Traffic aware power savings for multi-link devices in wireless communication systems

Abstract

Traffic aware power savings for a multi-link device in a wireless communication system are provided. A system and method for utilizing TTLM to improve energy efficiency of AP MLD is disclosed. There is provided a method performed by an AP MLD, the method comprising: with a non-AP MLD, establishing a first link between a first STA of the non-AP MLD and a first AP of the AP MLD, and establishing a second link between a second STA of the non-AP MLD and a second AP of the AP MLD; mapping the plurality of TIDs to a first link and a second link by using the TTLM; identifying a first event that triggers a reduced power mode of operation on the second link; and in response to identifying the first event, modifying the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link with the TTLM.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63 / 537,730, 63 / 591,244, 63 / 621,205, and 63 / 564,286, filed on September 11, 2023, October 18, 2023, January 16, 2024, March 12, 2024, and August 29, 2024, respectively, and U.S. Application No. 18 / 819,363, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to power saving protocols for devices in wireless communication systems. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to improving the energy efficiency of access point (AP) multi-link devices (MLDs) by utilizing traffic identification (TID) to link mapping (TTLM). Background Art

[0003] The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11be specifies Extreme High Throughput (EHT) for wireless local area networks (WLANs). EHT allows APs and stations (STAs) (ie, non-AP MLDs) to communicate over multiple links using two or more radio transceivers.

[0004] The AP MLD may utilize two or more radio transceivers to communicate over multiple links (e.g., radio channels in multiple frequency bands) for transmission to one or more STAs. The AP MLD may also serve multiple basic service sets (BSSs) that may utilize multiple links on which the APMLD operates.

[0005] In addition to supporting non-AP MLD, AP MLD also supports legacy STAs (ie, non-AP STAs) that expect each BSS to have a unique BSS identification (BSSID) (eg, link-specific BSSID) so that discovered BSSs can be listed by BSSID.

[0006] Multi-link communication can achieve greater data throughput between MLDs because multiple links can send data concurrently. Each link can be associated with a different radio frequency (RF) chain of the MLD, for example, communicating in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands simultaneously, but each RF chain also consumes power when it is activated for multi-link communication. Therefore, while multi-link operation can increase communication speed, it generally requires more power because multiple links must operate simultaneously.

[0007] In view of the foregoing, requirements and recommendations are currently being made from standards development organizations (eg, IEEE) to improve the energy efficiency of APs for sustainability purposes (such as meeting net zero and carbon neutrality goals).

[0008] Existing power saving protocols are mainly designed for non-AP STAs but not for APs.

[0009] In addition, existing protocols and proposals for APs mainly focus on limiting the capabilities of APs in the time (e.g., target wake time (TWT)), frequency (e.g., channel bandwidth (BW)), space (e.g., number of spatial streams (NSS)), spatial multiplexing power saving (SMPS)), or power state (active / sleep) domains. Summary of the invention

[0010]

[0013] Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide protocols and options for improving energy efficiency of APs, mobile APs, soft APs, etc., for example, by adjusting traffic / link load, link disabling / enabling, and / or duty cycling for MLD.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to leverage and extend the current TTLM as defined by IEEE 802.11be for setting up multi-link operation (MLO) for MLDs, and also support dynamic TTLM mode for power saving purposes of AP MLDs and reduce switching overhead.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an AP MLD that can use TTLM for traffic load balancing, link disabling / enabling, and different duty cycle levels. For example, the AP MLD can adjust the TTLM based on the number of STAs, buffer status, channel load, traffic load of each TID / link on the downlink and uplink, etc.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides an APMLD that can use TTLM with other AP power saving protocols, for example, to adjust settings such as TWT, BW, and NSS.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an AP MLD that maps one (some) TID to a certain (some) link to balance the traffic load and channel load between different links. For example, the AP MLD may allocate less traffic / TID on a certain link(s) and reduce the capacity (such as BW and NSS) of the link(s) with low traffic / channel load or low priority. As another example, high capacity / priority traffic (e.g., real-time video / game) may be mapped to high-performance (one or more) links, and low capacity / priority traffic (e.g., background and Internet of Things (IoT)) may be mapped to a reduced capacity link with low BW / NSS. The AP MLD may use appropriate resources (e.g., hardware, software, queues, power states, etc.) according to the traffic / TID / channel load and / or priority, and avoid or reduce contention, conflict, and transition, thereby improving energy efficiency.

[0015] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an AP MLD that can map all TIDs to certain link(s) and not map TIDs to other link(s). For example, the AP MLD can disable certain link(s) for a certain duration and enable that link(s) later, or change the duty cycle of certain link(s) by link disable / enable. The AP MLD can disable or enable certain link(s) based on certain conditions, such as predetermined scheduling, traffic load, and / or channel load. The AP MLD can also use TTLM for cross-link setup and configuration to support cross-link power saving options, for example, sending TTLM on one link to disable or enable other link(s).

[0016] In an embodiment, a method for AP MLD is provided. The method includes: establishing a first link between a first STA of non-AP MLD and a first AP of AP MLD and a second link between a second STA of non-AP MLD and a second AP of AP MLD with non-AP MLD; mapping a plurality of TIDs to the first link and the second link using TTLM; identifying a first event that triggers a reduced power operation mode on the second link; and in response to identifying the first event, modifying the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link using TTLM.

[0017] In an embodiment, an AP MLD is provided, the AP MLD comprising: a first AP; a second AP; and a processor, configured to establish, with a non-AP MLD, a first link between a first STA of the non-AP MLD and the first AP and a second link between a second STA of the non-AP MLD and the second AP, map a plurality of TIDs to the first link and the second link using a TTLM, identify a first event that triggers a reduced power operation mode on the second link, and in response to identifying the first event, modify the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link using the TTLM. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the following sections, various aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 illustrates various link states and operation modes of an AP MLD according to an embodiment;

[0020] Figure 2 illustrates an example of AP MLD load balancing with reduced capabilities and link disabling / enabling based on traffic / link load according to an embodiment;

[0021] Figure 3 illustrates an example of AP MLD link disabling for MLD user data while maintaining management operations according to an embodiment;

[0022] Figure 4 shows an example of duty cycling by link disable / enable according to an embodiment;

[0023] Figure 5 illustrates an example of duty cycling with traffic / TID load balancing and reduced capacity according to an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by an AP MLD according to an embodiment;

[0025] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment; and

[0026] Figure 8 A system including an AP MLD and a non-AP MLD communicating with each other is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In the following detailed description, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosed aspects may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, processes, components, and circuits are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0028] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "embodiment" mean that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment disclosed herein. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" or "according to an embodiment" (or other phrases with similar meanings) that appear in various places throughout this specification may not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, specific features, structures or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In this regard, as used herein, the word "exemplary" means "used as an example, instance or illustration". Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" should not be interpreted as necessarily being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. In addition, specific features, structures or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In addition, depending on the context discussed herein, singular terms may include corresponding plural forms, and plural terms may include corresponding singular forms. Similarly, hyphenated terms (e.g., "two-dimensional", "predetermined", "pixel-specific", etc.) may occasionally be used interchangeably with corresponding non-hyphenated versions (e.g., "two-dimensional", "predetermined", "pixel-specific", etc.), and capitalized terms (e.g., "counter clock", "row select", "pixel output", etc.) may be used interchangeably with corresponding non-capitalized versions (e.g., "counter clock", "row select", "pixel output", etc.). Such occasional interchangeable usage should not be considered inconsistent with each other.

[0029] In addition, depending on the context discussed herein, singular terms may include corresponding plural forms, and plural terms may include corresponding singular forms. It should also be noted that the various drawings (including component drawings) shown and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not drawn to scale. For example, for clarity, the size of some elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements. In addition, if deemed appropriate, reference numerals are repeated in the drawings to indicate corresponding and / or similar elements.

[0030] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing some example embodiments and are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter. As used herein, the singular form is intended to also include the plural form, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in this specification, the terms "include" and / or "comprise" specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0031] It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being on, "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intermediate elements or layers. The same reference numerals always refer to the same elements. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0032] As used herein, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used as labels for the nouns that follow them, and do not imply any type of ordering (e.g., spatial, temporal, logical, etc.) unless explicitly defined as such. In addition, the same reference numerals may be used across two or more figures to refer to parts, components, blocks, circuits, units, or modules having the same or similar functions. However, this usage is only for simplicity of illustration and ease of discussion; this does not imply that the construction or architectural details of such components or units are the same in all embodiments, or that such commonly referenced parts / modules are the only way to implement some example embodiments disclosed herein.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter belongs. It will be further understood that terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly so defined herein.

[0034] As used herein, the term "module" refers to any combination of software, firmware, and / or hardware configured to provide the functionality described herein in conjunction with the module. For example, software may be embodied as a software package, code, and / or instruction set or instructions, and the term "hardware" as used in any embodiment described herein may include, for example, individually or in any combination, an assembly, a hardwired circuit, a programmable circuit, a state machine circuit, and / or firmware storing instructions executed by a programmable circuit. Modules may be collectively or individually embodied as circuits that form part of a larger system, such as, but not limited to, an integrated circuit (IC), a system on a chip (SoC), an assembly, etc.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a power saving protocol is provided that can be used to adjust TTLM based on various conditions, such as traffic load and channel load, for traffic load balancing, for link disabling / enabling, and for duty cycling.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an option of extending TTLM to support dynamic modes and reduce switching overhead is provided. That is, TTLM can be used to support different operation modes and processes to improve the energy efficiency of AP MLD.

[0037] AP MLD and non-AP STA operations

[0038] The AP MLD may initiate a TTLM and notify the STA of the TTLM. The non-AP STA may negotiate the TTLM with the AP MLD and may take appropriate actions based on the current / future TTLM.

[0039] According to an embodiment, the AP MLD may have an operation mode in which the link is disabled for user data (i.e., no TID is mapped to the link), while management type operations may still be enabled on the link. For example, while the link is disabled for user data, the AP MLD may still send beacons and respond to probe requests on the link unless in a dormant state.

[0040] The AP MLD may allow the non-AP MLD to indicate which link it will use for management operations like beacon reception so that the APMLD will know whether it should continue beacon transmission or whether it can stop beacon transmission when the TTLM has disabled the link for all STAs.

[0041] AP MLD can also use TTLM with other AP power saving protocols / options. For example, AP MLD can gradually shift the traffic / TID load from one link to another, and the link with the reduced traffic / TID load can then send an Operation Mode Notification (OMN), reduce BW / NSS, or go into a sleep state.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power saving protocol can be used in different scenarios and adapt to different conditions (such as manual scheduling, automatic scheduling based on traffic load, channel load or other conditions), and intelligently switch between different modes.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power saving protocol may extend TTLM to support dynamic mode and reduce switching overhead.

[0044] For example, to support periodic / predictable / dynamic patterns, subfields (such as interval, persistence, and count information) may be added.

[0045] AP MLD can dynamically adjust TTLM, and non-AP STA can know the TTLM mode and link / power status of the AP in advance and take actions accordingly, such as power saving mode, probe request, multi-link (re)establishment.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to reduce switching overhead, a subfield may be further added for simplified BSS / MLD operation of link disabling / enabling.

[0047] Examples of subfield additions / modifications are provided below in Tables 1 and 2.

[0048] Table 1 - TID to Link Mapping Control Field Format

[0049]

[0050] Table 2 - TID to Link Mapping Extension Field Format

[0051]

[0052] Table 1 above is a modification of the TID to Link Mapping Element format in clause 9.4.2.324 of IEEE P802.11be. In this example, two bold subfields (i.e., Reserved and Extended Indication) are modified. When the Extended Indication subfield is 1, this indicates the presence of a TID to Link Mapping extension field as shown in Table 2.

[0053] In Table 2, the bold subfields are added (ie, TTLM Units, TTLM Interval, TTLM Stop Count / Time).

[0054] Figure 1 Various link states and operation modes of the AP MLD according to an embodiment are shown.

[0055] Reference Figure 1 In the normal operation mode 100, a WLAN may be formed by an AP MLD that provides a shared wireless communication medium for use by multiple STAs. Figure 1In the example of , STA includes non-AP STA 1 and non-AP STA 2 and single-link non-AP STA 3 and non-AP STA 4, wherein non-AP STA 1 and non-AP STA 2 are included in the non-AP MLD. The basic building block of a WLAN conforming to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards is a BSS managed by an AP MLD, and each BSS is identified by a BSSID announced by the AP MLD. For example, the AP MLD periodically broadcasts a beacon frame so that non-AP STA 1-non-AP STA4 within the wireless range of the AP MLD can establish an association with the WLAN.

[0056] The STA may have a wireless connection after it has been authenticated and a wireless session is established with the AP MID.

[0057] Additionally, devices in a WLAN may share control information to maintain or share state.

[0058] For example, the AP MLD may operate a first BSS in a first frequency band and a second BSS in a second frequency band. The AP MLD and the non-AP MLD may establish a multi-link association in which multiple links are enabled between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD. Each link of the multi-link association may be between a different STA interface of the non-AP MLD and a corresponding BSS of the AP MLD.

[0059] exist Figure 1 For example, the non-AP MLD uses the non-AP STA1 of the non-AP MLD to establish a first link to the first BSS, and uses the non-AP STA2 of the non-AP MLD to establish a second link to the second BSS. In other examples, multiple links of a multi-link association may be established using different channels, frequency bands, or spatial streams.

[0060] AP MLD and non-AP MLD may exchange setup and response frames via the first link to provision or configure multiple links of a multi-link association.Multi-link setup via the first link may enable non-AP STA1 and non-AP STA2 of non-AP MLD to concurrently associate with different BSSs operated by AP MLD.

[0061] When the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD establish a multi-link association, one or more TIDs may be mapped to one or more links established by the multi-link association. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , in the normal operation mode 100 , all TIDs are mapped to all links.

[0062] However, while multi-link operation can increase communication speeds, it typically requires more power because multiple links must operate simultaneously.

[0063] In view of the foregoing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a traffic-aware power saving protocol may be provided for an AP MLD utilizing TTLM. More specifically, the AP MLD may use TTLM for traffic load balancing, link disabling / enabling, and different duty cycle levels. The AP MLD may adjust the TTLM and the operation mode based on, for example, the number of STAs, buffer status, predetermined scheduling, channel load, traffic load of each TID / link on the downlink and / or uplink, etc., thereby reducing power consumption.

[0064] exist Figure 1 In the example of , AP 1 (or link 1) of AP MLD always operates at full capability with all TIDs mapped, and AP 2 (or link 2) of AP MLD may operate at full capability (e.g., in normal operation mode 100), operate at reduced capability with all TIDs mapped thereto, selected TID(s) mapped thereto, no TIDs mapped thereto, the link disabled for user data but still enabled for management operations, and / or no TIDs mapped thereto and the link completely disabled. Note, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to this example, and for example, AP 2 may always operate at full capability with all TIDs mapped thereto, and AP 1 may have a different operation mode, or both AP 1 and AP 2 may have different operation modes.

[0065] In the operation mode 101 for load balancing with reduced capacity, the AP MLD maps certain TID(s) (i.e., not all TIDs) to the link 2 in order to balance the traffic load and channel load of different links. That is, the AP MLD may allocate less traffic / TID on certain link(s) and reduce the operation capacity (such as BW and NSS) of the link with low traffic / channel load or low priority. As another example, high capacity / priority traffic (e.g., real-time video / game) may be mapped to high performance link(s), and low capacity / priority traffic (e.g., background and IoT) may be mapped to reduced capacity links with low BW / NSS. The AP MLD may use appropriate resources (e.g., hardware, software, queues, power states, etc.) depending on the traffic / TID / channel load and / or priority, and avoid or reduce contention, conflict, and transition, thereby improving energy efficiency.

[0066] In the operation mode 102 with link disabling, the AP MLD maps all TIDs to link 1 and no TIDs to link 2. That is, the AP MLD may disable a link(s) for a certain duration and enable that link(s) at a later time and / or change the duty cycle level through link disabling / enabling. The AP MLD may disable or enable a link(s) based on certain conditions such as a predetermined schedule, traffic load, channel load, etc. The AP MLD may also use TTLM for cross-link setup and configuration to support cross-link power saving options, for example, sending a TTLM on one link to disable or enable other link(s).

[0067] A non-AP STA that is aware of the TTLM and operation mode of the AP MLD can take actions accordingly.

[0068] In operation mode 103 with link disabled for user data but enabled for management operations, AP MLD maps all TIDs AP MLD to link 1 and maps no TIDs to link 2, but maintains management operations, e.g., continues to send beacons and probe responses on link 2.

[0069] Non-AP MLDs and AP MLDs can negotiate / indicate the operating mode on certain links. In addition, AP MLDs can use TTLM for cross-link setup and configuration to support cross-link power saving options, for example, sending TTLM on link 1 to disable or enable link 2. AP MLDs can also use TTLM with other AP power saving protocols, for example, to adjust settings such as TWT, BW, and NSS.

[0070] Each of the operating modes 101 , 102 , and 103 may be referred to as a reduced power operating mode.

[0071] like Figure 1 As shown in , AP MLD can freely switch between different operation modes and / or at different duty cycle levels, for example, based on the number of STAs, buffer status, predetermined scheduling, channel load, traffic load of each TID / link on the downlink and / or uplink, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0072] As described above, the existing TTLM can be extended to support periodic / predictable / dynamic TTLM modes, for example, as shown in Table 2 above, to reduce the transition overhead for link disable / enable, to support flexible duty cycle levels, and to add new modes such as operation mode 103, in which the link is disabled for user data but enabled for management operations and cross-link operations.

[0073] Based on the foregoing, different options for AP MLD power saving are provided by adjusting TTLM and operation mode. For example, TTLM can be set so that high-capacity services (e.g., real-time video / games) are sent on high-performance links, and low-capacity services (e.g., background and IoT) are sent on links with reduced capabilities (low BW / NSS).

[0074] AP MLD and non-AP MLD can negotiate a new TTLM to support link switching.

[0075] To support non-AP MLD / STA that does not operate on all bands (including supporting coexistence), the non-AP MLD / STA may select certain link(s) for transmission / reception. The AP MLD may determine whether to continue or stop beacon transmission based on the selection of the non-AP MLD / STA.

[0076] The AP MLD may dynamically adjust the TTLM, and the non-AP MLD may know the TTLM mode and link / power status of the AP MLD in advance and take actions accordingly, eg, power saving mode, probe request, multi-link (re)establishment.

[0077] AP MLD can quickly switch certain links between enabling and disabling, which can reduce the switching overhead in BSS switching / termination, (disassociation / re)association, multi-link (re)establishment, etc.

[0078] AP MLD may gradually shift the traffic / TID load from one link to another, and the link with reduced traffic / TID load may reduce BW / NSS or enter a dormant state.

[0079] Figure 2 An example of AP MLD load balancing with reduced capabilities and link disabling / enabling based on traffic / link load according to an embodiment is shown. For example, Figure 2 The operations shown in Figure 1 The operating modes 100, 101 and 102 shown in correspondence.

[0080] Reference Figure 2 , in stage 201, when the default mapping is active (e.g., corresponding to operation mode 100), the AP MLD identifies an event (e.g., low traffic and / or channel load, e.g., below a certain threshold, a certain condition, a scheduling event, etc.) that triggers a reduced capability mode (i.e., a reduced power operation mode), and then sends a beacon on link 1 and link 2 to notify the corresponding STA to switch to mapping A. For example, the beacon includes an operation mode indication (OMI).

[0081] At stage 202 , with Mapping A active (eg, corresponding to operation mode 101 ), AP MLD reduces the capacity of Link 2 by mapping only TID { 1} to Link 2 while maintaining all TIDs on Link 1 .

[0082] Thereafter, the AP MLD then recognizes that there is no non-AP STA receiving link 2, ie, recognizes an event triggering a modification to the reduced power operation mode, and in response, transmits beacons on link 1 and link 2 to notify the corresponding STAs to switch to mapping B.

[0083] At stage 203, with mapping B active (eg, corresponding to operation mode 102), the AP MLD disables link 2 by mapping no TIDs thereto while maintaining all TIDs on link 1.

[0084] Thereafter, the AP MLD identifies an event that triggers a return to normal operation mode, such as high traffic and channel load (e.g., above a certain threshold), a request from a STA, or other conditions that trigger the enabling of Link 2. In response, the AP MLD sends beacons on Link 1 and Link 2 to notify the corresponding STAs to switch to the default mapping.

[0085] At stage 204 , when the default mapping is active (eg, corresponding to operating mode 100 ), all TIDs are mapped to each of links 1 and 2 .

[0086] although Figure 2 The mapping transitions are shown to occur through beacons, but these transitions may also be performed through TTLM negotiations between the AP MLD and non-AP STAs.

[0087] Figure 3 An example of AP MLD link disabling for MLD user data while maintaining management operations according to an embodiment is shown. For example, Figure 3 The operations shown in Figure 1 The operating modes 100 and 103 shown in correspondence.

[0088] Reference Figure 3 , in stage 301, when the default mapping is active (e.g., corresponding to operating mode 100), AP MLD identifies an event that triggers a reduced capability mode (e.g., low traffic and / or channel load, e.g., below a certain threshold, a certain condition, a scheduling event, etc.), and then sends a beacon on link 1 and link 2 to notify the corresponding STA to switch to mapping D.

[0089] At stage 302 , with Mapping D active (eg, corresponding to operating mode 103 ), AP MLD reduces the capacity of Link 2 , maps no TIDs thereto, but maintains management operations on Link 2 , and maintains all TIDs on Link 1 .

[0090] Thereafter, the AP MLD then identifies an event that triggers a return to normal operation mode, such as high traffic and channel load (e.g., above a certain threshold), a request from a STA, or other conditions that trigger the enabling of Link 2. In response, the AP MLD sends beacons on Link 1 and Link 2 to inform the corresponding STAs to switch to the default mapping.

[0091] At stage 303 , a default mapping is active (eg, corresponding to operating mode 100 ), and all TIDs are mapped to each of link 1 and link 2 .

[0092] although Figure 3 The mapping transitions are shown to occur through beacons, but these transitions may also be performed through TTLM negotiations between the AP MLD and non-AP STAs.

[0093] Figure 4 An example of duty cycling by link disable / enable is shown according to an embodiment. For example, Figure 4 The operations shown in Figure 1 The operating modes 100 and 102 shown in correspondence.

[0094] Reference Figure 4 In stage 401, when the default mapping is active (e.g., corresponding to operation mode 100), AP MLD sends beacons on link 1 and link 2 to notify the corresponding STAs to switch to mapping B (e.g., corresponding to operation mode 102) after a predetermined interval or at a specified time.

[0095] At stage 402, after a predetermined interval or at a specified time, the AP MLD disables link 2 by mapping no TIDs thereto while maintaining all TIDs on link 1.

[0096] Then, the AP MLD transmits beacons on Link 1 and Link 2 to notify corresponding STAs of the transition back to the default mapping after a predetermined interval or at a designated time.

[0097] At stage 403 , after a predetermined interval or at a specified time, the AP MLD enables link 2 while maintaining all TIDs on link 1 , mapping all TIDs to link 2 .

[0098] At stage 404, the process repeats, wherein after a predetermined interval or at a specified time indicated in the beacon sent at stage 403, the AP MLD disables link 2 by mapping no TIDs thereto while maintaining all TIDs on link 1.

[0099] As described above, the AP MLD can cycle between the normal operation mode 100 and the operation mode 102. Figure 1 shown.

[0100] although Figure 4 The mapping transitions are shown to occur through beacons, but these transitions may also be performed through TTLM negotiations between the AP MLD and non-AP STAs.

[0101] Figure 5 An example of duty cycling with service / TID load balancing and reduced capacity according to an embodiment is shown. For example, Figure 5 The operations shown in Figure 1 The operating modes 100 and 101 shown in correspondence.

[0102] Reference Figure 5 In stage 501, when the default mapping is active (e.g., corresponding to operation mode 100), AP MLD sends beacons on link 1 and link 2 to notify the corresponding STAs to switch to mapping A (e.g., corresponding to operation mode 101) after a predetermined interval or at a specified time.

[0103] At stage 502, after a predetermined interval or at a specified time, AP MLD switches to mapping A while maintaining all TIDs on link 1, and reduces the capacity of link 2, eg, mapping only TID {1} thereto.

[0104] Then, the AP MLD transmits beacons on Link 1 and Link 2 to notify corresponding STAs of the transition back to the default mapping after a predetermined interval or at a designated time.

[0105] At stage 503, after a predetermined interval or at a specified time, the AP MLD enables link 2 while maintaining all TIDs on link 1, mapping all TIDs thereto.

[0106] At stage 504, the process repeats, where after a predetermined interval or at a specified time indicated in the beacon sent at stage 503, AP MLD reduces the capacity of link 2 while maintaining all TIDs on link 1, eg, mapping only TID {1} thereto.

[0107] As described above, the AP MLD can perform a duty cycle between the normal operation mode 100 and the operation mode 101, such as Figure 1shown.

[0108] although Figure 5 The mapping transitions are shown to occur through beacons, but these transitions may also be performed through TTLM negotiations between the AP MLD and non-AP STAs.

[0109] although Figure 4 and Figure 5 Examples of duty cycles between operations 100 and 102 and between operations 100 and 101 are shown, respectively, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the AP MLD may perform duty cycles between operations 100 and 103 in a similar manner.

[0110] Although the multi-link session between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD has been described above with reference to the multi-link session including two links (ie, link 1 and link 2), Figure 1-Figure 5 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The above embodiment is also applicable to a multi-link session including more than two links.

[0111] For example, when a multi-link session between an AP MLD and a non-AP MLD includes four links, operation modes 101 to 103 may include reducing capacity or disabling one, two, or three of the links while maintaining all TIDs in the non-reduced / disabled links.

[0112] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method performed by an AP MLD according to an embodiment.

[0113] Reference Figure 6 In step 601, the AP MLD establishes multiple links with the non-AP MLD. Figure 1 As shown in the operation mode 100 , the AP MLD establishes a first link between a first STA of the non-AP MLD and a first AP of the AP MLD, and establishes a second link between a second STA of the non-AP MLD and a second AP of the AP MLD.

[0114] In step 602, the AP MLD maps the TID to the established link. Figure 1 In the operation mode 100, the AP MLD maps all TIDs to each of the first link and the second link using TTLM.

[0115] The AP MLD identifies an event that triggers the reduced power mode of operation in step 603. For example, the AP MLD may identify a traffic or channel load that is below a threshold, or a duty cycle interval.

[0116] In step 604, in response to identifying the event, the AP MLD enters a reduced power mode of operation by modifying the number of TIDs mapped to at least one established link. Figure 1 , the AP MLD may reduce the number of TIDs mapped to the second link in operation mode 101 , 102 or 103 .

[0117] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating electronic devices in a network environment 700 according to an embodiment.

[0118] Reference Figure 7 , an electronic device 701 (e.g., an AP MLD, a non-AP MLD, or a non-AP STA) in a network environment 700 may communicate with an electronic device 702 via a first network 798 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with an electronic device 704 or a server 708 via a second network 799 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). The electronic device 701 may communicate with the electronic device 704 via the server 708. The electronic device 701 may include a processor 720, a memory 730, an input device 750, a sound output device 755, a display device 760, an audio module 770, a sensor module 776, an interface 777, a haptic module 779, a camera module 780, a power management module 788, a battery 789, a communication module 790, a subscriber identification module (SIM) card 796, or an antenna module 797. In an embodiment, at least one of the above components (e.g., display device 760 or camera module 780) may be omitted from electronic device 701, or one or more other components may be added to electronic device 701. Some of the above components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC). For example, a sensor module (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illumination sensor) may be embedded in display device 760 (e.g., a display).

[0119] The processor 720 may execute software (e.g., program 740) to control at least one other component (e.g., hardware component or software component) of the electronic device 701 connected to the processor 720, and may perform various data processing or calculations. For example, the processor 720 may execute software to control the electronic device 701 to perform Figure 6 The method shown in .

[0120] As at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 720 may load commands or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 776 or the communication module 790) into the volatile memory 732, process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory 732, and store the resultant data in the non-volatile memory 734. The processor 720 may include a main processor 721 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)) and an auxiliary processor 723 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operationally independent or combined with the main processor 721. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 723 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 721, or to perform a specific function. The auxiliary processor 723 may be implemented to be separate from the main processor 721, or to be implemented as part of the main processor 721.

[0121] When the main processor 721 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 723 (rather than the main processor 721) may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display device 760, sensor module 776, or communication module 790) among the components of the electronic device 701, or when the main processor 721 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 723 may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display module 760, sensor module 776, or communication module 790) among the components of the electronic device 701 together with the main processor 721. The auxiliary processor 723 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., a camera module 780 or a communication module 790) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 723.

[0122] The memory 730 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 701 (e.g., the processor 720 or the sensor module 776). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 740) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 730 may include a volatile memory 732 or a non-volatile memory 734. The non-volatile memory 734 may include an internal memory 736 and / or an external memory 738.

[0123] The program 740 may be stored as software in the memory 730 , and may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 742 , middleware 744 , or an application 746 .

[0124] The input device 750 may receive commands or data to be used by other components (eg, the processor 720) of the electronic device 701 from outside the electronic device 701 (eg, a user). The input device 750 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, or a keyboard.

[0125] The sound output device 755 can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 701. The sound output device 755 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or recording, and the receiver may be used to receive an incoming call. The receiver may be implemented as a separate device from the speaker, or as part of the speaker.

[0126] The display device 760 may visually provide information to the outside (e.g., user) of the electronic device 701. The display device 760 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. The display device 760 may include a touch circuit adapted to detect a touch or a sensor circuit (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the strength of a force caused by a touch.

[0127] The audio module 770 can convert sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. The audio module 770 can obtain sound via the input device 750, or output sound via the sound output device 755 or an earphone of an external electronic device 702 directly (eg, wired) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 701.

[0128] The sensor module 776 may detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 701 or an environmental state (e.g., a user's state) outside the electronic device 701, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. The sensor module 776 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor.

[0129] The interface 777 may support one or more specific protocols to be used to connect the electronic device 701 directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly with the external electronic device 702. The interface 777 may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0130] The connection end 778 may include a connector via which the electronic device 701 may be physically connected to the external electronic device 702. The connection end 778 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

[0131] The haptic module 779 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation (eg, vibration or motion) or electrical stimulation that can be recognized by the user via tactile or kinesthetic sense. The haptic module 779 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0132] The camera module 780 may capture still images or moving images. The camera module 780 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash. The power management module 788 may manage the power supply to the electronic device 701. The power management module 788 may be implemented as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), for example.

[0133] The battery 789 may power at least one component of the electronic device 701. The battery 789 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0134] The communication module 790 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 701 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 702, electronic device 704, or server 708), and perform communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 790 may include one or more communication processors that can operate independently from the processor 720 (e.g., AP) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. The communication module 790 may include a wireless communication module 792 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 794 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device via a first network 798 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct, or Infrared Data Association standard (IrDA)) or a second network 799 (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or a wide area network (WAN))). These various types of communication modules can be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single IC), or these various types of communication modules can be implemented as multiple components separated from each other (e.g., multiple ICs). The wireless communication module 792 can identify and authenticate the electronic device 701 in a communication network (such as the first network 798 or the second network 799) using user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 796.

[0135] The antenna module 797 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside of the electronic device 701 (e.g., an external electronic device). The antenna module 797 may include one or more antennas, and from among them, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network (such as the first network 798 or the second network 799) may be selected by, for example, the communication module 790 (e.g., the wireless communication module 792). A signal or power may then be transmitted or received between the communication module 790 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna.

[0136] A command or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 701 and the external electronic device 704 via the server 708 connected to the second network 799. Each of the electronic device 702 and the electronic device 704 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 701, or a device of a different type from the electronic device 701. All or some operations to be executed in the electronic device 701 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic device 702, the external electronic device 704, or the server 708. For example, if the electronic device 701 should automatically execute a function or service or should execute a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 701 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service instead of executing the function or service, or the electronic device 701 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service in addition to executing the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute the requested at least part of the function or service, or execute another function or another service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 701. The electronic device 701 may provide the result as at least a partial reply to the request with or without further processing the result. To this end, for example, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, or client-server computing technology may be used.

[0137] Figure 8 A system including an AP MLD 805 and a non-AP MLD 810 communicating with each other is shown. The AP MLD 805 may include a radio transceiver 815 and a processing circuit (or means for processing) 820, which may perform various methods disclosed herein, for example, Figure 6For example, the processing circuit 820 may send signals to and receive signals from the non-AP MLD 810 over multiple links (AP 1, AP 2, etc.) via the radio transceiver 815. Similarly, the non-AP MLD 810 may include a processing circuit 840, which may send signals to and receive signals from the AP MLD 805 over multiple links (STA 1, STA 2, etc.) via the radio transceiver 830.

[0138] The subject matter and the embodiments of the operations described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, or in computer software, firmware or hardware (including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents), or in a combination of one or more of them. The embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on a computer storage medium for execution by a data processing device or for controlling the operation of a data processing device. Alternatively or additionally, the program instructions may be encoded on an artificially generated propagation signal, for example, a machine-generated electrical, optical or electromagnetic signal, which is generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiver device for execution by a data processing device. The computer storage medium may be or be included in a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination thereof. In addition, although the computer storage medium is not a propagation signal, the computer storage medium may be the source or destination of the computer program instructions encoded in the artificially generated propagation signal. The computer storage medium may also be or be included in one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks or other storage devices). Additionally, the operations described in this specification may be implemented as operations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer-readable storage devices or received from other sources.

[0139] Although this specification may include many specific implementation details, the implementation details should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope of any claimed subject matter, but rather as a description of features specific to a particular embodiment. Certain features described in the context of a separate embodiment in this specification may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. On the contrary, the various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable sub-combination. In addition, although the features may be described above as functioning in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from the claimed combination may be deleted from the combination in some cases, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or a variation of the sub-combination.

[0140] Similarly, although operations are depicted in a particular order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequence, or that all of the operations shown be performed, to achieve the desired results. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, the separation of various system components in the above-described embodiments should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

[0141] Thus, specific embodiments of the subject matter have been described herein. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions set forth in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or sequential order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0142] As those skilled in the art will recognize, the innovative concepts described herein may be modified and varied over a wide range of applications.Accordingly, the scope of the claimed subject matter should not be limited to any of the specific exemplary teachings discussed above, but is instead defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by an access point AP multi-link device MLD, the method comprising: Establishing with the non-AP MLD a first link between a first station STA of the non-AP MLD and a first AP of the AP MLD and a second link between a second STA of the non-AP MLD and a second AP of the AP MLD; Mapping a plurality of TIDs to a first link and a second link using a service identifier TID to link mapping TTLM; identifying a first event triggering a reduced power mode of operation on a second link; as well as In response to identifying the first event, a number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link is modified using the TTLM.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Modifying the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link includes: Selecting certain TIDs from the plurality of TIDs to balance traffic or channel loads of the first link and the second link; and The certain TIDs are mapped to the second link using TTLM.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Modifying the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link includes: not mapping any TID of the plurality of TIDs to a second link; and Disable the secondary link.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Modifying the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link includes: not mapping any TID of the plurality of TIDs to a second link; and Management operations on the second link are maintained.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: Maintaining management operations on the second link includes sending at least one of a beacon or a probe response on the second link.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: identifying a second event that triggers modification to a reduced power mode of operation on a second link; as well as In response to identifying the second event, the modified number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link is re-modified using the TTLM.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: Identifying a second event that triggers modification to the reduced power mode of operation includes identifying that no non-AP STA is receiving the second link.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: identifying a second event triggering termination of the reduced power mode of operation on the second link; as well as In response to identifying a second event, the plurality of TIDs are remapped to a second link using the TTLM.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: Identifying a second event that triggers ending the reduced power mode of operation includes at least one of: Identifying traffic or channel loads above a threshold; Identify duty cycle intervals; or Receive request from STA.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Identifying a first event that triggers the reduced power operating mode includes at least one of: Identifying traffic or channel load below a threshold; or Identify duty cycle intervals.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to identifying the first event, a number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the first link is maintained.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: A beacon is sent to the non-AP MLD indicating a transition to a reduced power mode of operation.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The beacon is sent on a first link.

14. An access point AP multi-link device MLD, comprising: First AP; Second AP; as well as The processor is configured as: Establishing with the non-AP MLD a first link between a first station STA of the non-AP MLD and a first AP and a second link between a second STA of the non-AP MLD and a second AP, The multiple TIDs are mapped to the first link and the second link by using the service identifier TID to link mapping TTLM, identifying a first event that triggers a reduced power mode of operation on the second link, and In response to identifying the first event, a number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link is modified using the TTLM.

15. The AP MLD according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to modify the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link by: Selecting some TIDs from the plurality of TIDs to balance traffic or channel loads of the first link and the second link; as well as The certain TIDs are mapped to the second link using TTLM.

16. The AP MLD according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to modify the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link by: not mapping any TID of the plurality of TIDs to a second link; as well as Disable the secondary link.

17. The AP MLD according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to modify the number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link by: not mapping any TID of the plurality of TIDs to a second link; as well as Management operations on the second link are maintained.

18. The AP MLD according to claim 17, wherein: The processor is also configured to maintain management operations on the second link by sending at least one of a beacon or a probe response on the second link.

19. The AP MLD according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to: identifying a second event that triggers modification to a reduced power mode of operation on a second link, and In response to identifying the second event, the modified number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the second link is re-modified using the TTLM.

20. The AP MLD according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to maintain a number of the plurality of TIDs mapped to the first link in response to identifying the first event.

Images