Communication method and device applied to multi-link equipment in wireless local area network

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a related device, for example, the communication method is applied to the WLAN supporting 802.11 be, and the method comprises the following steps: receiving a detection request frame; the station for receiving the detection request frame is contained in a multi-link device (MLD); determining whether to respond to the detection request frame according to a preset condition, wherein the preset condition at least comprises that the reference identifier in the detection request frame is not matched with the reference identifier of each station in the MLD; and if the preset condition is satisfied, not sending the detection response frame responding to the detection request frame. By adopting the embodiment of the invention, the number of the detection request frames sent by the station in the channel can be reduced, the station association efficiency is improved, and the communication efficiency is improved.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application. The application number of the original application is 202010240296X, and the original application date is March 27, 2020. The entire contents of the original application are incorporated into this application by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus for multi-link devices in a wireless local area network. Background Art

[0003] In order to significantly improve the service transmission rate of the WLAN system, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ax standard further adopts Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology based on the existing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology. OFDMA technology supports multiple nodes to send and receive data at the same time, thereby achieving multi-site diversity gain. In 2017, when 802.11ax was finalized, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened a new free frequency band of 5925-7125MHz, hereinafter referred to as 6GHz. Therefore, the 802.11ax standard workers expanded the operating range of 802.11ax devices from 2.4GHz and 5GHz to 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz in the 802.11ax Project Authorization Requests (PAR).

[0004] IEEE 802.11 next generation WiFi protocol (extremely high throughput, EHT) devices need to be forward compatible, so they will also support the working spectrum of 802.11ax devices, that is, they will support 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands. According to the latest free 6GHz band, based on the frequency band for channel division, the supported bandwidth can exceed the maximum bandwidth of 160MHz supported in 5GHz, such as 320MHz. In addition to ultra-large bandwidth, IEEE 802.11ax next generation WiFi-extremely high throughput can also improve peak throughput through more streams, such as increasing the number of streams to 16 streams, and multiple frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz) cooperation. On the same frequency band, peak throughput can also be improved and service transmission latency can be reduced by cooperating with multiple channels. Multi-band or multi-channel is collectively referred to as multi-link below. Although 802.11ax and previous WiFi networks with the same operating frequency band are configured with multiple links, generally speaking, each multi-link establishes a different Basic Service Set (BSS), and at one time only one link can communicate with sites in the BSS to which the link belongs.

[0005] 802.11ax and earlier introduced the Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) technology, whose main function is to virtualize multiple logical APs on a physical AP, that is, to form multiple virtual networks, each of which is used to manage different sites separately, similar to the AP products in the current WIFI scenario, in which an AP can virtualize a reporting AP (home AP) and a client AP (guest AP).

[0006] How to apply the Multiple BSSID technology to a multi-link device to provide multiple virtual network functions is a technical problem that is being studied by technicians in this field. Summary of the invention

[0007] The embodiment of the present application discloses a communication method and related apparatus applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, which can reduce the number of probe request frames sent by a station in a channel and improve the station association efficiency.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, the method comprising:

[0009] A station receives a probe request frame, the station belonging to a multi-link device;

[0010] The station determines whether to respond to the probe request frame according to a preset condition, wherein the preset condition at least includes:

[0011] The reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each site in the multi-link site;

[0012] If the preset condition is met, no probe response frame is sent in response to the probe request frame.

[0013] In the above method, a station in a multi-link station is allowed to help other stations in the same multi-link device to reply to a probe response frame, thereby reducing the number of probe request frames sent by stations in the channel, increasing air interface efficiency, and improving station association efficiency.

[0014] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, the method comprising:

[0015] A station receives a probe request frame, the station belonging to a multi-link device; the stations in the multi-link device belong to a multi-BSSID set;

[0016] The station determines whether to respond to the probe request frame according to a preset condition, wherein the preset condition at least includes:

[0017] The reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each station in the multi-link device, and the reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each station in the multi-BSSID set where each station in the multi-link device is located;

[0018] If the preset condition is met, no probe response frame is sent in response to the probe request frame.

[0019] In the above method, a station in a multi-link device is allowed to help other stations in the same multi-link device to reply to a probe response frame, and can also help any member in the Multiple BSSID set where other stations in the same multi-link device are located to reply to a probe response frame. This reduces the number of probe request frames sent by stations in the channel, increases air interface efficiency, and improves station association efficiency.

[0020] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device in a WLAN, where the device is applied to a multi-link device, and the device includes:

[0021] A transceiver unit, configured to receive a probe request frame;

[0022] A processing unit, configured to determine whether to respond to the detection request frame according to a preset condition, wherein the preset condition at least includes:

[0023] The reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each station in the multi-link device;

[0024] The processing unit is further configured to control the transceiver unit not to send a probe response frame in response to the probe request frame if the preset condition is met.

[0025] In the above method, a station of a multi-link device is allowed to help other stations in the same multi-link device to reply to a probe response frame, thereby reducing the number of probe request frames sent by stations in the channel, increasing air interface efficiency, and improving station association efficiency.

[0026] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device in a WLAN, where the device is applied to a multi-link device, and the device includes:

[0027] A transceiver unit, configured to receive a probe request frame; wherein the stations in the multi-link device belong to a multi-BSSID set;

[0028] A processing unit, configured to determine whether to respond to the detection request frame according to a preset condition, wherein the preset condition at least includes:

[0029] The reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each station in the multi-link device, and the reference identifier in the probe request frame does not match the reference identifier of each station in the multi-BSSID set where each station in the multi-link device is located;

[0030] The processing unit is further configured to control the transceiver unit not to send a probe response frame in response to the probe request frame if the preset condition is met.

[0031] In the above method, a station in a multi-link device is allowed to help other stations in the same multi-link device to reply to a probe response frame, and can also help any member in the Multiple BSSID set where other stations in the same multi-link device are located to reply to a probe response frame. This reduces the number of probe request frames sent by stations in the channel, increases air interface efficiency, and improves station association efficiency.

[0032] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect, the probe request frame includes a receiving address;

[0033] The reference identifier in the probe request frame is the receiving media access control MAC address carried in the receiving address;

[0034] The reference identifier of the site is the MAC address of the site.

[0035] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect:

[0036] The reference identifier in the probe request frame is a service set identifier SSID field in the probe request frame, or an SSID included in an SSID list element in the probe request frame, or an SSID corresponding to a short SSID included in a short SSID list element in the probe request frame;

[0037] The reference identifier of the station is the SSID of the station.

[0038] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect:

[0039] The reference identifier in the probe request frame is carried in a basic service set identifier BSSID field in the probe request frame;

[0040] The reference identifier of the station is the BSSID of the station.

[0041] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect, one or more stations in the multi-link device belong to a multi-BSSID set.

[0042] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect, the one or more sites are transmission BSSID sites in the multiple BSSID set.

[0043] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, or the fourth aspect, the one or more stations include a non-transmission BSSID station in the multiple BSSID set.

[0044] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, the method comprising:

[0045] The reporting access point AP sends multi-link device MLD information to the station, wherein the reporting AP belongs to an AP multi-link device; the AP multi-link device includes the reporting AP and the reported AP;

[0046] The MLD information includes information of the reporting AP and information of the reported AP, wherein the information of the reporting AP is used to indicate the reporting AP; and the information of the reported AP is used to indicate the reported AP.

[0047] In the above device, the reporting access point indicates the MultipleBSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device to the station through the MLD information, which can support synchronous communication (such as establishing association) between multiple APs in the multi-link AP device and multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device, thereby increasing the throughput of the wireless network, transmission robustness and reducing transmission delay.

[0048] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, the method comprising:

[0049] The station receives the multi-link device MLD information sent by the reporting access point AP, wherein the reporting AP belongs to an AP multi-link device; the AP multi-link device includes the reporting AP and the reported AP;

[0050] The MLD information includes information of the reporting AP and information of the reported AP, wherein the information of the reporting AP is used to indicate the reporting AP; and the information of the reported AP is used to indicate the reported AP.

[0051] The multi-link MLD information is parsed to obtain the information of the reporting AP and the information of the reported AP.

[0052] In the above device, the reporting access point indicates the MultipleBSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device to the station through the MLD information, which can support synchronous communication (such as establishing association) between multiple APs in the multi-link AP device and multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device, thereby increasing the throughput of the wireless network, transmission robustness and reducing transmission delay.

[0053] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, which is applied to report an access point AP, and the communication device includes:

[0054] A processing unit, configured to generate MLD information of a multi-link device;

[0055] A transceiver unit, configured to send the multi-link device MLD information to a site, wherein the reporting AP belongs to an AP multi-link device; the AP multi-link device includes the reporting AP and the reported AP;

[0056] The MLD information includes information of the reporting AP and information of the reported AP, wherein the information of the reporting AP is used to indicate the reporting AP; and the information of the reported AP is used to indicate the reported AP.

[0057] In the above device, the reporting access point indicates the MultipleBSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device to the station through the MLD information, which can support synchronous communication (such as establishing association) between multiple APs in the multi-link AP device and multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device, thereby increasing the throughput of the wireless network, transmission robustness and reducing transmission delay.

[0058] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN, applied to a site, the device comprising:

[0059] A transceiver unit, configured to receive multi-link device MLD information sent by a reporting access point AP, wherein the reporting AP belongs to an AP multi-link device; the AP multi-link device includes the reporting AP and the reported AP;

[0060] The MLD information includes information of the reporting AP and information of the reported AP, wherein the information of the reporting AP is used to indicate the reporting AP; and the information of the reported AP is used to indicate the reported AP.

[0061] The processing unit is configured to parse the multi-link MLD information to obtain the information of the reporting AP and the information of the AP being reported.

[0062] In the above device, the reporting access point indicates the MultipleBSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device to the station through the MLD information, which can support synchronous communication (such as establishing association) between multiple APs in the multi-link AP device and multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device, thereby increasing the throughput of the wireless network, transmission robustness and reducing transmission delay.

[0063] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the AP in the AP multi-link device belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the information of the reporting AP is also used to indicate the multi-BSSID set to which the reporting AP belongs; the information of the reported AP is also used to indicate the multi-BSSID set to which the reported AP belongs.

[0064] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the reporting AP includes a multi-BSSID element of a multi-BSSID set where the reporting AP is located.

[0065] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the reported AP includes a multi-BSSID element of a multi-BSSID set where the reported AP is located.

[0066] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the reporting AP information further includes a BSSID of a BSS to which the reporting AP belongs.

[0067] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the reported AP further includes a transmission BSSID in a multi-BSSID set where the reported AP is located.

[0068] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, after the reporting access point AP sends the multi-link device MLD information to the station, the method further includes:

[0069] A probe request frame, an authentication request frame, or an association request frame sent by the station according to the MLD information is received.

[0070] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, one or more APs in the AP multi-link device belong to a multi-BSSID set.

[0071] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the one or more stations are transmission BSSID APs in the multiple BSSID set.

[0072] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the reporting AP is a transmitting BSSID AP in a multi-BSSID set to which the reporting AP belongs, and the reported AP is a transmitting BSSID AP in a multi-BSSID set to which the reported AP belongs.

[0073] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the reported AP further includes information related to multiple BSSIDs of the reported AP, and the information related to the multiple BSSIDs of the reported AP is used to:

[0074] Indicate whether the reported AP belongs to a multi-BSSID set; or,

[0075] Indicate whether the reported AP is a non-transmitting BSSID AP; or,

[0076] Indicates whether the reported AP belongs to a multi-BSSID set and indicates whether the reported AP is a transmitting BSSID AP.

[0077] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the multi-BSSID related information of the reported AP is included in a multi-BSSID element of the multi-BSSID set to which the reported AP belongs.

[0078] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the one or more APs include a non-transmission BSSID AP in the multi-BSSID set.

[0079] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the MLD information also includes information of a virtual AP, and the information of the virtual AP is used to indicate the virtual AP; wherein the virtual AP and the reporting AP are not in the same AP multi-link device, and belong to the same AP multi-link device as a non-transmission AP in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, and there is no member AP belonging to the AP multi-link device where the reporting AP is located on the link where the virtual AP works, or there is a member AP belonging to the AP multi-link device where the reporting AP is located on the link where the virtual AP works but is not in the same Multiple BSSID set as the virtual AP.

[0080] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the virtual AP is used to indicate a multi-BSSID set where the virtual AP is located.

[0081] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the virtual AP includes a multi-BSSID element of a multi-BSSID set where the virtual AP is located.

[0082] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the virtual AP includes information of a transmission BSSID AP in a multi-BSSID set where the virtual AP is located.

[0083] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the BSSID of the BSS to which the virtual AP belongs is used as a transmission BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the virtual AP belongs.

[0084] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the sixth aspect, the seventh aspect, or the eighth aspect, the information of the virtual AP includes information related to multiple BSSIDs of the virtual AP, and the information related to the multiple BSSIDs of the virtual AP is used for:

[0085] Indicate whether the virtual AP belongs to a multi-BSSID set; or,

[0086] Indicate whether the virtual AP is a non-transmitting BSSID AP; or,

[0087] Indicates whether the virtual AP belongs to a multi-BSSID set and indicates whether the reported AP is a transmitting BSSID AP.

[0088] In a possible implementation manner of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the multi-BSSID related information of the virtual AP is included in a multi-BSSID element of the multi-BSSID set to which the virtual AP belongs.

[0089] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the MLD information also includes common information, the common information including one or more of the MAC address of the AP multi-link device and the number of information fields of the reported AP carrying information of the reported AP.

[0090] In a possible implementation of the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth aspect, the shared information further includes a distinguishing field, and the distinguishing field is used to indicate a field where the information of the reported AP is located and a field where the information of the virtual AP is located.

[0091] The communication device in the third, fourth, seventh and eighth aspects above may be a chip, the processing unit may be a processing circuit of the chip, the transceiver unit may be an input / output interface circuit, the processing circuit may be used to process signaling or data information provided by the input / output, and the input / output interface circuit may be used to input and output data or signaling information for the chip.

[0092] In a ninth aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, in which a computer program code is stored. When the computer program runs on a processor, the processor executes the method in any one of the above-mentioned first aspect, second aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect and the corresponding possible implementation methods.

[0093] In the tenth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a computer program product is provided, which stores a computer program (instructions) executed by the above-mentioned processor. When the computer program runs on the processor, the processor executes the method in any one of the above-mentioned first aspect, second aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect and the corresponding possible implementation methods.

[0094] In the eleventh aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a communication device is provided, which includes a processor and may also include a transceiver and a memory, wherein the transceiver is used to send and receive information, or to communicate with other network elements; the memory is used to store computer programs (instructions); the processor is used to execute the computer program to support the communication device to implement any one of the above-mentioned first aspect, second aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect and the corresponding possible implementation methods.

[0095] In the twelfth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can exist in the form of a chip product. The structure of the device includes a processor and can also include a memory, which is used to couple with the processor and store the necessary programs (instructions) and data of the device. The processor is used to execute the computer program stored in the memory to support the communication device to execute any of the above-mentioned first aspect, second aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect and the corresponding possible implementation methods. Optionally, the memory can be located in the processor, which is internal storage, and the processor can also be located outside the processor, coupled and linked to the processor, which is external storage.

[0096] In the thirteenth aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a communication device is provided. The device can exist in the form of a chip product. The structure of the device includes a processor and an interface circuit. The processor is used to communicate with other devices through a receiving circuit, so that the device executes the methods in any one of the above-mentioned first aspect, second aspect, fifth aspect, and sixth aspect and the corresponding possible implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0097] The following is an introduction to the drawings used in the embodiments of the present application.

[0098] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0099] FIG2( a ) is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0100] FIG2( b ) is a schematic diagram of the structure of another multi-link device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0101] FIG2( c ) is a schematic diagram of the structure of another multi-link device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0102] FIG3( a) is a schematic diagram of a multi-link communication provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0103] FIG3( b) is a schematic diagram of another multi-link communication provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0104] Figure 4 An interactive schematic diagram of a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0105] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a Multiple BSSID collection framework based on MLD provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0106] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another MLD-based Multiple BSSID collection framework provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0107] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another MLD-based Multiple BSSID collection framework provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0108] Figure 8 An interactive schematic diagram of a communication method applied to a multi-link device in a WLAN provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0109] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of another MLD-based Multiple BSSID collection framework provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0110] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0111] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the composition of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0112] The following first introduces the relevant technologies involved in the present application, and then describes the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the drawings.

[0113] An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method applied to a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system may be a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular network. The method may be implemented by a communication device in the wireless communication system or a chip or processor in the communication device. The communication device may be a wireless communication device that supports parallel transmission of multiple links, for example, a multi-link device or a multi-band device. For example, in a wireless local area network, the communication device supports communication using the IEEE 802.11 series of protocols, including: 802.11be, 802.11ax, or 802.11a / b / g / n / ac.

[0114] 1. Multi-link device (MLD), also known as multi-band device (multi-band device).

[0115] The multi-link device MLD includes one or more subordinate sites, and the subordinate sites are logical sites. In the embodiments of the present application, "the multi-link device includes subordinate sites" is also briefly described as "the multi-link device includes sites". The subordinate sites can be access points (Access Point, AP) or non-access point stations (non-APSTA). For the convenience of description, the present application refers to a multi-link device whose subordinate site is AP as a multi-link AP or AP multi-link device or AP multi-link device (AP multi-link device), and a multi-link device whose subordinate site is a non-AP STA as a multi-link STA or a multi-link STA device or a STA multi-link device (STA multi-link device).

[0116] The multi-link device MLD can implement wireless communication following the 802.11 series protocols, for example, following Extremely High Throughput (EHT), or following 802.11be-based or compatible support for 802.11be, thereby implementing communication with other devices. Of course, the other devices may be multi-link devices or may not be multi-link devices.

[0117] Each logical site can work on a link, but multiple logical sites are allowed to work on the same link. The link identifier mentioned below represents a site working on a link, that is, if there are more than one logical site on a link, more than one link identifier is required to represent them. The link mentioned below sometimes also represents the site working on the link. When a multi-link device transmits data with another multi-link device, before communication, the multi-link device and the other multi-link device can first negotiate or communicate the correspondence between the link identifier and a link or a site on a link, or the AP multi-link device broadcasts a management frame, such as a beacon frame, to indicate the correspondence between the link identifier and a link or a site on a link. Therefore, in data transmission, there is no need to transmit a large amount of signaling information to indicate the link or the site on the link, and only the link identifier can be carried, which reduces the signaling overhead and improves the transmission efficiency.

[0118] The following is an example of one of the multi-link devices being an AP multi-link device and the other multi-link device being a STA multi-link device. In one example, when the AP multi-link device establishes a BSS, the management frame sent, such as a beacon frame, will carry an element including multiple link identification information fields, and each link identification information field can suggest a corresponding relationship between a link identification and a station working on a link. Each link identification information field includes a link identification, and also includes: one or more of a MAC address, an operation set, and a channel number, wherein one or more of the MAC address, the operation set, and the channel number can indicate a link; in another example, during the multi-link association process, the AP multi-link device and the STA multi-link device negotiate multiple link identification information fields. In subsequent communications, the AP multi-link device or the STA multi-link device will use the link identification to characterize a station in the multi-link device, and the link identification can also characterize the MAC address of the station, the working operation set, and one or more attributes of the channel number. The MAC address can also be replaced with the association identification of the AP multi-link device after association. Optionally, if multiple sites work on one link, the link identifier (a digital ID) represents not only the operation set and channel number of the link, but also the site identifier working on the link, such as the site's MAC address or AID.

[0119] Figure 1 Taking a wireless local area network as an example, an application scenario diagram of an embodiment of the present application is introduced. The application scenario includes: a first site 101 and a second site 102, and the first site 101 can communicate with the second site 102 using multiple links, so as to achieve the effect of improving throughput. The first site can be a multi-link device, and the second site can be a single-link device or a multi-link device, etc. In one scenario, the first site 101 is an AP multi-link device, and the second site 102 is a STA multi-link device or site (such as a single-link site); in another scenario, the first site 101 is a STA multi-link device, and the second site 102 is an AP (such as a single-link AP) or an AP multi-link device. In another scenario, the first site 101 is an AP multi-link device, and the second site 102 is an AP multi-link device or AP; in another scenario, the first site 101 is a STA multi-link device, and the second site 102 is a STA multi-link device or STA. Of course, the wireless local area network may also include other devices. Figure 1 The number and types of devices shown are exemplary only.

[0120] Figure 2(a) and Figure 2(b) show the schematic diagrams of the structures of AP multi-link devices and STA multi-link devices participating in the communication. The 802.11 standard focuses on the 802.11 physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layer in AP multi-link devices and STA multi-link devices (such as mobile phones and laptops).

[0121] As shown in Figure 2(a), the multiple APs included in the AP multi-link device are independent of each other at the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and are also independent of each other at the high MAC layer; the multiple STAs included in the STA multi-link device are independent of each other at the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and are also independent of each other at the high MAC layer.

[0122] As shown in Figure 2(b), the multiple APs included in the AP multi-link device are independent of each other in the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the high MAC layer. The multiple STAs included in the STA multi-link device are independent of each other in the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the high MAC layer.

[0123] Of course, the STA multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is independent of each other, while the AP multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is shared; or the STA multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is shared, while the AP multi-link device may adopt a structure in which the high MAC layer is independent of each other. Exemplarily, the high MAC layer or the low MAC layer may be implemented by a processor in a chip system of the multi-link device, or may be implemented by different processing modules in a chip system.

[0124] Exemplarily, the multi-link device in the embodiment of the present application can be a single-antenna device or a multi-antenna device. For example, it can be a device with more than two antennas. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of antennas included in the multi-link device. FIG2(c) illustrates an example in which an AP multi-link device has multiple antennas and a STA multi-link device has a single antenna. In the embodiment of the present application, the multi-link device can allow services of the same access type to be transmitted on different links, and even allow the same data packets to be transmitted on different links; it can also not allow services of the same access type to be transmitted on different links, but allow services of different access types to be transmitted on different links.

[0125] The frequency bands in which the multi-link device operates may include but are not limited to: sub 1GHz, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz and high frequency 60GHz. Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show two schematic diagrams of a multi-link device communicating with other devices via multiple links in a wireless local area network.

[0126] FIG3( a ) shows a scenario in which an AP multi-link device 101 and a STA multi-link device 102 communicate. The AP multi-link device 101 includes subordinate AP101-1 and AP101-2, the STA multi-link device 102 includes subordinate STA102-1 and STA102-2, and the AP multi-link device 101 and the STA multi-link device 102 communicate using link 1 and link 2 in parallel.

[0127] FIG3( b ) shows a scenario in which an AP multi-link device 101 communicates with a STA multi-link device 102, a STA multi-link device 103, and a STA 104. The AP multi-link device 101 includes subordinate APs 101-1 to 101-3, the STA multi-link device 102 includes two subordinate STAs 102-1 and 102-2, the STA multi-link device 103 includes two subordinate STAs 103-1, STA 103-2, and STA 103-3, and STA 104 is a single-link device. The AP multi-link device can communicate with the STA multi-link device 102 using links 1 and 3, communicate with the multi-link device 103 using links 2 and 3, and communicate with the STA 104 using link 1. In one example, STA104 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band; STA multi-link device 103 includes STA103-1 and STA103-2, STA103-1 operates in the 5 GHz frequency band, and STA103-2 operates in the 6 GHz frequency band; STA multi-link device 102 includes STA102-1 and STA102-2, STA102-1 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, and STA102-2 operates in the 6 GHz frequency band. AP101-1 in the AP multi-link device operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band can transmit uplink or downlink data with STA104 and STA102-2 in the STA multi-link device 102 through link 1. AP101-2 in the AP multi-link device operating in the 5 GHz frequency band can transmit uplink or downlink data with STA103-1 in the STA multi-link device 103 operating in the 5 GHz frequency band through link 2. AP101-3 in the AP multi-link device 101 operating in the 6 GHz frequency band can transmit uplink or downlink data with STA102-2 in the STA multi-link device 102 operating in the 6 GHz frequency band through link 3, and can also transmit uplink or downlink data with STA103-2 in the STA multi-link device through link 3.

[0128] It should be noted that FIG3(a) only shows that the AP multi-link device supports two frequency bands, and FIG3(b) only shows that the AP multi-link device supports three frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz), each frequency band corresponds to a link, and the AP multi-link device 101 can work on one or more links in link 1, link 2 or link 3. On the AP side or the STA side, the link here can also be understood as a station working on the link. In actual applications, the AP multi-link device and the STA multi-link device can also support more or fewer frequency bands, that is, the AP multi-link device and the STA multi-link device can work on more links or fewer links, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0129] Exemplarily, the multi-link device is a device with a wireless communication function, which can be a complete device, or a chip or processing system installed in the complete device, etc. The device installed with these chips or processing systems can implement the method and function of the embodiment of the present application under the control of these chips or processing systems. For example, the multi-link STA in the embodiment of the present application has a wireless transceiver function, can support the 802.11 series of protocols, and can communicate with the multi-link AP or other multi-link STA or single-link device. For example, the multi-link STA is any user communication device that allows the user to communicate with the AP and then communicate with the WLAN. For example, the multi-link STA can be a tablet computer, desktop, laptop, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (Ultra-mobile Personal Computer, UMPC), handheld computer, netbook, personal digital assistant (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA), mobile phone and other user devices that can be connected to the Internet, or an Internet of Things node in the Internet of Things, or a vehicle-mounted communication device in the Internet of Vehicles, etc. The multi-link STA can also be the chip and processing system in the above-mentioned terminals. The multi-link AP in the embodiment of the present application is a device that provides services for the multi-link STA, and can support the 802.11 series of protocols. For example, the multi-link AP can be a communication entity such as a communication server, a router, a switch, a bridge, or the multi-link AP can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, relay stations, etc. Of course, the multi-link AP can also be a chip and processing system in these various forms of devices, so as to realize the method and function of the embodiment of the present application. In addition, the multi-link device can support high-speed and low-latency transmission. With the continuous evolution of wireless local area network application scenarios, the multi-link device can also be applied to more scenarios, such as sensor nodes in smart cities (such as smart water meters, smart meters, smart air detection nodes), smart devices in smart homes (such as smart cameras, projectors, display screens, TVs, speakers, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.), nodes in the Internet of Things, entertainment terminals (such as wearable devices such as AR and VR), smart devices in smart offices (such as printers, projectors, etc.), Internet of Vehicles devices in Internet of Vehicles, and some infrastructure in daily life scenes (such as vending machines, self-service navigation desks in supermarkets, self-service cash registers, self-service ordering machines, etc.). In the embodiment of the present application, there is no special restriction on the specific form of multi-link STA and multi-link AP, which is only an exemplary description. Among them, the 802.11 series protocols may include: 802.11be, 802.11ax, 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc.

[0130] 2. Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) mode.

[0131] The Multiple BSSID set is a combination of some cooperating APs, and all the cooperating APs use the same operation set, channel number, and antenna interface. In the Multiple BSSID set, there is only one TransmittedBSSID AP, and the other APs are Nontransmitted BSSID APs. The information of the Multiple BSSID set (that is, the Multiple BSSID element) is carried in the beacon frame or probe response frame or neighbor report sent by the Transmitted BSSID AP. The BSSID information of the Nontransmitted BSSID AP is derived by receiving the above-mentioned beacon frame or probe response frame, or the Multiple BSSID element in the neighbor report.

[0132] In Multiple BSSID technology, a physical AP can virtualize multiple logical APs. Each virtualized AP manages a BSS. Different virtualized APs generally have different SSIDs and permissions, such as security mechanisms or transmission opportunities. Among the multiple virtualized APs, there is a virtual AP whose BSSID is configured as a transmitted BSSID. This virtual AP can be called a transmitted AP. The BSSIDs of other virtual APs are configured as non-transmitted BSSIDs. This virtual AP can be called a non-transmitted AP. Generally speaking, multiple APs in Multiple BSSID can also be understood as one AP device virtualizing multiple cooperative AP devices. Only the AP with the BSSID of Transmitted BSSID can send beacon frames and probe response frames. If the probe request frame sent by the STA is to an AP with the BSSID of Nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set, the AP with the BSSID of Transmitted BSSID needs to help respond to the probe response frame. The beacon frame sent by the AP with the Transmitted BSSID includes the Multiple BSSID element, and other APs with the Nontransmitted BSSID cannot send beacon frames. The association identifiers (AIDassociation identifiers) assigned by multiple virtual APs to the sites they manage share the same space, which means that the AIDs assigned to the sites in multiple virtual BSSs cannot overlap.

[0133] Optionally, the MultipleBSSID element is as shown in Table 1, including element ID, length, maximum BSSID indication, and sub-elements, wherein the maximum BSSID indicates that the maximum number of BSSIDs included in the above-mentioned Multiple BSSID set is n, and the optional sub-elements include information of each non-transmission BSSID. The receiving end can calculate the value of each BSSID in the multiple BSSID set based on the reference BSSID, the maximum BSSID indication and the sequence number of the BSSID. Each BSSID includes 48 bits, wherein the value of the high (48-n) bits of each BSSID in the multiple BSSID set is the same as the value of the high 48-n bits of the reference BSSID, and the value of the low n bits of each BSSID in the multiple BSSID set is the sum of the low n values ​​of the reference BSSID and the sequence number x of the BSSID, and then modulo 2n. The reference BSSID (that is, the Transmitted BSSID) is carried in the BSSID field in the MAC header of the frame (such as the beacon frame) containing the Multiple BSSID element. For the specific calculation method, please refer to the 802.11-2016 standard protocol.

[0134] Table 1 MultipleBSSID elements

[0135]

[0136] Among them, the “optional sub-elements” in Table 1 can be as shown in Table 2.

[0137] Table 2 Optional sub-elements

[0138] Sub-element ID name expand 0 Nontransmitted BSSID profile Not scalable 1-220 reserve 221 Manufacturer Proprietary Manufacturer Definition 222-255 reserve

[0139] In Table 2, the Nontransmitted BSSID profile (configuration) includes one or more elements of an AP or DMG STA with a NontransmittedBSSID. The Nontransmitted BSSID profile (configuration) includes but is not limited to the following elements:

[0140] 1. For each Nontransmitted BSSID, the Nontransmitted BSSID capability element needs to be included, as well as multiple other elements in the beacon.

[0141] 2. SSID element and Multiple BSSID-Index element.

[0142] 3. If the MultipleBSSID element is carried in the beacon, the FMSDescriptor (description) element is also included.

[0143] 4. The following elements are not included: The Timestamp and BeaconInterval fields, DSSS Parameter Set, IBSS Parameter Set, Country, Channel Switch Announcement, Extended Channel Switch Announcement, Wide Bandwidth Channel Switch, Transmit Power Envelope, Supported Operating Classes, IBSSDFS, ERP Information, HT Capabilities, HT Operation, VHT Capabilities, VHT Operation, SIG Beacon Compatibility, Short Beacon Interval, S1G Capabilities, and S1G Operation (11ah). These elements are usually the same as the values ​​of the transmitted BSSID AP elements.

[0144] 5. Optionally include the NonInheriatance element, which is the last element in the Nontransmitted BSSID profile. The non-inheritance element includes a series of element ID numbers that the Nontransmitted BSSID cannot inherit from the transmitted BSSID and the element ID extension number. It is worth noting that the specific content of the element is omitted here, as shown in Table 3, including element ID, length, element ID extension, element ID list, element ID extension list, where the element ID extension number only appears when the element ID value is 255.

[0145] Table 3 Non-inherited elements

[0146]

[0147]

[0148] How to apply the Multiple BSSID technology to a multi-link device to provide multiple virtual network functions is a technical problem that is being studied by technicians in this field.

[0149] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 The present application provides an information indication method based on a multi-link device and multiple BSSID. The method can be applied between sites, between access points and sites, and between access points and access points. For the convenience of description, the present application takes the communication between access points and sites as an example for detailed description. The method includes but is not limited to the following steps:

[0150] Step S401: the access point sends MLD information to the station.

[0151] The access point belongs to an MLD, for example, the access point is an AP in an AP multi-link device. The station that receives the MLD information can be a station in a multi-link station device or a single-link station. In other types of BSSs, the station that sends the MLD information can also be a station that belongs to an MLD; the access point that receives the MLD information can also be an access point that belongs to an MLD or a single-link access point. The following description takes the example of an access point sending MLD information to a station as an example.

[0152] The AP in the AP multi-link device that sends the MLD information may be called a reporting AP. The information field of the reported AP includes information about other APs in the MLD to which the reporting AP belongs.

[0153] The MLD information includes information of the reporting AP and information of the reported AP, wherein the information of the reporting AP is used to indicate the reporting AP; and the information of the reported AP is used to indicate the reported AP.

[0154] Optionally, the APs in the AP multi-link device belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the information of the reporting AP is also used to indicate the multi-BSSID set to which the reporting AP belongs; the information of the reported AP is also used to indicate the multi-BSSID set to which the reported AP belongs.

[0155] The MLD information carries information for establishing association between a station and an AP multilink device, so that a station receiving the information can establish association with a corresponding AP. Optionally, the MLD information can be carried in a management frame, such as a beacon frame, an association response frame, a probe response frame, an authentication frame, or a neighbor report.

[0156] It should be noted that the MLD information may also include Multiple BSSID information, etc. Of course, the MLD information may also be other names, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0157] An AP multi-link device includes n logical APs, which work on n different links respectively, so they can be represented by link identifiers link1, link2, ..., linkn, and the MAC address of each AP is different. An AP multi-link device is identified by a MAC address of an MLD, or it can be said that the MAC address is used to identify the management entity of the AP multi-link device, wherein the MAC address of the AP multi-link device can be the same as one MAC address of the n logical APs included in the multi-link AP, or can be different from the MAC addresses of the n logical APs. For example, the MAC address of the AP multi-link device is a public MAC address, which can identify the AP multi-link device.

[0158] In one example, a logical AP or multiple logical APs in an AP multi-link device may belong to one or more multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) sets. In one example, the multiple BSSID sets to which each logical AP in an AP multi-link device belongs are different. In another example, multiple logical APs in an AP multi-link device may belong to the same Multiple BSSID set. For example, if there are two logical APs in the AP multi-link device working on one link, in this case, the two logical APs may belong to the same multiple BSSID set.

[0159] For example, if Figure 5As shown, the MAC address of an AP multi-link device is, for example, MLD1. The multi-link device includes three logical APs, represented as AP1, AP2, and AP3, wherein AP1, AP2, and AP3 work on link 1 (link1), link 2 (link2), and link 3 (link3), respectively. The MAC addresses of AP1, AP2, and AP3 are BSSID_11, BSSID_21, and BSSID_31, respectively (before 802.11ax, the BSSID of the BSS established by the AP is the MAC address of the AP, which may be changed later. For the convenience of description, the MAC address of the AP is used as the BSSID of the BSS established by the AP.), wherein AP1 is a member of MultipleBSSID set 1, and Multiple BSSID set 1 also includes AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_13; the AP2 is a member of Multiple BSSID set 2 ... BSSID set 2 also includes AP5 with a MAC address of BSSID_22 and AP6 with a MAC address of BSSID_23; AP3 is a member of Multiple BSSID set 3, and Multiple BSSID set 3 also includes AP7 with a MAC address of BSSID_32 and AP8 with a MAC address of BSSID_33.

[0160] Step S402: The station receives MLD information sent by the access point AP.

[0161] Specifically, after receiving the MLD information broadcast or unicast by the AP, the station parses the content in the MLD information, for example, the information of the reporting AP and the reported AP in the MLD information. If there is common information and virtual AP information in the MLD information, the station will also parse the common information and the virtual AP information. It can be understood that the station can obtain the above-mentioned Multiple BSSID set structure based on AP multi-link devices based on the content parsed from the MLD information. After obtaining the Multiple BSSID set structure based on AP multi-link devices, one or more of the following operations can be performed:

[0162] 1) One or more APs in the MLD where the AP is located can be associated with each other on a link. Figure 6 In the example, after the station receives the MLD information sent by the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x on link 1, the station can choose to associate with the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x and the AP with MAC address BSSID-3x in the AP multi-link device MLD1 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is located.

[0163] 2) It is possible to associate with APs in other MLDs other than the MLD where the reporting AP is located on a link, where the APs in other MLDs belong to the Multiple BSSID set where the APs in the MLD where the reporting AP is located are located. Figure 6 In the example, after the station receives the MLD information sent by the AP with the MAC address of BSSID-1x on link 1, the station can choose to associate with the AP with the MAC address of BSSID-2x and the AP with the MAC address of BSSID-3y in the AP multi-link device MLD2.

[0164] Optionally, the association here refers to one or more of an interactive probe request frame and a probe response frame, an interactive authentication request frame and an authentication response frame, an interactive association request frame or an association response frame.

[0165] The following are two optional Multiple BSSID set architecture solutions for AP multi-link devices.

[0166] Hereinafter, the AP in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID is referred to as a transmitted AP (TransmittedBSSIDAP), and the AP in the BSS identified by the nontransmitted BSSID is referred to as a nontransmitted AP (nontransmittedBSSIDAP).

[0167] Solution 1:

[0168] The APs of Transmitted BSSID in multiple Multiple BSSID sets do not come from the same AP multi-link device, that is, the same AP multi-link device may include a Transmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set and a Nontransmitted BSSID AP in another Multiple BSSID set. For example, AP1 in an AP multi-link device (MLD1) is a Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1, and AP2 in the AP multi-link device (MLD1) is a Nontransmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2. In this case, the network formed by the Multiple BSSID of the multi-link device is more flexible and more suitable for the business needs of different sites.

[0169] Figure 6The diagram illustrates an architecture of a multi-link device in which the APs in the BSSs identified by the Transmitted BSSIDs in multiple Multiple BSSID sets are not in the same AP, wherein an AP whose MAC address ends with x is a Transmitted BSSID AP, and an AP whose MAC address ends with y or z is a Non-Transmitted BSSID AP. For example, the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP1 whose MAC address is BSSID_1x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP4 whose MAC address is BSSID_1y; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2 is AP5 whose MAC address is BSSID_2x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID APs in Multiple BSSID set 2 include AP2 whose address is BSSID_2y and AP6 whose MAC address is BSSID_2z; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP3 whose MAC address is BSSID_3x, and the The non-Transmitted BSSID APs in BSSID set 3 include AP7 with MAC address BSSID_3y and AP8 with MAC address BSSID_3z. Figure 6 It can be seen that Transmitted BSSID APs (i.e., transmitting APs) from different Multiple BSSID sets are distributed in different AP multi-link devices. For example, the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x and the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2x are respectively in the AP multi-link device MLD1 and the AP multi-link device MLD2.

[0170] In the embodiment of the present application, there is also a virtual AP, which is not in the same AP multi-link device as the reporting AP, but is an AP in the same AP multi-link device as a non-transmitting AP in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, and there is no member AP belonging to the AP multi-link device where the reporting AP is located on the link where the virtual AP works, or there is a member AP belonging to the AP multi-link device where the reporting AP is located on the link where the virtual AP works but is not in the same Multiple BSSID set as the virtual AP. For example, Figure 6As shown, the reporting AP in Multiple BSSID set 2 is AP5 (also a transmission AP) with a MAC address of BSSID_2x, and AP1 with a MAC address of BSSID_1x is not in the same multi-link device as AP5, but is in the same AP multi-link device (MLD1) as a non-transmission AP with a MAC address of BSSID_2y in Multiple BSSID set 2 where AP5 is located, namely AP2, and there is no member AP belonging to the AP multi-link device where the reporting AP is located on the link where AP1 works. Therefore, for AP5 as a reporting AP, the AP1 can be considered as a virtual AP. Of course, the "virtual AP" here can also have other names, but its essence should be the same as the essence of the virtual AP here.

[0171] In an embodiment of the present application, the AP that sends the MLD information in the AP multi-link device can be called a reporting AP, and the AP that does not send the MLD information can be called a reported AP. Optionally, the reported AP and the reporting AP are located in the same AP multi-link device. Optionally, the reported AP and the reporting AP are not located in the same AP multi-link device. In one example, there is currently one reporting AP and at least one reported AP in the AP multi-link device (if the number of reported APs is 0, it can be regarded as a special AP multi-link device); the reported AP and the reporting AP are in the same multi-link AP. In another example, the AP multi-link device can also include a logical AP, which switches to work on multiple links. When sending MLD information, the logical AP is a reporting AP. Among them, the management frame can be a beacon frame, or a probe response frame, or an association response frame. The MLD information is carried in the management frame, or other pre-specified frames. Therefore, the above-mentioned access point sends MLD information to the station, which can be specifically: the reporting AP sends MLD information to the station. The MLD information is used to indicate to the station information distributed based on multi-link devices and a Multiple BSSID set in the station, so that the station acquires information of the MLD where the first station is located.

[0172] The MLD information may be carried in the above management frame, and the MLD information may include the following information: information of the reporting AP, information of the reported AP, and optionally, information of the virtual AP and shared information.

[0173] The information of the reporting AP includes the BSSID of the BSS to which the reporting AP belongs (generally the MAC address of the reporting AP). In addition, if the reporting AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the information of the reporting AP needs to carry the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located. Among them, the Multiple BSSID element of the MultipleBSSID set where the reporting AP is located will carry some AP information, which can be called the second type of AP information of the reporting AP.

[0174] Optionally, the reporting AP information also includes first-category AP information, and the first-category AP information in the reporting AP information is the information of the reporting AP itself. For example, the first-category AP information also includes but is not limited to one or more of the reporting AP capability information, the reporting AP operation information, the reporting AP MAC address, the reporting AP link identifier, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in a beacon frame, the reporting AP information may also include other fields or elements carried in the beacon in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as a timestamp timstamp field, a beacon interval field, an SSID element, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in a probe response frame, the reporting AP may also include other fields or elements carried in the beacon in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as a timestamp timstamp field, a beacon interval field, an SSID element, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in an association request frame, the information reporting the AP may also include other fields or elements carried in the association request frame in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as an association identifier (AID) field, an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter set element, and the like.

[0175] Information of the reported AP, method 1, the reported AP information includes first-category AP information, and the first-category AP information includes an AP information of other APs in the MLD where the reported AP is located. If the reported AP indicated in the information of the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the information of the reported AP may optionally include the Multiple BSSID element of the MultipleBSSID set where the reported AP is located. Optionally, the information of the reported AP also includes information related to the Multiple BSSID where the reported AP is located, and the information related to the Multiple BSSID where the reported AP is located may indicate whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set through a first preset bit, for example, the first preset bit includes 1 bit, and 1 bit is used to indicate whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set. Among them, the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located will carry some AP information, and the information of these APs can be called second-category AP information of the reported AP.

[0176] In the reported AP information, if it is indicated that the reported AP is a nontransmitted BSSID AP, the Multiple BSSID related information also includes the information of the TransmittedBSSIDAP in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located, or the Transmitted BSSID, or the sequence number of the Transmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set. Optionally, the Transmitted BSSID AP information may also include one or more of the Transmitted BSSID AP's capability information, operation information, MAC address, link identifier, and MAC address of the AP multi-link device where the TransmittedBSSIDAP is located.

[0177] Optionally, the information related to the Multiple BSSID to which the reported AP is located can also indicate the AP type of the reported AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs through a second preset bit. For example, the second preset bit is 2 bits, and the 2 bits are used to indicate whether the AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set and whether it is a TransmittedBSSID AP; or the second preset bit is 1 bit, and the 1 bit is used to indicate whether the reported AP is a nontransmitted BSSID AP.

[0178] Optionally, of course, the Multiple BSSID related information can also indicate through 2 bits whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set and the type of the reported AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs. For example, 1 bit of the 2 bits indicates whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, and the other bit indicates the type of the reported AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs, for example, whether the reported AP is a Transmitted BSSID AP or a nontransmitted BSSID AP.

[0179] It should be noted that if there is a Multiple BSSID element in the information of the reported AP, the nontransmitted BSSID profile of the MultipleBSSID element can also carry the MAC address of the MLD where the nontransmitted BSSID AP is located. Specifically, if the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs to a certain MLD, the MAC address of the MLD where the AP is located is added to the nontransmitted BSSID profile, otherwise it can be omitted. The MAC address of the MLD to which the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs can be used by other sites to associate with the AP in the MLD to which the nontransmittedBSSID AP belongs.

[0180] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID related information included in the reported AP information may be placed in a Multiple BSSID element in the reported AP information field, such as in an optional sub-element field in the Multiple BSSID element.

[0181] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID related information included in the reported AP information may be placed in other fields of the reported AP (not in the Multiple BSSID element).

[0182] Method 2: In case 1, the reported AP does not belong to the Multiple BSSID set. In this case, the first-category AP information in the information field of the reported AP is the information of the AP in the same MLD as the reporting AP. In case 2, the reported AP belongs to the MultipleBSSID set. In this case, the first-category AP information is the information of the Transmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set. The information field of the reported AP also includes the Multiple BSSID element. In this case, the Multiple BSSID carries the second-category AP information. Case 2 is divided into two categories: Case 2.1, the Transmitted BSSID AP and the reporting AP are in the same MLD; Case 2.2, the Transmitted BSSID AP and the reporting AP are not in the same MLD.

[0183] For case 2.2, the reported AP information field also includes information of APs that meet the following conditions.

[0184] 1) The AP and the reporting AP are located in the same AP multi-link device.

[0185] 2) The AP and the transmitted BSSID AP in the reported AP information are located in the same Multiple BSSID set.

[0186] The information of the AP that meets the condition is the BSSID or the MultipleBSSID-Index in the Multiple BSSID set.

[0187] In the method 2, the reported AP information field includes 1 bit of information indicating whether the reported AP belongs to the MultipleBSSID set, and also includes 1 bit of information indicating whether the reported AP is in the same MLD as the reporting AP.

[0188] In mode 2, if the reported AP belongs to a multi-BSSID set, the first type of AP information included in the information field of the reported AP is information of the transmitted BSSID AP, and the structure of the signaling information field is consistent with that of the virtual AP.

[0189] Optionally, for example, the information of the first category AP includes one or more of the capability element of the reported AP, the operating information of the reported AP, the MAC address of the reported AP, and the link identifier of the slave AP. The link identifier may be an identification number, or the link identifier may be the operating set and channel number of the reported AP, or the link identifier may be the MAC address of the reported AP, or the link identifier may be a combination of at least two of them (such as the above identification number, the operating set of the reported AP, the channel number, and the MAC address of the reported AP). The reporting AP may pre-match the identification number with the operating set (operating class) and the channel number in the sent MLD information, or match the identification number with the MAC address of the reported AP, or match the identification number with the combination of the above at least two in a one-to-one manner. Of course, the corresponding relationship may also be determined in advance by negotiation between the above reporting AP and the station.

[0190] The information of the virtual AP, if the AP indicated in the information of the virtual AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the information field of the virtual AP includes: the first type of AP information, that is, the information of a Transmitted BSSID AP (that is, the virtual AP is regarded as a Transmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located), and the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located. Optionally, the information of the virtual AP also includes information related to the Multiple BSSID where the virtual AP is located, and the information related to the Multiple BSSID where the virtual AP is located can indicate whether the virtual AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set through a third preset bit, for example, the third preset bit includes 1 bit, and 1 bit is used to indicate whether the virtual AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set.

[0191] The Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located carries some AP information, and the AP information may be referred to as the second type of AP information of the virtual AP.

[0192] If the AP indicated in the virtual AP information is not a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the virtual AP information field includes: first-category AP information, specifically, information about the virtual AP itself.

[0193] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID-related information of the virtual AP can also indicate the AP type of the virtual AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs through a fourth preset bit. For example, the fourth preset bit is 2 bits, and the 2 bits are used to indicate whether the AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set and whether it is a Transmitted BSSID AP; or the fourth preset bit is 1 bit, and the 1 bit is used to indicate whether the virtual AP is a nontransmitted BSSID AP.

[0194] Optionally, of course, the Multiple BSSID related information can also indicate through 2 bits whether the virtual AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set and the type of the virtual AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs. For example, 1 bit of the 2 bits indicates whether the virtual AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, and the other bit indicates the type of the virtual AP in the Multiple BSSID set to which it belongs, for example, whether the virtual AP is a Transmitted BSSID AP or a nontransmitted BSSID AP.

[0195] It should be noted that if there is a Multiple BSSID element in the virtual AP information, the nontransmitted BSSID profile of the MultipleBSSID element can also carry the MAC address of the MLD where the nontransmitted BSSID AP is located. Specifically, if the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs to a certain MLD, the MAC address of the MLD where the AP is located is added to the nontransmitted BSSID profile, otherwise it can be omitted. The MAC address of the MLD to which the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs can be used by other sites to associate with the AP in the MLD to which the nontransmittedBSSID AP belongs.

[0196] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID related information included in the virtual AP information may be placed in a Multiple BSSID element in the virtual AP information field, such as in an optional sub-element field in the Multiple BSSID element.

[0197] Optionally, for example, the information of the first category AP includes one or more of the capability element of the virtual AP, the operation information of the virtual AP, the MAC address of the virtual AP, the link identifier of the virtual AP, the MAC address of the AP multi-link device (MLD) where the virtual AP is located, etc. The link identifier can be an identification number, or an operation set and a channel number, or the MAC address of the virtual AP, or a combination of at least two of them. The reporting AP can pre-match the identification number with the operation set and channel number of the virtual AP in the sent MLD information, or match the identification number with the MAC address of the virtual AP one-to-one, or match the identification number with the combination of at least two of the above. Of course, this correspondence can also be determined in advance by negotiation between the reporting AP and the site.

[0198] The first type of AP information mentioned above is all carried outside the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set, and the second type of AP information mentioned above is all carried in the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set.

[0199] The shared information specifically includes at least two shared information of the above-mentioned reporting AP, reported AP, virtual AP, etc. For example, the reporting AP and the reported AP are in the same AP multi-link device MLD2, so both have the MAC address of the AP multi-link device MLD2, so the shared information may include the MAC address of the multi-link device MLD2. In addition, the number of the above-mentioned reported APs and the number of virtual APs can be classified as shared information. It should be noted that when some shared information is not carried in the shared information, it can be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information, or the reported AP information, or the virtual AP. For example, the MAC address of the AP multi-link device MLD2 where the above-mentioned reporting AP and the reported AP are located can be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information, and / or, carried in the above-mentioned reported AP information.

[0200] Optionally, the shared information may not be included in the MLD information. In this case, some information included in the shared information listed here may be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information, or reported AP information, or virtual AP information.

[0201] Optionally, the information field of the reported AP and the information field of the virtual AP in the embodiment of the present application can be distinguished in the following manner:

[0202] In one example: the number of reported APs in the common information field and the number of virtual APs are implicitly indicated, and at this time, the information fields of one or more reported APs are continuous, and the information fields of one or more virtual APs are continuous. In one example, when the above-mentioned MLD information includes the above-mentioned reporting AP information, reported AP information, virtual AP information, and common information, the field structure of the MLD information can be as shown in Table 4.

[0203] Table 4

[0204]

[0205] As shown in Table 4 above, if the common information indicates that the number of reported APs is 2 and the number of virtual APs is 3, then the two information fields after the common information contain information about two reported APs, and the three information fields after the two information fields contain information about three virtual APs. The station that subsequently receives the MLD information knows that the two information fields after the common information are information about the reported APs, and that the three information fields after the two information fields are information about the virtual APs.

[0206] In another example: by carrying preset bit information in the information field, it is indicated whether the current information field is the information field of the reported AP or the information field of the virtual AP. The preset bit information can be 1 bit, for example, the 1 bit value is 1 to indicate that the current information field is the information field of the reported AP, and the 1 bit value is 0 to indicate that the current information field is the information field of the virtual AP; the preset bit information can also be a special value of a field, a part of the value of the field (such as 1100) indicates that the current information field is the information field of the reported AP, and the other part of the value (0011) indicates that the current information field is the information field of the virtual AP, so it can be determined whether it is the information of the reported AP or the information of the virtual AP according to the special value of the field. In this way, the MLD information does not need to indicate the number of reported APs and the number of virtual APs, saving signaling overhead; and there is no need for one or more reported AP information fields to be continuous, and one or more secondary virtual AP information fields to be continuous, and the position of the reported AP information field and the virtual AP information field in the MLD information is more flexible. Of course, the MLD information in this example can also adopt the structure shown in Table 2.

[0207] Combine the following Figure 6 The schematic structure describes the reporting AP information, the reported AP information, the virtual AP information carrying the transmitted BSSID information, and the Multiple BSSID element example, as follows:

[0208] Example 1: If the reporting AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2x, one reported AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-3y, and one virtual AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x.

[0209] Since the reporting AP with MAC address BSSID-2x is a member of Multiple BSSID set 2, and the AP with MAC address BSSID-2x is the transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2, the reporting AP information includes first-category AP information and second-category AP information, wherein the first-category AP information includes MAC address BSSID-2x (i.e., transmitted BSSID), and the second-category AP information includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSID set 2, and the Multiple BSSID element includes information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y and information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2z.

[0210] Since the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-3y is a member of Multiple BSSID set 3, and the MultipleBSSID related information indicates that the AP with MAC address BSSID-3y is a nontransmitted BSSID AP, the information of the reported AP includes information of the first category AP, information of the second category AP, and information of a Transmitted BSSID AP in the MultipleBSSID set 3 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-3y is located, that is, information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-3x, wherein the information of the first category AP includes information such as the MAC address of the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-3y, and the information of the second category AP carries the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSIDset 3 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-3y is located, and the Multiple BSSID element carries information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-3z.

[0211] Since the virtual AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x is a member of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x is a transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1, the information of the virtual AP includes information of the first category AP and information of the second category AP, wherein the information of the first category AP includes the MAC address BSSID-1x, and the information of the second category AP includes a Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the Multiple BSSID element includes information of the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1y.

[0212] Example 2: If the reporting AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x, one reported AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2y, and another reported AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-3x, and the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x has no corresponding virtual AP.

[0213] Since the reporting AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is a member of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is the transmitted BSSID AP of Multiple BSSID set 1, the reporting AP information includes first-category AP information and second-category AP information, wherein the first-category AP information includes MAC address BSSID-1x (i.e., transmittedBSSID), the second-category AP information includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the Multiple BSSID element includes the information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-1y.

[0214] Since the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-2y is a member of Multiple BSSID set 3, and the MultipleBSSID related information indicates that the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y is a nontransmitted BSSID AP, the information of the reported AP includes the first category AP information, the second category AP information and the information of a Transmitted BSSID AP in MultipleBSSID set 2 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y is located, that is, the information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2x, wherein the first category AP information includes the MAC address of BSSID-2y, etc., and the second category AP information includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSIDset 2 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y is located, and the Multiple BSSID element includes the information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y and the information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2z.

[0215] Since the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-3x is a member of Multiple BSSID set 3, and the MultipleBSSID related information indicates that the AP with MAC address BSSID-3x is a transmitted BSSID AP, the information of the reported AP includes information of the first category AP, information of the second category AP, and MAC address BSSID-3x (i.e., Transmitted BSSID) of the AP with MAC address BSSID-3x, wherein the information of the first category AP includes the MAC address of the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-3x, etc., and the information of the second category AP includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSIDset3 where the AP with MAC address BSSID-3x is located, and the Multiple BSSID element includes information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-3y and information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-3z.

[0216] Since there is no corresponding virtual AP when the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is used as the reporting AP, there is no virtual AP information in the MLD information. It can be understood that for the above two examples, the MLD information can also include common information, and the content of the common information can refer to the above description, which is not repeated here.

[0217] Option 2:

[0218] Transmitted BSSIDAPs in multiple Multiple BSSID sets belong to the same AP multi-link device, that is, if one or more APs in an AP multi-link device belong to a Multiple BSSID set, all Transmitted BSSIDAPs in the Multiple BSSID set belong to one AP multi-link device. For example, Transmitted BSSIDAP1 in Multiple BSSID set 1 and Transmitted BSSIDAP2 in Multiple BSSID set 2 belong to two different APs in AP multi-link device MLD1. In this case, the Multiple BSSID network built on the basis of the AP multi-link device is simpler and has less signaling MLD information overhead.

[0219] Figure 7 It illustrates that the APs in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID in multiple Multiple BSSID sets come from the same AP multi-link device, where the AP whose MAC address ends with x is the Transmitted BSSID AP, and the AP whose MAC address ends with y or z is the NonTransmitted BSSID AP. For example, the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP1 with a MAC address of BSSID_1x, and the nonTransmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_1y; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2 is AP2 with a MAC address of BSSID_2x, and the nonTransmitted BSSID APs in Multiple BSSID set 2 include AP5 with a MAC address of BSSID_2y and AP6 with a MAC address of BSSID_2z; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP3 with a MAC address of BSSID_3x, and the The non-Transmitted BSSID APs in BSSID set 3 include AP7 with a MAC address of BSSID_3y and AP8 with a MAC address of BSSID_3z. Figure 7 It can be seen that the Transmitted BSSID APs (ie, transmitting APs) from different Multiple BSSID sets are all in the AP multi-link device MLD1.

[0220] In an embodiment of the present application, the AP that sends the MLD information in the AP multi-link device can be called a reporting AP, and the AP that does not send the MLD information can be called a reported AP. The reported AP and the reporting AP are located in the same AP multi-link device. In one example, there is currently one reporting AP and at least one reported AP in the AP multi-link device (if the number of reported APs is 0, it can be regarded as a special AP multi-link device); the reported AP and the reporting AP are in the same multi-link AP. In another example, the AP multi-link device can also include a logical AP, which switches to work on multiple links. When sending MLD information, the logical AP is a reporting AP. Among them, the management frame can be a beacon frame (beacon), or a probe response frame (ProbeResponse), or an association response frame, and the MLD information is carried in the management frame, or other pre-specified frames. Therefore, the above-mentioned access point sending MLD information to the site can be specifically: the reporting AP sends MLD information to the site. The MLD information is used to indicate to the station information distributed based on multi-link devices and a Multiple BSSID set in the station, so that the station acquires information of the MLD where the first station is located.

[0221] The MLD information may be carried in the above management frame, and the MLD information may include the following information: information of the reporting AP, information of the reported AP, and optionally, information of the virtual AP and shared information.

[0222] The information of the reporting AP includes the BSSID of the BSS to which the reporting AP belongs (generally the MAC address of the reporting AP). In addition, if the reporting AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the information of the reporting AP needs to carry the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located. Among them, the Multiple BSSID element of the MultipleBSSID set where the reporting AP is located will carry some AP information, which can be called the second type of AP information of the reporting AP.

[0223] Optionally, the reporting AP information also includes first-category AP information, and the first-category AP information in the reporting AP information is information of the reporting AP itself, for example, the first-category AP information also includes one or more of the reporting AP capability information, the reporting AP operation information, the reporting AP MAC address, the reporting AP link identifier, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in a beacon frame, the reporting AP information may also include other fields or elements carried in the beacon in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as a timestamp timstamp field, a beacon interval field, an SSID element, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in a probe response frame, the reporting AP may also include other fields or elements carried in the beacon in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as a timestamp timstamp field, a beacon interval field, an SSID element, etc. Optionally, if the above-mentioned MLD information is carried in an association request frame, the information reporting the AP may also include other fields or elements carried in the association request frame in the current 802.11 protocol (such as the 802.11-2016 protocol), such as an association identifier (AID) field, an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter set element, and the like.

[0224] The information of the reported AP includes the BSSID of the BSS to which the reported AP belongs (generally the MAC address of the reported AP). In addition, if the reported AP indicated in the information of the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the information of the reported AP includes the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located. Under the premise of the above architecture, the reported AP is actually a TransmittedBSSID AP. Optionally, the information of the reported AP also includes the related information of the Multiple BSSID where the reported AP is located. The related information of the Multiple BSSID where the reported AP is located can indicate whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set through a first preset bit. For example, the first preset bit includes 1 bit, and 1 bit is used to indicate whether the reported AP is a member of the Multiple BSSID set. Among them, the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located will carry some AP information, and the information of these APs can be called the second type of AP information of the reported AP.

[0225] It should be noted that if there is a Multiple BSSID element in the information of the reported AP, the nontransmitted BSSID profile of the MultipleBSSID element can also carry the MAC address of the MLD where the nontransmitted BSSID AP is located. Specifically, if the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs to a certain MLD, the MAC address of the MLD where the AP is located is added to the nontransmitted BSSID profile, otherwise it can be omitted. The MAC address of the MLD to which the nontransmitted BSSID AP belongs can be used by other sites to associate with the AP in the MLD to which the nontransmittedBSSID AP belongs.

[0226] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID related information included in the reported AP information may be placed in a Multiple BSSID element in the reported AP information field, such as in an optional sub-element field in the Multiple BSSID element.

[0227] Optionally, the Multiple BSSID related information included in the reported AP information may be placed in other fields of the reported AP (not in the Multiple BSSID element).

[0228] Optionally, the information of the reported AP also includes first-category AP information, and the first-category AP information in the information of the reported AP is the information of the reported AP itself, for example, the first-category AP information includes one or more of the capability element of the reported AP, the operation information of the reported AP, the MAC address of the reported AP, and the link identifier of the slave AP. The link identifier may be an identification number, or the link identifier may be the operation set and channel number of the reported AP, or the link identifier may be the MAC address of the reported AP, or the link identifier may be a combination of at least two of them (such as the above identification number, the operation set of the reported AP, the channel number, and the MAC address of the reported AP). The reporting AP may pre-match the identification number with the operation set (operating class) and the channel number in the sent MLD information, or match the identification number with the MAC address of the reported AP, or match the identification number with the combination of the above at least two in a one-to-one manner. Of course, the corresponding relationship may also be determined by negotiation between the reporting AP and the station in advance.

[0229] The shared information specifically includes at least two shared information of the above-mentioned reporting AP, reported AP, etc. For example, the reporting AP and the reported AP are in the same AP multi-link device MLD2, so both have the MAC address of the AP multi-link device MLD2, so the shared information may include the MAC address of the multi-link device MLD2. In addition, the number of the above-mentioned reported APs can be classified as shared information. It should be noted that when some shared information is not carried in the shared information, it can be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information, or the reported AP information. For example, the MAC address of the AP multi-link device MLD2 where the above-mentioned reporting AP and the reported AP are located can be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information, and / or, carried in the above-mentioned reported AP information.

[0230] Optionally, the shared information may also carry the number of reported AP information fields.

[0231] Optionally, the MLD information may not include the shared information. In this case, some information included in the shared information listed here may be carried in the above-mentioned reporting AP information or reported AP information.

[0232] Optionally, when the MLD information includes the reporting AP information, reported AP information, and shared information, the field structure of the MLD information may be as shown in Table 5.

[0233] Table 5

[0234]

[0235] Combine the following Figure 7 The schematic structure describes the reporting AP information, the reported AP information carrying the transmittedBSSID information, and the Multiple BSSID element example, as follows:

[0236] If the reporting AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x, one reported AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2x, and another reported AP is an AP with a MAC address of BSSID-3x.

[0237] Since the reporting AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is a member of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the AP with MAC address BSSID-1x is the transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1, the reporting AP information includes first-category AP information and second-category AP information, wherein the first-category AP information includes MAC address BSSID-1x (i.e., transmitted BSSID), the second-category AP information includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSID set 1, and the Multiple BSSID element includes information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-1y.

[0238] Since the BSSID of the BSS to which the reported AP with MAC address BSSID-2x belongs is a transmitted BSSID and is a member of Multiple BSSID set 2, the information of the reported AP includes first-category AP information and second-category AP information, wherein the first-category AP information includes MAC address BSSID-2x (i.e., transmitted BSSID), and the second-category AP information includes the Multiple BSSID element of Multiple BSSID set 2, wherein the Multiple BSSID element includes information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2y and information of the AP with MAC address BSSID-2z.

[0239] Since the reported AP with the MAC address BSSID-3x does not belong to any Multiple BSSID set, the above reported AP information does not need to carry the related Multiple BSSID set information with the MAC address BSSID-3x.

[0240] In an optional solution, in the above-mentioned solution 1 and solution 2, the information field of the reported AP includes the information of the reported AP, and the information field of the virtual AP includes the information of the virtual AP, and also includes a method of inheriting the reported AP information field. The inheritance principle is similar to the method in the prior art 1 that the NonTransmitted BSSID AP inherits the parameters of the TransmittedBSSID AP.

[0241] Specifically, the information field of the reporting AP includes relatively complete parameters, including various elements in the current 802.11 beacon frame. If part of the information of the reported AP is the same as part of the information of the reporting AP, and the same information is carried in the information field of the reporting AP, then the elements corresponding to the same information may not appear in the information field of the reported AP. If part of the information of the reported AP is different from part of the information of the reporting AP, then the elements corresponding to the different information may appear in the information field of the reported AP, or be indicated using the non-inherited elements shown in Table 3 above. If the information field of the reported AP indicates that the reported AP belongs to a Multiple BSSID set, then some information of the nontransmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set may inherit the information field of the reporting AP, or inherit some information of the Transmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set. The inheritance principle may refer to the previous method for inheriting the information field of the reported AP.

[0242] If some of the information of the virtual AP is the same as that of the reporting AP, and the same information is carried in the information field of the reporting AP, then the elements corresponding to the same information may not appear in the information field of the virtual AP. If some of the information of the virtual AP is different from that of the reporting AP, then the elements corresponding to the different information may appear in the information field of the virtual AP, or may be indicated using the non-inherited elements shown in Table 3 above. If the information field of the virtual AP indicates that the virtual AP belongs to a Multiple BSSID set, then some information of the nontransmitted BSSID AP in the Multiple BSSID set may inherit the information field of the reporting AP, or inherit some information of the Transmitted BSSID AP in the MultipleBSSID set. The inheritance principle may refer to the method of inheriting the information field of the reported AP above.

[0243] Optionally, under the premise of the above solution 1, in step S402, the station determines the Multiple BSSID set structure in the following manner:

[0244] Regarding the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located: Since the reporting AP is usually a transmitted BSSID AP when it is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the BSSID of the reporting AP contained in the above-mentioned reporting AP information is actually a transmitted BSSID. In addition, since the information of the reporting AP needs to carry the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, the receiving end can determine the nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located based on the transmitted BSSID and Multiple BSSID elements in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located (specifically, the maximum BSSID indication and nontransmitted BSSID profile in the element will be used), thereby obtaining the structure of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located.

[0245] Regarding the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located: Since the information of the reported AP carries the transmitted BSSID-related information in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located (such as TransmittedBSSIDAP information, Transmitted BSSID, and the sequence number of the Transmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set) and the Multiple BSSID element, the receiving end can determine the nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located based on the transmitted BSSID and the Multiple BSSID element in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located (specifically, the maximum BSSID indication and the nontransmitted BSSID configuration (nontransmitted BSSID profile) in the element will be used), thereby obtaining the structure of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located.

[0246] Optionally, if there is an information field for a virtual AP, then regarding the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located: since the information of the virtual AP carries the information of the transmitted BSSIDAP and the Multiple BSSID element in the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located, the receiving end can determine the nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located based on the transmitted BSSID and the Multiple BSSID element in the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located (specifically, the maximum BSSID indication and the nontransmitted BSSID profile in the element will be used), thereby obtaining the structure of the Multiple BSSID set where the virtual AP is located.

[0247] Optionally, the reporting AP, the reported AP, and the virtual AP may not belong to the Multiple BSSID set.

[0248] Optionally, the structure of the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP, reported AP, and virtual AP are located can be in the form of Table 1 and Table 2 above. Of course, it can also be in other forms. For example, some fields are added or reduced, or the structural order of some fields is changed on the basis of the structure shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

[0249] Optionally, under the premise of the above solution 2, in step S402, the station may determine the Multiple BSSID set structure in the following manner:

[0250] Regarding the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located: Since the reporting AP is usually a transmitted BSSID AP when it is a member of the Multiple BSSID set, the BSSID of the reporting AP contained in the above-mentioned reporting AP information is actually a transmitted BSSID. In addition, since the information of the reporting AP needs to carry the Multiple BSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, the receiving end can determine the nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located based on the transmitted BSSID and Multiple BSSID elements in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located (specifically, the maximum BSSID indication and nontransmitted BSSID profile in the element will be used), thereby obtaining the structure of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located.

[0251] Regarding the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located: since the information of the reported AP carries the BSSID of the BSS to which the reported AP belongs, and the reported AP is a transmitted AP, the BSSID of the BSS to which the reported AP belongs is the Transmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set described by the reported AP. Therefore, the receiving end can determine the nontransmitted BSSID in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located based on the transmitted BSSID and the Multiple BSSID element in the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located (specifically, the maximum BSSID indication and the nontransmitted BSSID profile in the element will be used), thereby obtaining the structure of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located.

[0252] Optionally, the reporting AP, the reported AP, and the virtual AP may not belong to the Multiple BSSID set.

[0253] Optionally, the structure of the MultipleBSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP and the reported AP are located can be in the form of Table 1 and Table 2 above. Of course, it can also be in other forms. For example, some fields can be added on the basis of the structure shown in Table 1 and Table 2, or some fields can be reduced, or the structural order of some fields can be changed, etc.

[0254] In the embodiment of the present application, after the station learns the Multiple BSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device, it can implement many operations based on this, for example, based on this, the multi-link STA in the station is simultaneously associated with multiple APs on the AP multi-link device. This allows the AP multi-link device to simultaneously serve the STA multi-link device, increase throughput, transmission robustness, and reduce transmission delay.

[0255] It should be noted that the above-mentioned schemes 1 and 2 both construct MLD information based on the order of APs in the MLD device, for example, the MLD information includes the information of the reporting AP and the reported AP in the MLD device. The scheme described below constructs MLD information based on the order of APs in the Multiple BSSID set, for example, the MLD information includes the information of the reporting AP and the member AP in the Multiple BSSID.

[0256] In an optional solution, the content included in the above MLD information may also be as follows:

[0257] Report AP information. The AP information reported is the same as that reported in Solution 1.

[0258] Optionally, if the reporting AP is in an MLD, the information about the reporting AP includes information about each AP in the MLD where the reporting AP is located. Figure 6 As shown, if the reporting AP is the AP with the MAC address of BSSID-1x, then the APs in the MLD where the MLD is located, in addition to the reporting AP, also include the AP with the identification of BSSID-2y and the AP with the MAC address of BSSID-3x.

[0259] The member AP information, wherein the member AP is an AP that belongs to the same Multiple BSSID set as the reporting AP; the member AP information is the same as the reported AP information in solution 1,

[0260] Optionally, if the member AP is in an MLD, the information of the member AP includes information of each AP in the MLD where the member AP is located. For example, as shown in 6, if the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x is a reporting AP, the member AP is the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1y, and the APs in the MLD where the member AP is located include the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2z.

[0261] Information of a virtual AP, wherein the virtual AP is not located in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located and is an AP that meets a restriction condition, and the restriction condition has at least the following two conditions:

[0262] Case 1: The reporting AP does not belong to the same MLD, but is in the same Multiple BSSID as a member AP in the MLD to which the reporting AP belongs. Figure 6 As shown, assuming that the reporting AP is BSSID-1x, and the MAC addresses are BSSID-2x, BSSID-3y, and BSSID-2z respectively, the four APs of BSSID-3z are not located in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, and do not belong to the same MLD as the reporting AP. Therefore, relative to the reporting AP with MAC address BSSID-1x, the three APs with MAC addresses BSSID-2x, BSSID-3y, and BSSID-2z are all virtual APs.

[0263] Case 2: Each member of the Multiple BSSID set to which the reporting AP belongs is not in the same MLD, but is in the same Multiple BSSID as a member AP in the MLD to which the reporting AP belongs. Figure 6 As shown, assuming that the reporting AP is BSSID-1x, the two APs with MAC addresses BSSID-2x and BSSID-3y are not in the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located, and are not in the same MLD as each member of the Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located. Therefore, relative to the reporting AP with MAC address BSSID-1x, the two APs with MAC addresses BSSID-2x and BSSID-3y are both virtual APs.

[0264] In this case, the information of the virtual AP is the same as that of the virtual AP in solution 1.

[0265] Generally speaking, the MAC address of an AP is also the BSSID of the BSS established by the AP, and all embodiments of the present application follow this principle. Optionally, if the MAC address of an AP is different from the BSSID of the BSS established by the AP, the information of the above-mentioned AP (e.g., reporting AP, reported AP, virtual AP) may also carry the BSSID field of the BSS established by the AP.

[0266] It should be noted that Figure 6 and Figure 7 The number of MLDs and the number of Multiple BSSID sets shown, as well as the entire structure, are only exemplary. For other structures, the method shown in the embodiment of the present application can also be used to construct and report MLD information.

[0267] exist Figure 4 In the method shown, the access point indicates the Multiple BSSID set structure based on the AP multi-link device to the station through the MLD information, which can support synchronous communication (such as establishing association) between multiple APs in the multi-link AP device and multiple STAs in the STA multi-link device, thereby increasing the throughput of the wireless network, transmission robustness and reducing transmission delay.

[0268] See also Figure 8 , Figure 8 An information indication method based on a multi-link device and multiple BSSID is provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method can be applied between sites, between access points and sites, and between access points and access points. The method includes but is not limited to the following steps:

[0269] Step S801: The first station receives a probe request frame (Probe Request) sent by the second station.

[0270] Specifically, after receiving the probe response frame, the first station replies with an Ack frame.

[0271] The first station is a station of a multi-link device (MLD), for example, the MLD is an AP multi-link device; for another example, the MLD is specifically a STA multi-link device. Optionally, "the first station receives a probe request frame sent by the second station" can also be expressed as "the multi-link device receives a probe request frame sent by the second station".

[0272] The second site is a site of a multi-link device (MLD) or a single-link site. For example, the MLD is specifically an AP multi-link device; for another example, the MLD is specifically a STA multi-link device.

[0273] In one example, the first station is an AP in an AP multi-link device, and the second station is a station in a station or STA multi-link device. The following description is made by taking the first station as an AP in an AP multi-link device as an example.

[0274] The multi-link device MLD where the first site is located includes n logical APs, which work on n different links respectively. Therefore, it can be represented by link identifiers link1, link2, ..., linkn, and the MAC address of each AP is different. A multi-link device is identified by a MAC address of an MLD, or it can be said that the MAC address is used to identify the multi-link device management entity, wherein the MAC address of the multi-link device can be the same as one MAC address of the n logical APs included in the multi-link AP address, or it can be different from the MAC addresses of the n logical APs. In addition, a logical AP or multiple logical APs in a multi-link device may belong to multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) sets respectively. Usually, the multiple BSSID sets to which each logical AP in a multi-link device belongs are different. However, it is also possible that there are two logical APs in the multi-link device working on one link. In this case, the two logical APs may belong to the same multiple BSSID set.

[0275] For example, if Figure 5As shown, the MAC address of a multi-link device is MLD1, for example. The multi-link device includes three logical APs, represented as AP1, AP2 and AP3, wherein AP1, AP2 and AP3 work on link 1 (link1), link 2 (link2) and link 3 (link3), respectively. The MAC addresses of AP1, AP2 and AP3 are BSSID_11, BSSID_21 and BSSID_31, respectively (before 802.11ax, the BSSID of the BSS established by the AP is the MAC address of the AP, which may be changed later). AP1 is a member of Multiple BSSID set 1, and Multiple BSSID set 1 also includes AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_13; AP2 is a member of Multiple BSSID set 2, and Multiple BSSID set 2 also includes AP5 with a MAC address of BSSID_22 and AP6 with a MAC address of BSSID_23; AP3 is a member of Multiple BSSID set 1. Members of BSSID set 3, MultipleBSSID set 3 also include AP7 with a MAC address of BSSID_32 and AP8 with a MAC address of BSSID_33.

[0276] Figure 6The diagram illustrates the architecture of a multi-link device in which the APs in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID in multiple Multiple BSSID sets are not in the same AP. For ease of description, the AP in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID may be referred to as a transmitted AP (TransmittedBSSID AP), and the AP in the BSS identified by the nontransmitted BSSID may be referred to as a nontransmitted AP (nontransmittedBSSID AP). Among them, the AP whose MAC address ends with x is the Transmitted BSSID AP, and the AP whose MAC address ends with y or z is the Non-Transmitted BSSID AP. For example, the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP1 with a MAC address of BSSID_1x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_1y; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2 is AP5 with a MAC address of BSSID_2x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID APs in Multiple BSSID set 2 include AP2 with an address of BSSID_2y and AP6 with a MAC address of BSSID_2z; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP3 with a MAC address of BSSID_3x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_1y. BSSIDAP includes AP7 with MAC address BSSID_3y and AP8 with MAC address BSSID_3z. Figure 6 It can be seen that the Transmitted BSSID APs (i.e., transmitting APs) from different Multiple BSSID sets are distributed in different AP multi-link devices. For example, the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-1x and the AP with a MAC address of BSSID-2x are respectively in the AP multi-link device MLD1 and the AP multi-link device MLD2.

[0277] Figure 7It illustrates that the APs in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID in multiple Multiple BSSID sets come from the same AP multi-link device. For the convenience of description, the AP in the BSS identified by the Transmitted BSSID can be called a transmitted AP (TransmittedBSSID AP), and the AP in the BSS identified by the nontransmitted BSSID can be called a non-transmitted AP (nontransmittedBSSID AP). Among them, the AP whose MAC address ends with x is the Transmitted BSSID AP, and the AP whose MAC address ends with y or z is the Non-Transmitted BSSID AP. For example, the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP1 with a MAC address of BSSID_1x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 1 is AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_1y; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 2 is AP2 with a MAC address of BSSID_2x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID APs in Multiple BSSID set 2 include AP5 with a MAC address of BSSID_2y and AP6 with a MAC address of BSSID_2z; the Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP3 with a MAC address of BSSID_3x, and the non-Transmitted BSSID AP in Multiple BSSID set 3 is AP4 with a MAC address of BSSID_1y. BSSIDAP includes AP7 with MAC address BSSID_3y and AP8 with MAC address BSSID_3z. Figure 7 It can be seen that the Transmitted BSSID APs (ie, transmitting APs) from different Multiple BSSID sets are all in the AP multi-link device MLD1.

[0278] Usually, when the second station needs to associate with a certain station, it will actively scan and find surrounding stations (such as APs), and then associate with one of the appropriate stations. During the active scanning process, the second station will send a probe request frame (Probe Request) on the channel. If the surrounding stations receive the probe request frame (Probe Request), they will reply with an ACK frame. Therefore, the first station in the embodiment of the present application will also reply with an ACK frame after receiving the probe request frame (Probe Request).

[0279] The MAC header of the 802.11 management frame includes a frame control field, a receiving address (address 1), a sending address (address 2), and a BSSID field (address 3). The above-mentioned probe request frame belongs to the 802.11 management frame, so the probe request frame includes a Frame control field, a receiving address (address 1), a sending address (address 2), and a BSSID field (address 3), and in addition, a service set identifier (Service Set Identifier, SSID) field, and the SSID field optionally includes one or more of an SSID list element and a Short SSID list element.

[0280] In the embodiment of the present application, a decision is made through the following step S802 or step S803 whether to reply to the detection response frame.

[0281] Step S802: If the preset condition is met, the first station sends a probe response frame (ProbeResponse) to the second station.

[0282] Whether the preset condition is satisfied may be determined by the multi-link device to which the first station belongs, or by a station in the multi-link device, which may be a station that receives the probe request frame.

[0283] The preset condition includes satisfying both the first condition and the second condition, wherein:

[0284] The first condition is: each of the following conditions ak is not true. The first condition is recorded in the standard protocols such as 802.11-2016, 802.11Revmd_D3.0, 802.11ax_D6.0, etc., and the conditions will be modified (such as added) with new technologies or new application scenarios, and this application does not limit it.

[0285] a) The site does not match any of the following:

[0286] 1) The station is an access point.

[0287] 2) The site is an independent basic service set (IBSS) site.

[0288] 3) This site is a mesh site.

[0289] 4) The station is a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) station that does not belong to a personal basic service set (Personal BSS, PBSS) and is actively scanning.

[0290] 5) The site is a PCP.

[0291] b) The address field contained in the probe request frame carries a unicast address, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0292] 1) The station does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address is not the medium access control (MAC) address of the station.

[0293] 2) The station belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0294] c) The station is a non-access station, and address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0295] d) The station is a non-PCP station in a PBSS, and the address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0296] e) The station is an IBSS and has not transmitted a normal beacon frame or a DMG beacon frame since the last target beacon transmission time (TBTT).

[0297] f) The site is a mesh site and the following conditions are met:

[0298] 1) The probe request frame does not contain a mesh ID element.

[0299] 2) The probe request frame includes a mesh ID element, but the element does not carry a wildcard mesh ID and does not match the mesh ID owned by the mesh basic service set (mesh BSS, MBSS) to which the station is connected.

[0300] g) The site is not a mesh site and none of the following conditions are met:

[0301] 1) The SSID in the probe request is a wildcard SSID.

[0302] 2) The SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0303] 2a) The station is an AP, which belongs to an AP set that is co-located with a 6GHz AP (the same device). The SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0304] 3) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of a member in the multi-BSSID set.

[0305] 4) There is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list contains the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0306] 5) dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the SSID List element is present in the ProbeRequest frame and includes the SSID corresponding to the co-located 6GHz AP, and the AP reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0307] 6) dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the STA's BSS.

[0308] 7) dot11Short SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the 6GHz AP and the AP reports this 6GHz AP in its Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0309] h) The site is not a mesh site, and the address three in the probe request frame does not contain the wildcard BSSID, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0310] 1) The station is not a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the BSSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0311] 2) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the ID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0312] i) The dot11InterworkingServiceActivated flag of the site is true, and the probe request frame contains an Interworking element and an Extended Capabilities element whose Interworking field contains 1, and at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0313] 1) The homogeneous extended service set identifier (HESSID) field in the Interworking element is missing, or the HESSID field exists but contains a wildcard HESSID or matches the HESSID field of the InterworkingInfo parameter in the previous MLME-START or MLME-JOIN request source.

[0314] 2) The access network type field in the Interworking element contains a wildcard access network type or matches the access network type of the site.

[0315] j) The probe request frame includes a DSSS parameter set element, in which the Current Channel field contains a value different from dot11CurrentChannel.

[0316] k) The site is a DMG site, and the transmitting antenna of the site is not adjusted to a state where the sender is the source of the probe request frame.

[0317] The above-mentioned “the station” refers to the first station that receives the probe request frame, or the station identified by the receiving address (address 1) in the probe request frame.

[0318] If a station receives a probe request frame, but the station does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, the station will send a probe response frame according to the first condition above. If a station that receives a probe request frame belongs to a multi-BSSID set, the station corresponding to the TransmittedBSSID will send a probe response frame according to the first condition above; Nontransmitted stations in the multi-BSSID set are not allowed to send probe response frames.

[0319] In the embodiment of the present application, the second condition includes at least optional case 1 and optional case 2, wherein:

[0320] Optional case 1: The reference identifier in the probe request frame matches the reference identifier of any site in the MLD.

[0321] Optional case 2: The reference identifier in the probe request frame matches the reference identifier of any site in the MLD, or the receiving address (address 1) in the received probe request frame matches the MAC address of any site in the MLD.

[0322] Optionally, the reference identifier here may be information that can serve as an identifier, such as a MAC address, a BSSID, or a SSID.

[0323] To facilitate understanding, the second condition is illustrated below through scheme one, scheme two, and scheme three.

[0324] Option 1 and Option 2 of the second condition are as follows:

[0325] Optional Case 1: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the receiving address (address 1) in the received probe request frame matches the MAC address of any station in the MLD, or the receiving address (address 1) in the probe request frame matches the MAC address of any station in the Multiple BSSID set where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the receiving address in the probe request frame through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames.

[0326] Optional Case 2: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the receiving address (address 1) in the received probe request frame matches the MAC address of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the receiving address in the probe request frame through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames.

[0327] For example, if Fig. 9 As shown, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the receiving address of which is BSSID_2y. Since the AP with MAC address BSSID_2y and the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0328] For another example, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the receiving address of which is BSSID_2z. Since the AP with MAC address BSSID_2z and the AP with MAC address BSSID_2y are from the same Multiple BSSID, and the AP with MAC address BSSID_2y and the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0329] For another example, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1y receives a probe request frame whose receiving address is BSSID_2z. Since the AP with MAC address BSSID_2z and the AP with MAC address BSSID_2y are from the same Multiple BSSID, and the AP with MAC address BSSID_2y and the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, the second condition is satisfied. Furthermore, since the AP with BSSID_1x and the probe request frame receiving address BSSID_1y are from the same MultipleBSSID set, and the AP with BSSID_1x is a Transmitted BSSID AP, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0330] Option 2: Optional Case 1 and Optional Case 2 of the second condition are as follows:

[0331] Optional Case 1: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the SSID field in the received probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element is mapped, matches the SSID of any station in the MLD, or the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element is mapped, matches the SSID of any station in the Multiple BSSID set where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the Short SSID included in the Short SSIDlist element is mapped.

[0332] Optional Case 2: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the SSID field in the received probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element, matches the SSID of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element. For example, Fig. 9 As shown, the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the SSID of the probe request frame is SSID_2y, and the BSSID corresponding to the AP with SSID SSID_2y is BSSID_2y, and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2y and the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, so the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0333] For another example, the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the SSID of the probe request frame is SSID_2z, and the BSSID corresponding to the AP with SSID SSID_2z is BSSID_2z, and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2z and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2y are from the same Multiple BSSID, and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2y and the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, so the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0334] Option 3, optional case 1 and optional case 2 of the second condition are as follows:

[0335] Optional case 1: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the BSSID field (address 3) in the received probe request frame matches the BSSID of any station in the MLD, or the BSSID field (address 3) in the probe request frame matches the BSSID of any station in the Multiple BSSID set of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has managed frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, to report to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the BSSID field in the probe request frame.

[0336] Optional Case 2: The first station is a member of a multi-link device MLD, and the BSSID field (address 3) in the received probe request frame matches the BSSID of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has managed frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, to report to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the BSSID field in the probe request frame. For example, Fig. 9 As shown, the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the receiving address of which is BSSID_2y. Since the AP with BSSID_2y and the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x are from the same MLD, the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0337] For another example, the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x receives a probe request frame, the receiving address of which is BSSID_2z. Since the AP with BSSID BSSID_2z and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2y come from the same MultipleBSSID, and the AP with BSSID BSSID_2y and the AP with BSSID BSSID_1x come from the same MLD, the second condition is met. At this time, the AP with MAC address BSSID_1x replies with a probe response frame.

[0338] Another way of expressing the above step S802 is as follows: if any one of the third conditions is met, the first station does not send a detection response frame to the second station.

[0339] In the embodiment of the present application, the condition obtained by combining the above-mentioned first condition with the second condition in optional scheme one can be called the first preset condition, the condition obtained by combining the above-mentioned first condition with the second condition in optional scheme two can be called the second preset condition, and the condition obtained by combining the above-mentioned first condition with the second condition in optional scheme three can be called the third preset condition; three optional third conditions are provided below, the first third condition is equivalent to the reverse description of the first preset condition, the second third condition is equivalent to the reverse description of the second preset condition, and the third third condition is equivalent to the reverse description of the third preset condition.

[0340] It can be understood that after judging according to the third condition, except for the case where the probe response frame is not sent to the second site, the probe response frame needs to be sent to the second site in all other cases.

[0341] The first third condition includes at least one of the following conditions a to g (where condition b is modified relative to condition b in the above first condition):

[0342] a) The site does not match any of the following:

[0343] 1) The station is an access point.

[0344] 2) The site is an IBSS site.

[0345] 3) This site is a mesh site.

[0346] 4) The site is a DMG site that is not part of PBSS and is being actively scanned.

[0347] 5) The site is a PCP.

[0348] b) Condition b may specifically be the following condition b1, or the following condition b2.

[0349] b1) The address field included in the above-mentioned probe request frame carries a unicast address, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0350] 1) The station does not belong to a certain MLD, does not belong to a certain multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address is not the MAC address of the station.

[0351] 2) The station belongs to a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the unicast address does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0352] 3) The station belongs to a certain MLD, any member of the MLD does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match the MAC address of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the receiving address in the probe request frame through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames.

[0353] 4) The station belongs to an MLD, a member of which belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match the MAC address of any station in the MLD, or does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set where any member of the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the receiving address in the probe request frame through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames.

[0354] b2) The address field included in the probe request frame carries a unicast address, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0355] 1) The station does not belong to a certain MLD, does not belong to a certain multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address is not the MAC address of the station.

[0356] 2) The station belongs to a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the unicast address does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0357] 3) The station belongs to a certain MLD, and the unicast address does not match the MAC address of any station in the MLD. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the receiving address in the probe request frame through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames.

[0358] c) The station is a non-access station, and address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0359] d) The station is a non-PCP station in a PBSS, and the address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0360] e) The station is an IBSS and has not transmitted a normal beacon frame or a DMG beacon frame since the last TBTT.

[0361] f) The site is a mesh site and the following conditions are met:

[0362] 1) The probe request frame does not contain a mesh ID element.

[0363] 2) The probe request frame contains a mesh ID element, but the element does not carry a wildcard mesh ID and does not match the mesh ID owned by the MBSS connected to the station.

[0364] g) The site is not a mesh site and none of the following conditions are met:

[0365] 1) The SSID in the probe request is a wildcard SSID.

[0366] 2) The SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0367] 2a) The station is an AP, which belongs to an AP set that is co-located with a 6GHz AP (the same device). The SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0368] 3) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of a member in the multi-BSSID set.

[0369] 4) There is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list contains the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0370] 5) dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the SSID List element is present in the ProbeRequest frame and includes the SSID corresponding to the co-located 6GHz AP, and the AP reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0371] 6) dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the STA's BSS.

[0372] 7) dot11Short SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the 6GHz AP and the AP reports this 6GHz AP in its Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0373] h) The site is not a mesh site, and the address three in the probe request frame does not contain the wildcard BSSID, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0374] 1) The station is not a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the BSSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0375] 2) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the ID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0376] i) The dot11InterworkingServiceActivated flag of the site is true, and the probe request frame contains an Interworking element and an Extended Capabilities element whose Interworking field contains 1, and at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0377] 1) The HESSID field in the Interworking element is missing, or the HESSID field is present but contains a wildcarded HESSID or matches the HESSID field in the InterworkingInfo parameter in the previous MLME-START or MLME-JOIN request context.

[0378] 2) The access network type field in the Interworking element contains a wildcard access network type or matches the access network type of the site.

[0379] j) The probe request frame includes a DSSS parameter set element, in which the Current Channel field contains a value different from dot11CurrentChannel.

[0380] k) The site is a DMG site, and the transmitting antenna of the site is not adjusted to a state where the sender is the source of the probe request frame.

[0381] It should be noted that the detailed conditions included in the third condition can also be deleted, added, or modified according to the needs of specific scenarios, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0382] The above-mentioned “the station” refers to the first station that receives the probe request frame, or the station identified by the receiving address (address 1) in the probe request frame.

[0383] The second third condition includes at least one of the following conditions a to g (where condition g is modified relative to condition g in the first condition above):

[0384] a) The site does not match any of the following:

[0385] 1) The station is an access point.

[0386] 2) The site is an IBSS site.

[0387] 3) This site is a web site.

[0388] 4) The site is a DMG site that is not part of PBSS and is being actively scanned.

[0389] 5) The site is a PCP.

[0390] b) The address field contained in the probe request frame carries a unicast address, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0391] 1) The station does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address is not the MAC address of the station.

[0392] 2) The station belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0393] c) The station is a non-access station, and address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0394] d) The station is a non-PCP station in a PBSS, and the address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0395] e) The station is an IBSS and has not transmitted a normal beacon frame or a DMG beacon frame since the last TBTT.

[0396] f) The site is a mesh site and the following conditions are met:

[0397] 1) The probe request frame does not contain a mesh ID element.

[0398] 2) The probe request frame contains a mesh ID element, but the element does not carry a wildcard mesh ID and does not match the mesh ID owned by the MBSS connected to the station.

[0399] g) Condition g is specifically the following condition g1, or condition g is specifically the following condition g2.

[0400] g1) The site is not a mesh site and none of the following conditions are met:

[0401] 1) The SSID in the probe request is a wildcard SSID.

[0402] 2) The station does not belong to the MLD, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0403] 2a) The station is an AP, which belongs to an AP set that is co-located with a 6GHz AP (the same device). The SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0404] 3) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0405] 3a) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, an SSID list is present in the probe request frame, and the SSID list includes the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0406] 3b) The site is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, a ShortSSID list exists in the probe request frame, and the Short SSID included in the ShortSSID list can be mapped to the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0407] 4) The station does not belong to MLD, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list contains the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0408] 5) dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the SSID List element is present in the ProbeRequest frame and includes the SSID corresponding to the co-located 6GHz AP, and the AP reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0409] 6) The site does not belong to MLD, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID exists in the probe request frame, and the short SSID can be mapped to the BSSID of the BSS where the STA is located (dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the STA's BSS).

[0410] 7) dot11Short SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the 6GHz AP and the AP reports this 6GHz AP in its Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0411] 8) The station belongs to an MLD, any member of the MLD does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the SSID in the probe request frame matches the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through a management frame, such as a beacon frame and / or a probe response frame, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element.

[0412] 9) The station belongs to an MLD, and any member of the MLD does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, and there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list includes the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through a management frame, such as a beacon frame and / or a probe response frame, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element.

[0413] 10) The station belongs to an MLD, and any member of the MLD does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, a ShortSSID list exists in the probe request frame, and the ShortSSID included in the list can be mapped to the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element is mapped.

[0414] 11) The station belongs to an MLD, and there is a member of the MLD that belongs to a multi-BSSID set. The SSID in the probe request frame matches the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located, or matches the SSID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set where any member of the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element.

[0415] 12) The station belongs to an MLD, and there is a member of the MLD that belongs to a multi-BSSID set, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, and there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list includes the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located, or includes the SSID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set where any member of the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the ShortSSID list element.

[0416] 13) The site belongs to an MLD, and there is a member of the MLD that belongs to a multi-BSSID set, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, there is a ShortSSID list in the probe request frame, and the ShortSSID included in the list can be mapped to the SSID of the BSS where any site in the MLD is located, or can be mapped to the SSID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set where any member of the MLD is located. Optionally, the first site has reported to the second site through management frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, the sites in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element is mapped.

[0417] g2) The site is not a mesh site and none of the following conditions are met:

[0418] 1) The SSID in the probe request is a wildcard SSID.

[0419] 2) The station does not belong to the MLD, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0420] 2a) The station is an AP, which belongs to an AP set that is co-located with a 6GHz AP (the same device). The SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in the Beacon frame and the Probe Response frame (The STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a6GHz AP, the SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a6GHz BSS)).

[0421] 3) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0422] 3a) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the SSID list includes the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0423] 3b) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, a ShortSSID list exists in the probe request frame, and the Short SSID included in the ShortSSID list can be mapped to the SSID of a member of the multi-BSSID set.

[0424] 4) The station does not belong to MLD, dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list contains the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0425] 5) dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the SSID List element is present in the ProbeRequest frame and includes the SSID corresponding to the co-located 6GHz AP, and the AP reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0426] 6) The station does not belong to MLD, dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID exists in the probe request frame, and the short SSID can be mapped to the BSSID of the BSS where the STA is located (dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the STA's BSS).

[0427] 7) dot11Short SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP (the same device), the Short SSID included in the Short SSID List in the probe request frame can be mapped to the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the above-mentioned co-located 6GHz AP in the beacon frame and the probe response frame (dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the 6GHz AP and the AP reports this 6GHz AP in its Beacon and ProbeResponse frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0428] 8) The station belongs to an MLD, and the SSID in the probe request frame matches the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through a management frame, such as a beacon frame and / or a probe response frame, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the ShortSSID list element.

[0429] 9) The station belongs to an MLD, and there is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list includes the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through a management frame, such as a beacon frame and / or a probe response frame, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID mapped to the Short SSID included in the Short SSID list element.

[0430] 10) The station belongs to an MLD, a ShortSSID list exists in the probe request frame, and the ShortSSID included in the list can be mapped to the SSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has reported to the second station through a management frame, such as a beacon frame and / or a probe response frame, the stations in the MLD that can match the SSID field in the probe request frame, or the SSID included in the SSID list element, or the SSID to which the ShortSSID included in the Short SSID list element is mapped.

[0431] h) The site is not a mesh site, and the address three in the probe request frame does not contain the wildcard BSSID, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0432] 1) The station is not a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the BSSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0433] 2) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and address three in the probe request frame does not match the ID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0434] i) The dot11InterworkingServiceActivated flag of the site is true, and the probe request frame contains an Interworking element and an Extended Capabilities element whose Interworking field contains 1, and at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0435] 1) The HESSID field in the Interworking element is missing, or the HESSID field is present but contains a wildcarded HESSID or matches the HESSID field in the InterworkingInfo parameter in the previous MLME-START or MLME-JOIN request context.

[0436] 2) The access network type field in the Interworking element contains a wildcard access network type or matches the access network type of the site.

[0437] j) The probe request frame includes a DSSS parameter set element, in which the Current Channel field contains a value different from dot11CurrentChannel.

[0438] k) The site is a DMG site, and the transmitting antenna of the site is not adjusted to a state where the sender is the source of the probe request frame.

[0439] It should be noted that the detailed conditions included in the third condition can also be deleted, added, or modified according to the needs of specific scenarios, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0440] The above-mentioned “the station” refers to the first station that receives the probe request frame, or the station identified by the receiving address (address 1) in the probe request frame.

[0441] The third condition includes at least one of the following conditions a to g (where condition h is modified relative to condition h in the above first condition):

[0442] a) The site does not match any of the following:

[0443] 1) The station is an access point.

[0444] 2) The site is an IBSS site.

[0445] 3) This site is a mesh site.

[0446] 4) The site is a DMG site that is not part of PBSS and is being actively scanned.

[0447] 5) The site is a PCP.

[0448] b) The address field contained in the probe request frame carries a unicast address, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0449] 1) The station does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address is not the MAC address of the station.

[0450] 2) The station belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0451] c) The station is a non-access station, and address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0452] d) The station is a non-PCP station in a PBSS, and the address one of the probe request frame carries a broadcast address.

[0453] e) The station is an IBSS and has not transmitted a normal beacon frame or a DMG beacon frame since the last TBTT.

[0454] f) The site is a mesh site and the following conditions are met:

[0455] 1) The probe request frame does not contain a mesh ID element.

[0456] 2) The probe request frame contains a mesh ID element, but the element does not carry a wildcard mesh ID and does not match the mesh ID owned by the MBSS connected to the station.

[0457] g) The site is not a mesh site and none of the following conditions are met:

[0458] 1) The SSID in the probe request is a wildcard SSID.

[0459] 2) The SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0460] 2a) The station is an AP, which belongs to an AP set that is co-located with a 6GHz AP (the same device). The SSID in the Probe Request frame matches the SSID of the 6GHz AP, and the STA reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0461] 3) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, and the SSID in the probe request frame is the same as the SSID of a member in the multi-BSSID set.

[0462] 4) There is an SSID list in the probe request frame, and the list contains the SSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0463] 5) dot11SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the SSID List element is present in the ProbeRequest frame and includes the SSID corresponding to the co-located 6GHz AP, and the AP reports the co-located 6GHz AP in Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0464] 6) dot11ShortSSIDListImplemented is true, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the STA's BSS.

[0465] 7) dot11Short SSIDListImplemented is true, the STA is an AP that is in the same co-located AP set as a 6GHz AP, the Short SSID List element is present in the Probe Request frame and includes the Short SSID field corresponding to the SSID of the 6GHz AP and the AP reports this 6GHz AP in its Beacon and Probe Response frames, see 26.17.2.4 (Out of band discovery of a 6GHz BSS)).

[0466] h) Condition h is specifically the following condition h1, or, specifically the following condition h2.

[0467] h1) The site is not a mesh site, and the address three in the probe request frame does not contain the wildcard BSSID, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0468] 1) The station does not belong to MLD, is not a member of a multi-BSSID set, and the address three in the probe request frame does not match the BSSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0469] 2) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the address three in the probe request frame does not match the ID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0470] 3) The station belongs to a certain MLD, any member of the MLD does not belong to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match the BSSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has previously managed frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, to report to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the BSSID field in the probe request frame.

[0471] 4) The station belongs to a certain MLD, a member of which belongs to a multi-BSSID set, and the unicast address does not match the BSSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located, or does not match the BSSID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set where any member of the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has previously managed frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, to report to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the BSSID field in the probe request frame.

[0472] h2) The site is not a mesh site, and the address three in the probe request frame does not contain a wildcard BSSID, and one of the following conditions is met:

[0473] 1) The station does not belong to MLD, is not a member of a multi-BSSID set, and the address three in the probe request frame does not match the BSSID of the BSS where the station is located.

[0474] 2) The station is a member of a multi-BSSID set, any member of the multi-BSSID set does not belong to the MLD, and the address three in the probe request frame does not match the ID of any BSS in the multi-BSSID set.

[0475] 3) The station belongs to a certain MLD, and the unicast address does not match the BSSID of the BSS where any station in the MLD is located. Optionally, the first station has previously managed frames, such as beacon frames and / or probe response frames, to report to the second station the stations in the MLD that can match the BSSID field in the probe request frame.

[0476] i) The dot11InterworkingServiceActivated flag of the site is true, and the probe request frame contains an Interworking element and an Extended Capabilities element whose Interworking field contains 1, and at least one of the following conditions is met:

[0477] 1) The HESSID field in the Interworking element is missing, or the HESSID field is present but contains a wildcarded HESSID or matches the HESSID field in the InterworkingInfo parameter in the previous MLME-START or MLME-JOIN request context.

[0478] 2) The access network type field in the Interworking element contains a wildcard access network type or matches the access network type of the site.

[0479] j) The probe request frame includes a DSSS parameter set element, in which the Current Channel field contains a value different from dot11CurrentChannel.

[0480] k) The site is a DMG site, and the transmitting antenna of the site is not adjusted to a state where the sender is the source of the probe request frame.

[0481] It should be noted that the detailed conditions included in the third condition can also be deleted, added, or modified according to the needs of specific scenarios, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0482] The above-mentioned “the station” refers to the first station that receives the probe request frame, or the station identified by the receiving address (address 1) in the probe request frame.

[0483] Step S803: The second station receives the probe response frame.

[0484] Specifically, when the first station or the multi-link device to which the first station belongs determines that a probe response frame can be sent based on the above conditions or rules, the first station or the multi-link device to which the first station belongs sends the probe response frame, and after the second station receives the probe response frame, it optionally replies with an Ack frame, thereby establishing an association with the station (i.e., the station identified by the receiving address) that it requested to associate with in the probe request frame. Optionally, the second station may also be a single-link device.

[0485] exist Figure 8 In the method shown, the MLD station is allowed to help other stations in the same MLD to reply to the probe response frame, and can also help any member of the Multiple BSSID set where other stations in the same MLD are located to reply to the probe response frame. This reduces the number of probe request frames sent by stations in the channel, increases air interface efficiency, and improves station association efficiency.

[0486] Optional, above Figure 4 The method embodiment shown is Figure 8 The method embodiments shown can be performed independently of each other or in combination with each other. For example, the AP (referring to the reporting AP) can be executed by Figure 4 After the illustrated method embodiment indicates the architecture of the Multiple BSSID set based on MLD to the station, the station can select the AP to be associated based on the architecture of the Multiple BSSID set of MLD and establish an association relationship. Optionally, the association relationship can be established by Figure 8 The method embodiment shown is used to establish an association relationship.

[0487] The following is a detailed description of the device provided in an embodiment of the present application, which can reduce the number of probe request frames sent by stations in a channel and improve station association efficiency.

[0488] Fig.10 A communication device 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. The device may be the access point AP (e.g., the reporting AP in the AP multi-link device) or the first station or the second station in the above embodiment, or may be a chip or processing system in the access point AP (e.g., the reporting AP in the AP multi-link device) or the first station or the second station, which may implement the above Figure 4 The methods and functions of the embodiments shown, or the implementation of the above Figure 8 Due to the difference in integration, the communication device may include: Fig.10 One or more of the components shown. Fig.10 The components shown may include at least one processor 1001 , a memory 1002 , a transceiver 1003 , and a communication bus 1004 .

[0489] Combine the following Fig.10 The components of the communication device 400 are described in detail:

[0490] The processor 1001 is the control center of the communication device 1000, which can be a processor or a general term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 1001 is a central processing unit (CPU), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of the present application, such as: one or more microprocessors (digital signal processors, DSP), or, one or more field programmable gate arrays (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA). The processor 1001 can perform various functions of the communication device by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 1002, and calling data stored in the memory 1002. In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 1001 may include one or more CPUs, such as Fig.10 CPU0 and CPU1 are shown in the figure.

[0491] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device 1000 may include multiple processors, such as Fig.10 1 and 1005. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor (single-CPU) or a multi-core processor (multi-CPU). The processor here may refer to one or more communication devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0492] The memory 1002 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage communication devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage communication devices that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage communication device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 1002 may exist independently and be connected to the processor 1001 via the communication bus 10010. The memory 1002 may also be integrated with the processor 1001. The memory 1002 is used to store the software program for executing the solution of the present application, and the execution is controlled by the processor 1001.

[0493] The transceiver 1003 is used to communicate with other devices (such as Figure 4 The site in the embodiment shown, or Figure 8 Of course, the transceiver 1003 can also be used to communicate with a communication network, such as Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), etc. The transceiver 1003 may include a receiving unit to implement a receiving function, and a sending unit to implement a sending function.

[0494] The communication bus 10010 may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Fig.10 Only one thick line is used in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0495] In one example, the communication device 1000 is a complete device, which may include: a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a transceiver 1003, and a communication bus 1004. Optionally, it may also include other components, such as a display frequency.

[0496] Optionally, the communication device 1000 is an access point AP (eg, a reporting AP in an AP multi-link device), which can be used to implement the aforementioned Figure 4 Methods and functions in the illustrated embodiments. For example, a computer program (instructions) is stored in a memory, and when a processor calls the computer program, the above methods and functions are implemented, for example, the processor is used to generate signaling or frames (carrying MLD information), and the transceiver is used to send signaling or frames (carrying MLD information). For example, the processor is used to control the transceiver to execute step S401, and of course, the generation process of the MLD information involved in step S401 can also be completed by the processor.

[0497] Optionally, the communication device 1000 is a first station, which can be used to implement the aforementioned Figure 8 The illustrated embodiment relates to the method and function of the first site. For example, a computer program is stored in the memory, and when the processor calls the computer program, the above method and function are implemented, for example, the processor is used to generate signaling or frames (such as a probe response frame), and the transceiver is used to send signaling or frames (such as receiving a probe request frame). For example, the processor is used to control the transceiver to receive the probe request frame in step S801, and then the processor determines whether a probe response frame needs to be replied according to relevant conditions, and if a reply is required, a probe response frame is generated, and the probe response frame is sent through the transceiver.

[0498] In another example, the communication device 1000 is a chip system or a processing system in the access point AP (such as a reporting AP in an AP multi-link device) or the first station or the second station, so that the device installed with the chip system or the processing system implements the aforementioned Figure 4 or Figure 8 The communication device 1000 may include the following: Fig.10 Some components shown in the figure, such as the communication device 1000, include a processor, which can be coupled to a memory, call and execute instructions in the memory, thereby configuring the device in which the chip system or processing system is installed to implement the aforementioned Figure 4 or Figure 8Methods and functions of the illustrated embodiments. Optionally, the memory may be a component in a chip system or a processing system, or may be a component coupled externally to the chip system or the processing system. In one example, the chip system or the processing system is installed in the access point AP (e.g., the reporting AP in an AP multi-link device) or the first site or the second site, so that the access point AP (e.g., the reporting AP in an AP multi-link device) or the first site or the second site can implement the corresponding methods and functions in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0499] The chip system or processing system can support 802.11 series protocols for communication, such as 802.11be, 802.11ax, 802.11ac, etc. The chip system can be installed in various devices in scenarios supporting WLAN transmission. The devices in the WLAN transmission scenario have been introduced at the beginning of this specification and will not be repeated here.

[0500] The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional modules of the access point AP (e.g., the reporting AP in the AP multi-link device) or the first station or the second station according to the above method example. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation.

[0501] In the case of an integrated unit, Fig.11 A possible structural diagram of a communication device 1100 is shown, and the communication device 1100 may be a chip or a processing system in a link device or a multi-link device, and the communication device 1100 may perform the operations of the multi-link device in the above method embodiment. The communication device 1100 includes: a processing unit 1101 and a transceiver unit 1102.

[0502] In one example, the communication device 1100 is the above-mentioned access point AP (eg, a reporting AP in an AP multi-link device) or a first station or a second station.

[0503] The processing unit 1101 may be used to control and manage the actions of the communication device 1100. For example, to generate MLD information, or to determine whether to reply to a probe response frame according to relevant conditions when a probe request frame is received. For another example, to control the operation of the transceiver unit 1102. Optionally, if the communication device 1100 includes a storage unit, the processing unit 1101 may also execute a program or instruction stored in the storage unit, so that the communication device 1100 implements the method and function involved in any of the above embodiments.

[0504] Exemplarily, the processing unit 1101 may control the transceiver unit to execute, for example Figure 4 Step S401 in , or Figure 8 Step 801 in and / or other processes for the technology described herein. Among them, all relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0505] Exemplarily, the transceiver unit 1102 can transmit and receive data or signaling transmitted on one link, or transmit and receive data or signaling transmitted on multiple links. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1102 can be a transceiver module, or can include multiple transceiver modules. When the transceiver unit 1102 is a transceiver module, the transceiver module can transmit and receive data on multiple links. For example, if the first multi-link device works on two links, then when the transceiver unit 1102 includes two transceiver modules, one of the transceiver modules works on one link, and the other transceiver module works on the other link. Exemplarily, the transceiver unit 1102 can be used to perform, for example Figure 4 Step S401 in, or, Figure 8 Step S801 in the embodiment, and / or other processes for the technology described herein. Among them, all relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0506] Exemplarily, the communication device 1100 may be Fig.10 The communication device shown in FIG. 1 may include a processing unit 1101. Fig.10 The processor 1001 and the transceiver unit 1102 in the embodiment can be Fig.10 Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a memory, the memory being used to store program codes and data corresponding to the communication device 1100 executing any of the multi-link device communication methods provided above. Fig.10 The description of all relevant contents of each component involved can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding components of the communication device 1100, and will not be repeated here.

[0507] Exemplarily, the communication device 1100 may also be a chip or a processor, wherein the processing unit 1102 is a processing circuit in the chip or processor, and the transceiver unit 1102 may be an input / output circuit in the chip or processor. The input / output circuit is an interface for the chip or processor to communicate with other coupled components or exchange data, which can ensure that signaling or data information or program instructions are input into the chip or processor for processing, and the processed data or signaling is output to other coupled components, and the first multi-link device on which the chip or processor is installed is controlled to implement functions.

[0508] In another example, the communication device 1100 is the above-mentioned access point AP (eg, a reporting AP in an AP multi-link device) or a chip in the first station or the second station.

[0509] Exemplarily, the processing unit 1101 may be used to generate MLD information or a probe response frame, for example, Figure 4 The MLD information in step S401 is generated by the processing unit 1101, or Figure 8 The detection response frame in S802 is generated by the processing unit 1101 and / or used in other processes of the technology described herein. Among them, all relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, which will not be repeated here.

[0510] Exemplarily, the transceiver unit 1102 can transmit and receive data or signaling transmitted on one link, and can also transmit and receive data or signaling transmitted on multiple links. Optionally, the transceiver unit 1102 can be a transceiver module, and can also include multiple transceiver modules. When the transceiver unit 1102 is a transceiver module, the transceiver module can transmit and receive data on multiple links. For example, when the first site works on two links, then when the transceiver unit 1102 includes two transceiver modules, one of the transceiver modules works on one link, and the other transceiver module works on the other link. Exemplarily, the transceiver unit 1102 can be used to perform, for example Figure 4 Step S401 in, or, Figure 8 Steps S801 and S802 in the embodiment, and / or other processes for the technology described herein. All relevant contents of each step involved in the above method embodiment can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0511] Exemplarily, the communication device 1100 may be Fig.10 The communication device shown in FIG. 1 may include a processing unit 1101. Fig.10 The processor 1001 and the transceiver unit 1102 in the embodiment can be Fig.10 Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a memory, the memory being used to store program codes and data corresponding to the communication device 1100 executing any of the methods provided above. Fig.10 The description of all relevant contents of each component involved can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding components of the communication device 1100, and will not be repeated here.

[0512] Exemplarily, the communication device 1100 may also be a chip or a processor, wherein the processing unit 1102 is a processing circuit in the chip or processor, and the transceiver unit 1102 may be an input / output circuit in the chip or processor. The input / output circuit is an interface for the chip or processor to communicate with other coupled components or exchange data, which can ensure that signaling or data information or program instructions are input into the chip or processor for processing, and the processed data or signaling is output to other coupled components, and the device on which the chip or processor is installed is controlled to implement functions.

[0513] The embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program code, and when the above-mentioned processor executes the computer program code, the electronic device (such as the AP, the first station, or the second station) where the processor is located executes Figure 4 ,or Figure 8 The method of any one of the embodiments.

[0514] The embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer (such as an AP, a first station, or a second station) to execute Figure 4 ,or Figure 8 The method of any one of the embodiments.

[0515] The embodiment of the present application also provides a communication device, which can exist in the form of a chip product. The structure of the device includes a processor and an interface circuit. The processor is used to communicate with other devices through a receiving circuit, so that the device executes the above Figure 4 , Figure 8 The method of any one of the embodiments.

[0516] The embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, which includes the above-mentioned access point AP (for example, the reporting AP in the AP multi-link device) and a station, and the access point AP (for example, the reporting AP in the AP multi-link device) and the station can perform the above-mentioned Figure 4 Alternatively, the communication system includes the first site and the second site, and the first site and the second site can perform the above Figure 8Method in the embodiment. The steps of the method or algorithm described in conjunction with the disclosure of the present application can be implemented in hardware or by executing software instructions by a processor. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, and the software modules can be stored in a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a register, a hard disk, a mobile hard disk, a CD-ROM or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in a core network interface device. Of course, the processor and the storage medium can also exist in a core network interface device as discrete components.

[0517] Those skilled in the art should be aware that in one or more of the above examples, the functions described in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, these functions can be stored in a computer-readable medium or transmitted as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer-readable storage media and communication media, wherein communication media include any media that facilitates the transmission of computer programs from one place to another. Storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by general or special-purpose computers.

[0518] The specific implementation methods described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present application in detail. It should be understood that the above description is only the specific implementation methods of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made on the basis of the technical solutions of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Generate multi-link device MLD information, wherein the MLD information includes information of a reporting access point AP, information of a reported AP, and a media access control MAC address of the MLD, and the reporting AP and the reported AP are included in the MLD; The MLD information is sent.

2. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receiving MLD information sent from a reporting access point AP in a multi-link device MLD, wherein the MLD information includes information of the reporting AP, information of the reported AP and a media access control MAC address of the MLD, and the reported AP is included in the MLD; The MLD information is parsed.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The MLD information further includes a Multiple BSSID element of a Multiple BSSID set where the reporting AP is located.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The MLD information further includes a MultipleBSSID element of the Multiple BSSID set where the reported AP is located.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The Multiple BSSID element includes a nontransmitted BSSID profile, and the nontransmitted BSSID profile includes a MAC address of an MLD where the nontransmitted BSSID AP is located.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The reported AP information includes 1 bit, and the 1 bit is used to indicate whether the reported AP is a member of a Multiple BSSID set.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The reported AP information includes 1 bit, and the 1 bit is used to indicate whether the reported AP is a transmission BSSID AP.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The shared information also includes the number of reported APs.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 3-8, characterized in that Sending the MLD information includes: A management frame is sent, where the management frame includes the MLD information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The receiving the MLD information sent from the reporting AP in the MLD includes: A management frame sent from a reporting AP in the MLD is received, where the management frame includes the MLD information.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The management frame is one of a beacon frame, an association response frame, and a probe response frame.

12. A multi-link device MLD, characterized in that: The method comprises a reporting access point AP and an AP to be reported, wherein the reporting AP comprises a processor and a memory, wherein: The memory is configured to store a computer program; The processor is configured to execute the computer program to enable the communication device to implement the method according to any one of claims 1, 3-9, and 11.

13. A station comprising a processor and a memory, wherein: The memory is configured to store a computer program; The processor is configured to execute the computer program to enable the communication device to implement the method according to any one of claims 2 to 8 , 10 , and 11 .

14. A chip, characterized in that: The chip includes a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to be coupled to the processor and store computer programs and data required for the processor to run, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program stored in the memory so that the communication device including the chip implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, and when the computer program is executed on a processor, a communication device including the processor executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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