Method for transmission device in multi-link network

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for a transmission device in a multi-link network. Methods and systems are disclosed that may include procedures that may improve reliability and robustness of a wireless network. In some implementations, a method may include selecting at least two resource units for communication with a single client device; and transmitting data in the form of a copy to the client device via each of the at least two resource units such that the client device can combine the data from each of the at least two resource units into a single instance of the data. In some implementations, a method may include obtaining a notification regarding one or more frequency ranges in an available frequency spectrum corresponding to a group of resource elements to be avoided; and allocating resource units to a group of client devices covering the available frequencies while excluding the group of resource units to be avoided.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with the application date of November 6, 2020, application number 202011231356.8, and the revised invention name as "Method for transmission equipment in a multi-link network".

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This patent application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 933,088, filed on November 8, 2019, entitled “MULTI-LINK RANGE EXTENSION,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 011,153, filed on April 16, 2020, entitled “FREQUENCY DUPLICATION IN 802.11 TRANSMISSION,” both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety into this disclosure. Technical Field

[0004] The specific implementation discussed in this article involves multi-link range extension. Background Art

[0005] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described herein are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0006] Home, office, stadium and outdoor networks, i.e., wireless local area networks (WLANs), are established using devices called wireless access points (WAPs). WAPs may include routers. WAPs wirelessly couple all devices of a local network (e.g., wireless stations such as computers, printers, televisions, digital video (DVD) players, security cameras, and smoke detectors) to each other, and wirelessly couple them to cables or subscriber lines that deliver the Internet, video, and television to the local network. Most WAPs implement the IEEE 802.11 standard, which is a contention-based standard for handling communications between multiple competing devices that share a wireless communication medium on a communication channel selected from a plurality of communication channels. The frequency range of each communication channel is specified in the corresponding protocol of the implemented IEEE 802.11 protocol, such as "a", "b", "g", "n", "ac", "ad", "ax", "ay", "be". Communications follow a hub and spoke model, with a WAP at the hub and spokes corresponding to wireless links to each "client" device or station (STA) using WLAN.

[0007] After a single communication channel is selected for the associated home network, access to the shared communication channel relies on a multiple access method identified as Contention Sensing Multiple Access (CSMA). CSMA is a distributed random access method for sharing a single communication medium by having competing communication links back off and retry access, thereby detecting potential conflicts on the wireless medium, i.e., whether the wireless medium is being used.

[0008] Communications on a single communication medium are identified as "simplex", meaning one communication stream at a time from a single source node to one or more destination nodes, while all remaining nodes are able to "listen" to the main transmission. Starting with the IEEE 802.11ac standard (particularly its "Wave 2"), discrete communications with more than one destination node can be performed simultaneously using the so-called multi-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) capabilities of the WAP. MU capabilities have been added to the standard to enable the WAP to communicate simultaneously with single-antenna single-stream or multi-antenna multi-stream transceivers, thereby increasing the time available for discrete MIMO video links to wireless HDTVs, computers, tablets, and other high-throughput wireless devices whose communication capabilities compete with those of the WAP. The IEEE 802.11ax standard integrates orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) into WAP or station capabilities. OFDMA allows a WAP to communicate simultaneously on the downlink with multiple stations identified as resource units (RUs) within a discrete frequency range.

[0009] The IEEE 802.11n and 802.11ac standards support increasing levels of sophistication in signal processing required of fully compliant WLAN nodes, including beamforming capabilities for focused communication of user data. One of the many capabilities of a fully compliant WLAN node according to either of these standards is the ability to focus the signal strength of transmitted communications to a receiving device. Doing so requires multiple antennas and means for independently controlling the phase and amplitude of the communication signals transmitted on the multiple antennas.

[0010] The claimed subject matter herein is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is merely provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area in which some implementations described herein may be practiced. Summary of the invention

[0011] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0012] Some example implementations described herein generally relate to extended range, robustness, and / or reliability of sites in a multi-link network. Some implementations provide a method, system, and / or apparatus to facilitate transmitting data in duplicate to the same site, thereby increasing range, robustness, and / or reliability within the network.

[0013] One or more specific implementations may include an exemplary method or system comprising: selecting at least two resource units for use in communicating with a single client device; and transmitting data in a copy to the client device via each of the at least two resource units, so that the client device can combine the data from each of the at least two resource units into a single instance of the data.

[0014] Additionally, one or more implementations may include methods or systems that may include obtaining notification of one or more frequency ranges in an available frequency spectrum corresponding to groups of resource units to be avoided; and allocating resource units to a group of client devices covering the available frequencies while excluding the groups of resource units to be avoided.

[0015] One or more additional implementations may include an exemplary client device comprising one or more processors, and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to perform operations. The operations may include: receiving data in a replica form from a transmission device via at least two resource units; and demodulating each individual instance of the data in the replica form. The operations may also include: storing each of the individual instances of the data received in the replica form in a common buffer; and combining the individual instances of the data received in the replica form into a combined instance of the data, the combined instance of the data having a higher received strength (e.g., SNR) than the individual instances of the data. In some implementations, the client device includes a single antenna.

[0016] The present disclosure may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software. Associated devices and circuits are also claimed. Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the following description and will be partially apparent from the present disclosure or may be learned through the practice of the present disclosure. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained through the tools and combinations specifically pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description and the appended claims or may be learned through the practice of the present disclosure as described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Example implementations will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 An exemplary wireless network in which range extension, robustness, and / or reliability may be achieved is illustrated according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 2 An exemplary resource unit group described in accordance with at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure is shown, wherein multiple resource units are allocated to the same site.

[0020] Figure 3 Another exemplary resource unit group described in accordance with at least one implementation of the present disclosure is shown, wherein certain frequency ranges are designated to be avoided.

[0021] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C An exemplary diagram of data sent in a replica when subject to power constraints per unit frequency is shown according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 5 A flowchart of an exemplary method for transmitting data in a replica form described according to at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 6 A flowchart of an exemplary method for designating certain resource units to be avoided is shown according to at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 7 A flowchart of an exemplary method of identifying resource units to be avoided is shown according to at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 8 A flowchart of an exemplary method for receiving data in a copy form described according to at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Fig. 9 A diagrammatic schematic diagram of a machine is shown that illustrates an exemplary form of a computing device described in accordance with at least one implementation of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Robustness, reliability, and throughput are three important characteristics of wireless networks such as Wi-Fi networks. However, there is usually a trade-off between these characteristics, and depending on certain scenarios, only one or two of these characteristics may be optimized, which may be at the expense of other characteristics. Throughput has been a major focus of development and improvement of these three characteristics, which has enabled the 9.6Gbps data rate to be achieved using the IEEE 802.11ax wireless standard. The 802.11ax wireless standard describes dual carrier modulation (DCM) as a method to improve reliability. In DCM, the same information is modulated on a pair of subcarriers assigned to a single RU of a station to enhance the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of data transmission. However, even with DCM, there are some limitations that do not provide a high level of robustness and / or reliability for stations that suffer from extreme attenuation. Such extreme attenuation may be caused by the station being very far from the AP, behind a thick wall, or suffering from high attenuation due to any other reason. Stations that experience such high attenuation may suffer from poor connectivity even during the connection establishment phase with the AP. In some cases, these stations may include ordinary Wi-Fi clients, set-top boxes, critical Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. For some of these sites, such as fixed devices (e.g., an IoT TV mounted on a wall in a home), it is not possible to move the device around to get better coverage. Therefore, a solution that can provide such sites with an additional level of robustness and reliability, both for the connection establishment phase and for reliable communications, is desirable and beneficial.

[0028] In older versions of the wireless standard 802.11, duplication of data may be performed for consecutive portions of bandwidth in a 20 MHz portion of bandwidth. However, this is possible because such legacy standards keep the transmission bandwidth to a fixed 20 MHz portion and do not allow for the variability observed in 802.11ax. Furthermore, there is no indication that a copy exists in the communication, so the receiving station can only assume a copy through blind detection methods. Therefore, even in legacy versions of 802.11 that do allow data to be transmitted in the form of copies, solutions that increase network range, reliability, etc. are desirable and beneficial, especially when considering the variability observed in 802.11ax.

[0029] Exemplary implementations of the present disclosure include methods and systems that can provide an increase in the received SNR at a site without having to change the transmit power at the access point. For example, the present disclosure includes assigning more than one RU to the same site; sending the same data for a particular site across the RUs assigned to that particular site (e.g., each RU carries the same data and modulates it as if it were sent to a separate site, but is actually transmitted to the same site). In some implementations, in addition to sending the same data across all assigned RUs for a given site, the same data can also be sent across multiple radio bands (e.g., frequency bands) simultaneously and in the same manner as sent on a link.

[0030] By using one or more of the principles of the present disclosure to transmit data in a copy to a client site, network performance and / or efficiency can be improved. For example, a site struggling with high attenuation may need to repeatedly send the same message over and over again, whether trying to establish a connection with an access point or sending user data to the site. By providing such sites with more robust and / or more reliable connections, the network can operate more efficiently overall by avoiding repeated requests and transmissions, even if the throughput at any given moment may be slightly reduced. In addition, due to increased robustness and / or reliability, more sites can be served over a larger range and / or through more difficult attenuation. This may be particularly advantageous for sites that cannot be moved. For example, if an IoT TV experiences high attenuation where it is bolted to a wall, the IoT TV bolted to the wall cannot be moved to increase the SNR using a wireless access point. By increasing the reliability and / or robustness of such sites, the site can still enjoy the benefits of accessing the Internet via a wireless AP, even though the site is located in a location where it may not have access to the Internet.

[0031] These and other specific implementations of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the accompanying drawings are diagrammatic and schematic representations of these exemplary specific implementations and are not limiting, nor are they necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, features with the same number indicate the same structure and function, unless otherwise described.

[0032] Figure 1An exemplary wireless network 100 is shown in which range extension and / or robustness and / or reliability improvements may be achieved in accordance with one or more implementations of the present disclosure. The network 100 may include a wireless access point 110 that communicates with a plurality of stations 120, such as client stations 120a and 120b, via connections 130a and 130b, respectively. The connections 130a and 130b may be strong, reliable connections (e.g., due to the proximity of the stations 120a and 120b to the access point 110). The network 100 may also include a station 122 at or near the boundary of a range 150 of the access point 110, resulting in a weak and / or unreliable connection 132.

[0033] In typical operation under wireless standards such as 802.11ax, stations and RUs require a one-to-one mapping. For example, when constructing an OFDMA frame, access point 110 may allocate one RU to each of stations 120a, 120b, and 122 according to the 802.11ax standard. However, the present disclosure may depart from and / or improve such operation.

[0034] In some implementations, to increase the robustness of the network 100, more than one RU may be assigned to a given site and data may be sent in duplicate to that site. For example, because site 122 is located at the periphery of range 150 of access point 110, access point 110 may determine that it may be desirable to communicate with site 122 using enhanced communications to increase the SNR between access point 110 and site 122. By assigning multiple RUs to a single site 122 and sending data in duplicate in multiple RUs, site 122 is able to combine multiple instances of the data into a single instance of the data. Doing so increases the SNR at site 122, thereby enhancing the robustness, reliability, and / or effective range of access point 110. Reference Figure 2 An example of allocating multiple RUs to a single site when constructing an OFDMA frame is described.

[0035] When compliant with the 802.11ax standard, the RU size may include 26 tones (for approximately 2 MHz bandwidth of the RU), 52 tones (for approximately 4 MHz bandwidth of the RU), 106 tones (for approximately 8 MHz bandwidth of the RU), 242 tones (for approximately 20 MHz bandwidth of the RU), 484 tones (for approximately 40 MHz bandwidth of the RU), and 996 tones (for approximately 80 MHz bandwidth of the RU). To provide an exemplary quantification of the benefits of the present disclosure, all 242 tone RUs (for approximately 20 MHz bandwidth of the RU) may be allocated to site 122. There are eight 242 tone RUs in a bandwidth of 160 MHz. By sending the same data on all eight RUs, the combination at site 122 may provide a receive SNR gain of

[0036] 10*log 10 (8) = 9dB

[0037] Similarly, following the example of using 26-tone RUs (corresponding to a bandwidth of approximately 2 MHz for each respective RU), there are seventy-four 26-tone RUs in the 160 MHz total bandwidth. Allocating all 26-tone RUs to site 122 and combining the data at site 122 may provide a receive SNR gain of

[0038] 10*log 10 (74) = 18 dB

[0039] In some specific implementations, data can be transmitted in duplicate on multiple radio bands. For example, data can be sent on both the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band (in a dual-band device) or on the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band (in a tri-band device). Doing so can provide additional gain, including up to an additional 3 dB to 9 dB of additional gain. When transmitting across multiple radio bands, each band can independently utilize its own modulation and coding scheme (MCS). For example, based on a specific channel and / or radio band quality, different MCSs can be used, so that a first MCS can be used in the 2.4 GHz band, a second MCS can be used in the 5 GHz band, and a third MCS can be used in the 6 GHz band. In such specific implementations, the duplication of data can be bound to the lowest data rate of the MCS, so that MCS transmissions with higher data rates may or may not use all available bandwidth. Additionally or alternatively, only a portion of the data may be transmitted in duplicate, such that the remaining available bandwidth of the higher data rate MCS may be for a single data transmission, while another bandwidth in conjunction with the lower data rate MCS may be transmitted in duplicate.

[0040] In these and other specific implementations, a corresponding gain in SNR may be achieved by reducing the total throughput by sending data in duplicate in multiple RUs assigned to the site 122 and / or on multiple radio bands. For example, the access point 110 may recognize that the site 122 is repeatedly dropping packets and / or otherwise struggling to maintain a connection 132 with the access point 110. In response, the access point 110 may increase the number of RUs assigned to the site 122. If the connection 132 with the site 122 continues to struggle, the access point 110 may continue to increase the number of RUs assigned to the site until the maximum available bandwidth and the minimum number of tones can be used (e.g., for a total bandwidth of 160 MHz, all seventy-four 26-tone RUs are assigned to the site 122 and / or are assigned on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands). Using such variations, the access point 110 may tune the desired amount of gain based on the situation of the site for which enhanced communications are desired. For example, for certain thresholds of number of dropped packets, number of timeouts in forming a connection, etc., indicating that enhanced communications with increased SNR may be desired, a corresponding target gain amount may be used when communicating with a given station.

[0041] In some implementations, at the access point 110, when passing a frame to the PHY layer for transmission, multiple parameters may be changed to be dependent on a given RU site, rather than just one or the other. Table 1 (below) identifies multiple parameters that depend on both the RU (r) and the assigned site (u). Symbol AggRU u Can be used to indicate all RU groups assigned to site / user u.

[0042] Table 1

[0043]

[0044]

[0045] Using the parameter values ​​of Table 1, various parameters may be determined on a per-site basis as shown in Table 2 (below). The values ​​of Table 2 may be used when performing operations such as forward error correction (FEC) padding, stream parsing, segment parsing, binary convolutional coding (BCC), etc.

[0046] Table 2

[0047]

[0048] When performing FEC padding, pre-FEC padding and post-FEC padding may be performed in a manner similar or comparable to padding typically performed in accordance with 802.11ax, but using the values ​​in Table 2 (incorporating per-station and per-RU considerations). For example, for each station, access point 110 may calculate the following (items in Table 2 are in bold):

[0049]

[0050]

[0051] Using the above values, padding can continue to follow the process specified in 802.11ax. The scrambler implementation can be unchanged (e.g., each station can be scrambled independently). Encoding can largely follow the same process described in IEEE 802.11ax, but using the values ​​identified in Table 2.

[0052] For example, for low-density parity check (LDPC), access point 110 may calculate the following (items in Table 2 are shown in bold):

[0053]

[0054] For BCC, the information bits and pre-FEC padding bits for site u may be encoded by a rate R=1 / 2 convolutional encoder and punctured as described in 802.11ax.

[0055] In implementations where multiple RUs are assigned to a single site and all RUs use the same modulation, the stream parser can remain largely unchanged. However, to allow for a more generic assignment of MCSs, an exemplary implementation of the stream parser can accommodate different MCSs for different RUs when multiple RUs are assigned to a single site. In such implementations, the coding rate for all MCSs in an aggregated RU can be the same, since coding is still done per user (rather than per RU).

[0056] For conventional operation of a stream parser, the stream parser may divide the bits at the output of the FEC encoder into N CBPSS N SS block (or in the case of multi-user transmission, each station N CBPSS,u N SS,u This operation is achieved by allocating s bits to each spatial stream in a round-robin manner, where The input to the stream parser is N CBPS,u Bit b : The output is N CBPSS,u N SS,u Block. Blocki SS bit k and input bit b : is the same, where i is given by:

[0057]

[0058] and:

[0059]

[0060] S u =N SS,u s u

[0061] k=0,...,N CBPSS,u -1

[0062] i SS =1,...,N SS,u

[0063] i=0,...,N CBPS,u -1

[0064] For 802.11ax, N ES =1.

[0065] In the case where multiple RUs are assigned to a single site (such as site 122) consistent with the present disclosure, s u and S u Multiple values ​​of are possible (e.g., one for each RU). In such implementations, the operation of the stream parser can be summarized as follows:

[0066]

[0067] Where M = the number of RUs allocated to site u; And S u,r =N SS, u s u,r .

[0068] If all RUs assigned to a single site use the same modulation, the above calculations reduce to the same case as 802.11ax. In these and other cases, each bit allocation may follow a similar or equivalent round-robin allocation to the individual streams.

[0069] The segment parser may operate only for 160 MHz and 80+80 MHz transmissions with 2×996 tone RUs, or in other words, when a full 160 MHz bandwidth transmission is assigned to a single site. By design, multiple RUs cannot be assigned to the same site in this case. Thus, the segment parser may be bypassed (e.g., the output of the segment parser may be set as the input of the segment parser) whenever multiple RUs are assigned to a single site.

[0070] When BCC interleaving is performed with a one-to-one mapping of sites to RUs, the bits are in N CBPSS,u Block interleaving. In the case where multiple RUs are assigned to a single site, N CBPSS,u The block of bits consists of N CBPSS ,u ,rEach of these sub-blocks may be interleaved individually.

[0071] When performing constellation mapping, N CBPSS ,u ,r Each block can be mapped to a BPS CS,u ,r A group of N bits SD ,r ,u Constellation points. Even if different RUs are assigned to the same site, the constellation mapper can map each RU separately to produce the correct constellation points. Different RUs can utilize different modulations even if they are assigned to the same site.

[0072] When low-density parity check (LDPC) tone mapping is performed, the tone indices are rearranged in the form of block interleaving. The parameters of the block interleaver depend on the number of data tones (N) in the RU. SD ). In the case where multiple RUs are assigned to a single site, each RU is tone mapped separately using interleaver parameters corresponding to the size of the RU under consideration. In some implementations, LDPC tone mapping is performed in the bit field. In this case, LDPC tone mapping for each RU can be performed in the bit field.

[0073] Various other operations may have been performed separately on each tone / spatial stream and thus may generally remain unchanged. For example, space time block coding (STBC) is performed separately on each tone and spatial stream and thus operates independently of the site to which the RU is assigned. As another example, pilot insertion is performed per RU and thus operates independently of the site to which the RU is assigned. As yet another example, spatial mapping is performed per tone and thus operates independently of the site to which the RU is assigned.

[0074] In some implementations, site 122 may include programming and / or hardware capable of combining data received in duplicate form across multiple RUs and / or radio bands. For example, site 122 may be configured to combine multiple different instances of data sent in duplicate form before equalizing the data and / or demodulating the data at the log likelihood ratio (LLR) level. In addition or alternatively, when transmitting across multiple radio bands, the site may be configured to demodulate data across multiple radio bands in a synchronized manner, and concatenate the duplicate data after a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the data and store the data in a common buffer or other storage area. During HE-LTF, site 122 may determine channels for all subcarriers that fall within the RU assigned to site 122. When identifying channels for all subcarriers during HE-LTF, site 122 may utilize multiple or even all pilot carriers present in the signal. This may also include pilot carriers assigned to RUs other than those assigned to site 122.

[0075] In some implementations, the station 122 may process the preamble of the packet containing the data in the form of a copy, such as by analyzing the SIG field of the packet, to identify which RUs are assigned to the station 122. In the 802.11ax wireless standard, since only a single RU is assigned to a station, the station stops processing the field once the first instance of its identifier is found. However, according to the present disclosure, since multiple RUs may be assigned to a station, the station 122 may continue to analyze the entire RU allocation group so that the station 122 knows all RUs assigned to the station 122.

[0076] When site 122 performs time domain and / or MIMO processing, performing equalization may include an FFT output that facilitates equalization of all tones falling into the RU assigned to site 122. Common phase error (CPE) correction may be based on all available pilot tones. The segment parser is used for 160MHz or 80+80MHz transmissions with 2×996 tone RUs, or in other words, when the full 160Mhz bandwidth is allocated to a single site. By design, for this case, multiple RUs cannot be allocated to the same site. Thus, whenever multiple RUs are allocated to a single site (such as to site 122), the segment parser can be bypassed (e.g., by setting the output of the segment parser as an input). FEC decoding may perform decoding using parameters assigned on a per-RU basis rather than just on a per-site basis as described above with reference to access point 110. The descrambler may perform the inverse operation of the scrambler at access point 110 using a seed extracted from the "service" field. Other receive functions may include tracking, which may be performed based on pilot phase values ​​calculated over all available pilot tones, and FEQ updates, which may be performed for all tones falling within a RU assigned to site 122 .

[0077] In some implementations, station 122 may or may not have multiple antennas. For example, even with a single antenna, station 122 may be able to gain the benefit of multiple RUs assigned to station 122. In these implementations, multiple RUs may arrive at different times or at different frequencies (e.g., according to OFDMA frames as specified by access point 110) and may be demodulated and combined by station 122 as received by a single antenna.

[0078] By providing data in duplicate across multiple RUs and / or across multiple radio bands, the power spectral density (PSD) is not increased because the same transmit power can be used across the same frequencies while still improving the SNR. The duplication of data may allow the use of certain analog components, such as a power amplifier (PA) and / or a low noise amplifier (LNA), at the access point 110 or site 122 when compared to increasing the overall transmit power rather than transmitting the same data in duplicate. Such components may be present in older equipment and may not be consistent with other potential methods of increasing robustness, range, and / or reliability, while in some implementations, the present disclosure may still accommodate such components. For example, by increasing the overall transmit power, analog components (e.g., PA and / or LNA) may have more stringent manufacturing and operating requirements with which some legacy equipment may or may not be compatible.

[0079] In some implementations, when data is sent in duplicate form, the access point 110 may include a duplicate indicator in a packet containing data transmitted in duplicate form, or the duplicate indicator may be included in other signaling to the site 122. For example, one of the SIG fields in the packet header may include an indication that the user data of the packet is part of a transmission that includes data in duplicate form. The indication may identify which frequency ranges, RUs, etc. are carrying data in duplicate form. In addition or alternatively, the indication may indicate the order of transmission in duplicate form. In some implementations, the frequency band used to transmit data in duplicate form may be fixed or pre-configured at one or both of the access point 110 and the site 122, so that the indication that the data is transmitted in duplicate form and / or the order of the duplicate data may be sufficient to demodulate and combine the data with confidence. In some implementations, the duplicate indicator may indicate that the site 122 will receive the data in duplicate form until otherwise notified. For example, access point 110 may determine that a high attenuation condition may not resolve within a threshold time and may therefore decide to transmit the data in duplicate for a certain period of time and / or indefinitely, and the duplicate indicator may communicate this decision.

[0080] In some implementations, when specifying RUs to stations (e.g., via a message, packet, or setting between the MAC layer and the PHY layer when constructing an OFDMA frame), the AP 110 may include one or more settings that specify how many RUs are allocated in the available bandwidth, the starting position of the RUs within the bandwidth (such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some cases, the coding rate may be consistent across all data transmitted to a site.

[0081] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to environment 100a without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the designation of the various elements in the described manner is intended to help explain the concepts described herein and is not intended to be limiting. In addition, environment 100a may include any number of other elements or may be implemented in other systems or environments other than those described. For example, any number of APs 110 and / or sites 120 may be included. Although a mathematical method for determining and combining correlations between antennas is shown, a person of ordinary skill in the art may implement any such mathematical method as disclosed herein.

[0082] Additionally, these teachings are applicable to any type of wireless communication system or other digital communication system. For example, although stations and access points are described for one case of wireless communication, the teachings regarding increased range, robustness, and / or reliability by sending data in duplicate are also applicable to other wireless communications, such as Bluetooth low energy, Thread, mmWave, etc.

[0083] Figure 2 An exemplary resource unit (RU) group 200 is shown according to one or more specific implementations of the present disclosure, wherein multiple RUs are assigned to the same site. The RU group 200 may include an exemplary range 210 of 80MHz bandwidth, such as the bandwidth covered in a basic service set (BSS). As shown, rows 211-216 respectively show the number of potential RUs when using RUs of 26 tones, 52 tones, 106 tones, 242 tones, 484 tones, and 996 tones.

[0084] When generating a multiplex frame and assigning certain RUs to a given station, the access point may assign multiple RUs to a given station. Using the example of two stations, the station may assign four 106-tone RUs 220a (such as RU 220a, RU 220b, RU 220c, and RU 220d) to the first station, and may assign 242-tone RUs 221a and RU 221b to the second station. Using multiple RUs for the first station, the same approximately 8 MHz bandwidth value of data may be transmitted in the 106-tone RU 220a (as an example) and also transmitted three additional times in the other three 106-tone RUs 220b-220d (as three additional examples of data). Using multiple RUs for the second station, the same approximately 20 MHz bandwidth value of data may be transmitted in the 242-tone RU 221a (as an example of data) and also transmitted once in the 242-tone RU 221b (as an additional example of data). In both examples, the first site will have a higher SNR than the second site, and both will have a higher SNR than a site with a single RU allocated. In addition, the second site will enjoy a higher data rate than the first site, despite having the same system bandwidth allocated to both sites.

[0085] It should be understood that when allocating RUs to sites, any size RU can be used, and different sites can use different sized RU tones to submit data. For example, the access point can allocate a first site RU of size 26 tones (corresponding to a bandwidth of 2 MHz) as the data size.

[0086] In some implementations, the index representing range 210 shown above row 211 can be used to identify where certain RUs begin. For example, RU 220a can be designated as starting at index 0, RU 220b can be designated as starting at index 19, RRU 220c can be designated as starting at index 24, and RU 220d can be designated as starting at index 28. In some implementations, the size of the RU can be identified by indicating the row to which the RU belongs in rows 211-216.

[0087] Figure 3 Another exemplary RU group 300 is shown in accordance with one or more implementations of the present disclosure, in which certain frequency ranges are designated to be avoided. Figure 2 The RU groups shown are similar or comparable, including an 80 MHz range 310 and rows 311-316 corresponding to 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, 242-tone RU, 484-tone RU, and 996-tone RU, respectively.

[0088] In some implementations, a frequency group 330, which may or may not correspond to one or more RUs, may be designated as being avoided. By designating the frequency group 330 as being avoided, a station may be able to allocate RUs around the avoided frequencies while still allocating the remaining RUs to the station, so that more bandwidth of the range 310 can be used.

[0089] In some implementations, the frequency group 330 may be identified as being avoided based on any of a variety of reasons. For example, an access point may monitor interference, and if interference is repeatedly experienced within a certain frequency range, the RUs corresponding to that frequency range may be designated as being avoided. As another example, if delivery failures frequently occur within a certain frequency range, the RUs corresponding to that frequency range may be designated as being avoided. As another example, historical readings or transmission success rates, information from other devices, etc. may cause the frequency group 330 to be designated as being avoided.

[0090] In some implementations, rather than designating the frequency group 330 as to be avoided, the corresponding RUs can be designated as permanent or reserved low rate / low latency channels (e.g., occupying the 52-tone RU and 26-tone RU starting at indexes 21 and 23, respectively), while using the remainder of the range 310 for all other communications.

[0091] In some implementations, rather than assigning RU 320a, RU 320b, RU 320c, and RU 320d to different sites, they may all be assigned to a single site, and the data sent therein may or may not be sent in duplicate. For example, during typical operation according to wireless standard 802.11ax, if the frequency group 330 is avoided during the allocation of RUs by the access point, the largest portion of the bandwidth may be allocated to a single site by RU 320a. However, by assigning multiple RUs to a single site, additional bandwidth of RU 320b, RU 320c, and RU 320d may be provided to the single site. Such an approach may allow for an increase in the bandwidth available to a single site when problem frequency ranges (or permanently low-rate / low-latency channels) are avoided.

[0092] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4CExemplary views 400a, 400b, and 400c of data sent in duplicate form while subject to a power per unit frequency constraint 430 according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure are shown. For example, an access point may transmit original data 410 to a site that is experiencing high attenuation, and the access point may be subject to a power spectral density (PSD) constraint. The original data 410 may contain enough data to span a frequency range 450 and / or the frequency range 450 may be assigned to the original data 410 by the access point. When subject to constraint 430, the access point may be prevented from increasing the transmission strength of the original data 410 even with additional transmission power or by switching to a lower frequency range (e.g., moving down from 40 MHz to 20 MHz). To increase the SNR at the receiving station, the access point may transmit the original data 410 as duplicate instances 421, 422, and / or 423 of the data in different frequency ranges, thereby complying with constraint 430 while still increasing the SNR.

[0093] For example, in view 400a, the original data 410a may occupy 40 MHz of bandwidth and may also be transmitted as duplicate instances 421a, 422a, and 423a in three additional 40 MHz bandwidth bands, thereby dedicating the entire 160 MHz bandwidth to the site with the data sent in four different instances, thereby providing a corresponding gain in SNR.

[0094] In view 400b, the original data 410b may occupy the same 40 MHz bandwidth and may also be sent in two additional 40 MHz bandwidths as duplicate instances 421b and 423b. Figure 4B As shown, the transmission may avoid a frequency range within the 40 MHz frequency range that may be used for other transmissions, may be designated to be avoided, or may otherwise not be used. In some implementations, the frequency ranges of the original data 410 b and the duplicate instances 421 b and 423 b may be non-contiguous, such that the frequency ranges of one instance of the data and another instance of the data are interrupted. In the implementation shown in view 400 b, a non-contiguous bandwidth of 120 MHz is designated to the site with data sent in three different instances.

[0095] In view 400c, original data 410c may occupy the same 40 MHz bandwidth as frequency range 450, and may also be transmitted in two additional 40 MHz bandwidth frequency bands as duplicate instances 421c and 422c. Figure 4C As shown, transmissions may avoid a frequency range within a 40 MHz frequency range that may be used for other transmissions, may be designated to be avoided, or may otherwise not be used. In the specific implementation shown in view 400c, a bandwidth of 120 MHz is designated to the station with data sent in three different instances.

[0096] Figure 5 A flow chart of an exemplary method 500 for transmitting data in a replica form according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure is shown.

[0097] At block 510, an initial communication may be sent to a client device at a given transmission power. For example, the initial communication may be transmitted according to a constraint on power spectral density.

[0098] At block 520, client devices that may desire communications with increased communication strength may be identified. For example, the client device may be located at the periphery of the range of the transmitting device, may have thick walls in the transmission path, or may otherwise experience high attenuation. As another example, indicators of such conditions may be observed, such as frequently dropped packets, repeated requests for connection, and trouble establishing or maintaining a connection.

[0099] At block 530, a plurality of resource units may be selected for use in communication. For example, when generating an OFDMA frame or otherwise allocating RUs, the transmitting device may select a plurality of RUs for the client device identified in block 520. In these and other implementations, the RUs may include the same or different numbers of tones, may be contiguous or discontinuous portions of the bandwidth, and so forth.

[0100] At box 540, a second radio band may be selected for communication. For example, the RU selected at box 530 may be associated with one radio band (e.g., 5 GHz), and a second radio band (e.g., 2.4 GHz) may be selected as another way to provide an additional instance of the data to the client device in a copy. In some cases, the transmission device may perform such selection based on previous communications with the client device that indicate the ability to communicate in both radio bands and / or to communicate on a higher radio band. For example, if communicating on 6 GHz, the transmission device may assume that the client device is also capable of communicating on 5 GHz and / or 2.4 GHz.

[0101] At block 550, a duplicate indicator may be added to the packet for transmission to the client device, wherein the duplicate indicator may indicate that the packet includes data communicated in duplicate form. For example, the duplicate indicator may be one or more bits set in a header field (such as a SIG field) that the data is part of a duplicate transmission. In some implementations, the duplicate indicator may indicate which RUs and / or frequency ranges are part of the duplicate transmission, the order of the duplicates, the starting index of the RU carrying the data in duplicate form, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the duplicate indicator may indicate that the client device will receive the data in duplicate form until otherwise notified.

[0102] At block 560, the data may be transmitted in duplicate via each of the plurality of RUs and / or radio bands such that the plurality of individual instances of the duplicate data may be combined by the client device into a single instance of the data. For example, if the client device is allocated two RUs, one RU having 106 tones and one RU having 242 tones, the transmitting device may send three instances of the data in duplicate, one in the 106-tone RU and two in the 242-tone RU. As another example, the transmitting device may transmit the data using the same two RUs (the 106-tone RU and the 242-tone RU), where both RUs may be in the 5 GHz radio band, and the data may also be transmitted in duplicate in the 2.4 GHz radio band.

[0103] Figure 6 A flow chart of an exemplary method 600 of designating certain resource units to be avoided is shown according to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

[0104] At block 610, a notification may be obtained regarding one or more frequency ranges in the available frequency spectrum corresponding to a resource unit (RU) group to be avoided. For example, the access point may monitor whether there is severe interference blocking a given frequency corresponding to the RU group and designate those RUs to be avoided. As another example, the access point may receive notification from a site, another access point (such as in a mesh network), an administrator, etc. that the RU group is to be avoided.

[0105] At block 620, RUs may be allocated to a group of client devices, where the RUs cover available frequencies in the spectrum while excluding a group of RUs to be avoided. For example, an access point may allocate RUs in an OFDMA frame that includes some or all RUs other than the RUs to be avoided. Such RU allocation may or may not include allocating multiple RUs to a single site.

[0106] At box 630, the RU to be avoided may be designated as a low throughput, high reliability range, and multiple RUs within the RU group to be avoided may be assigned to a single client device. For example, in some specific implementations, the designation of "to be avoided" may be a designation of avoidance for typical communications (e.g., when allocating RUs in an OFDMA frame, the RU group is to be avoided for typical sites). In such specific implementations, the RU group may be reserved for specific communications, such as permanent or reserved low throughput, high reliability channels. Unless there is a site that will benefit from the use of a low throughput, high reliability channel, such channels may be reserved and not used. For example, unless it is determined that the client device is experiencing high attenuation, is at the edge of the access point range, etc., the access point may avoid the RU when allocating the RU, so even if the data rate is reduced, it will benefit from the enhanced SNR. After identifying such a client device, the access point may allocate the RU within the RU range "to be avoided" to the client device when communicating with the client device to increase robustness, reliability and / or range.

[0107] At block 640, the avoided RUs may be designated as unavailable, and multiple RUs may be allocated to a single client device outside the range of the avoided RUs. For example, the avoided RU group may correspond to high interference, so the access point may allocate RUs to sites outside the range of the unavailable RUs. In these and other specific implementations, the access point may allocate multiple RUs to a single client device outside the range of the avoided RUs because they have been designated as unavailable.

[0108] In some implementations, the designation of an unavailable channel or a reserved channel can occur as part of the notification acquisition of block 610 .

[0109] Figure 7 A flow chart of an exemplary method 700 of identifying resource units to avoid according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure is shown.

[0110] At block 710, various frequencies may be monitored for interference. For example, a transmission device such as an access point may periodically listen for interference across a range of frequencies. In some cases, the access point may store a history of which frequencies have interference, the magnitude of the interference, etc. In some embodiments, messages may be received from other devices regarding the interference experienced. For example, stations communicating with the access point may periodically identify frequencies on which they have observed interference.

[0111] At block 720, it may be determined whether the interference of one or more ranges of various frequencies is above a first threshold. For example, a given frequency range covering a group of RUs may experience extremely high interference, and the interference may be compared to a first threshold interference level. If the interference of one or more frequencies is above the first threshold, the method 700 may proceed to block 730. If the interference of one or more frequencies is not above the first threshold, the method 700 may return to block 710 to continue monitoring interference.

[0112] At block 730, one or more frequency ranges having interference exceeding a first threshold may be designated as being avoided. For example, one or more frequency ranges may be designated as being avoided and unavailable due to high interference. In these and other implementations, the access point may designate certain RUs (such as those covered by one or more frequency ranges) as being avoided in the same manner that one or more frequency ranges are designated as being avoided.

[0113] At block 740, the frequencies designated as to be avoided may be periodically monitored. Such periodic monitoring may be regular monitoring, or may be intermittent monitoring due to a triggering event or any other reason. For example, the frequencies to be avoided may be monitored for interference every few hours, once a day, etc.

[0114] At block 750, it may be determined whether the interference in the one or more frequencies designated to be avoided is below a second threshold. If the interference is below the second threshold, the method 700 may proceed to block 760. If the interference is not below the second threshold, the method 700 may return to block 710 to continue monitoring interference at various frequencies. In some implementations, after at least one frequency range has been designated to be avoided, blocks 740 and / or 750 may be repeated after block 710.

[0115] At block 760, based on the interference being below a second threshold for one or more frequencies to be avoided, the designation to be avoided may be removed. For example, after removing the designation to be avoided, an access point that has avoided certain RUs may begin allocating RUs corresponding to one or more frequencies.

[0116] Figure 8 A flow chart of an exemplary method 800 for receiving data in a replica according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure is shown.

[0117] At block 810, data may be received at a client device from a transmission device in a replica form via at least two resource units (RUs). For example, the station may receive replica instances of data in at least two RUs, where the replica data is sent as at least one separate instance in each RU. In some implementations, data may be received in a replica form over multiple radio bands in addition to or in lieu of receiving data in multiple RUs.

[0118] At block 820, each individual instance of the data received in duplicate may be demodulated. For example, signals received via one or more antennas of the client device may be separated into their component parts by known processing techniques. For example, the client device may demodulate symbols of the plurality of RUs from an OFDMA transmission assigned to the client device. Additionally or alternatively, other signal processing or interpretation may be performed as part of block 820 when extracting the individual instances of the data in the plurality of RUs.

[0119] At block 830, each individual instance of the data may be stored in a common buffer or other storage area. For example, the individual instances may be stored in a manner in which they may be processed for combination.

[0120] At block 840, multiple individual instances of data received in duplicate may be combined into a single combined instance of the data. For example, the individual instances may be aligned (e.g., so that the phases match) and coherently added. Combining the individual instances may yield a 10*log 10 (N) Gain, where N is the number of copies of the data received in duplicate.

[0121] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, for these and other processes and methods disclosed herein, the functions performed in the processes and methods may be implemented in different orders, simultaneously, etc. In addition, the outlined steps and operations are provided only as examples, and some of the steps and operations may be optional, combined into fewer steps and operations, or expanded into additional steps and operations without departing from the essence of the specific implementations disclosed herein.

[0122] The subject technology of the present invention is shown, for example, according to various aspects described below. For convenience, various examples of various aspects of the subject technology are described as numbered embodiments (1, 2, 3, etc.). These are provided as examples and do not limit the subject technology. Unless otherwise specified in the context, various aspects of various specific implementations described herein may be omitted, replaced by various aspects of other specific implementations, or combined with various aspects of other specific implementations. For example, one or more aspects of the following embodiment 1 may be omitted, replaced by one or more aspects of another embodiment (e.g., embodiment 2) or multiple embodiments, or combined with various aspects of another embodiment. The following is a non-limiting overview of some exemplary specific implementations presented herein.

[0123] Embodiment 1 A method includes: selecting at least two resource units for use in communicating with a single client device; and transmitting data in a copy to the client device via each of the at least two resource units, so that the client device can combine the data from each of the at least two resource units into a single instance of the data.

[0124] Embodiment 2 Another method includes: obtaining notification of one or more frequency ranges in an available frequency spectrum corresponding to a resource unit group to be avoided; and allocating resource units to a client device group covering the available frequencies while excluding the resource unit group to be avoided.

[0125] Embodiment 3 An exemplary client device includes one or more processors, and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the client device to perform operations. These operations may include: receiving data in the form of copies from a transmission device via at least two resource units; and demodulating each individual instance of the data in the form of copies. The operations may also include storing each of the individual instances of the data received in the form of copies in a common buffer. The operations may further include combining the individual instances of the data received in the form of copies into a combined instance of the data, the combined instance of the data having a higher reception strength than the individual instances of the data.

[0126] Fig. 9 A block diagram of an exemplary computing system 2002 that can be used to perform or direct the performance of one or more operations described in accordance with at least one specific implementation of the present disclosure is shown. The computing system 2002 may include a processor 2050, a memory 2052, and a data storage device 2054. The processor 2050, the memory 2052, and the data storage device 2054 may be communicatively coupled.

[0127] In general, the processor 2050 may include any suitable special or general-purpose computer, computing entity, or processing device including various computer hardware or software modules, and may be configured to execute instructions stored on any applicable computer-readable storage medium. For example, the processor 2050 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other digital or analog circuit configured to interpret and / or execute computer-executable instructions and / or process data. Although shown as a single processor, the processor 2050 may include any number of processors configured to individually or collectively perform or direct the performance of any number of operations described in the present disclosure.

[0128] In some implementations, the processor 2050 can be configured to interpret and / or execute computer-executable instructions and / or process data stored in the memory 2052, the data storage device 2054, or the memory 2052 and the data storage device 2054. In some implementations, the processor 2050 can retrieve the computer-executable instructions from the data storage device 2054 and load the computer-executable instructions into the memory 2052. After loading the computer-executable instructions into the memory 2052, the processor 2050 can execute the computer-executable instructions.

[0129] The memory 2052 and the data storage device 2054 may include a computer-readable storage medium for carrying or having a computer-executable instruction or data structure stored thereon. Such computer-readable storage media may include any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer (such as the processor 2050). By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include a tangible or non-transient computer-readable storage medium, including a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage device, a magnetic disk storage device or other magnetic storage device, a flash memory device (e.g., a solid-state memory device), or any other storage medium that can be used to carry or store a specific program code in the form of a computer-executable instruction or data structure and can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. The above combination may also be included in the scope of the computer-readable storage medium. Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data configured to cause the processor 2050 to perform a certain operation or a set of operations.

[0130] Some parts of the specific implementation refer to different modules configured to perform operations. One or more modules in the module may include codes and routines configured to enable a computing system to perform one or more operations described therewith. In addition or alternatively, one or more modules in the module may be implemented using hardware, which includes any number of processors, microprocessors (e.g., to perform or control the execution of one or more operations), DSPs, FPGAs, ASICs, or any suitable combination of two or more of them. Alternatively or in addition, one or more modules in the module may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In the present disclosure, the operations described as being performed by a particular module may include operations that a particular module may indicate a corresponding system (e.g., a corresponding computing system) to perform. In addition, the depiction between different modules is for the convenience of explaining the concepts described in the present disclosure, and is not restrictive. In addition, one or more modules in the module may be configured to perform more, less, and / or different operations than those described, so that the module can be combined or depicted in the different ways described.

[0131] Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations within a computer. These algorithmic descriptions and symbolic representations are a means for those skilled in the art of data processing to convey the essence of their innovations to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is a sequence of configured operations that produce a desired end state or result. In an exemplary implementation, the operations performed require a tangible number of physical manipulations to achieve a tangible result.

[0132] Unless otherwise specifically stated, it will be apparent from the discussion that it should be understood that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as detecting, determining, analyzing, identifying, scanning, etc., may include actions and processes of a computer system or other information processing device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system's memories or registers or other information storage, transmission, or display devices.

[0133] Example implementations may also involve an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the desired purpose, or it may include one or more general-purpose computers selectively activated or reconfigured by one or more computer programs. Such computer programs may be stored in a computer-readable medium, such as a computer-readable storage medium or a computer-readable signal medium. Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data that cause a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or a special-purpose processing device (e.g., one or more processors) to perform or control the performance of certain functions or groups of functions.

[0134] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it should be understood that the subject matter configured in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claims.

[0135] An exemplary device may include a wireless access point (WAP) or site and incorporate a VLSI processor and program code for support. An example transceiver is coupled to one of a cable, optical fiber, or digital subscriber backbone connection to the Internet via an integrated modem to support wireless communications on a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as IEEE 802.11 compatible communications. The WiFi stage includes a baseband stage, as well as an analog front end (AFE) and a radio frequency (RF) stage. In the baseband portion, wireless communications transmitted to or received from each user / client / site are processed. The AFE and RF portions process the up-conversion on each transmit path of the wireless transmission initiated in the baseband. The RF portion also processes the down-conversion of signals received on the receive path and passes them to the baseband for further processing.

[0136] An exemplary device may be a MIMO device that supports up to NxN discrete communication streams through N antennas. In an example, the MIMO device signal processing unit may be implemented as N×N. In various implementations, the value of N may be 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, etc. Extended MIMO operation enables the use of up to 2N antennas to communicate with another similarly equipped wireless system. It should be noted that an extended MIMO system can communicate with other wireless systems even if the systems do not have the same number of antennas, but some antennas of one of the stations may not be utilized, thereby reducing optimal performance.

[0137] Channel state information (CSI) from any device described herein can be extracted independently of changes associated with channel state parameters and used for spatial diagnostic services of the network, such as motion detection, proximity detection, and positioning, which can be used for example for WLAN diagnostics, home security, healthcare monitoring, smart home facility control, elderly care, car tracking and monitoring, home or mobile entertainment, car infotainment, etc.

[0138] Unless the specific arrangements described herein are mutually exclusive, the various implementations described herein may be combined in whole or in part to enhance system functionality and / or produce complementary functions. Likewise, various aspects of a specific implementation may be implemented by independent arrangements. Therefore, the above description has been given by way of example only and may be modified in detail within the scope of the present invention.

[0139] With respect to the use of substantially any plural or singular terminology herein, one skilled in the art may convert from the plural to the singular or from the singular to the plural as applicable to the context or application. For clarity, various singular / plural arrangements may be expressly set forth herein. Unless otherwise specified, reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one," but rather "one or more." Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public, regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description.

[0140] Generally speaking, the terms used herein, especially in the appended claims (e.g., the bodies of the appended claims), are generally intended to be "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least", the term "includes" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to", etc.). In addition, in those cases where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally speaking, the meaning of such construction is the convention that should be understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" will include but is not limited to a system including A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc.). In addition, phrases presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to include one of the terms, any of the terms, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0141] In addition, the use of the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. is not necessarily used herein to imply a specific order or quantity of elements. Generally speaking, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used to distinguish different elements as universal identifiers. If it is not indicated that the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. imply a specific order, these terms should not be understood to imply a specific order. In addition, if it is indicated that the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. imply a specific number of elements, these terms should not be understood to imply a specific number of elements.

[0142] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. The specific implementation is considered to be exemplary and non-restrictive in all respects. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims are included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for a transmission device in a multi-link network, the method comprising: selecting at least two resource units for communicating with a single client device; transmitting data in a duplicate form to the client device via each of the at least two resource units, so that the client device can combine the data from each of the at least two resource units into a single instance of the data; as well as Based on interactions with the single client device, the number of resource units allocated to the single client device is increased beyond the at least two resource units, wherein the interactions with the single client device include exceeding a threshold number of dropped packets. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two resource units are associated with non-contiguous frequency ranges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two resource units are in a first radio frequency band, The method according to claim 1 further comprises: selecting a second radio frequency band for transmitting the data in a duplicate form on the second radio frequency band; as well as The data is transmitted in duplicate on the first radio frequency band and the second radio frequency band. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first radio frequency band and the second radio frequency band are selected from the group consisting of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a copy indicator to a packet being transmitted with the data, the copy indicator indicating to the client device that the packet is carrying the data being transmitted to the client device in a copy. 6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising complying with a transmission power constraint per unit frequency for the transmission of each of the at least two resource units.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two resource units are part of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) frame.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning a target gain amount based on previous communications with the single client device.

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