Communication method, access point and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method, an access point and a computer readable storage medium, and relates to the technical field of wireless communication. The communication method is applied to an access point, and the method comprises the following steps: receiving service information sent by at least one station; and sharing the transmission opportunity with the target site based on the service information sent by the at least one site, so that the target site can send data of the currently running service. Wherein the target site is a site, meeting at least one of the following conditions, in the at least one site: the currently running service is a time delay sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirement. Therefore, the target station can obtain the transmission opportunity without competition, and can send the data of the currently running service under the condition that the transmission opportunity is obtained, so that the condition that the station cannot compete for the transmission opportunity for a long time is avoided, the smooth running of the service in the station is ensured, and the user experience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, access point, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Wireless communication networks have been widely applied in various military and civilian fields. In current wireless communication networks, when multiple stations are connected to a single access point, in order to avoid conflicts caused by multiple stations simultaneously sending data to the access point, the stations compete for the opportunity to send data to the access point through a random backoff mechanism.

[0003] However, during this random backoff process, there are situations where a site is unable to compete for a transmission opportunity for an extended period of time. This can lead to service disruptions at sites that are unable to secure a transmission opportunity for an extended period. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a communication method, access point, and computer-readable storage medium that can prevent service interruptions in the site.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a communication method applied to an access point, the method comprising:

[0006] Receive service information sent by at least one site;

[0007] Based on the service information sent by the at least one site, a transmission opportunity is shared with the target site, the transmission opportunity being used by the target site to send data of the currently running service;

[0008] The target site is a site that meets at least one of the following conditions: the currently running service is a time-sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirements.

[0009] In the above implementation, the access point can share transmission opportunities with the target site based on the service information sent by the site. The target site must meet at least one of the following conditions: the currently running service is a latency-sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirements. This allows the target site to obtain transmission opportunities without competing for them, and if it does obtain a transmission opportunity, it can send the data for its currently running service. This avoids situations where a site cannot obtain a transmission opportunity for an extended period, ensuring smooth operation of services within the site and improving user experience.

[0010] If the service currently running at a site is latency-sensitive, it means that the service is significantly affected by latency. If the site cannot secure a transmission opportunity for an extended period, the service will experience buffering or stuttering. Similarly, if the service currently running at a site does not meet its transmission requirements, it indicates a problem or obstacle in the transmission process. Therefore, if the site cannot secure a transmission opportunity for an extended period, the service will also experience buffering or stuttering. Thus, by selecting a site that meets at least one of these conditions as the target site, the access point can ensure that the site receives timely transmission opportunities, thereby guaranteeing smooth service operation and improving user experience.

[0011] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the service information includes the service type and operating status of the service currently running at the site, wherein the service type is used to indicate whether the service currently running at the site is a latency-sensitive service or a non-latency-sensitive service;

[0012] The method further includes:

[0013] Based on the service type, candidate sites are determined from the at least one site, and the candidate sites include sites among the at least one site whose currently running service type is a latency-sensitive service.

[0014] The target site is determined from the candidate sites, and the target site is the candidate site whose operating status does not meet the service transmission requirements.

[0015] The operational status of a service can include latency and / or data retransmission rate. High latency indicates that the service currently running at that site is experiencing lag. In this case, the access point can determine the target site based on the latency level, thereby improving the smoothness of service operation at the target site. Similarly, a high data retransmission rate indicates that the service currently running at that site is experiencing lag. In this case, the access point can determine the target site based on the data retransmission rate, thereby improving the smoothness of service operation at the target site. Furthermore, if both latency and data retransmission rate are high, it indicates that the service currently running at that site is experiencing lag. In this case, the access point can determine the target site based on both latency and data retransmission rate, thereby improving the smoothness of service operation at the target site.

[0016] Sites whose operational status does not meet service transmission requirements are those where the access point determines, based on the operational status, that the currently running service is experiencing lag. When determining whether the operational status meets service transmission requirements, the access point can judge based on whether the content included in the operational status exceeds a threshold, or it can sort the content included in the operational status and determine the sites that do not meet the service transmission requirements based on the sorting results.

[0017] For example, if latency is included in the operational status, the access point can identify sites with latency exceeding a preset latency threshold as sites that do not meet service transmission requirements. If data retransmission rate is included in the operational status, the access point can identify sites with a data retransmission rate exceeding a preset data retransmission rate threshold as sites that do not meet service transmission requirements. If both latency and data retransmission rate are included in the operational status, the access point can identify sites with both latency and data retransmission rate exceeding a preset data retransmission rate threshold as sites that do not meet service transmission requirements.

[0018] For example, when latency is a factor in the operational status, the access point can sort all sites by latency and identify the sites with the highest to lowest latency as those that do not meet service transmission requirements. Similarly, when data retransmission rate is a factor, the access point can sort all sites by retransmission rate and identify the sites with the highest to lowest retransmission rate as those that do not meet service transmission requirements. Furthermore, when both latency and retransmission rate are considered, the access point can standardize both parameters and perform a weighted sum to determine a comprehensive score. Then, all sites are sorted according to this comprehensive score, and the sites with the highest comprehensive score are identified as those that do not meet service transmission requirements.

[0019] In the above implementation, when the business information includes the business type and operational status of the services currently running at the site, the access point can first identify candidate sites running latency-sensitive services based on the business type. Then, based on the operational status of the services, the target site can be identified from the candidate sites. In this way, candidate sites corresponding to services significantly affected by latency can be screened first. Then, the operational status of the services can be accurately analyzed to determine the instances of lag in the candidate sites, thus identifying the target site where lag is severe. This ensures smooth operation of services at the target site and improves the user experience.

[0020] In some implementations, the business information may only include the business type or operational status of the services currently running at the site. In this implementation, the access point can determine the target site based on the content of the business information. If the access point identifies only one target site, it can directly share the transmission opportunity with that target site, ensuring smooth operation of services at the target site and improving user experience. If the access point identifies multiple target sites, it can select one of them to share the transmission opportunity. The access point can choose randomly from multiple target sites or select according to certain rules. For example, it can choose the target site that sent the business information earliest from multiple target sites for business sharing.

[0021] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0022] Obtain the current channel load of the access point;

[0023] In response to the channel load exceeding a preset threshold, the step of sharing the transmission opportunity with the target site is executed.

[0024] In the above implementation, the channel load of the access point is used to indicate the current busy status of the access point's communication channel. If the channel load of the access point is high, it indicates that the access point's channel is relatively busy. At this time, the station is more likely to fail to compete for a transmission opportunity. Therefore, the access point can perform the step of sharing the transmission opportunity with the target station when the channel load of the access point is greater than a preset threshold, so as to ensure that the station can transmit data in a timely manner.

[0025] In one possible implementation described above, if the channel load of the access point is low, it means that the channel of the access point is relatively idle. At this time, the possibility of the site not being able to compete for transmission opportunities is small. Therefore, when the channel load of the access point is less than a preset threshold, the access point does not need to determine the target site or share transmission opportunities with the target site. This avoids the access point from frequently sharing transmission opportunities with the site unnecessarily, which would prevent the sites connected to the access point from competing for transmission opportunities fairly.

[0026] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0027] Receive information from the target site indicating whether the target site supports the opportunity-sharing feature;

[0028] Send information to the target site indicating whether the access point supports the transport opportunity sharing feature;

[0029] The sharing of transmission opportunities with the target site includes:

[0030] When both the access point and the target site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature, a multi-user request transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is sent to the target site. The multi-user request transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame includes: a time period during which the target site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity and a transmission mode; the transmission mode is used to indicate the objects to which the target site transmits data during the time period.

[0031] In the above implementation, after the access point receives information from the target site indicating whether the target site supports the transmission opportunity sharing feature, the access point can send information to the target site indicating whether it supports the transmission opportunity sharing feature. In this way, the access point can inform the target site whether its connected access points can share transmission opportunities with the target site through the transmission opportunity sharing feature, thereby ensuring that transmission opportunity sharing is achieved when both the access point and the target site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature.

[0032] In cases where both the access point and the target site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature, the access point can directly send a multi-user request to the target site to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame, so as to share the transmission opportunity with the target site and enable the target site to transmit data when it gets a transmission opportunity.

[0033] The transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame includes a time period during which the target site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity and a transmission mode. The time period during which the target site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity indicates the time during which the target site's transmission opportunity is shared, within which the target site can use the transmission opportunity to transmit data. The transmission mode indicates the object to which the target site will transmit data within the time period, ensuring that the target site can transmit data to the specified corresponding object within the time period when data transmission is possible.

[0034] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the transmission mode includes a first mode and a second mode;

[0035] The first mode is used to indicate that the target site transmits data to the access point within the time period;

[0036] The second mode is used to indicate that the target site transmits data to the access point and other sites connected to the target site via point-to-point connections during the time period.

[0037] In the above implementation, the access point can determine the transmission mode carried in the transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame based on the services currently running at the target site. If the services currently running at the target site only need to transmit data to the access point, the access point can determine that the transmission mode carried in the transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is the first mode. If the services currently running at the target site need to transmit data to both the access point and other sites connected to the target site via point-to-point communication, the access point can determine that the transmission mode carried in the transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is the second mode.

[0038] Secondly, this application provides a communication method applied to a site, the method comprising:

[0039] Send service information to the access point;

[0040] When the service information indicates that the site meets at least one of the following conditions: the currently running service is a latency-sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirements, a transmission opportunity is obtained from the access point.

[0041] The aforementioned transmission opportunity is used to send data for the currently running service.

[0042] In the above implementation, when a site sends service information to the access point indicating that the currently running service is a latency-sensitive service, or that the currently running service does not meet at least one of the service transmission requirements, the site can obtain a transmission opportunity from the access point. In other words, the access point identifies the site as a target site. Thus, the site that obtains a transmission opportunity can use that opportunity to send the currently running service data, thereby avoiding situations where a site cannot compete for a transmission opportunity for a long time, ensuring smooth operation of services within the site, and improving user experience.

[0043] If the service currently running at the site is latency-sensitive, it means that the service is significantly affected by latency. If the site cannot secure a transmission opportunity for an extended period, the service will experience lag. Similarly, if the service currently running at the site does not meet transmission requirements, it indicates a problem or obstacle in its transmission. Therefore, if the site cannot secure a transmission opportunity for an extended period, the service will experience lag. Thus, if the service information sent by the site to the access point meets at least one of the above conditions, it can receive a transmission opportunity shared by the access point, thereby ensuring smooth operation of the service at the site and improving user experience.

[0044] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes:

[0045] Send information to the access point indicating whether the site supports the transport opportunity sharing feature;

[0046] Receive information from the access point indicating whether the access point supports transport opportunity sharing features;

[0047] The acquisition of transmission opportunities from the access point includes:

[0048] When both the access point and the site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature, a multi-user request to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is received from the access point. The multi-user request to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame includes: a time period during which the site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity and a transmission mode; the transmission mode is used to indicate the objects to which the site transmits data during the time period.

[0049] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the transmission mode includes a first mode and a second mode;

[0050] The use of the transmission opportunity to send data for the currently running service includes:

[0051] When the transmission mode is the first mode, the data of the currently running service is sent to the access point during the time period;

[0052] When the transmission mode is the second mode, the data of the currently running service is sent to the access point during the time period, or the data of the currently running service is sent to other sites connected to the site through point-to-point communication during the time period.

[0053] Thirdly, this application provides an access point including a memory and one or more processors; the memory and the processors are coupled; the memory is used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions; when the processor executes the computer instructions, the access point performs the method as described in the first aspect and any possible design of the method.

[0054] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed at an access point, cause the access point to perform the method described in the first aspect above and any possible design of the method thereof.

[0055] Fifthly, this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the access point to perform the method described in the first aspect above and any possible design of the method.

[0056] In a sixth aspect, this application provides a site comprising a memory and one or more processors; the memory and the processors are coupled; the memory is used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions; when the processor executes the computer instructions, the site causes the site to perform the method as described in the first aspect and any possible design thereof.

[0057] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on a site, cause the site to perform the method described in the first aspect above and any possible design of the method thereof.

[0058] Eighthly, this application provides a computer program product including a computer program / instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the site to perform the method described in the first aspect above and any possible design of the method thereof.

[0059] Ninthly, this application provides an apparatus included in an access point, which has the function of implementing the access point behavior in any of the methods of the first aspect and possible implementations described above. This function can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes at least one module or unit corresponding to the above function. For example, a transmitting module or unit, a receiving module or unit, a determining module or unit, and a storage module or unit, etc.

[0060] In a tenth aspect, this application provides an apparatus included in a station, which has the function of implementing the station behavior in any of the methods described in the second aspect and its possible implementations. This function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes at least one module or unit corresponding to the above-described function. For example, a transmitting module or unit, a receiving module or unit, a determining module or unit, and a storage module or unit, etc.

[0061] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing any of the methods provided in the first aspect above, or for implementing any of the methods provided in the second aspect above. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0062] Understandably, the access point described in the third aspect and any possible design of the above-mentioned, the computer-readable storage medium described in the fourth aspect, and the computer program product described in the fifth aspect are all used to execute the corresponding method provided in the first aspect. The site described in the sixth aspect and any possible design of the above-mentioned, the computer-readable storage medium described in the seventh aspect, and the computer program product described in the eighth aspect are all used to execute the corresponding method provided in the second aspect. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0063] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating a contention for a transmission opportunity provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 3 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of an access point according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a site provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 6 This application provides an illustration of a transmission opportunity sharing method. Figure 1 ;

[0069] Figure 7 This application provides an illustration of a scenario for sharing transmission opportunities. Figure 1 ;

[0070] Figure 8 This application provides an illustration of a transmission opportunity sharing method. Figure 2 ;

[0071] Figure 9 This application provides an illustration of a scenario for sharing transmission opportunities. Figure 2 ;

[0072] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an access point and site provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0073] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this embodiment, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0074] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0075] Before introducing the embodiments of this application, the technologies involved in the embodiments of this application will be introduced first.

[0076] Wireless local area networks (WLANs) refer to a network system that uses wireless communication technology to interconnect computer devices, forming a network that can communicate with each other and share resources.

[0077] In the early stages of wireless LAN development, to unify LAN technology, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) proposed the universal standard IEEE 802.11 for wireless LANs. This standard specifies the communication rules between devices in a wireless LAN; details can be found in the IEEE 802.11 standard itself, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0078] The process of wireless devices communicating through wireless local area network (WLAN) technology generally takes place in free space, which includes air and vacuum.

[0079] like Figure 1The wireless device shown includes two stations (STA) and one access point (AP). Stations STA1 and STA2 communicate wirelessly with the access point AP, and all wireless communication occurs in free space.

[0080] As can be seen, the free space transmission medium is shared by both STA1 and STA2. Therefore, when both STA1 and STA2 need to communicate with the AP, communication conflicts occur at the AP, resulting in communication failures between STA1 and the AP, and between STA2 and the AP. To address this, the universal standard IEEE 802.11 proposes an access mechanism to avoid these conflicts.

[0081] Furthermore, the specific access mechanisms include the point coordination function (PCF) mechanism and the distributed coordination function (DCF) mechanism. Among them, the DCF mechanism has good distributed characteristics and is therefore more widely used, while the PCF mechanism is less commonly used in actual products. Therefore, the embodiments of this application will mainly use the common DCF mechanism as an example for introduction.

[0082] In the DCF (Distributed Inter-Frame Spacing) mechanism, a station needs to wait for a period of time before sending data to an access point. This period is called the distributed inter-frame spacing (DIFS). If the station detects that the access point's communication channel is idle during the DIFS period, it can initiate a backoff process after the DIFS ends. At the start of backoff, the station randomly selects a backoff counter from a predetermined range within the contention window (Cwindow) as the size of the Cwindow. Then, the station listens to the access point's communication channel every slot time. If the listening result indicates that the access point's communication channel is idle, the station decrements the backoff counter by 1. If the listening result indicates that the access point's communication channel is busy, no action is taken on the backoff counter, and the station enters a defer state. After several slots, if the backoff counter becomes 0, it indicates that the backoff process based on the Cwindow has ended, and the station can then send data to the access point.

[0083] If two stations simultaneously send data to the same access point, both stations will go through the process described above. The station that finishes the backoff process first will preempt the opportunity to send data with the access point, i.e., the transmission opportunity (TXOP). The other station, which has not yet finished the backoff process, will detect that the access point's communication channel has become busy, and therefore, the station that has not yet finished the backoff process will enter a suspended state.

[0084] TXOP refers to the duration during which a site can send data after it has won the competition for the transmission medium.

[0085] In a scenario where multiple sites compete for the same TXOP (Turn-Only Request), one site may be unable to secure the TXOP for an extended period. The following discussion, combined with... Figure 2 Specifically explain the situation where a site is unable to compete for TXOP for an extended period of time.

[0086] exist Figure 2 In the scenario shown, there are five stations, each requiring wireless communication with an access point. These five stations are STA1, STA2, STA3, STA4, and STA5. Figure 2 As shown, STA1 is in a data transmission state with the access point and is sending data, which will be referred to as data frames below. The other STA2, STA3 and STA4, which have data transmission needs with the access point, are in a suspended state, while STA5, which has no data transmission needs with the access point, is not performing any action.

[0087] After STA1 completes its data frame transmission, STA2, STA3, and STA4, which all require data transmission to the access point, can detect the access point's communication channel changing from a busy state to an idle state. These stations then wait for the DIFS1 timeout period, and after the wait ends, each randomly selects a backoff counter as the size of the Cwindow. Afterward, STA2, STA3, and STA4 begin backoff operations based on the Cwindow.

[0088] from Figure 2As can be seen, Cwindow 1 corresponding to STA2 is the longest, Cwindow 2 corresponding to STA3 is the shortest, and Cwindow 3 corresponding to STA4 is longer than Cwindow 2 but shorter than Cwindow 1. Therefore, when STA2, STA3, and STA4 simultaneously start backoff based on their respective Cwindows, STA3 can complete the backoff process first and compete for TXOP because Cwindow 2 is the shortest, while STA2 and STA4 both pause the backoff process and enter a suspended state.

[0089] After STA3 acquires the TXOP, it can send data frames to the access point. Suppose that while STA3 is sending data frames to the access point, STA5 needs to transmit data with the access point. STA5 then joins the contention process. At this time, STA5 is in a suspended state, and like STA2 and STA4, it begins listening to the access point's communication channel status.

[0090] After STA3 completes the data frame transmission, STA2, STA4, and STA5, which have data transmission needs with the access point, can all hear the access point's communication channel change from busy to idle. At this time, these stations all begin to wait for DIFS2's time, and after the wait ends, they begin to backoff based on their respective determined Cwindow.

[0091] During this backoff process, since STA5 had not undergone backoff before, the size of Cwindow 4 corresponding to STA5 was determined based on a randomly selected backoff counter. Cwindow 1' corresponding to STA2 was determined based on the remaining backoff counter for Cwindow 1 after the previous backoff process paused, and Cwindow 3' corresponding to STA4 was determined based on the remaining backoff counter for Cwindow 3 after the previous backoff process paused.

[0092] according to Figure 2 It can be seen that when backoff begins, STA2's Cwindow 1' is the longest, STA4's Cwindow 3' is the shortest, and STA5's Cwindow 4 is longer than Cwindow 3' but shorter than Cwindow 1'. Therefore, STA2, STA4, and STA5 simultaneously begin backoff based on their respective Cwindows. Since Cwindow 3' is the shortest, STA4 can complete the backoff process first and compete for TXOP, while STA2 and STA5 both pause their backoff processes and enter a suspended state.

[0093] After STA4 completes the data frame transmission, STA2 and STA5, which have data transmission needs with the access point, can hear that the access point's communication channel changes from a busy state to an idle state. At this time, these stations all begin to wait for DIFS 3 time, and after the wait ends, they begin to backoff based on their respective determined Cwindow.

[0094] During this backoff process, the Cwindow 1” corresponding to STA2 is longer than the Cwindow 4” corresponding to STA5. Therefore, STA5 can complete the backoff process first and compete for TXOP, while STA2 pauses the backoff process again and enters a suspended state.

[0095] After STA5 completes data frame transmission, STA2, which needs to transmit data with the access point, can detect that the access point's communication channel changes from busy to idle. At this time, STA2 begins to wait for DIFS 4 time, and after the wait ends, it begins backoff based on its determined Cwindow 1". Since there are no other competing sites, STA2 can compete for TXOP after completing the backoff process and begin transmitting data frames.

[0096] In the above process, STA2 starts waiting from the time STA1 is transmitting data frames, and only completes the backoff process at time T4 and competes for TXOP. In other words, STA2 waits the longest.

[0097] If the data frame that STA2 needs to transmit is a time-sensitive frame, and this frame cannot be transmitted for an extended period, it will cause lag in the services running on STA2. A service refers to the task that STA2 is currently processing; in the case of a mobile phone, the processes running on the phone can be considered services.

[0098] For example, if STA2 is a mobile phone engaged in a video call, then the data frames transmitted by STA2 are the data corresponding to the video call service. Because STA2 cannot acquire the TXOP for an extended period, the ongoing video call will experience stuttering, causing inconvenience to the user.

[0099] To this end, this application provides a communication method in which a site can send a sharing request to an access point based on the service type of the currently running service in the site. This allows the access point to share transmission opportunities with the site if the currently running service in the site meets the conditions, enabling the site to obtain transmission opportunities, avoiding lag in the currently running service in the site, and improving the user experience.

[0100] The communication method provided in this application can be applied to various communication systems, including but not limited to systems using the IEEE 802.11 standard. The technical solutions in this application are applicable to scenarios including communication between an access point and one or more sites.

[0101] An access point is an electronic device used to bridge wired and wireless networks, extending the services provided by either a wired or wireless network to the wireless network. A site is an electronic device with wireless network access capabilities, typically a terminal in a wireless communication network.

[0102] For example, an access point can be an electronic device capable of providing a wireless network. This could be a wireless router used in a home or office, or an electronic device with a wireless hotspot function, such as a computer or mobile phone. A site can be an electronic device with access point connectivity, such as a mobile phone, tablet, smart screen, laptop, in-vehicle device, wearable device (e.g., smartwatch), ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), netbook, personal digital assistant (PDA), artificial intelligence device, wireless router, smart home device, etc. The specific types of electronic devices serving as sites and access points can be determined based on the actual application scenario, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0103] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the access point 100 is shown.

[0104] The access point 100 includes at least one processor 101 and at least one communication interface 104 for implementing the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. The access point 100 may also include a communication line 102 and a memory 103.

[0105] The processor 101 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for executing the scheme of this application.

[0106] Communication line 102 may include a path for transmitting information between the aforementioned components, such as a bus.

[0107] Communication interface 104 is used for communicating with other devices or communication networks. Communication interface 104 can be any transceiver-like device, such as an Ethernet interface, a radio access network (RAN) interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, a transceiver, a pin, a bus, or a transceiver circuit, etc.

[0108] In some embodiments, access point 100 can share transmission opportunities with stations through communication interface 104. For example, after the processor 101 of access point 100 determines that it will share a transmission opportunity with a certain station, the processor 101 of access point 100 can send a signal to be sent to communication interface 104, and communication interface 104 will send the signal to be sent.

[0109] The memory 103 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or it may be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory may exist independently and be coupled to the processor 101 via communication line 102. The memory 103 may also be integrated with the processor 101. The memory 103 provided in this application embodiment may be non-volatile.

[0110] The memory 103 stores computer execution instructions involved in the implementation of the scheme provided in the embodiments of this application, and the processor 101 controls the execution. The processor 101 executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory 103 to implement the method provided in the embodiments of this application. Alternatively, in the embodiments of this application, the processor 101 may execute the processing-related functions in the method provided in the following embodiments of this application, and the communication interface 104 may be responsible for communicating with other devices or communication networks. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0111] As one embodiment, processor 101 may include one or more CPUs, for example Figure 3 CPU0 and CPU1 in the CPU.

[0112] As one embodiment, access point 100 may include multiple processors, such as Figure 3 Processors 101 and 107 are shown in the diagram. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. A processor here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0113] As one embodiment, access point 100 may further include output device 105 and / or input device 106. Output device 105 is coupled to processor 101 and can display information in various ways. For example, output device 105 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector, etc. Input device 106 is coupled to processor 101 and can receive user input in various ways. For example, input device 106 may be a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen device, or sensing device, etc.

[0114] Understandable. Figure 3 The structural composition shown does not constitute a limitation on the access point 100, except... Figure 3 In addition to the components shown, the access point 100 may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0115] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the site's structure is shown.

[0116] Station 200 may include processor 210, external memory interface 220, internal memory 221, universal serial bus (USB) interface 230, charging management module 240, power management module 241, battery 242, antenna 1, antenna 2, mobile communication module 250, wireless communication module 260, etc.

[0117] It is understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of the present invention does not constitute a specific limitation on site 200. In other embodiments of this application, site 200 may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0118] Processor 210 may include one or more processing units, such as application processor (AP), modem processor, graphics processing unit (GPU), image signal processor (ISP), controller, memory, video codec, digital signal processor (DSP), baseband processor, and / or neural network processing unit (NPU). Different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0119] The controller can serve as the central nervous system and command center of station 200. Based on the instruction opcode and timing signals, the controller generates operational control signals to control the fetching and execution of instructions.

[0120] The processor 210 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in the processor 210 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that the processor 210 has just used or that are used repeatedly. If the processor 210 needs to use the instruction or data again, it can directly retrieve it from the memory. This avoids repeated accesses, reduces the waiting time of the processor 210, and thus improves the efficiency of the system.

[0121] In some embodiments, the processor 210 may include one or more interfaces. Interfaces may include an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, an inter-integrated circuit sound (I2S) interface, a pulse code modulation (PCM) interface, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface, a subscriber identity module (SIM) interface, and / or a universal serial bus (USB) interface, etc.

[0122] The charging management module 240 receives charging input from a charger, which can be a wireless charger or a wired charger. While charging the battery 242, the charging management module 240 can also supply power to the station via the power management module 241. The power management module 241 is connected to the battery 242 and receives input from the battery 242 and / or the charging management module 240 to supply power to the processor 210, internal memory 221, external memory, and wireless communication module 260, etc. In some other embodiments, the power management module 241 may also be located within the processor 210. In other embodiments, the power management module 241 and the charging management module 240 may also be located in the same device.

[0123] The wireless communication function of station 200 can be achieved through antenna 2, wireless communication module 260, etc.

[0124] The wireless communication module 260 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications on site 200, including wireless local area networks (WLANs) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), and infrared (IR) technologies. The wireless communication module 260 can be one or more devices integrating at least one communication processing module. The wireless communication module 260 receives electromagnetic waves via antenna 2, performs frequency modulation and filtering of the electromagnetic wave signals, and sends the processed signal to processor 210. The wireless communication module 260 can also receive signals to be transmitted from processor 210, perform frequency modulation and amplification, and convert them into electromagnetic waves for radiation via antenna 2.

[0125] In some embodiments, station 200 can receive electromagnetic waves transmitted by access point via antenna 2. These electromagnetic waves are used to share transmission opportunities with the station. The wireless communication module 260 of station 200 modulates and filters the electromagnetic wave signal, and sends the processed signal to processor 210. Upon receiving the processed signal, processor 210 can determine that the station has obtained a transmission opportunity from the access point.

[0126] Optionally, if the site has wireless communication functions such as 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, for example, if the site is a mobile phone, a tablet computer with a SIM card, etc., the site may also include an antenna 1, a mobile communication module 250, a modem processor, and a baseband processor.

[0127] The mobile communication module 250 can provide solutions for wireless communication, including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, applied on the site 200. The mobile communication module 250 may include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The mobile communication module 250 can receive electromagnetic waves via antenna 1, and perform filtering, amplification, and other processing on the received electromagnetic waves before transmitting them to the modem processor for demodulation. The mobile communication module 250 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modem processor and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation via antenna 1.

[0128] The modem processor may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator modulates the low-frequency baseband signal to be transmitted into a mid-to-high frequency signal. The demodulator demodulates the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After processing by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is transmitted to the application processor. The application processor outputs sound signals through an audio device (not limited to a speaker, receiver, etc.) or displays images or videos on a display screen. In some embodiments, the modem processor may be a separate device. In other embodiments, the modem processor may be independent of the processor 210 and may be housed in the same device as the mobile communication module 250 or other functional modules.

[0129] Antennas 1 and 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in site 200 can be used to cover one or more communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be reused to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 1 can be reused as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with tuning switches.

[0130] In some embodiments, antenna 1 of station 200 is coupled to mobile communication module 250, and antenna 2 is coupled to wireless communication module 260, enabling station 200 to communicate with networks and other devices via wireless communication technology. The wireless communication technology may include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Time-Division Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), BT, GNSS, WLAN, NFC, FM, and / or IR technologies, etc. The GNSS may include the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), and / or satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS).

[0131] The external storage interface 220 can be used to connect an external storage card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the station 200. The external storage card communicates with the processor 210 through the external storage interface 220 to perform data storage functions. For example, music, video, and other files can be saved on the external storage card.

[0132] Internal memory 221 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. Processor 210 executes various functional applications and data processing of station 200 by running the instructions stored in internal memory 221. Internal memory 221 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, at least one application program required for a function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of station 200 (such as audio data, phonebook, etc.). Furthermore, internal memory 221 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc.

[0133] The following, combined with Figure 5 A communication method provided by an embodiment of this application will be described.

[0134] like Figure 5 As shown, this communication method is applied to a communication system that includes access points and sites. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0135] S501, The site sends a probe request frame for scanning access points.

[0136] A site can scan access points by actively sending probe request frames.

[0137] The probe request sent by the site may include a Service Set Identifier (SSID), which is the name of the wireless network created by the access point. If the SSID in the probe request is empty (NULL), it means the site wants to scan all access points it can detect. If the SSID in the probe request is a specified value, it means the site wants to scan access points with wireless network names that specified values.

[0138] S502. In response to receiving a probe request frame, the access point sends a probe response frame to the site.

[0139] When an access point receives a probe request from a site, it sends a probe response frame to the site based on the probe request, indicating that the site can scan the access point.

[0140] Alternatively, the station can scan the access point in other ways. That is, the station and access point can skip steps S501 and S502 above. Instead, the station can scan the access point by listening to beacon frames broadcast by the access point. For example, S501 and S502 can be replaced by the access point broadcasting beacon frames. If the station detects a beacon frame broadcast by the access point, it indicates that the station has detected the access point. For details, please refer to relevant technologies; they will not be elaborated here.

[0141] S503, The site establishes a connection with the access point.

[0142] In some embodiments, a station may send a connection request to an access point by means of information carried in a probe response frame, thereby establishing a connection with the access point. Alternatively, a station may also send a connection request to an access point by means of information carried in a Beacon frame.

[0143] In some embodiments, the process of establishing a connection between a site and an access point may include an authentication phase and an association phase.

[0144] During the authentication phase, a site can send an authentication request frame to the access point. Upon receiving the authentication request frame, the access point sends an authentication response frame to the site. To ensure the security of the wireless link, the access point needs to authenticate the site during the connection establishment process. Currently, two authentication mechanisms are defined: Open Systems Authentication (OSA) and Shared Key Authentication (SCI).

[0145] After link authentication is completed, the site can continue to initiate link service negotiation. The specific negotiation is achieved through association messages, which is the association phase.

[0146] During the association phase, a site can send an association request frame to an access point, and upon receiving the association request frame, the access point sends an association response frame to the site.

[0147] At this point, the site and the access point are connected.

[0148] Optionally, a site may send sharing information to an access point. This sharing information indicates whether the site possesses the transmission opportunity sharing feature. A site possessing the transmission opportunity sharing feature means that, when an access point connected to the site shares its transmission opportunities with the site, the site can utilize the access point's transmission opportunities to transmit data when the access point obtains them.

[0149] Optionally, if the access point has the feature of sharing transmission opportunities, the access point can share transmission opportunities with any of all the sites connected to it.

[0150] In this embodiment, the access point also has the transmission opportunity sharing feature. An access point with the transmission opportunity sharing feature means that, when an access point is connected to a site, the access point can share its own transmission opportunities with the connected site, allowing the site to use the access point's transmission opportunities to transmit data when the access point obtains them.

[0151] In some embodiments, where both the access point and the station have the transmission opportunity sharing feature, the access point and the station can share subsequent transmission opportunities through communication messages in standard protocols. In other embodiments, the access point and the station can also share subsequent transmission opportunities through other types of communication messages.

[0152] In some embodiments, the station may send the shared information to the access point during the execution of S501 or S503. For example, the station may send the shared information to the access point in a probe request frame. Alternatively, the station may send the shared information to the access point in an authentication request frame or an association request frame. Of course, it may also be sent to the access point in other messages during the execution of S503.

[0153] In other embodiments, the station may also send a message carrying shared information after establishing a connection with the access point, that is, after S503. For example, after the station successfully establishes a connection with the access point, the station and the access point can send messages to each other. At this time, the station can send a message carrying its own shared information to the access point to inform the access point whether the station has the transmission opportunity sharing feature.

[0154] In other embodiments, if all sites have the transmission opportunity sharing feature by default, or if the access point has prior knowledge of whether a site has the transmission opportunity sharing feature, such as if the access point has pre-configured information about sites with the transmission opportunity sharing feature, then the site may not transmit the sharing information to the access point. In other words, it is optional for the site to send the sharing information to the access point.

[0155] In some embodiments, after an access point establishes a connection with a site, the site can provide service to users through the network provided by the access point. Other data can also be transmitted between the access point and the site. In this embodiment, the site can execute the following S504:

[0156] S504. The site sends service information to the access point.

[0157] The business information may include one or more of the following: the business type of the business currently running on the site, relevant information about the business currently running on the site, or the operational status of the business currently running on the site.

[0158] In the first implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes information related to the services currently running in the site.

[0159] Among them, information related to the currently running business can include the business name, etc.

[0160] The site can directly analyze the data and code of the currently running business to obtain relevant information. For example, if the code of the currently running business includes a field "XXX Video Live Streaming", then the site can determine that the name of the business is "XXX Video Live Streaming".

[0161] In the second implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes the service type of the currently running service in the site.

[0162] Business types can include latency-sensitive and non-latency-sensitive businesses. Latency-sensitive businesses are those significantly affected by latency, such as online games, voice calls, instant messaging, online media playback, and screen mirroring. Non-latency-sensitive businesses are those less affected by latency, such as downloads, single-player games, and multimedia editing. The specific type of latency-sensitive or non-latency-sensitive business can be determined based on the specific business and its latency requirements; no limitations are set here.

[0163] When a site sends service information, including the service type, to an access point, it can be considered as registering the service type with the access point. After receiving the registered service type from the site, the access point can manage that service type, meaning it can determine whether to share transmission opportunities with the site based on that service type.

[0164] In some embodiments where the service information includes the service type, the site may pre-store a service list. For example, this service list may include a list of latency-sensitive services and / or a list of non-latency-sensitive services. The site can then determine whether the currently running service belongs to the service list based on relevant information about the service, thus determining whether the currently running service is a latency-sensitive or non-latency-sensitive service. After determining the service type of the currently running service based on the service list, the site can send it as service information to the access point.

[0165] In some examples, the service list may include service names. For instance, taking latency-sensitive services as examples, which include online gaming and online media playback services, the service list might include the corresponding service names, such as "XXX Video Live Streaming" or "XXX Online Game." The site can directly determine the service type based on whether the service name of the currently running service is included in the service list. If the site finds that the service name of the currently running service is "XXX Video Live Streaming," it can determine that the service type is a latency-sensitive service. Of course, in this example, if it is determined that the name of the currently running service is not included in the aforementioned service list, then the currently running service can be determined to be a non-latency-sensitive service.

[0166] In the third implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes the operational status of the services currently running in the site.

[0167] The operational status of currently running services on a site can include one or more data points such as data retransmission rate and latency. For example, if the data retransmission rate exceeds a retransmission threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck. Similarly, if the latency exceeds a latency threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck. Furthermore, if both the data retransmission rate and latency exceed the retransmission threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck.

[0168] As an example, the operational status of a service in business information can be represented by a number of votes. That is, a site can send a number of votes to the access point based on the operational status of the service, and the number of votes is used to indicate the operational status of the service within the site.

[0169] In some examples, when the data retransmission rate is used to reflect the operational status of a service, a site can determine the vote count based on the data retransmission rate, which is part of the service's operational status. For instance, if the data retransmission rate of the service currently running at the site is 50%, then the site can send a message to the access point indicating a vote count of 50. If the data retransmission rate of the service currently running at the site is 80%, then the site can send a message to the access point indicating a vote count of 80. There can be a preset calculation relationship between the operational status of the service and the vote count. In the example above, multiplying the data retransmission rate by 100 yields the vote count. The data retransmission rate can also be multiplied by other preset data to obtain the vote count.

[0170] In other examples, where latency is used to reflect the operational status of a service, the site can determine the number of votes based on the latency included in the operational status. The site can either directly use the latency value as the number of votes, or calculate the number of votes based on the latency.

[0171] In other examples, where data retransmission rate and latency are used to reflect the operational status of the service, the site can determine the number of votes based on the operational status, including data retransmission rate and latency. The site can standardize the data retransmission rate and latency separately, and then weight and sum the standardized data retransmission rate and latency to calculate the number of votes.

[0172] Standardization refers to the homogenization or dimensionless processing of data. Homogenization can alter data of different properties, ensuring that all data reflects whether operational bottlenecks are occurring. Dimensionless processing removes the unit display from data, converting it into dimensionless pure numerical values, facilitating weighted calculations of data with different units or magnitudes. Common data standardization methods include min-max standardization and decimal scaling, etc. Specific methods can be found in related technical documents and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0173] In the example above, the weights of data retransmission rate and latency can be determined based on specific application requirements. The following example uses a 50% weight for both data retransmission rate and latency. The current operational status of the service running on the site includes a data retransmission rate of 60% and a latency of 200ms. The site standardizes the data retransmission rate and latency, for example, by making them dimensionless. The standardized data retransmission rate is 60%, and the standardized latency is 200ms. Then, the site weights and sums the standardized data retransmission rate and latency separately, calculating the number of votes as 60 × 50% + 200 × 50% = 130.

[0174] The embodiments of this application can also calculate the number of votes based on the operational status of the business in other ways, without limiting the calculation relationship between the operational status of the business and the number of votes.

[0175] In the fourth implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes the service type of the currently running service in the site and the operating status of the currently running service in the site.

[0176] In the fifth implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes information about the services currently running in the site and the operating status of the services currently running in the site.

[0177] In the sixth implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes the service type of the currently running service in the site and related information of the currently running service in the site.

[0178] In the seventh implementation, the service information sent by the site to the access point includes the service type of the currently running service in the site, relevant information of the currently running service in the site, and the operating status of the currently running service in the site.

[0179] Of course, there are many more possible implementation methods when the site sends more service information to the access point. The specific implementation method can be determined according to the actual situation, and will not be elaborated here.

[0180] Since an access point can typically connect to at least one site, it can receive service information sent by at least one site. To avoid situations where multiple sites communicate with the access point simultaneously, resulting in sites being unable to compete for transmission opportunities for an extended period, the access point can determine a target site from the at least one site based on the received service information and share the transmission opportunity with that target site. For example, the following steps S505-S506 can be executed:

[0181] S505. The access point determines the target site based on the service information sent by at least one site.

[0182] Corresponding to the first implementation in S504, when the service information includes relevant information about the currently running services in the site, the access point can determine the target site from at least one site based on the relevant information.

[0183] In some examples, the access point can determine whether a currently running service in a site is sensitive to latency based on relevant information about the services currently running in the site, and identify the site corresponding to the latency-sensitive service as the target site.

[0184] For example, if an access point determines, based on relevant information, that the currently running service at a site is a latency-sensitive service, it designates that site as the target site. Specifically, the access point may pre-store a service list. This service list could include lists of latency-sensitive services and / or lists of non-latency-sensitive services. The access point can determine, based on received service-related information, whether the currently running service at the site belongs to the service list, thus determining whether it is a latency-sensitive or non-latency-sensitive service. Subsequently, the access point will designate the site whose currently running service is a latency-sensitive service as the target site.

[0185] For example, if the information related to the currently running services on a site includes the service name, the access point can determine the service priority based on the service name, and then determine the target site from the sites based on the service priority. For instance, the preset rule could be to prioritize the site corresponding to the service information with the higher priority as the target site. For instance, the service name could include several fields such as N1 online games, N2 voice calls, N3 instant messaging, and N4 online media playback. Furthermore, the preset rule could be that services including the N2 voice call field have a higher priority than services including the N1 online game field, which in turn has a higher priority than services including the N3 instant messaging field, which in turn has a higher priority than services including the N4 online media playback field. Then, when the access point receives service information from site A and site B, and the currently running service name on site A includes the "N1 online games" field, and the currently running service name on site B includes the "N4 online media playback" field... According to the preset rules, the access point can determine that the priority of the service currently running in site A is higher than that of the service currently running in site B. Therefore, the access point can determine site A as the target site.

[0186] Corresponding to the second implementation in S504, when the service information includes the service type of the currently running service in the site, the access point can determine the target site from at least one site based on the service type. For example, if the access point determines, based on the service type, that one of the sites currently running a latency-sensitive service, the access point can determine that site as the target site. As another example, if the access point determines, based on the service type, that at least two of the sites currently running latency-sensitive services, a target site can be determined from at least two sites according to preset rules.

[0187] The preset rule in the above embodiments can be to prioritize the site that sends service information earlier as the target site. For example, the access point receives service information sent by the first site at a first moment and service information sent by the second site at a second moment. The first moment is before the second moment. If the access point determines, based on the received service information, that the currently running services at both the first and second sites are latency-sensitive services, then the access point can determine the first site, which sent the service information at the first moment, as the target site.

[0188] Corresponding to the third implementation in S504, when the service information includes the operating status of the services currently running in the site, the access point can determine the target site from at least one site based on the operating status of the services.

[0189] In some embodiments, the operational status of currently running services at a site may include one or more data such as data retransmission rate and latency. It is understood that, for example, if the data retransmission rate of a service is greater than a retransmission threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck. In this case, the access point can identify the site corresponding to the bottlenecked service as the target site. Similarly, if the latency of a service is greater than a latency threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck. In this case, the access point can identify the site corresponding to the bottlenecked service as the target site. Furthermore, if both the data retransmission rate and latency of a service are greater than a retransmission threshold, it can be determined that the service is experiencing a bottleneck. In this case, the access point can identify the site corresponding to the bottlenecked service as the target site.

[0190] In some embodiments, such as the example in the third implementation of S504 above, the operational status of a service in the service information can be reflected in the number of tickets. In this case, the access point can determine whether the service is experiencing a lag based on the number of tickets, and identify the site corresponding to the service experiencing a lag as the target site.

[0191] In some examples, the access point can identify the site with more votes than a preset vote threshold as the target site. Alternatively, the access point can sort the sites from highest to lowest vote count and identify the site ranked first in the preset order as the target site. Or, the access point can identify the site with the highest vote count among multiple sites as the target site.

[0192] For example, the operational status of a service includes the number of votes determined by the data retransmission rate. If the data retransmission rate of the service currently running at site A is 50%, then site A sends a message to the access point indicating that the number of votes is 50. If the data retransmission rate of the service currently running at site B is 80%, then site B sends a message to the access point indicating that the number of votes is 80. In this case, since site B's number of votes is greater than site A's number of votes, the access point can identify site B as the target site.

[0193] In some embodiments, when the service information includes multiple types of service information such as the service type of the currently running service in the site, related information of the currently running service in the site, and the operating status of the currently running service in the site, the access point can first determine candidate sites from at least one type of service information, and then determine the target site from the determined candidate sites based on another type of service information. The service information used by the access point to determine the candidate sites is different from the service information used to determine the target site.

[0194] Because the service information used by the access point to determine candidate sites and target sites differs, and this service information can include various implementation methods, there are multiple ways for the access point to determine the target site based on the service information. The two types of service information that the access point actually uses to determine the target site can be determined based on the actual situation, and no specific limitations are made here.

[0195] The following example illustrates the process by which an access point determines a target site based on two types of service information.

[0196] Corresponding to the fourth implementation method in S504, taking the business information including the business type of the currently running business and the business operation status as an example, the process of the access point determining the target site based on the two types of business information is illustrated.

[0197] The process by which an access point determines a target point based on service information sent by at least one site may also include the following steps a-b:

[0198] Step a: The access point determines candidate sites from at least one site based on the service type of the currently running services in the site.

[0199] Step b: The access point determines the target site from the candidate sites based on the operational status of the currently running services in the candidate sites.

[0200] In step a, the access point can select sites with latency-sensitive services as candidate sites. In step b, the access point can select the site whose operational status indicates the most likely site to experience lag as the target site. For example, sites A and B currently run latency-sensitive services, while site C currently runs non-latency-sensitive services. Taking latency as an example, the latency of the currently running service is 20ms in site A, 50ms in site B, and 200ms in site C. Based on the above steps, the access point can first identify sites A and B running latency-sensitive services as candidate sites. Then, the access point can determine site B, with higher latency, as the target site.

[0201] Corresponding to the fifth implementation method in S504, taking the business information including the relevant information of the currently running business in the site and the operating status of the currently running business in the site as an example, the process of the access point determining the target site based on the two types of business information is illustrated.

[0202] The process by which an access point determines a target point based on service information sent by at least one site may also include the following steps c-d:

[0203] Step c: The access point determines candidate sites from at least one site based on relevant information about the currently running services in the site.

[0204] Step d: The access point determines the target site from the candidate sites based on the current operating status of the services currently running in the candidate sites.

[0205] In step c, the access point can determine the priority of services based on service information, sort the services running on all sites according to their priority, and select sites with priorities greater than the priority threshold as candidate sites. In step d, the access point can select the site whose operational status indicates the site most prone to lag as the target site. For example, site A's currently running service name includes the field "download," site B's currently running service name includes the field "game," and site C's currently running service name includes the field "cast." Taking the data retransmission rate as an example, site A's current data retransmission rate is 80%, site B's is 50%, and site C's is 20%. Furthermore, in this example, services with the "game" field in their names have a priority of 5, services with the "cast" field have a priority of 6, services with the "download" field have a priority of 1, and the priority threshold is 4. Based on the above steps, the access point can first identify site B (running game services) and site C (running casting services) as candidate sites. Then, the access point can identify the target site as the site with the higher data retransmission rate between site B and site C.

[0206] In the above embodiments, the specific method by which the access point determines candidate sites and target sites can be determined according to the actual situation and is not limited here. For example, when performing step c, after the access point sorts all sites based on the priority of service information, it can also select the sites in the preset rankings of priority as candidate sites. As another example, when performing step b or step d, if the access point directly uses the data retransmission rate to reflect the service's operating status, a higher data retransmission rate indicates a greater likelihood of service lag; therefore, the access point can select the candidate site with the highest data retransmission rate as the target site. Alternatively, if the access point directly uses latency to reflect the service's operating status, a higher latency indicates a greater likelihood of service lag; therefore, the access point can select the candidate site with the highest latency as the target site. Or, if the access point uses one or more data such as data retransmission rate and latency to determine the number of votes, a higher number of votes indicates a greater likelihood of service lag; therefore, the access point can select the candidate site with the highest number of votes as the target site.

[0207] In other embodiments, corresponding to the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh implementation method in S504, the access point can first standardize each type of service information, and based on the result of the standardization process, calculate a comprehensive score corresponding to each site by combining multiple types of service information, and take the site with the highest comprehensive score as the target site.

[0208] When scoring services based on each type of service information, the access point can score the service based on the impact of each type of service information on the operation of the service.

[0209] In some examples, the access point can pre-store the scoring criteria for each type of service information. The higher the score of a service, the greater the impact of latency on the service, which means that the service will not get a transmission opportunity for a long time and will bring a bad experience to the user.

[0210] For example, when the business information is a business type, latency-sensitive businesses score higher than non-latency-sensitive businesses. For instance, a latency-sensitive business might score 50 points, while a non-latency-sensitive business might score 30 points.

[0211] For example, when the business information is relevant, the business whose name includes the field "online game" is more affected by latency than the business whose name includes the field "online media playback". Therefore, the scoring standard for the business whose name includes the field "online game" is 90 points, and the scoring standard for the business whose name includes the field "online media playback" is 80 points.

[0212] For example, when the service information pertains to the operational status of a service, the access point can calculate a score based on this status. A higher score indicates a greater likelihood of service lag, meaning that prolonged periods without transmission opportunities will negatively impact the user experience. Specifically, if the operational status includes data retransmission rate, a higher retransmission rate results in a higher score. For instance, an 80% retransmission rate corresponds to a score of 80, while a 50% retransmission rate corresponds to a score of 50. Similarly, if the operational status includes latency, a higher latency results in a higher score. For example, a latency of 200ms corresponds to a score of 200, while a latency of 100ms corresponds to a score of 100.

[0213] After obtaining multiple scores based on different service information for each service, the access point can comprehensively calculate the overall score by combining the scores obtained from the different service information for each service. For example, the access point can calculate the comprehensive score by weighted summation of the scores corresponding to each type of service information, and the weight of the score for each type of service information can be determined according to specific needs. For example, the operational status of a service has a significant impact on the user experience; therefore, the weight of the operational status score can be increased. Alternatively, if there is evidence that latency-sensitive services can operate smoothly and effectively improve the user experience, the weight of the service type score can be increased.

[0214] The following examples illustrate how access points score sites and determine target sites based on the scoring results.

[0215] Taking an example where the weighting of site scoring based on business type is 50% and the weighting of site scoring based on operational status is 50%, the access point scores site A (90) and site B (80) based on business type or related information. Furthermore, the access point scores site A (200) and site B (100) based on operational status. Therefore, the access point calculates the overall score for site A as 90 × 50% + 200 × 50% = 145, and the overall score for site B as 80 × 50% + 100 × 50% = 90. Finally, the access point can determine site A, with the highest overall score, as the target site.

[0216] Optionally, during the execution of S504 at the site, the service information sent by the site is the service information of the currently running service. Therefore, S504 specifically includes the following process:

[0217] First, the site needs to determine the services currently running on the site. Then, it needs to obtain the service information corresponding to the determined services. Finally, the site sends the obtained service information to the access point.

[0218] The currently running business can refer to the business processed by an application running in the foreground of the site. The foreground application is the application corresponding to the interface currently displayed on the site's screen. It should be noted that the screen content of the foreground application can include not only the screen visible to the user, but also content without a user interface, content with transparent layers, or content that is not visible to the user but is obscured by other business interfaces.

[0219] In some examples, the site responds to user actions by determining the application running in the foreground. These user actions can include instructing the user to launch an application, such as interacting with an application icon, using voice commands to control an application, or bringing a background application to the foreground.

[0220] When the business information is related to a specific service, such as a foreground application handling a download service (a non-latency-sensitive service), the business information sent by the site to the access point includes the service type of the currently running service on the site, and that service type is a non-latency-sensitive service. If the foreground application handles both download and screen mirroring services, the site can send the service types corresponding to the download and screen mirroring services to the access point.

[0221] The above describes the process by which the access point determines the target site. After the access point determines the target site, it can execute S506 below to share the transmission opportunity with the determined target site.

[0222] S506, the access point shares transmission opportunities with the target site.

[0223] A transmission opportunity refers to the duration during which a site can send data after it has won the competition for a transmission medium.

[0224] The transmission opportunity shared by the access point to the target site allows the target site to acquire the opportunity and send data using the transmission medium within the specified time period. For example, a target site acquiring a transmission opportunity can transmit data to the access point or to other sites connected to it. These other sites can be those connected to the target site via peer-to-peer (P2P) connections.

[0225] In some embodiments, when an access point shares a transmission opportunity with a target site, it may send information to the target site instructing the target site to use the transmission opportunity. This information may include: the duration of the target site's use of the transmission opportunity, the mode of the target site's use of the transmission opportunity, and other information.

[0226] In some examples, the access point can send a trigger to the target site to send a multi-user request to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger.

[0227] A (multiple user-request to send TXOP sharing trigger, MU-RTS TXSTrigger) frame is used to share transmission opportunities with a target site. The MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame may carry an allocation duration field and a triggered TXOP sharing mode information. The allocation duration field indicates the duration for which the access point allocates transmission opportunities to the target site.

[0228] The following, combined with Figures 6-9 This describes an example of an access point sharing transmission opportunities with a target site.

[0229] In some examples, the example is that the access point AP shares a transmission opportunity with the target site STA1, and the target site STA1, which has obtained the transmission opportunity, can transmit data to the access point AP.

[0230] like Figure 6 As shown, the Access Point (AP) can first broadcast a "clear to send-to-self" (CTS-to-self) frame to inform all sites connected to the AP that it intends to initiate a transmission opportunity sharing process. Then, the AP can send a MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame to the target site STA1. This MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame carries a "triggered TXOP sharing mode = 1," indicating that the AP will share the transmission opportunity only with the target site STA1. Figure 6 As shown. After receiving the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame, the target site STA1 can send a clear to send (CTS) response frame to the access point AP to inform the access point AP that the target site STA1 has successfully received the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame.

[0231] Because the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame received by target station STA1 carries a triggered TXOPsharing mode of 1, target station STA1 can only transmit data with the AP. Therefore, if... Figure 6As shown, the target station STA1 can send the data to be transmitted to the access point AP via a presentation protocol data unit (PPDU). After receiving the PPDU, the access point AP can send a block acknowledgment message to STA1.

[0232] (block ack) is used to inform the target site STA1 that the protocol data unit it sent has been successfully received by the access point AP.

[0233] Within the time specified in the allocation duration field—that is, the period during which the target site STA1 has a transmission opportunity—STA1 can send PPDUs to the access point AP multiple times until the access point AP shares the transmission opportunity with other STAns. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the target site STA1 sends two Protocol Data Units (PDUs) carrying data to the access point AP. After that, the AP can re-determine a new target site and share the transmission opportunity with the newly determined target site STAn.

[0234] like Figure 6 The sharing process shown can be applied to, for example... Figure 7 In the scenario shown, both STA1 and STA2 are connected to the AP. STA1 runs a latency-sensitive gaming service, while STA2 runs a non-latency-sensitive download service. Therefore, through methods such as... Figure 5 The method shown allows the AP to determine which transmission opportunity to share with STA1, ensuring smooth operation of the gaming service on STA1 and preventing STA1 from failing to compete for transmission opportunities, which could lead to lag in the gaming service.

[0235] In other examples, the concept of an access point (AP) sharing a transmission opportunity with a target site (STA1) is illustrated, and the target site (STA1) that has obtained the transmission opportunity can transmit data to the access point (AP) or to other sites connected to the target site (STA1).

[0236] like Figure 8As shown, the access point (AP) can still first broadcast a clear to send-to-self (CTS-to-self) frame to inform all sites connected to the AP that it intends to initiate a transmission opportunity sharing process. Afterward, the AP can send a MU-RTS TXSTrigger frame to the target site STA1, carrying a triggered TXOP sharing mode of 2. This indicates that after the AP shares the transmission opportunity with the target site STA1, the target site STA1 can transmit data to the AP or to other sites connected to it.

[0237] like Figure 8 As shown, after receiving the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame, target station STA1 can send a CTS response frame to access point AP to inform AP that it has successfully received the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame. Then, target station STA1 can send the data to be transmitted to access point AP via Protocol Data Units (PDUs). After receiving the PDUs, access point AP can send a block acknowledgment message to target station STA1 to inform target station STA1 that its PDUs have been successfully received. Alternatively, target station STA1 can send the data to STA2. After receiving the data from STA1, STA2 can send a block acknowledgment message to target station STA1 to inform target station STA1 that its data has been successfully received.

[0238] During the period when the access point (AP) shares the transmission opportunity with the target site (STA1), the target site (STA1) can send protocol data units to the access point (AP) multiple times, and can also send data to STA2 multiple times, until the access point (AP) shares the transmission opportunity with other sites (STAn). For example... Figure 8 As shown, when the access point shares the transmission opportunity with the target site STA1, the target site STA1 sends a Protocol Data Unit (TCP) carrying data to the access point AP. Subsequently, the target site STA1 sends data to STA2. Until the access point AP shares the transmission opportunity with STAn, the target site STA1 can no longer send data to the access point AP or STA2.

[0239] In some embodiments, the access point (AP) can determine the triggering mode information carried in the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame sent to the target site STA1 based on the service currently running in the target site STA1. For example, if the service sent by the target site STA1 is a game service, the access point AP can send the target site STA1 an MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame with Triggered TXOP sharing mode = 1. As another example, if the service currently running in the target site STA1 is a screen mirroring service, the access point AP can send the target site STA1 an MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame with Triggered TXOP sharing mode = 2.

[0240] In the above embodiments, the case where the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame includes Triggered TXOP sharing mode = 1 can be referred to as the first transmission mode. The case where the MU-RTS TXS Trigger frame includes Triggered TXOP sharing mode = 2 can be referred to as the second transmission mode.

[0241] like Figure 8 The sharing process shown can be applied to, for example... Figure 9 The scenario shown depicts STA1 connected to the AP and also connected to STA2 via a P2P connection. STA1 runs services including non-latency-sensitive downloads and latency-sensitive screen mirroring. When running screen mirroring, STA1 can mirror its screen to STA2. This can be achieved through methods such as... Figure 5 As shown in the method, since screen mirroring is a latency-sensitive service, the AP can determine to share the transmission opportunity with STA1, and STA1 uses the transmission opportunity in mode 2.

[0242] Once STA1 obtains a transmission opportunity, it can transmit data to the AP or STA2. This ensures that STA1 can run the screen mirroring service normally when it obtains a transmission opportunity, and ensures that STA1 can smoothly mirror to STA2. This avoids situations where STA1 cannot mirror to STA2 or the screen mirroring in STA2 is choppy because STA1 cannot compete for a transmission opportunity.

[0243] In some embodiments, a service running at a site may switch. In this case, the site can resend information about the currently running service to the access point. This allows the access point to determine the target site based on the latest service information sent by the site. For example, at a first moment, the access point receives service information from site A indicating a latency-sensitive service, and from site B indicating a non-latency-sensitive service. Therefore, the access point can determine site A as the target site. At a second moment, the service currently running at site A switches from a latency-sensitive service to a non-latency-sensitive service, while the service currently running at site B switches from a non-latency-sensitive service to a latency-sensitive service. Therefore, the access point can determine site B as the target site and share transmission opportunities with site B.

[0244] In other embodiments, when the currently running service at a site changes, and the access point re-identifies the target site and shares transmission opportunities with it, the mode in which the target site uses the transmission opportunities can be determined based on the currently running service at the site. For example, at a first moment, the access point receives service information from site A that is a latency-sensitive service, and receives service information from site B that is a non-latency-sensitive service. Therefore, the access point can determine that site A is the target site. Furthermore, if the access point determines that the currently running service at site A is a game service, it can determine that the mode for granting transmission opportunities to site A is mode 1, meaning site A can only transmit data with the access point. At a second moment, the currently running service at site A changes from a latency-sensitive service to a non-latency-sensitive service, while the currently running service at site B changes from a non-latency-sensitive service to a latency-sensitive service. Therefore, the access point can determine that site B is the target site and share the transmission opportunities with site B. Furthermore, the access point determines that the current service running in site B is the screen projection service, and can determine that the mode for giving site B the opportunity to use transmission is mode 2, that is, site B can transmit data with the access point and other sites that are connected to site B through point-to-point connections.

[0245] At this point, the access point has completed the process of sharing transmission opportunities with the target site.

[0246] In the above process, to ensure that stations can compete for transmission opportunities fairly and to avoid stations being unable to compete for transmission opportunities for extended periods, the access point can share transmission opportunities with target stations that need them more. Optionally, to prevent the access point from sharing transmission opportunities with target stations and affecting other stations' ability to compete for transmission opportunities fairly, the access point can determine whether to execute S505 and S506 based on the access point's channel load.

[0247] The channel load of an access point indicates the current busy status of its communication channel. A high channel load indicates busy access channels, making it more likely that stations will not be able to secure transmission opportunities. Therefore, if the channel load exceeds a preset threshold, the access point can execute steps S505 and S506 to ensure timely data transmission by stations. Conversely, a low channel load indicates idle access channels, making it less likely that stations will not be able to secure transmission opportunities. Therefore, if the channel load is below a preset threshold, the access point can refrain from executing steps S505 and S506 to avoid unnecessarily sharing transmission opportunities with stations.

[0248] In some examples, when the channel load at the access point exceeds a preset threshold, the access point can determine whether to share transmission opportunities with a site based on service information. For example, if the preset threshold is 50%, and the channel load at the access point exceeds 50%, the access point can determine the target site based on service information. The specific process for determining the target site can be found in the above embodiments. In the above embodiments, the preset threshold used to determine the channel load can also be referred to as a threshold value.

[0249] Furthermore, the access point and site may include modules for performing the corresponding steps in the aforementioned communication method. For example, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the access point includes a Transmission Opportunity Sharing (TXOP) policy module and a communication link channel. The site may also include a TXOP sharing (TXS) policy module and a communication link (colink) channel. The access point can determine the target site through the TXS policy module. Then, the access point and the target site can send data through the established communication link channel. The site can determine shared information and / or service information through the TXS policy module, and then send the determined shared information and / or service information to the access point through the communication link channel.

[0250] For example, the TXS policy module of an access point can execute S505, and the communication connection channel of the access point can execute S502, S503, and S506. The TXS policy module of a site can execute the step of obtaining service information, and the communication connection channel of the site can execute S501, S503, and S504.

[0251] The colink channels between the access point and different stations are different. For example, the access point uses colink channel 1 with STA1 and colink channel 2 with STA2. Therefore, the access point can send data to STA1 through colink channel 1, but cannot send data to STA1 through colink channel 2. Conversely, the access point can send data to STA2 through colink channel 2, but cannot send data to STA2 through colink channel 1.

[0252] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer instructions that, when executed on the access point, cause the access point to perform various functions or steps in the above method embodiments.

[0253] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when run on an access point, causes the access point to perform various functions or steps in the above method embodiments.

[0254] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0255] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0256] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0257] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0258] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, essentially or in other words, the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0259] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to an access point, the method includes: Receive service information sent by at least one site; Based on the service information sent by the at least one site, a transmission opportunity is shared with the target site, the transmission opportunity being used by the target site to send data of the currently running service; The target site is a site that meets at least one of the following conditions: the currently running service is a time-sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirements.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The business information includes the business type and operating status of the business currently running on the site. The business type is used to indicate whether the business currently running on the site is a latency-sensitive business or a non-latency-sensitive business. The method further includes: Based on the service type, candidate sites are determined from the at least one site, and the candidate sites include sites among the at least one site whose currently running service type is a latency-sensitive service. The target site is determined from the candidate sites, and the target site is the candidate site whose operating status does not meet the service transmission requirements.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain the current channel load of the access point; In response to the channel load exceeding a preset threshold, the step of sharing the transmission opportunity with the target site is executed.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive information from the target site indicating whether the target site supports the opportunity-sharing feature; Send information to the target site indicating whether the access point supports the transport opportunity sharing feature; The sharing of transmission opportunities with the target site includes: When both the access point and the target site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature, a multi-user request transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is sent to the target site. The multi-user request transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame includes: a time period during which the target site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity and a transmission mode; the transmission mode is used to indicate the objects to which the target site transmits data during the time period.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmission mode includes a first mode and a second mode; The first mode is used to indicate that the target site transmits data to the access point within the time period; The second mode is used to indicate that the target site transmits data to the access point and other sites connected to the target site via point-to-point connections during the time period.

6. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a site, the method includes: Send service information to the access point; When the service information indicates that the site meets at least one of the following conditions: the currently running service is a latency-sensitive service, or the currently running service does not meet the service transmission requirements, a transmission opportunity is obtained from the access point. The aforementioned transmission opportunity is used to send data for the currently running service.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send information to the access point indicating whether the site supports the transport opportunity sharing feature; Receive information from the access point indicating whether the access point supports transport opportunity sharing features; The acquisition of transmission opportunities from the access point includes: When both the access point and the site support the transmission opportunity sharing feature, a multi-user request to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame is received from the access point. The multi-user request to send a transmission opportunity sharing trigger frame includes: a time period during which the site is allowed to use the transmission opportunity and a transmission mode; the transmission mode is used to indicate the objects to which the site transmits data during the time period.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transmission mode includes a first mode and a second mode; The use of the transmission opportunity to send data for the currently running service includes: When the transmission mode is the first mode, the data of the currently running service is sent to the access point during the time period; When the transmission mode is the second mode, the data of the currently running service is sent to the access point during the time period, or the data of the currently running service is sent to other sites connected to the site through point-to-point communication during the time period.

9. An access point, characterized in that, The access point includes a memory and one or more processors; the memory and the processors are coupled; the memory is used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions; when the processor executes the computer instructions, the access point performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Includes computer instructions that, when executed at the access point, cause the access point to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer program / instructions, characterized in that, When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, the access point is caused to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

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