherein the wider bandwidth is determined based on the bandwidth information in the service field of the initial PPDU. Wherein, the first power is lower than the power used by the first MLD when operating in the wider bandwidth.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The narrower bandwidth includes a 20MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes a 40MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes an 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes an 80MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 160MHz or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes a 160MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 320MHz bandwidth.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center frequency of the narrower bandwidth may be the same as or different from the center frequency of the wider bandwidth. Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth includes switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth without switching the center frequency.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth includes controlling the synthesizer to perform a center frequency switch to switch from the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider bandwidth.

5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth involves controlling the offset synthesizer to offset the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer and used in the listening.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching includes: in response to having correctly received the initial PPDU, switching the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or radio frequency (RF) transceiver of the first MLD from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching includes: after identifying the bandwidth information in the initial PPDU, switching the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or radio frequency (RF) transceiver of the first MLD from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The listening includes listening in Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio (EMLSR) mode, Enhanced Multi-Link Multiple Radio (EMLMR) mode, non-EMLSR mode, Multi-Link Single Radio (MLSR) mode, Multi-Link Multiple Radio (MLMR) mode, Spatial Multiplexing Power Saving (SMPS) mode, Bandwidth Power Saving (BWPS) mode, Point-to-Point (P2P) mode, or Channel Direct Link Setup (TDLS) mode.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The first MLD is notified that it can perform low-power listening in Bandwidth Power Saving (BWPS) mode, and that the Physical Layer Convergence Process Service Data Unit (PSDU) of the initial PPDU has Multi-User Request Transmission (MU-RTS), Request Transmission (RTS), or Buffer Status Report Polling (BSRP).

10. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: After the frame exchange, the processor switches back to the narrower bandwidth.

11. An apparatus implemented in a first multi-link device (MLD), characterized in that, include: The transceiver is configured for wireless communication; as well as The processor, coupled to the transceiver and configured to reduce power consumption by performing the following operations: Listening at a first power in a narrower bandwidth to receive initial physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) from the second MLD as part of frame switching; The initial PPDU mentioned above is an initial PPDU in a non-high-throughput (HT) replication format, and Upon receiving the initial PPDU, the transceiver switches from the narrower bandwidth to a wider bandwidth to complete frame exchange with the second MLD within the wider bandwidth; wherein the wider bandwidth is determined based on the bandwidth information in the service field of the initial PPDU; Wherein, the first power is lower than the power used by the first MLD when operating in the wider bandwidth.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The narrower bandwidth includes a 20MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes a 40MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes an 80MHz, 160MHz, or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes an 80MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 160MHz or 320MHz bandwidth; or The narrower bandwidth includes a 160MHz bandwidth, and the wider bandwidth includes a 320MHz bandwidth.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth includes switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth without switching the center frequency.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth includes controlling the synthesizer to perform a center frequency switch to switch from the center frequency of the narrower bandwidth to the center frequency of the wider bandwidth.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, Switching from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth involves controlling the offset synthesizer to offset the original center frequency generated by the base synthesizer and used in the listening.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The switching includes: in response to having correctly received the initial PPDU, switching the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or transceiver of the first MLD from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The switching includes: after identifying the bandwidth information in the initial PPDU, switching the operating bandwidth of the baseband processing module and / or transceiver of the first MLD from the narrower bandwidth to the wider bandwidth.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The listening includes listening in Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio (EMLSR) mode, Enhanced Multi-Link Multiple Radio (EMLMR) mode, non-EMLSR mode, Multi-Link Single Radio (MLSR) mode, Multi-Link Multiple Radio (MLMR) mode, Spatial Multiplexing Power Saving (SMPS) mode, Bandwidth Power Saving (BWPS) mode, Point-to-Point (P2P) mode, or Channel Direct Link Setup (TDLS) mode.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, Also includes: The first MLD is notified that it can perform low-power listening in Bandwidth Power Saving (BWPS) mode, and that the Physical Layer Convergence Process Service Data Unit (PSDU) of the initial PPDU has Multi-User Request Transmission (MU-RTS), Request Transmission (RTS), or Buffer Status Report Polling (BSRP).

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The processor is configured to further perform the following operations: After the frame exchange, the baseband processing module of the first MLD and / or the transceiver are switched back to the narrower bandwidth.

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