Multi-STA communication method and device and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-STA communication method, a multi-STA communication device and electronic equipment. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring the current communication condition of each STA in a plurality of STAs under an access point (AP); scanning channels included in a current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain a plurality of target channels for allocation; grouping the plurality of STAs based on the current communication condition of each STA and the channel capacity of the plurality of target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels; grouping the antennas under the AP to obtain a target number of antenna groups; and deploying the target number of antenna groups to the target number of target channels, and respectively communicating with the corresponding STA groups. According to the method and the device, the technical problem of relatively long time delay caused by queuing of a large number of STAs in a multi-STA communication scene is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a multi-STA communication method, device and electronic equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the related technology, in a multi-STA scenario, when a predetermined frequency band is used for communication, when a channel in the predetermined frequency band is detected to be idle, the idle channel is used for communication, but the channel capacity of the idle channel is limited. Therefore, in a multi-STA scenario, a large number of STAs will queue up, resulting in a long delay.

[0003] To address the above-mentioned problems, no effective solution has been proposed yet. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-STA communication method, device and electronic device to at least solve the technical problem that a large number of STAs are queued in a multi-STA communication scenario, resulting in a long delay.

[0005] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-STA communication method is provided, including: obtaining the current communication status of each STA among multiple station STAs under an access point AP; scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain multiple target channels for allocation; grouping the multiple STAs based on the current communication status of the individual STAs and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels; grouping the antennas under the AP to obtain the target number of antenna groups; deploying the target number of antenna groups on the target number of target channels to communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively.

[0006] Optionally, the current communication status is characterized by at least one of the following information: the number of multiple STAs, the traffic demand of each STA, and the delay of each STA.

[0007] Optionally, scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain multiple target channels for allocation includes: scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; and determining multiple target channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band.

[0008] Optionally, scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band includes: using a separate measurement antenna for signal measurement, and / or one or more antennas for communication to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located.

[0009] Optionally, determining a plurality of target channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band includes: determining a plurality of initial channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; and determining the plurality of target channels for allocation from the plurality of initial channels based on the channel utilization and channel capacity of the plurality of initial channels.

[0010] Optionally, determining multiple initial channels for allocation based on channel utilization of channels included in the current frequency band includes: determining channels whose channel utilization is lower than a predetermined channel utilization threshold as the multiple initial channels; and / or determining multiple channels with lower channel utilization among the channels included in the current frequency band as the multiple initial channels.

[0011] Optionally, the communication requirements of each group of STAs in the target number of STA groups are adapted to the channel capacity of corresponding channels of the target number of target channels.

[0012] Optionally, the multiple STAs are grouped based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels, including: when the current communication status is represented by at least two information, determining weights corresponding to at least two information respectively; based on the at least two information, the weights corresponding to the at least two information respectively, and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels, the multiple STAs are grouped to obtain the target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels.

[0013] Optionally, after the target number of STA groupings and the corresponding groupings of antenna groupings are allocated to the target number of target channels for communication, the method further includes: monitoring the communication status of each STA to obtain a monitoring result; and when the monitoring result indicates that the communication status of each STA has changed, optimizing the grouping of the multiple STAs and / or the antenna grouping of the AP.

[0014] Optionally, the optimization of the antenna grouping of the AP includes: detecting whether the negotiation rate of the target STA among the multiple STAs is less than the target required transmission rate; when the detection result is that the negotiation rate of the target STA is less than the target required transmission rate, adding an antenna to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located, to obtain an optimized antenna grouping.

[0015] Optionally, the optimizing the grouping of the multiple STAs includes: when the channel capacity of the channel where the target STA is located is limited, dividing the target STA into other groups whose channel capacity meets the requirements, so as to obtain optimized STA grouping.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a multi-STA communication device is provided, including: an acquisition module, used to acquire the current communication status of each STA in a plurality of station STAs under an access point AP; a scanning module, used to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located, and obtain a plurality of target channels for allocation; a first grouping module, used to group the plurality of STAs based on the current communication status of the respective STAs and the channel capacity of the plurality of target channels, and obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels; a second grouping module, used to group the antennas under the AP, and obtain the target number of antenna groups; a communication module, used to deploy the target number of antenna groups on the target number of target channels, and communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium includes a stored executable program, wherein when the executable program is running, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute any one of the multi-STA communication methods described above.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory storing an executable program; and a processor for running the program, wherein the program executes any one of the multi-STA communication methods described above when running.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, by scanning channels within a predetermined frequency band, channels with low channel utilization are obtained. After the multiple STAs are grouped according to the communication status of the multiple STAs and the channel capacity of the channels with low utilization, and the antennas under the AP are grouped accordingly, the antenna groups are deployed on the channels with low utilization to communicate with the corresponding STA groups. Since the multiple STAs are grouped according to the communication status and the channel capacity of the channel, and the STA groups are dispersed to different channels for communication, compared with the multi-STA scenario of the related technology, when an idle channel is detected, the STA is communicated with, resulting in multiple STAs queuing on the same channel, causing the STA delay to be extended, it can effectively avoid the queuing of multiple STAs, which reduces the STA delay on the one hand, and effectively improves the channel utilization on the other hand. Through the embodiment of the present invention, the technical problem of a large number of STAs queuing in the multi-STA communication scenario in the related technology, resulting in a long delay, is effectively solved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a scheme for adjusting the STA end antenna between different frequency bands in the related art;

[0022] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a multi-STA communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a multi-STA communication method according to an optional embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 is a structural block diagram of a multi-STA communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0027] First, some nouns or terms that appear in the description of the embodiments of the present application are subject to the following explanations:

[0028] WiFi7: The latest version of the IEEE 802.11 standard, its official name is IEEE 802.11be. Compared with the current latest WiFi 6 standard (IEEE 802.11ax), it provides higher data transmission rates, introduces more advanced spectrum utilization technology, and allows multi-link operation.

[0029] Frequency Band: "Different highways", frequency band refers to a specific frequency range of radio waves, which is allocated for wireless communications. Different wireless communication technologies use different frequency bands to avoid interference with each other. For example, there are two most common Wi-Fi frequency bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. These two frequency bands are like two different highways. The 2.4GHz band has a wider coverage and strong penetration ability, but it may be more crowded and susceptible to interference; the 5GHz band provides faster data transmission speeds and less interference, but has a relatively small coverage range and weaker wall penetration ability. In general, the 2.4GHz band is suitable for situations where a larger coverage range is required in a home environment, while the 5GHz band is more suitable for scenarios that require high-speed data transmission and less interference, such as online games, high-definition video streaming, etc.

[0030] Channel: "Lane on the highway", a channel is a further subdivision within a given frequency band. It is like a lane on the highway of the frequency band, used to send and receive wireless signals at a specific frequency. In order to prevent signals from different devices from interfering with each other, the frequency band is divided into multiple channels. Each channel represents a specific frequency range. For example: 2.4GHz band: usually contains 14 channels (such as 1-13, which varies according to regulations in different regions), but in practice only a few non-overlapping channels (usually 1, 6, and 11) can effectively avoid interference between adjacent networks. 5GHz band: provides more channel options, so channel overlap and interference problems are less likely to occur. The channel division of the 5GHz band varies depending on regional regulations, but generally provides far more channels than the 2.4GHz band and supports higher bandwidth modes, such as 80MHz or 160MHz.

[0031] Channel Bandwidth: "The vehicle traffic capacity on the lane", channel bandwidth refers to the frequency range in which the communication channel can effectively transmit signals, usually in Hertz (Hz). A wider bandwidth means that the channel can carry richer frequency components, which theoretically allows higher data transmission rates. Bandwidth limits the signal transmission capacity, just like the width of a road limits the vehicle traffic capacity. For example, channel bandwidths are 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz, and even 160MHz. A wider channel bandwidth can provide higher data transmission speeds, but there may also be more interference, resulting in a shorter transmission distance. In Wi-Fi communications, the bandwidth of each channel is 22MHz, but the actual effective bandwidth is 20MHz, of which 2MHz is an isolation band, which mainly plays a protective role.

[0032] Data Transfer Rate or Bit Rate, the transmission rate refers to the amount of information transmitted through the channel per unit time, usually measured in bits per second (bps), such as 2M refers to 2 megabits per second (2Mbit / s). It is related to the actual amount of data that can be transmitted and is a key indicator for evaluating the efficiency of a communication system. The transmission rate is mainly affected by the channel bandwidth and frequency. The larger the bandwidth, the higher the transmission rate. The higher the frequency, the higher the transmission rate. Choosing the right frequency band and channel is essential to building an efficient and stable wireless network. For example, when setting up a Wi-Fi network, it is very important to select the most appropriate frequency band and channel based on environmental interference, network requirements (such as speed, coverage), and device compatibility.

[0033] Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO): MIMO technology is a wireless communication technology that uses multiple antennas for data transmission and reception. In a traditional single-antenna system, there is only one antenna for data transmission and reception, while in a MIMO system, both the transmitter and the receiver are equipped with multiple antennas, which are independent of each other and can transmit and receive multiple data streams at the same time. The core of MIMO technology is to use multiple antennas for data transmission. At the transmitter, MIMO technology divides the data into multiple sub-streams and transmits them through different antennas. At the receiver, MIMO technology processes the received signal and uses channel state information to restore the original data. MIMO technology can increase the data transmission rate because MIMO technology can use multiple antennas at the same bandwidth and transmission power to transmit data at the same time at the transmitter and the receiver, and divide the data into multiple sub-streams for transmission, which can improve the data transmission rate, system reliability and throughput.

[0034] Access Point (AP): generally refers to a wireless access point, which is an access point of a wireless network, commonly known as a "hotspot". There are mainly integrated routing, switching and access devices and pure access point devices. The integrated device performs access and routing work, and the pure access device is only responsible for the access of wireless clients. Pure access devices are usually used as wireless network extensions, connecting to other APs or main APs to expand the wireless coverage, while the integrated device is generally the core of the wireless network. Most wireless APs support multi-user access, data encryption, multi-rate transmission and other functions, and some products provide complete wireless network management functions. For small-scale wireless LANs such as homes and offices, generally only one wireless AP is needed to achieve wireless access for all computers.

[0035] Station (STA for short): In a wireless local area network (WLAN) or other network environment, STA is usually used to represent wireless devices or terminal devices, such as laptops, smartphones, tablets and other terminal devices connected to a wireless network. In some wireless network scenarios, STA and AP are two common roles. STA represents the terminal device connected to the network, while AP is the basic device that provides wireless network connection. In a typical wireless LAN, multiple STAs can be connected to one or more APs, in this way to achieve communication between devices and access to the network. In short, STA represents a terminal device or station in the network, and together with AP, it constitutes a basic component of a wireless network.

[0036] Spatial Stream: A spatial stream refers to the simultaneous transmission of multiple independent data streams by using multiple antennas (for example, multiple antennas in MIMO technology). Each spatial stream can be regarded as an independent data channel, which utilizes multipath propagation and spatial diversity effects between multiple antennas to improve the overall throughput and performance of the system. By increasing the number of spatial streams, the capacity of the wireless channel can be increased and the data transmission speed can be increased. Each spatial stream is transmitted through a different transmitting antenna and can be independently decoded at the receiving end. Here, the transmitting end uses multiple antennas to send data, and the receiving end also uses multiple antennas to receive data. The number of spatial streams depends on the minimum number of antennas at the transmitting and receiving ends.

[0037] The negotiation rate refers to the connection speed between two network devices, which is determined based on the hardware specifications and connection methods of the two devices. It represents a "specification"; it is equivalent to determining a speed limit based on how many lanes a highway has, how wide it is, what roadbed it uses, whether it has turns, and whether it has undulations, but it does not represent the actual speed. Whether it is a wired connection or a wireless connection, the negotiation rate will take into account the network transmission specifications, connection methods, and connection media supported by the two devices, and determine the negotiation rate based on the principle of "higher is lower".

[0038] Multiple Resource Units (Multi-RU): is a wireless communication technology, especially used in LTE-Advanced and 5G NR (New Radio) standards to improve spectrum efficiency and data transmission rate. It allows multiple resource units to be allocated on different sub-bands to support higher data transmission rates and more flexible spectrum usage.

[0039] In the related technology, for WiFi7, a single frequency band supports up to 16*16 MIMO, but in reality, there are very few 16*16 MIMO products. The reason is that the STA side is basically 2*2 MIMO, and the 16*16 MIMO on the AP side is difficult to play its role. Because even if the 16*16 MIMO on the AP side increases the coverage range, the 2*2 MIMO transmission capability of the STA limits the effective communication range. For example, for a remote STA, it may be possible that the STA can receive the packet transmitted by the AP, but the AP cannot receive the packet transmitted by the STA, and thus effective communication cannot be established. That is, the single-band AP and STA antennas do not match, resulting in low communication efficiency.

[0040] In addition, in WiFi7, Multi-RU allows a single STA to occupy multiple RUs at the same time, and RUs of different sizes can be combined, which improves channel utilization efficiency and reduces user latency. However, in the case of multiple STAs, if each user has a relatively high data transmission demand, such as hundreds of mobile phones broadcasting live together, even if multiple RUs are allocated, the same channel still has bandwidth limitations, and the total number of RUs is certain, which will still cause a large number of STAs to queue, causing some users to have increased latency and reduced user experience. That is, the bandwidth limitation of the same channel causes increased latency.

[0041] To address the problem of mismatch between AP and STA antennas, relevant technologies have proposed an antenna adjustment solution for the STA end between different frequency bands, such as 2G and 5G. Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a scheme for adjusting the STA end antenna between different frequency bands in the related art, such as Figure 1As shown in the figure, when the STA has three antennas, in the default state, one is in the 2G band and two are in the 5G band; when the 2G band is in the transmission state, the AP sends a request to send indication (Request to Send, referred to as RTS) to inquire the STA how many antennas can be used for transmission; if the 5G band is in the monitoring state at this time, the STA replies to the AP that it can use the network selection signal (Network Selection Signal, referred to as NSS) = 2 for transmission; when the STA replies to the clear to send instruction (Clear to Send, referred to as CTS), the two antennas of the STA in the 5G band will be switched to one of the 2G bands, so that the STA is in the NSS = 2 state in the 2G band and receives the NSS = 2 packet sent by the AP; if the 5G band also has a transmission demand at this time, the antenna in the 2G band will be switched back to the 5G band, so that the STA is in the NSS = 2 state in the 5G band.

[0042] The advantage of the above scheme is that when the STA and AP communicate using only one frequency band and the other frequency band is in the monitoring state, the antenna corresponding to the frequency band in the monitoring state can be flexibly allocated to the frequency band in use. However, the disadvantages of this operation are: first, there are too few antennas corresponding to the frequency band in the monitoring state, and the packets sent by the AP in the frequency band may not be received; second, if you want to use multiple antennas to play the role of dual-frequency multi-link transmission, in fact, there are not many times when a single frequency band is in the monitoring state and the other frequency band is in the transmission state, that is, there are not many opportunities to adjust the STA antenna using the above scheme; or after the STA's antenna in the monitoring frequency band is switched to the transmission frequency band, before the transmission of this frequency band is completed, the other frequency band has already entered the transmission state, that is, adjusting the STA antenna according to the above scheme will affect the transmission performance of the STA in the other frequency band.

[0043] Therefore, although there are multi-frequency AP products and WiFi7 has also achieved multi-RU allocation, the 16*16 MIMO supported by the protocol and the effective use of bandwidth in each frequency band are still not fully utilized, resulting in great waste. For example, for 5G, even if 240M bandwidth can be used, for 5G dual-frequency products, the maximum that can be used is 160M of Band1+Band2 and 240M of Band3, resulting in a waste of 80M of Band4; for 6G products, we can use 3 320M bandwidth or 7 160M bandwidth channels, but in fact, for dual-frequency 6G, only 2 320M bandwidth channels can be used at most, resulting in a waste of other spectrum resources. Since most STAs only have two spatial streams, even if the AP spatial streams are continuously increased, the results will be minimal. In order to solve this technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-STA communication method.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a multi-STA communication method is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in an order different from that shown here.

[0045] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a multi-STA communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0046] Step S202, obtaining the current communication status of each STA among multiple stations STA under the access point AP.

[0047] As an optional embodiment, the execution subject of the multi-STA communication method may be an access point AP in a wireless network, wherein the AP may be a variety of types of devices, for example, the AP may be a router, a base station, a micro base station, etc., which accesses a core network.

[0048] As an optional embodiment, when obtaining the current communication status of each STA among multiple stations STA under the access point AP, multiple methods can be used. For example, the multiple STAs can be allowed to communicate with the AP for a period of time, and the current communication status of each STA can be determined based on the detection of the communication status of each STA during the period of time. For another example, each STA can also inform the AP of the communication status it has known, so that the AP can know the current communication status of each STA.

[0049] It should be noted that when describing the current communication status of each of the above-mentioned STAs, it can be characterized by a variety of information. For example, the current communication status can be characterized by at least one of the following information: the number of multiple STAs, the traffic demand of each STA, and the delay of each STA. Among them, the number of multiple STAs may refer to the number of STAs that need to be served under the AP, that is, the number of STAs that need to communicate with the AP. The traffic demand of each STA may refer to the amount of data that each STA needs to transmit. The delay of each STA may be the duration exceeded relative to the standard transmission duration.

[0050] In addition, it should be pointed out that, in general, when the current STA's delay is not long, the channel utilization is normal, and the number of multiple STAs is not large, multiple STAs and AP can perform normal data transmission. When the STA's delay, channel utilization, or the number of STAs exceeds the above normal communication (for example, the STA's delay exceeds the delay threshold, the channel utilization exceeds the channel utilization threshold, or the number of STAs exceeds the predetermined number threshold), the process of the above multi-STA communication method is triggered.

[0051] Step S204: Scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain a plurality of target channels for allocation.

[0052] As an optional embodiment, when scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located and obtaining the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band, multiple methods can be used. For example, one or more antennas with which the AP is currently communicating can be used to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located and obtain the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band. It is also possible to use a separate measurement antenna for signal measurement to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located. Compared with the method of scanning the channels using the antenna with which the AP is communicating, scanning the channels using the measurement antenna can effectively avoid data interruption caused by scanning using the antenna for normal communication, as the dedicated measurement antenna is generally not used for data transmission.

[0053] As an optional embodiment, when the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located are scanned to obtain multiple target channels for allocation, the method of determining the target channels is different according to different bases for determining the target channels. The following example is used for illustration. For example, when the basis for determining the target channels is channel utilization, the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located can be scanned first to obtain the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band, multiple target channels for allocation are determined. The multiple target channels for allocation are determined based on the basis of channel utilization. Since the channel utilization can more directly reflect the occupancy of the channel, compared with other bases, multiple target channels with more appropriate occupancy can be selected more directly. For another example, the basis for determining the target channels can also be the channel signal-to-noise ratio. When the basis for determining the target channels is the channel signal-to-noise ratio, the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located can be scanned first to obtain the signal-to-noise ratio of the channels included in the current frequency band; based on the signal-to-noise ratio of the channels included in the current frequency band, multiple target channels for allocation are determined. A channel with a high signal-to-noise ratio is selected as the multiple target channels. Of course, the above channel utilization rate and channel signal-to-noise ratio are only examples, and other bases that can be used to characterize the usage of the channel and facilitate subsequent channel selection are part of this application. In addition, the above basis for determining the target channel can be used alone to determine the above multiple target channels, or several bases can be combined to determine the above multiple target channels, and examples are not given one by one here.

[0054] As an optional embodiment, when determining multiple target channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band, multiple initial channels for allocation can be determined based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; then, multiple target channels for allocation can be determined from the multiple initial channels based on the channel utilization and channel capacity of the initial channels. In the above processing method, multiple initial channels for allocation are first determined based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band, and channels that meet the allocation requirements can be preliminarily selected from the channels included in the current frequency band. Then, multiple target channels for allocation can be determined from the multiple initial channels based on the channel utilization and channel capacity of the initial channels, and the channels preliminarily selected can be selected. Through the two-selection method, because not only the current channel utilization of the channel is considered, but also the maximum transmission amount that the channel can be used for transmission is considered, the factors considered are more comprehensive, which can make the selected multiple target channels more in line with actual needs, avoid subsequent frequent switching, and improve user experience.

[0055] As an optional embodiment, when determining the multiple initial channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band, multiple methods can also be used. For example, channels whose channel utilization is lower than a predetermined channel utilization threshold can be determined as multiple initial channels; for another example, multiple channels with lower channel utilization among the channels included in the current frequency band can be determined as multiple initial channels.

[0056] When determining that the channels whose channel utilization is lower than the predetermined channel utilization threshold are multiple initial channels, the predetermined channel utilization threshold can be determined based on the characteristics of each channel of the channel utilization, such as the general usage frequency of the channel. When the predetermined channel utilization threshold can be determined based on the characteristics, the predetermined channel utilization threshold can be a specific constant value or a variable value that changes flexibly according to demand. For example, when the channel utilization of a channel is 20% and the channel utilization threshold is 30%, the channel can be determined to be an initial channel.

[0057] When it is determined that multiple channels with low channel utilization rates among the channels included in the current frequency band are multiple initial channels, the channel utilization rates of the channels included in the current frequency band can be sorted in order from low to high. Since the channel utilization rates of the top channels are low, the top channels can be selected as the initial channels.

[0058] It should be noted that the above-mentioned method of determining multiple initial channels by using a channel utilization rate threshold and the method of selecting the initial channels by using a sorting method can both be directly used to determine the required multiple initial channels. Of course, the above-mentioned two methods can also be combined to determine the required multiple initial channels. For example, when the method of using only a channel utilization rate threshold is not sufficient to determine the required initial channels, the method of the channel utilization rate threshold and the sorting selection method can be combined to determine the required initial channel utilization.

[0059] Step S206: based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels, the multiple STAs are grouped to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels.

[0060] As an optional embodiment, when the target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels are obtained by grouping multiple STAs based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of multiple target channels, the communication requirements of each group of STAs in the target number of STA groups and the channel capacity of the corresponding channels of the target number of target channels are adapted. The adaptation of the communication requirements of each group of STAs in the target number of STA groups and the channel capacity of the corresponding channels of the target number of target channels can be that the greater the communication requirements of each group of STAs, the greater the channel capacity of the corresponding channel; or the ratio of the communication requirements of each group of STAs is adapted to the ratio of the channel capacity of the corresponding channel. For example, when multiple STAs are grouped, 3 STA groups are obtained, wherein the communication requirements (for example, traffic requirements) of the 3 STA groups are 20MB, 30MB and 50MB respectively, so the corresponding ratio is 2:3:5; the channel capacities of the corresponding channels are 20MB, 30MB and 50MB respectively, and the corresponding ratio is also 2:3:5. It should be noted that the above ratios may not be exactly the same. For example, the channel capacities of the corresponding channels are 25MB, 35MB and 55MB respectively, and the corresponding ratio may also be 5:7:11, that is, the channel capacity of the channel and the communication requirements of the above STA grouping may also be considered to be adapted.

[0061] As an optional embodiment, when a plurality of STAs are grouped based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels, the current communication status can be characterized by multiple information. When the current communication status is characterized by at least two information, the weights corresponding to the at least two information are determined; based on the at least two information, the weights corresponding to the at least two information, and the channel capacity of multiple target channels, a plurality of STAs are grouped to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels. When a plurality of STAs are grouped based on the information characterizing the current communication status and the weights corresponding to the information, in combination with the channel capacity of the corresponding channel, each piece of information can be considered differently, and by assigning different weights to each piece of information, multiple STAs can be grouped based on the importance of the considered information. For example, when the information used in the current communication status includes traffic demand, delay and the number of STAs, the importance of the delay and traffic demand is greater than the number of STAs, so the weights of the delay and traffic demand can be assigned larger, and the weight of the corresponding number of STAs can be assigned smaller.

[0062] Step S208: Group the antennas under the AP to obtain a target number of antenna groups.

[0063] As an optional embodiment, in this step, when the antennas under the AP are grouped to obtain the target number of antenna groups, it is relatively straightforward to use an antenna equalization method for the target number of antenna groups. For example, for an AP supporting 16*16 MIMO, when multiple STAs are divided into 3 groups, the corresponding antenna groups are 6-way, 5-way, and 5-way.

[0064] Step S210: deploy a target number of antenna groups to a target number of target channels, and communicate with corresponding STA groups respectively.

[0065] By deploying the target number of antenna groups on the target number of target channels, and communicating with the corresponding STA groups respectively, since the target number of antenna groups are deployed on the target number of target channels, and communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively, that is, multiple STAs are grouped according to the communication status and the channel capacity of the channel, and the STA groups are dispersed to different channels for communication, compared with the multi-STA scenario of the related technology, when an idle channel is detected, it communicates with the STA, resulting in multiple STAs queuing on the same channel, causing the STA delay to be extended, it can effectively avoid the queuing of multiple STAs, on the one hand, reducing the STA delay, and on the other hand, effectively improving the channel utilization. Through the embodiment of the present invention, the technical problem of a large number of STAs queuing in the multi-STA communication scenario in the related technology, resulting in a long delay, is effectively solved.

[0066] As an optional embodiment, after the target number of STA groups and the corresponding antenna groups are allocated to the target number of target channels for communication, the multiple STAs can also be monitored and continuously optimized adaptively. For example, the communication status of each STA is monitored to obtain the monitoring results; when the monitoring results indicate that the communication status of each STA has changed, the grouping of multiple STAs and / or the antenna grouping of the AP are optimized. Through continuous monitoring and optimization, the STAs under the AP can maintain low latency for a continuous period of time and achieve high channel utilization.

[0067] As an optional embodiment, when optimizing the antenna grouping of the AP, it is possible to first detect whether the negotiation rate of the target STA among multiple STAs is less than the target required transmission rate; when the detection result is that the negotiation rate of the target STA is less than the target required transmission rate, an antenna is added to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located, and an optimized antenna group is obtained. Among them, the target required transmission rate is determined according to the needs and environment of the target STA. When the negotiation rate of the target STA is less than the target required transmission rate, it may be that the target STA may be far away from the AP. Therefore, adding an antenna to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located can increase the strength of the signal transmitted by the AP to the target STA in the STA group, so that the target STA can communicate with the AP. After adding an antenna to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located, when the negotiation rate of the target STA is not less than the target required transmission rate, the delay of the target STA is still long. At this time, adding an antenna to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located can no longer reduce the delay. At this time, the reason for the delay may be limited channel capacity.

[0068] Therefore, as an optional embodiment, when optimizing the grouping of multiple STAs, when the channel capacity of the channel where the target STA is located is limited, the target STA can be divided into other groups whose channel capacity meets the requirements to obtain an optimized STA grouping. Through this processing, when the channel capacity of the channel where the target STA is located is limited, the STA grouping is optimized, and the latency of the target STA can be reduced in a targeted manner.

[0069] Through the above processing, it is effectively achieved that after the target number of antenna groups are deployed to the target number of target channels and communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively, when the communication status of the STA under the AP changes, the adaptation between multi-STA communication needs and multi-channels can be adaptively met based on the optimization of STA grouping and antenna grouping.

[0070] In combination with the above embodiments and optional embodiments, an optional implementation is provided. In this optional implementation, an AP-side multi-spatial stream multi-channel adaptive collaborative adjustment scheme is provided. The scheme in this optional implementation can adaptively adjust the spatial stream, channel and bandwidth enjoyed by a single STA according to the channel utilization rate and the actual needs of the user, so as to achieve full utilization of the spatial stream and spectrum and reduce the latency under multiple STA users. Figure 3 is a flowchart of a multi-STA communication method according to an optional embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the method includes the following processing.

[0071] S1, in the case of multiple users, it is detected that there are multiple STAs in the network, the channel utilization is high, and the STA delay increases, triggering this solution.

[0072] It should be noted that the multiple STAs, high channel utilization, and increased STA delay may exist simultaneously or may exist alone. That is, as long as there is a trend of increased STA delay, this solution can be triggered.

[0073] The channel utilization rate indicates that the more the channel is occupied, the higher the channel utilization rate is. High channel utilization rate may mean that the channel utilization rate is higher than a predetermined threshold. For example, if the current channel utilization rate of the AP is detected to be 60%, and the predetermined threshold is 80%, it indicates that the channel utilization rate is not high. If the current channel utilization rate of the AP is detected to be 90%, which exceeds the predetermined threshold of 80%, it indicates that the channel utilization rate is high.

[0074] STA latency may refer to the time period during which the AP does not communicate with the STA after establishing communication with the STA, which indicates the waiting time of the STA. An increase in STA latency indicates that the waiting time of the STA is getting longer and longer.

[0075] S2 uses a separate antenna to scan all channels of the current frequency band (such as 5G mentioned above) to evaluate the utilization of each channel.

[0076] It should be noted that the separate antenna used by the AP here can be a measurement antenna used for signal measurement alone, or it can be a service antenna used by the AP for data transmission. To avoid interruption of the services being transmitted, if the AP has a measurement antenna, the measurement antenna can be directly used to scan all channels in the current frequency band.

[0077] In the scenario where the AP uses 5G, it may not only be the AP itself that is using it, but other APs may also be using it. To determine which resources under 5G can be allocated to the AP, all channels under 5G can be scanned first, and the available channels can be selected based on the utilization rate of each scanned channel.

[0078] S3, grouping the STAs according to their traffic requirements and current latency into A groups, selecting channels with low channel utilization in the current frequency band (among the included bands) so that each group can match the channel capacity and there is no congestion.

[0079] Traffic can be the amount of data transmitted in a certain period of time. Channel capacity refers to the maximum data transmission rate that can achieve error-free transmission under given channel conditions. Channel capacity depends on the characteristics of the channel (such as bandwidth, signal-to-noise ratio, etc.) and the encoding and decoding technology used.

[0080] When the usage of the channels is scanned, a channel with low channel utilization can be selected according to the usage of each channel. It should be noted that the low channel utilization here can also mean that the channel utilization is lower than a predetermined threshold. For example, when the channel utilization is 20% and the predetermined threshold is 30%, it means that the channel utilization is low. The predetermined threshold can be determined according to the usage of the channel, which will not be specifically expanded here.

[0081] In this step, for example, there are 50 STAs under the current AP, and multiple channels can be used in the current frequency band (for example, 5G). When the above 50 STAs are divided into 3 groups: Group A, Group B and Group C, assuming that the ratio of the traffic requirements of the 3 groups A, B and C is 4:3:3, then the matched channel capacity should also be 4:3:3. Therefore, the channels adapted to Group A, Group B and Group C can be the 3 channels selected from the channels scanned above. It should be noted that the above grouping is only an example, and the specific grouping situation can be determined according to specific needs and the traffic requirements of multiple STAs.

[0082] S4, divide the spatial streams of the AP into A groups, control each group of B spatial streams to switch channels to these channels, and notify the STAs in different groups to follow the switch.

[0083] For example, STAs are divided into three groups according to the situation. The antenna scans channels 48, 100, and 155 of the 5G frequency band, and the channel utilization rates are low. At this time, 16 antennas are controlled, 6 of which are deployed on channel 48, 5 on channel 100, and 5 on channel 155, to communicate with the three groups of STAs respectively (STAs can be divided into more groups according to the actual situation, but the allocation of spatial streams is that each group must have no less than two spatial streams, otherwise the MIMO effect on the STA side cannot be guaranteed).

[0084] S5, after the scheme is triggered and STA runs stably, continue to detect the actual traffic and delay of each STA, re-optimize the STA grouping, make the delay of each STA lower, and avoid channel capacity waste. At the same time, you can also pay attention to the specific reasons for the increase in STA delay, whether it is because the negotiation rate is not enough, resulting in insufficient transmission rate and increased delay, or because the channel capacity is limited and multiple STAs are queued, resulting in increased delay. If it is the former, you can re-optimize the spatial stream of the STA corresponding to the AP, appropriately increase its spatial stream, and improve its negotiation rate (here, increasing the spatial stream is effective under certain circumstances, such as the original 2 channels are increased to 4 channels, which may increase the negotiation rate due to the combined gain of the spatial stream, but continue to increase, due to the limited transmission capacity of the STA, the actual negotiation rate will no longer increase); if it is the latter, you need to re-optimize the STA grouping, assign the STA to the group with low channel utilization, and reduce the delay caused by the STA transmission queue due to limited channel capacity.

[0085] Through the above optional implementation, the following effects can be achieved:

[0086] It can reduce latency in multi-STA and high-load environments, effectively improving the user's Internet experience;

[0087] Compared with the multi-frequency solution in the related technology: for 5G dual-frequency products, the maximum that can be used is 160M of band1+band2 and 240M of band3, resulting in a waste of 80M of band4; for 6G products, we can use 3 channels with 320M bandwidth or 7 channels with 160M bandwidth, but in fact, for dual-frequency 6G, at most only 2 channels with 320M bandwidth can be used, resulting in a waste of other spectrum resources. The solution proposed in this optional implementation method can simultaneously utilize all channel resources in a single frequency band, thereby improving spectrum utilization;

[0088] The solution provided by this optional implementation manner can also effectively improve the anti-interference capability of multi-STA communication because multiple STAs are divided into different groups and use different channels for communication.

[0089] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a device for implementing the above multi-STA communication method is provided. Figure 4 is a structural block diagram of a multi-STA communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the device includes: an acquisition module 402, a scanning module 404, a first grouping module 406, a second grouping module 408 and a communication module 410. The device is described below.

[0090] An acquisition module 402 is used to acquire the current communication status of each STA among multiple stations STA under an access point AP; a scanning module 404 is used to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain multiple target channels for allocation; a first grouping module 406 is connected to the above-mentioned acquisition module 402 and the scanning module 404, and is used to group multiple STAs based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels; a second grouping module 408 is connected to the above-mentioned first grouping module 406, and is used to group antennas under the AP to obtain a target number of antenna groups; a communication module 410 is connected to the above-mentioned second grouping module 408, and is used to deploy the target number of antenna groups to the target number of target channels, and communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively.

[0091] It should be noted here that the above-mentioned acquisition module 402, scanning module 404, first grouping module 406, second grouping module 408 and communication module 410 correspond to steps S202 to S210 in the embodiment, and the instances and application scenarios implemented by multiple modules are the same as the corresponding steps, but are not limited to the contents disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0092] As an optional embodiment, the current communication status is characterized by at least one of the following information: the number of multiple STAs, the traffic demand of each STA, and the delay of each STA.

[0093] As an optional embodiment, the scanning module 404 includes: an acquisition unit and a first determination unit, wherein the acquisition unit is used to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; the first determination unit is connected to the acquisition unit to determine multiple target channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band.

[0094] As an optional embodiment, the acquisition unit is further configured to use a separate measurement antenna for signal measurement and / or one or more antennas for communication to scan channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located.

[0095] As an optional embodiment, the above-mentioned first determination unit includes a first determination subunit and a second determination subunit, wherein the first determination subunit is used to determine multiple initial channels for allocation based on the channel utilization of the channels included in the current frequency band; the second determination subunit is connected to the above-mentioned first determination subunit, and is used to determine multiple target channels for allocation from multiple initial channels based on the channel utilization and channel capacity of the multiple initial channels.

[0096] As an optional embodiment, the first determination subunit is also used to determine that channels whose channel utilization is lower than a predetermined channel utilization threshold are multiple initial channels; and / or, determine that multiple channels with lower channel utilization among the channels included in the current frequency band are multiple initial channels.

[0097] As an optional embodiment, the communication requirements of each group of STAs in the target number of STA groups are adapted to the channel capacities of corresponding channels of the target number of target channels.

[0098] As an optional embodiment, the above-mentioned first grouping module 406 includes: a second determination unit and a grouping unit, wherein the second determination unit is used to determine the weights corresponding to at least two pieces of information when the current communication status is represented by at least two pieces of information; the grouping unit is connected to the above-mentioned second determination unit, and is used to group multiple STAs based on at least two pieces of information, the weights corresponding to the at least two pieces of information, and the channel capacity of multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels.

[0099] As an optional embodiment, the above-mentioned device also includes: a monitoring module and an optimization module, wherein the monitoring module is used to monitor the communication status of each STA and obtain monitoring results; the optimization module is connected to the above-mentioned monitoring module, and is used to optimize the grouping of multiple STAs and / or the antenna grouping of the AP when the monitoring results indicate that the communication status of each STA has changed.

[0100] As an optional embodiment, the above-mentioned optimization module includes a first optimization unit, which is used to detect whether the negotiation rate of the target STA among multiple STAs is less than the target required transmission rate; and when the detection result is that the negotiation rate of the target STA is less than the target required transmission rate, an antenna is added to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located to obtain an optimized antenna group.

[0101] As an optional embodiment, the above-mentioned optimization module includes a second optimization unit, which is used to divide the target STA into other groups whose channel capacity meets the requirements when the channel capacity of the channel where the target STA is located is limited, so as to obtain an optimized STA group.

[0102] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium including a stored executable program, wherein when the executable program is running, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute any one of the multi-STA communication methods described above.

[0103] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory storing an executable program; and a processor for running the program, wherein the program executes any one of the multi-STA communication methods described above when running.

[0104] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of any one of the above methods are implemented.

[0105] The serial numbers of the above embodiments of the present invention are only for description and do not represent the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0106] In the above embodiments of the present invention, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0107] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed technical content can be implemented in other ways. Among them, the device embodiments described above are only schematic. For example, the division of the units can be a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of units or modules, which can be electrical or other forms.

[0108] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0109] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present invention may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0110] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), mobile hard disk, magnetic disk or optical disk and other media that can store program codes.

[0111] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-STA communication method, characterized in that: include: Get the current communication status of each STA among multiple STA stations under the access point AP; Scanning channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain multiple target channels for allocation; Based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels, the multiple STAs are grouped to obtain a target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels; Grouping the antennas under the AP to obtain the target number of antenna groups; The target number of antenna groups are deployed on the target number of target channels, and communicate with corresponding STA groups respectively.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The current communication status is characterized by at least one of the following information: the number of multiple STAs, the traffic demand of each STA, and the delay of each STA.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scanning of the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain a plurality of target channels for allocation includes: Scanning channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain channel utilization rates of the channels included in the current frequency band; Based on the channel utilization rates of the channels included in the current frequency band, a plurality of target channels for allocation are determined.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that Scanning the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain the channel utilization rate of the channels included in the current frequency band includes: A separate measurement antenna for signal measurement and / or one or more antennas for communication are used to scan channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The determining of a plurality of target channels for allocation based on channel utilization rates of channels included in the current frequency band comprises: Determining a plurality of initial channels for allocation based on channel utilization rates of channels included in the current frequency band; The plurality of target channels for allocation are determined from the plurality of initial channels based on channel utilization rates and channel capacities of the plurality of initial channels.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The determining of a plurality of initial channels for allocation based on channel utilization rates of channels included in the current frequency band comprises: Determine channels whose channel utilization is lower than a predetermined channel utilization threshold as the multiple initial channels; and / or, It is determined that a plurality of channels with lower channel utilization rates among the channels included in the current frequency band are the plurality of initial channels.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The communication requirements of each group of STAs in the target number of STA groups are adapted to the channel capacities of corresponding channels of the target number of target channels.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The grouping the multiple STAs based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels includes: In a case where the current communication status is represented by at least two pieces of information, determining weights corresponding to the at least two pieces of information respectively; Based on the at least two pieces of information, the weights respectively corresponding to the at least two pieces of information, and the channel capacities of the multiple target channels, the multiple STAs are grouped to obtain the target number of STA groups and the target number of target channels.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that After allocating the target number of STA groups and corresponding antenna groups to the target number of target channels for communication, the method further includes: Monitor the communication status of each STA and obtain monitoring results; When the monitoring result indicates that the communication status of each STA has changed, the grouping of the multiple STAs and / or the antenna grouping of the AP are optimized.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The optimizing the antenna grouping of the AP includes: Detecting whether a negotiation rate of a target STA among the multiple STAs is less than a target required transmission rate; When the detection result shows that the negotiation rate of the target STA is less than the target required transmission rate, an antenna is added to the antenna group corresponding to the STA group where the target STA is located to obtain an optimized antenna group.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The optimizing the grouping of the multiple STAs includes: In the case where the channel capacity of the target STA is limited, the target STA is divided into other groups whose channel capacity meets the requirements, so as to obtain an optimized STA group.

12. A multi-STA communication device, characterized in that: include: The acquisition module is used to obtain the current communication status of each STA in multiple stations STA under the access point AP; A scanning module, used to scan the channels included in the current frequency band where the AP is located to obtain multiple target channels for allocation; A first grouping module, configured to group the multiple STAs based on the current communication status of each STA and the channel capacity of the multiple target channels to obtain a target number of STA groups and a target number of target channels; A second grouping module is used to group the antennas under the AP to obtain the target number of antenna groups; The communication module is used to deploy the target number of antenna groups on the target number of target channels, and communicate with the corresponding STA groups respectively.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored executable program, wherein when the executable program is running, the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located is controlled to execute the multi-STA communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: A memory storing an executable program; A processor is used to run the program, wherein the program executes the multi-STA communication method described in any one of claims 1 to 11 when running.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 are implemented.

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