Transmission windows for peer-to-peer communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for facilitating establishment of a common power saving schedule for a plurality of peer-to-peer (P2P) devices in a wireless local area network (WLAN). A first peer-to-peer station device (STA) includes a transceiver and a processor operably connected to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to communicate with one or more other peer STAs over a P2P link. The processor is configured to determine parameters of a P2P power saving schedule. The transceiver is further configured to transmit a message to the one or more other peer STAs including information about parameters of the P2P power saving schedule.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to power-saving operations in wireless communication systems. Embodiments of this disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for facilitating the establishment of shared power scheduling for multiple peer devices in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system. Background Technology

[0002] Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology allows devices to access the Internet in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, or 60 GHz frequency bands. WLAN is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. The IEEE 802.11 standard family is designed to improve speed and reliability and extend the operational range of wireless networks.

[0003] Next-generation Ultra High Throughput (EHT) Wi-Fi systems (e.g., IEEE 802.11 be) support multiple operating frequency bands called links, through which access points (APs) and non-AP devices can communicate with each other. Therefore, both APs and non-APs can communicate on different frequency bands / links, a phenomenon known as multi-link operation (MLO). Wi-Fi devices that support MLO are called multi-link devices (MLDs). Using MLO, a non-AP MLD can discover, authenticate, associate with an AP MLD, and establish multiple links with the AP MLD. Channel access and frame switching can occur on each link established between the AP MLD and non-AP MLDs. The component of the MLD responsible for transmitting and receiving on a single link is called a station (STA).

[0004] Target Wake-up Time (TWT) is one of the most important features of power management in Wi-Fi networks. Developed by IEEE 802.11ah and later adopted and modified into IEEE 802.11ax, TWT allows APs to manage activity within their Basic Service Sets (BSS) to minimize contention between STAs and reduce the amount of time required for STAs utilizing power management modes to wake up. This is achieved by allocating STAs to operate at non-overlapping times and / or frequencies and centralizing frame exchange sequences within predefined service periods. With TWT operation, a STA only needs to wake up at a pre-scheduled time negotiated with another STA or AP in the network. The STA does not need to know the values ​​of the TWT parameters of other STAs' TWT protocols in its BSS or the values ​​of the TWT parameters of other STAs' TWT protocols in other BSSs. The STA does not need to know that the TWT service period (SP) is used to exchange frames with other STAs. Frames transmitted during a TWT SP carry any supported PPDU format, including HE MU PPDU, HE TB PPDU, etc., from STAs that have established a TWT protocol corresponding to that TWT SP.

[0005] In the IEEE 802.11 standard, two types of TWT operations are possible: individual TWT operations and broadcast TWT operations. Individual TWT agreements can be established between two STAs or between a STA and an AP. Negotiations for individual TWT agreements between two STAs occur on a single basis. An AP can have TWT agreements with multiple STAs. Any change to the TWT agreement between an AP and one STA does not affect the TWT agreement between the AP and another STA.

[0006] IEEE 802.11 ax first introduced broadcast TWT (bTWT or B-TWT) operations. Broadcast TWT operates on a membership-based basis. Using broadcast TWT operations, an AP can establish a shared TWT session for a group of STAs. The AP is typically the controller for broadcast TWT scheduling. Non-AP STAs in the BSS can request membership in the schedule, or the AP can send an unsolicited response to an STA to make the STA a member of the broadcast TWT schedule maintained by the AP in the BSS. An AP can advertise / announce and maintain multiple broadcast TWT schedules in the network. When any schedule in the network is changed, it affects all STAs that are members of that particular schedule.

[0007] Limited TWT (rTWT or R-TWT) operation is another key feature introduced in the IEEE 802.11 be standard, designed to provide better support for delay-sensitive applications. Limited TWT provides protected service periods to its member STAs by sending a silence element to other STAs in the BSS that are not members of the rTWT scheduler. The silence interval corresponding to the silence element partially overlaps with the initial portion of the limited TWT SP. Therefore, it provides more channel access opportunities for STAs scheduled as rTWT members, which certainly benefits delay-sensitive traffic flows.

[0008] Enhancements to TWT for multi-link devices have been introduced in the IEEE 802.11 be specification. For an individual TWT agreement between two MLDs, the STA attached to the MLD (which is the TWT requesting STA) may indicate the link for which the TWT agreement is requested in the Link ID bitmap subfield (if present) of the TWT element in the TWT request. If only one link is indicated in the Link ID bitmap subfield of the TWT element, a single TWT agreement is requested for the STA attached to the same MLD, which operates on the indicated link. The Target Wake-up Time field of the TWT element should reference the TSF time of the link indicated by the TWT element. The TWT Response STA attached to the peer MLD that receives the TWT request containing the Link ID bitmap subfield in the TWT element should respond with a TWT Response indicating the link in the Link ID bitmap field of the TWT element. The links(if present) carried in the TWT Response in the TWT element should be the same as those(s) indicated in the TWT element that solicited the TWT request.

[0009] Interference from a single BSS typically causes performance issues for STAs and APs in nearby BSSs. This naturally leads to a degradation in overall network throughput. Overlapping BSS (OBSS) interference can also increase total latency because more time is spent accessing the channel due to interference occupying the channel. If STAs in a BSS have latency-sensitive services, this latency in channel access can severely hinder their latency-sensitive applications. TWT-based multi-AP coordination can be an important feature of next-generation WLAN networks. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Various embodiments of this disclosure provide methods and apparatus for facilitating shared power-saving scheduling for multiple peer-to-peer (P2P) devices in a WLAN.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first peer STA (site) includes a transceiver and a processor operatively connected to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to communicate with one or more other peer STAs via a P2P link. The processor is configured to determine parameters for P2P power-saving scheduling. The transceiver is also configured to send a message to the one or more other peer STAs including information about the parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

[0012] In one embodiment, a method performed by a first peer STA includes: communicating with one or more other peer STAs via a P2P link, determining parameters for P2P power-saving scheduling, and sending a message to the one or more other peer STAs including information about the parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

[0013] Other technical features will be obvious to those skilled in the art based on the following figures, description and claims.

[0014] Before proceeding with the detailed description below, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “coupled” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not these elements are physically in contact with each other. The terms “transmit,” “receive,” and “communicate,” and their derivatives, cover both direct and indirect communication. The terms “comprising” and “including,” and their derivatives, mean including but not limited to. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and / or. The phrase “associated with,” and its derivatives, mean including, being included in, interconnected with, containing, being contained within, connected to or connected to, coupled to or coupled with, able to communicate with, cooperate with, interleaved, juxtaposed, proximate, bound to or bound to, having, possessing the properties of, having a relationship to or with, etc. The term “controller” means any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller may be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, either local or remote. The phrase “at least one of…” when used with a list of items means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and that only one item from the list may be required. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C. As used herein, terms such as “first” and “second” or “first” and “second” can be used simply to distinguish corresponding components from one other component and do not limit the components in other respects (e.g., importance or order). It should be understood that if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as “coupled,” “coupled to,” “connected to,” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element) with or without the terms “operably” or “communically”, it means that the element can be coupled to the other element directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or via a third element.

[0015] As used herein, the term "module" can include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is used interchangeably with other terms such as "logic," "logic block," "component," or "circuit." A module can be a single integrated component or its smallest unit or portion adapted to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, a module can be implemented as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0016] Furthermore, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each computer program being formed by computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof suitable for implementation in suitable computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media includes media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices.

[0017] Definitions of certain other words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in many cases (if not most), such definitions apply to the prior and future use of the words and phrases defined in this way. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To gain a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts:

[0019] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 2a An example AP according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 2b An example STA is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 3 An example network architecture in which infrastructure services and non-infrastructure services coexist according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 4 An example network configuration including a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 5aAn example network configuration including a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5b An example timing diagram is shown for the wake-up state of a P2P-scheduled STA in an example network configuration according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5c An example timing diagram of communication between a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA in an example network configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 6 An example network configuration including a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7a An example network configuration including a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 7b An example timing diagram is shown for communication between P2P scheduled STAs in an example network configuration according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 8 Example timing diagrams are shown for membership negotiation in P2P scheduling according to various embodiments of this disclosure; and

[0031] Figure 9 An example process for facilitating the establishment of a shared power-saving schedule for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following discussion Figures 1 to 9 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are merely illustrative and should not be construed in any way as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0033] Embodiments of this disclosure recognize that next-generation WLAN systems will need to provide robust support for low-latency (i.e., latency-sensitive) applications. It is not uncommon to observe numerous devices operating on the same network (e.g., the same BSS). Many of these devices may be latency-tolerant, but still compete with devices having latency-sensitive applications for the same time and frequency resources within the BSS. In some cases, the AP acting as the network controller of the infrastructure BSS may not have sufficient control over unregulated (or unmanaged) traffic competing with latency-sensitive services within the infrastructure BSS. Some unmanaged traffic interfering with latency-sensitive services in the AP's BSS may originate from uplink (UL) / downlink (DL) or direct link (e.g., peer-to-peer or P2P) communications (i.e., infrastructure traffic) within the infrastructure BSS managed by the AP. Other unmanaged traffic interference may originate from transmissions in adjacent infrastructure BSSs (overlapping BSSs or OBSSs). However, other unmanaged traffic interference may originate from adjacent independent BSSs or P2P networks.

[0034] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure recognize that next-generation WLAN systems will require mechanisms to handle unmanaged traffic in order to prioritize low-latency services in the network. For WLAN networks, if STAs within the BSS or adjacent BSS pre-determine or recommend channels for uplink / downlink or direct link communication, this can significantly help manage traffic in the BSS and thus support latency-sensitive applications in the network.

[0035] Embodiments of this disclosure further recognize that two Wi-Fi peer STAs (e.g., Tunnel Direct Link Establishment (TDLS) peer STAs, Wi-Fi Aware Neighbor Aware Network (NAN) peer STAs, and Wi-Fi Direct Peer STAs) can establish a power saving (PS) mechanism between them. For convenience, embodiments of this disclosure may refer to TDLS, but it should be understood that any suitable Wi-Fi P2P mechanism can be used instead of TDLS.

[0036] P2P PS mechanisms include Individual TWT, TDLS Peer-to-Peer PSM, and TDLS U-APSD. As the number of TDLS peer-to-peer STAs increases in the network, the number of different PS scheduling also increases. Essentially, STAs that have established direct TDLS links with multiple other STAs may need to be maintained and woken up at different times than those individually scheduled, which may not be very efficient for peer-to-peer STAs and could lead to them consuming significant power.

[0037] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure provide a mechanism for P2P peer STAs to communicate with multiple STAs using a single P2P PS scheduler. Specifically, this disclosure provides methods and apparatus that facilitate the establishment of a shared PS scheduler for multiple peer STAs. As described above, this disclosure is applicable to peer STAs following TDLS mechanisms or other P2P mechanisms.

[0038] Figure 1 An example wireless network 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment of the wireless network 100 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] Wireless network 100 includes access points 101 and 103. Access points 101 and 103 communicate with at least one network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network. Access point 101 provides wireless access to network 130 to multiple STAs 111-114 within its coverage area 120. Access points 101-103 can communicate with each other and with STAs 111-114 using Wi-Fi or other WLAN communication technologies.

[0040] Depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "access point" or "AP," such as "router" or "gateway." For convenience, the term "AP" is used in this disclosure to refer to a network infrastructure component that provides wireless access to remote terminals. In a WLAN, assuming that the AP also contends for the wireless channel, the AP may also be referred to as a STA (e.g., AP STA). Furthermore, depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "station" or "STA," such as "mobile station," "subscriber station," "remote terminal," "user equipment," "wireless terminal," or "user equipment." For convenience, the terms "station" and "STA" are used in this disclosure to refer to a wireless access AP or a remote wireless device contending for a wireless channel in a WLAN, whether the STA is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is generally considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer, AP, media player, fixed sensor, television, etc.). This type of STA may also be referred to as a non-AP STA.

[0041] In one embodiment of this disclosure, each of APs 101 and 103 and each of STAs 111-114 may be an MLD. In such an embodiment, APs 101 and 103 may be AP MIDs, and STAs 111-114 may be non-AP MIDs. Each MLD belongs to more than one STA. For ease of explanation, AP MLDs are described herein as belonging to more than one AP (e.g., more than one AP STA), and non-AP MLDs are described herein as belonging to more than one STA (e.g., more than one non-AP STA).

[0042] The dashed lines indicate the approximate extent of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as approximately circular for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It should be clearly understood that coverage areas associated with an AP, such as coverage areas 120 and 125, can have other shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the AP's configuration and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles.

[0043] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network 100 is shown, but more details can be found on other wireless networks. Figure 1 Various modifications can be made. For example, wireless network 100 can include any number of APs and any number of STAs in any suitable arrangement. Furthermore, AP 101 can communicate directly with any number of STAs and provide those STAs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each AP 101-103 can communicate directly with network 130 and provide STAs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. Additionally, AP 101 and / or 103 can provide access to other or additional external networks, such as external telephone networks or other types of data networks.

[0044] Figure 2a An example AP 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2a The embodiment of AP 101 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 AP 103 can have the same or similar configuration. In the embodiments discussed below, AP 101 is an AP MLD. However, APs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2a This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of any particular implementation of AP.

[0045] AP MLD 101 is associated with multiple APs 202a-202n (which may be referred to as, for example, AP1-APn). Each of the associated APs 202a-202n includes multiple antennas 204a-204n, multiple RF transceivers 209a-209n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 214, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 219. AP MLD 101 also includes a controller / processor 224, a memory 229, and a backhaul or network interface 234.

[0046] The components shown for each of the attached APs 202a-202n may represent the Physical (PHY) layer and the lower Media Access Control (LMAC) layer in an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network model. In such an embodiment, the components shown for AP MLD 101 represent a single Upper MAC (UMAC) layer and other higher layers in the OSI model, which are shared by all attached APs 202A-202N.

[0047] For each affiliated AP 202a-202n, RF transceivers 209a-209n receive incoming RF signals from antennas 204a-204n, such as signals transmitted by STAs in network 100. In some embodiments, each affiliated AP 202a-202n operates at a different bandwidth (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz), and therefore the input RF signals received by each affiliated AP may be at different RF frequencies. RF transceivers 209a-209n down-convert the incoming RF signals to generate an IF or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 219, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 219 sends the processed baseband signal to controller / processor 224 for further processing.

[0048] For each affiliated AP 202a-202n, TX processing circuitry 214 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 224. TX processing circuitry 214 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceivers 209a-209n receive the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from TX processing circuitry 214 and up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted via antennas 204a-204n. In embodiments where each affiliated AP 202a-202n operates at different bandwidths (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz), the outgoing RF signal transmitted by each affiliated AP may be at a different RF frequency.

[0049] The controller / processor 224 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the AP MLD 101. For example, the controller / processor 224 may control the reception of forward channel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals by the RF transceivers 209a-209n, the RX processing circuitry 219, and the TX processing circuitry 214 according to known principles. The controller / processor 224 may also support additional functions, such as more advanced wireless communication functions. For example, the controller / processor 224 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, where outgoing signals from multiple antennas 204a-204n are weighted differently to effectively direct outgoing signals in a desired direction. The controller / processor 224 may also support OFDMA operations, where outgoing signals are assigned to subsets of different subcarriers from different receivers (e.g., different STAs 111-114). The controller / processor 224 may also facilitate the establishment of shared power-saving scheduling for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. The controller / processor 224 may support any of a wide variety of other functions in the AP MLD 101. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 224 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller. The controller / processor 224 is also capable of executing programs and other processes residing in the memory 229, such as operations for facilitating the establishment of a shared power-saving schedule for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. The controller / processor 224 can move data into or out of the memory 229 as needed for the execution of the process.

[0050] The controller / processor 224 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 234. The backhaul or network interface 234 allows the AP MLD 101 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or over a network. Interface 234 can support communication via any suitable wired or wireless connection. For example, interface 234 can allow the AP MLD 101 to communicate with a larger network (such as the Internet) via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection. Interface 234 includes any suitable architecture supporting communication via a wired or wireless connection, such as an Ethernet or RF transceiver. Memory 229 is coupled to the controller / processor 224. A portion of memory 229 may include RAM, and another portion of memory 229 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0051] although Figure 2a An example of AP MLD 101 is shown, but it is possible to compare it with other models. Figure 2a Various changes can be made. For example, APMLD 101 can include any number of... Figure 2aEach component shown. As a specific example, AP MLD 101 may include multiple interfaces 234, and the controller / processor 224 may support routing functionality to route data between different network addresses. As another specific example, although each affiliated AP 202a-202n is shown as a single instance including TX processing circuitry 214 and a single instance of RX processing circuitry 219, AP MLD 101 may include multiple instances of each of one or more affiliated APs 202a-202n (such as one instance per RF transceiver). Alternatively, only one antenna and RF transceiver path may be included in one or more affiliated APs 202a-202n, as in a conventional AP. Furthermore, Figure 2a The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed.

[0052] Figure 2b An example STA 111 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2b The embodiment of STA 111 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 STAs 111-115 can have the same or similar configurations. In the embodiments discussed below, STA 111 is a non-AP MLD. However, STAs can have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2b This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of any particular implementation of STA.

[0053] The non-AP MLD 111 is attached to multiple STAs 203a-203n (which may be referred to as, for example, STA1-STAn). Each attached STA 203a-203n includes an antenna 205, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 210, TX processing circuitry 215, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 225. The non-AP MLD 111 also includes a microphone 220, a speaker 230, a controller / processor 240, an input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 245, a touchscreen 250, a display 255, and a memory 260. The memory 260 includes an operating system (OS) 261 and one or more applications 262.

[0054] The components of each of the attached STAs 203a-203n shown can represent the PHY layer and LMAC layer in the OSI network model. In such an embodiment, the components of the non-AP MLD 111 shown represent a single UMAC layer and other higher layers in the OSI model, which are shared by all attached STAs 203a-203n.

[0055] For each affiliated STA 203a-203n, RF transceiver 210 receives incoming RF signals transmitted by the AP of network 100 from antenna 205. In some embodiments, each affiliated STA 203a-203n operates at a different bandwidth (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz), and therefore the input RF signals received by each affiliated STA may be at different RF frequencies. RF transceiver 210 down-converts the incoming RF signals to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 225, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 225 sends the processed baseband signal to speaker 230 (e.g., for voice data) or to controller / processor 240 for further processing (e.g., for web browsing data).

[0056] For each associated STA 203a-203n, TX processing circuitry 215 receives analog or digital voice data from microphone 220, or other outgoing baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 240. TX processing circuitry 215 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceiver 210 receives the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from TX processing circuitry 215 and up-converts the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted via antenna 205. In embodiments where each associated STA 203a-203n operates at different bandwidths (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz), the outgoing RF signal transmitted by each associated STA may be at a different RF frequency.

[0057] The controller / processor 240 may include one or more processors and executes a basic OS program 261 stored in memory 260 to control the overall operation of the non-AP MLD 111. In one such operation, the main controller / processor 240 controls the RF transceiver 210, RX processing circuitry 225, and TX processing circuitry 215 to receive forward channel signals and transmit reverse channel signals according to known principles. The main controller / processor 240 may also include processing circuitry configured to facilitate the establishment of shared power-saving scheduling for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 240 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0058] The controller / processor 240 is also capable of executing other processes and programs residing in the memory 260, such as operations for facilitating the establishment of a shared power-saving schedule for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. The controller / processor 240 can move data into or out of the memory 260 as needed during the execution of the process. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 240 is configured to execute multiple applications 262, such as applications for facilitating the establishment of a shared power-saving schedule for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. The controller / processor 240 can operate the multiple applications 262 based on the OS program 261 or in response to signals received from the AP. The main controller / processor 240 is also coupled to an I / O interface 245, which provides the non-AP MLD 111 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptops and handheld computers. The I / O interface 245 is the communication path between these accessories and the main controller 240.

[0059] The controller / processor 240 is also coupled to the touchscreen 250 and the display 255. An operator of the non-AP MLD 111 can use the touchscreen 250 to input data into the non-AP MLD 111. The display 255 may be a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, or other display capable of displaying text and / or at least limited graphics from a website. Memory 260 is coupled to the controller / processor 240. A portion of the memory 260 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of the memory 260 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0060] although Figure 2b An example of a non-AP MLD 111 is shown, but it is possible to compare... Figure 2b Make various changes. For example, you can combine, further subdivide, or omit. Figure 2b Various components are included, and additional components can be added as needed. In a specific example, one or more auxiliary STAs 203a-203n may include any number of antennas 205 for MIMO communication with AP 101. In another example, the non-AP MLD 111 may not include voice communication, or the controller / processor 240 may be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Furthermore, although... Figure 2b A non-AP MLD 111 configured as a mobile phone or smartphone is shown, but the non-AP MLD can be configured to operate as other types of mobile or fixed devices.

[0061] Figure 3 An example network architecture 300 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown, in which infrastructure services and non-infrastructure services coexist. Figure 3 In the example, the AP can be AP 101, and each STA in the STA can be STA 111-114, although not all STAs are associated with an AP. STAs not associated with an AP can belong to the P2P network. It should be understood that the reference to AP below refers to AP 101 (or AP MLD 101), and the reference to non-AP STAs refers to STA 111-114 (or non-AP MLD 111-114).

[0062] As discussed above, embodiments of this disclosure provide methods and apparatus for facilitating the establishment of shared power-saving scheduling for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. According to one embodiment, a first TDLS peer STA may act as a broadcast TWT scheduling AP and announce P2P PS scheduling (e.g., TWT scheduling) to other TDLS peer STAs. A second TDLS peer STA may act as a broadcast TWT scheduling STA and seek and obtain membership in the TWT scheduling announced by the first TDLS peer STA. The first TDLS peer STA may be referred to as a P2P scheduling STA. The second TDLS peer STA may be referred to as a P2P scheduled STA. TWT scheduling may be referred to as P2P scheduling.

[0063] Figure 4 An example network configuration 400 including a P2P scheduling STA and P2P scheduled STAs is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, several P2P scheduled STAs have P2P links (e.g., TDLS direct links) formed with the P2P scheduling STA.

[0064] According to one embodiment, when a first TDLS peer STA announces a TWT or P2P schedule (e.g., when the first TDLS peer STA is a P2P scheduled STA), the first peer STA is expected to be awake during the TWT SP (or P2P SP) corresponding to the P2P schedule. According to one embodiment, when a second TDLS peer STA acquires membership in a P2P schedule (e.g., when the second TDLS peer STA is a P2P scheduled STA), the second peer STA is expected to be awake during the TWT SP (or P2PSP) corresponding to the P2P schedule.

[0065] Figure 5a An example network configuration 500 including a P2P scheduling STA and P2P scheduled STAs is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 are members of the P2P scheduling announced by P2P scheduling STA 111.

[0066] Figure 5b An example timing diagram 510 is shown of the wake-up state of a P2P scheduled STA in an example network configuration 500 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in this example, P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 remain awake during the P2P scheduled P2P SP.

[0067] According to one embodiment, when a first TDLS peer STA announces a TWT or P2P scheduling (e.g., when the first TDLS peer STA is a P2P scheduling STA), and a second TDLS peer STA obtains membership in the scheduling (e.g., when the second TDLS peer STA is a P2P scheduled STA), the first peer STA and the second peer STA can communicate with each other during the P2P SP.

[0068] Figure 5c An example timing diagram 520 is shown for communication between a P2P scheduling STA and a P2P scheduled STA in an example network configuration 500 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in this example, the P2P scheduling STA 111 can communicate with the P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 via a direct P2P link during a P2P scheduled P2P SP.

[0069] According to one embodiment, when a first TDLS peer STA announces a TWT or P2P scheduling (e.g., when the first TDLS peer STA is a P2P scheduling STA), and a second and third peer STA obtain membership in that scheduling (e.g., when the second and third TDLS peer STAs are P2P scheduled STAs), then the second and third peer STAs can communicate between them during the P2P SP of the P2P scheduling. In such an embodiment, the second and third peer STAs may have already established a priori TDLS direct link between them.

[0070] Figure 6 An example network configuration 600 including a P2P scheduling STA and P2P scheduled STAs is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, several P2P scheduled STAs have P2P links (e.g., TDLS direct links) formed with the P2P scheduling STA. In addition, P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 have already formed a P2P link between them.

[0071] Figure 7aAn example network configuration 700 including a P2P scheduling STA and P2P scheduled STAs is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 are members of a P2P scheduler announced by P2P scheduling STA 111, and a P2P link has been established between them.

[0072] Figure 7b An example timing diagram 710 is shown for communication between P2P scheduled STAs in an example network configuration 700 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in this example, P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 can communicate with each other via their P2P direct links and with P2P scheduled STA 111 via their respective P2P direct links during P2P scheduling of a P2P SP.

[0073] According to one embodiment, a first TDLS peer STA (e.g., a P2P scheduling STA) may periodically send beacon frames. Such beacon frames may be referred to as P2P beacon frames. P2P beacon frames may contain information similar to that of beacon frames sent by an infrastructure AP. P2P beacon frames may contain information about P2P scheduling that has been announced to other peer STAs, enabling other peer STAs to obtain membership in the P2P scheduling.

[0074] According to one embodiment, when a first TDLS peer STA (e.g., a P2P scheduling STA) announces a TWT or P2P scheduling, a second TDLS peer STA that has already established a direct TDLS link with the first STA can request membership in the P2P scheduling. Upon receiving the request, the first peer STA can respond to the second peer STA with an accept or reject response.

[0075] Figure 8 An example timing diagram 800 illustrating the negotiation of membership in a P2P schedule according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, a P2P scheduler STA 111 sends periodic P2P beacon frames to announce the P2P schedule (e.g., by including parameters of the P2P schedule). P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 receive the P2P beacon frames and send P2P schedule establishment request frames to request membership in the P2P schedule corresponding to the P2P beacon frames. Upon receiving the P2P schedule establishment request frames, the P2P scheduler STA 111 determines whether to accept or reject the corresponding request and sends corresponding P2P schedule establishment response frames to the P2P scheduled STAs 112 and 113 using the accept or reject response.

[0076] According to one embodiment, a distributed algorithm can be used to determine which peer STA will act as the P2P scheduling STA from a group of peer STAs. The algorithm used to determine which peer STA will act as the P2P scheduling STA can be similar to the algorithm used in the Wi-Fi Aware specification to determine the NAN master from a group of NAN devices. For example, during the Wi-Fi Aware NAN master selection process, at the start of the formation of the NAN device group, all participating NAN devices broadcast their respective priorities to become the NAN master. Based on the declared priorities, the NAN device with the highest priority for a given session becomes the NAN master.

[0077] Close coordination with infrastructure networks (e.g., UL / DL networks) is desirable for better manageability of P2P networks. According to one embodiment, a P2P scheduling STA can notify its associated AP of P2P scheduling (and seek assistance). The P2P scheduling STA can indicate the number of members in the P2P scheduling or provide a list of associated identifiers (AIDs) of peer STAs that are members of the P2P scheduling to help the AP allocate resources for P2P scheduling. Instead of AID information, the MAC addresses of peer STAs that are members of the P2P scheduling can also be shared with the AP to identify peer STAs that have become members of the P2P scheduling. Even without providing information about the AID list or MAC address list, the AP can still allocate resources based on general P2P scheduling information, such as the number of peer STAs in the scheduling. The AP can simply trigger on a per-P2P cluster / scheduling basis.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the AP can send a variation of a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) Sharing (TXS) trigger frame during a P2P SP to allocate TXOPs to peer STAs, allowing the peer STAs to use the TXOPs for their own transmissions. The trigger frame will be P2P scheduling-specific. Peer STAs that are members of the P2P scheduler can use the corresponding TXOP for either P2P transmissions or infrastructure transmissions (if the trigger frame allows both).

[0079] If a peer STA, as a member of the P2P scheduling, does not intend to be available during the P2P SP (e.g., for infrastructure communications), it can indicate its unavailability during the P2P SP after the baseline process. This can be useful for out-of-channel P2P scheduling.

[0080] According to one embodiment, a P2P scheduling STA (or any STA that is a member of the P2P scheduling) can share P2P scheduling information, as well as a list of AIDs, a list of MAC addresses, or other identifiers of member STAs, with the AP, and indicate that STAs that are members of the P2P scheduling will not be available for infrastructure communication (i.e., communication with the AP's UL or DL) during the P2P SP corresponding to the P2P scheduling. Upon receiving such information, the AP will not allocate resources for infrastructure communication to any STA that is a member of the P2P scheduling during the P2P SP.

[0081] According to one embodiment, a P2P scheduling STA (or any STA that is a member of the P2P scheduler) can share P2P scheduling information by including the corresponding scheduling information in a P2P scheduling information frame. For example, the P2P scheduling information frame may contain a TWT element containing TWT parameters corresponding to the P2P scheduler. The P2P scheduling information frame may also contain mode indications. For example, "Mode-1" may indicate that the P2P scheduling STA is seeking assistance from the AP to allocate TXOPs for P2P transmissions during a P2P SP (e.g., a Multi-User Request Transmission (MU-RTS) TXS Mode 2 trigger frame). "Mode-2" may indicate that the P2P scheduling STA is notifying the AP of the unavailability of infrastructure communication with the AP during the P2P SP corresponding to the P2P scheduler, so that the AP does not allocate infrastructure resources to member STAs during those P2P SPs.

[0082] Figure 9 An example process 900 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for facilitating the establishment of a shared power-saving schedule for multiple P2P devices in a WLAN. Figure 9 The process 900 is discussed as being performed by a peer STA, and it should be understood that this can be an AP STA or a non-AP STA, with other peer STAs performing the corresponding process. Additionally, for convenience, Figure 9 The process is discussed as being performed by a Wi-Fi STA; however, it should be understood that any suitable wireless communication device can perform the process.

[0083] refer to Figure 9 In step 905, the first peer STA communicates with one or more other peer STAs via a P2P link. The P2P link can be, for example, a TDLS link, a Wi-Fi-aware NAN link, or a Wi-Fi direct link.

[0084] In step 910, the first peer STA determines the parameters of the P2P power-saving schedule. The parameters of the P2P power-saving schedule may include, for example, parameters for a P2P SP, during which P2P communication is permitted according to the P2P power-saving schedule. In some embodiments, prior to step 910, the first peer STA participates in a distributed algorithm with one or more other peer STAs to determine whether the first peer STA or one of the one or more other peer STAs determines the parameters of the P2P power-saving schedule.

[0085] Next, the first peer STA sends a message to one or more other peer STAs containing information about parameters of P2P power-saving scheduling (step 915).

[0086] Then, the first peer STA receives a request from at least one of the other peer STAs for membership in the P2P power-saving scheduling (step 920). The first peer STA determines in step 925 that it accepts the request, and in step 930 sends a response indicating that the request has been accepted to at least one of the other peer STAs.

[0087] In some embodiments, the first peer STA remains active during the P2P SP (Power Saving Schedule), and in some embodiments, the member STAs of the P2P SP remain active during the P2P SP. P2P communication is permitted between the first peer STA and the member STAs of the P2P SP during the P2P SP. In some embodiments, a P2P link is formed between at least two member STAs of the P2P SP, and P2P communication is permitted between these at least two member STAs during the P2P SP.

[0088] In some embodiments, the first peer STA is a non-AP STA, one or more other peer STAs are non-AP STAs, and the first peer STA and one or more other peer STAs are associated with an AP STA. In such an embodiment, the first peer STA or one of the one or more other peer STAs sends a message to the AP STA, the message including information about parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling and information identifying the member STAs of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

[0089] The flowchart above illustrates an example method or process that can be implemented according to the principles of this disclosure, and various changes can be made to the method or process shown in the flowchart. For example, although shown as a series of steps, the various steps can overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, a step can be omitted or replaced by another step.

[0090] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims. None of the descriptions in this application should be construed as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element that must be included within the scope of the claims. The scope of the patent subject matter is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A first peer-to-peer (STA) site device, comprising: The transceiver (210) is configured to communicate with one or more other peer STAs via a peer-to-peer P2P link; and A processor (240), operably connected to the transceiver (210) and configured to determine parameters for P2P power-saving scheduling, The transceiver (210) is also configured to send a message to the one or more other peer STAs including information about the parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

2. The first peer STA according to claim 1, wherein, The parameters of the P2P power saving scheduling include the parameters of the P2P service period SP, during which P2P communication is allowed according to the P2P power saving scheduling.

3. The first peer STA according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first peer STA remains active during the P2P SP of the P2P power saving scheduling.

4. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The one or more other peer STAs are member STAs of the P2P power-saving scheduling, and The member STA of the P2P power saving schedule remains active during the P2P SP of the P2P power saving schedule.

5. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The transceiver (210) is also configured to receive a request from at least one of the one or more other peer STAs for obtaining membership in the P2P power-saving schedule. The processor (240) is also configured to determine whether to accept the request, and The transceiver (210) is also configured to send a response to at least one of the one or more other peer STAs indicating that the request has been accepted.

6. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The one or more other peer STAs are member STAs of the P2P power-saving scheduling. During the P2P SP of the P2P power-saving scheduling, P2P communication is allowed between the first peer STA and the member STA of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

7. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The one or more other peer STAs are member STAs of the P2P power-saving scheduling. A P2P link is formed between at least two member STAs in the P2P power-saving scheduling, and During the P2P SP of the P2P power-saving scheduling, P2P communication between the at least two member STAs is permitted.

8. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The processor (240) is also configured to participate in a distributed algorithm to determine whether the first peer STA or one of the other one or more peer STAs determines the parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling, and The one or more other peer STAs also participate in the distributed algorithm.

9. The first equivalent STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The first peer STA is a non-access point AP STA. The one or more other peer STAs are non-AP STAs. The first peer STA and the one or more other peer STAs are associated with an AP STA, and The first peer STA or one of one or more other peer STAs sends a message to the AP STA, the message including information about the parameters of the P2P power saving schedule and information identifying the member STA of the P2P power saving schedule.

10. The first peer-to-peer STA according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the P2P link is one of a Tunnel Direct Link Establishment (TDLS) link, a Wi-Fi Sensing Neighbor Sensing Network (NAN) link, or a Wi-Fi Direct Link.

11. A method performed by a first peer site device (STA), the method comprising: Communicates with one or more other peer STAs via a peer-to-peer (P2P) link; Determine the parameters for P2P power-saving scheduling; as well as Send a message containing information about the parameters of the P2P power-saving scheduling to one or more other peer STAs.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The parameters of the P2P power saving schedule include parameters of the P2P service period SP, during which P2P communication is permitted according to the P2P power saving schedule.

13. The method according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein, The first peer STA remains active during the P2P SP of the P2P power-saving scheduling.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: The one or more other peer STAs are member STAs of the P2P power-saving scheduling, and The member STA of the P2P power saving schedule remains active during the P2P SP of the P2P power saving schedule.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: Receive a request from at least one of the one or more other peer STAs to obtain membership in the P2P power-saving scheduling; Confirm acceptance of the request; as well as Send a response indicating that the request has been accepted to at least one of the one or more other peer STAs.

Images