Communication device, control method, and program

Abstract

A communication device capable of wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard transmits a wireless frame including a preamble of a physical layer (PHY) and a data field in which data is stored. In a case where the communication device transmits a wireless frame including information related to a data interruption in a preamble and having first data in a data field, if a specific condition is satisfied, the communication device interrupts transmission of the first data to transmit second data different from the first data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication device for performing wireless communication. Background Art

[0002] The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 standard is a communication standard related to wireless LANs (wireless local area networks). The IEEE 802.11be standard and its successor standards are considering enhancing communication efficiency and throughput by having multiple access point devices (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "APs") operate in conjunction with each other.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a so-called R-TWT (Restricted Target Wake Time) technology that involves providing a time period available for communication of data requiring low delay and transmitting the data requiring low delay within the above-mentioned time period.

[0004] Citation List

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] PTL 1: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0070772 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] The above-mentioned R-TWT technology enables reduction of delay in transmitting data that occurs stably within a predetermined period of time.

[0009] On the other hand, data requiring low latency may sometimes occur outside the predetermined time period mentioned above. In order to send such data with low latency, it is necessary to use a technology different from R-TWT to achieve preferential low latency transmission.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of at least one of the above-mentioned problems. An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for transmitting other data instead of transmitting certain data during transmission of a radio frame for transmitting the data.

[0011] Solution to the problem

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, a communication device capable of performing wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard includes: a transmitting unit configured to transmit a radio frame having a preamble of a physical layer and a data field following the preamble, the data field containing data. If a specific condition is satisfied while the communication device is transmitting a radio frame including information related to data preemption in the preamble and first data in the data field, the transmitting unit interrupts transmission of the first data and preemptively transmits second data different from the first data.

[0013] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0014] Aspects of the present invention enable transmission of another data instead of transmitting specific data during transmission of a radio frame for transmitting data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 The diagram shows an example of a network configuration.

[0016] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the hardware configuration of the communication device.

[0017] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the software configuration of the communication device.

[0018] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 An example of a radio frame is illustrated.

[0019] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating preemption control according to the first embodiment.

[0020] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 A diagram illustrating an example of control performed by the AP according to the first embodiment.

[0021] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 A diagram illustrating an example of control performed by the STA according to the first embodiment.

[0022] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating preemption control according to the second embodiment.

[0023] [ Figure 9 ] Figure 9 A diagram illustrating an example of control performed by an AP according to the second embodiment.

[0024] [ Figure 10 ] Figure 10 A diagram illustrating an example of control performed by an STA according to the second embodiment.

[0025] [ Figure 11A ] Figure 11A A modification of the second embodiment is shown in the figure.

[0026] [ Figure 11B ] Figure 11B A modification of the second embodiment is shown in the figure.

[0027] [ Figure 11C ] Figure 11C A modification of the second embodiment is shown in the figure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments indicate various features, not all of these features are required for the present invention, and any combination of features may be used. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, identical or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and their repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0029] <First embodiment>

[0030] <Configuration of Communication System>

[0031] Figure 1 The figure shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment. This wireless communication system includes an access point device (hereinafter referred to as "AP," "AP STA," or "access point") and two station devices (hereinafter referred to as "STA," "non-AP STA," or "station"). AP 101 and STAs 102 and 103 will be collectively referred to as "communication devices" hereinafter.

[0032] AP 101 is capable of performing wireless frame communications compliant with a successor standard targeting a maximum transmission speed of 90 Gbps to over 100 Gbps and serving as a successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, which targets a maximum transmission speed of 46.08 Gbps. STAs 102 and 103 are similarly capable of performing wireless frame communications compliant with a successor standard to the IEEE 802.11be standard.

[0033] IEEE is the abbreviation of "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers". The main features of the successor standard of the IEEE 802.11be standard include support for high-reliability communication and low-latency communication, and AP coordination. In view of the above, in this embodiment, the successor standard that is a successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard and targets a maximum transmission speed of 90Gbps to over 100Gbps is also referred to as "IEEE802.11UHR (Ultra High Reliability)". The wireless frame to be transmitted based on the successor standard is also referred to as "UHR PPDU". PPDU is the abbreviation of "PLCP Protocol Data Unit", and PLCP is the abbreviation of "Physical Layer Convergence Protocol".

[0034] The names "IEEE 802.11UHR" and "UHR Standard" are provided for convenience in light of the objectives to be achieved in the successor standard and its key features, and may be changed to other names once the standard is finalized. It should be noted that this description and the appended claims are substantially applicable to all successor standards to the IEEE 802.11be standard.

[0035] Although Figure 1 A wireless communication network including one AP and two STAs is shown as an example, but the number may be greater or less than the number shown. AP 101 and STAs 102 and 103 support communication (transmission and reception) of UHR PPDUs and may additionally support communication of PPDUs based on legacy standards that served as predecessors to the UHR standard. Specifically, AP 101 and STAs 102 and 103 may be configured to support transmission and reception of PPDUs based on, for example, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be standards.

[0036] AP 101 provides a network for each STA. Each of STAs 102 and 103 participates in the network provided by AP 101. Figure 1 An example is illustrated in which STAs 102 and 103 participate in a network provided by AP 101 .

[0037] The AP 101 and the STAs 102 and 103 may be configured to support wireless communication based on another communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC, or Bluetooth (registered trademark) LE (Low Energy). NFC is an abbreviation for "Near Field Communication."

[0038] The AP 101 may also be configured to support wired communication using an Ethernet (registered trademark) cable or wired communication using an optical fiber. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the AP 101 is connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable. Specific examples of the AP 101 and the STAs 102 and 103 include, but are not limited to, wireless LAN routers and personal computers (PCs). The AP 101 and the STAs 102 and 103 may each be an information processing device such as a wireless chip that supports the transmission and reception of UHR PPDUs. Specific examples of the STAs 102 and 103 include, but are not limited to, cameras, tablet computers, smartphones, PCs, mobile phones, video cameras, projectors, and wearable devices (such as smart glasses).

[0039] Communication devices such as the AP 101 and the STAs 102 and 103 can perform communication using bandwidths of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, and 640 MHz.

[0040] In recent years, the demand for low-latency communication in wireless communications has increased. For example, the 802.11be standard is provided with an R-TWT (Restricted Target Wake Time) function, which is used to provide a time period that can be used for communication requiring low latency to meet the demand for low-latency communication. The R-TWT function makes it possible to reduce the delay when sending data that occurs stably within a predetermined time period. On the other hand, data requiring low latency may sometimes occur outside the predetermined time period mentioned above. In order to send such data with low latency, it is necessary to use a technology different from R-TWT to achieve preferential low-latency transmission.

[0041] This embodiment provides a mechanism that can prioritize the transmission of data requiring low-delay communication that occurs irregularly by transmitting low-delay data instead of transmitting the data during the transmission of a radio frame used to transmit the data. A detailed description will be provided below.

[0042] <Device Configuration>

[0043] Figure 2 The figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of each of the communication devices (AP and STA). As examples of hardware components, each communication device has a storage unit 201, a control unit 202, a function unit 203, an input unit 204, an output unit 205, a communication unit 206, and an antenna 207. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the communication device has multiple antennas, but it can also have a single antenna.

[0044] The storage unit 201 is composed of either or both ROM and RAM, and stores therein programs for executing various types of operations described later, as well as various types of information such as communication parameters used for wireless communication. RAM is an abbreviation for "Random Access Memory," and ROM is an abbreviation for "Read Only Memory." In addition to or in place of memories such as ROM and / or RAM, the storage unit 201 may also be a storage medium such as a non-volatile storage device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0045] The control unit 202 includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). CPU is an abbreviation for "Central Processing Unit," and MPU is an abbreviation for "Micro Processing Unit." The control unit 202 executes the program stored in the storage unit 201 and controls the entire device by activating a hardware circuit such as an ASIC. The control unit 202 can control the entire device based on the cooperative operation between the program stored in the storage unit 201 and the OS (Operating System).

[0046] The control unit 202 controls the functional unit 203 to perform predetermined processing, such as image capture, printing, or projection. The functional unit 203 is hardware used by the device to perform predetermined processing. For example, if the communication device is a camera such as a digital still camera or a smartphone with a camera, then the functional unit 203 is an image capture unit that performs image capture processing for capturing surrounding images via a camera unit (not shown) included in the communication device. For example, if the communication device is a printer, then the functional unit 203 is a printing unit that performs a printing process on a sheet such as paper based on print data obtained from the outside via wireless communication. For example, if the communication device is a projector or smart glasses, then the functional unit 203 is a projection unit that performs a projection process for projecting image data or video data obtained from the outside via wireless communication. In the case of smart glasses, the projection surface includes the retina of the end user. The data processed by the functional unit 203 may be data stored in the storage unit 201 or may be data obtained by communicating with another AP or STA via the communication unit 206 to be described later.

[0047] The input unit 204 receives various types of operations from the user. The output unit 205 performs various types of output to the user. The output of the output unit 205 includes, for example, at least one of the display of a screen on a display, audio output from a speaker, and vibration output. Both the input unit 204 and the output unit 205 can be implemented as a single module, such as in a touch screen.

[0048] Communication unit 206 controls wireless communications in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard and IP communications. In this embodiment, communication unit 206 operates in conjunction with antenna 207 to transmit and receive UHR PPDUs, which are radio frames based on the UHR standard, or PPDUs corresponding to standards prior thereto. For example, antenna 207 is capable of transmitting and receiving signals in at least one of the sub-GHz band, the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, the 6 GHz band, the 7 GHz band, and the 60 GHz band.

[0049] If the communication device complies with, for example, the NFC standard and the Bluetooth standard mentioned above, the communication unit 206 may be configured to control wireless communications that comply with these communication standards.

[0050] Now refer to Figure 3 The functional configuration of each of the communication devices (AP 101 and STAs 102 and 103) is described. Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of each communication device.

[0051] The communication device has a wireless LAN controller 301 , a frame generator 302 , a frame processor 303 , a setting manager 305 , and a UI controller 304 .

[0052] Each function will be described. The wireless LAN controller 301 controls the antenna 207 and the communication unit 206 for transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from another communication device. In detail, the wireless LAN controller 301 cooperates with the frame generator 302 and the frame processor 303 to perform communication control of wireless frames such as UHR PPDUs according to the IEEE 802.11 series.

[0053] Based on commands from wireless LAN controller 301, frame generator 302 controls a communication unit or antenna to generate a wireless frame to be transmitted. A wireless frame consists of a preamble field and a data field. The data field contains MAC (Media Access Control) frames such as management frames, control frames, and data frames. Wireless LAN controller 301 manages multiple transmission queues with assigned priority levels (not shown) and instructs frame generator 302 to generate wireless frames based on the accumulation of data in the multiple transmission queues.

[0054] The wireless frame generated by generator 302 and including the preamble and data of the physical layer (PHY) is transmitted to the outside by wireless LAN controller 301, communication unit 206, and antenna 207. The data in the wireless frame received by antenna 207, communication unit 206, and wireless LAN controller 301 operating in cooperation with each other is transferred to frame processor 303. Frame processor 303 analyzes the data in the wireless frame and provides notification to functions in higher layers (not shown). It also performs wireless communication control processing based on the information obtained from the analysis. For example, if the wireless frame received from the outside contains data addressed to STA 102, the data is stored in one of the transmission queues mentioned above based on the type of data.

[0055] The settings manager 305 manages the MCS or operating frequency band used for communicating with other communication devices, the BSSID and BSS color, bandwidth information for PPDU communication, network configuration, and communication parameters required for communicating with STAs. MCS stands for "Modulation and Coding Scheme" and is information indicating the modulation and coding scheme to be used for communication. Furthermore, for example, the settings manager 305 stores operational settings for determining whether to transmit a preemptible PPDU, described later.

[0056] The UI controller 304 operates in conjunction with the output unit 205 to provide an operation screen to the user, and in conjunction with the input unit 204 to detect a user operation performed on the aforementioned operation screen, for example, to change an operation setting, and to request the settings manager 305 to change the operation setting. The UI controller 304 operates in conjunction with the output unit 205 to provide the user with a change screen for changing the operation setting used to determine whether to transmit a preemptible PPDU. Upon detecting a user operation on the change screen for changing the operation setting, the UI controller 304 requests the settings manager 305 to change the operation setting. Upon receiving the request, the settings manager 305 changes the stored operation setting.

[0057] Now refer to Figure 4 The UHR PPDU transmitted by the communication device in this embodiment is described. Figure 4 An example of the format of a UHR MU (Multi-User) PPDU transmitted by a communication device is illustrated.

[0058] Figure 4 The UHR PPDU shown in FIG includes an STF (Short Training Field), an LTF (Long Training Field), and a SIG (Signal Field). Figure 4As shown in FIG, the preamble of the PPDU includes fields 401 to 403 for ensuring backward compatibility with the IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ax standards. Specifically, L-STF (legacy short training field) 401 and L-LTF (legacy long training field) 402 are included as training fields. In addition, L-SIG (legacy signal field) 403 is included as a signal field.

[0059] The L-LTF is placed immediately after the L-STF, and the L-SIG is placed immediately after the L-LTF. Furthermore, the RL-SIG (Repeated L-SIG) is placed immediately after the L-SIG. In the RL-SIG field, the contents of the L-SIG are repeated. The RL-SIG allows the receiver to identify whether the PPDU complies with the IEEE 802.11ax standard or later.

[0060] For example, L-STF is used for detection of radio frame signals in the PHY layer, automatic gain control (AGC), and timing detection. For example, L-LTF is used for high-precision frequency-time synchronization and acquisition of channel state information (CSI). L-SIG is used to send control information including information about the data transmission rate and the length of the PHY frame. A communication device receiving a radio frame can use the information about the data transmission rate and the length of the PHY frame to determine the timing at which the transmission of the radio frame is to be completed. Devices compliant with the IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ax standards and devices compliant with the 802.11be standard or the UHR standard serving as its successor standard can decode each of the various types of legacy fields mentioned above.

[0061] The PPDU also includes a U-SIG 405 (Universal Signal Field) immediately following the RL-SIG. The U-SIG is a field intended to be used in common with the IEEE 802.11be standard and later, and is used to transmit control information for each standard. The U-SIG includes a field containing a PHY version identifier and a field containing a BSS-specific color code, known as a BSS color. In the case of a UHR MU PPDU, the PHY version identifier field contains a value (e.g., 1) indicating a UHR MU PPDU.

[0062] Immediately after the U-SIG is placed a UHR-SIG (Ultra High Reliability Signal field) 406. The UHR-SIG includes control information that does not fit in the U-SIG and control information provided to each user as a notification when multi-user transmission is to be performed.

[0063] UHR-STF 407, serving as an STF for UHR, and UHR-LTF 408, serving as an LTF for UHR, are placed after UHR-SIG 406. The UHR-LTF is information used, for example, for MIMO estimation and beamforming estimation. Multiple UHR-LTFs may be placed based on the number of antennas used for MIMO and whether beamforming is required. A maximum of eight UHR-LTFs may be placed.

[0064] A data field 409 and a PE (packet extension field) 410 are placed after these control fields. Figure 4 The fields from L-STF to UHR-LTF in the PPDU are called "PHY preamble".

[0065] The UHR-SIG 406 also includes a common field 406-1 and at least one user-specific field 406-2. The user-specific field may sometimes be referred to hereinafter as simply a "user field."

[0066] The common field 406-1 includes the information indicated in Table 1 in the case of non-OFDMA or the information indicated in Table 2 in the case of OFDMA. OFDMA is an abbreviation for "Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access." Each of the subfields such as "Preemption Enable" and "Preemption Timing" in Tables 1 and 2 is an example of a field including information related to data preemption.

[0067] [Table 1]

[0068] Table 1

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] Table 1 shows an example of a common field in a non-OFDMA case. In Table 1, "Spatial Multiplexing" is a subfield indicating whether the spatial multiplexing mode of another communication device is allowed during transmission of this PPDU. "GI+LTF" is a subfield indicating the size of the guard interval and LTF.

[0072] "Number of UHR-LTF Symbols" is a subfield containing a value indicating the number of symbols in the UHR-LTF used as training fields. "LDPC Extra Symbol Segment" is a subfield containing information related to LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check). "Pre-FEC Fill Factor" is a subfield containing information related to forward error correction. "PE Disambiguation" and "Ignore" each contain information about the fields of the same name in the PHY preamble compliant with the IEEE 802.11ax standard or the IEEE 802.11be standard.

[0073] "Preemption Enable" is a subfield containing information indicating whether there is a possibility of preemption of low-latency communication in the transmission of this PPDU. When this subfield contains "1", it means "True", indicating that preemption can be performed. Also, when this subfield contains "1", it means "False", indicating that preemption is not performed. The combination of values ​​and corresponding information is not limited to the above. The preamble of the radio frame may include information that can inform the other device that preemptive transmission of another data may occur during the transmission of the radio frame. A PPDU set to "True" in "Preemption Enable" will be referred to as a "preemptible PPDU" hereinafter.

[0074] The "Preemption Timing" subfield indicates the timing at which low-latency communication can occur during the transmission of this PPDU. This embodiment involves a value of n indicating that preemption can occur at intervals of n+1 milliseconds, but is not limited thereto. For example, by specifying the exponential portion of a predetermined value (such as a power of n), the preemption interval can be indicated to the other device. If the "Preemption Enable" subfield indicates "false," the "Preemption Timing" subfield is set to "0."

[0075] Finally, "Number of Non-OFDMA Users" is a subfield containing information indicating the total number of users to which the MU transmission is directed. The subsequent coded blocks contain information provided as notification to each destination of the MU PPDU.

[0076] Next, the common field 406-1 in the case of OFDMA will be described with reference to Table 2. Since the information contained in each of B0 to B18 is similar to the information contained in the non-OFDMA case, its description will be omitted. However, similar to the non-OFDMA case, B14 to B18 each contain information related to low-latency communication. B19 and thereafter contain a "RU Allocation-A" subfield, and a CRC and tail subfield, the RU Allocation-A subfield containing information indicating the allocation status of resource units used for OFDMA communication. Depending on the bandwidth, the "RU Allocation-A" subfield contains allocation information about resource units corresponding to one 20MHz subband or allocation information about resource units corresponding to two 20MHz subbands.

[0077] [Table 2]

[0078] Table 2

[0079]

[0080]

[0081] The names of the subfields, the positions of the bits that make up each subfield, and their sizes are not limited to those shown in Tables 1 and 2. It is possible to have subfields with different names that can transmit similar information to the other device, or the position and size of each subfield can be appropriately changed. While this embodiment relates to an example in which the common field 406-1 of the UHR-SIG 406 contains information related to low-latency communication, the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the U-SIG 405 may contain information related to low-latency communication.

[0082] Next, we will refer to Figure 5 Preemptive communication according to this embodiment is described. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating preemptive communication according to this embodiment.

[0083] The AP 101 sends a preemptible PPDU indicated by 501 to a subordinate STA (such as the STA 102 or the STA 103 ). Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an example of transmitting data addressed to STA 102. If data requiring low-latency communication is not included in the AP 101's transmission queue during transmission of a preemptible PPDU, as indicated by 501, the AP 101 completes transmission of the preemptible PPDU without performing preemption processing. Data requiring low-latency communication is also referred to as "low-latency data."

[0084] In contrast, if low-latency data is contained in the transmit queue of the AP 101 during the transmission of the preemptible PPDU indicated by 501 , a preemptive transmission process indicated by 502 is performed.

[0085] In detail, if low-latency data is included in the transmit queue of AP 101, AP 101 sends a signal including a special bit sequence (called a PPDU end marker) to inform the communication partner of the occurrence of the interruption. Subsequently, after a SIFS (Short Interframe Space) period has passed since the completion of the transmission of the signal, AP 101 sends the PPDU containing the low-latency data to the transmission destination of the low-latency communication. This example relates to a case where the transmitted PPDU contains low-latency data sent to STA 103. When the transmission of the PPDU containing the low-latency data is completed, AP 101 sends a PPDU for sending the remaining data that was interrupted as needed. This example relates to a case where the transmitted PPDU is used to send the remaining data sent to STA 102. Whether to send the remaining data is arbitrary. For example, if data with a higher priority level than the remaining data is included in the transmit queue, the data with a higher priority level can be sent first.

[0086] Now refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 Describe the specific controls. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating PPDU transmission control performed by the AP 101 serving as a communication device, and Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating preemptible PPDU reception control performed by the STA 102 or 103 serving as a communication device. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Each of the flow charts depicts an excerpt of a series of steps for implementing preemption control using preemptible PPDUs. Figure 6 The steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 1 are performed by the processor in the control unit 202 of the AP 101 executing the computer program stored in the storage unit 201 . Figure 7 The steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 1 are performed by the processor in the control unit 202 of the STA 102 or the STA 103 executing the computer program stored in the storage unit 201 . Figure 6 and Figure 7 Some steps such as transmission, modulation, reception and decoding in each of the communication devices are implemented by the processor in the control unit 202 of each communication device in cooperation with, for example, the communication unit 206 and the ASIC, DSP and / or FPGA of the control unit 202. If the subject of each step is to be clearly indicated, then refer to Figure 3 The functional units described will be described as the main body.

[0087] First, refer to Figure 6 The PPDU transmission control performed by the AP 101 is described. When data serving as a transmission target is contained in a transmission queue managed by the controller 301 of the AP 101 and is transmitted to the outside, the PPDU transmission control is performed. Figure 6In other words, when AP 101 determines that it can acquire a transmit opportunity (TXOP) and transmit a PPDU according to EDCA-based contention control, it performs Figure 6 Each step is shown in the flowchart in FIG. EDCA is the abbreviation of "Enhanced Distributed Channel Access".

[0088] In step S601, controller 301 determines whether preemption of low-latency communication is expected. If preemption of low-latency communication is expected, processing proceeds to step S604. If preemption of low-latency communication is not expected, processing proceeds to step S602. This determination can be made based on, for example, the priority level of data transmitted with each STA during a fixed time period. For example, if AP 101 has a history of transmitting IP packets with the DSCP value in the DS field of the IP packet set to the fast forwarding value within a fixed time period, AP 101 determines that preemption is expected. DSCP stands for "Differentiated Services Code Point." Furthermore, if the data to be transmitted is high-priority transmission data (low-latency data) that can require low-latency communication, controller 301 determines that preemption of low-latency communication is not expected. If this determination indicates that the data to be transmitted is low-latency data, preemptive transmission is prohibited. In other words, AP 101 stores data with a lower priority level than low-latency data in a preemptible PPDU. If the controller 301 operates in conjunction with the settings manager 305 to determine that the operational setting indicating that preemptible PPDUs are not to be transmitted is an operational setting of the communications device, then the controller 301 determines that preemption of low-latency communications is not expected.

[0089] By considering the first three digits of the DS field as an IP precedence value, if there is a history of transmitting IP packets with the above-mentioned value of "5" indicating "critical" within a fixed time period, it can be determined that preemption is expected. The determination method is not limited to this. A specific terminal can be pre-registered in the AP as a terminal with the highest priority in the communication of AP 101, and when the specific terminal is joining the network of AP 101, it can be determined that preemption is expected. Time series data of communications within a fixed time period in the past can be input, the probability of whether low-latency data is likely to occur can be estimated, and whether preemption is expected can be determined based on the estimated probability. For example, by inputting past communication data into learned model data that has been learned using a machine learning algorithm (such as existing supervised learning or deep learning), an inference result indicating the probability of whether low-latency data may occur can be obtained.

[0090] Subsequently, in step S602, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame generator 302 to set the "Preemption Enable" subfield of the PHY preamble to "false." In this case, the "Preemption Timing" subfield may be set to "0." The controller 301 then cooperates with the frame generator 302 to set information based on appropriate transmission parameters, etc., in another preamble field and generate a UHR MU PPDU including the data to be transmitted in the data field.

[0091] In step S603 , the controller 301 transmits the UHR MU PPDU generated in step S602 , and ends a series of transmission steps.

[0092] The following description relates to the case of determining preemption for expected low-latency communication. In step S604, the controller 301 operates in conjunction with the frame generator 302 to set "true" in the "Preemption Enable" subfield of the PHY preamble and set a predetermined value in the "Preemption Timing" subfield. The controller 301 then operates in conjunction with the frame generator 302 to set a value based on appropriate transmission parameters, etc., in another preamble field and generate a preemptible PPDU including the data to be transmitted in the data field.

[0093] In step S605, the controller 301 operates in conjunction with the communication unit 206 and the antenna 207 to start sending the generated preemptible PPDU. Then, in step S606, the controller 301 determines whether preemption of low-delay data is required. If it is determined that preemption of low-delay data is required, the process proceeds to step S608. If it is determined that preemption of low-delay data is not required, the process proceeds to step S607. In detail, if the transmission data corresponding to the IP packet whose DSCP value is set to the fast forwarding value mentioned above is included in the transmission queue, the controller 301 determines that preemption of low-delay data is required. By treating the first three bits of the DS field as the IP precedence value, if the transmission data corresponding to the IP packet whose relevant value indicates "critical" is included in the transmission queue, it can be determined that preemptive transmission is required.

[0094] This embodiment involves an example of determining low-latency data based on QoS (Quality of Service) information in an IP packet, but is not limited thereto. For example, when a transmit packet corresponding to a STA pre-registered as the highest-priority terminal in the AP is included in the transmit queue, it can be determined that preemptive transmission is necessary. The process for determining whether preemptive transmission of low-latency data is necessary is an example of a process for determining whether a specific condition is satisfied.

[0095] In step S607, the controller 301 determines whether the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU is completed. If it is determined that the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU is completed, then a series of transmission control ends. In contrast, if it is determined that the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU is not completed (that is, if it is determined that the preemptible PPDU is being transmitted), the process proceeds to step S605 to continue the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU.

[0096] Finally, we will describe preemption control for low-latency data. In step S608, controller 301 continues transmitting the data field until the time point corresponding to the preemption timing set in the PHY preamble of the preemptible PPDU is reached. Then, when the time point corresponding to the preemption timing is reached, controller 301 proceeds to step S609.

[0097] In step S609 , the controller 301 transmits data including a special bit sequence as a PPDU end marker to notify the communication partner that an interruption has occurred, and interrupts the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU.

[0098] In step S610, the controller 301 waits for transmission for the duration of the SIFS period. In step S6111, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame generator 302 to transmit the generated PPDU containing low-latency data toward the STA serving as the destination for the low-latency data. As mentioned above, the destination of the low-latency data can be different from the destination of the preemptible PPDU sent in step S605. While the AP 101 waits for the SIFS period, the PPDU generation process is performed in parallel. The "Preempt Enable" subfield in the preamble of the PPDU sent in step S610 is set to "false." When transmission of the PPDU containing low-latency data is complete, the AP 101 proceeds to step S612.

[0099] In step S612, controller 301 determines whether to resume the interrupted data transmission. If it is determined that the interrupted data transmission is to be resumed, the process proceeds to step S613. If it is determined that the interrupted data transmission is not to be resumed, the series of transmission steps ends. For example, controller 301 determines whether to resume the interrupted data transmission based on the priority level of the interrupted transmission data included in the preemptible PPDU or the remaining TXOP. More specifically, if the priority level of the data included in the new transmission queue is higher than the priority level of the interrupted transmission data, or the time period of the remaining TXOP is short, it may be determined that the interrupted data transmission is not to be resumed. If it is determined that the interrupted data transmission is not to be resumed, the remaining interrupted data is returned to the transmission queue and appropriately retransmitted at the timing of subsequent and subsequent transmission opportunities ensured by AP 101.

[0100] In step S613, controller 301 waits for transmission for the duration of the SIFS period. In step S614, controller 301 coordinates with frame generator 302 to regenerate a preemptible PPDU containing data within the remaining TXOP and resume (or start) transmission of the remaining data interrupted in step S609. Controller 301 may regenerate a preemptible PPDU that includes a portion of the remaining data, or may regenerate a preemptible PPDU that includes all of the remaining data by increasing the MCS in the data field. While AP 101 waits for the SIFS period, the PPDU regeneration process is also performed in parallel.

[0101] When the transmission process is resumed, the controller 301 proceeds with the process to step S606 to attempt transmission of a preemptible PPDU or preemptive control of another low-delay data.

[0102] If low-latency data is included in the transmission queue as a result of the above-described processing, another data transmission is interrupted so that the low-latency data can be transmitted with priority.

[0103] Now refer to Figure 7 The PPDU reception control in each of the STA 102 and the STA 103 serving as a communication device is described. When the STA 102 or the STA 103 receives a preemptible PPDU addressed to the STA 102 or the STA 103, the PPDU reception control is performed. Figure 7 Each step is shown in the flowchart.

[0104] In step S701, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame processor 303 to perform reception processing for a preemptible PPDU. Specifically, the reception processing involves, for example, signal demodulation and data decoding. In step S702, the controller 301 refers to the preemption timing value set in the preamble of the preemptible PPDU. The controller 301 then determines whether the preemption timing has been reached based on the preemption timing value and the time period that has elapsed since the start of reception of the preemptible PPDU. If the preemption timing has been reached, the process proceeds to step S703. If the preemption timing has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S704.

[0105] In step S703, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame processor 303 to determine whether the PPDU end marker has been received. If it is determined that the PPDU end marker has been received, the process proceeds to step S705. In contrast, if it is determined that the PPDU end marker has not been received, the data decoded according to the reception process is regarded as the data used as the reception target, and the process proceeds to step S701 to continue the PPDU reception process.

[0106] In step S704, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame processor 303 to determine whether the preemptible PPDU is completely received. If it is determined that the preemptible PPDU is completely received, the controller 301 proceeds to step S705. If it is determined that the preemptible PPDU is not completely received, the controller 301 proceeds to step S701.

[0107] In step S705, the controller 301 performs a process for completing the reception of the PPDU. If the determination result in step S703 indicates "yes," the controller 301 stops the reception process of the preemptible PPDU and then performs a process for completing the reception. When the process for completing the reception is performed, the STA, such as STA 102 or STA 103, which has completed the reception of the PPDU, transitions to a state in which EDCA-based data transmission control can be performed.

[0108] If the STA receives a PPDU that is not a preemptible PPDU, that is, a PPDU with "false" set in the "Preempt Enable" subfield and addressed to the STA, the STA can receive and decode the PPDU. Therefore, the PPDU sent from the AP 101 in steps S603 or S611 and with "false" set in the "Preempt Enable" subfield can be properly received using a known reception process generally known in the IEEE 802.11 series.

[0109] As described above, a communication device such as STA 102 or 103 receiving a preemptible PPDU detects the PPDU end marker to determine that the transmission process of the preemptible PPDU will be interrupted. By performing control for stopping the reception process based on this detection, the reception process of the preemptible PPDU can be appropriately terminated in advance.

[0110] After interrupting the transmission of the preemptible PPDU, AP 101 can transmit a completely different PPDU containing low-latency data to another destination. This enables preemptive transmission of low-latency data.

[0111] <Second embodiment>

[0112] The first embodiment described above relates to a technique for implementing preemption by interrupting the transmission of a preemptible PPDU and executing control to preemptively transmit another PPDU containing low-latency data. The second embodiment provides a mechanism for preemptively transmitting low-latency data during the transmission of a preemptible PPDU. Since the hardware and software configurations of each communication device are similar to those of the first embodiment, their description will be omitted.

[0113] Now refer to Figure 8 The schematic diagram in FIG. 1 depicts the control mechanism according to the second embodiment. Figure 8 As shown in 801 in FIG. 1 , in the second embodiment, the data field is transmitted in a preemptible PPDU configured in the A-MPDU format having multiple aggregated MPDUs. MPDU is an abbreviation for "MAC Protocol Data Unit" and is a MAC frame including a MAC header and a payload. A-MPDU is an abbreviation for "Aggregation-MAC Protocol Data Unit."

[0114] If low-latency data is included in the transmission queue during the transmission of a preemptible PPDU in the A-MPDU format, preemption is performed by switching the MPDU used as the transmission target to the MPDU corresponding to the low-latency data. 802 represents the preemptible PPDU to be transmitted when preemption control is performed. Figure 8 The diagram illustrates an example in which, after three MPDUs are transmitted for STA 102, an MPDU containing low-latency data for STA 103 is transmitted. Subsequently, the remaining three MPDUs for STA 102 are transmitted in the remaining TXOP, and padding data is transmitted during the remaining portion of the time. When performing preemptive transmission as indicated in 802, AP 101 transmits data corresponding to the three MPDUs serving as the remaining data intended for STA 102 but unable to be transmitted previously, in subsequent transmission opportunities and thereafter.

[0115] Now refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 Describe the specific controls. Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating PPDU transmission control performed by the AP 101 serving as a communication device. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating PPDU reception control performed by the STA 102 or 103 serving as a communication device. Figure 9 and Figure 10 Each of the flowcharts in depicts an excerpt of a series of steps for implementing preemption control using a preemptible PPDU. Figure 6 The steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 2 are performed by the processor in the control unit 202 of the AP 101 executing the computer program stored in the storage unit 201 . Figure 10 The steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 1 are performed by the processor in the control unit 202 of the STA 102 or STA 103 executing the computer program stored in the storage unit 201 . Figure 9 and Figure 10Some steps such as transmission, modulation, reception and decoding in each of the communication devices are implemented by the processor in the control unit 202 of each communication device in cooperation with, for example, the communication unit 206 and the ASIC, DSP and / or FPGA of the control unit 202. If the subject of each step is to be clearly indicated, then refer to Figure 3 The functional units described will be described as bodies.

[0116] First, refer to Figure 9 PPDU transmission control performed by AP 101 is described. Figure 9 The diagram shows a method of replacing the first embodiment. Figure 6 For the sake of convenience, the description of the control similar to that of the first embodiment will be appropriately omitted, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0117] Since the determination process in step S901 and the non-preemptible PPDU transmission process in steps S902 to S903 are similar to the determination process in step S601 and the non-preemptive PPDU transmission process in steps S601 to S603 in the first embodiment, respectively, their description will be omitted.

[0118] In step S934, the controller 301 sets "True" in the "Preemption Enable" subfield. Compared to the first embodiment in which a predetermined value is set in the "Preemption Timing" subfield, in this embodiment, the predetermined value is not set for the "Preemption Timing" subfield. When preemption control is to be performed using the mechanism described in the second embodiment, the UHR MU PPDU may be configured to not include the "Preemption Timing" subfield in the preamble.

[0119] In step S935, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame generator 302 to generate a preemptible PPDU whose data portion is configured in the A-MPDU format having multiple MPDUs. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the preemptible PPDU in the A-MPDU format generated in this step is, for example, Figure 8 The A-MPDU shown in 801 is sent to a single STA (e.g., STA 102).

[0120] Subsequently, in step S935 , the controller 301 operates in cooperation with the communication unit 206 and the antenna 207 to transmit a preemptible PPDU containing data in the A-MPDU format.

[0121] Then, in step S906, the controller 301 performs a preemption determination process similar to that described in step S606. If preemption is determined not to be necessary, the process proceeds to step S907. In step S907, similar to step S607, the controller 301 determines whether transmission of the preemptible PPDU is complete. If transmission of the preemptible PPDU is not complete, transmission of the preemptible PPDU continues. If transmission is determined to be complete, the series of transmission control ends.

[0122] Next, the preemptive transmission process will be described. In step S938, the controller 301 continues data transmission until the end of the MPDU being transmitted is reached. When data transmission is completed to the end of the MPDU, the process proceeds to step S939.

[0123] In step S939, controller 301 cooperates with frame generator 302 to generate an MPDU containing low-latency data, replaces the data with the data being sent as the target, and resumes PPDU transmission. If the low-latency data is being sent to a different STA (e.g., STA 103) than the destination of the A-MPDU indicated by step 801 (e.g., STA 102), the different destination (e.g., STA 103) is specified as the destination in the MAC header of the MPDU. When transmission of the MPDU containing low-latency data is complete, controller 301 proceeds to step S912. Step S912, similar to step S612, determines whether to resume the interrupted data transmission. If it is determined that the interrupted data transmission is not to be resumed, the series of transmission steps ends. If it is determined that the interrupted data transmission is to be resumed, the process proceeds to step S934.

[0124] In step S944, controller 301 reconfigures the remaining transmission target data within the range covering the remaining TXOP. Controller 301 then proceeds to step S935 and continues the transmission process of the MPDU including the reconfigured transmission target data. For example, transmission of the MPDU indicated by step 802 and originally scheduled to be transmitted within the range covering the remaining TXOP is resumed. AP 101 transmits padding data as needed. Using the process in step S944, transmission of data to the originally scheduled destination (e.g., STA 102) can be resumed upon completion of the preemptive transmission.

[0125] Now refer to Figure 10 The PPDU reception control of each of STA 102 and STA 103 serving as a communication device is described. When STA 102 or STA 103 detects that another communication device is transmitting a PPDU, it performs Figure 10 Each step is shown in the flowchart.

[0126] In step S1001, the controller 301 operates in conjunction with the antenna 207, the communication unit 206, and the frame processor 303 to receive a PPDU transmitted by another communication device. In step S1002, the controller 301 determines whether the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs. If the received PPDU is determined to be a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs, the process proceeds to step S1003. In contrast, if the received PPDU is determined not to be a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs, the process proceeds to step S1005. Whether the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs can be determined by comparing the value of the BSS color field included in the U-SIG used as the preamble of the PPDU with the BSS color value of the BSS managed by the STA and to which the STA belongs. If the value in the BSS Color field matches the BSS color value of the BSS managed by the STA and to which the STA belongs, the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is a PPDU destined for the BSS to which the STA belongs. In contrast, if the value in the BSS Color field does not match the BSS color value of the BSS managed by the STA and to which the STA belongs, the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is not a PPDU destined for the BSS to which the STA belongs. Determining whether the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU involves determining whether "True" is set in the "Preempt Enable" subfield included in the preamble of the PPDU. If "True" is set in the "Preempt Enable" subfield, the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU. If "False" is set in the "Preempt Enable" subfield, the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is not a preemptible PPDU. Furthermore, if the received PPDU is, for example, an EHT PPDU, HE PPDU, or VHT PPDU that does not include the "Preemption Enable" subfield, the controller 301 also determines that the received PPDU is not a preemptible PPDU.

[0127] In the above determination process, the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is a PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs. If the controller 301 determines that the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU, it further determines that the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs. If the above determination process determines that the received PPDU is not a PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs, or is not a preemptible PPDU, it determines that the received PPDU is not a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs. The process described in step S1002 for analyzing the preamble to determine whether the received PPDU is a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs can be implemented by, for example, a hardware circuit (such as an ASIC or DSP) included in the communication unit 206.

[0128] Subsequently, in step S1003, the controller 301 cooperates with the frame processor 303 to wait for an MPDU addressed to the device and receives data addressed to the device by decoding the MPDU addressed to the device. The frame processor 303 does not decode an MPDU addressed to another device and performs discard control. Whether the MPDU is addressed to an STA can be determined by comparing the destination address included in the MAC header of the MPDU with the address of the STA.

[0129] In step S1004, the controller 301 determines whether the preemptible PPDU is completely received. If it is determined that the preemptible PPDU is completely received, then a series of receiving steps ends. If it is determined that the preemptible PPDU is not completely received, then the preemptible PPDU reception process continues.

[0130] According to steps S1003 and S1004, while another communication device is transmitting a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs, the reception process involving analysis of the data field is continued. Therefore, the STA intending to perform preemptive transmission can properly interpret the preemptible PPDU and properly receive the MPDU containing the low-latency data for which preemptive transmission was performed to the STA.

[0131] On the other hand, in step S1005, the controller 301 determines whether the received PPDU is a PPDU addressed to the STA. If it is determined that the received PPDU is a PPDU addressed to the STA, the process proceeds to step S1006. If it is determined that the received PPDU is not a PPDU addressed to the STA, the process proceeds to step S1007. This determination can be made by comparing the value contained in the STAID subfield of the user-specific field of the UHR-SIG used as the preamble of the UHR MUPPDU with the STAID of the STA.

[0132] In step S1006 , the controller 301 cooperates with the processor 303 to obtain data transmitted to the STA by decoding the data included in the PPDU.

[0133] On the other hand, in step S1007, the controller 301 sets the NAV (Network Allocation Vector) based on the data transmission rate and PHY frame length included in the preamble of the PPDU received in step S1011. Then, during the period of time in which the NAV is set, the power supply to the communication unit 206 and the antenna 207 is partially or completely stopped, so that a transition to the energy-saving sleep state is made, and a series of reception steps are ended.

[0134] At the timing when the NAV set time period has elapsed, the STA that has transitioned to the sleep state resumes power supply to the communication unit 206 and the antenna 207 and transitions to the awake state enabling data reception and data transmission.

[0135] According to the above series of steps, when STA 102, STA 103, etc. detects a preemptible PPDU sent to the BSS to which the STA belongs, STA 102, STA 103, etc. can perform control of waiting for and interpreting the MPDU sent to the STA.

[0136] <Modification>

[0137] In the first embodiment, the preamble of a preemptible PPDU is provided with a "Preemption Timing" subfield, and a predetermined value is set in the subfield. However, the relevant subfield can be omitted. In this case, the communication device such as STA 102 or 103 always monitors whether the data used as the decoding target includes a specific bit sequence corresponding to the PPDU end marker, and can be configured to detect the specific bit sequence corresponding to the PPDU end marker.

[0138] The second embodiment relates to an example of performing control for making each STA belonging to the BSS wait for the MPDU addressed to the STA in the awake state when a preemptible PPDU addressed to the BSS to which the STA belongs is detected, but is not limited thereto. For example, a modification example is possible that further limits the range of STAs serving as targets for waiting for reception. Figures 11A to 11C This modification example will be described. Figure 11A A modified example of the UHR-SIG sent by the AP 101 is shown in the figure. Figure 11B is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication condition when MU DL OFDMA communication is performed and preemptive transmission does not occur. Figure 11C 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication situation when preemptive transmission is performed with respect to the destination 4 by using the communication resources used in data transmission toward the destination 2 .

[0139] When transmitting a UHR MU PPDU that can be preempted, the AP 101 lists the STAs with which low-latency communication may occur in the user-specific field. In this case, the AP 101 first lists 1101-1 and 1101-2, which are used as user fields for the STAs used as the original destination for data communication. In this case, downlink DL MU OFDMA transmission to two STAs is performed by using the UHR MU PPDU. Then, the AP 101 lists the user fields 1102-1 and 1102-2 corresponding to the STAs with which low-latency communication may occur. The number of STAs with which low-latency communication may occur is limited to not more than the number of original destinations (in Figures 11A to 11C In this case, the number of destinations is two).

[0140] Now refer to Figure 11B This section describes a case where preemptive transmission does not occur. In this case, the STA serving as Destination 1 refers to the "RU Allocation-A" subfield to monitor "RU#1," which is a resource unit (hereinafter referred to as "RU") allocated to the first STA. The STA serving as Destination 1 then waits for an MPDU sent to the STA at "RU#1," and performs decoding appropriately.

[0141] In this case, the STA serving as destination 2 refers to the 'RU Allocation-A' subfield to monitor '#RU2' serving as the RU allocated to the second STA, waits for the MPDU addressed to the STA and transmitted at the RU, and performs decoding appropriately.

[0142] In this case, the STA serving as destination 3 also refers to the "RU Allocation-A" subfield to wait for an MPDU of preemptive data addressed to the STA at "RU#1" allocated to the first STA. In this case, the STA serving as destination 4 monitors "RU#2" allocated to the second STA and waits for an MPDU of preemptive data.

[0143] When low-latency data serving as data for destination 3 or destination 4 is contained in the transmission queue, the AP 101 replaces data to be transmitted at the corresponding RU with the MPDU containing the low-latency data.

[0144] Figure 11CThe diagram illustrates preemptive transmission when low-latency data for destination 4 is included in the transmission queue. In this case, at the timing indicated by 1104, AP 101 interrupts the transmission of the MPDU addressed to destination 2 at "#RU2," which is monitored by both destinations 2 and 4. It then performs transmission of the MPDU containing low-latency data addressed to destination 4 using "#RU2." As mentioned above, the STA corresponding to destination 4 is monitoring "RU#2." Therefore, the preemptively transmitted MPDU addressed to the device can be properly received and the data can be decoded. At the timing indicated by 1105 when the transmission of the MPDU to destination 4 is completed, AP 101 appropriately resumes the transmission of the remaining data to destination 2.

[0145] According to the above modification, the range of STAs waiting for low-latency data is further limited, making it possible to suppress the increase in standby power generated in the entire BSS while performing preemptive transmission. Moreover, this modification also appropriately implements preemptive transmission even when performing simultaneous data transmission to at least two devices using MU DLOFDMA.

[0146] (Other embodiments)

[0147] The present invention may also be implemented by supplying a program that implements at least one function in each of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and causing at least one processor in a computer of the system or device to load and execute the program. The present invention may also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements at least one function.

[0148] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are intended to disclose the scope of the present invention.

[0149] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are attached to disclose the scope of the present invention.

[0150] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-012278, filed January 30, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0151] Reference Signs List

[0152] 101AP

[0153] 102STA

[0154] 103STA

[0155] 202 control unit

[0156] 206 Communication Unit

Claims

1. A communication device capable of performing wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, the communication device comprising: a transmitting component, configured to transmit a wireless frame, wherein the wireless frame comprises a preamble of a physical layer and a data field following the preamble, wherein the data field comprises data; Wherein, if a specific condition is met when the communication device is sending the wireless frame including information related to data preemption in the preamble code and containing first data in the data field, then the sending component interrupts the transmission of the first data and preemptively sends second data different from the first data.

2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the preamble comprises a legacy short training field, a legacy long training field, a legacy signal field, a repeated legacy signal field, a common signal field, a very high reliability short training field, and a very high reliability long training field.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the general signal field in the preamble includes a subfield indicating whether there is a possibility of data preemption, and The information related to data preemption is information indicating the possibility of data preemption, and if the communication device determines that there is the possibility of data preemption, the communication device stores the information indicating the possibility of data preemption in the subfield.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the radio frame is a UHR MU PPDU including an ultra-high reliability signal field between the common signal field and the ultra-high reliability short training field in the preamble, wherein the ultra-high reliability signal field includes a common field and at least one user field, and The information related to data preemption is information indicating the possibility of data preemption, and if the communication device determines that there is the possibility of data preemption, the communication device stores the information indicating the possibility of data preemption in the common field.

5. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the preamble of the radio frame including information related to data preemption of data transmitted by the transmitting section further includes second information indicating a timing at which data preemption may be performed.

6. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a recovery component, which is used to recover the transmission of remaining data that was not completed and included in the first data whose transmission was interrupted, and the transmission of the remaining data is recovered after the second data is preempted and sent.

7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the sending component is to interrupt the transmission of the first data, the sending component notifies a receiver receiving the radio frame of information indicating the interruption of transmission via the radio frame, interrupts the transmission of the first data, and then sends a second radio frame toward a destination different from the destination of the radio frame, the second radio frame including a preamble code and a data field including the second data.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second data indicates that low-latency communication is to be performed, and the first data has a lower priority level for transmission than the second data, and If the second data is included in a transmission queue when the transmitting component is transmitting the wireless frame including the first data, the transmitting component interrupts the transmission of the first data and preemptively transmits the second data different from the first data.

9. A communication device capable of performing wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, the communication device comprising: a receiving component, configured to receive a radio frame, the radio frame comprising a preamble of a physical layer and a data field following the preamble, the preamble comprising information related to data preemption, and the data field comprising first data; as well as A stopping means for stopping the reception processing of the radio frame if information indicating that the transmission of the radio frame is to be interrupted is received before the first data of the radio frame is completely received according to the reception processing performed by the receiving means.

10. A control method for a communication device capable of performing wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, the control method comprising: a transmission control step for transmitting a radio frame, wherein the radio frame has a preamble of a physical layer and a data field following the preamble, wherein the data field contains data; The sending control step includes: if a specific condition is met when the communication device is sending the wireless frame including information related to data preemption in the preamble code and containing first data in the data field, then interrupting the sending of the first data and preemptively sending second data different from the first data.

11. A control method for a communication device capable of performing wireless communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, the control method comprising: A receiving step, configured to receive a radio frame, the radio frame including a preamble of a physical layer and a data field following the preamble, the preamble including information related to data preemption, and the data field including first data; as well as A stopping step of stopping the reception processing of the radio frame if information indicating that the transmission of the radio frame is to be interrupted is received before the first data of the radio frame is completely received according to the reception processing in the receiving step. 12 . A program causing a computer to function as the communication device according to claim 1 .

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